Monday, January 09, 2017

Soon it will be over

Jeff Jacoby: "At home and abroad, Obama's trail of disasters."  "In almost every respect, Obama leaves behind a trail of failure and disappointment."

To this long list of commission, let me add a crime of omission.  The looming insolvency of entitlement programs like Medicare and Social Security are not going away and this President has done nothing - nothing at all - to address the problem.  For the past decade, the Trustees of these programs have submitted an annual report with the same message:
Both Social Security and Medicare face long-term financing shortfalls under currently scheduled benefits and financing. Lawmakers have a broad continuum of policy options that would close or reduce the long-term financing shortfall of both programs. The Trustees recommend that lawmakers take action sooner rather than later to address these shortfalls, so that a broader range of solutions can be considered and more time will be available to phase in changes while giving the public adequate time to prepare. Earlier action will also help elected officials minimize adverse impacts on vulnerable populations, including lower-income workers and people already dependent on program benefits.
Emphasis added.  Instead of amending the programs to ensure they survive, Democrats get drunk on their biannual spree of scaring Grandma.  Oh, well, they'll be out of office before last call, so it will be somebody else's problem.

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