So you’ve been working for over twenty-five years. You’ve watched government expand, spending increase, borrowing from foreign investors reach discomforting levels, and have, perhaps, believed for quite some time that your payroll and income taxes have been sufficient for caring for you and for covering the many public services that you and other Americans enjoy every day. Unfortunately, we are now beginning to experience an era in which, if we do not reform our costly programs and simply stop spending irresponsibly, all generations will begin to feel the negative consequences of years of negligence. Moreover, the working generation is at risk of being the first to feel the faltering of our benefit system and will, with the oldest generation, begin a trend of leaving this nation in a worse state than it was when they were growing up and working.

As you have made the transition from young adult, to member of the work force, to someone who is now looking into retirement plans, the world community has experienced a number of changes while, domestically, the U.S. has received a makeover, and not necessarily one that makes our economic status more attractive. Within the global community, the economic prosperity of the United States has served as a cornerstone for the success of numerous other world states, and, though we will continue to be an economic “superpower” in years to come, we may quickly lose our footing in the future as we empower the other nations that have the potential to challenge us.