Cause ain't no money gonna be there when you're old. Congress in no rush to fix Medicare and Social Security or so the CSM says.

"The chances are pretty close to zero of significant progress on either Social Security or Medicare financing," said Robert Greenstein of the liberal Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, in a briefing with reporters.

He adds that Congress has time to work out a solid, bipartisan reform on Social Security, but that the issues facing Medicare are more challenging. Recommendations by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), including halting "massive overpayments to private insurance companies in the Medicate Advantage program," have been stymied by healthcare industry lobbyists, he says.

I wonder what real chance of changing the health care system and continuing to fund these two HUGELY important/expensive programs any president has.

Obama believes that the first place to look for ways to strengthen Social Security is the payroll tax system.

According to ontheissues.org:

Clinton called Obama's proposal to raise Social Security taxes on annual earnings over $97,500 "a trillion-dollar increase on middle class families." Obama defended his proposal: "Only 6% of Americans make more than $97,000--so 6% is not the middle class --it's the upper class." Clinton responded that some of her constituents would still find the increase burdensome. "I represent firefighters. I represent school supervisors," she said.

The base pay of an NYC firefighter is $68,475 after 5 years on the job. So Clinton is being misleading to suggest that a rank-&-file firefighter would be affected. On the other hand, FDNY captains make $140,173 with overtime. For them, Obama's proposal could amount to a $2,646 tax increase. As for school administrators, in NY state there are few that make less than $100,000 a year.

Obama may be correct to say that only the top 6.5% of earners would be affected. But we judge that Obama is being misleading to say that his proposal would tax only the "upper class."

It seems that McCain wants to ramp up the eligible age and increse co-pays.

I haven't really heard much about this and while I certainly don't have anything to worry about short term, my parents do. It's not as sexy as war talk, but considering how many old folks there are and more every day I'm just curious.