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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.

Questions prompted by the process of voting

Don Potter: Editor-in-Chief — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 01:05:17 +0000

A recent trip to my local polling place caused me to question a number of things about the waste of money and possible abuse and fraud that arises within the system. The problems extend well beyond the voting process and must be addressed if the state and municipal governments are to get their collective houses in order.

I live in suburban Los Angeles. The polling place where I voted the second week of March is located in an upscale residential area. The first thing I noticed after parking was a sign stating that ballots were available in 6 different languages besides English. Statewide, ballots are printed in dozens of other languages and distributed through some 25,000 precincts.

To vote, I did not have to show any photo identification, written confirmation of my address or proof of citizenship. I did have to tell them my name and address and sign my name in the allotted space. Then I was able to vote, using a paper ballot, in any of the languages available at that polling location.

The people manning the poll allowed that there were few requests for these foreign language ballots, but would not provide any details. They did say, however, that this is a federal requirement. While Washington might be to blame for complicating the election process, the state goes even further when it comes to communicating in many languages.

Southern California has long been a melting pot — make that a mixed salad – and city and state information comes in a variety of languages. Providing this service is a costly proposition. For instance, I recently renewed my driver’s license and was required to take a written test this time. At the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles), I learned that the 100 + page study guide is printed in more than 30 different languages.

The cost of translating, editing and printing the drivers education manuals as well as registration materials and test forms must be exurbanite, to say nothing about the costs involved in hiring and training people fluent in these languages to be part of the DMV staff. More important, it just doesn’t make sense to me that in a state where all highway and traffic signs are in English to allow people who can’t read the “language of the road” to qualify for a divers license.

Ever travel to Europe, South America or Asia? Governments operate in the language of their country. It’s up to those who want to live in the country to learn the language. To become an American citizen, people must learn about the rules and regulations and are expected to have an understanding of the language before taking the oath. So, why does government insist on separating us by language rather than pulling people together?

Do we not realize this is a form of discrimination? Do we simply ignore the waste, fraud and abuse that come with programs communicated in many languages? Or, do we let our elected representatives know about these any other problems that we see? You decide.

Comparing union demonstrators to those from the Tea Party

-NewSeniors Editorial — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 02:39:53 +0000

It was only two years ago that a spontaneous grassroots movement sprang up known as the Tea Party. The spark behind this was shared frustration about the high cost of government in general and specific concerns regarding the health care reform bill that was working its way through Congress. Like the ongoing union demonstrations in Wisconsin, Ohio and other states, the tea partiers gathered to protest. But that’s were the similarities end.

Back a hundred or so years ago, the men who founded the giant industrial complexes, America’s robber barons, ran these businesses with iron hands. All take and no give lead to the rise of labor unions. This gave the workers’ a voice at the negotiating tables and helped fuel the growth of great middle-class for both union members as well as the general population. However, union membership in the private sector has fallen below 7% in recent years.

Today, however, nearly 40% of all government employees are union members. Unlike the relationship between business and those representing employees in the bargaining process where market forces, competition and profitability are important elements in the negotiations, public unions have no restraints other than the common sense of the politicians involved.

The public sector unions are actually government unions. Elected officials negotiate with union bosses who determine who gets election funds, which come from the dues collected from the individual union members. Since there is no profit, competition or market forces to be considered, politicians are beholden to those who contribute to their re-election efforts. And who picks up the tab? The taxpayers, that’s who.

This quid pro quo arrangement has put the salaries of government workers above private sector workers performing similar jobs, provided free or lower cost health care benefits, bloated pension benefits (often unfunded), secured jobs on seniority rather than performance, reduced productivity. All of which has placed many local and state governments on the brink of bankruptcy.

The unions took a page from the peaceful, yet effective, protests of the Tea Party in mid-2008. These efforts made the public aware of opposition to the proposed health care bill and the government’s out-of-control spending. So unions gathered local union members in places like Madison and Columbus. Students, out-of-town union operatives and some hometown sympathizers joined the scene to swell the ranks of the crowds.

