Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

General Discussion

Showing Original Post only (View all)
 

TheMastersNemesis

(10,602 posts)
Sun Jan 20, 2013, 11:39 AM Jan 2013

Unemployable At 50 Fate Of Present And Future Workers [View all]

Forget working until you are 70 in any kind of meaningful job as you age. The CEO and corporate culture looks at 50 as the unemployable age in the new age economy. In Logan's Run people were supposed to be trashed at 30. Today your corporate CEO will trash you by 50 because a of new business attitude that has shred the social contract.

Fifty somethings are already finding out in great numbers what being unemployable means. In the past by the time you reached 50 in most jobs you had maximum vacation and numerous benefits for being a senior employee. Today you are considered a liability and drag on the company at a time when you need higher income for your retirement and to support getting your kids started in life with a good education.

Now corporations and CEO's are saying that you should wait until 70 or longer to get your Social Security and Medicare. And they REALLY WANT TO ABOLISH THAT AS WELL. So senior workers will face 20 years of part time and minimum wage jobs if they can get any job at all. And if you are disabled or ill you are royally screwed if you CAN'T WORK. Any sensible person knows that you cannot save for retirement at today's wages when pay is essentially capped at 30K. And you cannot build a future when most jobs are being reduced to part time, temporary, seasonal and less in the new Reagan revolution economy.

By the time the GOP and its allies have their way only 30% or less of the job market will support a person or family and 70% of the work force will be stuck in the "service economy". What you are seeing in this recovery is what the GOP and Reagan has wrought since 1980. Yet we still elect them. Obama himself cannot change this corporate model. Only the business community and corporations can. And only government policy can force them. FDR was right and knew what he was doing.

Look at the handwriting on the wall. THE CONVERSATION has to change and the business community has be to be challenged to change its ways and its attitude that only gets worse by the day. The prevalent anti union and anti labor and anti government attitude has given us this SUICIDAL situation.

I worked in the DOL for 24 years and could see what was coming. I am really puzzled at why the American worker embraced all of this mayhem. Now the next generation seems to be doomed to a life of low wages and virtual poverty.




