Nobody Is Proposing to 'Slash' Social Security Benefits

Under the current formula, retirees in 2050 will receive $11,000 more in today's dollars than current retirees get. Everyone knows that is unaffordable.

more in Opinion »

BY CHARLES BLAHOUS

Those of us concerned with the fate of Social Security watched President Obama's State of the Union address closely. We expected to learn whether the president would signal support for the proposals put forward by the bipartisan Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. But instead of commenting directly on the group's proposals—to change the benefit formula, the tax base, and the retirement age—Mr. Obama mentioned Social Security only long enough to issue vague warnings against "putting at risk current retirees" and "slashing benefits for future generations."

The president's admonitions were perplexing given the Social Security reform plans on the table. ...

Related Stories

Related Videos

Copyright 2011 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit

www.djreprints.com

Most Popular