Is the baby boomer's selfishness ruining America?

Question

-GM recently renewed contracts with their union, maintaining benefits and salaries for older workers, but allowed them to hire new employees and pay younger ones less and offer fewer and inferior benefits.
-much more legislative attention and taxpayer money is funneled to Medicare, Medicaid, social security, and healthcare for the aging and elderly...and not nearly as much to any other demographic (i.e. pregnant women, children, etc)
-social security will likely be bankrupt as the 20 and 30 something’s near retirement. The system doesn't have enough workers to support it and just after the baby boomers finish their retirements and begin to die, everyone else is going to get screwed. By 2030 more than 1/3 of the people in the US will be at or over 65 yrs old.

Why is the most successful, spoiled and pampered generation in American history fleecing everyone under the age of 35? the rest of us aren't going to have it nearly as good.

thumbs up to Jello for exemplifying the common baby boomer attitude

stoppdemmaddness -
if you knew anything about SS at all, you would understand that my full time job IS what will be paying for your retirement, a retirement that i will likely not get myself...regardless of the fact that your old @ss doesn't have any minors to support as do i. a simple "thank you" would have done. i hope your yacht sinks and you drown on your margarita buddy.

additional Info:
keep in mind the BB generation was in their youth the drugged out sexual libertines of the 60's. now that they have gotten older (not grown up) they have swung all the way to the other end of the spectrum, and are generally very religious, married, and business oriented.

wyldfyr -
agreed. the 2nd most selfish generation is raising the 1st. until of course the millenial generation starts having kids. see how it just keeps getting worse?

Answer 1

Thank you. I couldn't agree more. I have a friend of this generation. He is not one of these folks. He's a kind hearted and very well-read/smart man. I have a lot of respect and admiration for him.
He told me that this generation was sold the, greed is good. It's all about me. mercy is bad, for the weak. Be merciless.
They bought this propaganda hook, line, and sinker. They seem to forget that their mothers were more than likely home for them. They are self-absorbed people that think they are smart and hard-working but they don't look at the damage they have done to their children and our country. They are a sad bunch. I'm of Gen X. They squashed our voices or so I hear. We are too idealistic. I'd rather be idealistic than a sorry piece of crap who only cares about themselves. They don't care what kind of life they leave for others. They only care about themselves. They live for the moment.
There is a reason they are called Babies. Wah. Wah. Hand them a pacifier.

Answer 2

I have noticed a trend toward selfishness in folks of means in my age group, but certainly not all. And that is not why there is a problem with Social Security. There are A LOT of baby boomers. Kinda the reason they are called baby boomers. And while there has been talk of overhauling the program, that has not been done. Social security was never meant to be the only thing that retirees should depend on for income.

That being said, if I were you, I would start saving for your retirement NOW. Don't think the government is going to do it for you.

And what shall we do with all the baby boomers who are approaching and entering retirement? Shall we send them off in a slow boat to China? YOUR selfishness is showing, my friend.

Answer 3

It's nice to know we live in a country where people are cared for,in China if you are disabled and have no family members to care for you... you live in the streets and become a beggar in order to try and survive.Don't worry you are an American living in a country that offers so much more . We are so spoiled ! some how think things have a way of working out .Look at" world War Two" the country went without and we managed to survive ,the people pulled together.lets hope the younger generation will do the same ,if it should come to that.

Answer 4

Let's assume your dire predictions come to pass, it is not like the problems with social security, medicare and medicaid were not predicted long in advance! They paid into these programs while working and are entitled to them now that they are retired. America, with her huge GDP, should be able to fund social programs for those who need it, including pregnant women, children and the very soon to be elderly baby boomers. A more appropriate question might be can't the Congress and the federal government agree on a budget which will adequately fund needed social programs wuiithout running a debt?

Answer 5

We supported our parents and called them the "greatest generation". We've been paying into Social Security all our lives. If the "greatest generation" didn't start borrowing against it and if the economy kept growing and there were no caps on what people pay into it, there wouldn't be a problem with Social Security. People know that smoking leads to exorbitant health costs yet don't want to pay taxes on tobacco to cover these costs. I'd say the people who think having cell phones, laptops, and fuel guzzling SUVs are a birthright are the most spoiled and pampered generation in American history .

Answer 6

Yeah, you're right. GM should have followed suit and laid 20+ year workers off or cut their salaries in favor of hiring new young employees who get paid less because the DON'T HAVE SENIORITY. After years of service, lets give our parents and grandparents the boot. People have NO RIGHT to protect their retirement. What's wrong with you? What did your parents do to you?

Answer 7

The baby boomers are the ones that are funding the tax coffers, and we will pass on to those 35 year old our wealth, so what's your beef

Answer 8

Lets see now who told the govt, which has been predominately democrat in charge since the baby boomers started being born to rob from Social Security and not to worry about how to pay it back.

Answer 9

Cause we vote and have political influence.

That's democracy buddy. Democracy gives 51% of the people to tell the 49% what they can do with their lives, and how much we can legally take from them.

Do you actually think you live in a representive republic where individual rights are protected? Not in this country!

Answer 10

there are alot of other things getting ruined by the baby boomers such as the housing market and i think it IS because they are greedy. individualy they dont think it makes a difference but as a large group it could be devastating to our economy. whats the solution? legalize marijuana for medicinal and recreational use. the taxes will help the government both regulate the price and possibly the amount sold. and the revenue built up by this would help our economy tremendously. not to mention the money we would save by not having to use police to keep people from smoking it and keeping non violent potheads in prisons and jails all across the country!