shocking and very sad

[audrey_girl]

very disturbing, what is happening to a lot of the elderly in US:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123535088586444925.html

[touchring]

Re: shocking and very sad

It's a lot worst in Singapore here, although the really elderly destitute (with no relatives) get free healthcare, rent, and food (really just groceries).

I think the test in America comes when the social security runs out of money.

[Uno]

Re: shocking and very sad

If we can get Jeb Bush and Sarah Palin elected in 2012 then we could use the eldery to supervise the children in the factories and bible camps.

[occdude]

Re: shocking and very sad

Where are their families? Where are their social institutions ie. churches,civic clubs etc. ? Where are their savings?

What have we been busy building for the past forty years? All these instituions, these quaint notions of how to run a society are gone. In their place are nameless,faceless goverment minions. Well, see how that works?

We need to step out of our bubbles and take care of us and ours. Stop with the $800 rims on a 40 thousand dollar cars,granite counter tops and the biggest big screen tvs around. Wer'e too fat to drive, cook and watch tv.

Time to rebuild folks. Unsure how to? Read about what we used to do before the government got into every nook and cranny.

[c1ue]

Re: shocking and very sad

Uno,

I'm not sure what your problem is.

Your messiah has been elected.

Every opportunity to make a Democrat mark on the public conscience is in place: a big crisis, a big Congressional majority, popular support.

Only if this opportunity is squandered - admittedly as it appears so far - is any return to the Republican kabuki side even conceivable.

Yet here you are trying to stir up the masses a la Bizarro Rove style.

Are you working for Obama 2012 already? Or is it Clinton 2012?

[tastymannatees]

Re: shocking and very sad

very disturbing, what is happening to a lot of the elderly in US:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123535088586444925.html

I've seen this for a while.

Follow the old people around the market they have almost nothing but the generic food stuffs in their carts and really not much of anything else. I get really upset when I see them pick up some fresh fruit or vegetable, put it back down after reading the price and then just check out with the one bag of generics.

[Jim Nickerson]

Re: shocking and very sad

I've seen this for a while.

Follow the old people around the market they have almost nothing but the generic food stuffs in their carts and really not much of anything else. I get really upset when I see them pick up some fresh fruit or vegetable, put it back down after reading the price and then just check out with the one bag of generics.

I was at Walmart the other day checking out a bag of dog food when the lady behind me asked "did I have a dog?" (she must have been an off duty CNBC talking head visiting in Fort Worth). I answered her that the food was for me. She asked, "Won't it make you sick?" I said well, after eating some, I did recently end up in the hospital, but it was from being hit by a bus when at the curbside I bent over to smell the ass of an Irish setter what was pissing on a tire.

[BadJuju]

Re: shocking and very sad

I was at Walmart the other day checking out a bag of dog food when the lady behind me asked "did I have a dog?" (she must have been an off duty CNBC talking head visiting in Fort Worth). I answered her that the food was for me. She asked, "Won't it make you sick?" I said well, after eating some, I did recently end up in the hospital, but it was from being hit by a bus when at the curbside I bent over to smell the ass of an Irish setter what was pissing on a tire.

I've heard that joke elsewhere, heh. :p

[KGW]

Re: shocking and very sad

Where are their families? Where are their social institutions ie. churches,civic clubs etc. ? Where are their savings?

What have we been busy building for the past forty years? All these instituions, these quaint notions of how to run a society are gone. In their place are nameless,faceless goverment minions. Well, see how that works?

We need to step out of our bubbles and take care of us and ours. Stop with the $800 rims on a 40 thousand dollar cars,granite counter tops and the biggest big screen tvs around. Wer'e too fat to drive, cook and watch tv.

Time to rebuild folks. Unsure how to? Read about what we used to do before the government got into every nook and cranny.

Government? Don't tell me you are one of those who fail to perceive that the government is run by an oligarchy, comprised of (surprise) extremely wealthy "businessmen."

[occdude]

Re: shocking and very sad

Government? Don't tell me you are one of those who fail to perceive that the government is run by an oligarchy, comprised of (surprise) extremely wealthy "businessmen."

If your making the case for less oligarchial government I am with you. But the easiest way to do that is to limit governments scope of responsibility. Hence my point, we need less government running everything and more individuals running thier own lives. The oligarchy didn't tell that woman to have 5 kids who don't support her, or other people to spend on trinkets and not save (advertising doesn't count, because theres plenty of advertising that says to save as well).

Oligarchies only work if government has a monopoly. Power is way too centralised. Government needs to back away and let 350 million people come up with 350 million ways to live their lives again. With freedom comes responsibility and society needs to wreste that back from the Oligarchs/government again.

[nathanhulick]

Re: shocking and very sad

What exactly is shocking about people ,who didnt plan on how they were going to support themselves when they got older, end up having trouble supporting themselves when they got older?

I agree that its sad, and certainly some people may have planned and had things not work out as they expected, but "shocking" certainly doesnt describe the situation.