Dear Fellow Seniors

Yes you, the classes of 1946 or 1957 or 1965 plus those earlier or later to the release from high school. What are you thinking?

First, conservatives. Some of you don't seem to realize that Medicare and Medicaid ARE socialized, government run medicine, so you sound a bit foolish with that rallying cry. You need to go back and re-read your high school text books, especially the part about the New Deal and the Great Society. It's all there in black and white.

Second, liberals. Yes, Medicare costs are out of sight, and Medicaid is bankrupt. And whose fault is that? Congress has had the power ever since the 1960s to ask the tough questions and stop the fraud and abuse, but it didn't. Guess why doctors won't take new Medicare patients? Take a look at the cash for clunkers program. How hard was it to get bottled water to Katrina victims? Hello! Once the federal government gets past clean water, quarantines and vaccines, and purple marks on beef, it's chaos in helping large numbers--like 300 million clients. State and local government agencies or non-profits or large businesses are more flexible and efficient.

Next, unhappy members of AARP. Where have you been? This is an organization formed, not to protect or represent seniors, but to sell products, particularly insurance. They don't represent you in Congress; they are a powerful lobbyist for their investors. Your elected Congressperson is supposed to represent you. I have no problem with people earning a few carefully disguised dollars, but really, I had this one figured out in their first mailing when I turned 50. And I was a Democrat who always had worked for the state.

Finally, about life expectancy and all the lies you're hearing whether Republican, Democrat, Independent or Libertarian. No, we don't have terrible health care, but we do have expensive drugs. We wouldn't have them being developed under socialism, even though the "drug programs" are. Seniors are now the cash cow for drug developers. When you get to a certain point in economic and social development, and the big killers like infant diarrhea, plague, malaria and leprosy are under control, you go after the diseases that affect people who make it through early adulthood. If you reduce auto accidents, something else jumps to the top. If you conquer cancer, another disease makes it to the nightly alarms called the broadcast news. That's why we have more years of life expectancy at age 40 or 50 than all those socialist countries. Our infant mortality rate is high because of poor, unmarried and immigrant women having babies--Europe aborts theirs, and illegal immigration is tough in Ireland, Italy and Finland. We are a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural country--this ain't no Finland or Sweden, in case you missed it. "Access" or "insurance" are just two tiny factors in what a long life or good health means. It's life style, it's genes, it's gender, it's education, it's religion, it's accidents and disasters, unforeseen.

Come on, you guys, bring those brain cells out of retirement and let's hear it for the team!