One of the serious fundamental battles going on today, intentionally or unintentionally orchestrated by the present administration is the pitting of the two major age groups against one another. This is particularly troublesome to me as a senior citizen as my group is the most vulnerable and dependent on the good will of the younger generation for our protection and provision.
As long ago as I can remember the debate over the funding of Social Security has simmered, always asking the same basic question, “Will the younger, working class be willing to finance a system that only benefits the older age population?” This question became even more nettling as the costs have gone up, the population has aged and the number of people still working has shrunk in total numbers. The fundamental question regarding Social Security benefits has never been answered satisfactorily. Of course, with the addition of the Medicare program to the Social Security system, this disparity was exaggerated and the shortfall greater.
The introduction of Medicare by LBJ and the Democrats brought millions of U.S. citizens, many covered by health insurance for the first time, into the Federal system without a business-like method of paying for it. (Haven't we heard this song recently?) The new program started out, virtually broke! Many proposed fixes have come and gone without providing any real answers, with each session’s Congress saying let the next session take care of it.
Today, this Administration has come forward with a plan that will fix Social Security and Medicare, once and for all! Even though time is against a simple fix because 1) People are continuing to live longer and 2) There are fewer workers available to pay into the System.
The administration’s plan is simple, elegant and theoretically will work well.
Their plan is to simply convince the older generation that as good Americans, they should expect less from the System and over time their deaths and decreased use of medical facilities will bring the System back into balance, along with the funds to pay for it. In the meantime, the plan calls for massive infusions of money from a bank account that’s busted!
The Universal healthcare bill that every one is talking about has already broken the ice. The idea of Euthanasia and withholding or rationing of treatment based on a set of formulae and boards of review have already been introduced in the proposed plan so that everybody is already getting “comfortable” with the proposed treatment for the old folks. Even the loving child who wrote the above letter to the Dallas Morning News earlier this week probably loves her Granny and Grandpaw, but let’s be practical-This young person sees that her Granny and Grandpaw taking up space and they have to go because, “like Health Care is scarce”!
I sure hope this 17 year old isn’t on the Review Panel when my time comes!
As long ago as I can remember the debate over the funding of Social Security has simmered, always asking the same basic question, “Will the younger, working class be willing to finance a system that only benefits the older age population?” This question became even more nettling as the costs have gone up, the population has aged and the number of people still working has shrunk in total numbers. The fundamental question regarding Social Security benefits has never been answered satisfactorily. Of course, with the addition of the Medicare program to the Social Security system, this disparity was exaggerated and the shortfall greater.
The introduction of Medicare by LBJ and the Democrats brought millions of U.S. citizens, many covered by health insurance for the first time, into the Federal system without a business-like method of paying for it. (Haven't we heard this song recently?) The new program started out, virtually broke! Many proposed fixes have come and gone without providing any real answers, with each session’s Congress saying let the next session take care of it.
Today, this Administration has come forward with a plan that will fix Social Security and Medicare, once and for all! Even though time is against a simple fix because 1) People are continuing to live longer and 2) There are fewer workers available to pay into the System.
The administration’s plan is simple, elegant and theoretically will work well.
Their plan is to simply convince the older generation that as good Americans, they should expect less from the System and over time their deaths and decreased use of medical facilities will bring the System back into balance, along with the funds to pay for it. In the meantime, the plan calls for massive infusions of money from a bank account that’s busted!
The Universal healthcare bill that every one is talking about has already broken the ice. The idea of Euthanasia and withholding or rationing of treatment based on a set of formulae and boards of review have already been introduced in the proposed plan so that everybody is already getting “comfortable” with the proposed treatment for the old folks. Even the loving child who wrote the above letter to the Dallas Morning News earlier this week probably loves her Granny and Grandpaw, but let’s be practical-This young person sees that her Granny and Grandpaw taking up space and they have to go because, “like Health Care is scarce”!
I sure hope this 17 year old isn’t on the Review Panel when my time comes!
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