At least with 401k type plans the individual can make his own decisions on how to invest his money. It also gives them an interest, or "stake" in the economic conditions as a whole. It would help to relieve the massive ignorance out there of people who blindly vote for those out to destroy the economy, merely because of Democrat religious morality. As it is there seems to be little association of Democrat political policies with the simple mathematics of investments. Due to this, the answer is always to raise taxes to cover public pensions.

I prefer wood to plastic, leather to nylon, waxed cotton to Gore-Tex, and split bamboo to graphite.