Values

[Stephen Wyman <swyman@altavista.net>]

Today I read one of the posts that defined FDR's 'three legged
stool' as: SS, pension & private savings (a definition that is
better than what I understood the aforementioned stool to be, which
was: SS, medicare & medicaid).

Simply stated: as a whole, we are far too rich a country to have
anyone living below the poverty line.  However, I believe that
there should only be a safety net provided by the government; as
opposed to income redistribution (the basis of socialism).

I, like a lot of folks working today, have a 401k (instead of a
pension) in addition to personal savings.  If, for whatever reason,
I do an insufficient job of setting aside funds in my 401k or
savings, for retirement, then I'd like a safety net in case I either
can't return to the workforce, or can't secure a paycheck that
allows me to keep myself above the poverty line.

Therefore, I do support means testing, higher retirement ages and
more self-reliance.  One should plan to retire on their own private
savings & investments (include 401k here) as much as possible.

Entitlements are addictive, and the politicians who buy votes with
the 'promise' to take care of us are the dealers of this dangerous
and addictive service.