The Very Serious People Are At It Again, Blaming The Baby Boomers For The Very Dangerous Deficit
You have to watch this video to see how insidiously the Villagers are spreading the narrative: Those Baby Boomers are sucking all the money out of the Treasury because they're just so damned selfish! And only some of them served in Viet Nam! Watch as Diane Sawyer puts on her Very Serious Face and says the deficit is a big problem. Pay attention to the lies scattered throughout. Dear God, it's going to be another one of those years:
The first baby boomers will turn 65 Jan. 1, beginning a flood of applications for Medicare benefits that experts fear could drain the economy and hold political repercussions for President Obama.
The baby boomer generation marked a huge reproductive uptick between 1946 and 1964, when 76 million children were born, creating a higher demand across the nation for schools and consumer products, and an upheaval in popular culture.
But this post-World War II generation's overwhelming demand on the Medicare system could possibly leave future generations with a bigger bill.
Medicare currently covers 46 million people, costing the government about $500 billion a year. But when the last of the iconic generation reaches 65 in about 20 years, more than 80 million people will be eligible for Medicare coverage, although the number of working people paying into the program will have decreased from 3.5 per person receiving benefits to 2.3.
The increase in the number of people eligible for benefits paired with the rising costs of health care and longer life spans threatens the program's sustainability. It could force the administration and Congress to come up with a plan to reduce costs, either by cutting benefits or raising taxes.
A recent Associated Press-GfK poll found that 61 percent of Americans favored raising taxes in lieu of slashing benefits. The poll included adults in their 20s, who potentially could end up paying more into the system.
Fifty-one percent opposed the idea of giving older Americans a fixed payment to use against the cost of private insurance, an option made popular by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis. Sixty-three percent opposed raising the age of eligibility.
Scrutiny Hooligans has more.
too long. She use to be a very good reporter.
Maybe it's either something in the water, or something they use in their cocktail mixes?
These things are very easy to check, Diane. Something a beginning journalism student to taugh in the rist week. You might want to revisit your notes from those days.
Really when was that? You have a date to go with that dilution? LOL
Your acting shocked that a corporatist douche is reporting lies? Sawyer has been a hack from day one, that is why she is on ABC. 20/20 ring a bell Skippy?? 20/20 is a show based of the defense of corporate asshattory.
she simply had peter jsnnings straight-faced delivery.
Some stuff you can't make up!
She started her working career for the REPUBLICAN PARTY and was briefly a weather girl and reporter for a local station. Then she worked for RICHARD NIXON on his memoirs! That should tell you everything you need to know about her point of view, which is entrenched in the GOP and has never challenged their party line in a memorable way. She is not a trustworthy source.
or is that level of anger focused on a fellow Liberal your typical MO?
I seem to recall a couple of good investigative pieces she did decades ago. But if I'm wrong, I'm worng - fine. There are less spiteful ways of putting it, arent' there? Ring a bell there, Skippy?
And a Happy New Year to you, too!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_KmivFbTTM
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
She never was a good "reporter", just a good vehicle of cult of personality.
reports it in a loop...call the local stations and complain about pushing repubbagger lies--Tell them you will be contacting their local sponsors en mass...to stop the noise! ABC has their ratings in the tank--they will do anything to get viewership!
Once again the GOP claims you can't tax the rich but you can tax the poor. Again I have to ask "Who votes for these ass-hats?"
The wealthy , the morons and the psychos in this country , roughly half of the population .
Insanity , it is what it is , there is no understanding it .
...I would have thought it was well more than half.
Mickey: "It was an epiphany. Do you know what an epipany is?"
Keoni: "NOT NOW MICKEY!"
didn't vote and most of them that did vote, voted republican, I suspect you're right.
and they are surely full-o-schitt.
Some stuff you can't make up!
Howzit goin bud? And a Very Happy New Year to you too . Been awhile.Hows that niece of yours doin in the Army?
As for the topic. Yeah, it's all our fault. The day I was born screwed up the whole equation.
They fail to mention Bush and his endeavors that screwed up everything Clinton had accomplished. In a few months, Bush lost it all. And he didn't try to stop it.
What is your conceptual, continuity?
...I'm a baby-boomer!
I'm a baby-boomer! I'm a baby-boomer!
I'm a baby-boomer! I'm a baby-boomer!
I'm a baby-boomer! I'm a baby-boomer! I'm a baby-boomer!
etc.
Mickey: "It was an epiphany. Do you know what an epipany is?"
Keoni: "NOT NOW MICKEY!"
I noticed my favorite little munchkin, Katie Couric started parroting the same line of bullshit last week. They've largely abandoned basic journalism and just read whatever is handed to them by their unpaid interns. It's a tough life collecting that $20 million a year, living in Connecticut, and enduring that interminable limo ride to work every day.
