Reposted by Kathleen RomigJudd Legum @juddlegum.bsky.social · 6hCorporations and billionaires don’t want you to know what political messages they are funding. That’s why they make the info so difficult to find. PaidForBy.info changes the game. It’s 100% free to use. Please check it out and spread the word! 10466265
Reposted by Kathleen RomigPhil Rocco @philiprocco.bsky.social · 9hA few months ago, I wrote about our feeble, brittle laws against propaganda for @donmoyn.bsky.social’s substack. Especially when propaganda is linked to cash, it’s time that we revisit the pathetic quality of what passes for checks against executive overreach: open.substack.com/pub/donmoyni...open.substack.comThe Federal Government is Emailing You Campaign Literature – Can Anyone Stop It?Is it legal for Social Security to send you partisan propaganda? In theory, no… 23722
Reposted by Kathleen RomigThinking Person's Guide to Autism @thinkingautism.com · 02/10/2026"Part of what is so striking about Texas v. Kennedy is that the federal government was originally the defendant […] brought by states fighting what's known as the integration mandate. Then it switched sides & agreed with the states that the requirement should be undone.” www.npr.org/2026/10/01/n...npr.orgTrump administration reverses stance on integration of people with disabilitiesDisability rights advocates are angered by the latest reversal but are rallying behind proposed legislation and working with states to strengthen protections for community integration. 13315
Reposted by Kathleen RomigNed Resnikoff @resnikoff.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Incredible chutzpah from a Congress whose one major legislative act was a budget bill that among other things imposed significant new administrative burdens on Medicaid recipients 4437116
Kathleen Romig @kathleenromig.bsky.social · 30/09/2026SSA is falling far short of its splashy goal of 200M mySocialSecurity accounts. This raises questions of how well leadership understands the needs of people who use SSA services & how well their tools serve them. Too bad they fired their customer experience staff! www.nextgov.com/digital-gove...nextgov.comSSA’s lead had set a goal of 200M online accounts this year — experts say that might prove challengingThe Trump administration recently achieved 105 million online accounts, and lawyers are increasingly encouraging clients to make them as more services go digital. 55020
Reposted by Kathleen RomigSharon Parrott @sharonparrott.bsky.social · 29/09/2026The Trump Admin once again announced, w/ no prior notice & no time for Congress to respond, that it was taking illegal unilateral action — a so-called “pocket rescission” impoundment — to cause $800M+ from 11 program accounts to expire unused after 9/30. time.com/article/2026...time.comWhat Is a ‘Pocket Rescission’? Inside Trump’s Move to Cancel $810 Million in Federal FundingThe Trump Administration is seeking to claw back spending that was approved for programs including those serving immigrants, refugees, minority groups, and children. 11312
Kathleen Romig @kathleenromig.bsky.social · 28/09/2026My choice whether to have a 3rd child was sure constrained by living in a 2BR apt. In my area, housing is expensive. Houses crazy expensive & 3BRs are rare so they command a steep premium. "Starter homes" are a long way from my job & family support--& mostly not transit accessible. 092
Reposted by Kathleen RomigDon Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 28/09/2026New, from me: Once memory-holed, DOGE is now the subject of revisionism. To better understand why DOGE failed, I talked to people in the civic tech movement that DOGE displaced, who continue to offer the alternative model for how to modernize govt. 🧵 donmoynihan.substack.com/p/doge-vs-ci...donmoynihan.substack.comDOGE vs. Civic TechAs DOGE revisionism picks up, a contrast with the civic tech movement it displaced illuminates its failure 18799259
Kathleen Romig @kathleenromig.bsky.social · 26/09/2026The Social Security data SCOTUS just cleared the Trump Admin to use is known to have outdated and missing information on citizenship. Using it will almost certainly disenfranchise eligible citizen voters in the midterms. www.cbpp.org/research/fed...cbpp.orgTrump Administration Doubles Down on Using Flawed Data to Restrict Voting AccessSeptember 10, 2026: In September, the Trump Administration asked the Supreme Court to overturn a lower-court ruling blocking the use of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)’s Systematic Alien Ver... 03117
Reposted by Kathleen RomigAaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 24/09/2026Incredible. First Secretary Mullin claimed that DHS had identified 15,903 noncitizens on Nevada’s voter roll. Then DHS officials told a skeptical Nevada, no no no, that’s just people we flagged. Here are the names of 185 people we KNOW aren’t citizens. All 185 were citizens. DHS got 100% wrong. 21188113851