However, the union efforts, unlike those of the Tea Party, were uncivil, destroyed public property and resulted in assaults as well as published death threats. Are the union leaders the new robber barons, are the members being realistic by refusing to bend when the rest of the taxpayers suffer to survive and will the public understand the facts when the emotions settle down? The events leading up to the 2012 election will tell.

Your skills from 20 years ago are needed now

-NewSeniors Editorial — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 01:37:00 +0000

Back in the early ‘90s pagers were more prevalent than cell phones, the Internet was beginning to experience real growth and personal computers were the buzz. Today pagers are museum pieces, the information superhighway gives us access to more content that we can absorb and cell phones are fast becoming the hand-held version of our PCs, especially with the pace set by social networking activities.

Technology keeps us in touch with the world, or whatever portion of it we want to be part of, 24/7. Of course, there are times when some of us want to have some down-time, but for many this is a luxury that cannot be realized. Others don’t want to be out-of-the-loop, so they stay in the game at all times. These are individual choices, but the big question is how does one get the most out of the knowledge we have at our fingertips and the speed with which it can be disseminated?

The answer is not to be loaded with information but to be capable of understanding and applying the wealth of content available to us. Facts and data are of little value if we don’t use them. It can be for enjoyment, to enhance a project or effect change that touches others in a positive manner. This suggests action, which involves connecting with others and sharing with them something worthwhile.

So, New Seniors, think back to 20 years ago when those 65+ were a vital part of the workforce. Many held managerial positions and all of us had lots of employment and life experiences on which to draw. We were the go-to people of that time. Unfortunately, today’s counterparts, living in an uncertain world, seem compelled to react and think in shorter time frames in order obtain faster results.

The process is like comparing checkers to chess. That puts an emphasis on execution as opposed to planning. Tactics rather than strategies. So whether it’s the business world, volunteer work or family matters, the disciplines we learned and applied for years can be utilized in virtually any situation that may face New Seniors. We won’t be paralyzed by too much information or try to short-cut the process by not analyzing what’s important.

Advanced technology does not do the thinking for us, although many would like it that way. The more people depend on technology, the more they believe it can do for them. Ask a child of the computer age to add a column of numbers or do long division and they’ll turn to a calculator. A New Senior might do the same; however, that person knows how to do it by hand and understands the methodology behind it. Reading and comprehension is becoming a lost art as well.

This is not to suggest that New Seniors are smarter than younger Americans. However, there are reasons to believe that those 65+ learned and embrace the basics. Coupled with practical experience, it seems logical to conclude that New Seniors are capable of bringing unique capabilities to the task of problem solving. All we need is the opportunity.

Many of those 65+ need the help of other New Seniors

Don Potter: Editor-in-Chief — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 02:21:28 +0000

The “Golden Years” may not be what many expected. As the US population continues to grow older, with the first of the boomers now turning 65, there’s a growing concern that many facing their retirement years are unprepared to enter this next phase of life. Will society let them fall through the cracks?

There’s plenty of news about the huge number of people swelling the New Seniors’ ranks. In addition to the 30 million pre-boomers, those born between 1930 and 1945, boomers are turning 65 at the rate of one every ten seconds for the next nineteen years.

According to the National Council On Aging (NCOA), 16% of those 65+ live in poverty, which is higher than the proportion of all Americans in poverty. The plight is most disturbing among women who live alone, particularly minorities. The council believes the struggles of older poverty are invisible to policymakers and the public, even though millions are living on the edge of financial crisis.

To deal with the strife that comes from those on fixed incomes must endure, such as unanticipated medical expenses, taxes, inflation and other hidden costs, the NCOA has launched a pilot program to educate those 65+ navigate through the financial malaise. However, there are only twelve locations nationwide providing these needed services.

The supply of help may never be able to meet the demand as more and more Americans become New Seniors. Therefore, it is up to those of us with the experience and the inclination to help our fellows in need. Local community and seniors facility can direct interested New Seniors to where their services may be best utilized.