...I CRAP bigger than you.
Nothing makes a millionaire angrier than the "little people" asking for a few extra dollars. They hate that--- we're so selfish!
If the generation that fought Hitler and Tojo, are considered the best generation, then their children(the boomers) have to be the "worst generation", for many reasons.
We, the Boomers, have been in positions of power for over 20 years and look at what we have done to this country. We kick the can down the road at every opportunity, wether it is war, or paying our own bills for social services, we push responsibility off on the next group to come along.
It is members of the Boomer generation that eliminated Glass-Stegall, that "legalized", torture,it was the Baby Boomers on the Supreme Court that decided our fate in Citizens United v FEC.
Boomers demanded greater access to consumer credit.
Boomers saw the horrors of war, and decided two wars are manageable.
Boomers made it possible for corporations to move their taxable assets overseas.
I can add more, but my point is that it is individuals, and groups of people that can do very stupid, or very wise things. However, a generation is viewed as a larger collection than say Dems and Repugs. It is the works and deeds of a generation that defines it. Yes, I'd say the Boomers are the Worst Generation, and I don't think it is fair to lump us that are in our 50s with the early Boomers, but I have no control over that.
Boomers are the overseers of the largest transfer of wealth to the upper 1% in our nations history.
It gives e. pluribus unum, a whole different meaning....eh?
Boomers Suck! Get over yourselves and get outta' the way already.
'Talk to the hand'
That's pretty much what the boomers said to the previous generation. Different beefs but we blamed them for all our troubles too. As I'm sure the generation that follows yours will do to you. If you are in your fifties however, then I must point out that you are a boomer. Feel free to get out of the way.
Hasa Diga Eebowai
yup , we sure did .
Insanity , it is what it is , there is no understanding it .
that no civil rights movement was necessary, no environmental movement, no Vietnam War protests, no modern feminist movement. Damn those boomers, they inherited a perfect world and screwed it all up for the next generation.
Hasa Diga Eebowai
and nut up.
'Talk to the hand'
It stands to reason that about 50% of boomers are Republicans, right?
far left loon >.<
Hell no, that's my whole point. Only 30% actually go out and vote, the rest sit around on their bulbulous hind quarters and bitch because the price of cable went up again.....reason has nothing to do with it. Reason, if administered correctly, would have been far less bitter medicine 20 years ago than now. The only demographic that gives Repugs more than 50% support are white people.
It was not only dirty effing hippies, as you call them, it was damn near 80% of the American population.
I need to move on I have 2 parties to make today, and arguing with you just does not make the cut. ;-)
'Talk to the hand'
I like dirty fucking hippies.
I'm just pointing out boomers are not one big amorphous bloc. It's kind of unfair to label 76 million as being the same.
far left loon >.<
Two wars? I think you're forgetting 4 or 5 more.
You are correct about the total number, but I referred to 2 simultaneous wars by BushCoLLC.
The part of all of this that sticks in my craw is that the Boomers were suppose to be the generation that saw the evils of war and wanted to end war as an option. We were suppose to be the generation that chose to not follow the path that brought us to Viet Nam. Now the Boomers run everything and look at the shape we are in. How could an entire generation have allow wealthy spoiled brats to take control, loot the nation, and the rest be perfectly content with sitting in our lazy boy chair,munching snacks, and watching football between naps.
We are convinced that as long as we are entertained 24/7 by our television, we have nothing to fear while looters raid our nations wealth, both public and private, and put those assets beyond reach of taxation. WTF, we all fell for it. We all have egg on our face. Now the nihilist are gathering to meter out rough justice and we want to cry about our lack of options? Huh?
We did this to ourselves.
We allowed it to happen.
When did that happen?
How did they get away with that?
1-1-11, The rude awakening.
The Nihilists are at your door and they want your freedoms......the ones that you have yet to pay for. They want your pound of flesh,and the more tough love...aka pain and sorrow, that they can inflict on you, the more joy they derive from it.
Sorry,I'm usually not this glum, but perhaps, America, it might be a good time to forego that Carribean cruise that you were going to pay on credit, and start thinking more realistically about your station in life.
'Talk to the hand'
Didn't all those "dirty fucking hippies", that protested Vietnam, die of drug overdoses or some kind of dirt disease?
Don't be so hard on yourself, you 50-something you. There are evil greedy people in every generation. Dirty fucking hippies were only a small slice of the population. Not that many went off to live in communes.
far left loon >.<
Did our parents (the "best generation"), not vote for the last 40 years? I'm a boomer and my parents are alive and well. My father has always voted Progressive Conservative, Canada, (that's GOP for you). (My mother usually votes Liberal, but don't say.)
