PUBLICATIONS BY David C. John
Research
Commentary
Media Appearances
2008 Research
June 02, 2008
The Dodd-Shelby Housing Bill: A Bad FHA Refinance Plan Hijacks Good GSE Reforms
By David C. John
(WebMemo #1941)
The Senate Banking Committee’s housing package contains some very important reforms and one very bad idea. Chairman Chris Dodd’s (D–CT) version of legislation to use the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) to refinance at-risk mortgages at a lower interest rate in return for a cash fee is still as wrong a way to deal with the housing finance problems as the House-passed version. Dodd has improved his FHA refinancing language by including amendments by Senators Jim Bunning (R–KY) and Jon Tester (D–MT) that would limit the ability of those who have lied on their loan applications or otherwise abused the system to gain FHA-guaranteed refinancing of their mortgages. However, the overall concept remains bad policy that should not be approved.
May 06, 2008
H.R. 5830, the Frank–Dodd FHA Refinance Plan, Is Still the Wrong Policy for the Housing Mess
By David C. John
(WebMemo #1918)
Chairman Barney Frank (D–MA) of the House Financial Services Committee has proposed H.R. 5830, which would use the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) to refinance at-risk mortgages at a lower interest rate in return for a cash fee.
March 31, 2008
The Isakson Tax Credit: Another Approach that Won't Fix the Mortgage Mess
By David C. John
(WebMemo #1873)
Unfortunately, there are no simple or quick solutions to a highly complex financial situation.
March 26, 2008
2008 Social Security Trustees Report Continues to Show the Urgent Need for Reform
By David C. John
(WebMemo #1868)
David C. John answers frequently asked questions about Social Security's financial outlook.
March 25, 2008
Medicare and Social Security: The Challenge of Giant Entitlement Costs
By David C. John and Robert E. Moffit, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #1867)
Today's report affirms the need for Congress to begin a serious overhaul of both of these vital programs.
March 24, 2008
Frank-Dodd Approach Won't Fix the Mortgage Mess
By David C. John
(WebMemo #1864)
The most discussed proposals in Congress would make matters worse over the long term.
March 20, 2008
Preventing the Next Subprime Crisis
By David C. John
(WebMemo #1862)
If implemented properly, recommendations made by the President's Working Group on Financial Markets will help to prevent the next subprime mortgage crisis.
March 18, 2008
The Fed Engages as Economy Wavers
By J.D. Foster, Ph.D. and David C. John
(WebMemo #1857)
The health of the economy will depend significantly on the actions of the Federal Reserve in the days and weeks ahead.
2007 Research
December 13, 2007
HOPE NOW: One Step to Resolve the Subprime Mortgage Crisis
By David C. John and Alison Acosta Fraser
(WebMemo #1742)
Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson’s “HOPE NOW” is a far better way to deal with the hundreds of billions of dollars worth of subprime mortgages than heavy-handed legislation.
December 11, 2007
Let the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA) Expire
By David C. John
(WebMemo #1733)
Government terrorism insurance distorts markets and amounts to corporate welfare. Congress should let it expire.
November 07, 2007
The Homeowners Defense Act: Bad Policy and a Dangerous Precedent
By David C. John
(WebMemo #1699)
Congress should reject attempts to place the risk of property losses due to natural disasters on the federal government.
September 27, 2007
Fixing Flood Insurance Before the Next Disaster: House Bill Takes Several Steps in the Wrong Direction
By David C. John
(WebMemo #1645)
Congress should not strap an expensive new program that directly competes with private insurance onto the existing bankrupt program.
September 24, 2007
Congress Should Add Auto-Enrollment to the Thrift Savings Plan, But Resist Interfering in Its Investment Choices
By David. C. John
(WebMemo #1637)
While making enrollment in TSP easier, Congress should avoid policies that risk distracting the TSP from its core mission of improving the retirement incomes of federal workers.
September 10, 2007
The Subprime Mortgage Situation: Bailout Not the Right Solution
By Ronald D. Utt, Ph.D., and David C. John
(WebMemo #1604)
The government's response should be limited to dealing with the immediate problem and should not become a vehicle for expanded housing programs or pushing other agendas. With a few key modifications, the President’s proposal could meet that standard.
May 16, 2007
The Sarbanes–Oxley Act: Do We Need a Regulatory or Legislative Fix?
