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The State of Social Security and Medicare ~ a repost 2015


a repost

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What You Need To Know From The Latest Social Security Trustees Annual Report

The latest annual report from the trustees for Social Security and Medicare came out today. It provided some very good news on the health care front: the report extended Medicare’s solvency by four years from 2026 to 2030. This improved financial health can be attributed in part to the Affordable Care Act, which is helping to reduce costs.

Just a few years ago, before the Affordable Care Act was fully implemented, the trustees predicted that the Medicare trust fund would run out by 2016. Another reason to be thankful for the ACA.

On the Social Security front, some news reports are focusing on the financial shortfall that the program faces in the next 75 years. But it is both expected and manageable. Here are the four key takeaways, from a post by Center for American Progress experts Rebecca Vallas and Christian E. Weller:

1. Social Security can continue to pay all promised benefits for the next two decades. As was the case in last year’s report, the Trustees continue to estimate that Social Security will be able to pay all scheduled retirement, disability, and survivorship benefits through 2033. Social Security has two trust funds: one for the retirement and survivorship benefit programs, and one for the much smaller Disability Insurance (DI) program (although experts generally consider the two funds together due to the interrelated nature of Social Security’s programs). Individually, the Old Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) trust fund is projected to deplete its reserves in 2035, and the DI trust fund will do so in 2016. After 2033, the Trustees project that Social Security income from payroll taxes will be sufficient to cover 77 percent of promised benefits after 2033, unless policymakers implement changes before then.

2. Social Security’s shortfall is modest. The Trustees project that the entire Social Security shortfall for the next 75 years will be about 1 percent of GDP, or 2.88 percent of taxable payroll. The bulk of this shortfall, 2.55 percent of payroll or 88.5 percent of the entire shortfall, is attributed to OASI. The Trustees have long projected both the OASI and DI shortfalls. While an aging population is frequently discussed as the driving factor, recent analysis by Monique Morrissey at the Economic Policy Institute finds that as much as half of the shortfall is attributable to rising inequality and wage growth that has lagged behind gains in productivity.

3. The fact that action will soon be needed to address Disability Insurance’s finances has long been expected. As with last year’s report, this year the Trustees continue to project that the DI trust fund will be exhausted in 2016—something that has been expected for nearly 20 years.

4. A routine step would ensure that Social Security can pay all benefits in full through 2033. Rebalancing—an adjustment in the share of payroll taxes allocated to each of the trust funds—has occurred in a bipartisan manner 11 times in the program’s history to account for demographic shifts or other changes. About half the time funds have been reallocated toward OASI, and about half the time toward DI.

BOTTOM LINE: The trustees for Social Security and Medicare brought the good news that Medicare’s financial health is better than expected. And the predictions it makes for Social Security are both expected and manageable–permitting our elected officials can take action to strengthen this program that is a bedrock of economic security for working Americans.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Rescind my city’s cruel anti-homeless feeding ban … still?

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Randall Kallinen

Helping my city’s homeless could land me in jail with a $2000 dollar fine.

Last November, a 90-year-old Florida man was arrested and faced 60 days in jail for feeding the homeless. A few months later, a San Antonio woman was hit with a $2000 dollar fine for doing the same.. These “feeding bans” have popped up all over the United States. In fact, more than 70 cities around the country have instituted or tried to institute similar ordinances.

My name is Randall Kallinen, and I am deeply saddened to say that my beloved city of Houston has followed suit. Now, a good deed could cost you $2000 here, too. This is just the wrong direction to be taking. It’s anti-compassion and anti-humanitarian, and we need to turn it around.

Tell Mayor Annise Parker and the Houston City Council that feeding the homeless isn’t a crime. Change the law and allow good samaritans to feed the hungry.

As a civil rights lawyer for over  21 years, homeless advocate and the president of Houston’s ACLU chapter for 3 years, I speak from experience when I say that humane acts of kindness should be rewarded, not punished. When Houston passed this ban 3 years ago, organizations from across the religious and political spectrum spoke out because they understood that being a good samaritan isn’t a religious or political issue, but rather a  matter of human rights. Now most have been frightened off from giving to the needy. Helping those in need should be considered a fundamental right, particularly now when more and more people are experiencing food insecurity and the government is failing to fix the problem. Houston’s cruel “anti-feeding” ordinance stands in the way of that right, and it is up to you and me to overturn it.

