Nah, I don’t follow that logic at all, except to the extent birth rates correspond to pension program and economic trends.
I’m English so I’ve had the pleasure of both systems (for 35 years in the UK and 20 here). The NHS has its faults and what I pay isn’t a tax so I have my freedom. USA #1. This is sarcasm.
On a serious note my father died of cancer a few years ago but him and my mother had nothing but praise for the treatment and care they got on the NHS. And he had treatment for around 4/5 years. My FIL also died of cancer here and was also full of praise for the treatment (3 yrs) he got. He had quite substantial means so money wasn’t too much of an issue for him. My parents didn’t (they were OK but not particularly wealthy) but never had the worry of the cost hanging over their head.
That is the extent. Pensions account for a huge amount of the public purse, and when changes in historic birth rates mean a much smaller proportion of the population is working and a much larger one is retired you either have to raise taxes a lot or increase the retirement age.
Hence the “pensions timebomb”.
Maybe this effect wasn’t so pronounced in Canada, but it’s widespread across Europe.
The first rule of Fight Club is “Don’t go to Fight Club.”
I think youre confusing two different things - the pensionable age for social security and the actual ages at which people retire. They are related but not the same. I am talking about the actual observed age at which people retire on average. It varies over periods even when the SS age does not. What I’m saying is the explanatory factors for variation in actual retirement ages are more related to economics. Changes in the target retirement age for SS systems is more dependent on longevity expectations.
Ah, sure.
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No but he’s on a task force for a disease that is killing old people, and is on the record that yeah they’re probably not having a good life anyway.
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One of the most frustrating parts to me about this dude is that he thinks we need to “contribute to work, society, the world.” Shit, if I’m lucky enough to live well past 75, I hope I don’t have to do any of that shit. I just want to relax and enjoy the rest of my life. Hell, I don’t do any of that now, except for raising my kids to be good people.
My parents are 74 and 76 and they certainly aren’t doing anything except chilling. And that’s exactly what I want them to be doing.
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Yes. It’s an absolutely warped view of the world to think “I’m not even going in to the office any more, what is this life good for?”
I’m kind of jealous that he’s evidently been able to find so much meaning in his career I guess, but it’s also quite insulting on a personal level when I am in crisis mode trying to find value anywhere I can in my life and he’s like “pffft - you think HIKING is a valuable use of your time?”
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He’s Rahm Emmanuels brother so not too huge of a surprise that they tie a persons value to how much work and contribution they can give. Just a shitty family in many many ways
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I go back and forth in worrying about my work/life meaning something to the world. Sometimes I get a little upset that I haven’t done anything and might never do anything that really contributes anything, but then I come back around and say, “Fuck it, it doesn’t matter. Just be happy, be a decent person, and raise good kids and that’s all the contribution you need to do.”
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Huh, if I lose 100 pounds in the next three years this thing gives me an additional 20 years expectancy
Pretty much every quarantine given by any state or city is either poorly enforced or not enforced at all, right?
I’m willing to jump through the hoops to get into the country no problem and spend a few days in quarantine as mandated. But tests are not cheap when not covered by insurance. I mean I’m having an antigen test and PCR test 2 days before I leave and one upon arrival at JFK (my mother demands it) but an additional test after 3 days mandatory quarantine in the country seems excessive. It seems almost impossible to enforce that rule too. Just relying on the goodness of others I suppose.
Don’t have the cash to dish out after paying for transport and gifts for everybody.
We are in lockdown in Northern California. I have passed at least 5 restaurants that are still operating with inside seating. One of our city supervisors, a certifiably insane man, says that he will not enforce the CA state mandate. Its fucking insanity
Its only insanity if you care about other people.
For anyone who wants to understand the place I’ve chosen to live.
Florida’s Governor wants attorney sanctioned!
(Nope not a Giuliani article)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/12/15/florida-grim-reaper-desantis-uhlfelder/
where’s the 8 or more drinks per day. Thing is useless.
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Tests in the US are free if you affirm you do not have US facing health insurance. Schedule one at a cvs a couple days after you get here and quarantine until you get the results.
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