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 ...
Once upon a time little boys and girls, there was a country where the flag was honored, family name was precious, God was worshipped, and senior citizens were respected - as they were a support and repository for the aforesaid virtues.
It would appear that today the flag is trashed, family name means nothing - even you have one, God is removed from public life and senior citizens AND the unborn are an inonvenient burden.
If not for senior discounts, my last year of high school would have been a lot tougher!
The idea behind this that senior live on “fixed incomes”. TX state teachers for instance haven’t had a raise since 2001. The discounts won’t pay for a half gallon of gasoline to reach the event.
I’ll never forget the time I was at a Carl’s Jr. one evening years ago. A young family of four was ordering and despite the pleas from the kids for extras, were keeping their order simple and low cost. The husband looked like a hard working mechanic, just off work with a greasy uniform. After they left the register, an older couple came up to order. They had just pulled up in a gleaming Mercedes and the woman had a huge rock on her finger. At the conclusion of the order, the man reminded the clerk that they qualified for the 10% senior discount which was proudly displayed on a sign sitting on the counter. Pissed me off.
LOL. I live in a retirement community, so I can relate to that first hand.
The discounts however are limited to VHS tape rentals
Don’t forget to eliminate all those kiddy discounts, then, Mr Busybody. Just don’t be surprised when hordes of pitchfork wielding parents come banging on your door.
Does the author even consider that perhaps senior discounts are not at attempt at charity but, rather, an attempt to secure the business of a demographic that otherwise would stay home?
And, the mechanic could be rich some day too.....or the older couple may give millions to charity....
People in CO agree with Lamm about the inconvenience of the elderly, and they are big abortion boosters too. In WY though, all less so.
In Florida all of the folks have CCW permits.
5.56mm
I thought it was ILLEGAL to discriminate against someone based on their age?? If being under a certain age requires one to pay MORE, then it is Definitely ILLEGAL, and maybe we could start a whole new class of lawsuits against these evil businesses.
I waited my whole life to obtain a Free Senior Citizen’s Fishing License from New York State. The year I was 65 I trotted myself over to the county clerk’s office intending to receive what I was entitled to. They informed me that 4 months earlier, there had been a change to the law and that the age requirement was now 70.
This seems like a conspiracy.
Obama should do away with all discounts. Everything cost’s the same, no Sales, Closeout’s or Promotions.
America hates the baby boomers.
“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.”
Yeh like now. My 90 year old Mom gets her senior discounts and I’m glad she does. Tell the twenty somethings to get a job and STFU about it.
Maybe that man in the Mercedes was a retired mechanic who managed to do well, save and invest, or maybe he owns the shop where the young mechanic is fortunate enough to find work to feed his family at Carl’s Jr.
While I rarely ask for them some places volunteer discounts. If a private business wants to give them I’m thankful as my income has now declined.
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