To live in the Communist Soviet Union was a bleak experience.  Indeed, for many it was also a short experience.

  

I remember a joke about that as I grew up during the Cold War era.  The commissar of the agricultural commune called a meeting. “I have great news comrades.  The politburo has implemented a new and improved plan for your old age.  It is now possible to live to old age!”

  

And of course we read about the Eskimos, who out of sheer survival necessity, put their elderly out on an iceflow for the polar bears to finish off. 

 

And the tribes of the great plains put their elderly out of camp during lean times when they could not support these non-producing members. 

  

Of course we as masters of the universe consider that barbaric: we would never do that, even if we were faced with a survival crises.  And thankfully we are too smart and sophisticated and gadget clever to ever get our t*t in a ringer like that.  After all, we are not primitives.

 

However …  

  

… we do have this small problem facing our Social Security/Medicare system: too many people are living to old age! 

  

That of course drains the SS fund for a greater length of time than was anticipated by the creators of the plan.  People are simply living longer than anticipated, dang ‘em!  

  

Well the obvious way to fit the toothpaste of longevity back into the system designed seventy some years ago for people who died younger is to institute euthanasia at a certain age.  Problem solved. 

 

Of course it should be grandfathered in … 

 

But for the eligible it might be introduced as a “voluntary” option.  Perhaps a sweetener of some kind will be offered; say, all funeral costs covered with no expense to the survivors.  

 

After a period of adjustment, when people have had time to become accustomed to the idea, it will probably be made mandatory. 

  

To the iceberg with you, you ald fart!  You are no longer cost effective!!