Stand up, be counted on our country's future

My parents grew up during the Great Depression; Dad fought in World War II. Their generation was aptly named The Greatest. They taught me to live within my means. Today, those who question reckless spending are called unpatriotic.

I have been paying into Social Security for more than 40 years. Meanwhile, the government took that money, gave me an IOU and spent much of it on vote-mongering legislation. Social Security is a broken system because the politicians can't keep their hands off our money. I'm for health care reform, but I am against a government-run program. Bureaucracies have no incentive to function like a business. When programs fail, bureaucrats cut benefits and cry out for more money.

I'm tired of self-serving politicians, Republicans and Democrats alike, who won't give up their thrones. Why don't we have Congressional term limits or tort reform?

I'm so fed up that I attended a tea party on July 4 and will join others to march on Capitol Hill on Sept. 12. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ridicules my behavior and calls me "astroturf," mistakenly thinking I'm super wealthy.

Six of our nine grandchildren are old enough to vote, and I caution them to pay close attention to what's happening in Washington. The national debt is growing at an alarming rate, and China is heavily financing their future. By the time my ashes float peacefully across Calibogue Sound, I hope the grandchildren will thank me, in English, for standing up and being counted.

Deb Welch

Hilton Head Island