By David C. John and Nancy M. Marano
(Backgrounder #2035)
Failure to take additional action to address the burdens imposed by Sarbanes–Oxley could have serious consequences, but even if a legislative review of the law is delayed while SEC and Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regulatory improvements are given a chance to work, Congress still needs to eliminate unnecessary parts of the law in the long run.
April 24, 2007
2007 Social Security Trustees Report Shows the Urgency of Reform
By David C. John
(WebMemo #1429)
This briefing explains the important facts and answers the frequently asked questions about Social Security's financial outlook.
February 21, 2007
Reforming Sarbanes-Oxley: How to Restore American Leadership in World Capital Markets
By Honorable Tom Feeney, David C. John, and Alex J. Pollock
(Heritage Lecture #995)
The complex Sarbanes–Oxley law has generated unanticipated negative consequences in its attempt to clean up Wall Street accounting and reporting practices. The cost to the U.S. economy is enormous: $35 billion in direct costs and up to $1.4 trillion in indirect costs. Numerous companies have either dropped their U.S. registration or have simply listed their companies on overseas exchanges.
January 23, 2007
Raising the Wage Cap No Painless Solution to Social Security’s Fiscal Woes
By David C. John and Rea S. Hederman, Jr.
(WebMemo #1319)
Raising payroll taxes is the wrong solution to Social Security’s long term financing problem, and it is not the way to achieve retirement security for Americans.
2006 Research
July 28, 2006
Pension Protection Act's Special Treatment for Airlines and Other Industries Merits a Veto
By David C. John
(WebMemo #1182)
A veto would reduce the chance that companies could transfer the costs of their pension obligations to the taxpayer.
July 12, 2006
Real Estate Investment Bill Risks Slippery Slope for Thrift Savings Plan
By David C. John
(WebMemo #1155)
H.R. 1578, introduced by Rep. Jon Porter (R-NV) with 177 cosponsors, would require the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), a part of the federal government's employee retirement system, to offer a stock index fund based on Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs). Forcing TSP to include a real estate investment fund would set a very dangerous precedent that could severely damage TSP's future. Decisions to include investment options in TSP should be made based on the needs of TSP members and not politics. Political imposition of investments on TSP risks losses for federal workers and retirees.
June 29, 2006
Increasing Retirement Security Through Automatic IRAs
By David C. John and J. Mark Iwry
(Testimony #9999)
With the looming retirement security crisis facing our country, policy-makers from both parties are focused on ways to strengthen pensions and increase savings. Our proposal for automatic IRAs would provide a relatively simple, cost-effective way to increase retirement security for the estimated 71 million workers whose employers (usually smaller businesses) do not sponsor plans. It would enable these employees to save for retirement by allowing them to have their employers regularly transfer amounts from their paycheck to an IRA.
May 03, 2006
Avoiding the Next Taxpayer Bailout: A Strong Pension Bill or No Pension Bill
By David John
(WebMemo #1056)
Special treatment of the airline industry mars pension reform legislation.
May 01, 2006
Medicare and Social Security: Big Entitlement Costs on the Horizon
By David C. John and Robert E. Moffit, Ph.D.
(WebMemo #1054)
Social Security and Medicare have promised $37 trillion more in benefits to senior and disabled workers than the programs will be able to pay.
February 12, 2006
Pursuing Universal Retirement Security Through Automatic IRAs
By J. Mark Iwry and David C. John
(White Paper #02122006)
This paper proposes an ambitious but practical set of retirement savings initiatives to expand dramatically retirement savings in the United States—especially to those not currently offered an employer-provided retirement plan.** The essential strategy is to make saving more automatic—and hence easier, more convenient, and more likely to occur.
2005 Research
December 13, 2005
Fix the National Flood Insurance Program to Reduce Future Losses
By David C. John
(WebMemo #936)
Congress must make NFIP actuarially sound, or it will expose taxpayers to massive losses.
October 19, 2005
Providing Flood Insurance Coverage After the Disaster Is a Mistake
By David C. John
(WebMemo #888)
Two proposals would allow homeowners to buy into federal flood insurance after the fact. That's a bad idea.
October 05, 2005
Special Treatment for Airlines Flaws a Strong Senate Pension Bill
By David C. John
(WebMemo #872)
If Congress fails to act responsibly, pensions will be at risk and taxpayers will be on the hook for a massive bailout.