Because of our size, as Texas goes, so goes the rest of the country in many political matters. Too many cities have already adopted these anti-humanitarian measures. Getting Houston to rescind this draconian ordinance where you must seek permission as where and when to feed more than 5 less fortunate outside on public property could go a long way toward turning the tide across the nation.

Criminalizing charity penalizes our community’s most vulnerable. Can you help to make sure that doesn’t happen?

Let’s put an end to this misguided ordinance and return the spirit of giving and charity to the city of Houston. Join me and tell Mayor Annise Parker and the Houston City Council that every human deserves compassion. Tell them to rescind the “anti-feeding” ordinance.
~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Donald Trump … Él no es tu amigo

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~ my 2cents ..., ~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

One Caribbean or several different faces of ~ Caribbean Island Countries ~


RTX1H6EIHaitian migrants and Dominicans of Haitian descent yell slogans during a protest in Santo Domingo June 18, 2015. People took to the streets to demonstrate against the risk of deportation from the Dominican Republic due to a deadline of a national immigration law.  Reuters

just another rantRTR4YTSMHaitian Rolando Joshept (R), 19, sits near a Dominican soldier on a bus of the National Migration Office in Santo Domingo June 24, 2015. Joshept is returning to Haiti voluntarily after a new Dominican migration law requires hundreds of thousands of Haitians and people of Haitian descent to show identity documents or register for a so-called “regularization” program.  Reuters

Just another rant …

In 2011, Officials of the Dominican Republic warned DR nationals and after many changes to the rules, they seem determined to deport at least onehundred thousand Haitians.   According to the media, approximately 250K applied for residency but only about 10k had the proper paper work.  This means that DR Officials might implement the papers please rule as the U.S. state of Arizona tried.

It has gotten worse.

There are reports that the Dominican Republic seems to be engaging in what some consider ethnic cleansing.  The idea that DR officials decided they needed to deport DR nationals without due process is disturbing. When In fact, some are of DR descent, others  are undocumented most have worked and lived there for all their lives to only have a few weeks before being “rounded up” as stated by DR officials.  So far, approximately 26K undocumented DR nationals have left voluntarily.  Is it possible that Dominican elites want to regain their privileged lives at the expense of families, possibly family ties as well?

Why is this bothering me? The last time I asked folks to boycott, there were reports of fights about who looks more Dominican or not and in the wake of men women and children being assaulted based on their looks and skin colour dealing with a papers please law is beyond my understanding. I know this is not a new problem, but in this 21st Century, one would think the Caribbean Community would come together and implement solutions.  The problem seems to be an archaic caste system that needs to end.

Where is the CARICOM community and what side are they on?

Thing is, the Caribbean and i use that to cover a wide range of territory …beyond being a beautiful, a paradise, a tourist destination, sadly it is reported as having corrupt government police and always under constant threats of natural disasters so these issues of color, land, looks, legacy religion seem petty when some serious money can be made … but the government needs to be legitimate …the soul of the Caribbean kept intact

the question: Is the government and police both corrupt?

There is a Common Wealth of and a Republic of, yet both are a part of the Caribbean Community.

Folks are suffering victims of crime, corruption, and a huge debt due to economic austerity. While some visitors choose to ignore it others conveniently bring up the label given to differentiate the face of one Caribbean Community member from another.  I have read it so many times and though I roll my eyes at the clichés “ they are very very serious about making sure folks “are not confused with” or “pronounced as”. The fact remains, the Dominica and all the islands on that coast are still apart of the sum total called the Caribbean Community, and more often than not; “the not to be confused” locales are groomed island destinations for the rich.  I know, not all rich folks are, but a whole lot are buying land, usually white and from the UK, France and now so are folks from the US, making it a place that is or once was 86% to 95% black (Caribbean) now a  place that provides low wages for resort bartenders,  house cleaners, ethnic-entertainers while being another place beaten used and eaten up by eco-tourism. Studies show that when tourism flounders so does the economy …duh. so, alternative sustainable options need to be considered.

Most of us would say eco-tourism is not bad as it mostly helps protect against deforestation, but nowadays you need to ask what are the locals getting out of it. We need to think about all the Caribbean islands or similar hard to get to places with extraordinary weather, climate, food, mountains, rainforests, freshwater lakes, hot springs, waterfalls, and diving spots that tourists tend to trample or buy up.  The waterfronts are now home to cruise liners that not only take up space, it has resulted in a loss of land,  some fishing rights, and reports are that cruise ships have been quietly dumping environmental waste into what used to be pristine waterways. In the end, like so many destinations of paradise or eco-tourist friendly places succumb to new developments and or modernization of facilities now have fewer visitors, even with all the tax perks which happens to negatively affects the locals and their overall economy in far too many cases.

