Washington News

Government Report Finds Social Security, Medicare Finances Deteriorating A new Administration report on the solvency of Social Security and Medicare generated coverage in major print media, but received just 30 seconds of coverage on a single network newscast, the CBS Evening News. The report, released by the trustees of both programs, is being cast as a dire warning on the need for entitlement reform.
The CBS Evening News reported, "Here's another economic story. When will Medicare and Social Security hit empty? We got a new estimate today. The government said that if something isn't done to shore up the trust funds, Medicare will run out of money in 2024. Social Security retirement benefits run out in 2035. But Social Security disability benefits will be exhausted long before that, in 2016."
The AP notes that "if the Social Security and Medicare funds ever become exhausted, the nation's two biggest benefit programs would collect only enough money in payroll taxes to pay partial benefits. Social Security could cover about 75 percent of benefits, the trustees said in their annual report. Medicare's giant hospital fund could pay 87 percent of costs."
On Fox News' Special Report, Ed Henry reported that "on Medicare, top Administration officials today touted better news, sort of. ... Medicare is going broke in 2024, which is only good news in the sense that the dire prediction is unchanged from last year, giving the White House another chance to tee off on Republican House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan's plan to change Medicare." Geithner was shown saying, "We will not support proposals that sow the seeds of their destruction in the name of reform, or that shift the cost of healthcare to seniors in order to sustain tax cuts for the most fortunate Americans." The Hill's Sam Baker, in a blog entry, calls the Geithner statement "a pre-emptive shot at Republican-led proposals to partially privatize Medicare."
The New York Times refers to "a significant deterioration in the financial outlook for Social Security," and says that Administration found "the financial condition of Medicare...stable but still unsustainable." Adds the Times, "The central message of the new report was the same as in recent years: the two programs are unsustainable without structural changes that have so far eluded Congress and the administration." However, "one of the trustees, Kathleen Sebelius, the secretary of health and human services, said, 'Medicare is in a much stronger position than it was a few years ago, thanks to the Affordable Care Act,' signed by President Obama in 2010."

Economists Foresee Sluggish US Economic Growth For The Rest Of The Year McClatchy reports that the "consensus forecast for this year" from economists is "for growth of 2 to 2.5 percent." According to McClatchy, "A spate of recent indicators punctuated fears that the economy is stalling. ... The US economy is expected to slow later this year, dragged down by slowing global growth, rising anxiety about the elections and the specter of gridlock in Washington over urgent tax, spending and debt deadlines." On the other hand, Bloomberg News reports that "the US recovery may strengthen as autos and housing begin to reemerge as mainstays of growth."

Obama Announces Steps To Prevent Threat Of Genocide, Sanctions On Iran And Syria President Obama's remarks at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum were covered by major print media, but received just 30 seconds of coverage on a single network newscast, the CBS Evening News, which put the announcement in the context of current events in Syria and Iran. Obama, said CBS, "went to the US Holocaust Memorial Museum" on Monday "for the first time since taking office," and "used the visit to announce new sanctions against Iran and Syria. The sanctions are aimed at state police who use cell phones and the internet to track down dissidents in some countries."
The New York Times put the speech in a similar context, reporting that as he "continues to search for a more effective response to the killings in Syria," Obama sought "to expand his administration's response to oppression in the Middle East" and "announced new sanctions on Monday against those who provide Syria and Iran with cutting-edge technology to track down dissidents for abuse, torture or death."

Obama To Address Higher Education Costs In North Carolina Today President Obama's Tuesday trip to North Carolina is being portrayed as part of the Obama campaign's efforts to reengage young voters who provided him with his margins of victory in swing states such as North Carolina in 2008. Several outlets also note that on Monday, Mitt Romney endorsed the President's proposal to keep student loan rates at 3.4%, which has drawn opposition from Republicans in Congress.
The AP reports, "Supporters in Chapel Hill sought shelter from the rain under tents, blankets and umbrellas Sunday as they lined up for tickets to see President Barack Obama speak about student debt...in a state at the heart of this year's presidential election. Obama visits the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on Tuesday and similar colleges in Colorado and Iowa as he woos young voters by taking about student loans and the rising cost of education."
According to McClatchy , the White House is "pushing for an extension of the current interest rate of 3.4 percent," because "without it, the rate will climb to 6.8 percent for more than 7 million students across the country, and the average loan recipient would be another $1,000 in debt, according to White House spokesman Matt Lehrich."

Democrats Plan Senate Vote If Supreme Court Upholds Arizona Immigration Law If the Supreme Court upholds Arizona's immigration law later this summer, Senate Democrats have plans to force a floor vote on legislation that would invalidate it. The Washington Post reports that Sen. Charles Schumer will announce the legislation at a hearing on the Arizona law today. According to the Post, "The legislation would have little chance of passing in a stalemated Senate or being approved by a GOP-held House, but it would allow Democrats to push their electoral advantage with Latino voters just as the presidential campaign heats up in July."
USA Today reports that the Supreme Court on Wednesday will hear arguments on Arizona's immigration law, which is considered "the toughest state immigration enforcement law to date." The High Court will decide on four provisions of the law. One requires "state and local police to perform roadside immigration checks of people they've stopped or detained if a 'reasonable suspicion' exists they are in the country illegally." Another, makes it "a state crime for illegal immigrants not to possess their federal registration cards." A third makes it "a state crime for illegal immigrants to work, apply for work or solicit work in any way, including making a 'gesture or nod' indicating they are looking for work." The final provision allows "state and local police to arrest illegal immigrants without a warrant when probable cause exists that they committed 'any public offense that makes the person removable from the United States.'"
Pew Study Finds Mexican Immigration Is Waning The CBS Evening News reported on "a study that says the great wave of migration from Mexico into the United States has begun to reverse itself." According to the Pew Hispanic Center "there were 6.1 million unauthorized Mexican immigrants in the US last year and that was down from seven million in 2007."

