41.   Should the nation raise the retirement age, a step that would in effect be a benefit cut for most people?

42.   Some members of both parties have been willing to support benefit cuts as part of a broader package of changes.

43.   Some members of both parties have been willing to support benefit cuts as part of a package of changes.

44.   So a pay-as-you-go system would be forced into drastic tax increases, drastic benefit cuts, or both.

45.   That would mean some combination of benefit cuts and tax increases, sooner rather than later, to minimize the adjustments necessary to achieve the desired effect.

46.   The Clinton administration refused to endorse benefit cuts or tax increases as it debated ways to shore up Social Security.

47.   The first plan is to maintain the system by tweaking it in various ways, mainly by slightly higher taxes and minor benefit cuts.

48.   The dollar rose as a French government vow to press ahead with controversial welfare and pension benefit cuts boosted the franc against the deutsche mark.

49.   The long-term solvency of Social Security was addressed through a combination of tax increases and benefit cuts.

50.   The possible benefit cuts include such politically unpopular steps as raising the retirement age and reducing annual cost-of-living adjustments.