Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR) brought attention to social security when he criticized President Obama’s budget proposal on Wednesday. President Obama’s budget seeks to lower cost-of-living increases for those who receive social security. Some lawmakers, both Republican and Democrat, were outraged by the cuts between $200 billion and $380 billion on social security. While others like House Speaker John Boehner believes the President is taking necessary steps to help the nation. This week, experts weigh in on the importance of social security and whether or not these cuts will benefit our country.

During the last election cycle Al Sharpton famously said, "It's not about Obama, it's about your momma." He was making a compelling argument that the public needed to be concerned about Mitt Romney's draconian Social Security and Medicare proposals. Now that the Obama Administration has released its 2014 budget that includes cuts to both Social Security and Medicare, African Americans must now face the bitter reality that it's literally about Obama and our mommas.

As the nation sees improvements in the housing industry, some have noticed communities of color left out. The monitor for the 2009 fair housing settlement in Westchester is currently studying data to determine if the county’s zones excludes Blacks and Hispanics.

To reduce the national debt, sequestration has once again been brought to the table. Sequestration would reduce U.S. national debt by implementing a series of cuts throughout the federal government.

The legendary Robin Hood patrolled Sherwood Forest with a band of merry men, who stole from the rich and gave to the poor. This past September, Congressman Keith Ellison (D-MN) hoped that a band of merry men and women in Congress would pass H.R. 6411, the Inclusive Prosperity Act. The approach proposed by the bill, known as a Robin Hood Tax or, more technically, a Financial Transaction Tax (FTT), does not steal from the rich, but it does seek to fund the poor.

According to the National Association of Realtors' Housing Affordability Index, 2012 was a record year for housing affordability.  The release of their results led to articles with titles such as "Housing Today Is More Affordable Than At Any Time In History" on an investment blog and "2012 a banner year for housing affordability, industry group says" in a major national newspaper.

On April 23, 2012, the Social Security Board of Trustees released its 2012 annual report on the financial health of the Social Security Trust Funds (formally the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and the Disability Insurance Trust Funds). Like previous annual reports, this one contains estimates of revenues and expenditures of the Trust Funds for the current year and projections of the same for 75 years into the future. Also like previous reports, its findings lead many to conclude that Social Security won’t be there for them when they need it. This doesn’t have to be the case.

A great story at the New York Times reveals how the evolving science of marketing is creating its own set of challengers for advertisers.  Target, like many companies, tracks its customers purchases and uses the data to send packets of coupons tailored to individuals and households.  In this way, they tempt us into the store by offering us deals on things they know we want.