Let private firms originate and underwrite the loans, while Soc. Sec. owns them. It would at least be a start to fund this entitlement with real money vs. bogus govt. IOUs. Of course, all funds would have to be safely and permanently walled off from Congress.

I thought I even heard Larry Summers mention it (once) a number of months ago but now that he is on the reservation, not surprising that was the end of it.

Ok, from the article above, evidently it may help to point out the fact that the Left never has, doesn't now, and never will "listen" to the facts, certainly not without attacking and labeling anybody and everybody who speaks them as “Right-wing extremists” and “enemies of the state”, etc, or do anything else which is contrary to their Leftist Marxist Communist/Socialist government elitist and statist power and money-grabbing agenda.

Of course that's because there's too much “stinkin’ thinkin’” and “class warfare” demagoguing and pandering for the Left to do to get and keep themselves in votes and ever more power and money at the expense of the people, instead of actually listening, much less accepting and acting according to, any facts which would derail their vote-buying Leftist government elitist and statist power and money-grabbing gravy train and agenda.

To put it another way, no matter how government elitists and statists may deny this this, it really is as simple as 2 – 2 = 0, not 4, as in: Government elitists and statists, including Leftists, getting to subtract (-) away from us our freedoms and control of our resources and security, always has, always does, and always will equal (=) zero (0), as in the people end-up being and holding the losing number!

Or, as Thomas Jefferson put it, "As government grows, liberty decreases", and, as even Alexis de Tocqueville put it, "The American Republic will fall when the politicians learn they can bribe the people with their own money".

So also the choice we, the people, face is simple (notice I didn't say "always easy"): Either we stand and fight to defeat the government elitists and statists in order to save what remains of our freedoms, resources, and security, in our (U.S.) America which is the last best hope of mankind, or else, as history repeatedly shows and proves, we certainly shall end-up proving again that "as government grows, liberty decreases", and how "The American Republic will fall when the politicians learn they can bribe the people with their own money".

Of course that's because there's too much enmity, envy, "class warfare" instigating, government dependence instilling and government dependants creating demagoguing and pandering for the Left to do to get and keep themselves in votes and ever more power and money at the expense of the people, instead of actually listening, much less accepting and acting according to, any facts which would derail their vote-buying Leftist government elitist and statist power and money-grabbing gravy train and agenda.

To put it another way, despite how government elitists and statists may so arrogantly deny this, it really is as simple as 2 – 2 = 0, not 4, as in: Government elitists and statists, including Leftists, getting to subtract (-) away from us our freedoms and control of our resources and security, always has, always does, and always will equal (=) zero (0), as in the people end-up being and holding the losing number!

Or, as Thomas Jefferson put it, "As government grows, liberty decreases", and, as even Alexis de Tocqueville put it, "The American Republic will fall when the politicians learn they can bribe the people with their own money".

So also the choice we, the people, face is simple (notice I didn't say "always easy"): Either we stand and fight to defeat the government elitists and statists in order to save what remains of our freedoms, resources, and security, in our (U.S.) America which is the last best hope of mankind, or else, as history repeatedly shows and proves, we certainly shall end-up proving again that "as government grows, liberty decreases", and how "The American Republic will fall when the politicians learn they can bribe the people with their own money".

First, with regards to Medicare and Medicaid, the person is responsible for their own health and well being.

Second, (Medicare/Medicaid)the extended family is the safety net for the individual/family. First parents and siblings, then cousins, uncles and aunts; this is a collaborative effort. between them all much more can be accomplished than what currently is.

Third, with regards to Social Security, Mr. Raffensperger is correct. We should phase out Social Security entitlements, say for everyone under 45. Instead, people and their families are responsible for their own retirement. The Return on Investment is many times greater for private investments than for the government.

Finally, only after everyone in the family has exhausted those resources should the government look to step in. If the government can confirm that all familial resources have been exhausted, to include selling of assets, having family members move in, getting second jobs, etc., then and only then should the government look to take resources from strangers to help the individual.

Some may see this as cold-hearted. But this policy is actually a very concerned, loving, and logical approach to the problems we face with regards to welfare. It promotes self-sufficiency, reduces the government footprint (especially the budget) and fosters the American can-do attitude.