If the generation that fought and won World War II was considered “The Greatest Generation”, would it be out of line to consider the baby boomer generation “The Worst Generation”? The Greatest Generation was born into the poverty of the great depression but ushered in the most prosperous decades that this country has known. The Baby Boomers were the beneficiaries of this great prosperity, but as each day passes it becomes increasingly evident that by the time they cede control of this country, that prosperity will have all but vanished.
One could look at the Occupy and Tea Party Movements as polar opposites, politically right vs. politically left, small government vs. big government, free market vs. the welfare state, etc. My contention is that they are th
ey are to a great extent the same, a revolt against the world that was created by the baby boomer generation. The baby boomer generation has spent 40 years ruling this country. At the start of their reign, the United States was the manufacturing powerhouse of the world. The axis powers had been destroyed and the world was dependent on U.S. exports of both food and durable goods. As their reign ends, goods that are actually made in the United States are an anomaly, something to be featured on NPR rather than the rule. U.S. manufacturing used to be a major engine of the world economy, U.S. consumption has now taken over this role … “the consumer” rather than “the factory”. U.S. loans used to spur development and innovation worldwide, today we have become the world’s largest debtor nation and are effectively policy slaves to our creditors.
With our country’s inability to deal with it’s debt problems, inability to deal with the severe wealth distribution problems, inability to even pass a budget, it is now time for the Baby Boomers to step aside. The sentiments expressed by the Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street movements are the same … it’s time to move on. The younger generations are tired of you kicking the can time and time again because we know that that can will end up on our doorstep … we will have to fix the problems that you caused.
The system that you created is broken. You pay lip service to “your kids and grandkids” and yet do nothing to make this a better country for them. Your kids and grandkids are now revolting. Your kids and grandkids have realized that we are not your primary concern. You have sought after wealth, fame, prestige, and influence and you have got it and we will pay for it. You will go down in history as “The Worst Generation” because of the legacy of destruction that you have left.
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