[melling]

The real question is can we afford it. Public pensions are not fully funded while the employee is working. In many cases there won't be enough people paying their benefits in the future so taxes will need to be increased or benefits cut.

[bsder]

We can afford it if the people in charge of the pensions would put the money away when they're supposed to aka NOW.

Instead, everybody treated pension funds like piggy banks, looted them, and now want to run away with the money with the "Oh they're so greedy."

[ars]

That doesn't make it affordable.

That just makes it unaffordable much earlier - which is useful granted, but doesn't actually solve the problem.

[zo1]

You can afford it, of course! Assuming you take debt out against your unborn children, and grandchildrens' future labor. If you're fine with that then keep repeating: "Yes we can!"

Some of the stats I've seen claim that the US has trillions in unfunded liabilities such as these pension funds. Anyone have any concrete stats we can reference?