Cogs in the Machine

In these difficult economic times I am hearing of more and more people taking early retirement. This seems like another negative impact that will be coming to the country. Many of us have determined that we no longer need to be a productive member of this society but instead are due an easy life. People that have truly become unable to work should retire, but able bodied people need to be convinced in their own mind of the need to be an active, productive member of our community.

As people age but are able to work they should feel it an honor to be active in the labor force. Perhaps more frequent or longer vacations would sate the need for rest and relaxation.

As the economy is now, with rising unemployment, with fewer people paying taxes, the country does not need more people withdrawing from production to go on social security but rather it needs more people to deny themselves.

It is important for people, men particularly, to be invested in the country. To be active, productive members of society.

This also ties in that it is a bad idea to have half of the people not paying income tax. Even if the bottom half of the earners of the population only pay a smaller percentage it would be a start. It would make them invested in the decisions of the country and focus their attention. My preference, in theory of course, would be that every person would pay the same percentage. We would all be invested in the decisions made by our politicians and more acutely aware of their impact. Why should I pay less of a percentage of my income than a physician that sacrificed for their education and continues to sacrifice in their practice?