Bruce Bartlett

In the following viewpoint, Bruce Bartlett argues that as the wealthiest group in the nation, seniors do not need a prescription drug subsidy in addition to medical benefits from federally funded Medicare. Americans over the age of sixty-five now get more in Social Security benefits than they ever paid in, he maintains. He contends that seniors’ power as a voting bloc allows them to manipulate politicians to get whatever they want. According to Bartlett, younger working
adults, the majority of whom do not bother to vote, will pay the bill for senior entitlements. Bruce Bartlett is a senior fellow at the National Center for Policy Analysis.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. What does Bartlett predict will happen when the government starts paying for seniors...