And, yes, I'm certainly evil to have been born in 1960 and lived my life til now. I guess we should all kill ourselves?
far left loon >.<
Try not to be such an ass.
'Talk to the hand'
What don't you like about what I said? The facts? Or my little snark at the end?
(Oops, maybe the happy face means your snark.)
far left loon >.<
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DrRE1LDY_U
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
to be fair, it was the "best generation" that made up the monetarist and "trickle down" theories and mixed them with Ayn Rand sugar which the "besties" sold as Kool Aide for the "worsties".
So, the Boomers who made short-term and corporatist-leaning national policies did so on the belief it was the right thing their parents taught them.
Don't defend the boomer generation. They really are the worst generation
The kind of lazy journalism that links Social Security with the federal deficit, instead of explaining how the two issues are connected only via manufactured arguments that come from the same people (and their spokesholes) who created the deficits - and thus don't want you to look too closely at what they did to dig the country into this hole.
It would be more difficult for news readers - which is the description I would give Diane Sawyer - to explain the deficit and Social Security as wholly separate issues. And you know how Americans run screaming from any explanation that isn't as simple as "If A, then B".
On an entirely different subject, I want to say to Susie how much I appreciate her posts and the work she does for us. Her subjects and her writing are always engaging. When I look back over the items I have responded to in the past year, I notice that most are from Susie's posts. Thank you, Susie.
I like Susie's work too. Thanks "kiddo". :^)
far left loon >.<
Her corporate reporting on what corporate America wants is no different that allowing millionaires to vote on their taxe rates.
What a lazy argument.
Medicare could possibly be overwhelmed, but by the same token, President Obama could possibly fire his whole cabinet and replace them with rabid socialists, or giant ants cold possibly emerge from the Nevada desert and start eating all of us, or the alien implant that's keeping "Dick" Cheney alive could possibly exit his body, leaving it to decompose in front of our very eyes.
"Could possibly." Now there's something to base a radical policy shift on.
"Lazy" arguments protect them. Lazy arguments don't come and bite them in the ass later.
Election 2012: Be Educated! Be Active! Vote!
www.PhoenixJustice.com
How about all the jobs we'll create. Doctors, nurses, hospitals will need to be built, physiotherapists trained, old age homes constructed, pills pills pills galore required. Walkers, false teeth, eye glasses, hip replacements, just think of the growth we'll create. We're a friggin' gold mine.
far left loon >.<
From 1995 until 2007, the conservative Republicans (most of them "baby boomers") controlled the House of Representatives. For most of that period, they also controlled the Senate. From 2001 until 2009, they had the White House. For years, they had the power to make changes to Medicare, changes like making it available to all Americans, yet they failed to do so. (It should be pointed out, so did the Democrats from 2009 until now.)
Now its a major problem that takes "serious" thinking to resolve? Like the oh so serious thinking of Senator Elect Rand Paul?
This is why we need liberals in Congress and not these corporatist centrists and their conservative allies. Medicare for All is the easiest and best solution. Of course, the new batch of microwaved social conservative Republicans and the corporatist centrist Democratic allies will never allow this solution to be truly debated. They want even more of our tax dollars going to private for profit insurance companies.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Election 2012: Be Educated! Be Active! Vote!
www.PhoenixJustice.com
They created part D that puts a hole in the budget and a lot of money in drug company and insurance company pockets. They mandated that seniors must pay for this drug plan even if they didn't need it, on penalty of huge fines if you failed to sign up.
That was the you must pay higher prices than anyone else in the world so that the drug companies and insurance companies can make a larger profit law.
That's right, they did. Thanks for reminding me of this $750 billion subsidy to drug companies!
Election 2012: Be Educated! Be Active! Vote!
www.PhoenixJustice.com
It's all she knows, mindless commentary.
they report kept saying "they" this and "they" that as if the Boomers are from some other place.
Harry Chapin wants you.
Isn't Sawyer a boomer too. Shouldn't it be "we" "we" "we"?
far left loon >.<
I use that same phrase when referring to the modern conservative. As far as I can tell they are from a different world. They certainly don't see the same one that I do. They seem oblivious to the world I see everyday.
There was ample warning that as Boomers got ever closer to retirement, the media -- led by its corporate ownership -- would go on a holy war-crusade against the Boomer generation, and specifically against paying what is due the Boomer generation in their retirement and dottage.
And so it has begun in earnest. My own McClatchy-owned paper has been hammering public pensions, social security, medicare and retirement costs for the "selfish" Boomer generation for years and they've been going into hyperdrive lately. What they are doing is transparent: its ownership and their remaining few high-paid workers do not want to -- in fact, they refuse to -- pay higher taxes to fund the retirements and dottage expenses of the "Selfish Generation." Their Generation War propaganda has been unrelenting.
