House Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee Chairman Sam Johnson (R-TX)
announced today that the Subcommittee will hold a
hearing entitled
“Social Security’s Solvency
Challenge: Status of the Social Security Trust Funds.”
The hearing will focus on the
status of the
Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) and Federal Disability Insurance (DI) Trust
Funds
and
the effects
of delaying action to address Social Security’s future insolvency.
The
hearing will take place on
Friday, July
14, 2017
in
2020
Rayburn House Office Building,
beginning at
9:00 AM.
I say groundhog day because Republicans on the Social Security Subcommittee schedule one of these hearings every year. It's their annual opportunity to warn that Social Security is running out of money. Their solution for the threat of future benefit cuts is to start cutting benefits right now. Any other solution, such as removing the cap on wages covered by the F.I.C.A. tax, is unacceptable since we can't burden the wealthy, excuse me, "job creators."
Who exactly are they even purporting to warn anymore? These psychopaths control the White House, both houses of congress and the Supreme Court at this point. Did they forget that they can't play backseat driver when they're already in the driver's seat doing 80 mph? (completely off-road at that)
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ReplyDeletethe report and the hearing are required by law - which is why it's done with regularity.
and Mr. Smith - you may want to check the Webster's definition of "psychopath"......
Does this mean the Trustees Report is coming out on or before Friday?
ReplyDelete@12:15
ReplyDeleteHow about, "a party of sociopaths, led by a psychopath" if you're going to get all technical about it.
BRAVO, Mr. Smith @ 1:18!
ReplyDeleteCharles, why in the world would the job creators want to have a tax increase to fund a socialistic program when they can make a profit by buying shares in the private prison system. Talk about a sector that has huuugggee potential. You can also do stealth apartheid to solve the minority problem and force some work out of the deadbeats. or, better kill more of them off. as soon as we can cut the cord of this socialistic system we can let natural social Darwinism kick in and they will all end up dead on the street or they will steal a loaf of bread, or assault someone, or buy an illegal drug and they are in! Let the remaining working chumps pay the taxes while we live off of our dividends and stock buybacks. Grease the pols good and they will get on board and help to fill them to the brim and have people waiting in line! It is time for the full monty Private prison industrial complex. Let American free enterprise and the free market solve this problem!
ReplyDeleteWe need to highlight the ethical questions raised by politicians' approach to disability, as well as the political ones. A large proportion of Republicans stress pro life and traditional values. Care for the hurting Is an ancient tradition. Focusing on the real position of people with disabilities in our culture needs to concern both conservatives and liberals.
ReplyDeleteFor example, see https://divinity.uchicago.edu/sightings/disability-theology-and-healthcare-debate
AMEN, 9:43!
ReplyDeleteVery good Douglas Smith!
ReplyDeleteI don't think a blog post here needs to be crafted with absolute perfection. The overarching point Mr. Smith makes works for me.
ReplyDeleteThe Trustees Report is out. About DI, it says "The change in the reserve depletion date for DI [from 2023 to 2028] is largely due to continuing favorable experience for DI applications and benefit awards. Disability applications have been declining since 2010 and the total number of disabled worker beneficiaries in current payment status has been falling since 2014. In last year’s report, disabled worker beneficiaries were projected to rise from 8.9 million at the end of 2015 to about 9.0 million at the end of 2016. In fact, the number dropped to about 8.8 million at the end of 2016."
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't necessarily say a drop in awards indicates a "favorable experience."