When I was in Buenos Aires, I learned that the government, facing declining tax revenues from falling commodity prices, decided to nationalize the pension system. As best as I could tell it would be similar to the United States government taking the money in 401Ks and IRAs and putting it in the Social Security system. Since we know the Social Security Income isn't really separate and is used by the government for general spending, we can only imagine what would happen in the U.S. if the government attempted to do the same thing.

In Argentina, they protest
So, as I finished my last meeting of the day on 10/23/08, a large protest was underway out the President's home (it's their White House, only it's painted pink).  I went into the crowd to take some pictures. You can't really see the poster but it reads "Ayer fue la soja, Hoy los aporter jubilatorios, Mañana a quien le toca" or "Yesterday it was the soybean. Today, retirement contributions. Tomorrow, what will they take?" (The soybean reference had to do with a proposal to increase taxation on Soybeans as the price of the commodity declined.)