Comments (15) Jump to Comments Form

1. 

   nomad2112 said, 3 months ago

   Now they can afford their taxes.

2. 

   oldlegodad said, 3 months ago

   I only wish….

3. 

   ynnek58 said, 3 months ago

   Old people used to live with their extended family – mostly out of economic necessity. When I was in Hong Kong (free market capital of the world), I’d often see granny taking care of the kids, cooking and what not, while mum and dad were away working. It was a real cross generational effort, but very efficient and each one of the generations was part of the functioning family. Somehow, we’ve got it in our minds that everyone deserves and has the right to independence regardless of the cost – just an observation. I think you see that same extended family often times in Europe as well (though maybe a bit less now than in times past.

4. 

   omQ R said, 3 months ago

   Ynnek:

   Aw, that’s so sweet! The family, a cohesive, communal spirit, all contributing.

   …yet yesterday in Views America Aug 20th, you said:

   “If I were to start a system like SS today, I would go to jail in all fifty states, yet all the old people are like “but the promised us” Put a sock in it and go live with your kids if you can’t afford to be independent.”

   … Oh. I feel…All sore inside now. :-|

   So, how are your relationships with your children? Think theyºd change your nappies if need be? Do they have a spare bedroom? Have you told them you intend moving in with them later?

5. 

   Corosive Frog said, 3 months ago

   I was walking through Moncton’s Elmwood cemetery once and I saw the tomb of a 78 year old man burried with his parents. I thought to myself “Well, pops, it’s time you move out of your parents place”.

6. 

   ynnek58 said, 3 months ago

   omQ R

   I’m being perfectly consistent. If you can afford to live independently for you children, feel free to do so, but the rest of us don’t owe it to you – that’s the point. Families owe it to their folks to take care of them should that time come – not the government. Be nice to your kids, you might need help from them when you are old.

   The relationship I have with my kids is fine – one of them is bound to care for me, if for no other reason than to have a shot at the big pile of cash. lol But seriously, I treat them well, helped them through school, buy cars, whatever. I’m hoping to hold my money out of the reach of the thieving socialist long enough that I can leave a little for them – it’s an uphill battle.

   The extra good news is my family on both sides is long-lived and healthy, so I probably won’t have to worry about it too much.

   It sounds like you’d be some much happier in Cuba – they have that whole cradle-to-grave thing you’re dreaming about going on down there. I’ll bet if you wrote Fidel a nice letter, he’d even let you immigrate. It’ll be sweet.

7. 

   dtroutma said, 3 months ago

   My daughter just had her in-laws move out of her house after an eight month “visit”. It was good she could help them when they needed it.

   My mom is in a rest home on the other side of the country. My brother took her there to do what he wanted. Now it appears he may be permanently “checking out” in the next few days, and his wife has asked me to take over power of attorney for my mom, which I don’t mind, but wish my brother hadn’t moved her clear across the country ‘cause HE wanted to live in Florida for the cheap tax rates.

   We should take care of family, whether parents, kids, siblings, or what have you when they need our help. Hmmm, I actually believe that applies to my neighbor as well, danged liberal concept!

8. 

   fennec said, 3 months ago

   You are right, dtroutma, IMO. Too often we seem to think our good fortune is due to our intrinsic merit, and all too often it is really due to good luck. Remembering this makes it easier to help those who have not had such good luck.

9. 

   omQ R said, 3 months ago

   Oooh, how’d you know I fancied a holiday in Cuba, ynnek?

   You’re quite right, dtroutma,. My family, except one brother, helped each other out during tough times and we’re now generally all doing fine, except the one who didn’t help out 20 years ago. Still didn’t stop us stepping in to help him out during his rough period.
   Sorry to hear your brother is not faring well after his stroke.

10. 

    ynnek58 said, 3 months ago

    dtroutma

    I couldn’t agree with you more – families helping families and neighbors helping neighbors – voluntarily. It’s not institutionalized socialism when you do it without coercion – it’s called community, and I have no problem with that at all.

    Actually, I wouldn’t mind a vacation in Cuba, I just wouldn’t want to live under the hands of Castro (either one of them).

11. 

    oldlegodad said, 3 months ago

    What is the old saw ? be careful how you treat your kids, they are the ones who will pick out your “home”.

12. 

    cdward said, 2 months ago

    Re: Cuba. It would be interesting to speculate what Cuba might have been like had there not been a long-standing economic embargo.

13. 

    ynnek58 said, 2 months ago

    cdward
    yeah, or even what it would have been like had they not had a revolution (at least a communist one anyway). I’m guessing either of those things would have resulted in a higher standard of living for the ‘average’ Cuban.

14. 

    4uk4ata said, 2 months ago

    Well, there’s no way to undo the revolution, but there is a way to remove the embargo. What role is it currently serving anyway? It hasn’t turned Cuba capitalist*, it hasn’t removed the Castros… all it does is woo the Cuban expats.

    *: actually, if it weren’t for it I’m quite sure it would have gone the way of China or Vietnam and started producing cheap goods for the US to use.

15. 

    omQ R said, 2 months ago

    Lifted quote from wiki…
    ”I believe that there is no country in the world including any and all the countries under colonial domination, where economic colonization, humiliation and exploitation were worse than in Cuba, in part owing to my country’s policies during the Batista regime. I approved the proclamation which Fidel Castro made in the Sierra Maestra, when he justifiably called for justice and especially yearned to rid Cuba of corruption. I will even go further: to some extent it is as though Batista was the incarnation of a number of sins on the part of the United States. Now we shall have to pay for those sins. In the matter of the Batista regime, I am in agreement with the first Cuban revolutionaries. That is perfectly clear.”

    – U.S. President John F. Kennedy, interview with Jean Daniel, October 24 1963