The problem is not so much that the media is engaging in this anti-Boomer propaganda, nor is it even so much that Our Useless Representatives in Congress Assembled (and in the White House) are largely going along with it.
The problem is that there is no relentless counter to it. It's not enough to simply document the atrocities. It's not enough to wring ones hanky and say "Oh dear no!"
There has to be a fully-formed and relentlessly articulated counter narrative; and absolutely nothing of the kind has emerged in the alternative media. There really is an alternative media in this country, and it really could assemble a strong counter message -- for example, that the Boomers have been paying for their retirements all their working lives through higher -- indeed doubled -- taxation; that Boomers have saved immense amounts for their retirements over their working lives only to see their saving either stolen outright by corporate grifters, or become worthless through the collapse of the Main Street economy. A counter narrative would insist that benefits for Boomer and subsequent retirees need to be -- indeed must be -- substantially increased, and the retirement age lowered in order to re-adjust the economy on behalf of everyone. And a counter narrative would declare and pursue unrelenting class war on the wealthy and the powerful who not only refuse to pay back what they have already stolen from the Boomers, but who are also intent on stealing whatever is left.
A few in the alternative media are saying these things or some of them. But there is no relentless articulation in the alternative media, no consistent counter to the lies of the corporatists.
Unless and until there is, the corporatists win.
counter narrative we are at a distinct disadvantage. Right wing media controls 95% of the media. The real question is, " When will those far left liberals like Soros, Hollywood liberals and maybe even Gates start to build a left leaning media to counter the lies of the far right media?" Left leaning blogs can't do it on their own.
That is exactly what the left needs, a counter to the massive right-wing propaganda machine. However, it will fail, because as a left-wing effort it will be based on reason and sympathy as opposed to screaming and blind faith. This is America - we're too busy to think and understand, it's much easier to adopt our political opinions from bumper stickers.
On the other hand, might as well give it a try. It's better than going down without a fight like we are now.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUW1SGF7bR8
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
That's why I think we are screwed , the general public is not sophisticated enough ( I am being kind today ) to be able separate the bull shit from the truth and like you said the right wing propagandists / liars control 95 % of the media and are going at it 24 / 7 , that is a fact .
Insanity , it is what it is , there is no understanding it .
After all, the boomers are a generation that is known for protesting.
You are right on stating that boomers have saved money for their retirement only to have the Wall Street thieves rob their accounts. In my case, not only did I save money for retirement, I invested in rentals in decent neighborhoods only to have the housing market crash. So what is really left? Social Security and what little money I can earn on the side. Houses are now selling at massively reduced prices and the rich investors are buying these houses. In a few years, the wealthy will create another bogus "housing shortage" and housing prices will rise and the investors will make more money off the backs of the middle class that lost their homes.
Because some of us look a little suspiciously at our Ben Gay.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
You know what to do with the Ben Gay. So use it, kill the pain and get out on the streets.
Rubbed where?
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
Then you shouldn't be playing with Ben Gay.
For how long?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiKOhOzQyZg
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
The distancing language continues to divide and separate. You would think the "boomers" are aliens who simply showed up one day to take money out of America's pocket. Conservatives always use distancing language to isolate the "target" Those damn boomers-lazy-spoiled-takers.
They can't call the unemployed lazy much anymore because the massive numbers of the jobless blows that lie out of the water-there are just too many to be believed. So they roll their ugly eye in the direction of the new threat-the baby boomers. Pathetic, dull and tiresome.
Any predictions as to the next target will be in 2011? Entire states maybe? "oh yeah-those Californians are the reason this economy is failing-they are just dragging this whole country down." I saw it on TeeVee so it must be true.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XU1MAokrrUk
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
Karoli pointed out a couple of days ago that no one cared about the Boomers' sheer numbers when they were working...when their sheer numbers were the driving force of a thriving economy and whose working contributions enabled their parents' generation to retire early and enjoy all sorts of premium advantages and make their "golden years" truly golden.
We could sit around and play this game of intergenerational warfare for the rest of all time. The truth is, we ALL contribute and we ALL "deserve" to get something back. No one is getting a "free ride" except for the very first recipients of S.S. who didn't have time to contribute before they started to draw from it. That discrepancy has long since been accounted for and paid.
Meanwhile the Republicans and their teabag-minions are sitting back and laughing as we do their work for them by obsessing about yet another topic that diverts attention away from what they are doing!
"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened." Dr. Seuss
.....love that quote!
'Talk to the hand'
Ain't sawyer a boomer?
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
Well, Diane..here's the message you need to take back to your 'handlers' or Rupe's clown rangers or who ever if handing you your talking points. - "F*** YOU".. We paid it in - we're taking it out and there is not a single thing you can do about it. So STFU - go back and sit in you corner of Rupe's office and pay better attention because you're clearly showing your lack of BRAINS!
