> the arithmetic that supports those programs tightens, all else equal

We can tax the rich, we're post scarcity, time to take a look at the rest of the world an come up with a better social safety net.

I agree that the ultra-rich living on permanent fake debt backed by their stocks / real estate need to contribute more, but I'm tired of seeing people throw "we can tax the rich" as a panacea.

Productivity is growing much more slowly than the retiree-to-worker ratio. Workers are producing slightly more every year, but there are a lot more retirees to take care of every year. If this does not change, we will eventually see a collapse of social safety nets. Policy can only accelerate or delay that collapse.

Pray tell, what do you mean by "the rest of the world"? Surely it's not Western Europe, which is already being strangled by the cost of the welfare state?

We should probably spend some time making sure that _existing_ taxes are being used efficiently before we start funneling in even more.

The real problem aging societies face is not a shortage of money but a shortage of people.

Why would I want to turn the country at the forefront of technology and innovation into a stagnating socialist welfare state like the countries you are holding up as role models?