New Seniors » Current Events

The greatest evil of all

-NewSeniors Editorial — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 01:22:02 +0000

No, it is not terrorists, countries possessing nuclear weapons or the street thug lurking in the shadows to take your money or possibly your life. The evil is the growing numbers of generally good people – the person next door a family member or a life-long friend – who have lost faith in the American Dream and the desire to be free and achieve.

With more than 14 million workers unemployed and millions of others under-employed or lacking skills to get ahead the future looks rather grim. And with manufacturing jobs going overseas, most of them unlikely to return, our once big consuming society is about to turn into a nation of individuals who are just-getting-by.

Government spending has done little to improve the situation. To the contrary, the United States is deeper in debt than at anytime in the 235 years since our founding. Our elected representatives can’t or refuse to find common ground on spending issues. And, the unfunded liabilities at the federal, state and local levels are about to leave these government entities and individual voters broke.

Americans have always rallied to overcome adversity. The question is will we be able to do it again? This nation does best when we unite and work together to accomplish the seemingly impossible. We did this through wars, financial crisis, physical disasters and more. Yet many wonder if we have strayed so far from the founding principles that selfish interests will take precedence over consideration for the greater good.

The 76 million Baby Boomers were told they were special and acted that way. Referred to as the “me generation,” they changed the national landscape over the past 50 years. It was the baby boomers who fought against the war in Vietnam while fighting for civil and women’s rights. They continued to make an impact throughout all these years.

Boomers, for better and worst, helped make America what it is today. Now, they are becoming New Seniors as the oldest of them turn 65 this year. And, they will continue to do so at the rate of 4 million per year through 2030. However, it must be remembered, this generation has not been known for making sacrifices.

The folks who are part of Gen X, and Y along with those coming after them are scrambling to provide for their families, as are the younger Boomers. So, the New Seniors must act like the adults. We have the experience and desire to make America the land of opportunity for our children, our grandchildren and their children as it was for us.

There’s a lot on our collective plates. Besides stopping the spending spree, we must address the short and long-term future for both Social Security and Medicare. At the same time, faith in America has got to be restored. We have seen this happen before, yet many of those who have not experience great national problems are turning pessimistic and believe that America is on a path of decline. This defeatist attitude is truly the greatest evil of all. New Seniors can play an important role in overcoming such thinking.

Is “kindergarten-ready” another term for indoctrinating our grandchildren?

a NewSeniors contributor — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 04:37:17 +0000

The current administration recently announced federal funding to the tune of $500 million for innovative early learning programs for children under the age of 5. Advocates claim this will get children, particularly the poor, prepared for kindergarten and result in them having better opportunities to learn. Opponents believe this is not the government’s job and that the costs will escalate well beyond initial projections.

Jennifer Garner, actress turned advocate for Save the Children, thanked the administration for the funding but warned, “this is not enough.” She went on to tell reporters, “I have a child entering kindergarten and believe it or not, a huge part of why you are successful and bright and cheerful, clean, pretty looking people is because you were able to sit in a circle when you got to kindergarten – that is kindergarten readiness.”

So let’s get this straight, Ms. Garner and others like her believe that being able to be still and sit in a circle is kindergarten readiness? Try selling this concept to the parents of any healthy, active 5 year old boy or even some girls. Could the objective of the program be to produce a bunch of cookie-cutter kids that behave the way they are told and, therefore, can be trained in a way that will allow the government to teach young absorbent minds what it wants them to learn?

Isn’t it the parents responsibility to provide the early instruction, basic training if you will, for the children? They teach the toddlers by example, reading to them and exposing them to society. Family values are a big part of a child’s development. Should parents leave this up to the state? What about the notion of religious teaching? No school receiving federal funding will be permitted carry out the wishes of all parents, so whatever the children are taught will necessarily be religion-free.

By taking the child out of the home environment the parent forfeits the early nurturing contact with the youngster and deprives the children this basic need. Operating under government regulations will mean all children must receive the same degree of care and attention in order to provide equal treatment.

Some may argue that many families are comprised of working couples or single parents, which justifies the need for toddler schools. This is outweighed by the potential loss of parental control and authority government run facilities the will occur. If you doubt this, look at today’s public elementary schools compared to when we were young. Bible reading and prayer are out, but revisionist history and gender diversity education are in.

This new program is designed to establish the government as the super-parent, the all-knowing and all-providing entity that will take care of everyone’s needs from the cradle on, and do it fairly as opposed to the way a living, loving parent does. Is this what America is becoming? If you like this, go with it. If you question this approach to raising our kids, contact your elected representative and let them know that you believe parents must have responsibility over their children.

