[Vigilanteman]

I don't know why there is nobody to state the obvious:

We have a growing shortage of workers (allegedly the reason we need to keep importing people from the third world) while we have a growing number of retiring boomers, the vast majority of whom are physically able to work and, what's more, would benefit themselves AND society by continuing to do so.

If you travel to advanced as well as emerging economies in Asia, you see vast numbers of older people manning toll booths, working behind the counters in convenience stores and running the desks at hotels, just to name a few.

Among our ranks we have laid-off business people, who would make perfectly fine teachers, and prematurely retired pilots, who would be fine traffic cops and even lifeflight pilots.

The list could go on and on and on. While 50 and 60 something boomers might not make your greatest roofers and carpenters, the well-connected able-bodied snot-noses with politically protected public sector union jobs could make the transition with ease.

The first boomers to accept these options would get first pick of the jobs as well as incentive such as reduced tuition for their children or grandchildren in return for reduced or delayed collection of social security and other geezer benefits.

And before anyone get out their flamethrowers, let it be known that I am a boomer who would be among the first to volunteer for such a program.

[the lastbestlady]

Commas are your friend. :)

[the lastbestlady]

There are some PRE-boomers that are STILL working for a living. BTW

[Kenton]

We have a growing shortage of workers (allegedly the reason we need to keep importing people from the third world) while we have a growing number of retiring boomers, the vast majority of whom are physically able to work and, what's more, would benefit themselves AND society by continuing to do so.

There's another side of this that most people don't realize.

Businesses are well aware that the Boomers will soon be retiring, and taking their work ethic and pre-1960s public education literacy with them. The people due to replace them are not as motivated or as educated as the boomers. Many current college applicants are functional illiterates.

Companies are already exploring incentives to get the boomers to stay past their normal retirement age. I know my company is. (I'm getting this from HR professionals, BTW.)

The Gen-X/Gen-Y wannabe rock stars will eventually want to get good jobs. What if the boomers just hang in there and don't open up the good positions? You think we're hearing complaints now, just wait. "Jeez, Gramps, here I been worrying about having to support your Social Security payments, but instead I still have to borrow money from you like when I was a kid, cuz you still got MY dream job."