Free Republic

Source: Source information located at the bottom of column. First the good news. The federal governmentÂ’s tax receipts are coming in at a rate somewhat higher than what was expected a few months ago. That means a shut-down-the-government debt limit stalemate will be pushed back until November or December. It also means that the federal debt will actually decline a bit this year. Now for the bad news. We are experiencing the calm before the storm. The Congressional Budget Office reported Tuesday that although our fiscal situation is improving, by 2018 we will snap back to swelling deficits and unsustainable...

Ending birthright citizenship for the children of illegal immigrants and raising the retirement age for Social Security are two causes Republicans tend to favor more than Democrats. But different groups of Republicans are enthusiastic about each idea: very roughly speaking, the base and the establishment, respectively. (There is, of course, some overlap: Ted Cruz, Lindsey Graham, and Rand Paul are for both ideas.) These ideas seem to me to have a few things in common. They’re neither necessary nor sufficient to solve the underlying problems with which they are associated (too much illegal immigration and insolvent entitlements); campaigning for them...

This week, America marked two significant milestones in its history. Friday was the 80th anniversary of Social Security, a program that has helped millions of seniors, including my parents, retire with dignity. Saturday is the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, when the most violent conflict in human history ended as an American victory. We refer to the Americans responsible for these accomplishments as the “Greatest Generation.” In less than two decades, they survived economic catastrophe, triumphed in a global conflict, and laid the foundation for unparalleled prosperity for their children in what would become an American...

Social Security turns 80 on Friday, and the massive retirement and disability program is showing its age. Social Security's disability fund is projected to run dry next year. The retirement fund has enough money to pay full benefits until 2035. But once the fund is depleted, the shortfalls are projected to be enormous. The stakes are huge: Nearly 60 million retirees, disabled workers, spouses and children get monthly Social Security payments, and that number is projected to grow to 90 million over the next two decades. And the timing is bad: Social Security faces these problems as fewer employers are...

Some may find this interesting and germane to today's federal budget issues.. it's data from the "Combined Statement of Receipts, Outlays, and Balances of the United States Government". Below in my reply are the data and the links. Only the first few lines of the hundreds of lines are shown.

Year after year the American people have been constantly warned of the impending doom that are their Social Security benefits due to fact that there are now more people collecting Social Security than paying into it. While the controversy over the future of Social Security is well known, what has not received much attention is that right now Americans are in danger of having their benefits delayed, and not just their Social Security checks. Veterans who fought for this country, and who are dependent on financial support from the Veterans Administration (VA) to purchase medicine or treatment could also see...

While engaging in the mundane task of gathering financial statements for a “secure retirement” meeting with my husband’s and my adviser, this Baby Boomer stumbled upon documented proof that our nation does not have the guts to confront one of its most serious economic problems. The realization came when I pulled from my files a document statement innocently titled, “Your Social Security Statement.”

While engaging in the mundane task of gathering financial statements for a “secure retirement” meeting with my husband’s and my adviser, this Baby Boomer stumbled upon documented proof that our nation does not have the guts to confront one of its most serious economic problems. The realization came when I pulled from my files a document statement innocently titled, “Your Social Security Statement.” At first glance, the statement did not appear menacing. I was told I could expect to receive a benefit of “about $2,136 a month” upon reaching age 70 — which certainly seems like good news. But...

The annual check-up for Social Security is in, and one program looks more dire than the rest. If Congress doesn’t act, people receiving Social Security disability benefits could see a nearly 20 percent cut to payments at the end of next year, according to the latest version of the Social Security trustees report released Wednesday. The disability trust fund will be depleted by the fourth quarter of 2016, leaving the administration with enough income to pay 81 percent of benefits, according to the report, which is updated annually. The health of the Social Security program didn’t change by much, and...

The Social Security Administration's latest annual report says what it has been saying for several years now — its disability insurance program will become insolvent in 2016.

Goose Creek resident Kelly Schuler said he was earning a six-figure income in corporate sales when he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, and after his symptoms became apparent and he lost his job, Social Security Disability Insurance payments became his financial lifeline. Now he finds himself among the 11 million Americans who could see their monthly checks slashed by 19 percent next year, unless federal lawmakers address a looming shortfall in the Social Security fund that pays disability benefits. The main Social Security fund that pays retiree and survivor benefits is not expected to run short for another two decades,...

