Unfunded Public Pensions and Home prices

Yes, but I think if the economy goes into a real dive, the solution will be to not give out the pensions - there's no "constitutional" right to such, and there is still Social Security. Sucks, but there you go.

i know, just run the numbers for oklahoma (just cause i have family members counting on those pensions). and it turns out that the size of the official unfunded is $11,500 per household. add to that medicare in red and surplus on ss shrinking fast and going to neg. i feel like bella karoli complaining about the age of the chinese girls: "wow. just wow."

by why do you take for granted that the retirees will take the hit and not young taxpayers? aren't we all about delaying pain after all? the AARP surely suggest raising taxes on young workers and delaying benefits to them instead of touching current benefits.

The AARP will do what it can to protect the interests of its members, but if there is widespread devastation, there just won't be enough young workers to pay up. There will also be a natural split between the people who have pensions and those who don't. Muni workers/state workers/teachers will all cry Uncle but if things get that bad, they're going to see starving students come to class and lots of other very unpleasant things. Also, it's not like there isn't Social Security. If things go that badly, a steady Social Security check will start looking really good compared to the alternative. We're going to see rationing of medicare (you know that the most $ spent on healthcare is in the last X months of one's life, right?)

"you know that the most $ spent on healthcare is in the last X months of one's life, right?"

of course! it makes me feel that religion is not doing its trick helping people not to be terrified of dying. maybe religious promises are not fully funded either?