Entitlements

Ryan Grim

What Half A Billion Dollars Buys You In Washington

HuffingtonPost.com | Ryan Grim | Posted 05.15.2012

Read More: Taxes, Bill Clinton, Entitlements, Social Security, John Boehner, Social Security Cuts, Peter G. Peterson Foundation, Pete Peterson, Entitlement Reform, Video, Tom Brokaw, Hedge Funds, Tim Geithner, Medicare, David Walker, Peter Peterson, Social Security Benefits, Paul Ryan, Politics News

WASHINGTON -- Peter Peterson, a Wall Street billionaire who has been calling for cuts to Social Security and other government programs for years, is h...

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The War on Public Sector Workers

Dean Baker | Posted 04.16.2012

Read More: Pensions, Deficit, Public Employees, Stock Market, State and Local Government, Entitlements, Retirement, Social Security, Retirement Cuts, Business News
Dean Baker

Welcome to the latest episode in the long-running battle to redistribute ever more income to the rich. Having already achieved great success in depressing the pay of workers throughout the private sector, the call is to cut the pay and benefits of workers in the public sector. Won't you join the cause?

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What Sense of Entitlement?

Dan Bimrose | Posted 04.12.2012

Read More: Entitlements, Sense of Entitlement, American Dream, Minimum Wage, Medicare, Democrats, Republicans, Politics News
Dan Bimrose

The apparent Republican goal to lower our worker's wage rates and benefits to a point where we are competitive with China's wage rates should not be what we strive for. This is America. We should use innovation to create new industries and new markets.

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Why Do So Many Elites Hate Social Security?

Dave Johnson | Posted 04.12.2012

Read More: Robert Samuelson, Jared Bernstein, Social Security, Dean Baker, Entitlements, Entitlement Programs, Politics News
Dave Johnson

This week there was another big attack on Social Security by another elite. This time the attack comes from a columnist. These attacks never come from people who depend on these programs (i.e. almost all of us.) Why do the privileged elites hate Social Security so much?

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Ryan Grim

AARP Plans Secret 'Salon' With Social Security Opponents

HuffingtonPost.com | Ryan Grim | Posted 03.19.2012

Read More: Social-Security-Aarp, Entitlements, Video, Social Security, Social Security Cuts, Social Security Battle, Aarp, Entitlement Reform, Social Security Reform, Politics News

WASHINGTON -- The senior citizens lobby AARP on Monday will kick off a national Social Security and Medicare "listening tour" called "You’ve Earned ...

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Fiscal Affairs: Who's a Freeloader?

James Kwak | Posted 05.14.2012

Read More: Fiscal Affairs, Taxes, Entitlements, Medicaid, Social Security, Medicare, Tea Party, Business News
James Kwak

If people realize that the government's principal activity is protecting them against long-term risks through programs that they already like, they may change their opinions of the government and their willingness to pay for it. We can all dream.

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Under $2 a Day in America, Part 1

Arloc Sherman | Posted 05.05.2012

Read More: Entitlements, Welfare, Poverty, Food Stamps, Extreme Poverty, Poor, Entitlement Reform, Tanf, Money News
Arloc Sherman

Living on less than $2 per person a day is one World Bank definition of poverty for developing nations. Unfortunately, this threshold is increasingly relevant to the United States.

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Liberal Group Blasts Hoyer Stance

The Huffington Post | Max J. Rosenthal | Posted 03.01.2012

Read More: Grand Bargain, Entitlements, Entitlement Cuts, Social Security, Steny Hoyer, Federal Budget Deficit, Entitlement Programs, Medicare, Medicaid, Video, Politics News

Liberal grassroots group CREDO Action slammed House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) on Thursday for his calls to limit spending on Medicare, Medicai...