September 27, 2005
Guaranteeing Retirees' Social Security Benefits: An Important First Step Toward Reform
By David C. John
(WebMemo #864)
Fixing Social Security will not affect today's senior citizens. A guarantee would make this clear.
September 22, 2005
Voinovich Repeats Bill Clinton's Mistake
By David C. John
(WebMemo #858)
Government investment of Social Security's surpluses is still a bad idea.
July 29, 2005
Improving Retirement Security: Three Reforms
By David C. John
(Executive Summary #9999)
Social Security is only one part of a comprehensive approach to retirement security.
July 28, 2005
The House Pension Reform Bill: A Good, But Not Perfect, Start
By David C. John and Rea S. Hederman, Jr.
(WebMemo #867)
While the bill would give a boost to pensions and PBGC, it still leaves several loopholes wide open.
July 27, 2005
AmeriSave: Recycled Good Ideas that Avoid the Main Problem
By David C. John
(WebMemo #807)
There are some good ideas here, but nothing new and nothing significant.
July 12, 2005
Beyond Just Social Security: The Need To Fix Our Pension System
By David C. John
(WebMemo #792)
How to strengthen the other pillars of retirement security.
June 24, 2005
DeMint Plan Uses the Social Security Surplus for Retirement Instead of More Federal Spending
By David C. John
(WebMemo #773)
A good first step to promote fiscal honesty and ownership.
June 14, 2005
Appropriate Investments for Social Security Personal Retirement Accounts
By David C. John
(Testimony #9999)
A simple and effective administrative structure is essential to the success of a PRA system. Proba¬bly the simplest and cheapest structure would be to use the existing payroll tax system. Under today's Social Security, the employer collects and sends to the Treasury Department both the payroll taxes that are withheld from an employee's check and those that are the responsibility of the employer.
June 14, 2005
Public Pension Reform in the United Kingdom: Lessons for Americans
By David C. John
(Testimony #9999)
In 1997, just eight years ago, reforms made to the United Kingdom's pension system under both Conservative Party and Labour Party governments were regarded as a model for avoiding the fiscal problems caused by the imminent retirement of millions of baby boomers.
June 07, 2005
Are Pensions the Next Fiscal Crisis?
By David C. John, Tim Kane, Ph.D., and Rea S. Hederman, Jr.
(WebMemo #756)
A federal pension bailout could cost $100 billion if Congress doesn't act soon.
May 02, 2005
Bush's Progressive Indexation Plan: A Key Step to Preserve Social Security
By David C. John and Stuart Butler
(WebMemo #733)
A fair and equitable way to fix Social Security.
April 28, 2005
Building Assets for Low-Income Families
By David C. John
(Testimony #9999)
A growing body of research has shown a con¬nection between asset accumulation and several positive intergenerational effects, especially among lower-income families. These reports usually emphasize the effects that wealth has during the formative and adult working years of parents and their children, while the retirement benefits of such asset creation are often only assumed.
April 06, 2005
A Responsible Way to Reconcile the House and Senate Budget Resolutions
By Brian M. Riedl, William W. Beach, Nina Owcharenko, Ben Lieberman, and David C. John
(Backgrounder #1842)
Although the House and Senate budget resolutions do not include deep spending cuts, it is important that lawmakers begin the reform process. The best budget plan would expand pro-growth tax relief and begin to rein in spending in areas such as Medicaid and farm subsidies. Such actions could lay the groundwork for larger reforms next year.
March 24, 2005
A Guide to the 2005 Social Security Trustees' Report
By David C. John
(WebMemo #702)
The annual report of the Social Security's Trustees was released to the public March 23. This briefing provides the important facts in order to get a real picture of Social Security's financial outlook.
March 21, 2005
Social Security's Inevitable Future
By David C. John
(WebMemo #696)
What year the deficits start matters less than the deficits themselves.
March 17, 2005
Raising Returns on Trust Fund Bonds: Simple, Easy To Explain, and Completely Wrong
By David C. John
(WebMemo #695)
Why not just increase interest on the Trust Fund bonds?
March 14, 2005
Add-On Accounts: At Best, a Bad Fix for Social Security
By David C. John
(WebMemo #686)
No matter how they're structured, add-on accounts are a bad deal.
