1.   Armey said the certificates would amount to a legal obligation by Congress not to slash current benefits as it phases in private accounts for younger people.

2.   As the current crisis grew, Bettman seemed to have the upper hand, forcing the players back to the bargaining table by slashing their benefits during training camp.

3.   As of Thursday, Bettman unilaterally slashed player benefits, including insurance and pension contributions, and he eliminated per-diem expense money for training camp.

4.   Because family migration across county lines is potentially great, the incentive for counties to slash poverty benefits will also be great.

5.   Currently, Democrats and Republicans are heatedly charging each other with crafting dire secret schemes to hurt the elderly by drastically slashing their benefits.

6.   Fueling the competition among states to slash benefits and restrict eligibility for welfare would be the common perception that generous welfare programs are a magnet for the poor.

7.   If there is no surplus to fall back on, critics contend, benefits will be slashed.

8.   In Connecticut, a bill slashing welfare benefits has gained broad bipartisan support.

9.   Of course, many companies are not slashing benefits for their rank and file.

10.   Reluctant to increase taxes or slash benefits, Congress has been flirting with the notion of throwing the old folks into the free market.