Welcome to the Daily Kos Social Security Defenders Blogathon

I've been organizing for this blogathon nearly a month. I started right after the Climate Change SOS blogathon ended on Febuary 15th. And though its not been going together like clockwork, it has come together. DK Front Pager Joan McCarter has the Monday 1pm EST slot, later today you'll see KitsapRiver and myself.



Tuesday's lineup includes joanneleon & joe shikspack and at 3pm- Arshad Hasan Executive Director of DFA. Wednesday we have Poopdogcomedy (wasn't he on the Conan show?) and the Founder of the Social Security Defenders group @DK, Bruce Webb (otherwise known as Mr SS).

Thursday Jim Dean the DFA Chair kicks off the days events @11am. Followed by One Pissed Off Liberal and Floridagal (Madfloridian @ DU). Friday is going to be awesome, Economist Dean Baker starts the day at 11am, if VCLib comes back from vacation in time he has the 1pm slot, and I think I've talked DK Featured writer Armando to finish up the weeks activities.



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Friday March 22nd, 2013:

US Senate voted on the Bernie Sanders amendment Friday night. The Non Binding resolution calling for no Chained CPI, no Social Security cuts and was passed by a voice vote.

The vote on the amendment was by voice vote, so its usefulness in quantifying Senate opposition to the proposal is minimal. The amendment is non-binding because it is attached to the budget resolution, which does not have the force of law.

Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) sponsored the amendment.

Sanders pushed for a roll call vote, but was talked out of it by Senate Budget Chairwoman Patty Murray (D-Wash.).

Read more: http://thehill.com/...
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March 24th, 2013:

Would the Wall Street Journal engage in fear mongering on Social Security? Here's what they wrote today:



Q: Will I receive Social Security benefits?
A: That's a big "It depends." If you're over 65, no sweat. If you're 45-65, you might see some changes from the relatively generous benefits enjoyed by your parents. If you're under 45, you have plenty to worry about.

The writers at the WSJ are in the small minority that doesn't support Social Security. They think that eventually the rest of the country will see things their way. That hasn't happened in more than 75 years. I see no reason to think that will ever happen.

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March 21st, 2013:
USNews reports: How to Avoid Taxes on Your Social Security Income

First, you need to figure out your “combined income.” This is your adjusted gross income plus non-taxable interest plus half of your Social Security benefit.

~ If your combined income is under $25,000 for singles ($32,000 for couples filing jointly), then your benefits aren’t taxable.
~If your combined income is between $25,000 and $34,000 for singles ($32,000 to $44,000 for couples), then you will have to pay income tax on up to 50 percent of your benefit.
~If your combined income is over $34,000 for singles ($44,000 for couples), then you will have to pay income tax on up to 85 percent of your benefit.

If you want to minimize tax, then you should try to keep your combined income at around $25,000. For example, let’s assume you received the average Social Security benefit of $15,000 in 2012. If you withdraw $17,500 from your IRA, your combined income will be right at $25,000. Your real income would be $32,500. That’s $17,500 from the IRA and $15,000 from Social Security. (In this example your combined income is $17,500 plus half of $15,000 which equals $25,000.)

If you take the standard deduction ($5,950) and standard exemption ($3,800), then you’ll only have to pay $778 in tax on an income of $32,000. That’s a 2 percent effective tax rate.



"HandsOffMySS" Blogathon: March 25th thru March 29th, 2013
Diary Schedule - All Times Eastern Standard

IT IS TIME TO TAKE A STAND

Social security is a concept enshrined in Article 22 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states that Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security.

A limited form of the Social Security program began, during President Franklin D. Roosevelt's first term, as a measure to implement "social insurance" during the Great Depression of the 1930s, when poverty rates among senior citizens exceeded 50 percent.

Let your voice be heard.

Members of the Daily Kos group Social Security Defenders have organized this bogathon to promote the truth about the financial condition of the Social Security trust fund, and the impacts of various so called reforms and fixes.

Understanding how benefits are calculated, the History of Social Security, where the Wisconsin Idea came from, and how over the years changes have been made to Social Security, all increase awareness and hopefully improve the discussion.




Monday, March 25th

11:00am:Roger Fox
1:00 pm: Joan McCarter
3:00 pm: Roger Fox
5:00 pm: KitsapRiver

Tuesday, March 26th

11:00am: joanneleon
1:00 pm: joe shikspack
3:00 pm: Arshad Hasan DFA
5:00 pm: Roger Fox

Wednesday, March 27th

11:00am: poopdogcomedy
1:00 pm:
3:00 pm: Jamess
5:00 pm: Bruce Webb

Thursday, March 28th

11:00am: Jim Dean DFA
1:00 pm:
3:00 pm: One Pissed Off Liberal
5:00 pm: floridagal

Friday, March 29th

11:00 am: Economist Dean Baker
1:00 pm: VCLib
3:00 pm: Armando
5:00 pm:

Please remember to republish these diaries to your Daily Kos Groups. You can also follow all postings by clicking this link for the Social Security Defenders Blogathon Group. Then, click 'Follow' and that will make all postings show up in 'My Stream' of your Daily Kos page.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/03/25/1196709/-Welcome-to-the-Daily-Kos-Social-Security-Defenders-Blogathon