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The Myth of the Out-of-Control Federal Government

Bob Greenstein | Posted 04.30.2012

Read More: Deficit, Debt, Entitlements, Baby Boomers, Social Security, Medicare, Federal Government, Federal Budget Deficit, Government Spending, Federal Spending, Federal Budget, Politics News
Bob Greenstein

My colleague at the Center, Richard Kogan, authored a wonderful summary of our new report tackling the question, "Are the Size and Reach of the Federa...

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Social Programs Vs. Entitlements: Setting the Record Straight

Tom Murphy | Posted 04.22.2012

Read More: Government, Assistance, Entitlements, Welfare, Education, Poverty, Food Stamps, Snap, Economic Development, Aid, Development, Bill Ayres, Impact News
Tom Murphy

Millions of Americans have been hit hard by the economic downturn and are working hard to escape the trap of poverty. Mischaracterizing social welfare programs makes it hard to adequately understand and address these problems.

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Entitlements Hysteria

Jeffrey Sachs | Posted 04.18.2012

Read More: Entitlements, Wall Street Journal, Health Care Spending, Federal Budget, Obama 2013 Budget, Economic Crisis, Budget, Economy, Government Spending, US Economy, Financial Crisis, Obama Budget, Medicaid, Medicare, Health Care, Healthcare, U.S. Economy, Politics News
Jeffrey Sachs

One of the unshakable myths of the punditariat is that the federal government is going bankrupt because of entitlements spending, especially spending on Medicare and Medicaid. This is a stampede of unreason, contradicted by the facts.

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The 2012 Question

Jared Bernstein | Posted 04.13.2012

Read More: Role of Government, Welfare, Entitlements, Election 2012, Entitlement Benefits, Social Security, Business News
Jared Bernstein

People like those in Sunday's New York Times piece struggle with what to them seems like a contradiction: they want to think of themselves as self-sufficient and independent, yet when pushed, most recognize that they need the help.

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A Strategic Insurance Policy for Self-Absorbed Rich People

Fred Goldring | Posted 04.06.2012

Read More: Romney, Entitlements, The One Percent, Wealthy, Entitlement Programs, Underprivileged, Wealthy Americans, Job Creation, Wealthy Taxes, Politics News
Fred Goldring

The top 1% should realize that it's actually in their own interests to take care of the bottom 99%.

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The Republican Myth of Obama's "Entitlement Society"

Robert Reich | Posted 04.03.2012

Read More: Entitlements, Federal Benefits, Welfare, Child Welfare, Entitlement Programs, Food Stamps, Welfare Reform, Welfare State, Government Benefits, Politics News
Robert Reich

Regressive Republicans pretend they're about opportunity. In reality they're back at what they've been doing for years -- promoting Social Darwinism.

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Romney in the Safety Net Hot Seat

Meredith A. Bennett-Smith | Posted 04.03.2012

Read More: Federal Poverty Line, Mitt Romney Bain Capital, Entitlements, Medicaid, Food Stamp Program, Newt Gingrich, Soledad O'Brien, Politics News
Meredith A. Bennett-Smith

I'd be more inclined to overlook the comment, ridiculous as it was, if Romney wasn't in fact campaigning on what could be described as a fairly anti-safety net platform. History is on my side here.

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Dan Froomkin

The American Social Welfare State Means Relief For (Almost) Everybody

HuffingtonPost.com | Dan Froomkin | Posted 01.14.2012

Read More: Entitlements, Video, American Welfare State, Social Security, Mitt Romney, Welfare State, European Welfare State, Tax Expenditures, Tax Code, Barack Obama, Social Welfare State, Politics News

WASHINGTON -- Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney has taken to accusing President Barack Obama of trying to turn the United States into a Eu...

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Turning Off the Lights: Democracy in the Dark

Benjamin R. Barber | Posted 03.11.2012

Read More: Government, Entitlements, Public Space, Democracy, New Hampshire Primary, Austerity, Politics News
Benjamin R. Barber

There is no more dismal metaphor for America's abandonment of the public sphere than the decision by Highland Park, Michigan to rip up a swath of its street lights in the name of public parsimony.

