Seder and Libertarians

I’m still not 100% so when JJ sent this to me, it was a relief. Readers who have been with me for a while, know I believe libertarians are unicorns, and not the good special gay unicorns, but instead animals that don’t exist in nature.

Social Security is the topic discussed by Sam Seder and Matt Digeronimo. Seder takes him to task for being wrong on the numbers, which brings me great joy. It also feels good to hear someone who uses facts to win an argument. I love when the libertarian yells about what is fair because you know who would know about fairness? White dudes.

It should be noted that Seder and Digeronimo ignore the reality of low-income individuals who would be unable to save for their own retirement. I think this is a huge oversight. After all, these individuals would be completely excluded in a “make sure I benefit right now” social structure.

I loathe the argument that people feel they should benefit from everything all the time. These people should be sent to an island all to themselves, and then we can see how much they want cast off society and the benefits everyone. This comes down to privilege and entitlement, which is why I consider libertarianism is the party and ideology of privilege, not unlike unicorns.

Favor line: “You’re using the data in a disingenuous way,” Digeronimo.

Personally, I love when people start insisting you use facts instead of heart wrenching pleas only to continuously accuse you of not using facts because they don’t like what you said. Grow the fuck up kids. Also, there are totally ways to use data in a disingenuous way, usually it means you’re manipulating the numbers or only sharing the results that benefit your argument…check out the papers written on austerity if you want a good example.

Also, Diseronimo doesn’t know how to Social Security works. Social Security is paid into by younger people to pay the Social Security payments being currently taken by those retiring, so it isn’t being set aside for those contributing’s future, because it has already been spent. Those who have retired, their contributions were spent when they were still working. This next generation pays for the previous.

Dems and austerity cuts

I think this covers it nicely...Clearly, we can never allow President Obama to be a hostage negotiator. This is obviously a screenshot from the Huffington Post.

DOL prepares for the end of Social Security and Medicare

The DOL announced nearly $260 million in grants to provide job training and related services to unemployed and low-income seniors. The dollar dollar bills are awarded to 15 non-profit organizations across the country for Senior Community Service Employment Programs.

Secretary of Labor, Hilda L. Solis said the following about the grants:

“The federal grants announced today will provide job training to enhance low-income seniors’ employment opportunities and contribute millions of community service hours to nonprofit and civic organizations throughout the county. These organizations are crucial partners in serving seniors who face challenges in re-entering the workforce and attaining economic stability.”

We’ll have to wait and see what the work requirements for the seniors are. Also, who doesn't like the idea that the elderly who are poor have to work long wage dead end jobs, what do they have to live for anyway? And they're probably used to it. 

Grants will be disbursed as sixteen one year grants to fifteen non-profit organizations through the program’s general funds or funds set aside by statute to serve Native Americans or Asian-American and Pacific Islanders. The grant should support more than 35,000 positions. State and territorial grantees which had previously received funding through this program will continue to support 10,000 jobs.

The Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) is the only federally sponsored employment and training program for unemployed, low-income individuals 55+ years old. The grants serve individuals by providing training through part-time, service-oriented positions in their communities while earning the highest federal, state, or local minimum wage. The program’s goals are to promote community service and help participants achieve economic self-sufficiency. The Program’s participants supply more than 48 million hours of community service to public agencies and non-profits.

The Government Accountability Office reports older workers who become unemployed tend to stay unemployed longer, and those who regain employment suffer greater wage loss than younger workers. This information was released in their paper “Unemployed Older Workers: Many Experience Challenges Regaining Employment and Face Reduced Retirement Security.”

The 2011 SCSEP Satisfaction Survey said than program participants who find unsubsidized employment indicated that SCSEP was helpful. Shocking, they’d release controversial information like that. This information came out in a COL ETA News Release, Release Number: 12-1525-NAT.

Below is a breakdown of grantees, locations, etc.

Senior Community Service Employment Program Grantees

Grantee	City	State	Amount
AARP Foundation Inc.	Washington	D.C.	$51,997,773
Asociación Nacional Pro Personas Mayores	Pasadena	Calif.	$6,436,990
Easter Seals Inc.	Chicago	Ill.	$13,114,000
Experience Works Inc.	Arlington	Va.	$64,900,844
Goodwill Industries Inc.	Rockville	Md.	$8,466,277
Mature Services Inc.	Akron	Ohio	$3,804,007
National Asian Pacific Center on Aging*	Seattle	Wash.	$6,639,267.50
National Able Network Inc.	Chicago	Ill.	$4,371,334
National Caucus and Center on Black Aged Inc.	Washington	D.C.	$10,379,190
National Council on Aging	Washington	D.C.	$19,121,856
National Indian Council on Aging	Albuquerque	N.M.	$4,580,886.50
National Urban League Inc.	New York City	N.Y.	$6,560,636
SER – Jobs for Progress Inc.	Irving	Texas	$18,889,106
Senior Service America Inc.	Silver Spring	Md.	$37,690,930
Vermont Associates for Training and Development Inc.	St. Albans	Vt.	$2,865,734
Total			$259,818,830