The hot potato no one wants to touch

As Congress continues to struggle with our nation’s massive $15 trillion debt, another looming crisis has slipped off the radar screen: Social Security.

Social Security is running almost $50 billion in the red each year, deficits that are being covered by reserves in the General Fund. But because the number of people getting benefits is outpacing the number of people footing the bill, the program will be insolvent in 20 years.

Social Security started in 1935 as a sort of widows and orphans fund. The boss and worker each paid a 1 percent tax on the first $3,000 of earnings. Today, the tax is 10...