Abstract
Since its inception, the Social Security system has provided benefits to augment the income of people upon their retirement. However, current projections point to a crisis in Social Security. Experts believe that by 2038, the Social Security trust fund will have been depleted. This paper presents an overview of the current social security crisis and evaluates the plans to address this problem. The first part of the paper provides a history of the Social Security system, from its inception in 1935 to its current status under the federal government. The next part then studies how the Social Security system is funded. In the final part, the paper studies the problems facing many retirees who stand to be adversely affected by the Social Security deficit. It looks at the pitfalls of privatization and other methods now being used to address the problem, such as proposed tax credits, simplifying the tax process and key changes in retirement policy.

From the Paper
"A privatized pension allows employers to manage the plan's assets, while promising to credit the worker's pensions with a corresponding interest rate. However, employers have often changed this rate, reducing the value of their employees' pensions. For example, when companies like IBM, AT&T and Citibank switched from traditional pensions to cash balance plan, the pensions paid to longtime employees were significantly reduced. Because of the potential for abuse, conversions to cash-balance plans were banned in 1999. The Bush plan for privatization, however, would allow employers to return to such practices, under the guise of augmenting the Social Security trust fund (Leone)."

Tags:Roosevelt, FICA, PCSSS

Abstract
"How the other Half lives" is one of the most celebrated books on the subject of deplorable living and working conditions of immigrants at the turn of the century. Jacob Riis's powerful account of life in tenement buildings in New York City was first published in 1890 and took American's largely complacent majority by storm. The paper shows that the book may have been about the poor and the destitute of New York City, but it was meant for the 'other half' that was not portrayed in the book. The readers were those who had little or nothing in common with the real life characters of the book, and this explains the main purpose of the book to us. The paper explains that Riis saw the immigrants' heart-rending life in the tenements from the eye of his camera and then made the middle-class and upper-class Americans see it for themselves through his sharp essays and scathing images.

From the Paper
"Riis accuses the wealthy and the influential of complacency and apathy and holds them responsible for at least some of the problems that tenement occupants faced. He feels that since the public is kept in dark about the gravity of the situation, the poor immigrants keep suffering and the government is never held accountable. Riis contends that normally the other half, the affluent half of the country, never attempts to get the whole truth and for this reason, a person dying of utter deprivation and starvation is classified as case of "improper nourishment". "

Tags:Theodore, Roosevelt, social, class, american, dream

Abstract
This paper investigates and critiques social security benefits of current problems and possible solutions to the social security crisis. The paper concludes with recommendations for improving and preserving the social security system.

From the Paper
"In view of the advantages and disadvantages of the current social security system, there are various proposed reforms of the social security system that would bring the system into long-run balance. There are two primary categories of proposed social security reforms: changes that preserve the basic structure of the current system with minor modifications and more dramatic transformations that either would invoke means-testing of benefits or would shift part of the system from today's pay-as-you-go insurance plan to an arrangement more like 401(k) retirement plans and individual retirement accounts."

Tags:congress, tax, domestic, program, wage, entitlements, senior, citizens, retirement, benefits, problems, crisis, recommendations, payroll, death, disability, united, states, elderly, medicare, policy, progressive, pension, administration, finance, pay

From the Paper
"The elderly population in the United States is growing in number as people live longer and as the baby-boom generation reaches old age. Yet this older generation may have a more precarious existence than has been true in recent decades for that population. There has been much rightful concern about the elderly in America in an era in which the extended family no longer holds sway so that the elderly are more often completely on their own. Another concern has been related to the so-called entitlements in the federal budget--Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and welfare--and the impact a reduction, either by design or because the system is not secure, will have on the elderly.
Medicare is a federal health insurance program for people 65 and older and for certain disabled people. Medicare was enacted in ..."

Abstract
This paper provides an analysis of the U.S. social security system. The author examines the history of social security 'creation, workings of the particular plans- disability and old age and survivor insurance, and how Americans' tax dollars are selected and sent. This analysis also looks at the growing uneasiness regarding depletion of funds.

From the Paper
"America has been through many trying times throughout its young history. One of the most difficult times was the Great Depression. During this period many banks failed, the stock market crashed, and Americans everywhere were losing faith in the government. The government came up with different options on how they could guarantee the nation's elderly of a decent income. In 1935, the government introduced their solution, Social Security. Since its inception, the Social Security program has been one of the most successful domestic government programs, providing economic protection for Americans of all ages."

Tags:pensions, trust, funds, elderly, taxes, disability, Great, Depression

Abstract
On January 8th, 2001, President Bush signed the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 into law. This law is a summation of Bush's reform of education platform and contains some of the most sweeping of all changes and modifications to the Elementary and Secondary Education Acct (ESEA) since it was put into law in 1965. The paper shows that this act has resulted in a great deal of controversy on all sides of the issue. The paper examines the nature of the NCLB, its impact and the controversy over the issue.

From the Paper
"The new requirements for accountability include documentation of the program's effectiveness in supporting technology integration into curriculum and instruction and the intervention's influence on instructional practice. Research is showing that technology can effectively capture information about change in teachers' use of technology. For example, the California Department of Education developed the California Technology Assistance Project/Technology Assessment Profile, a tool for teachers to self-assess their competency in integrating technology into instruction. Typically, teachers complete CTA online before and after staff development. Results are graphically reported online as well. The state recommends that school districts use CTA as part of the overall assessment strategy and to assess the effects of the NCLB-EETT requirement that 25% of the technology funding be used for staff development (Cradler and Cradler, 2002)."

