The new Christopher Buckley novel Boomsday concerns a blogger — Cassandra — who proposes that a cash-strapped, demographically-burdened society pay old people to do themselves in. The elderly are to kill themselves for tax breaks. In Swiftian fashion we can improve this idea by convexifying the choice. Let’s make it a risk and subsidize sky-diving for the non-working elderly.
There are two positive externalities from the resulting deaths; first, a bequest of material wealth passes to other individuals, second, the deadweight loss of taxation falls. The negative externality from the death falls upon other family members and friends; whether the would-be victim internalized those costs in the first place is difficult to calculate. Have I mentioned that economics has few good ways of modeling two-way altruism and keeping the standard welfare theorems intact? Distribution and efficiency are no longer separate, but hey that’s the real world.
Here is a New York Times review. Buckley is one of the most entertaining public speakers I have heard, hire or go hear him if you can.
Just imagine, if Newt Gingrich and the ’94 Republicans had succeeded in reducing the increase in Medicare spending from 5% pre year to 3% per year, the elderly would have all been eating dog food.
Duke: Terrible at commenting.
The Boomers are pretty much screwed. I don’t see a reason to demonize them as well unlsess you want to rhyme real hard with the German ’30s.
I’ve often wondered what the world would be like if painless means of suicide were widely available to the elderly. I’m middle-aged have had one parent die in her 60s after two years of extreme debilitation. I think she wanted to live right up to the very last second, but I would like to have the option of painless suicide if I reach a point where permanent pain, dementia, or incapacity seems to be unavoidable.
Soylent green is people!
Why is the target “non-working elderly”? Shouldn’t the target be “elderly electing to receive
a government subsidy”?
Remember the tobacco companies had some very solid research that if you included social security payments that early cancer deaths actually meant that smoking really saved the government money. the courts should have made the government pay the tobacco companies, not the other way around.
TK, There is a famous short story called “The Lottery” that did the same thing. http://www.classicshorts.com/stories/lotry.html . and i am sure there are ancient antecedents.
Painless euthanasia is generally available with a plastic bag and a supply of helium. You die because of loss of oxygen, but never feel like you can’t breathe because you still exhale CO2.
http://www.togopeacefully.com/DYING.html
What about agreeing to euthanasia at a particular date in return for an immediate cash payment that is less than the cost of future social security and medicare? (hah, no I’m not really suggesting that as a good idea)
Thanks for the link, Mr. E. What I would hope for (someday) is the opportunity to have the lawful assistance of a doctor, to make sure everything goes the way it should.
I still think the elderly should be fighting the wars.
That would solve alot of our problems….
Bernard, getting banned from De Long’s site is a badge of honor.
Maybe we should start a group blog.
“Too Hot for De Long”
“Banned by Brad”
“Too Bad for Brad”
“Speaking Truth to Ivory Tower”
I’ll be here all week.
Saw Mr. Buckley last night with Chris Matthews – as usual when people or the media talk about social security no one mentions the hundreds of thousands people each year who die long before they receive any social security payments. Forget the baby boomers – thousands die in their 20s and 30s. I have just start collecting ss payments at 67 – among all the relatives and friends I have – out of about 50 – only 10 lived long enough to collect any social security. Also what about all the special social security benefits that are paid to young people. I don’t intend to read “Boomsters” – I’m sure I would be appalled by it.
Correction on book title in my previous message – of course should be “Boomsday”. Also I wonder what William Buckley, Christopher Buckley’s father, thinks of his ideas.
Many of the private pensions are controlled by them already. Armed with a personal health score that includes genetic testing results and a net worth statement, folks can easily be culled from the herd at the appropriate time.
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