Clinton and Bush: Leaders of Boomer Irresponsibility

The Direct Democracy Center ^ | 11/17/03 | Daniel B. Jeffs

[qam1]

As the first of 78 million people from the post World War II baby boom generation -- those born between 1946 and 1964 -- approach retirement age, their legacy has already impacted society more than any other generation. But not necessarily in a good way. The latest examples of profound irresponsibility are former president Bill Clinton and current president George W. Bush, both leaders of the generation. Clinton did all he could to help dig a monetary grave for taxpayers with a giant tax increase and a grab for national health care with Hillary Clinton at the helm. Bush is shoveling dirt in the grave with yet another massive entitlement expansion in the form of prescription-drug benefits for seniors. Why? For the enormous senior voting block, and the votes of fellow boomers on the cusp of retirement, in his 2004 presidential bid for re-election.

The irony is not lost on many coming-of-age boomers who began their legacy by rejecting their parents -- belatedly recognized as the greatest generation -- and revolting against the social, political, education and corporate establishment. Elements of the generation decided they were self-ordained to change the world, so they embarked on missions of good intentions: Civil rights, equal rights for women, growing government, revising the education system, controlling corporate America and re-defining society. Much of what the generation accomplished was good. However, they were driven by extremists, including deeply disturbed social gurus from their parents' generation.

It took little more than three decades for the 60's generation to ruin public education by dumbing down the system and replacing it with feel-good social promotion, the indoctrination of moral relativism, rejection of truth, and the reconstruction of history to reflect their ideology. The overall problem was that academics, progressives, civil rights activists, pandering politicians, government bureaucrats, environmentalists and radical feminists simply went too far. They turned America into a stressed-out society steeped in uncertainty, relentlessly assaulted by selfish interests, hyper commercialism, junk psychology, political and environmental terrorism, and legal anarchy. The results are clearly a litigious society of political correctness, demonization of classes, social aggression, punishing taxation and media-driven chaos, which created cultures of unrelenting political rancor, censorship, tyranny of the minority, separatist diversity, war against whites, war against males, devastated families, confused children, hopelessly frustrated relationships, cheaters, and all manner of other social and economic extremes.

Radical elements of the boomer generation vowed to change everything, and they did. They spread their ilk like communicable diseases. They asaulted society with the proliferation of ignorance and battered society with the failures of good intentions. In the process, they created the new establishment: An academic system that robs students of their education; inept, intrusive government replete with repressive regulations; stock market madness, corporate thieves and Wall Street bandits; dishonest politicians and arrogant bureaucrats; mind-numbing drivel disguised as art and entertainment; and last but not least, biased news media and deceitful journalists of both political persuasions who abdicated their responsibility as defenders of the people and the watchdogs for democracy.

Lest we forget, rebellious boomers launched the drug culture, free love and personal irresponsibility that have become corrosive plagues on society. Those who drove our nation into this unconscionable quagmire know who they are and they certainly aren't the best of us. Alas, the 'Me' generation are in charge of things now. They betrayed democracy and the meaning of America and replaced it with cultures of animosity, selfish interests, victims, government dependants and entitlements. Indeed, it's certainly going get tougher on everyone else when the largest block of voters want more of everything for themselves, and the AARP becomes the most powerful organization in the country. Question is, can society survive the crippling effects of what has undoubtedly become the worst generation?

This is not to say that the entire generation is bad. Far from it. Many boomers are working hard to reverse the tide. But it's too late and there aren't enough of them. Yet with a lot of help from younger generations, and those from the small pre-1946, 'silent' generation who quietly witnessed the erosion of society with little resistance, maybe the generational war that will surely begin when self-absorbed boomers demand more and more tribute, Social Security and Medicare at the unbearable expense of others, including their own children, can be avoided.

Rather than continuing on the boomer's implosive course of social, political and economic vandalism, selective democracy and demagoguery convenience, common sense tells us that the shredded state of society leads to the inescapable conclusion that our survival rests with getting real, and a lot of mending. It's going to take mutual understanding, a truthfully informed electorate, real education and real democracy to sew this badly torn society back together.

[sinkspur]

Most of the legislation enabling these things you decry was passed by the "Greatest Generation," a group which, though the richest in history, is still leeching off the Boomers and Xers.

