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The Worst Generation?

  • dwccrew
    Is the Baby Boomer generation the worst we've had? They have ran up massive debt, gotten our country involved in two arguably needless and endless wars and totally changed the landscape of our government and economy. They also have created and amplified the class warfare.

    The Baby Boomers have enjoyed all of the fruits and plenty of the labor, hardship and sacrifice of their parents generation. They were raised in some of the most prosperous times in this country's history, thanks in large part to the "Greatest generation" (their parents) efforts.

    The Baby Boomers have left the following generations in such a hole, it is unclear how we will dig ourselves out of it and restore the country.

    We are currently coming through a Great Recession (the worst since the Great Depression) and have been involved in 2 wars approaching a decade.

    I am hoping that my generation (born in 1982) will be able to emerge through the hardship and adversity, given to us by the Baby Boomers, just as our grandparents generation "The Greatest Generation" did from the Great Depression and WW2.

    Perhaps we will be the "Second Greatest Generation".
  • tk421
    I agree, but this won't be popular. Nothing like being left the bill for massive debt by your parents, etc. Eventually, the boomers are going to have to take a cut in their benefits, there's nothing else for it.
  • dwccrew
    tk421 wrote: I agree, but this won't be popular. Nothing like being left the bill for massive debt by your parents, etc. Eventually, the boomers are going to have to take a cut in their benefits, there's nothing else for it.
    I'm not looking for popular, I'm looking for opinions and well-thought out rebuttals.
  • tk421
    dwccrew wrote:
    tk421 wrote: I agree, but this won't be popular. Nothing like being left the bill for massive debt by your parents, etc. Eventually, the boomers are going to have to take a cut in their benefits, there's nothing else for it.
    I'm not looking for popular, I'm looking for opinions and well-thought out rebuttals.
    What's to rebut? I don't see how anyone can claim the Boomers haven't run this country into the crapper.
  • ptown_trojans_1
    I actually agree. Speaking broadly of course, it seems the baby boomers have all had this aura of invisibility and they can do no wrong. Or, believe that they "learned" the lessons of the 1960s and 1970s and are now not repeating it, when in reality they may just repeating the same mistakes as you have mentioned.

    I also think our generation, born in the 1980s, can with stand the damage done and move forward. I work in a office full of people born between 80-88 and each day feel better about the future of the country. Their outside the box thoughts, new ideas, rational and view of the world is really interesting, intriguing and hopeful.

    We'll have to see.
  • Swamp Fox
    I think that blaming the "Baby Boomers" for all of the economic problems we are facing today is like blaming the German people for the holocaust.
  • Footwedge
    The generation that preceded us boomers need to share a big part of the blame. They won WWII...but they also started the ball rolling in what we have today. And the next generation, the Xers or whomever they call themselves, will do nothing to change the way things are done.

    ....until the whole system has collapsed and is bankrupt.
  • Mr. 300
    Genxers can share some blame, but I will say that the baby boomers, (which I'm a part of on the tail end) have done much more than financial headaches. Social and moral decline comes to mind.
  • dwccrew
    Mr. 300 wrote: Genxers can share some blame, but I will say that the baby boomers, (which I'm a part of on the tail end) have done much more than financial headaches. Social and moral decline comes to mind.
    I agree, the early part of Generation X.

    1961-1981

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_X

    Glad I am not considered a Gen X'er (born in '82).
  • Glory Days
    ptown_trojans_1 wrote: Their outside the box thoughts, new ideas, rational and view of the world is really interesting, intriguing and hopeful.

    We'll have to see.
    i think that can be said about any generation though. i mean imagine what it was like when someone sitting around a table said "lets put a man on the moon".
  • ytownfootball
    Mr. 300 wrote: Genxers can share some blame, but I will say that the baby boomers, (which I'm a part of on the tail end) have done much more than financial headaches. Social and moral decline comes to mind.
    I actually feel women moving into the workforce played a larger role than say a particular generation. Not making a statement against them working, just that the effects of mothers not at home I feel was more detrimental long term. I actually feel it has a lot to do with the topic here as well.
  • Gobuckeyes1
    The "Boomers" have been in charge for about the past 20 years or so...and look where we are now.

    It will take most of our lives to dig out of the hole that our parents' generation has put us in. Deny it all you want, boomers, but we have arrived where we are now on your watch.
  • Writerbuckeye
    If you're going to place blame for the economic mess we're seeing (growing debt, unsustainable entitlements) you have to go all the way back to FDR and simply blame every generation since.

    The foundation for the mess we are now in began there.

    And it grew over the years as other entitlements were added to Social Security via The Great Society under LBJ all the way to adding drug benefits under GW Bush.

    Placing blame solely on the Boomers is not just stupid -- it's factually wrong.

    The folks who constructed most of this mess will be long dead and gone when it blows up, and the Boomers will actually be the first generation to see those benefits cut back (it will have to happen) as they retire.
  • majorspark
    Writerbuckeye wrote: The folks who constructed most of this mess will be long dead and gone when it blows up, and the Boomers will actually be the first generation to see those benefits cut back (it will have to happen) as they retire.
    I agree. The younger generations will never accept the tax burden needed to sustain what the federal government has promised the Boomers.
  • Footwedge
    Gobuckeyes1 wrote: The "Boomers" have been in charge for about the past 20 years or so...and look where we are now.

