Earlier this month, AARP released the video above, which typifies every stereotype many members of my generation hold about Baby Boomers.
Namely that they lived it up in the sixties, led extremely comfortable and self-indulgent lives built on the backs of the Greatest Generation’s sacrifices, and are demanding benefits to which they feel entitled, even though it may ultimately bankrupt this country.
Now most Baby Boomers are probably not this selfish, but this ad certainly makes them appear that way.
My message to the 50 million is that you are wealthier on average than the rest of us, and it is not right for you to take more out of the system than you put in. We all need to make sacrifices in order to keep this country financially solvent.
This threatening, arrogant, and greedy advertisement does not suit you.
Reflections of a Rational Republican 
A fair point, but most retired folk are still from the “greatest generation.” Boomers only recently started retiring. My mom (born 1938) still works but lives primarily off social security. She is concerned about cuts.
A fair point. I think the crossover point when Social Security starts spending more than it takes in is in 2017. So there is still time to fix the system. The other important point worth noting is that any changes to SS won’t affect currently recipients. That would be unfair. However, it will affect future ones like me — and it should. The system is going to be unsustainable by the time I retire.
The crossover point happened about March 2010. There was an article in the local paper, News and Sentinel, since Public Debt is located in Parkersburg WV. http://newsandsentinel.com/page/content.detail/id/527752/Social-Security-to-cash-Uncle-Sam-s-IOUs.html . I wrote a letter, Uncle Sam’s Pocket Shuffle, published in the same newspaper. http://newsandsentinel.com/page/content.detail/id/527939/Uncle-Sam-s-pocket-shuffle.html
I agree on the advertisement, but the link in the blog would not connect. More than that no proposal so far anticipates cutting benefits for age >54, although some are beginning to believe that current benefits are going to have to be trimmed.
AARP has sold us out on Obamacare and on SS and Medicare. They are crony trade unionism and crony insurance capitalism with both front feet and its nose in the Government Trough and our pockets. AARP is the big static charge in the 3rd rail of American politics (SS) and its voltage is draining away. Arithmetic always wins in the end.
Oops, the video worked after awhile, sorry.
“it is not right for you to take more out of the system than you put in.”
Even this gets complicated pretty quickly. For that comparison, do you look at 1960s dollars vs. 2011 dollars? Isn’t the money the boomers put into the system in taxes worth way more in today’s dollars? Also, is it their fault things like health care spiraled completely out-of-control in the interim?
“Even this gets complicated pretty quickly. For that comparison, do you look at 1960s dollars vs. 2011 dollars? Isn’t the money the boomers put into the system in taxes worth way more in today’s dollars?”
A very fair point. The short answer is that I don’t know. I just object to the contention that the government “owes” anyone anything, particularly those who are disproportionately in higher income tax brackets who are supported by those who aren’t.
“Also, is it their fault things like health care spiraled completely out-of-control in the interim?”
A complicated question, but one could make an argument that they are very much responsible because they were in charge during the time of the ballooning healthcare costs. Not the strongest argument, but an argument.
I refuse to have anything to do with AARP. They manipulate old people who they know do not understand the issues. They lead the fight against Bush’s reforms in 2001. When I hear the people in their commercials say ” When I heard this was endorsed by AARP, I had only one thing to say, sign me up “, I want to fall out of my chair laughing.
I wonder if there is a chapter of AARP in Greece.
Let’s hope not. Otherwise, expect nothing less than a global economic meltdown when the Greeks vote against the sovereign debt bailout measures.
Greece, Spain, and Italy are the poster boys for Obama-nomics. Unless the last 3 years are reversed, they are our future.
Or the USSR…