I was reading a new piece (see below) about complaints from women's groups over differences in health insurance premiums charged to males and females:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33483625/ns/business-small_business
If they get their wish and Congress buckles to demands to charge equal premiums for men and women, then I want re-examination of gender differences that "discriminate against" males. Auto insurance, for example. Why should insurance companies be able to charge young males more for auto insurance than young females? Nevermind that young males have more traffic offenses and accident claims than young females. It's inequality!!
And, why should men have to pay more for life insurance than a woman of the same age and health status? Nevermind that males are statistically more likely to die at every age than a woman, thus making it more likely that someone will collect on his policy. No, ignore that fact and treat us all as if we are identical.
Now, I'm sure women would like to have the fact of their longer longevity ignored, such that they would get higher monthly retirement benefits than they do now. But, how is it fair to me, that I would get the same monthly check as a similarly-situated woman my age, who stands on-average to outlive me by 7 years . . to collect that money for 7 years longer than I might? What is "equal" about that?
This is yet another example where people want change in those aspects of life that would benefit them, but you don't hear a peep from them about changes that would disadvantage them. But life don't work that way -- at least I hope not!