Our Entitlement Paralysis

Washington Post ^ | December 28, 2005 | By Robert Samuelson

[BureaucratusMaximus]

I'm just adopting a hard line as a starting point for negotiation, which is appropriately measured to the hard line taken by the geezers who would rather bankrupt the nation than accept any limitation to handouts.

I could understand that.

Oh, and they won't bankrupt the nation...only people who work and pay taxes. The government can always print more money...unfortunately...I can't. I have to make money the old fashioned way.

[Polyxene]

"The first thing we should do is means test all handout programs."

Double-dog dittos to that! Starting line -- All of the gimme-programs started by LBJ and his "Great Society". Paying able-bodied people (mostly women) to sit on their butts and collect a monthly check, food stamps, a housing allowance, health insurance, etc. is out-right theft! Paying them more money each month for each additional child, fathered by a different man is outrageous.

[EVO X]

The second is to stop paying for cosmetic surgery and drugs like Viagra

My insurance doesn't pay for cosmetic surgery and the feds won't allow a tax break for routine cosmetic surgery.

[Terriergal]

Our continued unwillingness to address this disconnect counts as one of 2005's big stories.

All the while, Jim Wallis and Sojourners is willing to address this, from the opposite point of view, and infusing the argument with relgious language.

[Racehorse]

. . . gorge our own disgusting boomer generation.

LOL.

There will be a long line of post boomer opportunists gorging themselves on the Boomers' tasty decaying flesh.