[Dengar01]

Yes, you are correct the baby boom isn't the whole cause. Like someone else said originally the whole system is indeed a ponzi scheme, I can't believe I'm agreeing with Rick Perry, ugh...

The biggest problem is how do you tell someone who has paid into this system (against their will) that they don't get paid? That is a bait and switch, I'd be angry as hell.

And indeed it is the medicaid and medicare that is crushing everything. Obamacare makes things ten times worse.

Have you ever heard the term "recreational doctor visits"?

I had to pull out my Economics book from Grad School because this is an amazing story that many people aren't aware of. When I use the term "recreational doctor visits" I'm called anti-elderly. I'll try and be short and sweet.

Here is the quote from the text book, "As a case in point, one Medicaid experiment in California required some beneficiaries to pay $1 per visit for their first two office visits per month (after two visits, the price of additional visits reverted to zero). A control group continued to receive free medical care. The $1 charge reduced office visits by 8 percent compared to the control group."

Now this was only a dollar co-pay yet in the group that had to pay the fee it reduced visits by 8%. Can you imagine if that fee was raised to say $5 or $10 for the first two visits? I bet that 8% would increase and not because granny can't afford it.

[oh8eleven]

The biggest problem is how do you tell someone who has paid into this system (against their will) that they don't get paid?
That hasn't happened and I doubt it ever will.
The SS program may be phased out, or modified, but refunds and/or credits for the new system will ease the transition.
I also don't like the idea of any retirement program being mandatory, but look at how many still complain that their "meager" monthly SS check is all they have in life.
Well, if you worked your entire life and that's all you have to show for it - too damned bad.

[Darth Reardon]

The biggest problem is how do you tell someone who has paid into this system (against their will) that they don't get paid?

It wasn't entirely against their/our will. The ones who have the most invested also had the most time to stop Congress from spending all the money.

[DuncanWaring]

The biggest problem is how do you tell someone who has paid into this system (against their will) that they don't get paid?

The same way you tell any other creditor to a bankrupt party. "Sucks to be you (or me ... or most of the rest of us)".

Not unlike the secured GM creditors who had to get behind the UAW in the payment line.