These people are not looking for a hand-out, but they do need a helping hand. Volunteer programs feed and provide services to shut-ins. But more and more people need to be shown how to live on a budget or petition local, state and federal governments for financial aid or tap into existing programs in order to lessen the burden on those struggling to make ends meet.

Bringing people together rather than forcing them to hide because they are having financial troubles can improves self-esteem. This allows individuals to accept the fact they are not the only ones suffering from a lack of money. By hearing how others are dealing with this reality, those experiencing difficulty may make adjustments to improve their situation. And having mentors to teach them can result in them getting their lives back on track.

Many of those 65+ have been blessed with retirement programs and an investment portfolio that should afford them a comfortable way of life for years to come. With this financial peace-of-mind, wouldn’t it be nice to donate a little time to work with other New Seniors who are not so fortunate?

Have mimeograph will travel

Don Potter: Editor-in-Chief — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 02:11:02 +0000

A friend recently announced at a gathering that he was unemployable. The reason he stated was because, being born in 1930, his eightieth birthday was coming up soon. The man tried to joke away his discomfort by saying that if anyone owned a mimeograph, he had tons of experience with that piece of equipment and hoped he could remember the details of operating it. Under other circumstances the statement would have been funny.

Truth is many of those over 65 believe their experiences are devalued with age. How sad. Maybe it’s because this friend is moving into a different age group, one that carries with it the perception of being old. At some point in live each person becomes old. The trick is to not reach old age until you believe you’ve arrived. It doesn’t matter what others say.

With the boomers starting to turn 65, as of the first of this year, many of them will be thinking about when they will actually be considered old. Surveys show that boomers peg 72 as the threshold of old age. Of course, those in this group also believe they look and feel years younger than their actual age. So, the 72 year old milestone may simply be a way to separate attaining 65 from old age which is somewhere down the road. Chances are this age will move up as the newest New Seniors get closer to it.

What is the problem with aging? Consider the alterative. As long as you are breathing in and out there is something or someone you can help through the experience gained by spending more years on earth then others. Over the years, New Seniors had to face personal as well as business financial crises, relationship problems, health issues and more. Yet we made it through the storms and emerged on the other side, wiser and more grateful for having made it to the other side.

People younger than you have little or no idea about what to do when situations arrive that they have not experienced before. Of course, if their parents, teachers and other responsible for providing leadership as they grew up did their jobs, these folks would realize they have the tools to handle such situations with grace and ease.

Nonetheless, having mature mentors to help people of all ages is part of what New Seniors can provide to their families, friends and communities. This can be on a formal or casual basis. The important thing is that New Seniors must let it be known that they are ready and willing to help without interfering. By the same token, it’s up to those that need help to recognize the need and accept the help. The key to making this happen is for folks of all ages to connect with those who are both older and younger.

So where does this leave my friend with the mimeograph experience. He may find work refurbishing these machines. Perhaps he might want to teach a class on the evolution of the printed word. Or, possibly he might offer his services to computer users when their equipment crashes. Whatever he decides, his ad campaign would be, “Have mimeograph will travel.” And that might be good for people of all ages.

Promises, promises

-NewSeniors Editorial — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 02:04:54 +0000

With major changes coming in Washington as well as state and local governments, the difficult task of getting America back on track is job one. There were hundreds of hard fought campaigns all around the country. Lots of promises were made by all candidates. Now we’ll have the opportunity to see who keep their promises.

There will be a bunch of newcomers in the House and a few in the Senate. But the majority of the next Congress will be made up of incumbents. The question is will the freshmen come under the beltway spell and fall in with the senior members of the parties? Or, will they fight for a smaller, lower spending, less intrusive government as promised?

The American public was upset with broken promises, that’s why the balance of power has shifted again in the House and the Senate is almost dead even. Neither political party pleased the voters. The Administration did not fare well, either. Will the ambitious agenda to make major policy changes for America be abandoned in favor of one that places jobs, spending, and debt (which are all relate to the economy) ahead of any philosophical plans? What new or revised promises will the survivors make?

