Are old people killing America?

A new debate is brewing over whether senior citizens are breaking America's budget. The New York Times' David Brooks says most old people are demanding lots of expensive government services — often squeezing out programs for younger generations — but oppose the taxes needed to pay for them. Brooks opines that by banding together in a spirt of selflessness, older Americans can redeem themselves and save America from being crushed by massive deficits as the country ages. Are old people really asking for too much and giving too little?

We expect too much in retirement: Americans have to "change the way we look at old age" if we want to put the country on firm financial footing, says John Feehery in The Hill. "People shouldn’t be expected to do nothing from the ages of 65 to 85" while they get generous Medicare and Social Security benefits. We'll all be better off if we freeze entitlement payments and give old people "something to do in the golden years."
"How about a freeze on entitlement programs?"

Stop blaming seniors: It's not helpful to suggest, as Brooks does, that the elderly are "selfish," says Ezra Klein in The Washington Post. Brooks laments that the federal government spends $7 on seniors for every $1 it spends on kids, "but it costs a lot more to be a senior than a kid." Most of those costs come in the form of health care — fortunately, we improve that situation with health reform.
"In defense of seniors"

The elderly have universal health care — but oppose it for the young: The elderly are the only Americans with "single-payer government-provided health insurance," says Matthew Yglesias in Think Progress, yet they "evince the most opposition to universal health care. Basically, they’ve got theirs and don’t care" if younger people are often forced to go without health coverage.
"The 'I've got mine' generation"