Pre-Boomer Musings

Less than 25% of Americans believe the children of today will be better off than their parents once they get into the workforce.  Adults between 18 and 39 are more optimistic that success will occur for younger generations than those over 40, with only 13% of people 65+ believing the future for the kids is not too bright.

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More than 6 in 10 women have a negative opinion about how well the children will do compared to half of all the men surveyed for a Rasmussen study conducted in June.  Again, younger adults of both genders have a more positive view of the future than their older counterparts.

Along racial lines, whites were the most pessimistic with 60% saying the years ahead look bleak, while only 48% of blacks agreed and those designated as others (mostly Hispanics and Asians) being the least negative at just 38%.

Asked if it is still possible for anyone in the US to work hard and get rich 28% of respondents answered yes, the lowest rating in the last 2 years.  More than twice the percentage of men said yes versus women.  The 18 to 29 and 65+ age groups were most negative while about a third of those between 30 and 64 were optimistic.

In terms of getting rich through hard work, the most positive group of all were the others in the racial sub-group with 44% saying yes to the children’s future.  This group also believed it was possible for anyone who wants to work to find work with 65% answering affirmatively compared to 44% of all adults.  Could this attitude be attributed to so many of the other group being immigrants or the children of immigrants?

The question of whether it is possible for anyone in the US to work their way out of poverty received a yes answer from 44% of the adults surveyed.  The men were more positive with 57% saying yes versus just 36% of the women.  The 18 to 29 age group was lowest with 25%.  All race groups were in keeping with the percentage of total adults stating a positive belief that in this country people can work themselves out of poverty.

Concern over poverty is mounting with 7 in 10 respondents saying more people are living in it than a decade ago.  And, a plurality (45%) of those surveyed said the current government anti-poverty programs actually increase poverty.  However, the state of poverty in America is not what it is in third world countries where nearly all children are faced with disease, starvation and a lack of education.

So, while people generally don’t think the children will partake in the American dream to the extent they did, a good portion of them believe those who are willing can find jobs and that it is possible to work your way out of poverty.  If that isn’t the American dream what is?  Now, let’s instill this concept into the hearts and minds of each and every one of our children, so they believe they can actually do better than their parents.

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Tags: America, Government, Grandchildren, How it is. . . // Add Comment »

Over the Memorial Day weekend just past, several movie networks paid tribute to those who served in the armed forces during WWII.  Watching these films made me realize how much they sacrificed in order for us to remain free.  Maybe we can take a page from their book and apply it to overcoming the continuing financial crisis facing the country.

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These men and women, many not even out of high school and having just gone through a decade-long depression, put the safety of their family, friends and community ahead of themselves.  They came from rich and poor families, educated and nearly illiterate ones, some were famers others city dwellers.  The make up was as diverse as America itself. 

Everyone was part of the war effort.  Besides those fighting the war, defense work was a priority at home.  Rationing of food, gas and luxuries was commonplace.  Even the children were involved with paper and scrape metal drives plus selling War Bonds in conjunction with the schools.  Virtually all families had someone in the armed services and every community suffered when one of theirs was lost in the war. 

World War II was fought by every American in some way.  That’s why New Seniors and those older remember it so vividly to this day, nearly 70 years later.  Sadly, the people who lead us to victory are leaving us at an increasing rate.  The Greatest Generation is big in its accomplishments, but their ranks are becoming smaller.  We already miss their wisdom, and the courage they displayed is remembered in stories rather than in news reports as it once was.

Before it’s too late, we should talk to these true American heroes and find out why they did the unselfish things they did without asking for praise or reward.  This is something New Seniors are well equipped to do.  In fact, it is our responsibility to honor these patriots and get the word out to the rest of the population, starting with the aging Baby Boomer who benefited so much from what these folks did.  Tell them to get over Viet Nam, when the only thing many of them did was to complain rather than serve.  If they can’t do that, the future of America looks bleak, indeed.

Then, pass the word on to the Gen X and Y groups who never had to sacrifice anything until recently when jobs became scarce, cars and homes were reposed and their credit cards got maxed out.  This are the generations that have not paid their dues but seem unwilling to pay more for services they intend to use in the future.  They don’t realize that unless we all help finance Social Security and Health Care there won’t be any programs to aid them.

And, last but not least, what about the politicians?  They are not being asked to sacrifice their personal money.  We just want them to have the courage to make the right decisions, without regard to party lines.  Government programs must be fixed so people can start earning money in order to pay for the changes that will ensure funds are ready when needed and the United States can collectively have the courage and wherewithal to remain the land of the free and the home of the brave.        

Tags: America, Nostalgia, Pre-boomers // Add Comment »

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.

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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.

Tags: America, Current Events, Government, How it is. . . // Add Comment »

If you stop for a moment or two and focus on the carefree days of youth when school was finished and there was nothing to do but play all day long, those wonderful sounds of summer may come to mind.  I grew up in the city, so my memories might be different than yours; but the following thoughts are meant to take us back to those easier softer times.

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The birds chirping in the nearby tree was a great way to wake up – sure beats the jarring ring of the Baby Ben windup clock back then or the more recent buzz of the digital alarm.  Even in the city, were tree were in short supply, birds perched themselves on wires or window sills to let us know morning had arrived. 

New Seniors, like me, will remember the hucksters making their way up the streets and alleys at different times of the day.  The fruit and vegetable purveyors came to my neighborhood several mornings each week while the fish merchants came by with their catch of the day on selected afternoons.

For the most part older kids, those that were allowed to cross the busy streets, went to the park or the playground after breakfast and attending to any required chores, because the summer heat and humidity in my hometown of Philadelphia did not reach the highpoints until later in the day.  The sounds around home were usually young children playing on the sidewalks or in backyards.  Other than that mornings were normally quiet.

The crack of the baseball bat was frequently heard anywhere you could play what was then America’s pastime.  Have you listened to the sound of a baseball being hit by an aluminum bat, which the kids all use today?  It’s more a ping than the crack you get from real wood and certainly not as memorable.

Lawnmowers could be heard most afternoons, because no one seemed to agree on the best day of the week to cut the small plots of grass that were part of city homes.  Later on, the bells of the ice cream truck let kids know it was time to ask mom for some change in order to have a treat – a far less annoying sound than the snack trucks of today that play the same tune over and over.  Those who bought something usually sat lined up on the curb or on the front steps to eat these fast-melting ice cream novelties.

Everyone was home just before dinner, and we played on the street or sidewalk until mom called us to eat.  Then one by one we stopped what we were doing and then reappeared as quickly as possible to pick up where we left off. 

Sometimes we went to the playground to watch a twilight baseball game.  Otherwise, we stayed in the neighborhood and had fun until the street lights went on.  If we weren’t home in five minutes, the dads let us know it was time when they called us by name.

Times were gentler then, and the sounds were part of growing up.  We didn’t think much about them in those days, but now it is enjoyable to remember the sounds of summer.

Tags: America, Nostalgia // Add Comment »

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?

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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.      

Tags: America, Grandchildren, Political Correctness // Add Comment »