What are we teaching our grandkids?

a NewSeniors contributor — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 01:14:33 +0000

Are schools so worried about being politically correct that they forget about the basics? Do philosophical agendas trump sound education standards? How can we continue to spend so much on an educational system that achieves such poor results? Have we forgotten to prepare students for a successful life?

These and many more questions must be answered, with all honesty, if our grandchildren hope to have an education approaching the kind received by New Seniors and Baby Boomers. In an effort to “make things equal” we have actually found a way to dumb-down the typical classroom agenda with bi-lingual teaching or slowing down the educational process so the poorer students can keep pace. Such actions have proved to hurt the majority of students rather than leveling the playing field to accommodate a few.

There was a time, not too long ago, when schools recognized the fact that while we are all created equal we do not all possess the same interests or skills. Some were gifted with the ability to excel in science and math. Others did better in language and the arts. While mechanical and vocational courses attracted those that preferred to work with their hands. This is akin to the fact that some students play football, some play in the marching band and some sit in the stands and cheer.

Somewhere along the line, we accepted the notion that anyone who graduated from high school was a candidate for college, even though the child may not have wanted to or would succeed if they did. This concept was part the desire that equal opportunities exist all, which came out of the civil rights and women’s rights movements of the 1960s.

Today there are more women enrolled in our universities than there are men, and diversity, some say, has resulted in good students being passed over so quotas can be met. And, the community colleges are much like an extension of high school rather than effectively serving as a gateway to the four-year institutions of higher learning.

In the meantime, the elementary school students are being taught gender diversity, revisionist history and in some instances being philosophically brainwashed instead of teachers following the proven methods that helped New Seniors and older Boomers get what was once the world’s best overall education.

With Washington, DC trying to take control of education and the teacher’s unions not willing to budge on tenure, seniority and benefits all we can expect is higher costs and poorer test scores. For now, local school districts do have something to say about what happens in the classrooms. Therefore, it is incumbent upon all of us who had the privilege of a good public education to be a voice for the children in our communities.

A good education is vital to the future of our grandchildren and the entire nation. But they will miss out on this if the schools don’t get back to educating rather than bending to the whims of every political action group.

Americans are less optimistic about the future

-NewSeniors Editorial — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 01:13:48 +0000

A poll taken in early June, after the unemployment rate climbed to 9.1%, indicates consumer confidence has fallen to its lowest level since the president took office in January 2009. Only 3 in 10 Americans, across all age groups, expect the economy to improve in the next year. And, half of all respondents say it is very or somewhat likely the country will enter a Depression similar to that of the1930’s.

According to the Rasmussen report, 44% of Democrats believe the economy will be stronger next year. This is in sharp contrast to the 23% of Republicans and 26% of Independents (or those with other political affiliations) expecting the coming year will show a stronger economy.

There are significant differences by race, as well. About half of black adults (49%) think the economy will improve next year, which is the highest sub-cell within the study. And, 43% of the other category (primarily Hispanics and Asians) say the economy will be stronger in 2012, while only 28% of whites were optimistic.

Looking ahead to 5 years out, the sub-groups come closer together and show greater confidence in a stronger economy, with Democrats at 55%, Republicans 43% and Independents 39%. The racial disparity is even closer, 48% of blacks, 54% of others and 44% of whites expecting a stronger economy.

Two economic barometers were also part of the study. When asked how long it will take for the stock market to recover, the respondents answered as follows: 1 year 14%, 2 years 16%, 3 years 15%, more than 3 years 27% and not sure 28%. With 55% of respondents saying more than 3 years or they were not sure, the attitude of most Americans seems to be fear or frustration.

The findings involving the real estate market are even more discouraging. When asked how long it will take housing prices to recover, the respondents said: 1 year 6%, 2 years 11%, 3 years 14%, more than 3 years 48% and not sure 20%. That means 68% think it will take more than 3 years or were not sure how long it would take before the housing market is back in the black.

In spite of the continued concerns voiced by all segments of the population in all parts of the country, politicians are either incapable or unwilling to fix the lingering problems that keep the economic recovery from becoming a reality in the lives of most Americans. Both sides of the aisle are to blame as is the administration along with the various agencies serving it and the activist judges who turn their backs on the law by trying to legislate from the bench.

It is up to us to get better educated about issues and more deeply involved in the political process in order to put elected representatives’ feet to the fire. If the politicians won’t put party issues to the side and start working on the peoples’ behalf, we’ll elect new ones.

New Seniors must face the new realities of Medicare

-NewSeniors Editorial — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 13:16:42 +0000

Based on the current rhetoric, Medicare has become “Mediscare,” but neither political party seems to let the truth get in the way of their agendas. Those of us 65+ have a vested interest in the effects of health care reform, as do citizens of all ages. The problem is Medicare has already been targeted cuts of $500 billion, which few talk about.

