Tue Jan 18 12:56:49 EST 2005
To the subscribers of SocSec
There have been many new sources for points on the debate that have become
available on the internet. I am giving you the URLs of these two if you
are interested. Also, both raise the issue of the impact of funding
Personal Retirement Aaccounts and I will follow this posting with a
question on that.
The first is Martin Feldstein's presidential address titled "Rethinking
Social Insurance" given this month to the American Economic Association.
In his address, he talks about unemployment insurance, Medicare, and
Social Security. He surveys his extensive research on these subjects and
makes suggested changes in these programs. It is an impressive survey and
I recommend if you did not hear it, you might want to download it at
http://www.aeaweb.org/annual_mtg_papers/2005papers.html
The second is the Brookings Institution conference on "Reforming Social
Security" held last Thursday. This was a panel discussion that included
two members of the lists editorial board. To download an uncorrected
transcript go to http://www.brookings.edu/comm/events/20050113.htm
Samuel H. Williamson
Editor of SocSec