I don't consider Social Security and Medicare to be entitlements (as 'entitlements' are considered today). I am sixty-five years old and, until recently, I never heard them described as such. Every senior has contributed to both programs his/her entire working life, and he/she deserves to reap the benefits of having done so -- and would, were it not for the fact that the government has either spent the trust money, or doled it out on a myriad of programs for which it was not originally intended.
About two years ago, I sat for about two hours in a Social Security office with a friend who has a terminal illness and was applying for disability. I was astounded that well over ninety percent of the people sitting in that waiting room were young people. In a Social Security office. The purist in me thought, 'Exactly how did a program that was authored only for seniors and their retirement turn into this?' The realist in me knew that that was a rhetorical question for anyone who has been an observer of the profligate American government over the past few decades.
I think we are about to rediscover that rugged individualism and self reliance work better than long term promises, underwritten by short term politicians.
I have always believed that -- except that now, under this administration, rugged individualism and self reliance simply mean that one is expected to serve as the fountain from which the parasites of the world are encouraged to drink. In spite of that, I'd (and I suspect you'd) much rather be a self-reliant rugged individualist than a parasite. It's a matter of nothing more than self respect, and a vision toward a future in which entitlements have simply run their course and the workers have been squeezed dry. At that point, the parasites of the world won't have a clue how to live from day to day, whereas the individualists will be putting their well-honed survival tools to work. |
