ZENIT reminds us that the population levels are falling not just in Europe, but around the world in countries like Japan and South Korea.[1] This is not a new concern.[2] It is, however, news to me that efforts are underway to address the problem. While I have heard of a slogan in Australia along the lines of a child for each parent and one for the state, that is the only example of recognizing the problem I am aware of.
We have yet to truly face this here. Not in the sense that it is not a problem, it is, but in the sense that we lack the will to do anything about it. Our Social Security program was designed with the presumption that there would always be more people working than retired. When 20% of our population is over 65, will that still be true? When our population starts to see the kinds of reduction that Europe is seeing, will it remain true? I highly doubt it. If I am right, if that assumption becomes false, we must reform, no, more than reform, change our Social Security system. More, we must do so before it becomes true, because as it nears falsehood, Social Security will become an even greater tax burden on the working, crippling their finances.
- ZENIT. "Time to Defuse a Demographic Bomb" Innovative Media, Inc. 2006-01-21 http://www.zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=83171
- Mr. Luke Schierer. "20050502-1503" Random Unfinished Thoughts. 2005-05-02 http://www.schierer.org/~luke/log/20050502-1503/20050502-1503