New Seniors

Pre-boomers (those born between 1930 and 1945) seem to be harboring a growing fear even despair about the future, especially when it comes to financial matters. This saddens me, because it is my belief that we New Seniors are now the moral compass of America. With our help, the nation should be able to steer away from the rough waters that have tossed us around in recent times. But there is little chance for such success if we throw up our hands and surrender to negative thinking.

This is not a reflection of an over-inflated group ego, rather it is simply a fact that people 65+ have the life experience and the understanding that comes from growing up in more traditional and civil times. Therefore, our generation can bring some much needed common-sense to the problems all Americans face today. We know that fighting amongst ourselves is fruitless and tearing down our institutions or ignoring the things that made our country great will weaken us more than any external enemy possibly could.

But many New Seniors are worried more about themselves than ever before. They wonder why the government is willing to bypass Social Security increases for the next couple of years, even though Congress has voted to give themselves cost of living raises. And, they find it hard to believe that the Medicare budget is going to be slashed by more than $500 billion with these dollars being spent on other, more important, programs. There is a growing impression that the legislators have forgotten their promises to us. They forgot who produced goods and supplied services for the past 50 years or more and paid taxes for all that time. Is the government ready to turn away from us just when we are at the age of needing more help and more care?

I recently talked with two gentlemen about these issues; the results support my previous observations. One of them thought nothing could be done. He believed the “system” is working against us, because we are not earning income and no longer contribute to the tax base. We are, in his mind, a burden on society. His somber attitude suggested he had given up. The other fellow became increasingly upset as the conversation continued. He argued that those over 65 have become complacent, a herd of sheep if you will. His reaction was to get mad. Mad as hell, like the old newscaster in the movie, Network. He didn’t offer a plan, but he sure displayed a lot of emotion.

These fellows represent the extremes of the issue. The solution lies in the great gray area between these two black and white opinions. We are not helpless and hapless individuals at the mercy of the government or anyone else. And, it’s not our nature to sit around and complain while waiting for others to take action on our behalf.

We New Seniors have power. The power of our convictions; we know what’s right and what’s wrong. The power of our voices; we must write, make calls and stand up for the things we are passionate about. And the power of our votes; the products we buy, the places where we shop and the politicians we elect need to be made aware of what we believe, what we want and what we will do if they don’t take us seriously.

Don Potter: Editor-in-Chief

Don Potter, a veteran of the ad agency business, is a Philadelphia native currently living in Los Angeles. He is the author of an acclaimed marketing book, The 50+ Boomer: Your Key to 76 Million Consumers. In retirement, Potter has written two novels, hundreds of articles and is a frequent lecturer. A leading advocate for those 65+, he is a founder of NewSeniors.com.

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