Obviously the Reich wing in particular are already in a full blown panic about the boomers coming into retirement age , they'll be going all out to get at social security and medicare , in five years or so it'll be much more difficult , boomers vote and they will be looking out for themselves especially when they hit their sixties and it occurs to them that they don't have enough $ and that they need SSI and medicare , even if they have the $ to retire people aren't about to easily give up what they feel they have coming after working and paying for it all of their lives .
Insanity , it is what it is , there is no understanding it .
I've been paying into it for 40 years. And I sure as hell want mine when my turn comes up.
I'm 53. I'll continue to pay into it till I'm eligible. Then, I'm gonna take what their giving. I'm not going to wait till I'm 67. First opportunity, I'm goin for it.
Oh, and Happy New Year Kreskin.:)
What is your conceptual, continuity?
I hear you mud , I'm going to turn 60 in a few months and like you I have been worked all of my life , we didn't really have much before but now we are in a much worse boat and what we did have got wiped out or we are in the process of losing ( thanks to Reagan , Bush , deregulation and the crooks and criminals on Wall Street and in the banking / finance sector ) so SSI and Medicare , those evil pinko commie socialist programs , are just a tad bit important to us . If they screw me out of it you can rest assured that there will be a one man ( at least ) jihad going down in this country and you will see me in the news .
Insanity , it is what it is , there is no understanding it .
There will be millions of us marching. In every city in every state.
I can just see it now. Millions of gray haired retirees marching across this land. That will happen. No need to go all jihad. The backlash would cause enough disruption. Think about it. All the unions and non union jobs alike. People would simply not show up for work. A national strike. Over this, it would happen. Of that I have no doubt.
I've said this recently, that if O does anything to cut benefits, I'm done with him. I don't think he'll be such a fool.
Especially when the solution is so simple. Raise the cap to 250K.
What is your conceptual, continuity?
Wasn't there a little old lady who became an American hero by walking clear across America to bring attention to ending the wars, and when she got to the republican controlled Congress, they had her arrested?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaJ-HmfAnJM
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
Happy New Year Y.:)
What is your conceptual, continuity?
they don't have comedy like that anymore. All they have is sitcoms which I never watch and cop shows. Oh I forgot, reality tv like biggest loser and then the DWTS. All shit. The boomers can be blamed for some of this crap.
"NOW." No COLA for the 2nd year in a row. Food companies cutting the amount of food in the package and raising prices. We should be marching now. Even Mayonaise 32 oz. jar has cut back to 30 oz.
At least publicly start planning. Just so they know what's coming. I'm all for a National Strike. One day. One week. The loss of productivity would get their attention.
Only buy the bare necessity's. Don't spend your money. When millions do it , it has an effect.
What is your conceptual, continuity?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWj_tR64Ti4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCIHkZw-v1s
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
Desizing food products is one of my pet peeves. I'd like to see if someone's put together a site that's compared the regression over the years.
Happy New Year to ya.
"Parachutes are allowed in checked or carry-on baggage, but may not be worn in flight."
---Southwest Airlines
In 1979 Stephen Jay Gould wrote an essay; Phyletic Size Decrease in Hershey Bars.
The subject was on evolution, and Gould used the 5 cent and 10 cent Hershey Bar and the inevitable extinction of his favorite chocolate bar.
Both the 5 cent, and 10 cent bars have become extinct after decreasing in size.
The one ounce 5 cent bar had decreased to .7 oz before extinction, and the 10 cent bar had decreased from 2 oz to 1.2 ox before it's demise in 1974.
The descendant of the 10 cent bar, the 25 cent bar, had actually decreased to 1.05 oz before it's extinction in 1980.
So many complaints to Hershey by chocolate fans, (and Gould readers), about the diminutive size, that they replaced the 1.05 oz, 25 c bar, with a 1.45 oz, 30c bar.
Consumers drive markets!
'Talk to the hand'
You on this, Kreskin. They took just about all that they could grab from my retirement. I'm 62 and I took early retirement from my previous employer which gives me a very small amount of money each month. You could call it chump change. I am collecting SS and I have a parttime business which I do because it is something that I enjoy. Guess you could call it a hobby that makes some more chump change.
Having said that, I'm ready to take to the streets.
I am the culprit; I turn 65 this year. Yet, I paid endless amount of money to Medicare and SS. I am not asking for money I didn't contribute for many decades. All the talk about demands is right: we demand that they stop all those Halibarton wars, we demand equality for women, we demand equality for LGBT, we demand equality for all. We also demand a single payer system where medical services steal our money. We demand an immediate halt to the pumping money to TBTF banks and bonuses to their managers.
