http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/opinion/columns/samuelsonrobert?nav=rss_opinion/columns/samuelsonrobertRobert J. Samuelsonen-us1514020http://www.washingtonpost.comhttp://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/hp/image/wp_web.gifhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A7921-2005Apr21.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns/samuelsonroberthttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A7921-2005Apr21.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns/samuelsonrobertSat, 23 Apr 2005 12:26:24 GMT Robert J. Samuelsonhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A48139-2005Apr12.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns/samuelsonroberthttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A48139-2005Apr12.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns/samuelsonrobertSat, 23 Apr 2005 12:26:24 GMT Robert J. Samuelsonhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A28419-2005Apr5.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns/samuelsonroberthttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A28419-2005Apr5.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns/samuelsonrobertSat, 23 Apr 2005 12:26:24 GMT Robert J. Samuelsonhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11311-2005Mar29.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns/samuelsonroberthttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11311-2005Mar29.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns/samuelsonrobertSat, 23 Apr 2005 12:26:24 GMT Robert J. Samuelsonhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A61696-2005Mar23.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns/samuelsonroberthttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A61696-2005Mar23.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns/samuelsonrobertSat, 23 Apr 2005 12:26:24 GMTwelfare. Democrats and Republicans alike embrace the deception. No one wants to upset older voters. Well, if you can't call something by its real name, you can't discuss it honestly.]]> Robert J. Samuelsonhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A38568-2005Mar15.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns/samuelsonroberthttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A38568-2005Mar15.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns/samuelsonrobertSat, 23 Apr 2005 12:26:24 GMT Robert J. Samuelsonhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A25616-2005Mar10.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns/samuelsonroberthttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A25616-2005Mar10.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns/samuelsonrobertSat, 23 Apr 2005 12:26:24 GMT Robert J. Samuelsonhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A64396-2005Mar1.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns/samuelsonroberthttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A64396-2005Mar1.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns/samuelsonrobertSat, 23 Apr 2005 12:26:24 GMTdeclined. We're talking about rates on long-term mortgages and bonds. These rates truly affect the economy, because they influence housing and business investment. Most economists expected them to rise. But no. Last June rates on 30-year fixed mortgages averaged 6.29 percent; now they're about 5.7 percent. Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan recently called the declines a "conundrum.'' Equally puzzling is whether the declines guarantee a healthy economy -- or suggest a speculative "credit bubble.'']]> Robert J. Samuelsonhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45578-2005Feb22.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns/samuelsonroberthttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45578-2005Feb22.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns/samuelsonrobertSat, 23 Apr 2005 12:26:24 GMT Robert J. Samuelsonhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A27629-2005Feb15.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns/samuelsonroberthttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A27629-2005Feb15.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns/samuelsonrobertSat, 23 Apr 2005 12:26:24 GMTFlemming v. Nestor, but it's a 1960 Supreme Court decision that demolishes the Bush administration's case for borrowing vast amounts to pay for its proposed "personal" Social Security accounts. The White House has crafted a clever bit of intellectual camouflage to do what's politically convenient: create a new government benefit at no obvious cost. True, borrowing is a cost, but it's largely hidden from the public. It's not as conspicuous as a tax. What we have here is an exercise in mass deception that, in a weird way, is encouraged by a public that prefers to be deceived rather than face the difficult choices posed by Social Security or the government's budget.]]> Robert J. Samuelsonhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A9446-2005Feb8.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns/samuelsonroberthttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A9446-2005Feb8.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns/samuelsonrobertSat, 23 Apr 2005 12:26:24 GMT Robert J. Samuelsonhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A55669-2005Feb1.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns/samuelsonroberthttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A55669-2005Feb1.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns/samuelsonrobertSat, 23 Apr 2005 12:26:24 GMT Robert J. Samuelsonhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A36715-2005Jan25.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns/samuelsonroberthttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A36715-2005Jan25.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns/samuelsonrobertSat, 23 Apr 2005 12:26:24 GMT Robert J. Samuelsonhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A19408-2005Jan18.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns/samuelsonroberthttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A19408-2005Jan18.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns/samuelsonrobertSat, 23 Apr 2005 12:26:24 GMT Robert J. Samuelsonhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A8100-2005Jan13.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns/samuelsonroberthttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A8100-2005Jan13.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns/samuelsonrobertSat, 23 Apr 2005 12:26:24 GMT "We have a problem, and the problem is America is getting older and that there are fewer people to pay into the system to support a baby boomer generation which is about to retire. Therefore, the question is, does this country have the will to address the problem?"]]> Robert J. Samuelsonhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A48621-2005Jan4.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns/samuelsonroberthttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A48621-2005Jan4.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns/samuelsonrobertSat, 23 Apr 2005 12:26:24 GMT Robert J. Samuelsonhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A32610-2004Dec28.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns/samuelsonroberthttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A32610-2004Dec28.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns/samuelsonrobertSat, 23 Apr 2005 12:26:24 GMT Robert J. Samuelsonhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A18010-2004Dec21.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns/samuelsonroberthttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A18010-2004Dec21.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns/samuelsonrobertSat, 23 Apr 2005 12:26:24 GMT Robert J. Samuelsonhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A134-2004Dec14.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns/samuelsonroberthttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A134-2004Dec14.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns/samuelsonrobertSat, 23 Apr 2005 12:26:24 GMT Robert J. Samuelsonhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45509-2004Dec7.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns/samuelsonroberthttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45509-2004Dec7.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns/samuelsonrobertSat, 23 Apr 2005 12:26:24 GMT Robert J. Samuelson