Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Democrat or Republican? Which One Cares?


Marc Freedman was a guest columnist for the Washington Post in January and he wrote a great article about the very, very severe problems facing our nation. Ron Tate of The Boomer Wave (Click Link on left of this blog) and I have both written extensively about the huge wave of men and women approaching retirement.

One of the biggest challenges is what do Retirees do with themselves to keep life meaningful, interesting and worthwhile? People are living so much longer that if they retire from paid labor at 65 they still have, on average, 20 more years to live. Most people, and especially Boomers, do not want to sit and rock or take bus rides to Branson every month on the Senior Express.

I consider this to be one of the most critical tasks facing our nation and Western Europe. Over the past 100 years we have radically expanded the "Leisure time" we have to fill and when people retire they are facing a bleak future of bring alternatives.

Join this with the need to make money, Social Security, is bankrupt, and people will be scrambling to get paid jobs and our businesses and non-profits are unprepared for making it happen. Not too long ago we needed more people to leave the workplace through early retirement and golden parachutes. However, now we need people to work much longer and not retire at 65 or even 70.

I urge you to read Mr. Freedman's story in the Washington Post.
No Country for Old People?
It's a tough time for seniors these days, and getting tougher as the economy slumps. How can we enrich Americans' later years?

Ask Obama, Clinton and McCain what they will do to face these threats.

2 comments:

KiddDoc said...

Just like you old people--always complaining about stuff. Why can't you spoil your grandkids and quit yer whinin?

Besides, Obama thinks he's immortal with the typical rash courage of youth, Hillary has no intention of retiring before she bests hubby Bill, and McCain is too caught up in proving to us that he is independent and truthful to engage in an issue which would remind us that he looks and acts really old...

Gary Sweeten said...

Thanks, Richard. Just wait until we draw all the money out of the porly managed Medicare and Medicaid funds and see who is crying!

We are really spending your inheritance quickly.

I wish a few complaints would change the pols.