Tags:republican, NCLB-EETT, IDEA

Abstract
This paper examines how Australia's often controversial refugee policy can be seen to reflect certain philosophies that determine who is allowed to enter Australia and who is not. It discusses the four main philosophies behind the policy: residualism; selectivity and targeting; "deserving" and "undeserving"; and blaming the victim (cf. structuralism). It also provides an examination of the current refugee laws, including current quotes from leading Australian politicians regarding refugees and Australian law.

Outline
Under the Big Top: Residualism, a "Safety Net", the "Ladder of Opportunity" and One White Monkey
A Volunteer From the Audience Please!: The Politics of Selectivity
Admission Prices: Who Gets In and What Your Ticket Gives You
Eeny Meaney Miney Mo: The Deserving Desirables of a Humanitarian Program
Beggars and Hecklers: The Price of Absent Security
Crowd Control: Moderating the Masses
Memoirs of a Mime: The Day the Crowd Fell Silent
Conclusion

From the Paper
"The first philosophy regarding welfare in Australia is undoubtedly the concept of residualism versus universalism, as this addresses from the very beginning whether welfare will be targeted only at individuals in need, as in the residualist model, or whether every citizen will be universally provided for regardless of income or standing. Historically, Australia has largely been a residual welfare state in accordance with its tendency to political conservatism emphasizing individual self-reliance. Residualist welfare developed in Australia around the presumption of full employment; wage levels were guaranteed by the Harvester judgment relegating government welfare to the status of a "safety net" for those men who experienced temporary unemployment. The key concept behind this residualist support for unemployed men however was the assumption of limited welfare; it was only intended as a safety net for short periods of time, to "break the fall towards destitution and sustain a man and his family while they help him climb the ladder of opportunity again." "

Tags:humanitarian, residualism, selectivity, structuralism

Abstract
This paper focuses on the recent changes that altered Australia's Constitution to include rules of citizenship. The paper explains that some people have begun to question the constitution's relevancy in today's world. The paper gives a brief history of Australian citizenship, and presents the arguments for and against keeping citizenship conventional. The paper also discusses Australia's alliance to Britain, including how immigration and citizenship may lead to republicanism. The paper acknowledges that there is a constant debate about whether the Constitution should be amended to include citizenship, but concludes that amending the Constitution to include citizenship is necessary to provide a democratic society to our future generations.

From the Paper
"As of late, there has been a lot of media coverage regarding refugees. A portion of this is misleading or biased. Thus a stigma has been attached to these so-called 'boat people'. A number of asylum seekers make their way to Australia every year. Since Federation, there has been 740, 000 refugee migrant settlers. 'Alien' is the term referred to when describing someone who is not a 'British subject, an Irish citizen, or a protected person.' . However, it has been argued that 'The civic identity of Australia as a law-respecting, liberal-democratic society includes all the people who live here-denizens as well as citizens'. By including citizenship in the Constitution, the people's rights would be recognised. One would hope that the migrants to Australia would be regarded as citizens and included in the amended sections. A large number of Australian born citizens would disagree with that statement. The Australian public has many concerns as to whether or not; they would suffer job losses, their individual rights would be stripped and whether or not the safety within their community would be breached. The topic of national security would however, have to be addressed by the drafters who included new sections in the Constitution regarding citizenship."

Tags:refugees, immigration

Abstract
With the longer lifespan of the average American citizen, coupled with the earlier retirement trend, the future of America's Social Security system looks headed for disaster. This paper presents a detailed examination of the privatization of Social Security. The writer produces an argument in favor of privatizing the system.

From the Paper
"For many years people have invested in private investment situations that have included blue chip stocks, mutual funds and other things. They have managed to put away money for retirement, often times because they do not believe the social security system is stable enough to provide for them when the time comes. The fact that millions of Americans are already creating their own retirement funds aside from the money they are paying in to social security illustrates their ability to handle a privatized system."

Tags:blue, chip, mutual, funds, Treasury, bonds

Abstract
The paper offers a brief discussion of the definition of social policy and then traces the history of the development of welfare policy in Australia. To analyse how efficiently the current delivery of social policy achieves its goal, the paper focuses on the two key welfare policy areas of education and employment. The paper argues that in these key policy areas, the delivery of social policy does not completely fulfil its social goals and aims. The paper contends that social policy is shaped by changing needs and values, thus the delivery of welfare must reflect these changes to ensure efficient and effective social policy.

From the Paper
"In its common form as it is most often applied, 'social policy' has connotations of equality through the provision of welfare and the redistribution of resources (Graycar & Jamrozik 1993, p. 54). This definition is further extended by McClelland (2006a, p. 7), who adds that social policy involves debates about values, and assumptions of the behaviour of members of a society. The scope of social policy is broad, in that there are a wide-range of factors which influence it. This can include factors such as economic, political, and historical contexts (Jones 1996, p. 30; McClelland 2006a, p. 18). Economic policy, for example, often determines the resource allocation aspects of social welfare policy (Smyth 1994, p. 39). Given this broad scope of social policy, social welfare should be viewed not in isolation, but as part of the broader contexts of a society. This is an important point to consider, as this often affects the aims of a social policy goal, and also the effectiveness of social policy as an instrument."

Tags:welfare, unemployment, education, resources, goal, instrument