My wife and I were talking just this morning about all the garbage taking place in the political world lately and I voiced a suspicion I’ve had for some time, we’re both Boomer kids and during the conversation I asked;
What if this economy and all the political maneuvering is an intentional effort to destroy the Boomer Generation?
Connect the dots:
1. Social Security is not only unsustainable for the Boomer generation simply due to the numbers of the Boomers relative to those left behind to support the “pay as you go system,” it was originally set up as a trust fund for the purpose of taking care of the elderly and infirm but has been raided for decades to shore-up poor economic practices.
2. The Boomers are starting to retire, using SS and Medicare, another unsustainable government program. I just retired from a 30 year career in health care and I can tell you, Medicare reimbursements to hospitals are being seriously slashed annually AND at the same time Medicare benefits are being reduced for the patients. Note to my friends reading this!!! DO NOT sign any promissory forms hospitals are now requesting you to sign - a promissory note attempting to make you responsible for whatever expenses Medicare does not cover, it’s nothing short of a SCAM. Hospitals are REQUIRED BY LAW to provide services whether or not you can afford them. The forms are unnecessary to receive services and are simply a scam developed to recover expenses due to these massive Medicare cuts. Believe me! The hospitals WILL hound the hell out of you for money, one of the largest departments of any hospital is the "billing department" and they have personnel trained to be as aggressive as telemarketers and debt recovery agents (yet another means to separate you from your money). This is all having a massive negative impact on the ability for health care organizations to provide services.
The organization I last worked for is a multi-national corporation with scores of hospitals around the world and a five-hospital system here in Las Vegas. The Las Vegas system alone was writing off tens of millions of dollars every year in indigent care (indigent care meaning those who cannot afford to pay the bills and what Medicare refuses to cover). This is expected to increase dramatically now.
3. The hospitals have begun laying off nurses and support personnel in volumes I've never seen in my entire career. Soon, people are not going to want to work in health care, it's a very, very tough and stressful environment in which to work and the ever-growing shortages of personnel will equate to poor health care (causing Boomers to begin dying off, saving lots and lots of money for the feds/elite in payouts for SS and Medicare).
4. Unemployment for Boomers is massive right now and IF the economy recovers, few companies are going to hire very experienced (and esxpensive) people who are in their late 40s through the mid 60s when they can hire younger people at lower wages for a longer duration, cutting salary expenses and retirement benefit costs (benefits are typically calculated as an additional 20-25% of a person’s pay beyond their wages) AND guess what – health insurance costs. The Boomers are expensive to the health care system, very expensive, so eliminating the expensive Boomer coverage would be a windfall for corporations.
5. Since companies are naturally not going to want to hire Boomers, they’re going to continue requiring benefits from the government, creating more indigent health care expenses, driving the single largest industry in the nation, health care, spiraling even deeper into the financial abyss and costing the feds even more.
It’s a vicious circle and being the suspicious sort that I am, I’m willing to wager that the powered elite have devised a means to save themselves a bucket of money – letting us Boomers simply fade away into oblivion.
Will the economy simply crash under the weight of its own system? I've read in numerous places that empires typically fail 7 to 20 years after they begin the downward spiral we're already in. The Boomers will be pretty much fully retired within the next 7- 20 years.
Coincidence??? I'm not much of a beleiver in coincidences.
What do you think?
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Eljekar
Poor Woman
sagemerlin
James M. Emmerling
Inverted Interrobang
Sarah Fister Gale
Salon.com
Comments
I also think there is much more than meets the eye in this economy.
I would not go as far as conspiracy here tho'.
There are many serious problems coming down the pipes.
You have detailed many of them here. Something has got to give and give soon. Too many have too little. Me amongst them here.
Best Wishes,
Blittie
I wish I had a solution since I'm nearing that stage in life where I won't be so employable, but my health care needs will continue to rise.
R
Coincidences too. Ya call me?
I get calls and no one speaks.
`
Ya think it's my EX who calls?
She breathes and snorts Oho.
She's Love you. Ask Ya wife?
`
She loves Boomers with short pant. She calls them Breeches. She loves Sunday Go-To-Meeting dressers. She uses duck tape if your knee high stocking are slipping down below the ankles. She wears overalls,
jest like your lovely spouse, and divinely-incarnation, and a`One Helpmeet.
Oneness.
O, Purity.