Reposted by Kathleen RomigCenter on Budget and Policy Priorities @centeronbudget.bsky.social · 16/09/2026The Trump Administration is attempting to use flawed Social Security Administration data to confirm voters’ citizenship status ahead of the upcoming federal election, risking the disenfranchisement of eligible voters: www.cbpp.org/research/fed...cbpp.orgTrump Administration Doubles Down on Using Flawed Data to Restrict Voting AccessSeptember 10, 2026: In September, the Trump Administration asked the Supreme Court to overturn a lower-court ruling blocking the use of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)’s Systematic Alien… 053
Reposted by Kathleen RomigRoosevelt Institute @rooseveltinstitute.org · 09/09/2026As Social Security’s financing shortfall draws closer, the debate over how to shore up the program is turning to revenue. Our Good Life Residents are out with new research on how to modernize the program’s financing without reneging on FDR’s promise. 🧵rooseveltinstitute.orgHow to Fund Social Security with the Economy We HaveThree Roosevelt resident authors explain how to restore the wage base, reach income beyond payroll taxes, and close gaps that allow labor income to escape Social Security contributions. 11211
Kathleen Romig @kathleenromig.bsky.social · 10/09/2026When you push out thousands of federal employees with no plan, things break. One of those things, apparently, is Social Security's critical role in supporting 9/11 victims who “are the sickest of the sick" or who died as a result of their Ground Zero exposures. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/08/u...nytimes.comAfter Causing Delays for 9/11 Health Claims, Social Security Pledges to Do Its JobLawyers say the Social Security Administration has for months not provided basic data to complete compensation claims for those sick and dying after exposure to debris from the Sept. 11 attacks. 0123
Kathleen Romig @kathleenromig.bsky.social · 01/09/2026Parents of college-bound kids should read this thread! There's a lot of fear-mongering about selectivity and cost, but most of that conversation is about a few dozen elite schools where most kids don't end up--or even consider (which IMHO is a great option for parents and kids alike; I lived it!) 0123
Kathleen Romig @kathleenromig.bsky.social · 27/08/2026As a native Michigander, I couldn't agree more with my colleague @katiebergh.bsky.social, who said: Seems appropriate that renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America would change the mnemonic device for remembering the names of the Great Lakes from HOMES to SHAME. 🤦♀️ 0211
Reposted by Kathleen RomigDC Public Library @dcpubliclibrary.bsky.social · 27/08/2026Discover how tax fights have shaped American democracy at Mt. Pleasant Library on 9/3 with local author Vanessa Williamson and Erica Miller of the DC Fiscal Policy Institute. Q and A and book signing to follow with free copies while supplies last! bit.ly/4wQLJbb 041
Reposted by Kathleen RomigSharon Parrott @sharonparrott.bsky.social · 21/08/2026The President’s threat of legal action against @amprog (CAP) marks another disturbing, anti-democratic effort to silence those with whom he disagrees. Our Constitution protects our right to engage in vigorous debate, debate that makes our nation stronger. 11111
Reposted by Kathleen RomigDon Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 09/08/2026The idea that deep institutional damage can be easily rolled back seems like a very odd take for a conservative. The damage to the civil service system is huge, and legislation is needed to reassure future hires they won’t be fired on a whim. 662557466
Reposted by Kathleen RomigDon Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 06/08/2026New from me: More than a trillion dollars flow through the federal government in grants. We have more and more evidence that the Trump administration has been directing those grants on purely partisan grounds, denying them to blue states. 🧵 donmoynihan.substack.com/p/governing-...donmoynihan.substack.comGoverning without AccountabilityTrump only wants to be President of some of America, not all of America 391801789
Reposted by Kathleen RomigMike Konczal @mtkonczal.bsky.social · 06/08/2026Come work with me! I'm hiring a Senior Director for my team. I want to push what a policy and research team can do, and this position will be at the forefront of tackling the big economic questions of the day. Consider applying or sharing. pod4.app.loxo.co/job/MzkzMzUt...pod4.app.loxo.coEconomic Security Project - Senior Director of Policy and Research (USA)View and Download Full Position ProfileAbout the OrganizationThe Economic Security Project (ESP)... 11913
