entitlement programs news stories on Newser

Don't Raise Taxes on Rich; Redirect Money to Poor

Mark Russell — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 17:54:40 CST

"What should be done about income inequality?" This question "underlies the arguments hashed out in the supercommittee and promises to be a central issue in the presidential campaign," writes Michael Barone in the Washington Examiner . Barone's answer, based on a recent paper by Republican lawmaker Paul Ryan : Limit so-called transfer...

Taxing Rich Won't Help Middle Class

Mark Russell — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 15:16:19 CDT

You can raise taxes on the rich to fight inequality, but that will only "trim the tallest poppies" and won't do anything to help the middle class, says Ross Douthat in the New York Times . "True social mobility and broadly shared prosperity are not so easily achieved," he writes. Those...

Yes, It's a Ponzi Scheme —but We Can Fix It

John Johnson — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 10:44:05 CDT

Rick Perry keeps riling people by calling Social Security a Ponzi scheme . But guess what, writes Charles Krauthammer in the Washington Post : It is a Ponzi scheme. In fact, it's almost the very definition of one. The big difference is that a Ponzi scheme is illegal while Social Security is...

Obama, Boehner Near 'Grand Bargain'—Maybe

Matt Cantor — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 14:36:18 CDT

President Obama and John Boehner are reportedly back at the bargaining table, and they could be near a deal to cut the deficit and raise the debt ceiling. The rumored $3 trillion agreement between the administration and top Republicans could include entitlement changes and set plans for tax reform, reports...

Obama Ready to Cut Social Security

Rob Quinn — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 07:53:14 CDT

With Medicare already on the table , President Obama has signaled that the other big budgetary time bomb isn't safe from cuts: Social Security. The president is pressing congressional leaders to accept an ambitious plan to slash $4 trillion over the next decade, insiders say. He hopes to use the cuts...

AARP Open to Modest Cuts in Social Security Benefits

John Johnson — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 16:57:48 CDT

The debate on entitlements reform got a jolt today when the Wall Street Journal reported what it sees a major shift in policy at AARP: The group will no longer oppose cuts in Social Security benefits. Given the group's massive clout, the story raised a ruckus on Capitol Hill and...

Paul Ryan to Obama: You're Distorting My Plan

John Johnson — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 14:15:54 CDT

Republicans met with President Obama today to talk about the debt, resulting in what the Los Angeles Times describes as a "pointed exchange" between Paul Ryan and Obama. Ryan accused the president and Democrats of distorting his proposal to overhaul Medicare. "It's been misdescribed by the president and many others,...

Raising Debt Limit Again Invites US Ruin

John Johnson — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 12:18:13 CDT

Marco Rubio vows to vote against raising the debt limit in a few weeks—unless it's the last time and accompanied by comprehensive reform—and he casts the decision not as a wonky economic debate but as a "defining moment in American history." In his op-ed in the Wall Street...

Dems to Offer GOP Another $20B in Spending Cuts

Matt Cantor — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 08:52:05 CDT

With the threat of a government shutdown less than two weeks away, all eyes are on the budget. The White House and congressional Democrats are working on a proposal to cut another $20 billion in spending, insiders tell the Wall Street Journal . It’s the biggest cut the administration and Democratic...