Extreme Poverty grows in US
33 replies
padre31Luxury BoxOPToday, there are many Americans that openly look down on the poor, but that should never be the case. We should love the poor and want to see them lifted up to a better place. The truth is that with a few bad breaks any of us could end up in the ranks of the poor. Compassion is a virtue that all of us should seek to develop.
Not only that, but the less poor people and the less unemployed people we have, the better it is for our economy. When as many people as possible in a nation are working and doing something economically productive, that maximizes the level of true wealth that a nation is creating.
But today we are losing out on a massive amount of wealth. We have tens of millions of people that are sitting at home on their couches. Instead of creating something of economic value, the rest of us have to support them financially. That is not what any of us should want.
It is absolutely imperative that we get as many Americans back to work as possible. The more people that are doing something economically productive, the more wealth there will be for all of us.
That is why it is so alarming that the ranks of the "very poor" are increasing so dramatically. When the number of poor people goes up, the entire society suffers.
So just how bad are things right now?
The following are 19 statistics about the poor that will absolutely astound you....
#1 According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the percentage of "very poor" rose in 300 out of the 360 largest metropolitan areas during 2010.
#2 Last year, 2.6 million more Americans descended into poverty. That was the largest increase that we have seen since the U.S. government began keeping statistics on this back in 1959.
#3 It isn't just the ranks of the "very poor" that are rising. The number of those just considered to be "poor" is rapidly increasing as well. Back in the year 2000, 11.3% of all Americans were living in poverty. Today, 15.1% of all Americans are living in poverty.
#4 The poverty rate for children living in the United States increased to 22% in 2010.
#5 There are 314 counties in the United States where at least 30% of the children are facing food insecurity.
#6 In Washington D.C., the "child food insecurity rate" is 32.3%.
#7 More than 20 million U.S. children rely on school meal programs to keep from going hungry.
#8 One out of every six elderly Americans now lives below the federal poverty line.
Eh, this is rarely discussed, which is one of the reasons why I hit on the theme of increasing self reliance as Federal Govt spending is at an all time high, but it is not stemming the growing number in deep poverty.
However, no matter how much one may practice effective self reliance, there is no substitute for a cash flow from a job, and those aren't being created.
So to my worldview, the next step is to open mini businesses, which then delve into the gray area of receiving Govt largesse and making a mini income to supplement it.
Which is a topic, to me, which is also unaddressed.
FinSaneForum VeteranSince when did you become a liberal?
pocolocoSupporterI don't understand how a concern with fellow Americans makes one a liberal or a conservative. That should transcend political perspective.
DesidesForum Veteran"pocoloco wrote:
I don't understand how a concern with fellow Americans makes one a liberal or a conservative. That should transcend political perspective.
The issue isn't sufficient amounts of concern, it's how best to alleviate the problem, if one exists.
In this instance, the books were cooked for political purposes, and to suit the worldview of the current head cheese.
"Not you." — Tywin Lannister
padre31Luxury Box"FinSane wrote:
Since when did you become a liberal?
I'm not, what I am, or trying to be, is someone who offers facts for consideration and discussion.
This is a reality for a growing number of Americans, to me the question then becomes "what next"?
On many different levels.
To me, the economic genius of America is such conditions do breed intense, motivation, and creativity and what have you, however this is extreme poverty, even by .Gov standards, should nothing be done? if something, then how much and what?
padre31Luxury Box"pocoloco wrote:
I don't understand how a concern with fellow Americans makes one a liberal or a conservative. That should transcend political perspective.
Well, it should, and perhaps it shouldn't, as the solution lays in which political perspective has the ideas that will work.
The odd thing is, the Gov is so involved in the economy that the first impulse is political, not economic, for my outlook it disconcerts me that the wealthiest place in the US is no longer Silicon Valley, it is the ring of plush estates just outside of DC.
2socksForum VeteranI have actually seen an uptick in the work people are doing. I do high end basement finishing and I can say people are spending money. I have signed 3 in the last 2 months and getting ready to sign a forth Friday. I have to tell you though that I have tried to hire 4 different guys in the last 2 months.
