America’s original independence day took place without muss or fuss, when the Continental Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence in 1776. A year later, to commemorate the birth of the nation, bells rang, bonfires burned and fireworks lit the sky as Congress adjourned in Philadelphia.

For three consecutive years (2018-2020), the Medicare trustees have formally warned that the program has become excessively dependent on general revenue transfers from the Treasury rather than its dedicated revenue streams, such as payroll taxes and premiums.