211 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Perfect argument for lowering the Medicare & SS age to 50 Doctor_J Jan 2013 #1
GMTA Recursion Jan 2013 #4
A lot of 50 year olds would love to be entrepeneurs too Doctor_J Jan 2013 #9
Yes! tjwash Jan 2013 #13
Not that brilliant Doctor_J Jan 2013 #14
Look at how many retired military take up new occupations. Downwinder Jan 2013 #36
The military and it's personnel are the biggest "welfare queens". xtraxritical Jan 2013 #77
That is exactly where my husband is at. CrispyQ Jan 2013 #33
My Husband is 62 and being pushed by his employer leftieNanner Jan 2013 #139
Agreed Sherman A1 Jan 2013 #165
Thanks Sherman A1 leftieNanner Jan 2013 #185
We can hope you are right about the right. Sherman A1 Jan 2013 #207
Well, the half-term governor leftieNanner Jan 2013 #211
Would you survive if he could retire right now (with SS & Medicare)? Doctor_J Jan 2013 #179
Yes, we could leftieNanner Jan 2013 #184
They won't if there is no demand for goods and services duffyduff Jan 2013 #37
I didn't say all of them Doctor_J Jan 2013 #74
Try starting and owning a business like that now .. rtassi Jan 2013 #62
Gotta agree here. No one has the money to start any kind of business that has much of a Nay Jan 2013 #105
I sure would. blackspade Jan 2013 #115
+1 davidwparker Jan 2013 #117
Precisely Sherman A1 Jan 2013 #164
Yeah, I tried that at 50 AnnieK401 Jan 2013 #166
LOL ... 1StrongBlackMan Jan 2013 #171
Yeah, I think I misstated my point Doctor_J Jan 2013 #178
And that f__king Lloyd Blankfein of Goldman Sachs . . . brush Jan 2013 #27
Dem's should all be advocating this. harun Jan 2013 #56
The Dems of 2 generations ago would have been Doctor_J Jan 2013 #71
Capital idea! grahamhgreen Jan 2013 #146
Reality brutus smith Jan 2013 #2
Great! Start Medicare and SS at 50. Isn't that the point of technology? Recursion Jan 2013 #3
Employee benefits are now going backward socialindependocrat Jan 2013 #12
Gee, I think that's why unions were formed.... HuskiesHowls Jan 2013 #67
Also, the abuse of "exempt employee" status socialindependocrat Jan 2013 #86
You're telling the truth. Bette Noir Jan 2013 #150
Technology has NOTHING to do with this dire situation duffyduff Jan 2013 #41
This is my story exactly (57) Bennyboy Jan 2013 #5
I am 57, and was fired chervilant Jan 2013 #20
If you were a new hire and not working there very long do not include it on your resume lunasun Jan 2013 #25
Agree. SheilaT Jan 2013 #45
Thanks! chervilant Jan 2013 #123
If you were Doc Holliday Jan 2013 #39
Time to get creative. If his falsehoods follow you, "defamation of character?" Downwinder Jan 2013 #40
"defamation" kestrel91316 Jan 2013 #128
My "union" in my RTW state actively sabotaged me duffyduff Jan 2013 #48
I have not been looking for a new job in over ten years, but Curmudgeoness Jan 2013 #111
I'm so sorry, Bennyboy. SunSeeker Jan 2013 #22
It may seem that way, that we`re shit out of luck tapermaker Jan 2013 #51
Not everybody is inclined or capable to do that duffyduff Jan 2013 #58
I agree that the system is broke but tapermaker Jan 2013 #64
Yes, a niche business. While teaching full-time, we have built up a furniture repair mbperrin Jan 2013 #76
Can't do it. No second income stream. duffyduff Jan 2013 #142
That's a great story Duer 157099 Jan 2013 #84
Preaching to the choir . tapermaker Jan 2013 #110
I have something. THE MAKE A FISH FOUNDATION Bennyboy Jan 2013 #90
my bro is 53 shanti Jan 2013 #91
In a lot of communities (ours, for example) you can learn big rig driving at community college OmahaBlueDog Jan 2013 #145
Mine, too, more or less. GoCubsGo Jan 2013 #98
This message was self-deleted by its author freshwest Jan 2013 #109
If we are going to engage on moving SS age, we must push for 55 closeupready Jan 2013 #6
In the political realm, who opposed all this? Fumesucker Jan 2013 #7
Most Politician Who Run On Progressive Ideas Get Trashed By Voters As---- TheMastersNemesis Jan 2013 #8
Most of the few working class americans dotymed Jan 2013 #32
Or get trashed by their Party. :( BuelahWitch Jan 2013 #72
But people are waking up. truedelphi Jan 2013 #136
A lot like the gun debate Doctor_J Jan 2013 #10
I like Eugene V Debs position. Surely we know it. nt Eleanors38 Jan 2013 #50
Indeed. The silence roared. I started pulling SS at 63... Eleanors38 Jan 2013 #47
One of the original selling points of SS..... Wounded Bear Jan 2013 #11
Unions and employee cooperative ownership can change it... ProfessionalLeftist Jan 2013 #15
So very true. 99Forever Jan 2013 #16
Some will think your statement is extreme. It is not. russspeakeasy Jan 2013 #21
It is the world I live in. 99Forever Jan 2013 #35
Not the least bit extreme. Bennyboy Jan 2013 #93
best of luck to you and yours. russspeakeasy Jan 2013 #140
There is ALWAYS hope for the future... rosesaylavee Jan 2013 #34
