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Because the current system is unsustainable and if it isn't adjusted, it can only end in a disaster.
Having to work until you are fucking 70 already is a disaster
My body is aching, and I'm not even 40. Couple of weeks back I listed something not that heavy, but my back went out and I could not walk for three days (all fine now). Knowing that I might not be able to work until I'm 70 the cist of living etc., there's a high probability that I'm going to take my own life. It's been fum while it lasted, though.
And people are getting older (and stay healthier). Something has to give. Boomers are the largest generation in German history. Since then every generation has shrunk. Fewer workers have to support more retirees. We have been seeing this demographic shift coming and still have taken on more and more dead. And yes, I desperately want the rich to pay taxes, but that alone will not fix the issue. Not by a long shot.
We also have much better technology and produce much more stuff with significantly less labour.
This is not really about the rich people paying taxes, it's more about the fact that if we have better technology and production why do people have to work more?
Indeed, boomers are more; but I think we are able to sustain their lives without them having to work.
i thought productivity was up across the board?
Exactly, the claim of disaster is moronic but typical for many politicians.
It disregards the fact that many elderly are way more self helped, so the life expectancy increasing doesn't have a similar requirement for care and healthcare. And productivity per capita is increasing.
We have higher pension age here (Denmark) too than we had in the 70's. But way more women are working and automation and computers and generally improved methodologies have resulted in way way higher productivity.
We could live with the standards of the 70's and only work 5 hours per week, or have a pension age of 40.
The only reason to raise the pension age is the ever ongoing race for more wealth.
What we have now is slavery to the 1%, who take in 50% of the wealth generated! Just getting rid of them, and we would only have to work half, and maintain the same wealth for the rest.
Why is it currently unsustainable?
Because 50% or your salary are instantly taken out of your paycheck for other taxes, which you cannot invest in your own savings or towards your own house?
Because Germany does not let foreigners in to work and contribute to the retirement fund, because foreigners are very scary?
Because taxing the rich and preventing tax fraud would instantly increase the budget by a few billion euros that could be given to the retirement fund?
Because rents and home ownership are unaffordable because a lot of homes are in the hands of investment firms and rich people who try to get the most money out of renting, leading to raising costs that eats more than 50% of the renters remaining income each month?
All of the above?
Eliminate the contribution cap. Instant 20% increase in available pension budget.
It's better than driving the state budget into the ground, though I still think that it'd be better to get the birth rate up to a sustainable level.
Having children means finding a large enough and affordable house, which is a nightmare in most cities with a lot of competition. Then you have to pay for childcare, extra food, extra utilities and other expenses. This would ruin a lot of young people who don't earn a lot or already struggle with money, and don't have rich parents to back them up.
How are you going to convince people to have babies while continuously siphoning off more and more resources from the average person?