But long-term population shrinkage can be accommodated by raising the Social Security tax (an fund-raising option that was not available to Ponzi or Madoff). A

But long-term population shrinkage can be accommodated by raising the Social Security tax (an fund-raising option that was not available to Ponzi or Madoff). As long as the generation-to-generation increase in worker productivity is greater than the generation-to-generation increase in the tax, it won't harm the general welfare. And if that doesn't do the trick then the US can always let in more working-age immigrants.