Mike- Don't be such a suck up; if you have an opinion, state it with confidence.
Tynan- I didn't know too much about Ron Paul before the past few months, and I'm not one to typically get into politics, but I have to say that the discussion this post has started is definitely making me want to find out more.
Hayden makes some good points- the government shouldn't be our babysitter. If American's are typically "too stupid" to figure out a way to provide for their future- let them struggle. If the older generation is dependant on these services, that's understandable- they've been counting on having them their whole life, so we can't just take that away from them. However, the younger generation can certainly adapt. If we're allowed to keep more of the money we work for, we can save the difference between our old salary and our new one and put that in savings. So if you're one of the people who wants social security- you can create your own! Right? It makes perfect sense to me, that is, if I'm understanding this all.
I do have a few questions though, to anyone who can answer them: What about all of the services taxes provide funding for, like building new roads and schools, or paying for postal workers, firefighters, animal shelters, residential hospitals, etc? If things like that become privatized, don't they have a really high potential of being corrupted?
I don't know much about any of that stuff, and never cared before, but now that I can vote I want to start paying more attention. So if anyone wants to correct, criticize, or inform me on anything, I'm curious to your opinions and suggestions.