Yes, it is partly the fault of the beneficiaries... come on now, do you really think that the benefits promised live up to anything that you could get privately with much more money?
No, we all played stupid and took everything that the politicians offered without questioning the future. It was way too easy....
Now, we are meeting the rock in the road and it is us and our benefits. Do we stonewall like the Wisconsin Democrats or do we realize that we’ve been had and things have to change?
That is really the question and it does dictate the answer. It is and will not be pretty, we have lived high on the hog for way too long...
All have to finally agree that things have to change and it will hurt many of us...
Actually I know the benefits promised are puny compared to what people would have if they had kept that money and invested it very conservatively. The vast majority would retire as millionaires. They could draw $4,000 a month and never touch the principle.
I have run the numbers and I am not the only one who has. The government ran a huge scam and they are running a even bigger one when they whine that "people didn't pay enough in to the account to cover their future benefits".
BTW a major drain on SS is SSDI or "crazy checks". Cut that out and I would bet that the fund would suddenly be solvent again for a bit.