That's not all: careful analysis shows that our generation not only enjoyed a better financial start, in the US our lot proceeded to pull well over $100K more out of the public purse by age 65 than we paid in,

I have heard you say this on more than one occasion but I can tell you that it sure isn't Andy or me. Both of us are close to 65 and neither of us have taken one single penny out of the public purse yet but I can guarantee you that we have each contributed more that $100K to it. And, as I said before, our incomes have not stagnated.