Posted on 05/29/2013 8:08:27 AM PDT by blam
It's High Time America Did Away With Senior Discounts
Alex Mayyasi, Priceonomics Blog
May 29, 2013, 10:44 AM
You’ve seen them on the bus, in museums, and at movie theaters: senior discounts.
As a reward for being old, senior citizens pay a quarter less for bus fare, a small fortune less for movie tickets, and receive discounts generally all over the place.
If you’re a twentysomething, or part of what some journalists have colorfully called “the screwed generation,” you may be wondering: why not me?
The idea that seniors are a group in need of help and protection dates back to the thirties, when America’s senior citizens were disproportionately poor and affected by the Depression wiping out everyone's savings.
In 1935, President Roosevelt passed the Social Security Act, which gave federal assistance to the elderly. This became the norm. Aid to seniors increased over time, in particular with the creation of Medicare in 1965 and the passage of an amendment indexing social security to cost of living increases and creating an additional Supplemental Security Income for seniors in 1972.
As two poverty economists note, “One of the most striking trends in elderly well-being in the twentieth century was the dramatic decline in income poverty among the elderly.” This can be seen in the graph below.
The United States only began measuring poverty in the 1960s, so we lack standard figures dating farther back than that. But it’s recognized that the trend of decreasing poverty among seniors dates back to the thirties and forties. 2011 Census figures place poverty among Americans aged 65 and older at 8.7%, well below the national average of 15%.
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(Excerpt) Read more at priceonomics.com ...
I find that the age to obtain discounts recedes over the horizon faster than my reality bound ground speed.
My life story. Now that I almost qualify. Some expletive person wants to cancel it?
Popping my corn and standing by...
My video store has senior discounts over 85 years of age.
Who moved the cheese?
If senior discounts so greatly offend you, feel free to contact those businesses that offer them directly.
5.56mm
It is my experience that senior discounts are fantastic. I love them. Properly made, they bring customers at ties or days when sales are slow.
Any of those have gun lockers in the rooms?
“If you’re a twentysomething, or part of what some journalists have colorfully called “the screwed generation,” you may be wondering: why not me? “
Because you have not earned it yet. Just another part of the poor me generation....
Senior discounts don’t add up to a hill of beans.
How about getting rid of IRS!
I can hardly wait ;-)
We are now old enough now for some senior discounts, and always thought they were a little weird, as older people usually have MORE money than younger....BUT, with the amount of TAKERS that we support with our TAX money, we’ll take what we can get....considering it a tax rebate.
I once had the misfortune of having worked for a retailer who decided to do away with Senior discounts. Probably the ugliest couple of weeks of work in my life until I decided the risk to life and limb was not worth it and quit.
It’s not America that is responsible for senior discounts but individual businesses who are trying to attract seniors because they are good business.
Gee I enjoy my senior coffee at Mcdonald’s. What a deal.
Just using a number for seniors ignores those seniors who are barely getting by. In many cases, seniors live on a fixed income so it is going to stay at that amount. Prices go up but their money doesn't go up.
I grocery shop at Kroger and they give a small discount to seniors. Food is expensive so that discount is a good thing.
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