More ARA News

House Republicans find themselves in a corner on the payroll tax cut… And Boehner finds himself on an island… New national WaPo/ABC poll shows Gingrich and Romney all tied up (but how much stock should we put in national polls at this stage?)… Gingrich continues to explain Freddie Mac… A family affair: Gingrich daughter stumps for Newt in SC… Should the Paul newsletters get the same kind of scrutiny as that Perry rock?... And it’s officially two weeks out until the Iowa caucuses.

By NBC's Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Brooke Brower

Cornered: To understand how House Republicans have backed themselves into a corner on extending the payroll tax cut, two Senate Republicans running in some of the most competitive contests next year are distancing themselves from the House GOP. “The House Republicans’ plan to scuttle the deal to help middle-class families is irresponsible and wrong,” said Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA), who most likely will run against Democrat Elizabeth Warren in 2012. “The refusal to compromise now threatens to increase taxes on hard-working Americans and stop unemployment benefits for those out of work.” And Sen. Dean Heller (R-NV), who will run against Democratic Rep. Shelley Berkley, added: “What is playing out in Washington, D.C., this week is about political leverage, not about what’s good for the American people. Congress can work out a solution without stopping the payroll tax-cut extension for the middle class.” Bottom line: You know where the politics on this issue are when Brown and Heller are for/against something. Two other veteran senators, Richard Lugar and Olympia Snowe, also both up for re-election in states carried by President Obama in ‘08, have joined the chorus of Republicans asking the House GOP to simply vote out the Senate bill. Read more..

It’s Time To Have That Talk

Why and How to Talk to Your Future Executor and Heirs about Your Estate Plan.

Sensors Help Keep the Elderly Safe, and at Home

Increasingly, many older people who live alone are not truly alone. They are being watched by a flurry of new technologies designed to enable them to live independently and avoid expensive trips to the emergency room or nursing homes. Read More

Administration Proposes Wage Protections

For Home Care Workers

In 2007, the Supreme Court found that Evelyn Coke, above, was not entitled to overtime pay as a health care aide. Read More…..

Broken, Briefly

It was time to stop working, to emerge from my home office into Mom’s world, and I was really frustrated. Read More…

Public Housing Units Need $25.6 Billion in Repairs, HUD Says

The United States’ 1.2 million public housing units need an estimated $25.6 billion for large scale repairs, including public senior housing units, says a recent Department of Housing and Urban Development study. Read More……

Public employee pensions across the country are under attack. Please Join them on Thursday, February 2nd from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm eastern time to talk about the threats working men and women face. We will address the following:

●	A snapshot of public pension battles

●	Proven strategies to fight back

●	Poll tested messages from polling firm Garin Hart Yang Research

●	Data to counter the opposition

Please join the AFL-CIO and the National Public Pension Coalition for this important webinar on state public employee pension fights! State Public Employee Pension Fights Webinar

Michelle Campbell, Support Administrator
Field Mobilization Department
Alliance for Retired Americans
202/637-5361