It hit me like a ton of bricks this morning as soon as I woke up - today marks the anniversary of my second year of retirement. The freedom of the open road keeps calling, but current events have forced me to confront all that has happened to we boomers since January 16, 2007.
At the time I stepped of the treadmill of the full-time work force, I had managed to scrape together a modest nest egg. I felt the
combined income of my family (including the wife’s and my retirement investments, and our social security benefits) would
provide for us through our retirement years. We should be O.K., I figured, but unfortunately, Round-The-World Cruises would not be on our agenda.
Now, 2 years later, most Americans are suffering from the effects of a severe hangover caused by the current state of our economy. Many boomers, including me, have witnessed the value of their retirement portfolios shrink - in many cases by more than half.
Here’s a (partial) list of probable causes that I feel contributed to this country’s despicable turn of events: (Please feel free to add more causes of your own)
Government policies favoring big corporations
Shipping jobs overseas
Decline of unions
Failure to enforce labor laws
Consolidation of the free press
Apathetic, unengaged and ill-informed citizenry
Shady dealers and dealings on Wall Street
Widespread fraud in the Banking and Mortgage Industry
Unregulated speculators artificially inflating the cost of commodities
The obscene profits of big oil
The ill-informed decision to manufacture ethanol from corn
Prolonged and protracted wars
Greed
………and (in my personal opinion) 8-years of the Bush Administration
Here are several (personal) observations) of the effects of the aforementioned behaviors:
One of my 50 something friends is about to lose his house, his car and his marriage because he has been unable to find work.
A relative, who hasn’t had a job in months, recently found full time work with a national retailer. On the surface, that sounds great, but the fact is, his new employer is forcing employees to work long hours with no overtime pay.
Theft and crime in my neighborhood, town, county, state and across the nation is on the rise as a direct result of our economy.
I personally know of people who have been threatened with having their children taken away because their utilities have been turned off. Their only crimes – the inability to find a job and the lack of money to pay their power or water bill.
Although I could go on and on with more examples like these (and I’m also quite sure that you could add a few similar examples of your own) I can tell you that, as the eldest members of our clan, my wife and I naturally feel a responsibility for the well being of our kin.
Furthermore, I’ve had this long time recurring dream where I see myself as the soldier in the trenches who uses his helmet and his body to smother the effects of an exploding grenade saving his comrades from certain death. But unlike years past, I’m worried that that dream may become a reality. I’m awake now, 2 years into my retirement and I realize that I don’t have the earning power that I did when I was working. That can only mean one thing for the wife and I – our decreased ability to keep smothering explosions and the inevitable hardship that causes the rest of our family.

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Thinking about what has happened to this country and how it has affected us all makes me mad as hell and sick to my stomach, so instead, let’s concentrate on what we can do to dig our way out of this mess.
First off, I’d suggest we start treating our politicians like we do the players on a fantasy football team by closely following their careers and trading them if they didn’t perform.
Demand that there be stiffer consequences for committing white-collar crimes. And if there ever was a case to be made for
Capitol Punishment as the punishment for certain types of white collar crimes, it the outrageous and egregious behavior of Bernard L. Madoff, chairman of the Wall Street Securities company of the same name, who was recently charged with allegedly perpetrating what may be the largest investor fraud ever committed. Furthermore, to rub more insult into our face, this guy is currently free on bail and living in a multi-million dollar estate under house arrest until the date of his indightment (aound February 11, 2009.)
If you’re working these days and there’s Union representation available – Join! If not, organize! As U.S. Citizens, under our Constitution, we all have the right to collective bargaining in the workplace.
There are plenty of Federal Labor and Civil Rights laws on the books that are designed to protect our individual rights – letsinsist these laws are fairly enforced.
Alternative energy is one of the big solutions to some of our problems. Therefore, we as citizens should demand that our Government proceed - full speed ahead - in the development and implementation of this technology. Doing so will create jobs, invigorate our economy and clean up our environment.
As American Citizens, it’s our responsibility to be informed and involved in the operation of our democracy, so if these suggestions are not part of your New Year’s resolutions list, they should be!
Please keep in mind that four days from now, American will begin writing the latest chapter in our history. Its up to each and every one of us to make sure we have a hand in editing every word.

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