For those who think seniors are scared to death...what

[shraby]

they are saying, is if Medicare/Medicaid/Social Security is cut, it's time to take a drive to Washington no matter which party is the culprit. Remember, the "seniors" is the generation who learned something in school about how government works (and doesn't work)
We can read, figure, think logically, and understand what we are reading, figuring, and thinking about. (I can't speak for the t-party bunch though/they all seem to have bushel baskets over their heads.)

[shraby]

1. Since this has 5 recs but no comments already, I'll kick it

up a bit.

[aquart]

2. It's not the "seniors" who should be scared, it's you kids.

YOU'RE the ones who can't find jobs that pay enough to give you substantial social security even by current standards.

YOU'RE the ones who will be eating cat food at sixty if you allow the changes we are hearing about.

My generation will be dead when you are sleeping in the streets and begging for quarters.

[shraby]

3. Another thing the young'uns should be scared about...all

the seniors getting on the highway to Washington at once.

[aquart]

6. My 90-year-old mom has a clean license.

I'll back her over a texting moron any day.

[DearAbby]

4. Sounds like its time to make some changes

I liked the idea floating around reducing the age of eligibilty for a time, to open up the jobs market for the younger workers. Changes, not cuts. Also we have a jobs deficit problem, until we get that through the thick skulls in washington to focus on JOBS, people all ages everywhere will be sleeping on the streets along with us Old farts.

[aquart]

8. That's brilliant.

Make sure everyone over fifty is unemployed but unable to collect benefits till 70.

Toss your experienced workers for untrained, untutored amateurs.

Really encourages loyalty. Actually, it encourages steal-as-much-as-you-can-and-hide-it-offshore.

Now me, I'd take those useless, minimally-educated nitwits and put them in 18 months of compulsory national service for pitiful pay at least 600 miles from home. Remind them that citizenship has obligations as well as privileges.

[jeff47]

9. Um...that's not what's being proposed

"Make sure everyone over fifty is unemployed but unable to collect benefits till 70."

No, the idea is to temporarily let people start collecting SS/Medicare at a younger age. So Baby Boomers could start at, say, 60. Goes back up to 65/67 for later generations.

This lets some 60-year-olds retire, reducing the number of people in the work force. Someone in their 50's would get promoted into the 60-year-old's job. Someone in their 40's takes the 50-year-old's job, and so on down the line. Result: Job opens at Starbucks for a 20-something, who is no longer unemployed. The 60-year-olds aren't forced into anything. They could keep working if they chose.

The retired 60-year-olds keep spending money 'cause they have SS coming in. The 20-something now has money since they have a job, and they start buying stuff too. Demand is boosted, thus overall economy gets better.

Or so the theory goes. I'm a tad dubious that it would be as helpful as promised.

[DearAbby]

10. Well we dont know the specifics of the plan

But ideas even from us, at this point should be seriously considered. Jobs training in civil service duty would be an idea.

I certainly dont see any fresh ideas coming out of Washington, just the same old cut spending, cut taxes bullshit we have eaten buckets of for the past 30 yrs.

[RKP5637]

5. There should be a major uproar by the youth. They can't even find

jobs let alone save for retirement. On the current course, as you said, this is going to be a barren land of destitute people.

[ChiciB1]

7. I'll Kick It Too! I KNOW Exactly What You're Saying. Somehow They've

FORGOTTEN Civics was an actual class you HAD to take to get a credit in school once upon a time!

Yes, I know they have government now, but I can't tell you how many people I meet who don't even KNOW that there are THREE branches of Congress. It's weird when I explain it because some of them look so confused. And to go from there to what happens on the state level just blows their minds! Never mind doing The Supreme Court!!!!

INSANE, really! Too many people really don't know their ass from a hole in the ground, and this is probably part of the reason we are in so much trouble. APATHY is another big part.