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February 07, 2011



Danny Harder

Your opinion about the sacrifices that need to be made are right on target, with one big flaw. It's the younger generations that you're asking to sacrifice for the excesses of the "baby-boomer generation." This generation, thanks to the "greatest generation," have lived high on the hog for decades; sqaundering away valuable natural resources and bargaining (more like strong arming by unions and lobbyists) for excessive government pension plans and entitlement programs. Coupled with elected officials (also of the "baby-boomer" generation) that are self-serving and apathetic to the future impending crisis of this country, it's no wonder we're in this predicament. Your flaw: You're asking the wrong generations to do the sacrificing! Is the generation that got us into this mess with their greedy and self-centered attitudes allowed to pass the buck? In my opinion, future generations don't have a choice but to sacrifice, but the "baby-boomer" generation must be made to sacrifice as well.

Donut Hinge Party

Wow! You're pushing for 100% Inheritance tax?

I applaud your bravery, sir.


Donut Hinge Party - I'm sorry, but I do not see any mention of inheritance taxation in that article.

All very sensible indeed, Mr Streeter.

Donut Hinge Party

Well, ANYONE can be self-sufficent if they have a trust fund of $30 million. It's a bit harder if you've got two red cents and a shoelace.

Green and Pleasant

More like Donut unhinged party!


Agree everyone should be self-sufficient. Can we start with the bankers?

Andrew Smith

I am a Brit posting from Britain.

Well I don't know about Danny, but I have never taken funds out of the state since leaving university in the days before student loans. I have since then paid all my taxes, never defaulted on liabilities and paid my own childrens university education, apart from the debts they took on themselves.

Although I was born soon after the second war, I do not think I have been the cause of overspending by the state as I have always supported candidates with a small spending agenda, or so they said at the time.

As to the Pledge, it is not strictly true to say we must all work longer. What we and America needs to do is to generate the resources each year so they produce what they and we consume. The vigour of the free enterprise system only needs the reins slackened off to enable it to produce the goods efficiently and likely without huge additional hours of work.

It seems to me the common cause of the past problems and the difficulties in overcoming them are the politicians we have and have had. They tell us they can run this and that but make such a hash they fail. Then they keep the tax revenues and tell us to fix it ourselves.

Notice the common problem? Too many politicians allowed too much access to the cookie jar!

Simon Newman

"Anyone under 55, but especially younger Americans – let’s say those under 45 – should start preparing for a very different future than the previous generation enjoyed"

Hmm, so basically the Baby Boomers get to loot the country, trash the economy, and laugh all the way to the grave? Why shouldn't they bear some of the burden? God knows they've done enough harm.

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