The Nine Guiding Principles of Social Security

2010 November 15
Last update:  2010 Nov 30.  Click on History for changes and updates.

      Because of the importance of "The Nine Guiding Principles of Social Security" described by Mr. Robert M. Ball to any discussion of changes in Social Security to address the solvency issue, I have posted Mr. Ball's paper in the continuation of this post.
      The principles originated in a report by six members of the 1994-96 Advisory Council for Social Security.  Mr. Robert M. Ball, who was Commissioner of the SSA from 1962 to 1973 with other positions in the SSA back to 1952, was one of the six members.  The Nine Guiding Principles of Social Security by Mr. Ball were subsequently published by Century Foundation Press in 1998.
      The Social Security Administration references the document at Oral History Collection, Robert M. Ball - Curriculum Vitae, but does not publish the document.  The references from the SSA website are

• “Straight Talk About Social Security, with Thomas N. Bethel, New York, NY, Century Foundation Press, 1998.  (Note: The Nine Guiding Principles of Social Security, pp. 59-64 reprinted in Insuring the Essentials: Bob Ball on Social Security.  Also reprinted in Insuring the Essentials are pp. 1-5, 33-39 and 41-58 clearing up misunderstandings about financing and the disadvantages of privatization schemes.”  
• "Insuring the Essentials: Bob Ball on Social Security, the Century Foundation Press, New York, NY, 2000."

A slightly different 1996 version, which is apparently the original Nine Basic Principles, is available at the SSA webpage, A Strategy to Maintain Benefits and Strengthen America's Family Protection Plan, which begins near the end of the webpage.  Search for "Nine Basic Principles". 
 
Don Nordeen
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Continue reading The Nine Guiding Principles of Social Security. 

• Key Words:  Social Security, Robert M. Ball, Robert Ball

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Extend federal tax cuts for several years

2010 November 13
Last edit:  2011 Jan 29.  Click on History for changes and updates.

      Everyone needs more stability and predictability on tax issues.  The current gridlock in Congress and with the White House seems to be based on ideology, rather than good public policy.  Class warfare helps no one.

      The continuation of this post discusses a few ideas to use the expiration of the tax cuts to address long-standing issues in the tax policy.

Don Nordeen
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Continue reading Extend federal tax cuts for several years.

• Key Words:  Federal budget, Federal income taxes, Federal business taxes, pubic policy, economy, Arthur Laffer, Dr. Christina Romer, Congressional Budget Office

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