Oh isn't that the truth! I've gone down that road. Can't even whisper Hitler without them losing their "we're okay!" minds. Seems as if popular belief can't get it's arms around the fact that Bush is, in fact, taking over from within, exactly as Hitler did. Can't even agree about the facts. They end up saying stuff like...we just hate Bush. Oh sure, forget the nation, it's all about our personal feelings about one little rich oil man.
And we're pre-war Germany. Springtime with Hitler in Germany? Flowers are beautiful this year.
In the end, I guess I feel sorry but bitter, and believe that if the American people are so easily snowed, and allow this to continue, with the power to stop it in their own hands, ignored? At this point, with the rest of the free world telling us otherwise...I can't help but feel like these simple fools will deserve what they get. Honestly. I know we say it often enough, but I think we're there now. Americans, my education being typical public school - except for the unnatural habit I developed of reading for pleasure - might not have learned a LOT in school, but we learned basic principles, enough to know better than this state of the union. We learned about tyranny. We learned about dictatorships. We had the mighty USSR to NOT be like, didn't we? NOT be like them.
I feel sorry for those that get caught up, but for the complacent fat, dumb and happy middle class in this nation? As compared to the poor slobs in Iraq? I can't feel sorry for the fat, dumb and happy anymore. It's just not in me.
And not to jump on a soap box, but...for the retired folks with the world at their fingertips, traveling and spending money on bingo, gambling, pleasure seekers all? Oh sure, worry about Social Security, while you feed off the young. Sorry, but please. Folks are starving, in prison, we're at war...and where is the AARP? Worried about retirement.
Wish I had the luxary to worry about my retirement right now. I'm worrying about getting my children out of this country we've made. Them's some evil retirees that don't care about anything but their SS fund. And I won't feel real sorry for them either, selling out their own country by just not noticing it's falling down. Allowing themselves to be lulled to sleep, with pretty drugs and all the best health care. Going on cruises and visiting the grandkids. Second childhood, playtime all the time. Where's the wisdom? I'm just disgusted. by whatever on Fri Mar 25th, 2005 at 01:22:35 PM EDT http://www.gstlnorml.org [ Parent ]
To my
"And not to jump on a soap box, but...for the retired folks with the world at their fingertips, traveling and spending money on bingo, gambling, pleasure seekers all? Oh sure, worry about Social Security, while you feed off the young. Sorry, but please. Folks are starving, in prison, we're at war...and where is the AARP? Worried about retirement. Wish I had the luxary to worry about my retirement right now. I'm worrying about getting my children out of this country we've made. Them's some evil retirees that don't care about anything but their SS fund. And I won't feel real sorry for them either, selling out their own country by just not noticing it's falling down. Allowing themselves to be lulled to sleep, with pretty drugs and all the best health care. Going on cruises and visiting the grandkids. Second childhood, playtime all the time. Where's the wisdom? I'm just disgusted"
You said
"WAKE UP AND LOOK AROUND INSTEAD OF MAKING ASSUMPTIONS! This 65 year old, was working as the Town Janitor, last year to make ends meet on my Widow's Pension! Yes they took about $7.00 or $8.00 out of each paycheck for SS. The point is this.............when I was in my 20's, the bosses & CEO's lived out their lives in the executive office, meaning retirement at 65 at the earliest. ( They only made 60 times that of their workers not 400 times as today!) That made advancement slow for the younger ones"
and
"Please be a little more thourough before making sweeping statements"
I use sweeping statments whenever it seems appropriate, for shock value sometimes. I don't begrudge anyone all the leisure they can afford in retirement. But I'd like them to wake up.
My impression is that they, as a voting group, delude themselves if they think Social Security is the most pressing issue right now. Whether they're well off or just getting by; it will hardly matter what the government see fit to do with their money, if the government stops answering to the people. Social Security won't matter! The government will do anything it pleases, and the President thinks far less of the welfare of the retired "Average American Worker" than you percieve I do, that I can promise you.
It's the attention of the AARP on any issue other than SS that I think is lacking, their attention with which I think they're being selfish, their wisdom I feel they aren't using. It's NOT that I think seniors are swimming in dough, that they should spend it on politics, or that they wouldn't deserve wealth if it were theirs. In terms of leisure, realistically, they're the only one's left with expendable income. Leisure activities are virtually owned by seniors and I feel they follow the mainstream media too much. Are being lulled into complacency. And CAN be a selfish group of folks. I know what I'm talking about, I've been to Arizona. The retired community is a BIG community.
Finally, this is all my perception. I saw that great commercial AARP put out on SS, and I wish they had that kind of support for other issues. It bothers me. They should be realizing by now that Bush is selling us out on a larger scale than economics, The reason they're fighting now is that Bush is trying to cut benefits, making SS an immediate concern now, and I commend that. But I think their opposition to his admin should have come long before this, not just when he threatened SS. What quality of life will they have, living in a dictatorship?
