No public grant or assurance of assistance, no matter how solemnly promised, should be given where the means no longer exists to provide them.
There sould be no “entitlements”.
Pension liabilities are a form of deferred payment. Unwise and overly generous pensions may have been negotiated, in return for union political support, but the individuals who accepted government jobs did so with the understanding that they would receive agreed-to payments.
All this stems from the unionization of government workers. It used to be illegal for government employees to unionize. As is most evident in the case of teacher unions, they get in bed with school boards and politicians and place the wishes of the union members far, far, above public interest.
Unions for government employees need to outlawed again. Period. Civil service protections are more than adequate.
There sould be no “entitlements”.
Unfortunately it is already there for the asking:
Central States Pension gets federal help
PBGC - Pension Benefits Guaranty Corporation
They give out cash so the pension funds don't have to reduce benefits