What If Fixing Social Security Isn’t Political Suicide?

Everyone knows that Social Security is the “third rail” of American politics: touch it, and you die.

This may as well be etched in stone. There’s no debate over whether or not the federal retirement program is headed towards insolvency — that’s inevitable. In fact, there’s no debate over the program at all. The fear of proposing a change to a program that pulls money out of every American paycheck has paralyzed politicians. Neither party seems willing to take the blame when it falls apart, so Washington plans to watch as the train flies off the tracks.