FDR's legacy lives.

[MEG33]

You have gone too far in your disdain for George Bush.There is no evidence he was a coke sniffer and only evidence that he drank too much,saw it was affecting his life in a negative way and quit.I hope life gets better for you soon.

[Billthedrill]

This is not to say that the entire generation is bad. Far from it.

Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence. My taxes paid for you guys' college educations, remember?

Personally I take a strong stand for personal responsibility, hard work, and making one's own way in the world. It's the only thing that's going to generate enough tax revenue from you folks to keep me in the luxurious manner to which I intend to become accustomed... ;-)

[MEG33]

LBJ's Great Society destroyed the intact ,mother and dad poor family.

[Torie]

The only truth in this article, is that Boomers tend to be ideological, and not very attuned to compromise, or just muddling through. Boomers run the show now, and that disinclination to compromise is now in full view. But the idea that Boomers were largely screaming Leftists is silly, and always was. Boomers did however tend to be anti-establishment, until they became the establishment. In some ways I am the paradigmatic Boomer. When I read the book Generations, when it came to the description of the inclinations of Boomers, all I could think, is hey, that's me! And so it goes.

[MEG33]

Look back on what percentage of GDP it is compared to WW2's.

[Cicero]

This article compares Bush to clinton on the one point where they have some resemblance: public spending. I have to agree that Bush is weak in that area.

But in most other areas, Bush and clinton are as different as night and the day. That is especially true on the issue of abortion. But it's also true on the issue of tax cuts. And its true on the issue of war fighting. Clinton fought wars to polish his image. Bush fights wars to defend his country.

Nor do I think that Bush is a typical baby boomer. He went to Texas, he found work, he roughnecked in the oil fields, he got himself off the playboy drinking route, he found a good wife and stuck with her, he made himself into a decent, caring human being. Not clinton.

[lainde]

Re:"Many boomers are working hard to reverse the tide. But it's too late and there aren't enough of them".

As a group, we have a lot to answer for (sigh)...

[goodnesswins]

Simplistic aren't thou, Archangelsk?......and I'll answer what ever da*n way I want to. Have a nice evening.

[kittymyrib]

Absolutely right. The "Greatest Generation" was really the "Gullible Generation." That was a big advantage when fighting WWII and hopping off the boats into the withering fire of Nomandy beaches. It was a disaster after the war when they actually believed that the politicians had won the war and could do no wrong! Every wrong-headed government program was okay as long as some politician would promise them some goody for their votes. They must have believed in Santa and the Easter Bunny if they didn't see the utter flop that Social Security had to become in the future. They did not bring up the Boomer Generation to have the same standards as their parents had given them, letting the Boomers become the sad failures many have become as parents themselves. It will have to be a miracle of God to save our nation after the excesses of the last 50 years, and after the way we've treated Him, why should He care?

[Swiss]

Well the article didn't explain why between 1960 when the last of the "Lost" Generation started to retire or turn over leadership to the younger "Greatest" Generation and 1992 when the "Boomers" took over everything went to pot.

As an X'er myself the generation I respect is the "Lost" one which came to age in the trenches of World War I, created the Jazz Age, lost it all in the Depression then was Generals and Sargents who lead the privates and 2LT's on the beaches at Normandy.

That Generation was the greatest of the 20th century in my book be their influance on Music (Jazz Age, 40's Swing), Writing (Steinbeck, Hemingway), Art (Edward Hopper, Thomas Hart Benton), Style (Art Deco) or other influances.

[qam1]

As an X'er myself the generation I respect is the "Lost" one which came to age in the trenches of World War I, created the Jazz Age, lost it all in the Depression then was Generals and Sargents who lead the privates and 2LT's on the beaches at Normandy.

And they fought prohibition!!! No bar today can hold a candle to a speakeasy

But unfortunately they were the ones not the WWII generation (because they were too young)that elected FDR four times :-(

[qam1]

OK, I am starting a Gen Xer ping list

Xer Ping

Ping list for the discussion of the politics of Generation-X (Those born from 1965-1980) and directly effecting Generation-X including all the spending previous generations (i.e. The Baby Boomers) are doing that Gen-X and Y will end up paying for.  