March 04, 2005
Michael Kinsley's
By David C. John
(WebMemo #677)
Another 'irrefutable' argument bites the dust.
March 02, 2005
How Today's Social Security Works
By David C. John
(Backgrounder #1827)
Few people understand how Social Security operates. In many cases, the meanings of terms used (e.g., trust fund) are different from the meanings conveyed when the same terms are used in the private sector. If Social Security's impending financial problems are to be avoided, informed citizens must measure reform options against the existing program's operating structure and practices.
March 02, 2005
Executive Summary: How Today's Social Security Works
By David C. John
(Executive Summary #1827)
Few people understand how Social Security operates. In many cases, the meanings of terms used (e.g., trust fund) are different from the meanings conveyed when the same terms are used in the private sector. If Social Security's impending financial problems are to be avoided, informed citizens must measure reform options against the existing program's operating structure and practices.
February 16, 2005
Raising the Social Security Payroll Tax Cap Does Not Fix Social Security
By David C. John
(WebMemo #667)
Raising the wage cap would just make Social Security a greater burden.
February 05, 2005
PRA Basics: How the President's Plan Prevents Unfair Double-Dipping
By David C. John
(WebMemo #654)
A simple mechanism to ensure that retirees get their fair returns.
February 04, 2005
Would Social Security Reform Lead to a 40 Percent Cut in Benefits?
By David C. John and Keith Miller
(WebMemo #652)
Political rhetoric aside, the answer is no.
February 04, 2005
PRA Basics: Locking in Earnings with Lifespan Accounts
By David C. John
(WebMemo #653)
Accounts that automatically rebalance will provide those near retirement with security.
February 03, 2005
Bold and Responsible: The President's Plan To Improve Retirement Security
By David C. John
(WebMemo #650)
This is leadership.
February 03, 2005
Fixing Social Security
By David C. John
(Testimony #9999)
Social Security is an extremely important part of a larger debate about retirement and overall retirement security. As the basis for retirement income security in this country, it is difficult to over-emphasize its important, but it is still only part of a larger debate.
January 10, 2005
The President Should Take Charge on Social Security Reform
By David C. John
(WebMemo #636)
On some issues, the president must lead.
2004 Research
November 17, 2004
How to Fix Social Security
By David C. John
(Backgrounder #1811)
A conservative plan to create personal retirement accounts and save Social Security from insolvency.
November 17, 2004
Executive Summary: How to Fix Social Security
By David C. John
(Executive Summary #1811)
September 30, 2004
The Top 10 Myths About Social Security Reform
By David C. John
(Backgrounder #1802)
Looking at the actual facts about Social Security and personal retirement accounts (PRAs) shows that the arguments against PRAs are either incorrect or irrelevant to the debate about Social Security's future. Every day that Congress and the President delay taking action on this issue makes it more likely that our children and grandchildren will face the cost of crippling deficits.
September 30, 2004
Executive Summary: The Top 10 Myths About Social Security Reform
By David C. John
(Executive Summary #1802)
September 24, 2004
Manipulating Numbers: The Mythical $940 Billion Fee for Social Security Personal Retirement Accounts
By David C. John
(WebMemo #573)
A 'windfall' for the financial industry? Get real.
September 10, 2004
Using Social Security Personal Retirement Accounts to Create Family Nest Eggs
By David C. John
(Backgrounder #1785)
A reformed Social Security with personal retirement accounts can do much more than reducing the program's coming fiscal problems. It would also allow workers to build family nest eggs; give workers greater asset control; strengthen communities' economic base; yield a higher rate of return; and allow workers benefit ownership.
September 10, 2004
Peace of Mind in Retirement: Making Future Generations Better Off by Fixing Social Security
By William W. Beach, Alfredo B. Goyburu, Ralph A. Rector, Ph.D., David C. John, Kirk A. Johnson, Ph.D., and Thomas Bingel
(Center for Data Analysis Report #04-06)
American workers could accumulate wealth in the thousands (in some cases, hundreds of thousands) of dollars through a Social Security reform that includes personal retirement accounts. This increased wealth would be in addition to a maintenance level of Social Security benefits and could help millions of parents, their children, and their grandchildren to attain greater economic security and independence through their own personalized retirement assets.