    It will take most of our lives to dig out of the hole that our parents' generation has put us in. Deny it all you want, boomers, but we have arrived where we are now on your watch.
    So take your parents off the Christmas card list. :D Yeah we stole a few trillions here or there. Nothing to get all fumy over.
  • Footwedge
    ytownfootball wrote:
    Mr. 300 wrote: Genxers can share some blame, but I will say that the baby boomers, (which I'm a part of on the tail end) have done much more than financial headaches. Social and moral decline comes to mind.
    I actually feel women moving into the workforce played a larger role than say a particular generation. Not making a statement against them working, just that the effects of mothers not at home I feel was more detrimental long term. I actually feel it has a lot to do with the topic here as well.
    I think this is a little off topic but nevertheless a good point. I think the social structure has had some really bad consequences once women entered the work force en masse circ late 60's early 70's.

    Back in the 60's, very few women worked ouside of the home...and the family didn't want them to work nor need them to work. And the standard of living was pretty decent even with mom staying at home.

    Those that had both parents working, really lived the high life. Today, it's almost imperative that both parents are bread winners....just to stay in the middle class.
  • sjmvsfscs08
    The baby boomers are idiots. In the 60s they acted like they were the first generation to have sex, in the 70s they acted like they were the first generation to make music, in the 80s they acted like they were the first generation to have a recession. A bunch of fucking narcissists as far as I'm concerned.
  • believer
    Blame the baby Boomers for this country's whoas all you want but I agree with Writerbuckeye that our current economic, political, and social situation started with leaders from the "Greatest Generation" starting in the 1930's with the Great Socialist named FDR. ALL of us should share in the blame.

    I for one DO NOT share much optimism for the future based on the Gen X-er's and Young Punks born in the early 80's that I see in my workplace and day-to-day life. I've never seen a bigger bunch of "you owe me a living", "what's wrong with with doing personal business on company time with my latest and greatest techno-gadget", and "why should I care about getting to work on time if at all" whining, lazy worthless pieces of shit in my life.

    You newbies who think you're clever, capable of thinking outside the box, and believe yourselves to be rational world-view "thinkers" still have a lot of dues to pay before you can qualify to pass judgment on the Boomers.
  • Mr. 300
    believer wrote: Blame the baby Boomers for this country's whoas all you want but I agree with Writerbuckeye that our current economic, political, and social situation started with leaders from the "Greatest Generation" starting in the 1930's with the Great Socialist named FDR. ALL of us should share in the blame.

    I for one DO NOT share much optimism for the future based on the Gen X-er's and Young Punks born in the early 80's that I see in my workplace and day-to-day life. I've never seen a bigger bunch of "you owe me a living", "what's wrong with with doing personal business on company time with my latest and greatest techno-gadget", and "why should I care about getting to work on time if at all" whining, lazy worthless pieces of shit in my life.

    You newbies who think you're clever, capable of thinking outside the box, and believe yourselves to be rational world-view "thinkers" still have a lot of dues to pay before you can qualify to pass judgment on the Boomers.
    Tell us how you really feel Kershawcton boy. :)
  • Gobuckeyes1
    believer wrote: Blame the baby Boomers for this country's whoas all you want but I agree with Writerbuckeye that our current economic, political, and social situation started with leaders from the "Greatest Generation" starting in the 1930's with the Great Socialist named FDR. ALL of us should share in the blame.


    FDR was a socialist? GTFO of here. Do you even know what a real socialist is?

    Can you guys on the right even have a conversation about politics anymore without throwing around labels like "socialist, Marxist, Maoist," etc.?
    I for one DO NOT share much optimism for the future based on the Gen X-er's and Young Punks born in the early 80's that I see in my workplace and day-to-day life. I've never seen a bigger bunch of "you owe me a living", "what's wrong with with doing personal business on company time with my latest and greatest techno-gadget", and "why should I care about getting to work on time if at all" whining, lazy worthless pieces of shit in my life.
    Love you too.

    I know it's hard for you to believe, but the world is going to go on just fine once you and all of your contemporaries are retired. People have been spouting this same bullshit about younger generations since the dawn of civilization.
    You newbies who think you're clever, capable of thinking outside the box, and believe yourselves to be rational world-view "thinkers" still have a lot of dues to pay before you can qualify to pass judgment on the Boomers.
    I read this post, and the term "elitist" comes to mind. The same thing that the right accuses the liberal Dems and Obama of being...

    At least the "Greatest generation" paid its bills and left virtually no debt for your generation. The Baby Boomers and older Generation Xers have been living beyond their means for the past 30 years. Almost all of our debt has been racked up since the beginning of the Reagan administration (imagine that). Now the bill is coming due, and guess who gets to pay for it? It sure won't be the Baby Boomers.
  • CenterBHSFan
    I tend to agree with a little bit of everybody's thoughts on this. I don't know if any one thought is right, but if you form a compilation of everything, it makes a perfect puzzle.
  • I Wear Pants
    Swamp Fox wrote: I think that blaming the "Baby Boomers" for all of the economic problems we are facing today is like blaming the German people for the holocaust.
    Weren't they to blame?

    If any of them knew what was going on and didn't fight it then they are to blame.
  • CenterBHSFan
    I Wear Pants wrote:
    Swamp Fox wrote: I think that blaming the "Baby Boomers" for all of the economic problems we are facing today is like blaming the German people for the holocaust.
    Weren't they to blame?

    If any of them knew what was going on and didn't fight it then they are to blame.
    The people who found out what was really going on, and tried to do something about it were liquidated or added to "the final solution".
    Most of the German population only knew what they were told, as in what Goebbels (the Propaganda Minister) put out in the radio and tv waves, newspapers, town hall meetings, etc.
  • I Wear Pants
    You're right.
  • Manhattan Buckeye
    This hardly began with Reagan:

    http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/2010/02/01/five-decades-of-federal-spending/