How demographers can help members of congress

Demographic processes continually alter the groups of recipients and donors involved in three forms of income transfer: (1) across generations, through Social Security, government retirement programs, and financing education; (2) across regions, through urban and regional development programs, revenue sharing, and federal procurement; and (3) across income groups, through welfare, food stamp, and Medicare programs. Such changes often upset a long-standing economic or political balance, or make it difficult to achieve some sought-after balance. Demographic processes underlying these shifts are understood well enough that it is possible to foresee the long-range implications. These implications are difficult to acknowledge because they pose problems (as with Social Security) having no politically feasible solution. A necessary step is to build public perception of the problem's existence and why public action is needed. At this stage demographers may be useful in enabling policymakers to build a case for action.