Sure it is. But it was also about time they got rid of the penalties, which restricted the earning power of older Americans by taking portions of their Social Security checks after they'd passed an annual earnings limit. The repeal was something of a no-brainer, says TIME financial writer Daniel Kadlec, both economically and politically. "This archaic regulation was particularly helpful in postwar periods, when GIs were coming home and looking for work," says Kadlec. "The government didn't want the jobs taken up by 'old' people." But now that the nation is rife with jobs, there's really no reason to penalize productive members of society who happen to be older than 65. And considering how many members of Congress have long passed that magic birthday, they are probably as pleased as anyone to see the earnings cap sent out to pasture.
The Shades of Gray That United the U.S. Senate
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It should melt the hearts of cynical Americans everywhere to see the U.S. Senate behaving in such a magnanimous manner. Wednesday, 100 senators voted to repeal the current Social Security penalties on workers 65 and older. That's right: It was unanimous, and there was no name-calling. OK, it is an election year, and older Americans do make up the most powerful voting bloc in the country, but all that aside, isn't it wonderful to see Democrats and Republicans working together, even if they can't agree on real Social Security reform?