Solutions: Not On the Agenda
"I ask you to join me in creating a commission to examine the full impact of baby boom retirements on Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid." -- President Bush</br></br>Tucked into the State of the Union speech last week was this tepid acknowledgment of the dramatic changes in the country's social fabric that will occur with the aging of the population. First President Bush joked about it -- the leading edge of the baby boom is turning 60 and who are his mom and dad's favorite boomers? Himself and Bill Clinton!</br></br>But after this bit of bipartisan humor, the president slipped into the trap of seeing the demographic revolution of longevity as pure disaster.</br></br>"We must also confront the larger challenge of mandatory spending, or entitlements," said Bush. In other words, "greedy geezers" are going to bankrupt the government.</br></br>Left out are the opportunities prompted by an older, healthier generation for creating wealth and enhancing families and communities. Yet some of the most promising solutions to the economic burden of government programs are likely to come from public and private initiatives that expand opportunities for older Americans to keep working and stay active in their communities.