http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ownership_society
http://www.thedailybeast.com/newswee...p-society.html
http://www.tompaine.com/articles/wha...ip_society.php
So, here we are seven-eight years later. How did it work out?
Pretty dismal failure from the looks of it. And if the conservative dream of eliminating government programs such as Social Security and Medicare are ever realized, I would imagine a similar and equally crushing failure would follow.
You see, the fantasy is that left to their own intelligence and where-with-all, the average American will do far better without any sort of guidance from government directly or even in lieu of the government pressuring employers to "handle it".
The fact is, IMO, that while some may do okay, and a handfull might even excel, (I would argue that those "some" would excel in any case.), many have neither the knowledge, aptitude or inclination to amass the necessary wealth to acheive financial independence. And never will. That's just reality.
Just as easing regulation in the housing industry led to collapse, due to people getting in way over their heads, elimination of "safety nets" will also lead to similar disaster.
(Picture armies of elderly, who have no pension, no SS, no way to pay their own medical bills, and a scant pittance in thier 401ks, if they have any savings at all and children who are unable or unwilling to support them-----stepping into the voting booth.)
I'm sure some of you will explode after reading this, and accuse me of "trolling". This is not my intention. I'm just interested in seeing everyones thoughts on this rather "core" point.
We created some things for a reason. I think eliminating them will be the surefire way to find out what that reason is. Kind of like when a redneck shouts "Hey y'all, watch this." just before he breaks his own back doing something stupid.
Dave