Thread: Ben Stein: Entitlements ‘Bankrupt’ U.S. Today

Ben Stein: Entitlements ‘Bankrupt’ U.S. Today

Ben Stein, the economist, commentator, and one-time Nixon speechwriter, also well known for film and TV roles, says the cost of Medicare is already completely out of hand.
In fact, the future cost is beyond our ability to pay — period.

"Medicare is such a crisis you can hardly imagine,â€

I just don't agree with Stein on this.

Yes, we are in serious trouble - but WHY we're in trouble is where I disagree.

In my view, it has more to do with a reckless foreign policy and the inability for our government to distinguish between persons in the US legitimately deserving of various benefits and those that are not.

The real problem is: clueless and/or borderline illegal policies enacted or tolerated by the government, not so much the natural aging of the US population.

I agree with a lot of what you say, PhredE. There are many people who are gaming our entitlements and/or demanding some other government funded solution to their misperceived injustice. One area, though, that people seem reluctant to discuss is tax fraud. I have noticed even this board has a fairly high number of tax protestor types, although, admittedly I don't know enough about any individual, just what they write.

Assuming that the $200 Billion per year figure of uncollected federal revenue is still accurate---if it isn't higher yet-- wouldn't it make sense to go after this money? I understand that IRS audits have become much more cost effective lately, so we should be able to collect at least three-fourths of this. Yet with all the sappy excuses people come up with to avoid paying what they legally owe, the IRS is inexcusable for frequently going along and cutting deals with them. I agree the system is antiquated---but until it is changed we need to follow it. In my industry cheating is rampant. I have complained, formally, several times to revenue agencies, but nothing is done.

There should be no deficit. There should be no prospect of insolvency. Go after the sneaks and cheaters!

In regards to the entitlements/welfare question: I have been doing some research. When people are getting VA/SS. or state benefits, they should not be illegally supplementing their income. I have a neighbor, on my block, getting Coast Guard disability payments. I don't know excatly what is wrong with him, but he looks normal. I just read last week in the O
abut a guy getting disability checks, despite a recurring heroin addiction problem. I know there is a huge blackmarket in this country, with people doing all sorts of unreported money making activities. And then there have been severely disabled people who died waiting to get SS payments. I'm afraid if Obama gets in we will see disability fraud climb. At least Bill Clinton cleaned up a lot of the abuse , but it doesn't take long for it to re-emerge with new faces and new tactics.