I'm only 25, I know I'm a terrible driver and have bad eyes (even with glasses). So guess what? I don't drive! I know I'm a huge risk to others when I'm behind the wheel. My great Aunt who is in her 80's is also aware, and she too doesn't drive. If we're aware, then they should be aware!
Well, #2 is easy to discuss because it doesn't matter what age the elected officials are; they know who's voting so they'll pander to the old folks. Easy peasy.
#1 is tricky. Voter turnout sucks in this country, although turnout is better among the you-know-whos. And it's a horse-and-cart dilemma - would younger people turn out to vote in higher numbers if elected officials showed that they care about the issues younger people care about most, or would elected officials care about the issues that younger people care about if younger people turned out to vote in higher numbers?
So I absolutely do blame lack of turnout among my generation as one of the reasons why we've gotten to where we are. And like I said before, put driving re-tests up for a vote and you'll see young people vote in droves lol. Sad but definitely a legit possibility.
No, I don't think #2 is so simple. At the very least, these are politicians that are OUR age, so it's another example of OUR generation being partly to blame. The opint is I think it's a lot easier to blame it on the old people when, in fact, we are just as much to blame.
I don't think the politicians are my age. I'm early 30s.
No, I don't think #2 is so simple. At the very least, these are politicians that are OUR age, so it's another example of OUR generation being partly to blame. The opint is I think it's a lot easier to blame it on the old people when, in fact, we are just as much to blame.
I don't think the politicians are my age. I'm early 30s.
I'm thinking at least some are in their 30's. In any event, they're not "elderly".
Well, #2 is easy to discuss because it doesn't matter what age the elected officials are; they know who's voting so they'll pander to the old folks. Easy peasy.
#1 is tricky. Voter turnout sucks in this country, although turnout is better among the you-know-whos. And it's a horse-and-cart dilemma - would younger people turn out to vote in higher numbers if elected officials showed that they care about the issues younger people care about most, or would elected officials care about the issues that younger people care about if younger people turned out to vote in higher numbers?
So I absolutely do blame lack of turnout among my generation as one of the reasons why we've gotten to where we are. And like I said before, put driving re-tests up for a vote and you'll see young people vote in droves lol. Sad but definitely a legit possibility.
No, I don't think #2 is so simple. At the very least, these are politicians that are OUR age, so it's another example of OUR generation being partly to blame. The opint is I think it's a lot easier to blame it on the old people when, in fact, we are just as much to blame.
I think you're misreading or I didn't specify enough, but I'm not disagreeing with you that we share part of the blame. We're not voting enough and elected officials want to get elected and re-elected, so they'll pander to groups that vote.
But I do disagree that we are just as much to blame, at least at this point in time. When we're old, perhaps we'll screw things up too. But for now, it is the truth that growing old costs this country a lot of money, and there are a lot of old people. And the prevalent attitude among them is that they worked for everything they're getting back right now and that the rest of us are lazy and entitled and shouldn't complain would be downright laughable if it didn't make my blood boil.
God, you people are sad. So much bitterness and hatred. Mymother worked hard for 45 years and got fired, after 18 years of service, for being too old and not being "eye candy" for all the idiot lawyers she worked for. She deserves social security and can barely survive on it. I have to help her out. Stop blaming others for all of your problems. Aren't we in this financial mess, because of younger people that bought houses they could not afford? Also, younger people cause more car accidents than older people. Why don't you have a problem with that?
Well, #2 is easy to discuss because it doesn't matter what age the elected officials are; they know who's voting so they'll pander to the old folks. Easy peasy.
#1 is tricky. Voter turnout sucks in this country, although turnout is better among the you-know-whos. And it's a horse-and-cart dilemma - would younger people turn out to vote in higher numbers if elected officials showed that they care about the issues younger people care about most, or would elected officials care about the issues that younger people care about if younger people turned out to vote in higher numbers?
So I absolutely do blame lack of turnout among my generation as one of the reasons why we've gotten to where we are. And like I said before, put driving re-tests up for a vote and you'll see young people vote in droves lol. Sad but definitely a legit possibility.
