Did anyone get a 6 percent (nominal) wage increase last year? Congratulations on your "skyrocketing" paycheck. This is the term that the Post applies to Social Security expenditures, which have risen at an average rate of 5.2 percent in the last five years and are projected to rise at a 5.5 percent rate over the next five year (both in nominal dollars). This leaves Social Security expenditures virtually unchanged as a share of GDP over this period. Social Security expenditures are projected to rise more rapidly in the future, but they clearly are not "skyrocketing" at present. A little greater commitment to reality on this topic would be useful.
--Dean Baker