She may wear knickers to bed like my EX? That Garter strap hooked to the top of her thigh prevents sagging thighs, or something. She's yell too? Yodel!
My EX shouts!
Ya Hick Idiot!
Ya farm goof!
I's harness Ya!
I O a heigh-ho!
She wear garter, a silk stocking mask, and She shops at Wall Mart and sleeps in.
She no dozes.
dang mystery,
a mystery too,
a enmity. Aha!
Woe woman!
Love her tho!
Maybe when folks on Earth croak (kick-a-milk-pail), they go to beautiful Place?
a toad paradise.
get a frog crown.
a crown of glory.
W. Shake say so.
That writer saw beauty in a toad, and the warrior turned Monk & Friar Francis of Assisi? Saint" Saints love sinning because as a rule`
Nature/God brings the Great Joy of Forgiveness. Ya may have been a chubby child too?
O, Boomer Bob!
Pull Ya socks up!
Hooray Boomer!
Ya can wear pant!
Big Boy Trousers!
'Sin' like a normal!
Ya AIM. Use Duck Tape to hold Ya britches up. Duck Tape suspenders are cool!
Knee britches are odd.
If Ya scrape Ya shins?
Ya call 9-11 Con Chap.
Chaps are in style too.
Con C. wear green kilt.
He's One lawyer who don't 'freak-out if Ya write TWO-LETTERS on a `
Law Blog`
in one day`
and guess?
`
There is less 'hit-men' and insider trickery, deceit, and insider shin lawyer antics.
If I was mholer?
Oops.
I meant AG E. Holder
I'd buy You Knickers
Buster Brown Shoes
Smiles. Sailor Suit
O, Cuss like Cranky
Clothes make sissy
giggle trouble away
I feel like a snickers
a candy bar or beer
american barn ass
association lawyer
peer criminal cons
Con C. wear a tutu
He call Ya wife too?
He love woman too.
Con use duck tape too.
Seriously, though, this is very thought provoking.
R
As a pre-boomer (1941) I am in the vanguard of the boomers. We all knew, and know now, that a large number of boomers were coming down the pike.
We watched the wave of school children turn into a wave of job seekers/higher education seekers and then a wave of prosperity for our countries as the boomers worked/earned/spent and were taxed and otherwise contributed to where we are now.
Yet we were bloody fools. We actually believed that the government was investing our pension deductions so as to have enough money for us when we got to the age where we needed it.
The evil of politicians who raided those funds is only matched by the stupidity of those who contributed them and then didn't keep an eye on them. The combination is deadly. For us.
We have one good means of dealing with this. Unfortunately it does not fit "The American Dream" model we so fervently believe in. Those who live in abject poverty are slowly learning how to deal with it too.
The solution? Combined buying power. Organization of our combined resources to meet our needs. There is nothing to stop us seniors from creating co-operative buying groups that would allow us to buy in bulk. We all pretty much need the same things to meet our basic requirements. Food - shelter - clothing - medicines.
We could sell off our houses and buy "seniors only" condos and apartment buildings, or even build suitable senior's accommodation. We can set up our own wholesalers who purchase directly from manufacturers. There is much that we can do. For ourselves. Without depending on the fricken' government of politicians whose only thought is for themselves.
We shouldn't have to do this? OK, you're right. We shouldn't. But we do it or we die. They pissed away our money. It's gone. Get over it. Let's get on with life. Together. As a group. We are a very big group too! Our buying power, small for each individual, is tremendous combined.
We have, amongst our retirees and soon to retire
people from all walks of life. Businessmen/women who can organize our purchasing and distribution in their sleep. People healthy enough to help with delivery and other things. People who are tradesmen. People who are in the medical profession. People who are licensed pharmacists, doctors, nurses, etc.
We CAN do this. If we want to. If we give up the idiotic "private house in the burbs" concept. So. Now the question is this: Will we do this or will we die?
My bet is that we will die. Moaning and groaning about how "unfair" it all is.
Y'see Bob, It makes no difference whatsoever whether we are just being "forgotten" or being deliberately pushed out to die or whether we are out-and-out assassinated. Dead is dead. Either we take control of our fate into our own hands or we leave it to the tender mercies of politicians.
Yeah, politicians. I'd sooner trust Al Capone.
