[lastyearman]

Why not take money from payroll and give directly to retirees like they do in the Nordics.

[imhoguy]

Hasn't it happened with $35T debt yet? Ugh, but it hasn't gone to retirees only.

[marssaxman]

Isn't that what the U.S. Social Security program does?

[anovikov]

But that will mean taking a much much bigger proportion of income because now at least that money compounds while the person is working, now it will be taken and consumed directly? It means yes, European taxes (50+% total charged from employer+employee, for a median person), and poverty pensions.

Any government solution also means paternalism. Which is, government deliberately makes life better for worse people, and worse for better people. It can make anyone into a Republican!

[BriggyDwiggs42]

I experience vastly more constant interference, inconvenience, bureaucracy, stupidity, and oppression from the massive corporations we allow to run our lives in America.

[lastyearman]

Given that life quality is quite high in the Nordics and they are happiest countries on earth I'm not so sure it's a bad system.