The guys I actually hired had to have only 5 qualifications:
1. No tattoos on face, neck or arms. Hidden don't give a ****
2. Have transportation
3. Have common sense, and be respectful
4. Speak English
5. Show up on time
None have made it more then 3 days working . All have quit for various reasons. It is unbelievable how lazy people are.......screw them. One guy told me he was just going to go get food stamps. It was easy he said..4 of his other friends got them and they only have to work every now and then. If I needed him every now and then, he could use the cash. I should call him.......sure I will - when hell freezes over
"padre31 wrote:
Eh, this is rarely discussed, which is one of the reasons why I hit on the theme of increasing self reliance as Federal Govt spending is at an all time high, but it is not stemming the growing number in deep poverty.
However, no matter how much one may practice effective self reliance, there is no substitute for a cash flow from a job, and those aren't being created.
So to my worldview, the next step is to open mini businesses, which then delve into the gray area of receiving Govt largesse and making a mini income to supplement it.
Which is a topic, to me, which is also unaddressed.
Winning isn't everything - it's the only thing
In Our Business there is no second place
Either your first or your last
Vince Lombardi
pocolocoSupporter"Desides wrote:
The issue isn't sufficient amounts of concern, it's how best to alleviate the problem, if one exists.
In this instance, the books were cooked for political purposes, and to suit the worldview of the current head cheese.
It think 'cooked' is too strong. It's been quite common to measure inequality using Lorenz curves in economics and political science for decades.
Purchasing power is informative, but this measure of inequality is also useful. The Cubans, for example, had much higher purchasing power relative to other Latin American countries, but it was the internal disparities that contributed to their revolutionary unrest, not the realization that their poor were better off than the average Bolivian.
EshlemonForum Veteran"padre31 wrote:
Eh, this is rarely discussed, which is one of the reasons why I hit on the theme of increasing self reliance as Federal Govt spending is at an all time high, but it is not stemming the growing number in deep poverty.
However, no matter how much one may practice effective self reliance, there is no substitute for a cash flow from a job, and those aren't being created.
So to my worldview, the next step is to open mini businesses, which then delve into the gray area of receiving Govt largesse and making a mini income to supplement it.
Which is a topic, to me, which is also unaddressed.
Poverty growth is not surprising. We've had almost 2 years of a 9-10% unemployment and recession from 20-30 years of a debt consumption economy. With the biggest jump of debt consumer buying stuff with money they didn't have and/or unsustainable debt/income rations from the usually solid middle class.
Not sure what your interest, but think "green" business's may face some squeezing and look elseware. When Barnake's inflation hits like he wants...and the staglation he didn't...guess thats food for your mini-busiess...Padre Noodles?
padre31Luxury Box"Eshlemon wrote:
Poverty growth is not surprising. We've had almost 2 years of a 9-10% unemployment and recession from 20-30 years of a debt consumption economy. With the biggest jump of debt consumer buying stuff with money they didn't have and/or unsustainable debt/income rations from the usually solid middle class.
Well, add in the lack of income and wage growth among the non 1% and everyone but the top is being squeezed and has been for years.
Now do keep in mind the paradox of "le't shop at Walmart they save me money!" and 'Dude, where's my job".
Not sure what your interest, but think "green" business's may face some squeezing and look elseware. When Barnake's inflation hits like he wants...and the staglation he didn't...guess thats food for your mini-busiess...Padre Noodles?
I have a few ideas, and "green businesses" could find their niche, the primary drivers of that ideal are urban professionals, ie, the upper echelon of the income food chain.
Read some thief stole the copper sword that was on Lincolcn's tomb, that is sort of a sign of how bad things are for some folks.
FinSaneForum VeteranSorry I kinda got backed up, but I was being sarcastic about my "liberal" remark since me and Padre go way back to old POFO days. Anyways, I read an article that people in my age demographic(18-35) are a whopping 68% poorer compared to the same age demographic 15-20 years ago. In other words, in the early 90s when my parents were just getting on their feet at roughly the same age I am now(Im 25 now and my parents had me young), they had 68% more purchasing power than I do now. 20 years ago, if I was 25, I could afford to buy a place to live, own a car(maybe two if I was married), be able to furnish the house and buy appliances(with credit likely too), be able to afford health insurance, and live modestly, if not somewhat comfortable. I'm 25 and still living with relatives trying to work my ass off with two jobs just so I can save enough to live on my own, in a much cheaper area than South Florida for sure.
