"Such expenses obviously require huge increases in taxes. We don’t want these. The truth is that a huge number of elderly have not contributed to their society and will have nothing to contribute in the future. Why should we tax our citizens to pay for people who chose not to take care of themselves and have nothing to offer us?”
-“But they are human beings. They are your citizens. They are your parents and relatives. It seems to me that there is a duty, a moral obligation, to take care of them.”
”Yes they are human beings. But are they equal to us, or to you? Yes, they are citizens. But have they been responsible citizens? Yes they are your parents or relatives. But if there is a duty to take care of them, why shouldn't it rest with their children and relatives? We keep coming back to the idea of responsibility. If you haven't been responsible for yourself, why should I be responsible for you? I am well aware of the large number of your elderly and retired people who do not have enough money to live on. They run up credit card debt in massive amounts. But often they started that practice well before they retired. Then medical and funeral expenses kept increasing their debt. (24)
“As I have said before, we are all going to die. So how many elderly are there that would contribute significantly to your society if you keep them alive? How many will patent an important invention? How many will enact an important law? How many will write an incisive book? I dare say that it will be a very, very few.”
”We seem to be getting nowhere on this one! So let me ask you about your legal system."