Comments:

Mr. Schumann, with all due respect, I have some questions.

From your commentary, one might deduce that government is "bad." Forgive me if I am wrong. You indicate that you are somewhat distrustful of government inititiatives. Might I therefore conclude that, given that belief system, you have chosen not to partake of Social Security and Medicare? I think it is a wonderful world when people can pay for all of their health care in cash. However, one catastrophic illness can knock out the resources of even the most prodigious saver.Just ask Christopher Reeve, who had exhausted his insurance at the end of his life and was relying upon the kindness of friends.

I must say that I find it troubling that so many of those over 65 who have enjoyed the benefits of SS and Medicare are so quick to throw those of us under the age of 55 under the bus. My own mother is 80 years old and says that she has gotten far more out of the system than she has put in. She is grateful, and concerned that her children and grandchildren will not have the same resources when we are older and more frail. And she is right. If the Tea Party achieves a majority in our government, they will work to privitize SS, and turn Medicare into a voucher system. These are not Democratic talking points. They are the stated goals of people like Paul Ryan and Michele Bachmann, and their Tea Party ilk. Mitt Romney, who knows? He has changed his views so many times on so many issues, I am surprised that he can stand up straight.

If you want to talk about misappropriated tax dollars, one need only look at the 2 illegal, immoral wars intitated by George Bush, who inherited a surplus only to quickly turn that into a monstrous deficit, from which President Obama is still trying to bring us out of. But I digress.

The difference between progressives and Ayn Randians is that we believe that human beings are all in this together. I am happy to pay taxes to guarantee health care for my fellow Americans. I know that through no fault of my own I could become gravely ill and lose everything. I know who I am and what I believe, and I definitely do not subscribe to Objectivism.

Mr. Schumann, before you interject that you have paid into SS and Medicare your whole life, let me say that I have been working since I was 15. I am now 51. Unfortunately, there are some in your generation who believe that I do not deserve to enjoy a retirement unfettered by concerns about the natural aging process. Meaning, if I get cancer or some other ailment, tough beans.

I think history will show you to be on the wrong side. Sadly, long after you are gone, some of us will be living with the consequences of the Tea Party movement. I will tell you one thing: I will be doing everything under my power to ensure that the Tea Party politicians are marginalized. Fortunately, I think many already have buyers' remorse for their votes in 2010. Although I am only in Minnesota temporarily, I will be working in Jim Graves' campaign to eliminate Michele Bachmann.

I will be submitting my own commentary to Jason on the health care system within the next few weeks. Enjoy it.

The Journal could have run a whole other story in the space this old guy took to say, "R'publikans great! Demikrats bad!"

Daniel is absolutely correct!

"R'publikans great! Demikrats bad!" in 72 point type!

Hello. And Bye.