Baby Boomers

As we head to January, the talk
is of the baby boomers and Social
Security. And THEIR early retirement.

See they actually aren't suppose to
collect until the year 2011 or so. If
they wait until they are 66 as the law
was passed.

I find this ironic, that THEY want to
retire early at 63. Because, if you
recall right a few years ago, it was
the very BABY BOOMERS who
were pushing for the late retirement.
Wanting to push it up to 70, if they
could. So the settlement was 65 and
half to 67 as the years went by.

They were afraid that those of us
born before the WWII would drain
the Social Security system dry.

Now that they are getting there
themselves, it is where is my
SS. How funny.

Then there is the standard old
group, who don't think we should
retire at the age of 63 or 65 or even
67. After all people are living longer.
So far the one's I see saying that,
are those who we would call pencil
pushers. In other words they earn
their living with their mind.

Let me hear from the laborers. Let
me hear from those who lift 50 pounds
or more. On a regular basis. Over and
over. Push and pull 100 pounds for
hours a shift.

Being one of those kind, I can tell
you, when someone else's life depends
on if you can keep lifting, pushing and
pulling. You keep in your mind if you
should give up the job for the safety
of others. I was a nurses aide for over 17
years. I lifted humans out of bed, to wheel
chairs, I had to lift them up in bed. Some
times with another aide, and sometimes,
not. More likely not, as we worked short
handed many many times. And the machine
lifts were for those over 170 pounds.

I went to the Noc shift where I would be
required to move people in bed. And I could
handle that. But then they changed the rules,
and were having us get people up at 5am.
Again, lifting. I knew my time was coming,
so I opt to go out at 63 before I dropped
someone.

How many construction workers could
drop material on another workers? How
many just don't have it to move over 100
pounds on a regular basis? Like it or not,
our bodies do wear down. Might be able
to walk miles, or run a mile, but lift? Some
one else can get hurt if you don't?

So if the desk jockeys want to keep working,
they can go for it, but don't make it for the ones
who have to do manual labor.

And Baby Boomer, what happen to your
thoughts that the person should stay in
the work force until they are 67? Not so
easy, when you are standing at the door,
of retirement.