padre31Luxury Box"FinSane wrote:
Sorry I kinda got backed up, but I was being sarcastic about my "liberal" remark since me and Padre go way back to old POFO days. Anyways, I read an article that people in my age demographic(18-35) are a whopping 68% poorer compared to the same age demographic 15-20 years ago. In other words, in the early 90s when my parents were just getting on their feet at roughly the same age I am now(Im 25 now and my parents had me young), they had 68% more purchasing power than I do now. 20 years ago, if I was 25, I could afford to buy a place to live, own a car(maybe two if I was married), be able to furnish the house and buy appliances(with credit likely too), be able to afford health insurance, and live modestly, if not somewhat comfortable. I'm 25 and still living with relatives trying to work my ass off with two jobs just so I can save enough to live on my own, in a much cheaper area than South Florida for sure.
Yessir, this is a reality for millions of people that is just not reported in any serious depth or on people's minds.
There is an entire generation who pretty much is not approaching American Dream type of standard of living, more like post WW2 recession standards, or the Carter Era standards.
That said, the key for me, and one of my interests is...so now what can be done, what can people accomplish, for themselves, to make things better for themselves?
Until such a serious, rational, discussion is held, or better yet, becomes a part of people's thinking, the personal economies of millions of Americans will be rather hopeless really, imo.
shula_guyNew MemberWe have so many contributing factors that I'm not even sure where to begin.
1. Everytime we print more money it robs everyone of the spending power they have.
2. The more the gov spends, the greater the tax burden it needs to put on us and robs us of our spending power.
3. The gov needs to stop preventing larger businesses from failing. It is hard enough for a small business to compete against corporate buying power and with the gov assisting them it makes it almost impossible.
4. The progressive tax system we use penalizes peoples success. In essence, at least to a certain extent, it does not encourage people to work harder at earning more.
5. Unequal trade balance between exports and imports are hurting us
6. Illegal workers who wire money out of the country robs our economy of growth.
7. Artificaly esculated prices on essential commodities like energy decrease our spending ability.
There is not one solution that will fix what is broken and what needs to be done is a painful reality that people do not want to face. If I were king I would:
A) switch to the fair tax
B) Cut the federal gov budget by 50%
C) Eliminate all gov subsidies that cost us more then we get in return for them
D) impliment tariff fees on imports and fees on money wires that leave our borders.
"When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men living together in society, they create for themselves in the course of time a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code that justifies it."
Frederic Bastiat
padre31Luxury Box"shula_guy wrote:
We have so many contributing factors that I'm not even sure where to begin.
1. Everytime we print more money it robs everyone of the spending power they have.
2. The more the gov spends, the greater the tax burden it needs to put on us and robs us of our spending power.
3. The gov needs to stop preventing larger businesses from failing. It is hard enough for a small business to compete against corporate buying power and with the gov assisting them it makes it almost impossible.
4. The progressive tax system we use penalizes peoples success. In essence, at least to a certain extent, it does not encourage people to work harder at earning more.
5. Unequal trade balance between exports and imports are hurting us
6. Illegal workers who wire money out of the country robs our economy of growth.
7. Artificaly esculated prices on essential commodities like energy decrease our spending ability.
There is not one solution that will fix what is broken and what needs to be done is a painful reality that people do not want to face. If I were king I would:
A) switch to the fair tax
B) Cut the federal gov budget by 50%
C) Eliminate all gov subsidies that cost us more then we get in return for them
D) impliment tariff fees on imports and fees on money wires that leave our borders.
..or, the Globalist system is concentrating wealth into the hands of the top 5% of the income demographic to the detriment of everyone outside of the top 5%?
The fascinating thing about the 68% decrease is educational level virtually does not matter, everyone has taken a haircut save for the top income earners, who are getting massively wealthy, BA's and even PhD's.
Taxation is also at the lowest level it has been at since the income tax scale was first foisted on the public as a "soak the rich" cannard in 1917, and yet, the trend is for wealth to accumulate at the top at a stunning rate.
So do tell ShulaGuy, what, exactly, would lowering tax rates further accomplish? Isn't the ideal tax rate in your philosophy -0-, and things such as Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid have to be abolished?
EshlemonForum Veteran"padre31 wrote:
..or, the Globalist system is concentrating wealth into the hands of the top 5% of the income demographic to the detriment of everyone outside of the top 5%?