September 02, 2004
Misleading the Public: How the Social Security Trust Fund Really Works
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #940)
There is no cash in the Social Security trust fund, and there never has been any. The best way to fix Social Security, so that taxpayers will not have to pump hundreds of billions of additional dollars into Social Security to pay promised benefits, is to provide younger workers with the opportunity to invest part of their Social Security taxes in personal retirement accounts.
September 02, 2004
The Seven Principles of Social Security Reform
By David C. John
(WebMemo #557)
These seven principles outline how real Social Security reform would resolve Social Security's problems and provide workers with greater retirement security.
April 16, 2004
Final Pension Agreement Places Corporate Interests Above Taxpayer Interests
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #924)
The Pension Funding Equity Act constitutes corporate welfare and is a step toward a multi-billion dollar taxpayer-sponsored pension plan bailout. Several industries receive significant exemptions from making payments that would reduce their plans' underfunded status. One minor improvement is a change in the calculation method for a pension plan's ability to pay future benefits.
March 25, 2004
A Guide to the New 2004 Social Security Trustees' Report
By David C. John
(WebMemo #459)
On March 23, 2004, the latest annual report of the Social Security's Trustees was released to the public. Most stories about this report focused on obvious facts such as when the trust fund will run out.
March 25, 2004
Providing Social Security Benefits in the Future: A Review of the Social Security System and Plans to Reform It
By David C. John
(Backgrounder #1735)
Most summaries and studies examine Social Security reform from the viewpoint of federal budget impact, tax rates, and the survivability of the system, but few consider the overall impact of reform on the workers it was designed to benefit. Social Security should not be reformed or "saved" for its own sake, but only if it more effectively provides the benefits workers need at a price they can afford.
March 25, 2004
Executive Summary: Providing Social Security Benefits in the Future: A Review of the Social Security System and Plans to Reform It
By David C. John
(Executive Summary #1735)
Most summaries and studies examine Social Security reform from the viewpoint of federal budget impact, tax rates, and the survivability of the system, but few consider the overall impact of reform on the workers it was designed to benefit. Social Security should not be reformed or "saved" for its own sake, but only if it more effectively provides the benefits workers need at a price they can afford.
March 12, 2004
Passing the Buck on Postal Pensions
By David C. John
(WebMemo #444)
Shifting USPS pension obligations to the Treasury would be a step in the wrong direction that would primarily serve to subsidize mass mailers while making it more difficult to bring federal spending under control.
January 27, 2004
Senate Pension Agreement Paves the Way for a Taxpayer Bailout
By David C. John
(WebMemo #405)
In a direct parallel to legislative mistakes that helped to create the savings and loan crisis of the 1980's, the recent Senate bipartisan agreement on H.R. 3108, the Pension Fund Equity Act, places corporate interests above those of the taxpayer.
January 21, 2004
Social Security Reform: And Now for the Hard Part
By David C. John
(WebMemo #393)
President George W. Bush's pledge in his State of the Union Address to make Social Security reform a priority is a welcome step. For the first time, the President made clear that the personal accounts he has described in the past should be financed with a portion of workers' existing Social Security taxes.
2003 Research
November 14, 2003
Time for Congress to Improve the National Flood Insurance Program
By David C. John
(WebMemo #369)
Congress has the opportunity to finally change one of the greatest weaknesses afflicting the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Designed to reduce the cost of major disasters by allowing workers to insure their property against floods, NFIP has been saddled with having to repeatedly pay for rebuilding the same structures. To make matters worse, most of these structures pay subsidized premiums that come nowhere close to covering the costs they impose on the program.
October 29, 2003
The Pension Underfunding Crisis: How Effective Have Funding Reforms Been?
By David C. John
(Testimony #1003)
What a difference a year makes. Last year, there was a great deal of discussion about the "dangers" of 401k retirement plans and other types of defined contribution plans. Experts warned, with some justification that retirement plans where workers had to invest their money faced investment risks. Many of those same experts and legislators called for a return of the good old days when employees were part of a defined benefit retirement plan.
October 15, 2003
Congress Should Improve Workers' Access to Better Advice for Retirement Investing
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #903)
Congress should act promptly to ensure that investment advice is available to workers with defined contribution retirement plans, and the practical approach found in H.R. 1000 and S. 1698 would likely improve access to this needed information. The sooner workers can get access to investment advice, the sooner their retirement security will improve.
October 14, 2003
America's Pensions: The Next Saving and Loan Crisis?
