Opting Out

 
In the United States, Social Security benefits...

What we need is competition and a chance for people to opt out of the system. You talk about opting out of ObamaCare? Why can’t we opt out of the whole system and take care of ourselves?

That’s a great question that I’ve wondered about for many years. For example, why can’t people opt out of Social Security? It seems to be in pretty bad shape.

Why can’t I say to the government, “Do not take any Social Security deductions from my income. Let me keep all that money, and when I retire, you owe me nothing.” Why is that not an option?

You might say, “Because you’ll screw it up. You’ll spend all the money now, and when you’re too old to work, you won’t have anything in the bank.”

Why is that your problem?

All Politics is Local

 

California Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed a state spending plan today (June 16) that would have deepened the cut in financial support for the University of California by another $150 million for the coming fiscal year.

In principle, I like cuts in public education funding, but since I have a kid entering the University of California in the fall, I applaud Gov. Brown’s commitment to high-quality yet affordable education via the UC system.

Graduation Still Life

 
Graduation Still Life

Time passes. Listen. Time passes. . . .

— Dylan Thomas, Under Milk Wood

Unlike Paul Cézanne, I didn’t spend hours setting this up. I captured it just the way it looked when I came downstairs this morning.

As one chapter ends, another begins. For the kids — most of them — the next chapter is college; for the parents, old age and death.

Happy Thursday, everybody!

I will not hide my tastes or aversions. I will so trust that what is deep is holy, if we follow the truth, it will bring us out safe at last. — Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self-Reliance

Pizza and Pessimism

 
Pizza

“There’s a slice of pizza missing,” my son announces.

When I got home from work, there were two slices left over from last night. I ate one and left one for him.

“I calibrated my appetite for two slices,” he says.

“The pessimist,” I say, “sees that there’s one slice missing. The optimist sees that there’s one slice left.”

Lasts

 
Boy doing math problems

Last day of high school. Can’t believe it’s all over. No more “what’s due tomorrow?”

The boy has a clock radio but he never sets it because he likes to sleep with the radio on. Yes, we probably should have made him get an alarm clock to encourage responsibility and self-reliance, but we didn’t. His mom and I have been waking him up for school for 13 years and this morning was the last time we’ll do that.

Shooting Hoops

 
Looking up

I was thinking about my overall dad performance over the last 18 years. Did I do enough activities with the boy?

My memory is playing tricks on me. I did do a lot of activities with him when he was younger, but as he got older, he did more things on his own and with his friends.

MY GOD, WHAT IF I DIDN’T DO ENOUGH ACTIVITIES WITH HIM?

“Hey, you wanna shoot some hoops?” I ask.

“Okay,” he says.

To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men, that is genius. — Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self-Reliance