Attn: Aging & Retirement Editors

The impending collapse of the Social Security and Medicare systems has been described as a case of “too many old people chasing too few dollars.” Now, we can add another dimension: time. Yesterday, the federal government predicted that old people will be cashing their Social Security checks and buying Medicare-aided prescription medicines for a very long, long time.

As if the report from the Social Security & Medicare Trust Fund Board of Trustees (see Government Policy Newslinks, March 26) wasn’t enough. The report reminds that financial shortages and the approaching crush of Baby Boom Generation retirees continues to plod inexorably toward a disastrous collision.

Now comes word from the National Institute on Aging: Americans can expect to live longer and longer lives. Regardless of gender or ethnicity, average life expectancy continues to increase. If there’s one thing the federal government does well, it’s collecting data and developing statistics. The NIA’s report, Older Americans 2008, is a compilation of data from 15 federal agencies that use or produce data about elderly persons, and uses the information to create some new statistics that reveal several incontrovertible demographic trends (see Government Policy Newslinks, March 27).

Start with the size of the age 65 population. It is expected to grow from about 37 million people in 2006 to approximately 71.5 million people by 2030 when retirees will represent about 20% of the total U.S. population.

Takeaway point:

The federal report’s release is an excellent opportunity to check progress on plans being made by local communities to prepare for the economic shifts and changing demands for government services as a larger portion of residents reach retirement age.

Attn: Political Editors

If you’re counting super-delegates in the battle for the Democratic presidential nomination, you might find it interesting to note that Sen. Barack Obama apparently lost 2 votes yesterday when U.S. Rep. Albert Wynn (D-Md.) announced his immediate resignation from Congress and Puerto Rico Gov. Anibal Vila was charged along with a dozen associates in a 27-count indictment for election-related crimes.

They join ex-New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, who would have cast his super-delegate vote for Sen. Hillary Clinton, on the list of Democratic party bigwigs who probably won’t be counted on the first ballot. First ballot? Does that mean there could be a second ballot? Or even a third?

When the Dept. of Justice announced Gov. Vila’s indictment, it also released a “fact sheet” that describes the department’s anti-corruption efforts in recent years. Between 2001 and 2006, the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section brought charges against 365 defendants and secured convictions or guilty pleas from 332 of them–a conviction/guilty rate of 91%. During the same 2001-2006 period, the U.S. Attorneys around the country brought corruption charges against 6,899 public officials, lobbyists, and others, and secured convictions or guilty pleas from 5,876 of them–a conviction/guilty rate of 85% (see Government Policy Newslinks, March 27)

Takeaway points:

Sen. Obama has a 2-1 lead over Sen. Clinton in the number of super-delegate votes that have been lost, and they are tied 1-1 in super-delegate votes that have been lost due to sex and corruption scandals.

West Virginia lawyer John Davis won the 1924 Democratic presidential nomination on the 103rd ballot.

The next time a public official claims innocence after being indicted by the Dept. of Justice, there’s an 85% or 91% chance that a prison cell or an ankle bracelet is in his or her future housing and wardrobe choices.