lnerable" stuff or even the "tragedy of the commons" really matters as much as the demographics. If there were more homeless, (and if they voted), the old people would be forced to pay for everything for the homeless and put up with all of the noise and diseases and such without recourse until they left (if they could). Its less about what's "right", than it is about who is the majority.
Speaking of US demographics, have the babyboomers spent all the social security money yet? Isn't that set to run out just about the time that demographic bubble pops? A democratic republic might be the worst system there is, except for all the others.
This is all wrong. there is no "tragedy of the commons", there is "tragedy of private property". It was only when the government put hunting regulations on the Rocky Mountain elk that applied to public and private land did the populations rebound! If people would be allowed to do on private property whatever they want would the Rocky Mountain elk go extinct.
Social Security can never go bankrupt. As there will always be money coming in from the workers.