Retirement Age

California Political Leaders Need To Open Up To Future Generation Of Leadership!

Ronald 9 Comments

A major problem in American politics is the refusal of political leaders of both parties to recognize when it is time to retire from the scene, and allow a new generation of leadership.

Too many US Senators and Congressmen stay on until their late 70s and early 80s, and this includes Governors and other state officials as well.

While there can be no official retirement age mandated, it seems appropriate that these political leaders accept reality, and allow for a generational change.

A great example is California, heavily Democratic, but led by people who should make clear that they will NOT run again past 2014.

This includes:

Governor Jerry Brown 76 (nearing 81 at end of next term in 2018); Senator Diane Feinstein 81 (with her term ending in 2018 at age 86 plus); Senator Barbara Boxer 73 (76 when she finishes her present Senate term at the end of 2016); and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi 74 (past 76 at the end of the next Congressional term in 2016).

Is it too much to expect that people in public office who are nearing age 81; age 86; age 76; and past 76 at the end of their present or future terms recognize it is time to leave, no matter how good a record they have in office?

Ego and power is what keeps these and other people in public office, but it is time for change and new faces in Congress and the state governments!

The Problem Of Claiming Social Security At An Early Age: Long Term Disadvantage

Ronald Leave a comment

Due to the Great Recession since December 2007, many workers in their late 50s and early 60s, who have little chance of obtaining a living wage job once they are unemployed, are now faced with accepting early Social Security at age 62, lowering their payments permanently, and pushing many of them into poverty.

The longer one waits until starting Social Security, the higher the payment made monthly to the recipient. A cut of 20-30 percent in payments adds up to a lot over a life span on Social Security estimated at 23 years if one retires at 62.

This group just short of normal retirement age is one of the many forgotten groups that add to the suffering and poverty rate in this country as a result of the long term effects of the Great Recession, which supposedly is over, but really is not in reality!

The economic decline that has occurred in the past four and a half years is obvious in so many ways, but the “near elderly” group is one of those hardly noticed, a true tragedy!