Boomers have paid their dues to society

Sydney Morning Herald ^ | 5/18/05 | Jan Murray

[qam1]

Jan Murray believes boomers are right to demand your money.

I am having trouble empathising with the bleating about whose taxes will fund the ageing baby-boomer bunch in the near future. Such mean-hearted tripe. Such chutzpah - the high-chair set having a hissy fit just thinking about the load it's going to have to bear.

So, who started it and how do we stop it is what I want to know. I feel like digging out my pewter jewellery and hurling it at the next Generation-X pet who complains that his or her taxes will be supporting the likes of me because I haven't been clever enough to save for my Zimmer frame.

OK, so a decent slice of your taxes are going to have to keep us in the style we invented and will insist upon while there's breath in our used, abused (and increasingly refused) bodies. Pardon us for making up 39.76 per cent of the population.

Let's just hold that thought while I run through a few home truths.

Imagine a world without teenagers. Who invented the phenomenon? We did. The adolescent baby boomers were the social malcontents of the 50s who cut loose from the oppressive ruck and insisted on being recognised as individuals with a right to be listened to, marketed to and feared by a conservative Yesterday because we were Tomorrow - our own tomorrow, and yours.

Imagine if we had not rebelled. Elvis would have been sent back to his mum to have his mouth washed out. He would still be singing gospel in some clapboard church in Memphis, telling his grandkids how a rush of blood to his head a long time ago made him do some foolish things with his hips.

Look at it this way: the money you've been saving on dentistry - because we gave you flouride in your drinking water - is the equivalent of the tax rise you'll need to come up with on our behalf.

Between sorting my vinyls and renovating my sea-change home, I pause to wonder: why all the ingratitude and grumbling resentment? Should we have left off trying to make this a better world? Should we have just climbed the corporate ladders and left the multinationals to rip down the trees and put in their car parks?

I haven't even touched the 'f' word. This fight alone would be reason enough to drop a donation in as we pass the hat around. I'm not talking flares and fondue, either. Of course the boomers gave the world them. Just as we gave it fast-food, rock'n'roll, heart transplants, aerobics, tantric sex and the F-111. OK, so the Concorde proved to be a dud and the AK-47 was nasty, the multi-function polis never eventuated and body shirts were neither here nor there. But imagine a world without tampons, child care and equal wages.

Yes, I'm talking about feminism. Boomers went in hard on that one, and the Gen -ers who hold up half the sky today need to be reminded with each pay cheque. But that's an argument for another day. Why not just pay up and do it with a smile? Life's too short for hassles, man. Dig?

[poobear]

My point is the money doesn't just fall out of sky. "Just writing the check" takes a full time employee, and many hours of legal mangling to make sure you are within the tax laws. If you don't think that costs money, try running your own business for 3 months.

Are you one of those who answers "my take home pay is..." when asked how much money do you earn? I'm not trying to be smart, just wondering where you are coming from.

[clyde asbury]

My point is the money doesn't just fall out of sky.

Then we agree. It's a common misconception that SS payments are shared.

The employee pays the 15% instead of 7%, is my point.

Yes, it takes time for the employer to the manage the payments and adhere to regs, and that just reinforces the argument against the system.

The only reason I see why some employers might be in favor of the system as it is currently is that they will be losing an accountant or bookkeeper or two when the system is changed or eliminated. That, and the fear of change in general.

[CompSciGuy]

Isn't it wonderful? I wonder if Gen X'ers could ever fix this state?

Cheers,
CSG

[poobear]

I'd love to save $50 - $100K on payroll and tax attorneys. Then we could hire more productive employees to generate REAL revenue. Ahh, but that would be good for the economy hmmm?

[caver]

I agree completely with your statement. The Gen X and their following are what I like to refer to as Generation Slackers. I've never seen a group that has their hand out so much and think they deserve everything given to them. And don't harm their poor self-esteem.

[shellshocked]

"And don't harm their poor self-esteem."

No kidding.

[Hi Heels]

Sure! Can I have my money back? Thank you.

[Hi Heels]

Pack your lunch. Come early.

[GOP_1900AD]

The Boomers who paid their dues were the subset who fought in SE Asia. As for the rest of them, well ....

[GOP_1900AD]

They have hedonism, epicureanism and nihilism, but are not patriotic. They are mostly the hardest of the hard core globalists.

[international american]

"They are mostly the hardest of the hard core globalists."

You know, I never thought about it before, and in my line of work I should have. Very good point, and very true!

[Hi Heels]

geez. I love my dogs enough to stop working for THEM let alone my kid......

Hell, I love TEXAS enough to stop working for IT and I don't even live in Texas. Other things I love enough to stop working for are:

mashed potatoes

plants

friends

movies

hot dogs

surfboards

any beach any time

shoes

Barney Fife

TV in general

the net

cooking

fishing

manicurists

99 cent stores

garage sales

Ross Dress for Less

The Reagan Museum

coast road trips

redwood trees

daisies

golf (and I don't play golf)

horses

fresh tomato and bacon sandwiches

good pasta

a decent cab

Mad Magazine

Ren and Stimpy

lobster

pork chops

any dinner at Saddlepeak Inn

margaritas

foot massage

butter

Simon and Garfunkel concert

FReeping

church

bathing

swimming

eating

an end to juvenile button pushing BS threads like this one that piss some people off enough that they stop coming to the forum as often. PS: FR is owned and operated by a CALIFORNIA BOOMER. BWAHAHHAAHAHAHAAhahaha....

etc.

[clyde asbury]

Can I have my money back?

I doubt you will ask your insurance company if they will refund the premiums you paid in past years.

Explain how social security is any different.

[Old Professer]

Sometimes it seems like Freshman year will last forever...

[Nachoman]

I'm with you. I'm a boomer with my own retirement accounts and I don't care if I ever get Social Security

I don't think this defeatist attitude is going to help anything. I don't care if you are a boomer, gen Xer, gen Yer, you should absolutely demand you receive your SS benefits. The alternative should be US taxpayers marching on D.C. and burning it to the ground. If this country can afford to go around destroying and rebuilding foreign countries, provide relief to half of S. Asia and host thousands of illegals on the taxpayer dime, it sure as hell can live up to its commitment to SS participants. Anything less is grounds for a civil war.

[Hi Heels]

um... I had no choice of plans? It wasn't my idea? It was in effect long before I was born? How that? PS: Also, I don't care to fund YOUR retirement. To any degree.

Isn't hate fun?

[Hi Heels]

Brilliant. Tx.

[clyde asbury]

Isn't hate fun?

I wouldn't know, but I wish you the best of luck with yours.

[LAURENTIJ]

Yeah, the communists felt that they were 'owed' a lot too by others and fought many wars about it.

It's time to cut social security at the knees. Lets say, everyone over 50 collects whatever is left in the system. Everyone else stops paying. I'd give up my future benefits (that I may never see) if I could put all my SS withdrawals to use as I wish. Oh, and I'd want the money that my company puts in to match mine.

That's fair.

[muir_redwoods]

"They can kiss my Xer butt. We've now gotta fix all the crap that they screwed up."

Boomers like me who put themselves through college and grad school, have been gainfully employed and on my own since I was nineteen and have raised three kids await your impressive success.

Get to it.