As part of the president’s health care plan that was signed into law, we were told that the half-trillion dollars would be realized by eliminating waste, fraud and abuse within the system. These cuts will include paying less money to doctors and force them, along with hospitals, out of the Medicare system in the future, making it increasingly difficult for older Americans to find health care providers willing to accept Medicare.

The good news is that both the president’s health care law and congressman Ryan’s proposed plan will not affect anyone 55 and over. The bad news is if something is not done to reduce the growth of health care costs the tax burden will double within the next two decades.

Under the current plan, reducing the amount of money the government spends for Medicare will eventually result in fewer benefits. At the same time, taxes will increase to pay for the growing number of people who will qualify for Medicare coverage. Younger Americans will have to shoulder the rising costs from an already out-of-control system. And, they will wait longer to receive whatever benefits that can be squeezed from a shrinking budget allotment for each individual.

The only thing left to do is reform the system so it still exists for those now under 55 when the reach the time for Medicare to kick in. A combination of some form of medical saving account and boosting the age for qualifying will likely produce the best results. Younger adults will complain. Do you remember when the Baby Boomers were faced with moving the age for full Social Security benefits? They may not have liked it, but now it’s simply the way the program works.

Don’t forget, under the president’s law an additional 32 million people will be insured. They were previously uninsured, so the money has to come from somewhere. Some will come from the $500 million being cut from the Medicare budget. Higher taxes, yes. More efficient system operations, doubtful (after all the government is running this). Fortunately, the folks under 55 will have several years to save for what will certainly be increased health care costs when they reach retirement age.

So, today’s New Seniors have little to worry about, right? Wrong! There will be more health care regulations in place, which could adversely affect those 65+. One major concern is the establishment of a government run Independent Payment Advisory Board.
This panel will have the responsibility to approve when to get health care, where to get it and whether to extend care or not. That’s why it is incumbent upon all New Seniors to contact their elected representatives and say, “No death panels.”

Happy Birthday America

-NewSeniors Editorial — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 21:00:42 +0000

It’s been a long 235 years since a group of early American’s risked their livelihoods, their possessions and their very lives when the Founding Fathers signed The Declaration of Independence. These were our first heroes and we learned about their courage through American History lessons beginning in the elementary grades all the way through high school. They put everything on the line for freedom. Have we become so blasé that freedom no longer has the meaning it once had?

New Seniors (pre-boomers and the early baby boomers) are the ones who benefited most from the sacrifices of the Greatest Generation. It may seem strange to those younger than we are to consider being born during the Great Depression or WWII to be a good thing. But it was. We saw first hand, or soon came to understand, what incredible strength, faith and courage our parents and the others of their era had. They were patriots.

They, their parents or earlier ancestors, came to this country with a dream: the hope of building a new and better life. One were they could be free. And, one where their children would have endless opportunities to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. These people left behind whatever they had and whomever they knew to come to America. They understood it would not be easy but believed it would be worth it.

Few arrived here with money or the possibility of work. They lucky ones had friends or relatives provide them with food and shelter. When jobs were found, the hours were long and the tasks difficult. Yet these new Americans were determined to make it and while doing so they made this country a better place for all of us. This makes them patriots.

It’s almost impossible for us to think of what they went through. Although stories passed down let us know it was no cake walk. What our patriot parents went through was a long arduous journey through the ‘30s and directly into fighting a War on two fronts in the early ‘40s. Many of us remember those war days, when people lived in both fear and faith for nearly five years. And we all benefited from their efforts as the country moved from 15 long years of darkness into the sunshine of post-war prosperity.

Those who carried the message of family tradition and the responsibility that goes with the freedoms enjoyed in this great country of ours are leaving us at an ever increasing rate. The pre-boomers are approaching old age as the boomers join us as New Seniors. In the meantime, we have work to do in order to help get the US back on track.

This Independence Day, let us commit ourselves to using what we learned and what we believe to reignite the feeling of patriotism within in our families, our friends and our communities. The true greatness of America began with the individual and became bigger, stronger and more beautiful as people worked together to make this the land of the free and the home of the brave. This may be the moment in history when we can do our part to let the American dream live on for our children and grand children. There is no better birthday gift we could give to the country that gave so much to us.

Imagine July 4th without fireworks

Don Potter: Editor-in-Chief — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 04:44:47 +0000

The latest cause the environmentalists are trying to foist on the American public is to ban fireworks displays on July 4th. There was a suit brought to court in San Diego recently seeking to accomplish this, but a judge ordered a reprieve. So the people of that city will be able to enjoy fireworks, at least for this year. Will such efforts succeed in this city and throughout the country next year?

