Chicago Daily Observer

Today, American families are working harder than they used to and making less. And, at the same time, even as they grow older, many Americans are socking less away in savings than they once did.

Both trends might keep us up at night. But with the baby boomers set to begin retiring next year, we cannot afford to ignore the second challenge. The problem is clear: This isn’t a nation of savers.

In the past two years, America’s personal savings rate reached its lowest level since the Great Depression. And in comparison to other industrialized countries, the United States ranked second to last in personal savings.

DEMOCRATS made earmark reform a campaign issue in 2006 — and a reality in 2007 — because earmarks were at the heart of corruption scandals in Washington. Democrats never promised to eliminate earmarks. We promised to reform them.