Many governor’s mansions will be switching occupants. Will these changes and new faces in many state governments have an effect their financial woes? Of course, along with these switches goes the ability to draw new district lines that always takes place the year after the national census is completed. This impacts elections for the next decade, including the next three presidential races. The state and municipal governments will receive a message from the people. Are the politicians ready to listen as they promised?

It won’t be long before citizen groups with their own specific needs and wants will be reminding politicians that their voting bloc was instrumental in securing the win. Unfortunately, even though the 65+ vote was key to many victories, New Seniors are not well organized, lack a strong message and do not get the media exposure we deserve.

New Seniors represent 12.5% of the voting population yet delivered more than twice that percentage of the votes in this midterm election. We are 30 million strong and will grow as the boomers start turning 65 at the rate of one every ten seconds beginning next year. So our ranks will swell by more than 4 million a year through 2030.

As these folks become New Seniors, they will face the same issues and have the same questions we had when turning 65. By connecting with each other, addressing our common problems and sharing workable solutions so we can make our presence felt and get the results we need.

Become part of the NewSeniors.com community. Ask your friends to join in. Together, we can make life better for all those 65+ and pave the way for those generations to come.

Never trust anyone under 65

-NewSeniors Editorial — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 03:08:47 +0000

Remember when the baby boomers cried out, “Never trust anyone over 30?” We pre-boomers were caught in the middle of the fight between the establishment and the young revolutionaries. The fight brought about many changes, some good and some bad, and drove a stake so deep into the country it remains divided to this day. Now, these boomers are about to turn 65 and the rhetoric is changing.

This year was the one when all pre-boomers, those born between 1930 and 1945, are all 65 or older. The 30 million pre-boomers, often considered the forgotten generation, are now dubbed “New Seniors.” We look forward to welcoming our younger brothers and sisters to our exclusive community.

There is no initiation ceremony, no organized structure and no dues or fees to be a New Senior. What makes it exclusive is to be part of it you must have reached your 65th birthday. That’s it, once you are 65 you automatically become a New Senior.

But don’t think that’s the end of it. Having 65 years of life experience means we must have learned something along the way. And, we have the responsibility to share our knowledge with those generations who follow. Just like those before us did for us. Like it or not we are the new teachers.

Come January, 2011 the first of the baby boomers start turning 65 at the rate of one every ten seconds. This generational phenomenon will continue until 2030. Although the cutting-edge boomers think and act differently from the trailing boomers, they still proudly wear the baby boomer badge. What they don’t know yet is how to transition to the next phase of life and what it will be like once they get there.

A recent USA TODAY/Gallup Poll found “about two-thirds of the boomers surveyed say they are less optimistic about the future of the USA than when they turned 21, and less optimistic about retirement than they were 10 years ago.”

As the boomers retire, many wonder if they, through their share numbers, will be the personification of the “me” generation or be activists in protecting their children and their children’s children? More than 4 in 10 survey respondents think the boomers made things worse for future generations, with about the same percentage saying “selfish” best describes the boomers. Will this change now that they’ve become New Seniors?

With so much shared history, the current New Seniors are please to welcome the cutting-edge boomers to our community. We hope you will bring the fresh thinking, excitement and thirst to get things done to the important issues that face all of us. Together, New Seniors can be a force for good in our society. But we must decide on the priorities, and that’s where those of us who have been walking the road can help. So let’s start a dialogue as the boomers start turning 65 and demonstrate to the rest of America that those 65+ are the ones to trust to help make this country better for all of us.

‘Tis the season to be giving

Don Potter: Editor-in-Chief — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 01:52:54 +0000

The spirit of Christmas seems to have changed over the recent decades. It was just 60 years ago when Americans were building homes, buying cars and watching TV as if they couldn’t get enough of things not even dreamed of during the great depression and the world war that followed. The country was making up for lost time, and spending money was an effective way to do it. Was this when the holiday tradition of giving was transformed into the notion that everyday should be a time to receive?

