re: #353 Walter L. Newton

Regarding “entitlements”:

Well I want to pull my own weight & provide for my family as well, but here is a government “handout” story for you: Our first kid was born 2 months premature; my wife had a rare and dangerous form of toxemia which was diagnosed in the nick of time; we drove to UC Med & had the kid delivered by cesarian less than 24 hrs after they figured what was going on, & the kid was in the preemie ward almost 3 weeks. No way we could pay for all that. The state picked up the tab. But for our part we have never stinted in raising our kids as productive and responsible citizens. Now they are taller and stronger than either of us. And I think it all balances out in the end.

And this one year long shouting match about health care distresses me, because I really think that there should be a certain basic level of practical compassion in our country & there is not, and it is not so much a failure of government as it is a failure of the economic elite, and yes, of the common citizen too.