The Boomers' Time-Bomb Denial

Washington Post ^ | January 7, 2004 | Robert Samuelson

[Kozak]

Here we go again, pitting one generation against another. My many years of working supported the generation that went before me. Now that I am retired (as of Oct. 31st of last year), it sounds like some people want to change the rules so that I decrease so that they (the younger generation) increases.

Well that's what happens when societies idea of "social security" is large Ponzi scheme. It was a scam from the getgo. If you just retired you may still be a winner. I know my kids are gonna be losers in this game. Personally I DO NOT count on any SS income in my retirement in about 15 years. I just hope my private retirement accounts don't suddenly become a source for Government "investment", as proposed by several politicians already such as Jesse Jackson.

[Kozak]

Yes the average life expectancy for a black man is 67....retirement age.

Yeah well guess why 65 was chosen originally, Because it was BEYOND the average life expectancy.

[Old Student]

No, it's gotta be Europe. Colonizing the Moon and Mars would require more work and effort than America seems able to put out, these days, or we'd already have it done. Blast it! I should have been able to go to the moon before I retired the first time, 6 years ago. I don't think I want to go bad enough to get Chinese citizenship.

Maybe some more legal immigrants will take over where native Americans have failed, give us some of that "hybrid vigor" we seem to be missing. I sure hope so. Having all our eggs in one basket scares me.

[Cronos]

I'm no economist, but I wonder:"What were they thinking?" with regards to SS? Making future generations pay for today's generation? Did they expect a perpetual population growht until earth's population number 1 trillion?????

[Cronos]

So much like a pyramid investment scheme

[ETERNAL WARMING]

And massive illegal..soon to be illegal Mexican invaders are going to take care of the problem? Don't make me laugh! Less than 6% of them pay any taxes at all, yet they cost us TAXPAYERS billions per year!

[hobbes1]

Naaaah, We're going private. It is coming, It IS inevitable.....


Our Kids will be far better off than you and me.....

[VRW Conspirator]

If we're going to all vote make generation X, Y, and Z shoulder the burden to hold up the world, what happens if "Altas" simply decides to "Shrug" off his load, sit down and smoke a joint?

Perhaps, that certainly would be poetic. But I think the burden will be heavy but managable. Who knows? Will all the XYZ crowd sit out at once? I doubt it. But again - who knows?

[cogitator]

When all the Boomers retire, I don't think there will be a sufficient number of truly qualified younger folks to take their places.

I agree. A serious problem (already being looked at with some concern regarding career civil servants).

[wtc911]

They don't want to change the rules, this Canadian poster from Alberta has argued (with other kids) that their solution will be to knock us off. They take the position that "I'm not saying I'm for it...I just see the others in my generation wanting it" What bullsh**.These kids have no idea how tough the VN generation really is.

[Kozak]

I'm no economist, but I wonder:"What were they thinking?" with regards to SS?

They were thinking " Laurels and accolades now, political power (think FDR's third rail of politics),and by the time the wheels come off we will be long dead and buried". Remember the quote:

"In the long run, we're all dead". Comes from economist John Maynard Keyes

[hispanarepublicana]

I'm in an industry that involves very specific area of science (though that's not my part of the industry), and we do not have any scientists coming up through the ranks (and staying in this country) to replace the ones that are retiring.