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Willard Mitt Romney Rails Against "Entitlement Society" -- That Takes Chutzpa

Robert Creamer | Posted 02.21.2012

Read More: Mitt Romney, Social Security, Entitlements, Republican Presidential Primary, Medicare, Opportunity Society, Politics News
Robert Creamer

It really takes chutzpa for a guy who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth to rail against an "entitlement society." Mitt Romney is a guy who got his start in life the old-fashioned way -- he inherited it.

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New Social Security Proposal Has Senior Groups Up In Arms

AP | STEPHEN OHLEMACHER | Posted 01.07.2012

Read More: Entitlements, Social Security Benefits, Social Security Taxes, Video, Senior Citizens, Social Security Tax, Entitlement Programs, Social Security Cuts, Social Security, Seniors Social Security, Social Security Seniors, Entitlement Reform, Social Security Reform, Politics News

WASHINGTON — Just as 55 million Social Security recipients are about to get their first benefit increase in three years, Congress is looking at ...

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Are the Best Things in Life Still Free?

Frank A. Weil | Posted 01.03.2012

Read More: Entitlements, Social Security, Unemployment Insurance, Politics News
Frank A. Weil

What people get free in life, they tend not to value highly, conversely, when people become invested in something -- via money and/or effort -- they g...

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Jon Ward

Romney Moves To Embrace Paul Ryan Medicare Plan

HuffingtonPost.com | Jon Ward | Posted 01.03.2012

Read More: Entitlements, Gop 2012, Mitt Romney, Elections 2012, Mitt Romney Health Care, Mitt Romney Paul Ryan, Rick Perry, Video, National Debt, Mitt Romney Paul Ryan Plan, Mitt Romney 2012, Herman Cain, Mitt Romney Medicare, Medicare, Gop 2012 Presidential Candidates, Paul Ryan, Politics News

WASHINGTON -- Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney proposed overhauling Medicare to allow beneficiaries to enroll in private health care plan...

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Question Authority: The Boomers Are Coming and They Won't Play Dead

Bernard Starr | Posted 11.29.2011

Read More: Entitlements, Baby Boomers, Social Security, Ronald Reagan, Retirement, Pensions, Jobs, Dan Rostenkowski, Recession, Newsweek, Senior Citizens, Unemployment, Ageism, Woodstock, Vietnam, Means-Testing, Medicare, End of Life Care, Family Values, Dr. Spock, Sexual Revolution, Fifty News
Bernard Starr

Politicians beware -- the boomers are coming. Like drill sergeants you may bark your marching orders and expect unchallenged compliance. But this army will march to its own drum beat.

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Stop Scaring Boomers: Why Social Security Matters

Carol Orsborn | Posted 11.22.2011

Read More: Entitlements, Aging, Medicare, Baby Boomers, Social Security, Baby Boomer Women, Baby Boomers Social Security, Altruism, Social Science, Future Generations, Politics News
Carol Orsborn

Just as one can ascend the pyramid towards actualization, so can one slip back down to the bottom, where fulfilling the urge to give back is replaced with the survival-driven pursuit of basic needs.

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Grim Realities in the Obama Budget Plan

Jeffrey Sachs | Posted 11.21.2011

Read More: Entitlements, Obama Deficit Reduction, Discretionary Spending, Progressive Movement, Budget, Bush Tax Cuts, Politics News
Jeffrey Sachs

Obama may be leaning against the right-wing juggernaut, but he is not changing its direction, only slightly blunting its force. He has already given in where it counts by agreeing with the Republicans in August to slash the core of the discretionary civilian budget.

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Entitlements, Defense and the Not-So-Super Committee

Jason Erb | Posted 11.12.2011

Read More: Taxes, Debt, Entitlements, Poverty, Super Committee, Politics News
Jason Erb

On Thursday September 8, at the first meeting of the Congressional deficit cutting Super Committee, Sentator John Kyl (R-Arizona) set the tone for the...

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