Reposted by Kathleen Romigtaxgirl @taxgirl.bsky.social · 31/07/2026Senators want answers from Bisignano after reports of temporary disruptions to in-person service. SSA says those are caused by renovations and maintenance, not staffing. Still, the question remains: Can one executive effectively help run both SSA and IRS? www.forbes.com/sites/kellyp...forbes.comSenators Demand Answers On Social Security Office ClosuresThe inquiry into reported office closures puts renewed focus on Frank Bisignano’s management of Social Security and whether one executive can effectively run both the SSA and the IRS. 1147
Kathleen Romig @kathleenromig.bsky.social · 30/07/2026New paper from my colleagues on the critical importance of SNAP for people with disabilities, now under threat due to historically deep cuts to SNAP and work requirement expansions. www.cbpp.org/research/foo...cbpp.orgSNAP Provides Needed Food Assistance to Millions of People With DisabilitiesThere are over 70 million people in the United States with one or more disabilities.[2], [3] Many people with disabilities have greater expenses than people without disabilities,[4] making it harder..... 0910
Reposted by Kathleen RomigPam Herd @pamherd.bsky.social · 30/07/2026Massive coverage loss in SNAP, and even more massive losses in Medicaid, will be among the *eligible*. Congress designed a dystopian set of administrative requirements that, by design, will make it practically impossible for eligible individuals to access coverage. 619496
Kathleen Romig @kathleenromig.bsky.social · 29/07/2026Starting this month, kids can get Trump Accounts. But for some families caring for disabled children — who will need savings most as they come of age — the accounts could create big problems. That's because of outdated SSI asset limits; Congress should raise them. www.cbpp.org/blog/outdate...cbpp.orgOutdated SSI Asset Limits Pose Real Problem for Children With Disabilities Hoping to Benefit From Trump AccountsCongress should raise SSI asset limits to prevent families from worrying that their efforts to save for their children’s futures will cost their children essential support from SSI and Medicaid as a r... 49630
Reposted by Kathleen RomigKathleen Romig @kathleenromig.bsky.social · 29/07/2026It's easy to criticize error rates in SSI . . . but damn near impossible for beneficiaries to stay up to date on a truly ridiculous set of reporting requirements. The bipartisan SSAB maps out a win/win agenda: easier reporting for beneficiaries, more accurate payments. www.ssab.gov/research/sup...ssab.govSupplemental Security Income and Reporting Requirements | SSAB 15832
Kathleen Romig @kathleenromig.bsky.social · 29/07/2026It's easy to criticize error rates in SSI . . . but damn near impossible for beneficiaries to stay up to date on a truly ridiculous set of reporting requirements. The bipartisan SSAB maps out a win/win agenda: easier reporting for beneficiaries, more accurate payments. www.ssab.gov/research/sup...ssab.govSupplemental Security Income and Reporting Requirements | SSAB 15832
Reposted by Kathleen RomigKyle Griffin @kylegriffin1.bsky.social · 28/07/2026BREAKING WSJ: The Trump admin plans to end a subsidy program that helped hold down premiums for Medicare drug plans — a move that could leave many seniors facing higher rates for their prescription coverage next year.wsj.comExclusive | Trump Administration to End Medicare Drug Plan SubsidyProgram that held down premiums won’t be renewed for 2027, resulting in higher costs for some seniors. 21817411184
Kathleen Romig @kathleenromig.bsky.social · 28/07/2026I love transit & I love this idea! www.nytimes.com/2026/07/28/n...nytimes.comA Newsstand That Aims to Delight N.Y.C. Subway Riders (Gift Article)A comedian and his friends are transforming a vacant retail space at the West 4th Street station with freebies, art and puppet shows to make commutes more enjoyable. 061
Kathleen Romig @kathleenromig.bsky.social · 27/07/2026I'm still very much looking forward to seeing The Odyssey, but this is a world-class one-liner. 😆 2102
Reposted by Kathleen Romigchuckcbpp.bsky.social @chuckcbpp.bsky.social · 27/07/2026Kudos to Senators Warren and Moreno for coming together to work on a serious bipartisan proposal, and for helping start a serious bipartisan conversation. 062
Reposted by Kathleen Romigchuckcbpp.bsky.social @chuckcbpp.bsky.social · 27/07/2026Senators Warren and Moreno themselves recognized the need to not just rely on taxing the very wealthiest. They rightly didn’t exempt earnings between the current cap and a new cap from Social Security taxes (i.e. their proposal has no “donut hole”). 171
Reposted by Kathleen Romigchuckcbpp.bsky.social @chuckcbpp.bsky.social · 27/07/2026But it’s also arguable that it could be more politically viable to raise taxes more broadly in the Social Security context, which could allow some of the revenue from the highest earners from raising the cap to be left for other purposes. 152
Reposted by Kathleen Romigchuckcbpp.bsky.social @chuckcbpp.bsky.social · 27/07/2026There’s no question there are also other progressive taxes on capital income & corporations, which could help fund these kinds of investments. 131
