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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: michael97123 who wrote (17518)	11/24/2003 9:51:43 AM
From: Lane3	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 793800

The cost of the SS and Medicare entitlements for folks who dont need it can be diverted to our youngest folks where needed. That I can understand. I have claimed a senior discount only a few times. I never ask if one is offered. Only when faced with the question do I take the discount. I agree with you that things are distorted. One of the problems is inertia in the system. And grandfathering. I take more from my health insurance now than I pay for it. However, I had many healthy years when I was younger where I paid in but didn't make claims. So it's hard for the system to shift gears just when those who have paid in are ready to reap the benefits. I agree with you though that seniors seem selfish and I appreciate the generational resentment. I am particularly surprised at the attitude of seniors with progeny. I never had kids but I care more about subsequent generations than most with a more direct stake seem to. How about prescription drug benefit for dependent kids. This is where you and I part company. The solution is not the expansion of government entitlements. Entitlements are not healthy and constructive long term. We need to cut back on them, not compound the problem in an attempt to create a generational balance. We will also probably disagree on responsibility for the medical care of kids. Other than catastrophic medical problems, for which there are lots of charities, at least there used to be, medicine is part of the burden of raising kids. Kids get ear infections. People who are not willing and able to fulfill the responsibilities of parenthood, including the financial ones, have no business becoming parents. My preference for generational equity would be to scrap/phase out government entitlements for seniors and put the money for those programs back in the pockets of workers. Who would then be forced to save for their own retirements as well as pay for the ear drops.