Observe the Following:

The Government tries to get Corporations to pay into their pension plans what they say they're going to pay into their pension plan. Result? Not only the corporation but the union resists. Apparently actually funding their pension plans will be bad for business, to such a degree that even the union foresees pain. Or, heaven forfend, the corporation might decide to ditch the thing and go with a "defined contribution" or 401(k) plan. Gee, why wouldn't the union want that?

If this goes on, you can look forward to a number of future news stories:

The collapse of the auto industry's pension plan, with accompanying scandal, and rousing of rabble against the "corporate America." Micheal Moore might make a triumphant return to form.

Blame transmitted somehow to our (slightly) more corporate-friendly party, the GOP, despite the fact that it's Republicans currently pushing to make GM pay what it should.

More and more pundits drawing the parallels between old-style pension plans and Social Security. I mean really, how can anyone argue that the current system is suited to survive?

For more information, consult The Essayist #6 and How Social Security Reform Got Borked.