Since generational related articles are relatively rare in Freerepublic this is expected to be a relatively low volume ping list, Weeks may pass between pings  

Gen-Ys are encouraged to join (as others but please no trolls) but note this ping list is not for the discussion of college/high school life and the liberal shenanigans that take place on campus.

These are some articles that are the expected type that will appear on the X-er ping list

Clinton and Bush: Leaders of Boomer Irresponsibility

Ideological Crossroads: Gen X Marks the Spot (Xers Turning More Conservative as they age; Gen Y too)

The Boomer Bust

Butting in on fashion: Gen-X sinks to new lows

Gen X assumes state power

Freep mail me to be added.

[driftless]

s
The ACLU,  Activist Judges, Junk Science, Tune in, Turn on and drop out, Health and Safety Nazis, RINOS, Destruction of the Nuclear Family, Destruction of the Black Extended family, Smoking Bans in bars, Frivolous lawsuit, The Constitution as a living document, The Welfare State, The Nanny State, It it feels good do it, The Liberal Media elite, The founding fathers were nothing more than evil slave owners, Sound bites over substance or facts, Abortion on demand, The Clintons, Seatbelt laws, Feminism, Tree Huggers, Criminals that have more rights than the victim, Meathead, Blame America First, Latch key kids, Kids being raised by their grandparents and/or strangers, Helmet laws for Motorcycles, Helmet laws for freaking Bicycles, Cradle to grave entitlements, War on Fat, 21 year old drinking age, Yuppies, Careers over your children, Hatred of the Military, Reporters who think they are not only part of but bigger than the story they are covering, Focus groups, Weekend dads, Single moms, Prisoner rights groups, Prozac, Ritilin, Viagra, ½ our income going for taxes, America owes me, Living past failed dreams through your children, Pychobabble, Cocktail Parties with the likes of Micheal Bloomberg, Turning an educational system that once was the best in the world to S!@, The 2nd Amendment doesn't mean the Right to bear arms, Peacekeepers instead of soldiers, The weakening of the CIA, Power Couples, Soccer Moms, Stage Moms, NPR, Eradication of Dodge Ball, It's all society's fault type excuses and made up syndromes instead of personal responsibility, and so many more but I will close with.  
And an Obscene $6,000,000,000,000 Nation Debt that WE have to pay off"

Yes life in the U.S. is horrible. So leave now, you whining little baby, before things get much worse.

[qam1]

Yes life in the U.S. is horrible. So leave now, you whining little baby, before things get much worse.

Nah! Lucky the Founding Fathers laid down too good of a system which despite many boomer's attempt to tear down will survive and despite what baby boomers think they won't live forever.

[driftless]

I think it's time to take your medication again. The prozac is obviously wearing off.

[RaginCajunTrad]

We are largely in agreement.

[cavdad]

I've said all along our generation of the Vietnam Era got want it wanted and now we are having to deal with the consequences. I didn't go along with the anti-Vietnam crowd and just went to marches to pick up women. It was the Vietnam generation that took the laws passed by the greatest generation and used them with a broader brush. Those of us who didn't go along were pushed aside by those who didn't want to be their father while we didn't mind our father running the country. Now its our turn to reverse all the wrongs our peers approved when their feel-good move was popular. We, like Bush, are now the fathers and must run the country while the next generation finds its way to truth.

[Maria S]

"...your hero [Bush] was an alcoholic, coke-sniffing madman..."


See Page 321, 3rd paragraph down, of DNC Bush-Basher's Talking Points for further back-up.

[Maria S]

"But in most other areas, Bush and clinton are as different as night and the day."

Bingo! I'm reading 'Legacy' right now (great book, BTW), and it analyzes how Clinton was (and still is) so desperate for approval, attention, and acceptance. Willing to waffle to appease what he perceives to be the majority's demands...and basically, he's somewhat chicken-hearted...and deep into 'feeeeelings'. Smooth talking, quick thinking, able to cover his screwups with a silver tongued quip.

President Bush may NOT be the smoothest talker in town, but at least WHAT he says is what he means...and it doesn't seem to matter if it's not the most popular approach.