Jim Sinclair’s Commentary
If you do not like what an Index is saying then the economic cure is to change the Index?
Trader Dan’s Commentary
Our nation is frickin’ doomed. These dishonest and unethical bastards will do anything to keep the illusion alive.
This is nothing but government sanctioned theft of senior citizen Social Security benefits.
Change To Inflation Measurement On Table As Part Of Budget Talks –Aides By Corey Boles and Janet Hook
WASHINGTON -(Dow Jones)- Lawmakers are considering changing how the Consumer Price Index is calculated, a move that could save perhaps $220 billion and represent significant progress in the ongoing federal debt ceiling and deficit reduction talks.
According to congressional aides familiar with the discussions, the proposal would shift how the Consumer Price Index is calculated to reflect how people tend to change spending patterns when prices increase. For example, consumers tend to drive less when gas prices increase dramatically.
Such a move is widely seen by economists as resulting in a slower rise in inflation. That would impact an array of federal programs that are linked to CPI including the Social Security program and income tax brackets set by the federal government.
The proposal could lower federal spending by around $220 billion over the next decade, based on calculations by last year’s White House deficit commission, which recommended the change as part of its final report.
According to two congressional aides familiar with the budget negotiations, the shift is being "seriously discussed" as part of the ongoing talks to strike a budget deal, that would be used to ease the passage of a required increase in the country’s debt limit.
More… http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/stock-market-news-story.aspx?storyid=201106211841dowjonesdjonline000414&title=change-to-inflation-measurement-on-table-as-part-of-budget-talksaides
Jim Sinclair’s Commentary
The most endangered species are those that are approaching retirement or presently receiving pensions.
U.S. Postal Service to Stop Paying Into Pension Fund By Angela Greiling Keane and John Hughes – Jun 22, 2011 10:35 AM ET
June 22 (Bloomberg) — The U.S. Postal Service, facing insolvency unless it gets approval to delay a $5.5 billion payment for worker health benefits, will suspend contributions to an employee retirement account to save $800 million this year. Jon Erlichman reports on Bloomberg Television’s "In the Loop." (Source: Bloomberg)
The U.S. Postal Service, facing insolvency without approval to delay a $5.5 billion payment for worker health benefits, will suspend contributions to an employee retirement account to save $800 million this year.
The Postal Service will stop paying employer contributions to the defined-benefit Federal Employees Retirement System, which covers about 85 percent of career postal workers, it said today in an e-mailed statement. The $115 million payment, made every other week, will stop on June 24, the statement said.
Suspending payments to the retirement account will help “conserve cash and preserve liquidity,” the statement said. The agency estimates it has overpaid by $6.9 billion and has asked Congress to pass legislation to return that money.
Congress must “make bold, quick and substantive reforms,” said Art Sackler, executive director of the Washington-based Coalition for a 21st Century Postal Service, which represents corporate mail customers. “The USPS is hanging by a thread.”
More…http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-06-22/u-s-postal-service-will-suspend-contributions-into-employee-pension-fund.html
