202409272012 Status: #idea Tags: #politics #economics # Social Security and Medicare are regressive transfers A regressive transfer is the transfer of income from a poorer person to a richer person (the opposite of a progressive transfer). Social Security and Medicare taxes transfer money from the youngest demographics (the demographics with the lowest net worth) to the oldest demographic (the demographic with the highest net worth). In addition, these transfers are parasitic on a society's growth, since younger generations are responsible for innovation, new ideas, birthing new children, etc., while the money is used in older generations simply to keep them alive. This means that the money spent has no chance of paying off in the future, whereas if that money had been spent on infrastructure or scientific research, it may pay for itself. --- # References