PAST EVENT
Friday, March 27, 2009
9:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Washington, DC
Thirty years of policies favoring private industry and the privatization of shared risks have rewritten the economic rules of the road for all Americans and complicated the task of planning for retirement. On March 27, the Brookings Institution and the Social Science Research Council (SSRC) hosted a forum exploring the effects of privatization on pension security and the ability of Americans to plan for old age. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Henry J. Aaron, January 29, 2009, The Fiscal High Road
Despite criticism of the Social Security Act, and it's application to twenty fist century America, Henry Aaron believes that those views are wrong. In broad outline, he says, the system is sound, sensibly designed, and affordable though some changes are now desirable, and that others will, and should, be made as economic and political conditions warrant. But he urges, they should affirm and strengthen the system, not scale it back or repeal it. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
R. Kent Weaver, June 2008, The Brookings Institution
Kent Weaver argues that a new approach to Social Security reform requires the president and congressional leaders to agree on an overall mandate for a commission named through a bipartisan nominating process designed to generate a group that is likely to focus on practical, consensus-building solutions. Special procedures in each house of Congress would provide expedited consideration of the commission’s reform package and alternatives, while providing incentives for constructive congressional engagement in the reform process. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Isabel V. Sawhill, February 26, 2009, The Guardian
In order to overcome trillion-dollar deficits, the president must get spending under control – and muster a lot of political will says Isabel Sawhill: First, by getting Health Care spending under control; second, by putting Social Security on a sound financial basis; and finally by raising revenues. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Henry J. Aaron, June 15, 2009, The Brookings Institution
Henry Aaron recently spoke about the budget, health care and entitlements at the Youth Action Conference. The conference, hosted by the Concord Coalition in conjunction with the Youth Entitlements Summit highlighted grassroots efforts and policy perspectives of youth organizations in addressing America's long-term fiscal challenge. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
The Fiscal Seminar Group, June 2009, The Brookings Institution
The United States faces a looming fiscal imbalance brought on by an aging population and rising health care costs. Yet, the current political environment discourages our leadership from making the tough choices required to fix our fiscal house. In this paper, a diverse group of budget experts reviews some of the recent history of appointed commissions, and discusses their potential role in long-term federal budgeting policy. Read More
VIDEO
Henry J. Aaron, May 14, 2009
The latest report on the solvency of the Social Security and Medicare trust funds reveals that these entitlement programs will likely run out of money sooner than expected. Senior Fellow Henry Aaron assesses the future of these two programs.
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Alice M. Rivlin, March 26, 2009, The Washington Post
President Barack Obama’s budget is the subject of floor debate in the House and Senate this week. Alice Rivlin says that the budget offers good remedies for America’s economic ills, but urges Congress to make it even better by paying for the new investments and reducing the long-term deficits. Read More
PAST EVENT
Friday, March 20, 2009
8:50 AM to 04:30 PM
Washington, DC
On March 20, the Brookings Institution; the Wharton School's Pension Research Council and Boettner Center; the University of Michigan Retirement Research Center; and The Retirement Security Project co-sponsored a conference on financial literacy and retirement preparedness. The keynote address was given by Michael Astrue, commissioner of the Social Security Administration.
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RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Henry J. Aaron, February 23, 2009, The Brookings Institution
That the United States faces daunting long-term budget challenges is indisputable. But the very projections—those of the Congressional Budget Office—cited to document the long-term budget challenge, show that there is no general entitlement problem, says Henry Aaron. Rather, he argues, the nation faces a daunting health care financing problem that bedevils private insurers and public programs alike. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
January 27, 2009, The Brookings Institution
A diverse group of experts urged President Obama, in his first budget submission, to strike a judicious balance between America’s short-term and long-term economic needs. While the need to boost spending to stimulate the economy is important, they say these short-term steps must not make it harder to achieve our long-term goals. They note that fundamental reforms of major entitlement programs and the tax system are needed to bring spending and revenues into better balance over the longer-term. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Alice M. Rivlin, January 21, 2009, Senate Committee on the Budget
In testimony to the Senate Budget Committee, Alice Rivlin argued that the future health of the nation’s economy depends on whether policy-makers can focus on two imperatives at once: the need to take immediate action to mitigate the impact of the recession; and the need to restore long-term fiscal responsibility and reassure our creditors that we are getting our fiscal house in order. Read More
VIDEO
Isabel V. Sawhill, December 09, 2008
In these tough times, the economy needs a stimulus, regardless of the impact on the deficit, says Isabel Sawhill. But prudent action needs to be taken to address runaway entitlement spending and that agenda should reconsider our intergenerational spending priorities.
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Gary Burtless, October 31, 2008, The Brookings Institution
While Social Security’s long-term problems represent a major policy challenge, the sharp fall in stock prices serves as a reminder that many substitutes for Social Security – such as individual retirement accounts -- have problems of their own. Gary Burtless analyzes how personal retirement savings accounts have performed historically, including over the past 12 months, and finds that retirement funds invested solely or mainly in the stock market offer a very shaky foundation for retirement income. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Isabel V. Sawhill, October 24, 2008, CNNMoney.com
Isabel Sawhill discusses the big three of entitlement programs - Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid and how they will wreak havoc on the country's finances (and yours) unless we scale them back. Read More