Campaign News

Potential VP Candidate Rubio Stumps With Romney Yesterday in Pennsylvania, Mitt Romney was joined on the campaign trail by Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who has garnered much attention as a potential running mate for the presumptive GOP nominee. The CBS Evening News reported, "In the presidential race, some people think we may have gotten a preview...of the Republican ticket for 2012," as Romney and Rubio stumped together in Pennsylvania. CBS added, "Whether Governor Romney actually picks Senator Rubio to be his Vice President or not there is the political benefit to a public courtship like this. Rubio is of Cuban heritage; that might make Hispanic voters a little more open to the idea of a Romney presidency."
ABC World News added, "Tonight, was this a hint? This Romney-Rubio moment a test run? Amid so much talk about Marco Rubio, the fresh-faced freshman Senator from Florida is on Romney's short list for running mate. Rubio has said he's not interested, but was this moment, even before today's photo-op, a Freudian slip?" Rubio was shown saying in a Sunday interview, "Three, four, five, six, years from now, if I do a good job as Vice President -- I'm sorry."
Politico reports, "Stumping with the latest possible vice presidential" selection, Romney "basked Monday in the reflected glow of...Rubio. Just as he did while campaigning with Rep. Paul Ryan in Wisconsin and other big names - Ohio Sen. Rob Portman, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte - Romney didn't indulge in veep speculation in his first press conference in over a month."
McClatchy reports, "Just last week, Rubio swore he'd turn down Romney if the senator were asked to be the candidate's running mate. Monday, though, Rubio played a humble second fiddle to Romney, who ended" a "town hall meeting in a Philadelphia suburb with a hat tip to the 40-year-old's tryout. 'Those guys in Florida are lucky to have him as senator, aren't they?' Romney said."
The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that Rubio, "a favorite of antitax tea party activists, is the first potential running mate Romney has campaigned with since sewing up the nomination."
On Wednesday, Rubio To Give "Major Speech" On US Foreign Policy The Daily Caller reported Rubio "insists he's not angling to" serve as Romney's "running mate, but his schedule this week might indicate otherwise. After stumping with Romney on Monday," Rubio "will...'deliver a major speech on the future of US foreign policy at an event hosted by The Brookings Institution' on Wednesday, according to a news release from his office. 'Rubio's remarks will focus on whether US global leadership is sustainable and even necessary in the 21st century,' the release said." Politico says the speech is "just the latest move by Rubio to elevate his national profile."

Romney Poised To Build On Delegate Lead In Today's Primaries CNN reports on its website that in today's Republican presidential primaries in Connecticut, Delaware, New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island, "the only drama left appears to be the size of the margins of victory for all-but-certain GOP...nominee Mitt Romney." CNN noted, "Of the five states voting on Tuesday, Pennsylvania is the only one where Romney could be competitive in November's general election against President Barack Obama."
McClatchy says Romney "is expected to win all five Republican presidential primaries Tuesday, but Pennsylvania and Connecticut will be watched closely for signs that he could headed for trouble in those states in November. A weaker-than-expected showing in Pennsylvania against Rick Santorum, who represented the state in the US Senate from 1995 to 2007, would raise fresh questions about Romney's appeal in a general-election swing state." McClatchy adds that Romney "has 697 delegates, according to The Associated Press tally, with 231 at stake Tuesday."

Key Senate, House Primary Contests In Pennsylvania Today Voters go to the poll in Pennsylvania today where a number of key contests will be decided. In the GOP Senate race to determine the challenger to Sen. Bob Casey Jr. (D), five candidates are competing, though "voters may be hard-pressed to find much ideological difference" among them, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. GOP hopeful Tom Smith, "who has a high school education and who worked his way to wealth in coal mining, has steered a few shots at fellow businessman Steven Welch ('a liberal') and former State Rep. Sam Rohrer (he voted for a legislative pay hike)." Welch, meanwhile, "has been on the attack with the ferocity of a candidate who appears to see himself trailing in the race but who believes he can catch up."
The state also features a key member-on-member House contest, where Reps. Mark Critz and Jason Altmire are squaring off in the Democratic primary in the newly-drawn PA12 district. The Washington Times says most of the redrawn PA12 CD "lies within Mr. Altmire's current" PA4 CD, "and he enjoyed double-digit poll leads earlier in the campaign. But the race recently tightened, reflected by the results of a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review/WPXI-TV poll released last week showing Mr. Altmire with only a 4 percentage-point lead." Roll Call adds, "Another sign the race has closed came when both candidates emptied their campaign bank accounts in the final two weeks. Critz even dipped into his own wallet to fund the final days by loaning his campaign $100,000. Altmire will benefit if the snow falls hard on Critz's base in Johnstown - a scenario local meteorologists predicted over the weekend."
Meanwhile, the Pottsville (PA) Republican Herald (4/23, Bortner) reported that PA17 Rep. Tim Holden (D) will square off against Lackawanna County lawyer Matt Cartwright (D) in Tuesday's Democratic primary. Holden, "the dean of Pennsylvania's congressional delegation," has emphasized "his constituent service, moderate 'Blue Dog Democrat' voting record and attention to economic development in his campaign to win an 11th two-year term in Washington." Cartwright, meanwhile, "has attacked Holden as not a being true Democrat for allegedly being too conservative and too willing to compromise with Republicans." Roll Call adds that Holden "is seeking re-election in a district that's almost 80 percent new turf for the 10-term incumbent. As a result, Cartwright has gotten a lot of traction running to Holden's political left, aided by outside Democratic groups."