October 5, 2006 3:31PM 

# Another Warning That Will Go Unheeded 

By [Michael D. Tanner](https://www.cato.org/people/michael-d-tanner) 

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In a [speech](http://www.boston.com/business/globe/articles/2006/10/05/fed_chief_warns_entitlements_for_retirees_need_to_be_overhauled/) to the Economic Club of Washington yesterday, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke became the latest top policymaker to warn that we will face an economic crisis if Social Security and Medicare are not reformed. Unfortunately, Bernanke’s warning is unlikely to become part of the political debate. So far this election season, Democrats have been [demagoguing](https://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=6692) the issue, while Republicans run away from it. Meanwhile, because Congress failed to act last year, Social Security’s unfunded liabilities increased by another $550 billion.

##### Related Tags 

[General](https://www.cato.org/general), [Health Care](https://www.cato.org/health-care) 

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