social security is a governmnet run ponzi scheme that makes Madoff look like an amateur. The politicians have stolen all the money in the social security fund that we built up thru ss payrole taxes and spent it. They were using incoming payrole taxes to pay current expenses, but with the economy shrinking payroles their outgoing expenses have exceeded the incoming money so we are in deep doodoo...

This is not objective reporting Mr. Hancock. You are not a reporter, you are a stenographer for the Liberal wing of the Democrat party. Grandma will not be thrown out on the street, old people will not have to eat dog food, and blacks and females will not be hit the hardest. Adjustments must be made to all entitlements or draconian cuts that have taken place in Europe will follow.

I know you must give the people red meat in your one party State, but at least try to feign objectivity.

The Federal Government has NEVER spent one dollar in an effective way !! People we are broke and something needs to be done.

The Social Security money is from the people's paychecks. It is a dedicated tax to pay for the retirement and medical care of those who pay in.

It is not part of the federal budget.

And thus Jay, based on these comments, you get the answer to why you get this "kind of a weird move".
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Yeah, Mr. R., the red meat seems to have had its intended effect. I think Dr. Pavlov hears bells ringing. JH

As to those inclined to cut the operating deficit the "butter" end of the spectrum has pretty well done it's duty... the balance must come from the "guns" end.

While an odd tendril or shoot may still be able to be trimmed elsewhere the time spent looking for them is double wasted.

As to those inclined to to cut the outrageous debt we're saddled with, the overwhelming majority of which is also rooted at the guns end of what laughingly was called a budget in those years... the money is going to have to come from taxes.

Hmmmm. So folks are broke. And many of those rely on a Social Security check to have enough money to buy food.
The Republicans could care less if they starve and die. We need to give billions to the biggest profiteers in the world, the OIL companies because they provide us with election funding.....
What a crock.....

to Steve: You are incorrect about the trust funds and Social Security not being part of the budget. The congress has borrowed money from the trust funds to balance the budget for years thus masking the size of the deficits for the last 40 years. In the original Social Security Act the agency was allowed to use a percentage of the taxes collected to pay for the expenses of the agency. When Congress started borrowing from the trust funds they also place the agency budget under their control as part of the federal budget. So the agency is dependent on Congress for its operating funds and holds trillons of dollars in IOUs from the treasury. There was a move years ago to move Social Security off budget but of coarse Congress did not want to give up its money pot.

The Republicans need to reverse the Bush tax cuts and reduce the Military budget as well as the domestic budget. They also need to cut their pet projects before cutting hard working americans benefits and programs. When their house is clean then they can clean the rest of house.

Federal employees are being attacked by these congressmen who don't realize that most federal employees are on a fixed income just like the senior citizens. They have taken away our cost of living increases and now want to take away our step increases to save a pultry sum in the budget. Wise up and raise taxes and then cut spending.

Bigboy, Social Security is simply a Government IOU. I just hope that the Government after years of taking money out of my paycheck doesn't yet raise the retirement age AGAIN and actually pays out the promise that they should be standing behind.

Social Security is part of the budget. The portion from the paycheck goes into a trust to pay for those who are retired, SSI, etc. However, how do you think us SSA employees get paid? How do we keep the lights running and create programs to make the process smoother? That does come from the Federal Government Budget.

The SSA is efficient?? What kind of criteria were used to determine that? SSA is overstaffed and full of socio-economic hires who "like what they do". And that ain't much.
What's next: IRS wins Customer Service kudos?

Hi Chris. You could look it up.
http://www.ssa.gov/oact/STATS/admin.html
FY 2010 adminstrative cost of 0.9 percent of total expenses. JH

I believe the Republicans will use a strategy of "starve the beast" to make it more difficult for Social Security to work. If someone has to wait a long time to enroll, or the enrollment becomes complicated because of errors caused by not having enough staff than that provides the "proof" they need to convince the stupid that privatizing Social Security would be more efficient. These immoral greedy politicians have succeeded at this line of bull since Reagan fired the air traffic controllers.

As well as benefits to retirees, Social Security provides benefits for those who lose a spouse or parent who is a wage earner. I know of a coworker who couldn't have made it financially without the Social Security benefits for his young daughters that he received after his wife died.

Before you condemn the whole program, please consider how it helps those who are truly deserving. So many senior citizens could not live in dignity before this program. There is a reason for a social safety net.

Carol

I can not believe that The Sun has not yet posted an article about the threat of a furlough for Social Security employees that has been reported all over the country (including WBALTV.com). Hey, that would only affect about 20,000 people locally. Duh??

I can not believe that The Sun has not yet posted an article about the threat of a furlough for Social Security employees that has been reported all over the country (including WBALTV.com). Hey, that would only affect about 20,000 people locally. Duh??

So we and our employers pay into SS for a future benefit. How does that make it an entitlement?

The first time someone's grandmother doesn't get her monthly check on time, there will be protests in the streets that will make the Wisconsin protests look like a Saturday in the park. I doubt the politicians have the stomach to cut SSA funds no matter what they say now. I think this is all alot of hot air that will come to nothing.

Well, Jay i did look at the link you posted about the great efficiency of SSA. While the expenses are 0.9% as you said, it also states the admin costs are $6.5 BILLION. 2004 admin costs were $4.5 BILLION. That is about a 45% increase. Varible costs don't raise that much in an efficient outfit that prints checks.

Jay: I was shocked...shocked yesterday by your comments on the C4 show on WBAL in calling Sarah Palin a maniac. Did you not get the message from our dear leader in DC about the new civility? Did you call Obama a maniac when he shoved Obamacare down our throats? I don't care what you want to call the board of bureaucrats who will have "life and death" authority over our lives but I certainly would call it a "Death Panel". So if you want to call us all maniacs, then as a socialist liberal you can do it. John

Bud, you're 10% correct on your point that the politicians don't have the stomach to cut SSA distributions...

The problem is that they also (so far) don't have the stomach to raise the SS contribution rates, or the retirement eligibility age. Both of these measures are needed but what is needed even more is to raise the amount of earnings that have those deductions applied to them.

Similar simple approaches might even fix medicare problems as well.

"As Matt Yglesias points out, it's kind of a weird move. Social Security is already very efficient."

ha ha ha Ha Ha Ha HA HA HA !

You must be kidding - had friends who worked at Social Security and KNOWS these hard core unemployables would Never make it in the private sector.

The consequences of this Republican budget cut would be felt by seniors and people with disabilities throughout the country ... There are few budget cuts more irresponsible than those that fall on the backs of our seniors and people with disabilities, yet that’s exactly who this Republican proposal would end up hurting.

I was just terminated Friday from a special 2 year contract program. It was said I wasn't performing my job efficiently and effectively. I cared about my job and help claimants get their social security disability benefits. And at least I worked and showed up for work on a regular basis. There is so much bad crap going on there. There are more deserving old timers who need to go. SSA needs to clean house and keep the ones who do the real work.

What right do these politicians
have they stole from social security and they should be made to put the money back. There are many who relie on this one little payment. You are GREDDY BASTARDS CUT GOV.SPENDING THAT IS WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE!

ALL THOSE SUPER INTELLIGENT FOLKS IN CONGRESS AND NOT ONE OF THEM HAS A CONCRETE IDEA OF HOW TO BEGIN TO FIX THIS MESS. STILL WASTING MONEY ON COPIES OF THE BUDGET, WHAT HAPPENED TO BEING" GREEN", AND USING iBOOKS OR AN IPAD APP?
THE WIZARD WILL KNOW WHAT TO DO. LET'S ASK THE WIZARD.