The problem with pension programs

With the debate about health care and budget problems being so prominent in the news we should heed warnings from Europe.

Government itself makes individuals selfish. Free housing and entitlements are hard to take back and they breed contempt from those receiving them.

The saying that "a government powerful enough to give everything is powerful enough to take it all back" may be true but not powerful enough to change these people's minds. In the Western world education and birth control reduced birthrates dramatically. At the same time the numbers of seniors and retirees who will reach retirement has mushroomed. We are running out of workers (our children) to stick it to and to pay for our retirement. The cost for all these promises is unsustainable and cannot continue indefinitely.

In socialistic Greece the benefits for a large number of retirees (retiring at age 58) have come due. They have huge problems and austerity measures to prevent financial collapse have caused riots in some quarters. Seniors feel they have "earned" public housing, pensions, other entitlements even though there are not enough workers to continue paying the cost.

While the U.S. doesn't have such a severe problem at this time we seem to be headed in that direction. Many pensions and benefits are granted that are harmful to the public. Self interest and ambition are normal but both the bargaining parties and management (and government) must bargain with the public welfare in mind. It is too costly and dangerous to do otherwise.

I'm told that every citizen in this country owes $50,000 on the public debt. We are in serious trouble. An even greater danger in this or any democracy would be the many who are too lazy to vote or are unaware or ignorant of the political maneuvering.

William McNutt

Des Plaines