"To pay for privatization, the commission is now proposing serious benefit cuts."

Simon was a union captain when the writing staff went on strike in 1987 over benefit cuts.

This has long been a goal of the elderly, the best way to be sure the program is protected from benefit cuts.

On the other hand, if there are no benefit cuts, the financial markets may go ballistic.

On the other hand, workers with the lowest wages - those who earn about $25,000 or less - would not face a benefit cut.

But even in expensive Connecticut, the tide is toward benefit cuts.

If the benefit cuts take effect, the total cost would fall to as little as $152 million.

The archdiocese says that in addition to the benefit cuts, new sources of money will be necessary.

But isn't it stretching a point to say that benefit cuts are causing a big increase in abuse?

There is no serious discussion of a straightforward, across-the-board benefit cut.