Why Democrats must get smart on entitlements

Columnist Jeremy Alter opines that if the Democrats want to save any of their pet programs from the budgetary knife, they have to get serious about accepting major spending cuts to untouchable entitlement programs such as Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Or in Alter’s words, “the insanely expensive retirement of the Baby Boomers.” After all, those retiring in the next 20 years will take three times out of Medicare than what they put into it in taxes. The number of people on Social Security will double and consume an enormous portion of the national budget. Something must be done. But when, and how, and by whom?