The fascinating thing about the 68% decrease is educational level virtually does not matter, everyone has taken a haircut save for the top income earners, who are getting massively wealthy, BA's and even PhD's.
More than doubling the number of college graduates over the last 20-30 years means past incomes are not going to carry the same value in the economy as previous except for most all the best of the best, masters, which have far outpaced the economy's growth. But even after demand skyrockets tuitions (or equal increase number of schools, especially medical), those with degrees do still get significant more money than those without...higher education consumers will need to be smarter in making their choice in schools, going to community college first, etc.
Taxation is also at the lowest level it has been at since the income tax scale was first foisted on the public as a "soak the rich" cannard in 1917, and yet, the trend is for wealth to accumulate at the top at a stunning rate.
So do tell ShulaGuy, what, exactly, would lowering tax rates further accomplish? Isn't the ideal tax rate in your philosophy -0-, and things such as Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid have to be abolished?
The trend affecting the disparity in wealth is the amount of debt that has accumulated at a stunning rate, especially by the usually solid middle class. Lowering tax rates, or even just extending Bush's would help de-leveraged households short-term, but adds trillions more to the debt and you have start cutting into mandatory spending...or just kick it down the road for others to deal with.
If you want to believe its by some grand conspiracy, fine. The top 5% and governments can be just as stupid to enact economic plans that threatens the PTB, economic instability, as the rest of us with and our economic instability, debt consumption. But given the track record of the results of market and economic manipulation, that backlash on the 5% is going to be huge boon to the under 95%.
padre31Luxury Box"Eshlemon wrote:
More than doubling the number of college graduates over the last 20-30 years means past incomes are not going to carry the same value in the economy as previous except for most all the best of the best, masters, which have far outpaced the economy's growth. But even after demand skyrockets tuitions (or equal increase number of schools, especially medical), those with degrees do still get significant more money than those without...higher education consumers will need to be smarter in making their choice in schools, going to community college first, etc.
Problem being, the perceived value of Community college is quite low, I happened to catch a show on MTV that featured a NJ dad talking to his daughter about going to CC to save money, she literally burst into tears and wailed about how "that was for losers", the dad punked out and ponied up the outrageous money for Rutgers tuition.
Even when she lived close enough to home, the mandatory one yr in the dorms, at 18k, made no sense at all.
That is the story of the American Economy in a nutshell Eshlemon, people have lost the Power to say "no".
The trend affecting the disparity in wealth is the amount of debt that has accumulated at a stunning rate, especially by the usually solid middle class. Lowering tax rates, or even just extending Bush's would help de-leveraged households short-term, but adds trillions more to the debt and you have start cutting into mandatory spending...or just kick it down the road for others to deal with.
To listen to Walter Williams and others, that is because the "middle class" has moved into the wealthy class, the fact the lower middle class and working class have not then moved upwards to fill the void is Problem #1 in the economy.
If you want to believe its by some grand conspiracy, fine. The top 5% and governments can be just as stupid to enact economic plans that threatens the PTB, economic instability, as the rest of us with and our economic instability, debt consumption. But given the track record of the results of market and economic manipulation, that backlash on the 5% is going to be huge boon to the under 95%.
:lol:
Conspiracies require secrecy Eshlemon, there is no secrecy to this, you, I think, are old enough to recall Ross Perot speaking about "the giant sucking sound of jobs going to Mexico" only at the time, know one could have known that even those jobs would wind up in China.
Only a dunce, or a fool, or those foolishly optimistic could not have seen this coming, no need for a conspiracy.
Dol-Fan DupreeForum Veteran"padre31 wrote:
Problem being, the perceived value of Community college is quite low, I happened to catch a show on MTV that featured a NJ dad talking to his daughter about going to CC to save money, she literally burst into tears and wailed about how "that was for losers", the dad punked out and ponied up the outrageous money for Rutgers tuition.
Even when she lived close enough to home, the mandatory one yr in the dorms, at 18k, made no sense at all.
That is the story of the American Economy in a nutshell Eshlemon, people have lost the Power to say "no".
That is the main reason I went to college is the thought that Community College was for losers.
If I had to do it over again, I would have gotten my AA and then transferred to a real college. AA is a much cheaper way of getting the BS classes out of the way. In real college you spend a lot of money to take classes that are BS. I have zero need for my 40 or so credits of Humanities or Liberal arts.
