Posted on 06/03/2010 11:15:13 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Yesterday was my 58th birthday. If I were a Greek worker I could retire. Although pension payments in Greece normally start around 61, special provisions allow anyone to retire at 58 if they have been in employment for 35 years. That, as it happens, is how long I have been at work. My index-linked pensions from the Greek Government would be worth 75 to 90 per cent of the average salary in the country, guaranteed for the rest of my life by the State.
If you want to know why Greece is going bankrupt and why the euro seems to be on the verge of disintegration, look no farther. The best argument I have ever heard for a break-up of the euro was this observation in a German newspaper: The Greeks go on to the streets to protest against an increase of the pension age from 61 to 63. Does this mean that Germans should extend the working age from 67 to 69, so Greeks can enjoy their retirement?
This, however, is not another article about self-indulgent Greeks and self-righteous Germans. The battle over bailouts in Europe is only a sideshow compared with the great social conflict that lies ahead all over the world in the next 20 years. This will not be a struggle between nations or social classes, but between generations and it is a conflict that, in Britain, begins in earnest this year. The end of the Second World War in May 1945 marked the start of the baby boom, which lasted until the mid-1960s. Now, 65 years later, the corresponding retirement revolution is about to shake up our society, economy and political institutions.
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
Damn! I never get credit for anything. I was born June 29, 1945, a little too old to be a boomer.
No no. It was very clearly enunciated by Glenn Beck: there were the guys who went to the moon; and there were the guys and gals who went to Woodstock.
I totally agree. If they want me out of the Social Security system, pay me back all the money I had to pay into it, all my life, with interest.
Well, of course! Principles, you know.
I qualify, suckah.....spring of 1947; proudly suckling for a year now.
My dad paid in from inception until he died in 1974 and never received a dime.
Well if that’s the case, you should be able to deduct your FICA as a tax deductible contribution to the Gov. And from one baby boomer to another... thanks.
I would guess that you have no respect for your parents or grandparents or any others. Social Security was forced on the people and they have been taxed for it ever since its been around.
and, Shazasm, we have just instituted Nationalized Health Care, complete with Death Panels. What a coincidence!
As the Man said F me now I will definitely F you later, my Platoon Sgt.
>> 1946 and 1964
I thought it was 1945-1955
Not to worry. They’ll all be gone soon and you and yours can tear this country apart. But remember, there’ll be no one around to ask what to do.
I don’t blame the Boomers. Rather, I blame our irresponsible government who allowed the liabilities to become massively underfunded.
I also don’t begrudge Boomers taking their share of SS. However, it should be acknowledged that the Boomers’ kids (of which I’m one) will have a much lower standard of living as their FICA payments will have to increase dramatically to fund their parents SS payments. This whole situation is a real mess and speaks volumes to the incompetency of government.
Yep, I agree. If you offered the children of the Boomers double or triple the payments, I bet they would be the first ones in line to collect it.
The United States, the industrialized European nations (UK, France, Germany, etc.), Japan, South Korea and Australia have combined to kill OVER 130 MILLION babies in abortuaries since the end of the Baby Boom. This is the reason that these programs are going broke, they were all designed based on the presumption of normal population growth and when that didn't happen the entire model started to collapse and we are just now seeing it.
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Did they tell you 1 in 3 Greeks are government employees?
Man, you are really full of hate for the older generation aren’t you? Too bad......you’ll miss them and you’ll find out one day what it’s like to be in their shoes.
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