Social Security and the Fiscal Cliff

Air date: December 12, 2012

Stephen Ohlemacher talked about Social Security and its role in negotiations to avoid the “fiscal cliff,” and he responded to telephone calls and electronic communications. Topics included cost of living adjustments (COLA), the funding of Social Security and its solvency, and who receives it. 

Nancy Calo read news headlines from C-SPAN Radio at the end of the program. 

This program was part of a “Washington Journal” series looking at specific policy areas of the “fiscal cliff.” 

“Fiscal cliff” referred to the impending tax increases and sequestration budget cuts at the end of 2012 if Congress failed to reach a new budget agreement. "Sequestration," a legal procedure in which automatic budget cuts are triggered, was agreed to in the Budget Control Act of 2011.