Democrats kick the can [Reader Post]

Arguably the most consistent practice on the part of democrats and this administration is to avoid doing the necessary and important things.

Democrats have a long history of avoiding the really important issues. They denied anything was wrong at Fannie and Freddie and hijacked every effort to reform the GSE's all the while the country was circling the bottom of the toilet. They have failed to produce a budget for more than 700 days. Democrats blocked George Bush's effort to reform Social Security, but had nothing better to offer either then or now. Bush's effort to reform Social Security died because Bush had the audacity to insist that the Social Security system be solvent over the long term. Bush did not want to play kick the can down the road.

Democrats deny there is a problem. They claim Social Security is solvent and will be until 2037, despite the fact that we are $14 trillion in debt. There is no money, but democrats will insist it's there. Democrats maintain that there is a “Social Security Lockbox” and it is guarded by unicorns. Barack Obama bragged that Obamacare would keep Medicare solvent until 2029. Once again, the can is kicked down the road and the problem left for someone else.

Or maybe not.

Two years ago came the a warning that all may not be as well as was believed.

The financial health of the Social Security system has eroded more sharply in the past year than at any time since the mid-1990s, according to a government forecast that ratchets up pressure on the Obama administration and Congress to stabilize the retirement system that keeps many older Americans out of poverty.

The report, issued yesterday by the trustees who monitor the government's two main forms of help for the elderly, shows that Medicare has become more fragile as well and is at greater risk than Social Security of imminent fiscal collapse. Starting eight years from now, the report says, the health insurance program will be unable to pay all its hospital bills.

Now the Day of Reckoning has moved up its appointment date.

Medicare will be done by 2024 and Social Security will be bankrupt by 2036.

The Medicare and Social Security Trustees report says Social Security and Medicare will run out of money sooner than anticipated. The annual report, which provides an update on the solvency and cost of the two entitlement programs, blames the sluggish economy for the changes.

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The Hospital Insurance fund, which pays for hospital stays will run out in 2024, which is five years earlier than last year's report anticipated. The Social Security Trust Fund, which enables the payout of full benefits, will be exhausted in 2036.

Michael Astrue, commissioner of the Social Security Administration, had an insightful observation:

“That's not good.”

Meanwhile, democrats continue to criticize and ridicule Paul Ryan and anyone else who makes a serious effort to formulate some kind of plan to address the coming debacle.

The thing is, Ryan had the guts to conceive and propose a plan. Democrats again kick the can down the road, buoying their political lives with the false promise that in doing nothing they will protect everyone's benefits and that there is nothing to worry about. Such denial has apparently won democrats the NY-26 seat.

Rather than argue against the obvious, Republicans should adopt the same tactic. They should agree that nothing is wrong with Medicare or Social Security. They should fight absolutely every effort to change them. They should block every single effort at reform since there is nothing wrong. They should also not permit a single penny increase in taxes for either Medicare or Social Security because if there's nothing wrong no additional funding is needed. As they have no plan of their own, democrats clearly believe that nothing in entitlements needs to be addressed. So be it.

People (but especially democrats) are inherently stupid and selfish and democrat politicians do take very good advantage of that premise.

So Republicans ought to join in the game. Kick the can down the road. It's a winner. For now, all Republicans need do is put down a few markers and then collect when the tsunami comes. Alcoholics have to find bottom before they seek help and begin to heal. Nothing anyone can do can accelerate the process. It has to come from within and often is accompanied by a terrible cost.

It is the same with democrats.

Medicare and Social Security are going to change. They have to change or they will not survive. Democrats do their constituents a gross disservice in their denials but all that matters to them is the now. Republicans should seize the issue and campaign on it as well. They should block any and all efforts at reform of either Medicare or SS and shove the issue right down the throats (or an orifice of their choice) of democrats with democrats' own words. Then we'll see who was right all along.

DrJohn

DrJohn has been a health care professional for more than 40 years. In addition to clinical practice he has done extensive research and has published widely with over 70 original articles and abstracts in the peer-reviewed literature. DrJohn is well known in his field and has lectured on every continent except for Antarctica. He has been married to the same wonderful lady for over 45 years and has three kids- two sons, both of whom are attorneys and one daughter who is in the field of education.

DrJohn was brought up with the concept that one can do well if one is prepared to work hard but nothing in life is guaranteed.

Except for liberals being foolish.