Many politicians don’t talk much about reforming huge entitlements such as Social Security and Medicare because it’s too easy for opponents to paint economizers – falsely – as wanting to “hurt senior citizens.” Elected officials just don’t consider it worth the political risk, even though the entitlement programs are headed toward bankruptcy.
So it was refreshing when the no-nonsense Republican governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie, stated in stark terms exactly what is on the minds of many people. Speaking at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, he said it is time to stop the “dangerous” Washington game of avoiding the issue.
Then he made these electrifying, candid remarks:
“We need to say these things, and we need to say them out loud. When we say we’re cutting spending, when we say everything is on the table, when we say we mean entitlement programs, we should be specific.
“And let me tell you what is the truth. What’s the truth that nobody’s talking about? Here is the truth that nobody’s talking about: You’re going to have to raise the retirement age for Social Security. Oh, I just said it and I’m still standing here! I did not vaporize into the carpeting and I said it!