The greatest evil of all
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.
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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.
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