There was a disaffected Repub pol who spilled the beans on this a while back. They planned to purposely ruin our--not theirs--economy so they could say--so sorry, cannot afford to keep you alive anymore! That is why they hate the new health care reform--it could spoil their plan.
Have looked for this book for awhile with no luck.
Now that is what I call a useful piece of information the type you don’t find on FOX or CNN. I wouldn’t worry too much about any conspiracy to deny baby boomers proper medical attention. Proper medical attention will be denied to everybody besides the wealthy. I am guessing the goal is a 90% reduction in the overall population and since 40-70 year olds don’t generally breed achieving that goal would be better served by getting rid of the “useless breeders” which I will now hazard another guess and say: that will be defined by beauty, health, vigor, and you can probably throw in a little racial profiling to.
I'm a Boomer, too, so the same applies to me. And no, I don't think any of this was "planned." Far from it. The politicians and corporate "titans" really DO believe in the all free-market fundamentalist malarky they spout at us. And that's one reason why they didn't see this coming. They have infinite faith in the system's ability to "work through its own problems." It's a little bit like a therapist telling a seriously depressed patient to "walk it off." We are beset with bad football coach stereotypes. Don't ruin the purity of the moment with Boomer talk, Bob. It's bad form.
And for what it's worth, my 20 year-old son thinks it's all a conspiracy to ruin his generation's future. All concocted by selfish, nasty Boomers. So there.
rated with empathy
Mission - "I thinks "dem" pipes are dun clogged"
Blittie - you're very welcome
Trudge - I'll tell ya. It's good one day and the next it's shot to hell. Helath seems to have a dimmer switch tht activates around 55 for some reason.
Art - I love it when you visit. I can't begin to imagine the fun your grandkids have around you.
trilogy - could be, could be. Mom and Dad said not to do that, but like we did with everything else they said, we did it just to show them we could
Nikki - you touch a subject that is the sore spot of every clinician - "bottom line." There's not a business around that has within its walls a more serious conflict - providing care and bottom line and it all came about with corporatized health care. (I still like your peepers BTW).
junk - yep, conspiracy or not, that's the way it's all gonna go
Jerry - That's a pretty exlicit example man and you bet. I was shocked when I discovered the BS scam, although I shouldn't have been.
sky - you have good points, very good points. While we all sit here and wrtie about it, we should be active instead.
Steph - The book was probably sensored like "Operation Dark Heart" I just saw on Amazon where the original edition of Operation Dark Heart is selling for $1,995.00. Sensorship might be good for profits :-)
LL - the insurance companies are the very reason our beloved president sold us out on universal health coverage. They'll suck every penny they can out of us (auto, homeowners, health, disability) they've become very adept at convincing us and the government that we must have insurance
Oryoki - I can't agree more with your comment. Greed and religions that oppose birth control have done irreparable harm to the entire world.
Jack - As far as helath care goes, that's been happening since corporate health care began in the early 80s. I worked for what was at one time "Colombia/HCA." See my added link. I worked at Sunrise Hospital for 8 months and left utterly ashamed of the profession I worked in due to the incessant drive for botom line, most times at the expense of the patients.
john - that is the problem, isn't it.
Scanner - you have to check out the link I just sent you
johathan - you're very welcome
BOKO - Your son probably doesn't trust anyone over 30 either :-)
RP - it's a dark horizon I'm afraid.
~R
She loves watching that show on the tube with Jessie Ventura. I'm never awake that late at night so I'm not too familair with it.
Many people also have chronic illnesses. There are too many of us. Many men expect to be paid more than women so men have taken the hit in the recession. There are too many of us.
People with degrees can do most of the tech jobs from other countries. There are too many of us. Though I'm an immigrant and support immigrants, notice the borders are open because immigrants do it for less and don't rush to the hospital. There are too many of us.
It's wonderful that we have a two party system and when we get hungry we can start shooting the other party instead of the enemy.
There are in fact, too many of us that want luxuries like cars and health care. And yes, it's always been deliberate. Have you noticed how vicious or cold hearted younger people are and it's socially acceptable in the media. Have you noticed that no one is supposed to be their brother's keeper. There are too many of all of us.
It's now socially acceptable to blame your neighbor for being poor even when they work full time!!! DANGER!!! WARNING!!!
Trust your gut instinct, instinct is what keeps us alive, rationalizations are the road to hell. Welcome to the fire pit.