No, I don't think #2 is so simple. At the very least, these are politicians that are OUR age, so it's another example of OUR generation being partly to blame. The opint is I think it's a lot easier to blame it on the old people when, in fact, we are just as much to blame.
I'm 32 fucking years old. I've been able to vote for 14 years. My parents (upper end of the boomers) have been voting for almost 50 years. That's how they are *more* to blame. We cannot be responsible for policies and practices put in to place before we were alive or cognizant of their existence. And it's not so much that I'm mad at them for voting the way they did, it's that they see nothing wrong with them and everything wrong with their own damn kids and grand kids.
No, I don't think #2 is so simple. At the very least, these are politicians that are OUR age, so it's another example of OUR generation being partly to blame. The opint is I think it's a lot easier to blame it on the old people when, in fact, we are just as much to blame.
I think you're misreading or I didn't specify enough, but I'm not disagreeing with you that we share part of the blame. We're not voting enough and elected officials want to get elected and re-elected, so they'll pander to groups that vote.
But I do disagree that we are just as much to blame, at least at this point in time. When we're old, perhaps we'll screw things up too. But for now, it is the truth that growing old costs this country a lot of money, and there are a lot of old people. And the prevalent attitude among them is that they worked for everything they're getting back right now and that the rest of us are lazy and entitled and shouldn't complain would be downright laughable if it didn't make my blood boil.
I just don't see the "growing old" costs their fault. And lumping a whole generation in with the vocal ones who call the rest of us lazy is completely unfair.
I'm only 25, I know I'm a terrible driver and have bad eyes (even with glasses). So guess what? I don't drive! I know I'm a huge risk to others when I'm behind the wheel. My great Aunt who is in her 80's is also aware, and she too doesn't drive. If we're aware, then they should be aware!
Same here. I'm 30 and I don't drive. But I happen to live in an area where it's fine that I don't drive because I can still get everywhere I need to get to with mass transit. So I will admit that surely there are 85-year-olds out there that drive because they have to, although not prioritizing better mass transit in most places and increased urban sprawl/poor suburban planning is a major fail for this country, IMO.
God, you people are sad. So much bitterness and hatred. Mymother worked hard for 45 years and got fired, after 18 years of service, for being too old and not being "eye candy" for all the idiot lawyers she worked for. She deserves social security and can barely survive on it. I have to help her out. Stop blaming others for all of your problems. Aren't we in this financial mess, because of younger people that bought houses they could not afford? Also, younger people cause more car accidents than older people. Why don't you have a problem with that?
No, no, no...that wasn't *our* fault. That was the banks' fault.
God, you people are sad. So much bitterness and hatred. Mymother worked hard for 45 years and got fired, after 18 years of service, for being too old and not being "eye candy" for all the idiot lawyers she worked for. She deserves social security and can barely survive on it. I have to help her out. Stop blaming others for all of your problems. Aren't we in this financial mess, because of younger people that bought houses they could not afford? Also, younger people cause more car accidents than older people. Why don't you have a problem with that?
No, no, no...that wasn't *our* fault. That was the banks' fault.
that wasn't just young people... plenty of old people got mortgages they couldn't afford too
God, you people are sad. So much bitterness and hatred. Mymother worked hard for 45 years and got fired, after 18 years of service, for being too old and not being "eye candy" for all the idiot lawyers she worked for. She deserves social security and can barely survive on it. I have to help her out. Stop blaming others for all of your problems. Aren't we in this financial mess, because of younger people that bought houses they could not afford? Also, younger people cause more car accidents than older people. Why don't you have a problem with that?
I don't see anyone blaming old people for their specific problems. We're speaking about the country as a whole and where we believe it's headed.
Also...are you kidding me with the financial mess comment?
Um, you should know if you only make 50,000, than you really should not buy a 300,000 dollar house. If you can't do basic math, is it the fault of all the banks?
Um, you should know if you only make 50,000, than you really should not buy a 300,000 dollar house. If you can't do basic math, is it the fault of all the banks?
