tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957911.post3213276129365647357..comments2024-03-27T21:41:50.122-07:00Comments on Iron Tongue of Midnight: Rebranding AmericaLisa Hirschhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14014924958428072675noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957911.post-47245593434277207742009-10-25T16:24:14.455-07:002009-10-25T16:24:14.455-07:00Russell, I would absolutely never expect anyone to...Russell, I would absolutely never expect anyone to forgo Medicare and Social Security - I just think that Americans' independence from each other is wildly overstated and socially harmful. We are all interdependent, whether we like it or not.<br /><br />Paul, yes. A friend of mine just wrote about a relative of her husband's who is comfortably retired with a good pension and Social Security. This person hates unions even though his or her pension was negotiated by the union to which s/he used to belong. sheesh.Lisa Hirschhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14014924958428072675noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957911.post-3301842995113983512009-10-25T15:42:12.403-07:002009-10-25T15:42:12.403-07:00The most successful societies in the world today h...The most successful societies in the world today have bigger government, higher taxes and less reliance on the individual.<br /><br />To esteem individual responsibility ahead of the common good is to forfeit all the advanteges that accrue from collective action thus limiting such a culture to permanent second-class status.Paul H. Mullernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957911.post-10432453180118003272009-10-25T15:29:25.214-07:002009-10-25T15:29:25.214-07:00Those who are opposed to Medicare and Social Secur...Those who are opposed to Medicare and Social Security aren't allowed to opt out when it comes to paying taxes. Wouldn't it be hypocritical to expect them to forgo the benefits?saintrussellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15169325761829824955noreply@blogger.com