The American Spectator

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(Page 6 of 12)

Mr. Stein, to paraphrase the statement in the scriptures re the selfish, wealthy ruler who threw himself a feast. We have been weighed in the balances and found wanting. We chase wealth and all it will buy. We spend all we have, then go into debt so that we can spend more. We ignore all the warnings re 'saving for a rainy day', or 'putting something away for retirement'. Then we complain that the government won't give us more welfare, and social security, and health care, while voting for liberals who make us the empty promises we so foolishly believe.

Mankind isn't improving as we evolve. We're literally flying apart, degenerating as our momentum slows.

Sir, keep trying to warn your audiences to save more, and prepare for the future. But don't take it too hard when they smilingly ignore you, assuming that the government (using our tax money) will save them from their own cupidity.

Ben Stein wonders about what we all think about the soldiers in Iraq (extremely supportive and grateful). He marvels at the vast wealth around him. He of course is extremely wealthy. And he inveighs against us baby boomers for not putting enough away for retirement. He simply has no idea what he is talking about. Let me run down my costs of living so he will have a better idea of how Americans actually live. I am a 57 year old physician, an endocrinologist (not a very lucrative medical specialty). I make a salary of $220,000 a year, which qualifies me as wealthy, and ineligible for the tax breaks the Democrats want to give for college tuition payments. My son is in an MFA program at Columbia, tuition of $40,000 a year for the 3-year program. (I also previously paid for his older sister's undergraduate and medical school costs.) Living costs for him in New York are at least $30,000 a year. (I have just finished paying $250,000 for his Stanford undergraduate education.) I pay $70,000 a year in federal income taxes, including the alternative minimum. I pay $10,000 a year in health insurance. I pay $12,000 a year in property taxes in Texas, a high property tax state, unfortunately. (I have no mortgage payment. I have owned my home for 15 years). $10,000 is withheld from my paycheck for SS. I put $16,000 a year into a 401k, now to rise to $20,000 if I can find the money, the limit allowed by my employer. I put $7,000 a year into IRA's for myself and my wife. I haven't had a vacation in 7 years. I work 60 to 80 hour weeks. I don't eat out. You can calculate from the above figures that I live on $25,000 a year (less for my wife and I than it costs to support our son with living expenses in New York City). I have $750,000 in retirement accounts, stocks, and cash. Based on my current circumstances, I will be able to retire perhaps at age 80 with adequate income if I am very lucky. All I get out of Washington is grief.

I think a lot about the troops all over the world (I was in the Navy). My parents' generation fought WWII. I favor the Neocon view of more troops in Iraq, and taking out Syria and Iran, and sending special ops forces in Pakistan to take bin Laden. I favor U.S. military action in Darfur, Somalia, and North Korea. I didn't sign up for the Navy again after 9/11 because my wife and son would have no means of support, and I was too old to do much useful. I very much wanted to go. I favor the Sherman approach, overwhelming force, utter destruction of the enemy, done quickly, and then rebuild vigorously.

I'm sure Ben Stein doesn't agree with or understand any of this (nor does anyone in Washington, it seems). But he is one of the effete elites, and has no idea how I live. He is sought for commentary, yet knows virtually nothing and never says anything germane. I could give him a lot better idea of how the country should be run than he can give me, but he certainly would never deign to listen to anyone with a good idea. His argument that taxes on the rich (me) should be increased is insane. I wish he would just go away. We have enough problems without him adding to them.

topics:
Taxes, Education, Health Care, John McCain, Social Security, Religion, Islam, Hollywood, Law, Military, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Pakistan, NATO, North Korea, Socialism, Oil, Unions