It doesn't matter if the Dems continue to make empty promises to appease you or if the Repubs tell you "tough luck, deal with it". Either way, you aren't going to get it. Because it isn't there. For most people in your situation, it never was there. If it was there, they stole it, laundered it, and snorted it up their noses long ago. It is not right or fair, but it is the way it is. The same thing happened to private sector pensions. The big problem was that folks trusted the employers (private or public sector) to both fund and manage the plans, but set no timetable or oversight. This lent itself to abuse. That is why I prefer 401K and IRA's. The money leaves the hands of the employer (often it never was theirs and came from the employee himself anyway) and goes to a place where they can't touch it. That means they can't solve their cash flow or budget problems with it. It is even protected from being misspent by the employee on a whim. One is usually given options to invest in wall street, bonds, real estate, moneymarkets, or basic savings and the ability to monitor it and move it on a whim. Don't trust your 401K manager, roll over into the IRA of your choice, then move it again if they don't seem good. The only issue is that if you are stupid or greedy, you can hose yourself bad.