Joe Minarik on C-SPAN's Washington Journal

Joseph Minarik talked about the future solvency of Social Security, and he responded to telephone calls and electronic communications. Social Security went cash negative in 2011, meaning the the cost of benefits outstripped tax collections for the first time since the early 1980's. Among the topics Mr. Minarik addressed were the Social Security Trust Fund, the role of the Treasury Department, and the impact of the 2008 financial crisis on Social Security. Click here to watch the video...

By Joe Minarik for the Huffington Post

Recently, I suggested a legislative deal in which repair of Social Security's finances would motivate Congress to enact economic stimulus. Surprisingly to me, given the fragile state of the economy, there was little reaction to the need for stimulus -- and part of what reaction there was, was skeptical. Most of the reaction was negative toward repairing Social Security.

The number of arguments raised would fill a book, and many will be worth discussing later. But one kept recurring: The Social Security trust fund was built up by the 1983 law to finance the retirement of the baby-boom generation. That trust fund can be redeemed to pay benefits through 2037.

By Joe Minarik for the Huffington Post

The federal government and the economy are caught in a fiscal dilemma. The economy is stumbling to its feet after a bruising fall, and risks falling again -- harder, and with even worse consequences. There is a strong case that it needs support from a new economic stimulus program, and soon.