Damaging SS is going to hurt a lot of people, but that's because this admin is hurting people period, not just retired folks. I think the senior community as a whole is surprisingly short sighted to not realize that, was slow to realize the SS plan was a farce, and should be nothing but critical of this Admin. I think the retired community has a lot of political power, and I wish they'd really start using it now. I don't know what else to say, I think they'll be sorry if they don't become more aware and more active in other political issues. by whatever on Sun Mar 27th, 2005 at 05:17:19 PM EDT http://www.gstlnorml.org [ Parent ]
Thank you for going out of your way to be fair, I appreciate that. I should have been more careful not to insult people without reason, and I should have been more specific about seeing the elders as having the most resources as a group by virtue of having been careful with their money, being the one's that "made it", not as being undeserving. Not as being foolish or wasting their time with leisure pursuits; it's what we ALL want! :) And certainly NOT to say seniors have it well off in general. It's not my impression that seniors are having an easy time right now, as a whole. I thought the fact that I hadn't said they didn't deserve their money or fun time was enough, but I can see it still had that tone. I think I was baiting. Not good. Sorry about your being ill! Been there myself recently; hope you feel better very soon and that you have good weather and sunshine :)
When I talk about play time, what I have seen is that many leisure activities, such as gambling and traveling, are predominantly retiree. I ask for more social responsibility, and yes, especially for those with the leisure time, to participate. I guess, simply, it's not that most retirees are well off...it's that most well off folks are retirees. Even if it's just a fraction of seniors overall. If you're on a cruise, going out for the evening, you can easily see that this group has a large number of folks with expendable income and leisure time. That, combined with more experience, worldly wisdom, assuming a vested interest in the welfare of their communities, it makes a difference, I think. Because this group is a powerful voting voice.
I guess I think it could make a difference, especially since this is basically the most conservative group of citizens. It seems if THEY decided to put their efforts to stopping the many goals of this corrupt Admin, it would help. And if they don't, if they instead choose, as a group, such as the AARP, to only involve themselves with retirement issues? Well, I can easily understand that is what their group is primarily for, but in the current political situation, there are larger influences at work over their money. AND their country. If THEY decided to get loud, stout conservatives facing down this "conservative" admin? They stand a chance. They won't be slandered. They won't be "out-Christian-ed". It might help.
Finally, I just get disgusted, because it seems if they don't get involved in other affairs, they'll regret it. As we'll ALL regret it, if our nation slides completely into fascism. Simple constitutional conservatism would be enough. Maybe I am a little whiney, a little selfish. I want my mommy? I don't know, I want the older folks to help, gamble with something else...something that matters! Those that do have the means...should care about more than SS right now. Especially for their fellow retirees that aren't as well off, because that number of people isn't going to be getting any smaller. Certainly any hardship is harder for someone not in the "prime of health" age group. It's just that much worse to be unemployed, just that much worse to be homeless. That much worse a tragedy to let happen.
From reading your post, it sounds like you know all these facts and many more. I couldn't be preaching more to the choir! Thanks for your post, and I wish you good luck in all your efforts!
p.s. And hey, for you, I spell-checked ;) by whatever on Mon Mar 28th, 2005 at 10:18:49 AM EDT http://www.gstlnorml.org [ Parent ]
Since I retired almost a year ago, I spend more than half the day, every day, reading political messages, and replied to petitions and contributing to various political causes. I am not an American citizen (yet), and care much more about what happens to this country than "natives," people who have been born here. It scares me to think that this country is going to hell in a handbasket because of religious fanatics who think they know God personally and will use any- and everything in a political context to try to earn points. This administration's tactic is "keep them scared." That's also the way religion works.
As for AARP, I quickly abandoned this organization when they sided with the Bush administration in the drug issue.
Another thing that really irks me is that people will sell their own country for a dime by shopping at Wal-Mart. But, that's another story in itself. I have seen this coming for several years now. I have boycotted Wal-Mart for at least ten years. Pretty soon, every country will wake up saluting the Chinese flag and wonder what happened.
Monmon
- The majority is usually wrong, but the majority rules! by monmon on Tue Mar 29th, 2005 at 12:23:17 AM EDT http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/home/main100.shtml [ Parent ]
After reading what you said about the AARP, I don't think we disagree. I'm a libertarian; I truly believe people deserve to keep what is their own. It's not that I think they're obligated. More like I think their vision is too narrow, and right now, that's a dangerous problem.
It's the fact that the AARP sided with Bush at all that has bothered me. It seems like, at this point in time when it's clear the Admin is...out of whack...they should be that much more active in helping to undo the damage that's been done, and taking an active role in thwarting further damage to the country. I think they, I guess the organizations primarily, have a responsibility to remove even the appearance of their support for this Administration. Not just Social Security, but that's all I've seen any movement on.
As far as not being able to judge other retiree activities, well, I can't argue, I only know what I see, so it's just my perception. I haven't witnessed much concern about Bush. It feels much more status quo, business as usual, passing dissatisfaction but no immediate danger. What can I say, it feels like the Titanic to me. by whatever on Tue Mar 29th, 2005 at 05:33:26 AM EDT http://www.gstlnorml.org [ Parent ]
Every state that has a swing-vote senator will have AARP forums, which have been drawing about 300 people each. And every time a member of Congress holds a town meeting, AARP volunteers are dispatched there to protest the president's plan for individual accounts.
Or Make a New Account
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