Holland is a huge upgrade over McCain
I want to be alive, I am alive! Alive, I tell you! Mother, I love you, those are no longer just words. I want to hold you, I want to run in a stream, I want to taste ice cream but not just put it in my mouth and let it slide down my throat but really eat it. - Robot Morty
padre31Luxury Box"Dol-Fan Dupree wrote:
That is the main reason I went to college is the thought that Community College was for losers.
Marketing! Basically you were convinced that Community College was less then worthless through no other means then that being used.
If I had to do it over again, I would have gotten my AA and then transferred to a real college. AA is a much cheaper way of getting the BS classes out of the way. In real college you spend a lot of money to take classes that are BS. I have zero need for my 40 or so credits of Humanities or Liberal arts.
Econ, Basic English etc etc etc
The difference in money is also simply incredible, like 5k vs 35k depending on mandatory dorm policies.
But there it is, and that is but one of a host of things that "we" do that make -0- sense from any standpoint other then perceived value.
Basically, Americans are behaving rather dimly in a get smart world and it bothers me to no end.
Dol-Fan DupreeForum Veteran"padre31 wrote:
Marketing! Basically you were convinced that Community College was less then worthless through no other means then that being used.
Econ, Basic English etc etc etc
The difference in money is also simply incredible, like 5k vs 35k depending on mandatory dorm policies.
But there it is, and that is but one of a host of things that "we" do that make -0- sense from any standpoint other then perceived value.
Basically, Americans are behaving rather dimly in a get smart world and it bothers me to no end.
Agreed. The advice I give everyone who asks me is to go to CC get your AA. It saves you tons of money, especially if you do not know what exactly you want to be.
I went to college because it was the next step, not because I had a goal in mind.
Holland is a huge upgrade over McCain
I want to be alive, I am alive! Alive, I tell you! Mother, I love you, those are no longer just words. I want to hold you, I want to run in a stream, I want to taste ice cream but not just put it in my mouth and let it slide down my throat but really eat it. - Robot Morty
padre31Luxury Box"Dol-Fan Dupree wrote:
Agreed. The advice I give everyone who asks me is to go to CC get your AA. It saves you tons of money, especially if you do not know what exactly you want to be.
I went to college because it was the next step, not because I had a goal in mind.
Well, to tell a bit of a story to you, or to anyone who wishes to bother reading it:
Was at the public transport station this afternoon waiting on my ride, and was minding my own business but happened to overhear a conversation between this young dude and his boy, and basically it went like this:
"Yeah, so I got arrested for a DWI, and my "sherry" bailed me out for 500 dollars, 3 days later my probation officer called me to tell me to turn myself in, she was going to violate me, so I'm packing while she is talking and I got out of town for a couple of months, "sherry" called me and told me that I had wasted the power bill money, her fault, she put up that money right"?
Now, I don't blame the dude, in a sense, he is right, isn't he?
Old friend who I've known for yrs has a family, on his wife's side, that is constantly in trouble with the law, middle class values types, kids take the CC route, or won athletic scholaships, on minimal budgets, they simply put the local county jail's phone number on "call block" so they will never be called for "500 dollars for bail".
That to me, is the difference between kinda dumb, and "get smart", if you don't have much money to begin with, why mess around with that young dude and then after finding out how much trouble he has been in, put the power bill money up for bail?
I can understand the "but I love him!" stuff, but then again, why **** around with a screwball when times are so tight for your family?
maynardNew Memberi have been studying the german model and i like it. the nordic model is unworkable at the scale of the US imo
funny thing is, we work more than them and are more productive than them and yet are compensated less
the post-1980 world is the "race to the bottom" contributing to the fall of wages that necessitated access to credit in order to supplement consumption and savings (houses as retirement accounts). dont be misled that most people bought 2nd houses out of greed. it was desperation. people in the 40s started realizing they no hope for a comfortable retirement. only the hopeless double down at the casino
"A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one." GRRM, ADWD
padre31Luxury Box"maynard wrote:
i have been studying the german model and i like it. the nordic model is unworkable at the scale of the US imo
funny thing is, we work more than them and are more productive than them and yet are compensated less
the post-1980 world is the "race to the bottom" contributing to the fall of wages that necessitated access to credit in order to supplement consumption and savings (houses as retirement accounts). dont be misled that most people bought 2nd houses out of greed. it was desperation. people in the 40s started realizing they no hope for a comfortable retirement. only the hopeless double down at the casino
Well, agree, and disagree, meaning America still has a host of opportunities, at every income demographic, the difference between now and say 10 yrs ago is now there is less margin for error or mistakes.