We are allowing a minority fringe to hijack America by changing our accepted and preferred way of life to fit their agenda. And, it affects a great deal more than shooting off fireworks one day a year in the local park. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the federal government’s arm for setting rules and regulations to keep American clean, safe and beautiful for all its inhabitants, human and otherwise.

Has this agency become more interested in control than it is for the total welfare of the more than 300 million people living here? Take the three inch long smelt that is endangered by the irrigation system in California’s Central Valley farm area. Billions of dollars and tens of thousands of jobs have vanished because the government has closed down the canals. No wonder food prices are going through the roof.

There’s a species of lizard in West Texas that is dwindling in numbers. If the environmentalist get their way oil drilling there will be put on hold. Add that to the lack of drilling licenses issued for the Gulf of Mexico after the BP oil spill, along with the administrations refusal to drill offshore in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans or tap into the rich reserves in Alaska and it is understandable why we are being held hostage by those unfriendly countries (Canada excluded) that export oil to us.

The effort to get Americans to switch to other forms of fuel has been spectacularly unsuccessful. Ethanol costs more to produce and results in corn shortages worldwide. Without this commodity, many will die. Electric cars have been proposed, but coal is frowned upon as an energy because it pollutes, even though it is a highly cost-effective energy source and abundantly available within the borders of the continental US.

However, neither the facts nor the current financial straits we are experiencing seem to stop the government from blindly forging ahead with plans to immediately take America off oil and change the country to renewable energy, sort of like they way it wants us to instantly change our eating habits. How do they intend to make this happen? Wind and solar power are still a more expense form of energy. Plus, depending on how the energy will be used, power grids and charging stations must be built – a long and expensive process. And, nuclear energy became taboo after the disaster in Japan.

The energy situation is just one of the areas where the environmental activists, the EPA and the administration appear to be working at cross-purposes with the will and needs of the people. It’s time we took a stand and said no more regulations until America gets back on its feet. Maybe the place to start is by being sure we can celebrate the country’s birthday with a rip-roaring, patriotic display of fireworks.

Charity begins at home, right?

-NewSeniors Editorial — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 03:05:36 +0000

While the United States government is willing to forgive foreign countries from billions of dollars in debts and continue to barrow money from China or print more in order to loan money to Middle East nations, more and more Americans are slipping into financial despair. One can’t help but wonder if the politicians have their priorities mixed up.

Surveys indicate that Americans in general have an inflated estimate as to how much money this country gives to other nations around the world. The median estimate is 25% of the federal budget, while 10% is considered appropriate for those polled. Yet, less than 1% of Washington’s annual budget is earmarked for foreign aid. That’s about $50 billion. When discretionary spending is added in, the percentage jumps to 2.6%.

However, the question of late has become who get the money more than how much they should receive. For instance, Israel receives about $3 billion each year, Egypt gets $1.5 billion and $1 billion goes to Pakistan for counterinsurgency activities.

With Israel being a democracy, our closest ally and strategically located in the Middle East, it is easy to understand why they receive our aid. But Egypt has been under the control of a dictator and appears headed for dominance by factions that are unfriendly to us. The government of Pakistan is less than cooperative with us and the country is home to terrorist groups that are determined to destroy the Western way of life.

There was a time when America thought by propping up government’s run by strong-armed regimes the citizens could be kept under control. Those days are over. And the suppressed people of these countries are angry that we supported their oppressors. The people want to be free but not in the way we understand freedom.

In Central and South America, the people are likely to choose socialistic or even communistic governments. Citizens in Islamic countries are more comfortable turning things over to religious leaders or a quasi-secular government backed by religious law, which results in a different kind of oppression such as can be found in Iran. Africa is too volatile to be included in these considerations at this time.

We can’t buy respect for the United States and we certainly can’t buy friendship. In fact, we were not able to buy help from Pakistan after pouring more than $8 billion in aid to them during the years that Osama bin Laden was hiding out in a compound within a stone’s throw of that country’s version of West Point.

Isn’t it time to review America’s foreign policy and the dollars being spent? As a country, we are broke. We can’t afford to waste money here or abroad. Maybe cutting back with foreign aid would result in fewer countries taking us for granted. Maybe the folks in congress will realize that those who take our dollars must do something in return. And, maybe this kind of thinking will start to be applied for the dollars spent here at home. Just maybe.

New Seniors were taught to be frugal, so did we forget?

