The cost of government benefits for seniors soared to a record $27,289 per senior in 2007, according to a USA TODAY analysis.

That’s a 24% increase above the inflation rate since 2000. Medical costs are the biggest reason. Last year, for the first time, health care and nursing homes cost the government more than Social Security payments for seniors age 65 and older. The average Social Security benefit per senior in 2007 was $13,184.

“We have a health care crisis. We don’t have an entitlement crisis,” says David Certner, legislative policy director of the AARP, which represents seniors.

We don’t have an entitlement crisis? No, David, of course we don’t. Tell that to us again when the federal government is bankrupt. It couldn’t be that — since you work for the AARP — you’re trying to push your political agenda, could it? Of course not. Especially since the AARP has backed every entitlement program and almost exclusively Democratic candidates, right?

He says seniors shouldn’t be blamed for the growing cost of government retirement programs.

On this, he’s right. It’s the fault of the politicians who keep buying votes with our own money.

Full article: USATODAY.com