Unforgivable.

Editor,

When I was 25, if someone told me that rather than to have Social Security and Medicare contributions deducted from my paycheck I could take home that money and spend it however I wanted, I would have leapt at the offer -- because at the age of 25 I unconsciously, irrationally, and magically assumed that I would never grow old. Saving for my retirement, which Social Security is, had as much reality in my universe as living on a distant star.

For the Republican party to woo youngsters, who have no concept of aging and even less of retiring, with promises of using their erstwhile FICA deductions to get rich in the stock market, is the most cynical, despicable manipulation I have seen since the invasion of Iraq.

Elders in a society have a sacred -- yes, sacred -- duty to look out for the interests of our young. For a political party to mock this obligation in order to put a few more billion dollars in their patrons' pockets is unforgivable.

Re: "Support for Obama Slips; Unease on 2012 Candidates" (9/17/2011)