By David C. John
(Testimony #9999)
Congress should consider a close examination of the entire retirement situation ranging from Social Security to private pension plans to incentives for people to work
September 17, 2003
Congress Should Revive KidSave as an Innovative Step Toward Better Retirement Security
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #899)
Senator Robert Kerrey's KidSave plan, especially if improved to allow workers to divert a portion of their Social Security retirement taxes into KidSave accounts in return for a pre-determined reduction in their individual Social Security retirement benefits, would improve American workers' retirement income while also reducing Social Security's unfunded liability.
August 07, 2003
Treasury Department Proposal for Defined Benefits Includes Important Reforms
By David C. John
(Backgrounder #1676)
A July 8 Treasury Department proposal addresses how best to measure pension plan funding, how to make it easier for workers and others to determine whether their company's pension plan is at risk, and how to prevent financially troubled companies from making promises to their workers and then making taxpayers pay for them. Congress should consider adding Treasury's proposed reforms to the final version of the Portman-Cardin bill (H.R.1776).
May 29, 2003
Six Important Rules for Real Social Security Reform
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #884)
Real Social Security reform should not only protect current retirees' benefits, but also provide higher retirement income for working Americans, regardless of whether Washington faces deficits or surpluses. The only effective way to ensure that Social Security can provide this income is to allow workers to invest a portion of their payroll taxes in personal retirement accounts.
May 28, 2003
Social Security Reform Must Protect the Benefits of the Disabled
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #883)
Establishing personal retirement accounts within Social Security does not require any changes in Social Security's Disability Insurance program. Even though both that program and Social Security's retirement program use the same benefit formula, it would be relatively simple to create a separate formula for each program.
March 28, 2003
Pathway to Economic Growth and Tax Reform: Eliminating the Double Tax on Dividends
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D., Norbert J. Michel, and David C. John
(Backgrounder #1640)
Ending the double taxation of dividends also is an inherent and necessary component of fundamental tax reform.
March 28, 2003
bg1640es: Executive Summary - Pathway to Economic Growth and Tax Reform: Eliminating the Double Tax on Dividends
By Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D., Norbert J. Michel, and David C. John
(Executive Summary #1640)
bg1640es: Executive Summary - Pathway to Economic Growth and Tax Reform: Eliminating the Double Tax on Dividends
March 19, 2003
Telling Americans the Truth About Social Security
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #866)
Proposed changes in the SSA's "Your Social Security Statement" would give Americans user-friendly access to information previously hidden in highly technical publications of the SSA, Office of Management and Budget, and U.S. General Accounting Office.
March 17, 2003
A Guide to the new 2003 Social Security Trustees' Report
By David C. John
(WebMemo #221)
This briefing gives you an idea of how to get to the important facts behind the obvious in order to get a real picture of Social Security's financial outlook.
March 17, 2003
Social Security: Texas Teachers Learn to Cheat
By David C. John
(WebMemo #222)
Explores the question: Why would Texas teachers use a questionable loophole in the law to get Social Security benefits that they are not qualified for?
March 03, 2003
Why Reforming Social Security Is Not About Saving the Trust Fund
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #864)
Congress see the sole objective of reform as increasing its size and extending the date when it will run out of its paper assets. This emphasis misses the fundamental point about Social Security's problems.
February 06, 2003
President Bush's Tax Plan Would Improve
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #858)
President George W. Bush's proposed tax cut plan would increase economic growth and make it easier to afford the additional money required for Social Security reform.
January 16, 2003
How a U.S. Mexico
By David C. John and Stephen Johnson
(Executive Memorandum #849)
The U.S.–Mexico Social Security totalization agreement that is now being negotiated provides an opportunity to boost sagging relations and benefit both countries without enacting complicated and premature immigration reforms.
2002 Research
November 19, 2002
Answering the Top 10 Myths About Social Security Reform
By David C. John
(Backgrounder #1613)
America's workers deserve a more informative debate on Social Security reform than they're getting. Personal retirement accounts can address the impending insolvency of the system and improve retirement incomes to help close the gap between the payments promised by the system and the amounts that it is able to pay.
