Comments about ‘Crisis will make us deal with Social Security, Medicare stink bomb’

I paid into social security for 38 years. Looks like I threw my money away, just like 85% of the other taxes I have paid. Trust the government? Only a fool would do so!

The answere is simple. More children to feed the ponzi scheme.

@Dave: How about more allowing more legal immigrants to feed the ponzi scheme? The real solution lies in some combination of population growth through legal immigration, raising eligility age and imposing limits (rationing). Raising taxes further is not a viable solution because the producers in this country will not tolerate that.

If they even exist they should be in jail.

If we get our healthcare spending down to Western European levels, the long term deficits pretty much vanish. Commentators are constantly combining Social Security and Medicare numbers and this paints a distorted picture. Social Security's funding problems are relatively minor. Medicare's are an unmitigated disaster if healthcare spending trends continue on their present trajectory.

@I paid: I agree, but since I am educated as an economist, I knew all about this. Also I'm good at arithmatic, something that apparently is lacking in most Americans.

The near term solution will be for the government to write more rubber checks and bleed inflation into the economy.

@Invisible Hand: The problem with your solution is that illegals make little money and would recive benefit at a return higher percentage than the regular middle class people. High wage earner receive a much lower and capped percentage for their investment. Do more means testing and disqualifying of the high earners and they will revolt as it just becomes a very high prices (approximately 15%) welfare program. The middle class is supporting many other welfare programs and have difficulty putting away anything for the future for themselves. Some of us are already continuing to work into our 70s to maintain what we have accumulated and wish to give to our heirs.

@Roland: The way to get costs down is prohibit class laws suits, forcing unnecessary procedures and treatments. Rationing, like Europe, yes. But keep the private insurance industry.

if you take out...in any form...you best be putting back in.

the whole situation is frustrating, mainly becuase we cannot do one single thing about it. No one cares what we think....Washington has their own system of "retirement" funds and can't be bothered with the little man that supports their stupidity and arrogance.

But we keep electing the same people....of course when "welfare" funds begin to dwindle we will hear an outcry..

To Lionheart: I agree that reform of malpractice law is essential. I think it should be handled more like workman's comp than like the lottery. Doing so will not get us anywhere near Western European cost structures though. In fact I can't see acheiveing that and maintaining the private health insurance system.

My Australian friend pays no premiums and has excellent health care. No racketeering insurance companies to deal with and enrich.

To "Invisible Hand | 8:32 a.m. " another problem with just importing more illegals is that they cost the US taxpayer $2,700 per illegal family. So, rather than helping SS or medicare, bringing in more illegals would just cost the US taxpayers more money.

To "Roland Kayser | 10:28 a.m." here is a breakdown of what medical malpractice law suits have done to lab tests alone:

1. 60% of preoperative lab testing is unwarranted
2. Electronic fetal monitoring during labor, which currently costs more than $1.3 billion per year but has questionable benefits
3. Skull radiography for intracranial injury has also been questioned...their efficacy has not been proved and evidence suggests financial considerations and/or patient and family preferences play a role in service delivery.

In 1993, the government did a study that found that 20% of professional liability costs other than insurance premiums stem from defensive medicine.

To Red Shirt: Thanks for the info. I always enjoy debating you on this forum. We obviously disagree on some issues, but you always keep the debate civil and respond with fact-based arguments. It sure beats the usual -"fascist"-"socialist"-"neo-con"-"Stalinist" name calling we see here all too often.

If there is a problem with funding Social Security and Medicare I have the answer to the problem.

Put our Congressman and Senators under Social Security Retirement Program and their Health Care should be under Medicare.

I am sure the problem would be solved and both programs would somehow be adequately funded.

What is good for the goose is good for the ......

When is the money that was borrowed from the social security going to be paid back? What about all that money we gave to banks, auto and whatever other companies we helped out, couldn't some of that money help the problem that social security is facing. Remember us old folks spent money too, like medicine,auto repairs,taxes and keep people employed and so forth.