Excerpt: A better measure of Social Security's cost and affordability is the percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) the program consumes. Unlike dependency ratio measures,16 which simply reflect age distributions, and when more refined, work status, GDP focuses on the productivity of the nation as a whole. When the cost of Social Security is examined in terms of GDP, it becomes unquestionably obvious that our economy can support our elderly, the widespread demographic anxiety notwithstanding.  MORE >>