Only consequences. :-)
We members of Generation X very well might not see a penny of Social Security or Medicare. Already the Repugnicans want us to wait until we are 70 (SEVENTY) years old before we can collect Social Security. And the members of Generation Y are set to get even less than my generation is.
The BOOMERS as the victims?
Hardly -- unless we members of Gen X and Gen Y rise up, revolt and refuse to accept the dark future that the boomers want to hand over to us.
Nice try, though.
I've noticed that people don't want to "waste money" on education, or health care, or food for many children and those who recently entered the job market.
There are too many of your group too, portrayed as whatever blah blah title you got, I can't keep up with the blame the victim game. What's needed is the strongest work horses, good healthy stupid breeding stock. If you are a good beast of burden then they want you, if not, find a shoulder on the road and waste away with the elderly and babies alike.
My generation was simply doing what yours was, having fun with the head in the sand thing. Such is life.
The only conspiracy is a corporate conspiracy to stop our elected lawmakers from acting on behalf of voters and taxpayers - and implementing a single, publicly funded health care system like they have in every other industrialized country.
May day!
"Uh, with the boomers holding all of the power and the cash."
Uh, either you jest or I missed the power and money boat cuz non of it is here in this boomer's pockets man.
A galactic trip through the cosmos will do that to you. :-)
Cathy - That is an odd saying isn't it. But, whatever it does mean, I think we're already half way there. May day indeed
What if Howard Dean would have won in 2004?
I bet we would have had health care for all by now.
I bet we would not be in Afghanistan now.
Hush Hush.
And what ever you do, do not scream when the bought and paid for elite media is around.
David - It's rather interesting to see how things are making full circle with China (waiting patiently as they always do). A return of a powerhouse.
I am glad you put the part about those disgusting promissory notes in RED. That is EXACTLY THE KIND OF THING THAT EVERYONE NEEDS TO KNOW.
:D
Stupid sons of a bitches!!
Veronica, razzle and you too you old fart CAT (or is that old CAT fart? :-).
I'm in complete agreemnt with l'Heure Bleue (even if her name tongue-ties me) - self reliance is the best cure for most of this. The big problem is that multiple generations have been duped and thought that SS was, at least partially, a method of planning for the future. That along with pension plans they participated in have collapsed in the elite's playground - the stock market, leaving very, very little in the way of retirement for the massive volume of U.S. aging. Capitalism seems to be but a board game for those with the money to buy a game piece.
That said, the system benefits when the young go against the boomers. The young would be the ones taking their jobs, manning the police/military forces brutally suppressing a peaceful protest, etc...
Boomers need to show Gen X and Y that this recession is not the fault of all the boomers, or even of the "greatest gen" but of a small group. I'm not one for conspiracies in terms of having objective understanding of a situation.
But it does work to employ this theory with certain publics, merely as a means of agitprop. If it works, go with it.
OK, think of several hooded figures plotting in a circle with their heads together. Acting "with one breath" won't be far behind.
Furthermore, conspiracies don't have to be secretive..they can be "open" consiracies, think ditto-heads.
Yes there are Machiavellian schemers out there doing, or rather precipitating things exactly as you have outlined.
All that they have to do is all sit laughingly on one side of the boat and start rocking it, and the weak-kneed and weak-willed immediately fall to the bottom of the boat in fear and denial, when what is needed is to line the other rail in a balancing act.
I sincerely hope that we Boomers in retirement remember the idealistic energies of our youth and recapitulate.
I will and am.
(Oryoki Bowl, you might find what you're looking for in Generations by Strauss and Howe. Same four-generation cyclical model at least.)
I say "naah" because solidarity doesn't rest with generations more than it does with, say, families. In addition, there's a pretty large cohort of conservative boomers even though the boomers tend to be more defined by our more liberal majority. There are a whole lot of us in the Christian Right and you can't harm part of a generation that way without harming most or all of it.
There are a lot of analogous theories out there about conspiracies against particular populations, such as women. On one hand, there's a grain of truth to part of those theories; on the other, the contention that we're all going to sell our mothers, sisters, wives, and daughters down the river can get a little farfetched. From a personal standpoint, I have way more loyalty to my family than to my gender. More on topic, I have way more loyalty to my family than to my generation. Don't get too carried away by what looks like a good fit from one vantage point.
Rated, though, because it's a good question and your case is well presented.