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| A Weekly Dose of Reality on Social Security Reform July 19th |
Failing to Fix Social Security Will Cost American Families
The longer Congress waits to fix Social Security, the more it costs the American people.
Each year that Social Security reform is delayed costs $600 billion
- 16 gallons of gas per week for a year.
- A state-of-the-art laptop computer.
- One year's supply of coffee-house coffee.
- 40 pairs of jeans.
- A 42" flat-panel plasma television.
- 10.5 gallons of milk per week for a year (550 gallons of milk).
- 50 months of cell phone service, each month with 450 minutes of usage.
- 222 movie tickets.
- 45 copies of all six Harry Potter books.
It's bad enough that the American people are being forced to watch their retirement future be compromised by partisan bickering and political posturing—they shouldn't have to pay for it, too.
This year may be the last chance to fix Social Security for some time. With Congressional elections in 2006 and a Presidential election in 2008, it is unlikely either side will allow the other to claim "victory" and take credit for fixing the system. That would delay reform until 2009—and add another $2.4 trillion to the cost.
Congress must pass Social Security reform this year.