Who Will Pay?
A man holds a sign that reads "Hands Off Social Security and Medicare" during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol October 26, 2011 in Washington, DC. Members of Congress called on the Joint Deficit Reduction Committee to preserve Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security benefits when making their decision on cutting the deficit. (Mark Wilson / Getty Images)
Can the GOP evolve? My contribution to Democracy Journal's symposium on the future of US politics can be read here:
The political scientist Harold Lasswell famously defined politics as a contest over “who gets what, when, and how.” Over the next dozen years, as the gap between the revenue lines and the expenditure lines of the federal and state governments widen, that definition could aptly be amended: Who gets disappointed—and by how much? Will baby boomers receive a less generous deal from Medicare than their parents did? Will the huge promises to public-sector retirees be honored? Or will other programs for younger people be squeezed? Will we sacrifice America’s military presence in the world? Or will we exact more in taxes—and if so, what kind of taxes, and imposed on whom?
About the Author
David Frum
David Frum is a contributing editor at Newsweek and The Daily Beast and a CNN contributor. He is the author of eight books, including most recently the e-book WHY ROMNEY LOST and his first novel Patriots, published in April 2012.
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