Free Republic

PARIS,- The French parliament on Friday approved a divisive new immigration law which tilts the system in favour of qualified foreign workers and increases the restrictions on others. The vote coincided with an escalating furore over threats by the government to deporting school-age children whose parents are illegal immigrants, which is expected to cumulate in a mass protest in Paris on Saturday. The law, proposed by right-wing Interior Minister and presidential hopeful Nicolas Sarkozy, creates a new type of residence permit -- named a "skills and talents permit" -- for foreigners with qualifications which are judged to be important for...

The debate over whether to reform Social Security is full of idiosyncrasies. Here's a big one: No matter what fix we're talking about - partial privatization, raising the retirement age, means testing so millionaires forfeit benefits, tying benefits to inflation rather than wages, etc. - the most ferocious opposition comes from the demographic that won't be affected either way by any proposal being discussed at either end of Pennsylvania Avenue: Americans already 55 and over. If you can imagine that, you're already two steps ahead of the Bush administration. White House officials seem baffled that their biggest fight has turned...

Lawmakers must strengthen Social Security for future Social Security is the noblest of American concepts that uniquely defines who we are. The system is working for millions who would otherwise be destitute. Social Security has assets of $1.5 trillion in U.S. treasury bonds, which earn interest every year. Unfortunately, this is enough to encourage greedy politicians to dismantle it. Far from being in immediate trouble, Social Security is our most successful government institution. According to AARP, without any changes, it can pay 100 percent benefits into the 2040s and 70 percent after that. Social Security needs to be strengthened, not...

WASHINGTON, Aug. 11 (UPI) -- Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts is asking America's "greatest generation" to help catapult him into the White House this November, wooing them Wednesday with senior-friendly policies on the key issues of healthcare, Social Security and prescription-drug costs. "With rising healthcare costs and a dragging economy, our seniors and families are squeezed like never before," Kerry said in prepared remarks. "Seniors are cutting their pills in half, and we're told the best we can do for them is a Medicare bill that's riddled with waste and handouts to drug companies. We can do...

Project aims to identify needs of growing elderly population Lillian Lee of East Point learned the hard way that going without needed home improvements is risky for the elderly. Not long ago, the 79-year-old widow found herself stuck inside her bathtub for two hours when she was unable to pull herself out. If she'd had a safety bar installed the potentially dangerous incident could have been avoided. "I turned this way and that way," Lee said. "I finally got out." Lee's story is the kind the Atlanta Regional Commission wants to hear. ARC is gathering experiences from senior citizens like...