This has been well known for many years and so is no news flash. But is an excellent illustration of a political "wicked problem," as distinguished from a simple problem or a complex one. But briefly, a wicked problem is that which all parties agree exists but do not agree on how to describe it, nor on what a solution can be, nor even on how to implement a resolution or know when it has been accomplished.
This chart is why everyone knows the problem exists. But because of its "wickedness," everyone has also united in kicking the can down the road.
Ratio of Covered Workers to Beneficiaries
Ratio of
| |||
Year
|
Covered
Workers(in thousands) |
Beneficiaries(in thousands)
|
Ratio
|
1940
|
35,390
|
222
|
159.4
|
1945
|
46,390
|
1,106
|
41.9
|
1950
|
48,280
|
2,930
|
16.5
|
1955
|
65,200
|
7,563
|
8.6
|
1960
|
72,530
|
14,262
|
5.1
|
1965
|
80,680
|
20,157
|
4.0
|
1970
|
93,090
|
25,186
|
3.7
|
1975
|
100,200
|
31,123
|
3.2
|
1980
|
113,656
|
35,118
|
3.2
|
1985
|
120,565
|
36,650
|
3.3
|
1986
|
123,400
|
37,322
|
3.3
|
1987
|
126,287
|
37,951
|
3.3
|
1988
|
130,142
|
38,420
|
3.4
|
1989
|
132,478
|
38,859
|
3.4
|
1990
|
133,672
|
39,470
|
3.4
|
1991
|
132,969
|
40,172
|
3.3
|
1992
|
133,890
|
41,029
|
3.3
|
1993
|
136,117
|
41,840
|
3.3
|
1994
|
138,197
|
42,516
|
3.3
|
1995
|
141,446
|
43,107
|
3.3
|
1996
|
143,909
|
43,498
|
3.3
|
1997
|
146,736
|
43,792
|
3.3
|
1998
|
149,692
|
44,075
|
3.4
|
1999
|
152,453
|
44,366
|
3.4
|
2000
|
155,295
|
45,166
|
3.4
|
2001
|
155,546
|
45,668
|
3.4
|
2002
|
154,894
|
46,176
|
3.3
|
2003
|
154,954
|
46,752
|
3.3
|
2004
|
156,900
|
47,367
|
3.3
|
2005
|
159,081
|
48,133
|
3.3
|
2006
|
161,852
|
48,863
|
3.3
|
2007
| 163,057 | 49,603 | 3.3 |
2008
|
162,485
|
50,420
|
3.2
|
2009
|
156,021
|
51,860
|
3
|
2010
|
156,725
|
53,398
|
2.9
|
2011
|
158,988
|
54,816
|
2.9
|
2012
|
161,672
|
56,176
|
2.9
|
2013
|
163,221
|
57,471
|
2.8
|
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