Meaning the "girlfriend" should have not messed around with that dude, and it cost them, for the middle class the double down at the housing casino did not pay off either.
Now if that money had been put into say..gold, in 02 it was 345 pr oz or so, but instead of sitting on it like a hen on an egg, it should be flipped and put into something else.
You bring up a common point Maynard, and to me the real hay to be made in the US is in reducing costs at every possibility, and to do so by choice and strategy instead of only when you "have" to, by then it is to late so to speak.
"if" one has just a modest amount to invest, check out the bowser report, google it and you'll see.
shula_guyNew Memberpadre31 wrote:
So do tell ShulaGuy, what, exactly, would lowering tax rates further accomplish? Isn't the ideal tax rate in your philosophy -0-, and things such as Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid have to be abolished?
I am not sure what it is your asking me or rather how its relative to my post. I never said lower taxes. The fair tax does not lower tax burdens it makes it more clear on what your paying and to whom your paying it too. It also does not penalize people for what they earn but instead tacks its burden onto the back end, at the point of purchase, giving the consumer the option of not buying a product and avoiding any taxes associated with that purchase.
I am not an advocate of a 0% tax policy. That would mean 0% government and no national defense. I acknowledge government has a limited role to serve the greater good of society. The debate for me is where to draw that line between the private and public sector and how much of the two is appropiate to overlap. There is also a question of what should be handled on a federal level and what should be done at a state level.
SS Im not sure what to do about it. It is too expensive to keep the current model and its unfair to not give people what they were promised to get out of it after they have been paying into it. The gov entered into a contract with them and should honor its obligation but if it means bankrupting the nation, then what? It needs to be reformed I just do not know exactly how.
Our healthcare system is a huge ripoff. You can put medicare/medicade into the whole mess along with insurance companies, obamacare, and peoples lack of attention to how much medical services cost.
"When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men living together in society, they create for themselves in the course of time a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code that justifies it."
Frederic Bastiat
FinSaneForum VeteranI have a question for those wanting a fair tax. How is a fair tax really fair if a millionaire and I both pay say....20%? 20% is nothing to a millionaire but alot of to someone making $15,000-$30,000. Every fair tax proposal I've seen seems to be another tax scam.
padre31Luxury Box"shula_guy wrote:
I am not sure what it is your asking me or rather how its relative to my post. I never said lower taxes. The fair tax does not lower tax burdens it makes it more clear on what your paying and to whom your paying it too. It also does not penalize people for what they earn but instead tacks its burden onto the back end, at the point of purchase, giving the consumer the option of not buying a product and avoiding any taxes associated with that purchase.
If I'm not paying taxes now, why would I support such a tax scheme with a vote in favor of one?
That assumes my dollars and the wealthiest 1% dollars have the same practical value, and that is not the case.
I am not an advocate of a 0% tax policy. That would mean 0% government and no national defense. I acknowledge government has a limited role to serve the greater good of society. The debate for me is where to draw that line between the private and public sector and how much of the two is appropiate to overlap. There is also a question of what should be handled on a federal level and what should be done at a state level.
That is one the burdens and genius's of Federalism, people are free to vote with their feet and go to a lower tax State, I see no need for overlap, and even much local governance beyond the ability to support it by the populace.
And logically, the end of your position is 0% taxation, "if" reducing taxes provides benefit "X", then eliminating them would provide even more of that benefit as the scale slides downwards.
SS Im not sure what to do about it. It is too expensive to keep the current model and its unfair to not give people what they were promised to get out of it after they have been paying into it. The gov entered into a contract with them and should honor its obligation but if it means bankrupting the nation, then what? It needs to be reformed I just do not know exactly how.
Eh, they will simply raise the age limit to draw benefits, it is a safe ploy.
Our healthcare system is a huge ripoff. You can put medicare/medicade into the whole mess along with insurance companies, obamacare, and peoples lack of attention to how much medical services cost.
Well, average age has went straight upwards since the Govt got involved in healthcare, but sadly as well, like the logical end of lowering taxes means reduce them to 0%, the logical end of providing healthcare means the Govt will run it.