Sorry to have to disagree. 99Forever Jan 2013 #46
Only you can answer that... rosesaylavee Jan 2013 #52
Well then. 99Forever Jan 2013 #57
No, that's rosesaylavee Jan 2013 #61
Platitudes don't help. 99Forever Jan 2013 #66
Not knowing you prevents me from suggesting anything personally pertinent to your situation rosesaylavee Jan 2013 #79
I understand that you are speaking... 99Forever Jan 2013 #89
There is a pogrom against over-50 workers. Flatulo Jan 2013 #188
Make Stuff AndyTiedye Jan 2013 #75
Off the top of my head, two things OmahaBlueDog Jan 2013 #147
Or he could also act as construction consultant or estimator nt rosesaylavee Jan 2013 #168
Excellent ideas. 99Forever Jan 2013 #189
If you are interested in consulting or estimating, rosesaylavee Jan 2013 #194
Both good ideas. 99Forever Jan 2013 #172
As my 51st birthday approaches etherealtruth Jan 2013 #44
I am 44... awoke_in_2003 Jan 2013 #55
I hear you... OneGrassRoot Jan 2013 #65
Thank you. 99Forever Jan 2013 #69
Suicides of people in this situation are very real Kennah Jan 2013 #151
I didn't believe that this happened since most of the leaders appeared to be men in their 50s Nikia Jan 2013 #17
This is exactly why I'm suspicious of employer sponsored health screening. gtar100 Jan 2013 #31
This message was self-deleted by its author rhett o rick Jan 2013 #18
Exactly! nt SunSeeker Jan 2013 #26
Ditto! 2naSalit Jan 2013 #78
Super post! Dirty Socialist Jan 2013 #85
Just Look at Apple Yavin4 Jan 2013 #158
Want to hear a horror story? Flatulo Jan 2013 #198
Sorry to hear about your friends plight. rhett o rick Jan 2013 #199
But back in the day they treated people decently, even when they didn't have to. Flatulo Jan 2013 #201
I think we're well past that, already MNBrewer Jan 2013 #19
I don't believe you that the American worker has embraced all of this mayhem. Silent lonestarnot Jan 2013 #23
I wonder if its too late to organize? Any job that can be done here can be done in China. Flatulo Jan 2013 #200
Never to late to organize! Never. And there a plenty of green jobs that cannot be outsourced. lonestarnot Jan 2013 #202
CEO's = sociopaths ...what would you expect. n/t L0oniX Jan 2013 #24
You don't know how true those words are. fasttense Jan 2013 #60
Answer: UNIONS! antigop Jan 2013 #28
This is scary rightsideout Jan 2013 #29
You are so right, Nemesis. There IS age discrimination. Honeycombe8 Jan 2013 #30
Yep. Fired illegally five years ago at age 53 duffyduff Jan 2013 #38
Of course my post applies ONLY when there are jobs to be had. Honeycombe8 Jan 2013 #132
Good and inspiration info mike dub Jan 2013 #49
That is all excellent advice. SheilaT Jan 2013 #54
I just came back to this thread to state: Le Taz Hot Jan 2013 #204
Spoken like someone not looking for an office job. Honeycombe8 Jan 2013 #209
And the first time I heard that "advice" Le Taz Hot Jan 2013 #210
Lazy people! They should work until they are 70 according AllyCat Jan 2013 #42
And Don't Forget..... cynzke Jan 2013 #43
They want to scrap Social Security so they don't have to pay their share of the FICA tax. duffyduff Jan 2013 #53
And don't forget the crushing cost of borrowing to go to college. WCGreen Jan 2013 #59
54, been looking for a decent job for a couple of years now lifesbeautifulmagic Jan 2013 #63
Boy are you right! DearHeart Jan 2013 #107
You're working for almost min. wage? Honeycombe8 Jan 2013 #133
my background is admin, acct and clerical lifesbeautifulmagic Jan 2013 #149
And the stupid part is AgingAmerican Jan 2013 #68
The government needs to act as employer of last resort. gulliver Jan 2013 #70
Excellent points! 2naSalit Jan 2013 #87
+1,000,000,000 x 1,000,000,000 - Well put and definitely coalition_unwilling Jan 2013 #119
Right on! It's a disgrace, and embraced by Third Way Democrats. MannyGoldstein Jan 2013 #73
This is what happens when neoliberal economic theories are embraced by both political parties duffyduff Jan 2013 #80
We should change the word "neoliberal" to MannyGoldstein Jan 2013 #82
+1,000,000 n/t duffyduff Jan 2013 #83
+100 nt antigop Jan 2013 #141
Business is not going to change. jtuck004 Jan 2013 #81
By Definition Of Our Politicians That Is Communism. And Amerikans Revolt Against That Idea Every -- TheMastersNemesis Jan 2013 #88
Politicians are paid to say that by business. But they say whatever their John wants them to, eh? jtuck004 Jan 2013 #95
well said Kingwithnothrone Jan 2013 #99
Our biggest problem is that resistance can be stopped with a fifty cent jtuck004 Jan 2013 #187
That's the new "plan".. SoCalDem Jan 2013 #92
I'm 54 and could retire next summer mokawanis Jan 2013 #94
^agree upi402 Jan 2013 #102
Are you certain your retirement fund is still intact? dixiegrrrrl Jan 2013 #175
I'm relieved to say that it is mokawanis Jan 2013 #183