I actually agree with you. I was just saying what I typically hear when that topic comes up. And I'm not saying the banks weren't at fault at all, but it's just another situation where the current generation needs to take blame too.
Um, you should know if you only make 50,000, than you really should not buy a 300,000 dollar house. If you can't do basic math, is it the fault of all the banks?
I don't think you'll find anyone here who disagrees with this statement. But I'm not getting where you're going with this. Are you saying only 20/30-year-olds made this mistake?
No, no, no...that wasn't *our* fault. That was the banks' fault.
that wasn't just young people... plenty of old people got mortgages they couldn't afford too
Exactly. Not to mention that once again, blaming individual homeowners misses the forest for the trees. This isn't to say that individual homeowners didn't screw up, but there are serious systemic issues in this country that have been building for decades. People in my age cohort have been working in the professional world for anywhere from 2 to 10 years, depending on education. We did not set up the systems that caused the financial collapse, and for the most part, people in my age cohort did not make millions in the financial sector with little regard for the looming crash.
God, you people are sad. So much bitterness and hatred. Mymother worked hard for 45 years and got fired, after 18 years of service, for being too old and not being "eye candy" for all the idiot lawyers she worked for. She deserves social security and can barely survive on it. I have to help her out. Stop blaming others for all of your problems. Aren't we in this financial mess, because of younger people that bought houses they could not afford? Also, younger people cause more car accidents than older people. Why don't you have a problem with that?
A lot of younger people are in similar circumstances, but aren't old enough to even collect social security. Why was she not saving for retirement?
Um, because she did not make much money and had everyday bills to pay. I think some of you, just like to judge people for everything, from weight to being old, because you are just so unhappy with yourselves and your lives!
Um, because she did not make much money and had everyday bills to pay. I think some of you, just like to judge people for everything, from weight to being old, because you are just so unhappy with yourselves and your lives!
If only you had added in here that you felt sorry for our husbands... 8-D
Post by princesscal on Jun 27, 2012 9:42:24 GMT -5
One thing to note is when these elderly people were younger, they were told/brough up on the idea that they would be able to retire comfortably on Medicare + Social Security. These ARE entitlement programs.
I think the younger generation realizes that although these are still entitlement programs, the chances of us getting our entitlements are pretty slim.
Um, because she did not make much money and had everyday bills to pay. I think some of you, just like to judge people for everything, from weight to being old, because you are just so unhappy with yourselves and your lives!
but how does that make her any more entitled than someone in the same position who is only 25?
How are these entitlement programs? My Mother paid in to SS and pays for Medicare. She pays more for Medicare, than I ever have had to pay for insurance.
Um, because she did not make much money and had everyday bills to pay. I think some of you, just like to judge people for everything, from weight to being old, because you are just so unhappy with yourselves and your lives!
LOL. I am sympathetic to this problem for people who were low-wage workers, but this is hardly an issue that is unique to the elderly. Real wages have been stagnant for at least 20 years while the cost of healthcare and education has skyrocketed. So people in my generation are being asked to pay for the exploding costs of our own healthcare and education, plus pay for the exploding costs of our parents' and grandparents' healthcare, all while making no more money than did the very people depending on us. And if we complain, we're just lazy and entitled and hateful.
When the 30somethings manage to have a lobby like the AARP is when I will take blame for the shitty, shitty state of this country. Not to mention the fact that the current state is a long time coming... coming from policies they voted for. And do they say "hey we made mistakes, we're sorry."? No, they say, "give me my social security! I PAID FOR THAT!!!!" Yes, you and every other poor fucker in this country. And when you suggest that we start letting people opt out, or phasing it out, they refuse to believe that they get to keep their goddamn entitlements. It's pathetic.
We don't know for sure that these programs will not be around in 40 years. Hell, we don't even know if this world will be around then. So, why don't you focus on the here and now, instead of listening to all the so called "experts" on tv that predict the end of these programs. If it is not around when I hit 65, then I guess I will have to worry about it then. I'm not going to sit around and be mad at my mother and all the other old people. It serves no purpose and just makes people look sad and bitter.