"Identity theft" conjures images of hackers using stolen credit-card information to buy high-ticket items or opening fraudulent accounts with stolen Social Security numbers.

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As millions of baby boomers flood Social Security with applications for benefits, the program's $2.7 trillion surplus is starting to look small.

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Republicans would cut federal employee benefits. President Barack Obama would raise fees for airline passengers and eliminate Saturday mail delivery. Democrats in Congress would charge employers higher premiums for federal pension guarantees.

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By Matt Pommer Let’s have some advisory votes on the future of Social Security and Medicare. Wisconsin and other populist states have a history of deciding spending issues by the way of referenda in which all citizens can vote. We ...

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By Matt Pommer Gov.-elect Scott Walker plans a quixotic drive to persuade former Wisconsinites to return from their retirements in Florida and Arizona. Surely the new governor will remind these senior citizens of the high quality and availability of medical ...

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By Matt Pommer The clear winners in this Wisconsin election year are television stations. Candidate and ghost organizations have poured money into TV spots in the races for the governor’s seat and the U.S. Senate. Wisconsin’s Senate race is leading ...

Tagged with: deficit governor Medicare Ron Johnson Russ Feingold Social Security U.S. Senate

By Matt Pommer Republican Ron Johnson says most people now in their 20s, 30s and 40s don’t expect Social Security to be around when they retire. Johnson has been riding the Social Security issue in his bid to oust Democrat ...

Tagged with: democrat election George W. Bush Paul Ryan Pommer Republican retirement Ron Johnson Russ Feingold Social Security tax U.S. Senate

By Matt Pommer Social Security marks its 75th anniversary this week, but it almost didn’t happen, according to the Wisconsin citizen who played a key role in its development. Passage was doubtful in the Senate Finance Committee “in part because ...

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By Matt Pommer Contribution rates for the Wisconsin Retirement System’s main program will rise sharply in 2011, and the higher rates will play a key role in public employee collective bargaining and this year’s elections. Costs covering most WRS workers ...

Tagged with: politics Scott Walker Social Security Tom Barrett Wisconsin Retirement System

By Matt Pommer Ron Johnson, the Oshkosh businessman and likely Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate seat, says he is running to end America‘s “culture of entitlement.” Johnson will have to spell out what entitlements he would like to attack. ...

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