August 14, 1935: President Franklin Roosevelt signed Social Security into law. It has become one of the country's most successful insurance and retirement programs.
No matter what Republicans might say, these are not entitlements because people have paid premiums into the system, just as they would any other insurance or retirement program.
Entitlements are more accurately defined as the unquestioned belief of elite One Percenters that only they should benefit from this country's vast wealth, the rock-solid presumption and world view only they deserve to do so.
Another example of the difference? One great expectation is that the Romneys assume it is "their turn" to be President. After all, the stars -- and most importantly, the mega-money, super-PAC streams -- are all lined up, pointing one way.
The Romneys no doubt believe they can see, from the back porches and servants' entrances at all their mansions, not Russia, but both the Red "Magic" Carpet Ride and the Inherited Bootstrap Success Express constellations. Yes: Those skyward star clusters are rounding the celestial corner and coming into clear view, just for them, these many starry-eyed children of formerly bright -- and now dead -- stars, whose lives have been anything but star-crossed.
On Monday, August 6, 1945, after six months of intense firebombing of 67 other Japanese cities,...
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