Deanne Danforth wrote a reasoned response (Nov. 20) of my letter. (Nov. 15)

My criticism of government programs doesn’t mean I don’t want to help people, but to show the shortcomings of those programs. The point being, if Social Security didn’t take so much, people would have more to invest.

Yes, the stock market goes up and down. But over the 50-year span most people work, it has always done much better than Social Security, and a private fund is ours to use as we see fit, not spooned out to us at “survival” levels.

Many current retirees are surviving on Social Security, and we should keep our promise to them. But future ones would do much better with privatized plans; other countries have tried it and it works.

Medicare also helps people who are truly in need, but the burdensome paperwork and low reimbursement rates hurt the health care system, and makes health care more expensive for everyone else. We can do better.

The S-CHIP program President Bush vetoed would have expanded coverage to include “children” up to the age of 25, making up to 400 percent of the poverty level. I hardly think this qualifies as needy.

Regarding the war, it isn’t a choice between caring for the needy and defending ourselves. We are under attack from an enemy whose stated goal is to destroy us. They’ve proven many dozens of times their willingness and ability to kill and maim free people all over the world.

Gerard Gelinas, Lewiston