November 19, 2002
bg1613es: Answering the Top 10 Myths About Social Security Reform
By David C. John
(Executive Summary #1613)
bg1613es: Answering the Top 10 Myths About Social Security Reform
September 16, 2002
Continued Bear Markets Do Not Hurt the Case for Social Security
By David C. John
(Backgrounder #1587)
Social Security pays extremely low rates of return and faces significant financial problems. Even with market fluctuations, workers could expect to earn significantly more from personal retirement accounts than they could expect from Social Security, accumulating a nest egg for retirement or to pass on to their families.
July 09, 2002
Sound Principles Needed in Accounting Industry Reform
By David C. John
(Backgrounder #1567)
Recent accounting abuses are extremely serious, but ill-considered legislation will not correct the problem. The Senate Banking Committee bill will create an entirely new regulator with broad powers: a step that would be worse than doing nothing. Congress should either take the approach in the House legislation or do nothing.
July 08, 2002
Congress Reforming Accounting Industry Practices
By David C. John
(WebMemo #124)
The Senate Banking Committee bill is filled with ill-considered and questionable provisions. Rather than strengthening the ability of the SEC to oversee auditing standards, it would in effect create an entirely new regulator with broad powers: a step that would be worse than doing nothing.
March 29, 2002
A Guide to the New 2002 Social Security Trustees' Report
By David C. John
(WebMemo #91)
The important facts behind the obvious in order to get a real picture of Social Security's financial outlook.
March 08, 2002
Guaranteeing Retirees' Social Security Benefits
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #804)
Congress can and should provide senior citizens with assurance that they have nothing to fear from Social Security reform by guaranteeing their benefits in writing.
February 28, 2002
More Education, Not More Regulation, Needed to Help Workers
By David C. John
(Backgrounder #1511)
Employers are not required to offer 401(k) accounts to their employees, and employees are not required to participate in them. Congress should react to the Enron case by promoting more education for Americans about retirement investing instead of trying to micromanage their accounts.
January 11, 2002
Social Security Commission Report
By David C. John
(Backgrounder #1512)
Social Security personal retirement accounts would provide a vehicle for future generations to improve the rate of return on their Social Security taxes and to improve their retirement incomes. The only alternative is either unsustainable tax increases or massive benefit reductions.
2001 Research
November 14, 2001
A Responsible Solution for the Problems Facing Terrorism Insurance
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #790)
The federal role in terrorism insurance must be temporary and limited. The last thing this country needs is another costly federal program like the flood insurance program that becomes permanent over time. Rather than simply hand the industry tax dollars, Congress should structure a temporary program that gives private companies every incentive to price terrorism insurance according to the risk without creating a permanent subsidy.
September 10, 2001
The New Kolbe-Stenholm Plan
By David C. John
(Backgrounder #1471)
The Kolbe-Stenholm proposal represents a very positive step toward serious Social Security reform. It would be fiscally responsible and would make many of the hard decisions that will be necessary to prevent Social Security's impending insolvency.
August 21, 2001
The Myth of 40 Percent Benefit Reductions
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #768)
Through 2038, American taxpayers are going to spend $5 trillion in additional tax dollars in order to pay for Social Security benefits that are already promised and earned. After spending that huge amount, what will they have to show for it?
July 26, 2001
Congress Should Give Retirees
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #761)
Creating an explicit property right to Social Security retirement benefits would protect those who are least able to afford benefit reductions and give them the peace of mind they deserve. Opponents of reform should refrain from rhetoric that scares senior citizens and instead make certain that the debate focuses on the important problems within the system itself.
July 09, 2001
The Community Solutions Act
By Joseph Loconte and David C. John
(WebMemo #21)
The Community Solutions Act of 2001 (H.R.7) introduced by Representative J.C. Watts (R–OK) is a response to President Bush's effort to engage both faith-based and community-based organizations in programs to help the needy.
May 01, 2001
Bear Markets Do Not Hurt the Case for Retirement Accounts
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #742)
Because Social Security still pays extremely low rates of return and faces significant financial problems, workers could expect to earn significantly more from personal retirement accounts than they could expect from Social Security.
April 26, 2001
A Commission Must Avoid the Wrong Social Security Debate
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #741)
Neither Congress nor President Bush's commission should waste time arguing the wrong Social Security debate. Talking about trust funds will neither save Social Security nor raise anyone's retirement standard of living.
