I wrote previously about the myth of Social Security insolvency. Despite what most of the Republican presidential contenders have said, the program is on extremely solid ground. At the current rate, the program can pay out the present level of benefits until 2038 at which point it would need to take a 19% cut in… Continue reading Quick note on Social Security reform
Category: Entitlements
Getting serious about health care costs
I wrote previously about the myth of Social Security insolvency. Conservative politicians — pretending to be fiscal realists who understand we must make difficult decisions to cut aid to the elderly — have been trying for decades to get rid of the program on trumped on charges that it cannot be sustained. Although the conservative… Continue reading Getting serious about health care costs
The myth of Social Security insolvency
The right wing in the United States has been executing a surprisingly successful public relations campaign to convince individuals that the Social Security system is somehow in dire straits. Paul Ryan — who for some reason continues to be taken seriously — has narrowly focused on Social Security along with Medicare and Medicaid as the… Continue reading The myth of Social Security insolvency
The race and class dynamics of old age entitlement programs
The President and leaders in Congress have been bandying about different ideas for reforming Medicare and Social Security. As one might expect in a deficit reduction showdown, these ideas uniformly seek to reduce the costs of the programs for the federal government. Of course, any time a politician or commentator mentions reducing the costs of… Continue reading The race and class dynamics of old age entitlement programs