Reposted by Kathleen Romigchuckcbpp.bsky.social @chuckcbpp.bsky.social · 27/07/2026Raising the wage cap all the way up the earnings scale and using it for Social Security solvency means that this revenue won’t be available for these other needs. 141
Reposted by Kathleen Romigchuckcbpp.bsky.social @chuckcbpp.bsky.social · 27/07/2026Critics have pointed out the opportunity costs that policymakers need to wrestle with, & they have a point. We have many needs - too many ppl can’t afford food, rent, and health care & we need to invest in bldg blocks of our economy like educ, science, & clean energy. 151
Reposted by Kathleen Romigchuckcbpp.bsky.social @chuckcbpp.bsky.social · 27/07/2026While granting it was smaller, it seems worth highlighting there’s precedent for this approach: in 1994, policymakers eliminated the Medicare tax wage cap, which was once the same as Social Security’s. 131
Reposted by Kathleen Romigchuckcbpp.bsky.social @chuckcbpp.bsky.social · 27/07/2026It is also sound policy, if supplemented with policies to limit tax avoidance by preventing the wealthy from shifting their earned income to lower-taxed sources. 151
Reposted by Kathleen Romigchuckcbpp.bsky.social @chuckcbpp.bsky.social · 27/07/2026Instead, some have criticized that it does not solve the entire solvency problem on its own. But it’s unlikely that any one policy change will be the full solution; getting more than halfway there would be a good start. 141
Reposted by Kathleen Romigchuckcbpp.bsky.social @chuckcbpp.bsky.social · 27/07/2026One might expect fiscal hawks to welcome a serious proposal that could close more than half of Social Security’s financing gap while reducing the overall deficit. 131
Reposted by Kathleen Romigchuckcbpp.bsky.social @chuckcbpp.bsky.social · 27/07/2026Senators Warren and Moreno recently proposed a plan to lift the Social Security wage cap to help avoid benefit cuts and reduce its financing gap. This is a serious bipartisan proposal and fixing Social Security will likely require bipartisan compromise. www.nytimes.com/2026/06/23/o...nytimes.comOpinion | Bernie Moreno and Elizabeth Warren: Our Plan to Save Social SecurityTo save the program, we need to eliminate the payroll tax cap. 1229
Reposted by Kathleen RomigFarrell01 @farrell01.bsky.social · 24/07/2026The Social Security Administration has announced that their employees agency-wide will no longer have advance leave of any kind, sick or annual. They already took away working credit, which enabled employees to earn extra leave. @kathleenromig.bsky.social 022
Reposted by Kathleen Romigtony romm @tonyromm.bsky.social · 24/07/2026NEW: In a stunning admission, the Trump administration admitted in court documents that it canceled billions in energy grants to states "based solely" on politics -- and whether that state was represented by Democrats and backed Harris in 2024. www.nytimes.com/2026/07/24/b...nytimes.comTrump Administration Admits Canceling Grants to States That Did Not Vote for HimFederal officials said in court documents that they halted billions of dollars in funding for energy projects to states “based solely” on whether they backed President Trump in the 2024 election. 28961192932
Reposted by Kathleen RomigKatie Bergh @katiebergh.bsky.social · 21/07/2026As states have raced to limit the massive new costs they will soon face under the law's cost shift, many eligible families are losing SNAP because they can’t navigate new bureaucratic obstacles & understaffed states can’t keep up with the added paperwork. www.nytimes.com/2026/07/20/u... 110927
Reposted by Kathleen RomigKatie Bergh @katiebergh.bsky.social · 21/07/2026🚨NEW: In the 9 months after last year’s reconciliation law enacted unprecedented SNAP cuts, the number of people receiving SNAP fell by more than 4.5 million. Based on available data, we estimate that at least 1.5 million fewer kids are receiving SNAP. www.cbpp.org/research/foo... 37973542
Reposted by Kathleen RomigPam Herd @pamherd.bsky.social · 21/07/2026The NYT piece notes SNAP use doubled since the early 2000s to explain cuts. But SNAP take up was artificially low. In the 90s ~80% of the eligible received benefits. This dropped to 52% by 2002. Bush admin worked on it. We were back at ~90%. We're about to see take-up among the eligible plummet. 210851
Reposted by Kathleen Romigdavidasuper.bsky.social @davidasuper.bsky.social · 20/07/2026My latest, with Cerin Lindgrensavage, on a little-known law signed by President Trump that makes it unlawful to pay the salaries of any OMB or agency official who implements funding cuts that the President proposed but Congress rejected. Alas, lots of that is happening. thehill.com/opinion/cong...thehill.comCongress rejected some of Trump’s proposed budget cuts. OMB is making them anyway.President Trump and the Office of Management and Budget are accused of violating the separation of powers by attempting to unilaterally withhold funds that Congress specifically appropriated. 16639