Help help the sky is falling. the sky is falling. In today's edit/op page of NYTimes, brooks once again points out the real villains in our soon to be collapsed American sky. (l) Social Security and its neer do well people who have the selfish urge to remain alive and (2) poor, unemployed, underemployed and their children and elderly dependents who use Medicaid. To cover the "looming fiscal crisis... the federal government will have to come up with an extra $50 trillion just to pay for the promises it's made as of today." Well, I don't take any of the Republicans figures as the Holy Grail, and my bet is these figures are skewed to make their case, i.e., destroy SS and Medcaid.
If we had a reasonable Republican party in office, not interested in waging war throughout the world to "bring democracy" and while doing so, creating "horrible" poverty here -- a conversation could be had. Would Barbara Bush be there at the table in her tasteful pearls to give the affluent a voice? I think brooksie needs to spend time as a porter in an emergency room which cares for the people and their children who have lost health insurance and find themselves in some overcrowded er with overworked staff. I think brooksie needs to spend some time changing diapers in nursing homes where our elderly are warehoused until they die. What are these people doing bankrupting us? And while there rages an argument about Terry Schiavo, thousands of these people are treated as they have no right to merciful care every day here in "the richest country in the world." I have my doubts about that last phrase and wonder how much longer we can use it with a straight face. My favorite quote: "I wouldn't be surprised if many of today's politicans decided to reorient their careers. I meet too many who are quietly alarmed by the looming fiscal catastrophe...[their party - I think he means Dems, don't you] simply won't be relevant to the issue that will dominate politics for years to come." I doubt it -- why would they want to work for a living - especially with their really good lifetime healthcare?