There is a difference between the Commonwealth and a Republic in my opinion.   If you read the news, the commonwealth is far more likely to be groomed for “the people” most are hard to get to.  That means a whole lot of tourists and definitely user friendly; the other is usually a little more urban, rugged a lot less likely to have many tourists.  The leaders in a commonwealth are more likely and able to make a deal with countries like the US, UK or France while the people of a Republic probably choose to talk with China or any other resource seeking nation.  The fact remains that fifteen CARICOM members include the Dominican Republican, as well as Dominica, are all in this crisis, all members need to step up.

In a letter to CARICOM, chair Bahamian Prime Minister Perry Christie, the organization expressed shock that the regional body has not commented on the issue.  “We are shocked but not surprised about CARICOM’s silence during this period when the Chair has fallen to the Prime Minister of The Bahamas”.

In the image to the left, a Haitian man is pulled back toward the Haitian side of the border by Dominican soldiers, at the Jimani border crossing, in the Dominican Republic last Wednesday. The man was later allowed to pass. Authorities are prepared to resume deporting non-citizens without legal residency in the Dominican Republic after largely putting the practice on hold for a year, the head of the country’s immigration agency said. For decades, the Dominican Republic has deported non-citizens, the vast majority of whom come from neighbouring Haiti to work in low-wage jobs. (PHOTO: AP)

I don’t know the answers … though I think Caribbean island nations and those that have, like the Republic of Madagascar similar weather, lakes, waterfalls,  forests and amazons want to export what they make not have folks come in and take it, promise or build massive structures making the indigenous people’s give up land, fishing rights only to get a small amount of return or actual help then it ends with a series of broken promises.  Some thinking they are doing well, talk about having jobs like being tour guides, cultural dancers are helping them or giving them an opportunity because they had nothing before … this is such bs! We need to help our fellow man with income inequality, demand not only human rights, see actual humanitarian acts completed, and a legit government. We must always try to prevent or stop the slashing, burning, and deforestation because it is one of many things that will prevent the next generation from thriving not to mention trying to keep the next generation healthy

These nations, regions or countries considered islands of paradise ultimate vacay destination is home to people that should not be poor … We need to ask who what where and why this is happening!

Resources:

jamaicaobserver.com

wiki

ft.com

Barbados today

12newsnow.com

Jamaica-gleaner.com

ibtimes.org

A Case of Mistaken Identity: Antihaitianismo in Dominican Culture By Ernesto Sagás

started June 18

~ Culture & History, ~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

How much do working mom’s get paid in your state


a reminder and repost

Every working mom should get paid enough to care for herself and her family.

But research has shown that working mothers are offered lower starting salaries than women who don’t have children — while working fathers are actually recommended for significantly higher pay than men without kids.

It’s outrageous double standards like this that contribute to the gender wage gap. Mothers who work outside the home full time, year round typically make only 70 cents for every dollar paid to fathers — and things are even worse for mothers of color and single moms.

Every working mom should get paid enough to care for herself and her family.

But research has shown that working mothers are offered lower starting salaries than women who don’t have children — while working fathers are actually recommended for significantly higher pay than men without kids.

It’s outrageous double standards like this that contribute to the gender wage gap. Mothers who work outside the home full time, year round typically make only 70 cents for every dollar paid to fathers — and things are even worse for mothers of color and single moms.

Support Fair Pay for Working MothersTell Congress to co-sponsor the Paycheck Fairness Act and support equal pay for all women — including working moms.

Take Action

The Paycheck Fairness Act would help end wage discrimination by closing loopholes in the Equal Pay Act. It would make it harder for employers to pay women less for the same work, prohibit retaliation against employees who talk about their pay, and require that employers who break the law fairly compensate the women they’ve discriminated against.

In this tough economy, more and more families are counting on women’s earnings. Yet pay discrimination undermines women’s ability to provide for themselves and their families.

Tell Congress: Support equal pay by co-sponsoring the Paycheck Fairness Act.

Thank you for all you do for women and their families.

Sincerely,
Fatima Goss Graves
Vice President for Education and Employment
National Women’s Law Center

P.S. To see how working mothers in your state fare, check out our interactive map..