Throughout the last half of the 20th century and until the recession hit us like a ton of bricks we spent without much regard to the future. Accept for some bumps along the way, the road was pretty smooth and everything was rosy. We were so used to the good times there was little thought about the possibility of an impending disaster ahead. Pre-boomers, for the most part, were retired or making plans to slow down when the wheels fell off the nation’s economic engine.

We draw back in fear and almost immediately shut down our spending. A fixed income, or the prospects of one, coupled with dwindling savings and a reduced investment portfolio served as a wake up call with all the finesse of a drill sergeant shouting at recruits to get out of their bunks at 4 AM. Things seem to be improving, albeit at a slow up and down rate. It will be sometime before we feel financially comfortable again. And, chances are, the pre-boomer generation might never look at the future in the same way we did a couple of years ago.

Nonetheless, there are many things for which to be thankful. It’s been a good run for us, and it’s not over yet. We had the opportunity to live life and experience all it joys and sorrows. This has made us stronger, wiser and hopefully better individuals. The lessons we’ve learned are to be passed on to others: family, friends and the community at large. This is our right of passage as well as our responsibility. And this holiday season we have a chance to make others better off by making donations to those who need our help.

You have probably received mail from numerous charities asking for donations. Giving was down last year and is expected to continue to be low at a time when more people are in need. The folks served by these worthwhile organizations are in bad shape; many suffer physically, emotionally, spiritually and certainly financially. Pick a charity, just one will do but select more if you can, and write them a check. It doesn’t have to be for much; 5, 10 or 20 dollars from each of us can make a big difference.

Recently, I thumbed through a stack of the donation request letters and was about to cull out what I thought were the marginal ones. Instead, for no apparent reason, I decided to send something to all of them. It was amazing; with each check I wrote the better I felt. Soon I caught myself whistling the holiday song “White Christmas.” When I finished sealing the final envelope, I was acutely aware that the true gift of Christmas is the one you give to someone else.

“Necessity is the mother of invention”

-NewSeniors Editorial — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 02:55:50 +0000

Plato, the classic Greek philosopher is credited with having made this statement several hundred years before the birth of Christ. Long before the industrial revolution, the advent of mass communications and the speed of the computer age, people were prompted to come up with better ways of doing things. This kind of creativity is needed today in order to assure a better tomorrow.

America has been at the forefront of ingenuity before becoming a nation. Some of our Founding Fathers were responsible for a number of products and services. For instance, Benjamin Franklin was a scientist, an inventor and the man behind the post office. Following these early Americans a host of innovations from the steam engine, to the cotton gin and wheat reaper, to the auto assembly line to the light bulb and telephone all the way to the Internet and many products supporting it. All were born in the USA.

These products and services changed our lifestyles forever and the improvements that came on top of them changed things even more. Some were created because a need was recognized. Others resulted from a dream. And some were accidental. Demand was generated through marketing and advertising. As communications became more sophisticated so did the strategies and tactic used to sell the public. It all worked together in ways that created jobs, made our lives more comfortable and convenient, which all led to this being the greatest consumer society in the world.

New Seniors remember when the consumer explosion hit soon after WWII, and we have been part of it until the present. Two-thirds of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is a result of consumer spending. But consumers need to have confidence in order to spend. Confidence in the government, the economy, ones personal situation and the future must all be in line or the spending slows down. We reached this point a couple of years ago and the nation continues to struggle to get out of the doldrums.

It’s an interesting fact that more patents were granted and more products were created during the dark days of the Great Depression. Many of these are still with us today. Americans have not lost their creativity; we have gotten a little fat and a bit lazy, expecting other people to do the heavy lifting, pursue their dreams and hand us a better life on a silver platter.

We are feeling the pinch or have family and friends losing jobs, houses and hope. This is the time to draw on our God given talents and what we’ve been taught from the Greatest Generation to tap into the wellspring of creativity and problem solving capabilities that is waiting within each of us.

Those of us 65+ are not too old to create, teach and inspire others to reach for the stars. The moment of truth is now. We must know after all these years the government can’t do it, and big business doesn’t have an exclusive hold on creativity. Individuals made this country great, and will do it again; because necessity is the mother of invention.