The 11 million people who receive Social Security disability face steep benefit cuts next year — unless Congress acts, the government said Wednesday. The trustees that oversee Social Security said the disability trust fund will run out of money in late 2016, right in the middle of a presidential campaign. That would trigger an automatic 19 percent cut in benefits. The report said the fund faces "an urgent threat" that requires prompt action by Congress. There is an easy fix available: Congress could shift tax revenue from Social Security's much larger retirement fund, as it has done in the past.

Vets targeted, then Social Security recipients, then those with student loans and ... It began with letters from the Veterans Administration informing returning veterans they were being declared incompetent and someone would be appointed to handle their financial affairs. The veterans then were told they, consequently, could no longer own weapons. Now the same plan is being considered for recipients of Social Security, the Los Angeles Times said. The paper said the Obama administration is pushing to ban Social Security beneficiaries from owning guns if they “lack the mental capacity to manage their own affairs.” The report describes to the...

Most sneaky and underhanded attempts I've ever seen to take away people's constitutional rights We’ve often talked here about the Democratic Party’s goal of making sure at least half the population is dependent on government in some way. Mitt Romney was skewered for his comment about the “47 percent,” but the comment was completely valid and very pertinent because it referred to a permanent dependent class that will always vote for the party of government dependency. That’s how the Democrats intend to maintain permanent political power - by making sure that more than half the population is terrified of losing...

By the pen and the phone.The President is not going quietly into that good night and lame duck isn’t on the menu as far as he’s concerned. Barack Obama’s next fourth quarter play seems to be an attempt to go around congress and restrict the Second Amendment rights of millions of Americans based on data in the Social Security system. Specifically, if you are someone collecting benefits who has their payments handled by another family member or third party, you could find your information being turned over to the feds and your gun rights suspended. (From Fox News) The...

Back in 2008 Barack Obama promised his supporters that he would not take their guns. ““I believe in the Second Amendment. I will not take your shotgun away. I will not take your rifle away. I won’t take your handgun away… But I am not going to take your guns away. So if you want to find an excuse not to vote for me, don’t use that one because it just ain’t true. It ain’t true.” Via Free Republic:(VIDEO-AT-LINK)His campaign also ran this ad: “Barack Obama WON’T Take Away Your Gun…”But that was in 2008. Now this… Barack Obama is...

The Obama administration wants to keep people collecting Social Security benefits from owning guns if it is determined they are unable to manage their own affairs, the Los Angeles Times reported. The push, which could potentially affect millions whose monthly disability payments are handled by others, is intended to bring the Social Security Administration in line with laws that prevent gun sales to felons, drug addicts, immigrants in the United States illegally, and others, according to the paper. The language of federal gun laws restricts ownership to people who are unable to manage their own affairs due to "marked subnormal...

Seeking tighter controls over firearm purchases, the Obama administration is pushing to ban Social Security beneficiaries from owning guns if they lack the mental capacity to manage their own affairs, a move that could affect millions whose monthly disability payments are handled by others. The push is intended to bring the Social Security Administration in line with laws regulating who gets reported to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, or NICS, which is used to prevent gun sales to felons, drug addicts, immigrants in the country illegally and others. A potentially large group within Social Security are people who,...

The Legacy Lives On! Mark’s Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation “Conservatism is the antidote to tyranny precisely because its principles are the founding principles.” --Mark Levin in Liberty and Tyranny Welcome to “The Levin Lounge”… Step in and have a virtual FRink.Taking the country by storm, one radio station at a time – and kicking the BUTTS of the competition! Welcome all, to the most FUN LIVE THREAD on FreeRepublic.com! You can call Mark’s show: 1-877-381-3811

The projected Social Security shortfall is likely to hit younger workers hardest. Social Security has two trust funds: the Old-Age and Survivors (OAS) fund, and its smaller sibling, the Disability Insurance (DI) fund. Last year’s report said the combined reserves of both funds would be exhausted in the year 2033, at which time it could pay only 77¢ on the dollar of its benefit obligations. The DI fund, however, faces a more immediate crisis. It will run out of money in 2016—as in next year—and its 0.9% payroll tax levy will then collect only enough to pay 81% of its benefit obligations....