[snugs]

OK it comes out of our taxes but I am quite happy to do that for my senior citizens and what they have done for my country.

Many of whom are surviving just above the poverty line and certainly would not be able to pay for medication or any form of health insurance.

Many come from the era when they just about survived on their wages and could not afford to provide for their old age.

The younger generation are different and have far more disposable income.

[Phsstpok]

Many of whom are surviving just above the poverty line and certainly would not be able to pay for medication or any form of health insurance.

I too applaud efforts to help poor seniors.  However, as a group, senior citizens are the wealthiest segment of the US population.

The last 30 years have seen a massive transfer of wealth from younger working Americans to older non-working Americans.  They may be the self styled "greatest generation," but I think a hearty hand shake and a gold watch should be sufficient thankyou beyond their massive Social Security and Medicare programs, which are going to bankrupt us long before I see anything, let alone my children or grandchildren.  This constant demand for more freebies for folks whose average net worth out distances mine by several orders of magnitude is annoying.

Again, helping the poor is totally different.  That's why I fully endorse means testing for all government benefits programs (along with severe penalties for fraud).

[kabar]

OK it comes out of our taxes but I am quite happy to do that for my senior citizens and what they have done for my country...The younger generation are different and have far more disposable income.

Are you advocating changing the rules once the younger generation is eligible to start collecting the benefits at age 60?

[Seattle Conservative]

"OK it comes out of our taxes but I am quite happy to do that for my senior citizens and what they have done for my country."

I agree w you snugs. Not sure about the UK, but I know we wouldn't have as much of a deficit problem here and/or paying for entitlement programs (soc sec, medicare, medicaid, etc.) if, for starters
1) they'd get rid of a lot of non-essential programs such as studying the mating habits of tse tse flies, sponsoring the Cowgirl Museum, etc. (not saying that they shouldn't be done, but don't think the taxpayers should pay for many of them)
2) they'd monitor and administer the entitlement programs better (get rid of those that are receiving payment that shouldn't be - - there was a case here recently in WA where a woman had been cashing her mom's SS checks and her mom had been dead for 12 years - - the woman owes the gov't about $250,000)
3)quit paying for healthcare and welfare for illegals.