Issue #3- Social Insecurity

For many of Americans Social Security is their primary retirement money. It serves 47 million men, women, and children and is the main income for a majority of older and retired Americans. Since 1983, the amount of taxes taken in has exceeded the amount of money needed to pay benefits, and the extra money is given to pay for other programs and they write IOU's to the Social Security Trust Fund. However, more Americans are approaching retirement and by 2017 the government will be spending more on Social Security than it receives from income payroll taxes. There are some ideas of how to fix this problem; president Bush proposed a including private investment accounts. But others say that less dramatic adjustments will keep the system strong.

I believe Social Security needs to stay because if we don't keep it around people will be working till they die. Also I think it would be unfair for younger adults who put money into social security and get taxes taken out of their paychecks for what thy think will be their when they retire, but in reality they will never see it again. I think we could do it by less dramatic ways too, like by rising the cap. By rising the cap (which is currently at $90,000) it would create more money flowing into the Fund and make it last longer for the future retirees, but it will come with a cost because we will have to raise taxes. Washington Senate Sherrod Brown also agrees with raising the cap. "I'm for lifting the cap, it would make social security solvent for years to come" said Brown. He thinks that we need to keep social security strong in America, and I agree with Sherrod Brown.

Issue #1-War Dollars
http://roseyerickson.blogspot.com/2011/02/war-dollars.html
Issue #2-Spending what you can afford
http://kristens24.blogspot.com/2011/02/spending-what-we-can-afford.html

Growing economy brings whiff of inflation

Since the US began it's weak recovery in 2009 most economist keep the inflation well maintained. But now some businesses have seen stable growth over the last two quarters and now are seeing raw material prices going up because of inflation; which is then passed down to the consumers. In January their was a .4 increase in the consumer price index and is predicted to keep rising this month. This could become a problem if the economist can't bring it to a slower pace.

I think we will still see steady growth this quarter in our economy, and because of that we will see inflation. Yes, we do need it at a slow pace though because people who make a living by hourly wages will struggle if their is too much inflation at one time, because the standard of living won't equal the pay.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41625436/ns/business-eye_on_the_economy/

Oklahoma sees record cold: -31

Temperatures in Oklahoma set a new record low with temperatures at -31. It was the coldest temp recorded ever, it beat out the old record was set back in 1930 when it reached -27. The forecast was saying that it was only going to get to -8, but were off on the forecast. Now this weekend they are expected to get a big thaw as temps will climb into the 60's. Because of the cold and the winter storms that past though on Wednesday there were 1,200 flights cancelled in the US.

I don't see how meteorologist could be that far off. If you studied all the weather patterns and know how it works, how can you be that far off? This Arctic blast obviously caught them off guard.