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Monday, December 30, 2013

“Grey-Haired Brigade”

The typical U.S. household headed by a person age 65 or older has a net worth 47 times greater than a household headed by someone under 35, according to an analysis of census data released Monday. If all of us “old farts” have all of the money, then let us try to elect someone who might be near honest and not be after feathering their own nests.

They like to refer to us as senior citizens, old fogies, geezers, and in some cases dinosaurs. Some of us are “Baby Boomers” getting ready to retire. Others have been retired for some time. We walk a little slower these days and our eyes and hearing are not what they once were. We have worked hard, raised our children, worshiped our God and grown old together. Yes, we are the ones some refer to as being over the hill, and that is probably true. But before writing us off completely, there are a few things that need to be taken into consideration.

In school we studied English, history, math, and science which enabled us to lead America into the technological age. Most of us remember what outhouses were, many of us with firsthand experience.

We remember the days of telephone party-lines, 25-cent gasoline, and milk and ice being delivered to our homes. For those of you who don’t know what an icebox is, today they are electric and referred to as refrigerators. A few even remember when cars were started with a crank. Yes, we lived those days.

We are probably considered old fashioned and out-dated by many. But there are a few things you need to remember before completely writing us off. We won World War II, fought in Korea and Viet Nam. We can quote The Pledge of Allegiance, and know where to place our hand while doing so. We wore the uniform of our country with pride and lost many friends on the battlefield. We didn’t fight for the Socialist States of America ; we fought for the “Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.” We wore different uniforms but carried the same flag. We know the words to the Star Spangled Banner, America , and America the Beautiful by heart, and you may even see some tears running down our cheeks as we sing. We have lived what many of you have only read in history books and we feel no obligation to apologize to anyone for America.

Yes, we are old and slow these days but rest assured, we have at least one good fight left in us. We have loved this country, fought for it, and died for it, and now we are going to save it. It is our country and nobody is going to take it away from us. We took oaths to defend America against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and that is an oath we plan to keep. There are those who want to destroy this land we love but, like our founders, there is no way we are going to remain silent.

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8 comments:

  1. A Gov study will show that seniors are wealthy because at 55 we have some savings, while those younger have no savings.

    Stop referring to entitlements as though they are gifts to us. I am 59 years old, and have paid into the system to date over $250,000 of my own money, which the Gov decides how it wants to pay me in the form of Social Security. Just give me the money I have earned, a go to hell.

    How is it that our political leaders all retire as millionaires, get great jobs with political friends, but the country is broke??

    Think about it...

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  2. The sad thing is if you die before collecting Social Security it's all lost. You got nothing, your heirs get nothing and the government gets it all!

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  3. Note. If you should loose your job after you turn 55, and you have invested in a 401k, you can start drawing on it now. You do not have to wait until you are 59 and 1/2. It happened to me when the company I worked for closed and I was 58.

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  4. Speaking only for myself,my primaty focus when I retired was my monthly income,plus what I get from SS in 11 months when I turn 62.My actual savings were not very impressive when I retired at 58.A case of poor planning I know,but I just had to get out to keep my sanity.

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  5. I'm fully medically disabled and have been denied SS benefits and now awaiting a SS hearing that may be scheduled not until 2015. Just had surgery, awaiting another surgery, got a bad heart and loss use of one arm and according to SS, I'm 100% employable. I've faithfully contributed to SS for 41+ years and now, when needed, I'm told to get a lawyer to help gain benefits that I've paid for. What a joke especially when people I know are receiving SS benefits because of self induced substance abuse. I'd be better off to be an addict or an alcoholic!

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  6. The rise of the GRAY Panthers? What a joke... if you are like me.. over 60 and stable.. you just want to prevent yourself from becoming a target. The younger generation thinks every thing should be given to them. They are in for a rude awakening b/c most of us seniors will spend every last cent on just surviving our not so golden years. Also... enjoy life... you can't take it with you.

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  7. 11:28-And it's not like you had a choice in whether to pay SS or not for all those years.

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