We demand to be treated as citizens of a civilized society and promise to continue to demand in the future.
approx 90% of boomers are not prepared for their retirement either, have less than 20 k in the bank......
so...if America lives up to it's CHRISTIAN Values as you hear and see all the time from these concerned wealthy people, they're (the rich) gonna have to do more with less....yep that's right, if we really are a Christiam nation we have to chip in and help our fellow citizens...Sorry, even if you're rich, your gonna need to walk the walk, taking care of others, or others will take your riches away, either in taxes, or just busting your door down...it's really pretty simple...you don't live in a bubble, and God didn't make you queen of the cute old reporters....uh oh...here comes real life diane (and the rest of you idiots who believe money will protect you when no one else has any)......
...and it will happen....so plan diane, plan.....
You that many boomers lost 1/2 in their retirement savings to the crooks on Wall Street.
The conservative values at time "be fruitful and multiply" is why there are so many boomers. The same folks who want to make abortion a crime-would be the same folks screaming there are too many people sucking up all those entitlements.
Though it is physically impossible to talk out of your mouth and ass at the same time-somehow they manage it quite beautifully.
when the Republicans take over and eliminate Social Security and Medicare. I bet that question does not enter into the equation.
Republicans are liars and simply cannot be trusted.
would have studied their history, they would know who Mae West is.
A floatation device?
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
They stole the money from our retirement IRAs and 401Ks and they devalued our investment properties. The only thing remaining between living in the streets and staying in our homes is Social Security and they want that, too. Greedy bastards. It's never enough for them. For seniors, it will be the streets or the poor house (a form of prison).
According to the Huffingtonton Post she's 65, this year 66.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
No mention of the 800lb gorilla in the room. The fact that we've squandered over a trillion dollars on our little adventures overseas.
End the wars, and the deficit won't matter...
But no. The Cocktail Party Circuit would rather blame the middle class, and have us foot the bill.
How much does an 800 pound gorilla turd weigh?
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
"....giving older Americans a fixed payment to use against the cost of private insurance, an option made popular by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis" has got to be the dumbest idea to come out of the New Year yet.
Is there nothing the spoiled class won't do or say to keep their gravy train of unearned income from being reduced to a sustainable level? The FIRE economy (finance, insurance, real estate) has just about destroyed the US of A and may well finish the job in the coming months.
This is all unnecessary.
We have a conservative that knows how the system works (warning:pdf) and a liberal that just proposed the dang solution! The ONLY way to beat these people is by everyone understanding how the system (and their scam) works. If the public can become aware of how money works, we can end this stupid line of horseshat about cutting spending (and thus wages and thus the economy).
I am damn proud to be a TAX AND SPEND liberal. The problem we have now with both tax and spend is the wrong percentages are being used on the wrong people. Concentrated wealth destroys democracies !
The standard media outlets (with the standard exceptions Olbermann,Maddow,Ratigan) have become useless. It's truly sad because if you want real news you have to go to sites like Russia Today, The Real News or Al-Jazerra News. I get better news from the spanish channel on TV than I do from NBCBSABCFOX.
Shouldn't Diane Sawyer know it's time to retire?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axXvxpzMe_0
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
Did I request thee, Maker, from my Clay
To mould me Man, did I sollicite thee
From darkness to promote me...
Milton, John: Paradise Lost, Book X, 743-745.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
Both Dr. Suess and Voltaire were abundant sources of wit and wisdom for their times. As a child, I adored Dr. Suess for his whimsy...as an adult I appreciate the deeper messages he put in his works. Usually a bunch of stuff about being nice, caring for others, standing up to bullies, doing the right thing despite the current trend...other "socialist-y" stuff like that!
:)
"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened." Dr. Seuss
The Dahli Lama says that compassion is selfishness and we all need to be more selfish. In order for a patriarchial society to survive, there needs to be fear, division, never ending war, and corporate rule. Capitalism and religion are a patriarchal principles so for the corporations to keep us in control they must create division between generations. They don't want us to work as family unit because a family unit is a strong unit.
I already told my adult children that if I lose my Social Security that I would be moving in with them. That's the truth.
What media? They never correct the Faux Noise idiots. Until the ignorant Faux Noise watchers wake up and realize they are being fed lies daily this untrue nonsense will continue.
Sawyer is just another well paid, kool-aid guzzling, Reslug mouth piece. The truth in the media today should be taken as seriously as what you read in the National Enquirer.
I prefer:
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://bl...
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
We would probably get more truthful stories from the National Enquirer than the rest of today's lazy media.
who think they're 'progressive' or 'left,' yet are right wing enough to believe the pronouncements of the VSP, and then troll sites like this one proclaiming "UGH! ALL BABY BOOMERS--BAAAAAD!" Fuck those little ageists.
me-oww!
