Thoughts from the Frontline

The Coming Generational Storm

By John Mauldin

April 2, 2004

The Coming Generational Storm
Personal Security Accounts
An Immediate and Guaranteed Recession
The Echo Bubble
Bull’s Eye Update

Today, we are going to look at a very important study by the always insightful James Montier on the Echo Bubble? Can we look at past bubbles and see a pattern? But first, we are going to look at a (frankly disturbing) new book, which I am going to encourage you to get and read.

"In 2030, as 77 million baby boomers hobble into old age, walkers will outnumber strollers; there will be twice as many retirees as there are today but only 18 percent more workers. How will America handle this demographic overload? How will Social Security and Medicare function with fewer working taxpayers to support these programs?"

While some boomers are hopeful we will not hobble into old age, these are the very reasonable questions asked by Larry Kotlikoff and Scott Burns in their guaranteed to be controversial new book, hot off the press, called "The Coming Generational Storm."

I have often written about the coming demographic problems facing our nation. This is a topic I have researched at length, and have a few chapters on the subject…

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