Don Potter: Editor-in-Chief — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 01:58:26 +0000

We learned from our parents that, “money doesn’t grow on trees.” That’s because those of us born between 1930 and 1945 were raised during the Great Depression followed by a period of sacrifice during WWII. Along with the baby boomers now turning 65, we were taught that America never had to endure such dire times again as long as we worked hard and “saved for a rainy day.” The clichés seem old now, but their messages remain true.

Growing up in Philadelphia, I was exposed to the thoughts of one of the great early Americans, Ben Franklin. His common sense philosophy about how to live one’s life was published in Poor Richard’s Almanac, and all the city’s school kids had to memorize the important sayings. Things like “a penny saved is a penny earned” and “early to be, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise” and “time is money” are but a few of the adages we recited.

Few take exception to the words of Franklin; yet, through the years these maxims have lost their importance. Maybe it’s time to give the proverbs a second look and incorporate these simple truths into our daily lives. While we’re at it, the words of the other Founding Fathers may lead us back to understanding the fundamentals on which this country was built. A good place to start is with the documents many of them contributed to: The Declaration of Independence and The Constitution of the United States.

Reading these sacred documents won’t require much time and the process may remind us of what freedom means and why it must be embraced and maintained at all costs. Those who framed these documents also offered their personal thoughts reminding us to be ever vigilant lest our freedoms be eroded, and they provided words of wisdom by which we might pursue and better enjoy individual liberties. It’s easy, just go online and you’ll find many quotes from Washington, Jefferson, Franklin and the other great patriots.

This leads us back to the issue of money. Since the prosperity years following the end of WWII, our generation never looked back. Sure, there were bumps in the road, but we had confidence in the future and lived that way. Many of us did not save for that rainy day or the retirement years ahead, at least not to the extent we should have. Fortunately, there were things like company pensions and IRAs (Individual Retirement Accounts) to supplement grossly insufficient Social Security benefits. So we’ll get by.

The sad news is our country didn’t plan for the future either. The nation is in deep debt, yet government doesn’t seem to be able or want to turn off the spending machine it created. The politicians point to the people who will suffer if federal programs are cut back. They seem to forget, it is our tax dollars that pay for all the social and entitlement programs. And, borrowing or printing more money will saddle generations to come.

Something has to be done. All of us must accept some of the blame. This means everyone gets less and suffers some. Remember what Ben Franklin said, “when the people find they can vote themselves money that will herald the end of the republic.”

Who is to blame for the recent extreme weather?

-NewSeniors Editorial — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 01:41:49 +0000

Mark Twain once said, “Everybody talks about the weather but nobody does anything about it.” A recent poll indicates that most Americans (51%) attribute weather conditions to long-term planetary trends while only 19% point the finger to human activity. But you can bet this won’t stop the debate about who really is to blame.

The storms and flooding that have devastated the South and Midwest are not due to climate change according to leading meteorologists. These pronouncements have not kept activists from heating up the debate once again over global warming. Getting their message out is not a problem, since a willing press stands ready to cooperate.

Images remain fresh in our minds of the destruction caused by countless tornados and the Mississippi River overflowing its banks like we have not seen in 75 years. However, a Rasmussen poll conducted in early May shows that only 39% of respondents believed the weather in their area was the worst in recent memory.

When asked if you or a family member has been affected by severe weather an overwhelming 76% said no, 15% said yes and 8% were not sure. Clearly, the media coverage made people aware of the problem but relatively few were impacted by it. As to who should have the financial responsibility for weather related disasters, 36% say the federal government, 26% believe this should fall on local agencies, 22% felt individuals should and 16% were not sure.

Age and political affiliation and, to a lesser extent, gender separate the issue as to who is to blame for the weather. About one in three of those 18 to 29 years of age say long term planetary trends are the reason for the extreme weather conditions, but six in ten of the 30 to 49 year olds point to planetary trends as do about half of those over 50.

More men (55%) say planetary trends are the cause of weather conditions compared to women (46%). Not unexpectedly, politics plays a role in responses with 69% of the Republicans and 50% of the unaffiliated believing long-term planetary trends are the causes. Democrats are split on this but, should tragedy occur, a plurality (48%) looks to the federal government to intervene financially compared to 28% of Republicans and 31% of Independents.

Half those surveyed thought the government was doing a good to excellent job in responding to the disasters. In addition, 49% have or will donate to relief fund for victims. And, 64% of respondents say the economy will be hurt in the aftermath.

So it appears that Americans will continue to talk about the weather and its consequences but the majority of them don’t believe they can do anything about changing the climate. However, politicians being what they are will surely find ways to try to convince us that our thinking is wrong so they can spend money trying to fix an unfixable problem. Haven’t they ever heard of the laws of nature?