And you better pray your state doesn't steal your pension duffyduff Jan 2013 #192
That was not so before treestar Jan 2013 #96
If they won't hire us, they should let us get Medicare at 50 LiberalEsto Jan 2013 #97
+1 area51 Jan 2013 #167
Wanted: New Paradigm moondust Jan 2013 #100
When I Was At DOL I Always Believed The Argument About Affirmative Action Was A Cover For TheMastersNemesis Jan 2013 #103
Education? moondust Jan 2013 #104
They'll make us work until 70, AND delete agism descrimination upi402 Jan 2013 #101
Why delete it when they're already practicing it? gkhouston Jan 2013 #118
At 55 I'm making BIG BANK because I'm not teaching punks FreakinDJ Jan 2013 #106
We need to revisit and enact FDR's Second Bill of Rights Snarkoleptic Jan 2013 #108
This is the answer. We must fight for this. Dark n Stormy Knight Jan 2013 #113
+1 n/t duffyduff Jan 2013 #120
Needed: New Deal 2.0 LongTomH Jan 2013 #153
There's an entire generation of people with ZERO computer experience.... Spitfire of ATJ Jan 2013 #112
Who are you referring to, the Baby Boomers? duffyduff Jan 2013 #121
I'm talking about the Al Bundy generation. Spitfire of ATJ Jan 2013 #130
Which generation would that be? 99Forever Jan 2013 #126
United Corporate States of America, Money Trumps All, all hail the 1% dominion$$$$$$$ nt mother earth Jan 2013 #114
I have been looking for 4.5 years for a job... sunwyn Jan 2013 #116
Yep. Going on five years for me. duffyduff Jan 2013 #122
I'm exactly a year younger and was laid off 4 times in just over 8 years. Snarkoleptic Jan 2013 #131
I worked until I was 71 at my previous job. RebelOne Jan 2013 #124
So you'll be okay with Social Security & Medicare and such, right? Honeycombe8 Jan 2013 #135
Yes, I am OK. I have Medicare and Social Security, which is not too bad. RebelOne Jan 2013 #197
I am scared of the situation if I become unemployed. Tab Jan 2013 #125
I can relate earthbot1 Jan 2013 #127
Tell me about it liberal N proud Jan 2013 #129
kick for truth and rec for power. Tuesday Afternoon Jan 2013 #134
It used to be 40. They got me at 41... Rhiannon12866 Jan 2013 #137
Over 40 and they have to worry about lawsuits flamingdem Jan 2013 #144
I saw a lawyer and he told me because I live in NY, they could fire me at any time for any reason Rhiannon12866 Jan 2013 #156
This lawyer didn't tell you about age discrimination lawsuits? flamingdem Jan 2013 #159
He was the one who told me. He was a friend of my Dad's and knew the whole situation Rhiannon12866 Jan 2013 #161
I would start making calls, try the state employment people flamingdem Jan 2013 #182
That's what they do where I work. You agree not to sue or disclose the terms of your "package". kcass1954 Jan 2013 #181
As long as corporations control both political parties, we are screwed. alarimer Jan 2013 #138
Well put. We cannot allow Social Security or Medicare age to be raised as the KOCH Bros. want flamingdem Jan 2013 #143
Emphatic K&R! This is a country where 1% control 40% of the coalition_unwilling Jan 2013 #148
I was out of work for 7 months last year Kennah Jan 2013 #152
This post needs to go to the Greatest page... love_katz Jan 2013 #154
I'm holding on to my small business by the skin of my teeth mtngirl47 Jan 2013 #155
Good ol' Ebay duffyduff Jan 2013 #191
It May Not Be Discrimination. It's Automation. Yavin4 Jan 2013 #157
I have been reading a lot of this kind of argument lately duffyduff Jan 2013 #190
Everything that I did as a Paralegal from cite checking case histories, summarizing depositions,.... Yavin4 Jan 2013 #193
There never were very many jobs for paralegals. duffyduff Jan 2013 #195
Your Beef is with the American Consumer Yavin4 Jan 2013 #196
This thread is making me cry. So sad. This country is fucked up. lexw Jan 2013 #160
The American worker embraced all of this mayhem because they have been denied and/or rejected Egalitarian Thug Jan 2013 #162
If I remember correctly older non-college educated white males still vote republican reverend_tim Jan 2013 #163
K & R Wednesdays Jan 2013 #169
According to Republican dogma The Wizard Jan 2013 #170
Just Adding A Personal Anecdote Loubee Jan 2013 #173
Thanks for posting and Welcome to DU. I call what has happened in this coalition_unwilling Jan 2013 #177
Absolutely. LittleGirl Jan 2013 #174
As Mittfalca would say, "Why don't they just live off their investments?" valerief Jan 2013 #176
Or, "borrow from their parents"? Doctor_J Jan 2013 #180
Opposite Problem FreeJoe Jan 2013 #186
What a heartbreaking thread. BlueCheese Jan 2013 #203
The Problem Is A Major Change In The Employer Mindset On Many Levels. TheMastersNemesis Jan 2013 #205
At bottom it was Washington policies which laid the groundwork for the mess duffyduff Jan 2013 #206
I Agree With Your Post TheMastersNemesis Jan 2013 #208
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Unemployable At 50 Fate O...