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Former Social Security Official Pitched an Investment Strategy to Keep Fund Solvent. It Went Nowhere.

Former Social Security Official Pitched an Investment Strategy to Keep Fund Solvent. It Went Nowhere.

Social Security has long been considered the third rail of American politics—not to be touched at risk of losing re-election. But the Trump administration is signaling interest in finding a way to sustain the massive retirement trust fund's solvency.
With the clock ticking on the projected depletion of the trust fund that pays a portion of retirement-benefit payments in the next decade, a former top official at the Social Security Administration proposed a possible fix earlier this spring.
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Supreme Court Clears The Way For Mass Federal Layoffs. What It Means For Workers Now
Supreme Court Clears The Way For Mass Federal Layoffs. What It Means For Workers Now

Forbes

time23 minutes ago

  • Forbes

Supreme Court Clears The Way For Mass Federal Layoffs. What It Means For Workers Now

Protesting federal layoffs Today the U.S. Supreme Court issued an unsigned order that allows the Trump administration to resume large-scale layoffs of federal workers. This action lifts a lower court injunction that had temporarily blocked the administration's plan. While the Court did not rule on the legality of the layoffs, the decision allows the administration to move forward while litigation continues. The executive order, issued in February 2025, directs federal agencies to prepare for 'large-scale reductions in force,' or RIFs. It is part of a broader effort to eliminate what the administration describes as wasteful and unnecessary federal programs. A companion memo outlined a 4-to-1 attrition policy, allowing only one hire for every four employee departures. Tens of thousands of federal workers have already lost their jobs or taken deferred resignation packages. Although the White House has not confirmed a specific figure, estimates from watchdog organizations suggest that more than 75,000 federal employees have been affected. Agencies impacted include the Departments of Agriculture, Veterans Affairs, Energy, and the Environmental Protection Agency. In May, U.S. District Judge Susan Illston blocked the administration from continuing the layoffs without congressional approval. She cited significant risks to critical government services, including food safety and healthcare for veterans. A panel from the Ninth Circuit affirmed that injunction, describing the administration's approach as sweeping and legally questionable. The Supreme Court's latest decision lifts that block, at least temporarily. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented from the majority. She argued that the Court was acting too early in the legal process and warned of lasting consequences. 'This executive action promises mass employee terminations, widespread cancellation of federal programs and services, and the dismantling of much of the Federal Government as Congress has created it,' Jackson wrote. Justice Sonia Sotomayor concurred with the majority but noted that the lower courts are still responsible for determining whether the layoffs comply with the law. 'The plans themselves are not before this Court,' she wrote. 'We thus have no occasion to consider whether they can and will be carried out consistent with the constraints of law.' The decision has introduced uncertainty into the lives of federal workers. Tom Spiggle, founder of The Spiggle Law Firm and author of Fired? Afraid You Might Be?, said the ruling could have significant consequences for individual careers and livelihoods. 'This isn't just about policy debates in Washington,' Spiggle said. 'It's about people losing access to steady work, benefits, and a career they've built. Many federal employees are asking whether they have any rights in this process.' Spiggle emphasized that not all layoffs are legally permissible, even during a broad reorganization. 'If someone was targeted for dismissal because of a protected characteristic such as age, disability, or past whistleblowing activity, then that may be illegal,' he said. He advised affected workers to document events carefully and consider speaking with an employment attorney if they suspect unfair treatment. 'In some cases, reductions in force can be used to disguise unlawful discrimination,' Spiggle explained. The administration argues that the president does not need additional authorization from Congress to conduct agency-wide layoffs. Attorney General Pam Bondi praised the Supreme Court's order, saying it 'stopped lawless lower courts from restricting President Trump's authority over federal personnel.' Critics, including labor unions and several local governments, argue the opposite. In a joint statement, a coalition of plaintiffs said, 'This decision has dealt a serious blow to our democracy and puts services that the American people rely on in grave jeopardy.' The administration's actions now return to Judge Illston's courtroom, where constitutional and statutory questions about executive authority will continue to be litigated. Spiggle said employees should act quickly if they believe they have been targeted unfairly. 'You only have a limited window to file claims with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Sometimes you have as short as 180 days from the date of the adverse action,' he noted. Tom Spiggle noted that resources are available to help workers estimate the value of potential employment claims. 'Even if you aren't ready to file a case, understanding what your claim might be worth can help you make smart decisions,' he said. For now, federal employees across the country are left waiting, unsure of when or if the next round of cuts will come.

3 Stocks Seeing Big Investor Interest: NVDA, PLTR, AMZN
3 Stocks Seeing Big Investor Interest: NVDA, PLTR, AMZN

Yahoo

time23 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

3 Stocks Seeing Big Investor Interest: NVDA, PLTR, AMZN

Several stocks – NVIDIA NVDA, Palantir PLTR, and Amazon AMZN – continue to garner significant attention among investors, with all three ranking among the top ten most-visited stocks on Their popularity is easy to understand given their big gains that have been fueled by impressive stories over recent years. Given their popularity, let's take a closer look to see what's happening with each. We've all become highly familiar with NVIDIA's red-hot multi-year-long story, with its historical growth fueled by unrelenting demand for its Data Center products amid the AI frenzy. The tech titan continued to fire on all cylinders throughout its latest release concerning its Data Center, with sales of $39.1 billion up 73% from the $22.5 billion print in the same period last year. Below is a chart illustrating NVIDIA's Data Center sales on a quarterly basis. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research The stock is still one of the strongest AI plays out there, with shares also not that expensive on a historical basis. Shares currently trade at a 32.8X forward 12-month earnings multiple, a fraction of the 106.3X five-year high and well beneath the 48.4X five-year median. The current PEG ratio works out to a fair 1.1X, again well beneath five-year highs and the five-year median. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Palantir's latest set of quarterly results continued to impress, with sales climbing 40% year-over-year alongside an upgrade to its current-year sales outlook. Massive growth has been driven by red-hot demand that's seemingly only continuing to grow. As shown below, the company's sales growth has been outstanding over recent periods, a reflection of the red-hot demand PLTR has been enjoying. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Importantly, customer count grew nearly 40% year-over-year and 8% sequentially. Palantir also booked a record U.S. commercial total contract value throughout the period ($810 million), which grew a staggering 180% year-over-year. Amazon's latest set of results showed solid momentum within AWS, with sales of $29.3 billion in the segment up 17% year-over-year. The growth rates here have been a major focus, which have commonly dictated post-earnings price action. AMZN signed several new AWS deals with companies throughout the period, a list that includes Adobe, Uber, Nasdaq, Ericsson, Cisco, and more. Many businesses have clamored for AWS, and market participants should expect Amazon to ink many more deals in the coming months/years. Below is a chart illustrating AMZN's sales on a quarterly basis. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Analysts have taken a bullish stance on AMZN's current fiscal year, with the current $6.22 Zacks Consensus EPS estimate up roughly 7% over the past year. The value reflects 12.5% growth YoY, continuing the titan's growth trajectory nicely. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Bottom Line The AI frenzy has kept stocks like NVIDIA NVDA and Palantir PLTR at the top of everybody's watch list, with Amazon AMZN also regularly seeing notable attention thanks to its sheer size and performance over the past decade. All three companies continue to operate in a favorable environment, with PLTR and NVDA regularly seeing strong demand thanks to the AI frenzy. Amazon AMZN is also a part of the story thanks to AWS, which has also regularly seen consistently strong demand over recent years. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Inc. (AMZN) : Free Stock Analysis Report NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) : Free Stock Analysis Report Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Sign in to access your portfolio

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