Be careful what you believe from politicians about Social Security, Medicare and the Affordable Care Act.
Any issues these programs face is the result of Congress failing to do its job in managing them over the years.
Each program is relied upon by tens of millions of Americans and is essential to all of us.
Fixing them, that is keeping them solvent and functioning, does not require massive changes or reduction in benefits. Anyone who tells you differently is a fool or a liar.
For example: Raise the Social Security payroll tax 2% and tax all wages above $400,000 and the Trust remains solvent for 75 years. That would cost the average worker $11.53 per week which is actually retirement savings.
Fixing them will require, in part, higher taxes to keep them fully functioning and adjusted to meet changing demographics. Make no mistake, they, like all social programs, must be paid for and to ignore that is naive.
Demand specifics from any politician you support.
All these programs need tweaking in different ways. Radical changes to any of them are not necessary.
QUINNSCOMMENTARY 
“Don’t tax you–don’t tax me–tax the guy behind the tree.” So where did you come up with the $400,000 cut off point to start taxing 100% of income above that? Now I get it–Joe Biden and the lefties proposed that– if most people don’t have to pay then you can sell the fix—everyone needs to pay their fair share–tell that to Hunter!
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I know this is radical….very radical statement. But let me ask you: as adults do not depend upon government for your financial support…NADA…I mean NADA.
Provide for yourself and your dependents.
I know this is way outside of current expectations. What did people do during the nineteen century? They did what they had to do by working their entire lives… sometimes at two or more jobs.
That’s called self motivation to take care of yourself and your dependents.
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What did they do during the 19th century? They died. They never got to retire. They lived with family in expanded family units and by today’s standards, they were mostly poor.
It would be nice as you say, if people were responsible, lived within their means, saved for their future. It would be nice if life went from A to Z without misfortune, but there is early death, divorce, illness, abused, job loss, etc. etc.
Given the reality of life, what to do? Society can’t just ignore everything, can we?
Keep in mind government isn’t providing anything, fellow citizens are. It would be nice if we could eliminate the fraud and abuse though.
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Should we be skeptical about the solvency for 75- years —says whom say I?
No insurance company could get away with the way SS is funded and pays out benefits. All these programs are always in trouble as Congress has screwed it up over the years. Now we are to believe these same folks will fix it once and for all. Why not look at what Australia did to solve the issue? The Galveston Plan seems to work well. Why not think outside the box?
If someone sold you a product that told you it would work–and then it had all sorts of issues, would you trust that salesperson again?
Just think for $11.00+ per week you get retirement savings, of course savings is a misnomer–if I die do my children inherit the “retirement savings”? Will my wife inherit my “retirement savings” if I die tonight? I thought she made a choice–hers or mine? What happens to hers now that she has mine?
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The period of solvency is based on many actuarial assumptions that change over time and need to be adjusted regularly. It’s an insurance plan. It would work if the funding was kept current.
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Congress just loves to kick the can down the road.
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