Aging Nation: The Economics and Politics of Growing Older in America

by James H. Schulz, Robert H. Binstock

With the impending retirement of some 76 million baby boomers in a period of huge government deficits, public anxiety about the social and economic health of an aging nation is widespread. The policy debates are contentious―from deciding who should receive limited subsidized housing and medical services to the ongoing battle over "saving" Social Security and other entitlement programs. Some policy makers and pundits forecast disaster: elderly people will be put out to pasture with inadequate health care and financial resources, and a crumbling social welfare infrastructure will implode under the strain of intergenerational conflict. In Aging Nation , renowned experts James H. Schulz and Robert H. Binstock agree that there is considerable cause for concern but insist that a demographic tsunami is not inevitable. Drawing from the most current data, the authors provide an in-depth analysis of the nation's evolving private and public policies on retirement, faltering employer pensions, health care, workplace conditions, and entitlement programs. They consider such timely issues as poverty among older people, rejoining the workforce after retirement, Social Security and health care reform, as well as the rise of elderly people as a powerful political force. Dispelling popular myths and misconceptions perpetrated by politicians and pundits, Schulz and Binstock consider the economic, political, and social challenges arising from the aging U.S. population, and present a balanced―and reassuring―assessment of the future.

304 pages, Paperback

First published October 30, 2006

Reviews

[Alicia Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though a little outdated at this point, this is an excellent read for anyone interested in the politics of retirement, social security and healthcare for the elderly. They make a strong case for why those who want to dismantle SS, whom he refers to as "Merchants of Doom", are wrong about the inevitable downfall of SS and the benefits of privitazation. A key thing I keqrnes from this book is the volatily of a capitalistic market and how this affects how we plan for our later life.