This from someone who spit on soldiers returning from the Spanish-American War?
Don't try to confuse the issue with half-truths and gorilla dust.
They had it coming to them!!!
me-oww!
Those are the ones who got little golden stars just to show up to class
And had everybody wins a trophy day.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
years and no one corrects you, no one stands up in front of that giant coordinated soapbox to yell back that it is a lie, it must be true.
The Right revolves around Rush.
"Parachutes are allowed in checked or carry-on baggage, but may not be worn in flight."
---Southwest Airlines
And Rush always blames the victims.
"Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob"
-= Franklin Delano Roosevelt =-
headline: sawyer fulfills directive to spew invective
fwiw, this gen x'er, moi, defends the BBs from idiotic charges (often coming from my generation) that they are responsible for the 'very dangerous' deficit.
Thank you.
First, I understand that the baby boomers were a large group of people. But I just don't understand how therecould b fewer workers when the economy has grown and it's supposed to keep growing. To me, if the size of labor shrinks, wouldnt the economy shrink as well?
Second, the boomers created vast sums of wealth thru their size and hard work. Where is that wealth now? Shouldnt we be able to tap that wealth to fund their retirements?
I will respond to my second question. It's being stolen in many ways. Gen X makes less than the cost of living; the boomers are propping their children up with their wealth. Obviously, the rich have gotten richer and have been taxed even less. The boomers spending has been propping up the economy; that spending tho has only been in perishable goods, things with no value that are throw away items. The final straw will be when the boomers die. All that inherited wealth will go to pay off all the accumulated debt of gen X and what is left will cause a mini boom as it's used to increase consumption because of the freed up debt.
...up while our income trickled down the drain.
Mickey: "It was an epiphany. Do you know what an epipany is?"
Keoni: "NOT NOW MICKEY!"
Well, as a boomer, it's my plan to live like hell and leave the fucking bills for the next generation.
It's not my fault I was born a boomer. Most of us worked all our lives, fought the wars and raised out families and tried to put away some money and then watched losers like Bush piss the country down the drain. We worked our asses off to elect two Democratic Presidents in the last 20 years, AND, both houses of Congress, and it's now OUR fault they sold us out.
Fuck you, Gen X or Y or whatever the next one is, the hot potato is now in your mitts. Let's see how you handle it, and watch how YOU are accused of ruining it.
Democratic Party progressive, Vietnam veteran and proud Union member for 41 years
15 million more paying in to the system would be a good start. Gainful employment instead of living paycheck to paycheck would give people more expendable income to buy more things , thus creating more jobs and would drive up demand for property.
THANK GOD GW BUSH WAS YOUR GENERATIONS LAST PRESIDENT!!!!!!
Obama is at the tail end of the baby boomers. Technically, he is a boomer.
That explains a lot.
But he did grow up after the '60s social revolution. That is the dividing line. Not the boomer line.
"Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob"
-= Franklin Delano Roosevelt =-
and they are the one that put the republicans in the position to destroy medicare and social security. They have put the rope around their necks and all they have to do now is jump. In two years they will put republicans in charge of the senate and elect a republican president. Time to jump.
will be in their forties when most of us boomers are gone.......theoretically they'll be paying less into Medicare.
Sure.
Want less in the way of deficits?
Quit spending money on phony wars.
Don't forget the blame boomers for raising you in nice houses and paying for your college.
far left loon >.<
Good point. We could have had an abortion but chose differently.
This is just another version of hippie punching. The fact is that it was those dirty hippies that were responsible for more civil/voting rights and equality in this country than any in history. Without them it would not have happened. It's not like the right was going to find it a priority.
Raising the retirement age is pointless unless you can assure that those 50 and 60 somethings will be able to find gainful employment that pays the bills. Lots of them are willing to work but for various reason lots of people are prone to avoid them when it's time to hire.
The median income in the country is around 40 thousand and the median family income is around 50K. That means half are less. Some substantially less. How does one save for retirement and health care and bills on that? As noted in many of the comments here, many DID save for retirement in the ways suggested but it didn't work. Houses, 401Ks etc just got reowned by the plutocrats.
Sure, work hard go to school and improve your lot. One certainly should try. The fact remains that half the people will still be getting paid less than 40k a year.
This is just another form of hippie bashing.
It's really an attempt to deflect blame away from the rich ruling class. They always blame it on the poor, or the middle class. It's the only way the rich can hope to maintain rule over us. Rule by the rich is just not working out. It needs to end.
"Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob"
-= Franklin Delano Roosevelt =-
Let's place the blame where it really belongs:
(1) President Wilson & corrupt Congress, for creating the private Federal Reserve;
(2) The NY Federal Reserve & Wall Street Mobsters, for their treasonous Ponzi schemes;
(3) Presidents FDR & Truman, for going along with colonialist Churchill's rabid anti-Soviet stance;
(4) President Truman, for signing instead of vetoing the National Security Act of 1947;
(5) Our Intelligence infrastructure, for creating and exaggerating enemies since 1947;
(6) Our Military Industrial Congressional Complex, for whom no bad deed ever goes unrewarded;
(7) Our terminally avaricious corporations, whose thirst for taxpayer-funded welfare is boundless;
and
(8) Our NeoCon & NeoLiberal politicians, whose honesty compels them to stay bought by corporate bribes;
Blame the baby-boomers, not so much.
But blaming the victims feels so good to the sociopathic misogynists that profit so mightily by our crony corporatist "free enterprise" oligarchy.
"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable."
-- John F. Kennedy
Fasten your seat belts and get ready to be bashed this year. It's going to be a bumpy ride. Dismantling SS will require some serious scapegoating. Gotta point fingers and someone.
far left loon >.<
In Canada the neocons are starting to talk about revising medicare and Canada Pension (one you have to pay into by working) and Old Age Pension (one everyone gets when 65). But they won't get away with it - there is nothing more sacred here than those hard won safety nets. It ain't a lot of money (i.e. when I'm 65 in 4 years the two combined pensions will be about $1200/mo) but it can be the difference between living on the street and not. The pols here are afraid to touch them, other than to increase them.
http://www.thealders.net/blogs
Just call me Dazed & Confused
She's already passed that 'milestone'!
In fact, I'd bet that half the people writing & speaking these dire predictions about the oncoming onslaught of old folks -- are also baby boomers.
"Lila Diane Sawyer (born December 22, 1945) is the current anchor of ABC News' flagship program, ABC World News. Previously, Sawyer had been co-anchor of ABC News's morning news program, Good Morning America (GMA)." (from wiki)
I'd like to think of my generation -- aka the Baby Boomers -- as the last, best gift from the 'Greatest Generation'.
We've been paying in to Social Security all of our working lives AND have paid the cost of the Greatest Generation's retirement.
Baby boomers, paid a lot into Social Security. Many of us have or had jobs that paid a decent salary and now the dupa holes want to take it away from us. We must fight for what is rightfully ours. The media is filled with "Tricksters" and so is Congress. Beware and stay alert.
Yes. Somehow it's now "unholy" to collect the SS you've paid into your entire working life. That money is needed for wars.
far left loon >.<
And that money is needed to line and fill the pockets of the already filthy rich. They didn't get enough from our 401K and IRAs. They want our SS money, too.
They always blame the victims. It's propaganda. It's an integral part of how the rich maintain power, how the rich rule. blame the poor and middle class. Frank Luntz knows it.
Don't give in to the propaganda and don't let anyone else fall for it either.
We all know that rule by the rich is not working. Not any more.
"Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob"
-= Franklin Delano Roosevelt =-
Returned to the USA after a ten year absence to find it nothing but a haven for Flu Shots. Does anybody know what's really in the vaccines they're pushing on everybody? Me thinks they want to put you in an early grave. What baby-boomer hater would want to see us still getting SS benefits at age 90?
No, grazie. Junk medicine is not encouraged in Europe. Longevity exists in my family and I don't plan on rocking the boat.
Every generation is characterized as one monolithic block that shared identical values and ideals and can all claim equal credit for all the positive things that came about during that particular time frame, but the truth is, for every positive gain, there are a whole lot of fucktards from the same generation that made it their life's work to stand in the way of progress. We call these people conservatives, and without them, we might have stopped the Nazis sooner, there would have been no need for civil rights marches, our entire economy wouldn't be dependent on foreign oil, we'd have a modern mass transit system and everyone would have health care.
While some great things were accomplished by" the Greatest Generation", it would have been truly great if the people that were consistently on the wrong side of every major historical argument were politely excluded from "the loop". Instead these asshats have a way of coming back and chiming in, hoping no one will notice that they caused most of the problems that needed to be fixed.
With your fellow media Assholes that deliberately misinform the public:
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2010/12/...
The Soviets could have only wished they had compliant stooges like you at their call to spread the propaganda---the only difference between the sorry ass organization you work for and Pravda is that it isn't state owned. And the only meaningful deficit we need to be concerned about is the serious deficit of intelligence and integrity in your sorry profession.
"We will find fulfillment not in the goods that we have, but in the good we can do for each other."
Robert F. Kennedy
The Soviets could have only wished they had compliant stooges like you at their call to spread the propaganda
That kinda puts it in perspective. What a bunch of sellouts.
"Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob"
-= Franklin Delano Roosevelt =-
the blame is in the WRONG place. So surprised!
NOBODY 2012
Comments are closed on this entry