March 13, 2001
The Straight Talk About Social Security Act
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #728)
The Straight Talk About Social Security Act
February 26, 2001
Protecting Benefits for the Disabled in Social Security Reform
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #722)
Protecting Benefits for the Disabled in Social Security Reform
February 06, 2001
Six Rules for Real Social Security Reform
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #717)
Six Rules for Real Social Security Reform
2000 Research
October 27, 2000
KidSave: An Innovative Step Toward Better Retirement Security
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #704)
KidSave: An Innovative Step Toward Better Retirement Security
October 04, 2000
Railroad Retirement Investment Threatens Social Security Reform
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #698)
Railroad Retirement Investment Threatens Social Security Reform
June 27, 2000
The Social Security Government Pension Offset
By David C. John
(Testimony #9999)
The Social Security Government Pension Offset
June 12, 2000
Congress Should Give a Guarantee on Social Security
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #681)
Congress Should Give Retirees a Guarantee to Their Social Security Benefits
May 19, 2000
The Social Security Right to Know Act
By David C. John
(Backgrounder #1371)
The Social Security Right to Know Act: Telling the Truth About the Future
February 25, 2000
Time to Retire the Social Security Earnings Test
By David C. John and Rea S. Hederman, Jr.
(Backgrounder #1348)
Time to Retire the Social Security Earnings Test
February 08, 2000
The President's Retirement Savings Account Program
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #648)
Avoiding Hard Decisions: The President's Retirement Savings Account Program
January 21, 2000
Structuring and Regulating Individual Social Security Accounts
By David C. John
(Executive Summary #1342)
Structuring and Regulating Individual Social Security Accounts
January 21, 2000
Structuring and Regulating Individual Social Security Accounts
By David C. John
(Backgrounder #1342)
Structuring and Regulating Individual Social Security Accounts
1999 Research
October 28, 1999
A Major Step Toward Financial Deregulation
By David C. John
(Backgrounder #1338)
Congress may soon have an opportunity to officially recognize that America's financial services industry has changed over the past 66 years.
October 28, 1999
Clinton's Newest Social Security Plan: From Bad to Worse
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #633)
President Bill Clinton announced a plan to "save" Social Security and fund a new type of retirement savings account.
July 13, 1999
The Costs of Transitioning to a Solvent Social Security System
By David C. John and William W. Beach
(Testimony #9999)
High transition costs will be a fact of life for Social Security regardless of whether the program is radically reformed or just left as it is.
June 23, 1999
The Bipartisan Senate Social Security Reform Plan
By David C. John
(Backgrounder #1299)
Like a similar plan in the House, the Senate plan contains three crucial elements that are necessary for true reform.
May 26, 1999
Four Steps to Improve the Prospects of Social Security Reform
By David C. John and Gareth G. Davis
(Backgrounder #1285)
Congress could begin the process of Social Security reform this year by passing legislation to guarantee the Social Security benefits of retirees.
May 10, 1999
Kolbe-Stenholm Proposal: Foundation for Social Security Reform
By David C. John
(Backgrounder #1279)
The 21st Century Retirement Security Act offers a firm foundation for Social Security reform.
May 03, 1999
Archer-Shaw Proposal Not the Way to Reform Social Security
By Stuart M. Butler, Ph.D., and David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #594)
The Social Security "add-on" retirement accounts contained in a new reform proposal would be the wrong way to achieve Social Security reform.
April 29, 1999
President Clinton's Flawed Universal Savings Account Program
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #593)
President Bill Clinton's proposed Universal Savings Accounts ("USA accounts") program is a fundamentally poor plan that is cloaked with a few good features.
April 02, 1999
The Wrong Social Security Debate
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #586)
The report by the trustees of the OASI trust fund forecasts that Social Security may not run out of its paper assets until 2034.
March 29, 1999
Hard Questions Remain for the Social Security Lockbox
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #585)
The Senate and the House of Representatives are considering enforceable mechanisms to preserve the surplus generated by Social Security.
March 25, 1999
The Mueller Social Security Report Is Flawed
By Gareth G. Davis and David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #583)
Are reduced Social Security benefits better for the average retiree than a personal retirement account?
March 12, 1999
Five Rules for Real Social Security Reform
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #578)
Social Security reform is too important to working Americans for Congress to allow short-term political considerations to triumph over sound policy.
February 05, 1999
Clinton's Bait-and-Switch Social Security Plan
By David C. John
(Executive Memorandum #570)
