U.S. Lost Cause

 

“Sisters stab security guard 27 times after being asked to wear face mask;" “Riders push security officer from transit train after he requests they wear masks;” “Fast food employee punched after he refuses to serve customer not donning a mask;” “Walmart employee kicked in groin by customer when told to leave store for failure to wear a mask;” “Store customer is assaulted in store parking lot after he asks fellow customer why he doesn’t wear a mask;” “Woman assaulted and knocked to the ground for asking another Staple’s customer to put on mask;” “Two Trader Joe’s customers attacked employees when asked to put on masks;” etc., etc.  Sadly, these are actual media headlines. 

The list goes on and on as we as a nation have turned a simple request into a justifiable reason to violently, physically, attack others.  And regrettably, I suspect that some reading these headlines will applaud these actions and espouse, “Good, they got what they deserved!”

What an affront to our personal freedom, requesting that we wear a mask to possibly prevent us from infecting someone else; for that’s really what this is all about.   However, many don’t understand this because they operate from a self-centered point of view.   It’s the  me, me, me approach. 

Those who don’t mask and say things like, “I’m young, so I won’t get sick,” or “I am willing to take the risk and I have the right to do so,” completely, selfishly miss the point.  It’s the people who they come in contact with that just might need the virus  protection because of high risks such as their age, or pre-existing conditions.  Unless you can guarantee that before you start your journeys each day without a mask, that you tested negative for COVID-19, you are a potential contributor to the spreading of this disease, and the reason why we have, and will continue to have, economic shutdowns in our country.   Just because you have no overt symptoms, and are categorized as asymptomatic, doesn’t mean you can’t infect others. 

To address this mask issue I was thinking about getting some business cards printed that stated, “Thank you for helping spread COVID-19 and contributing to our economic shutdown by not wearing a mask.”  I was going to give them to everyone not donning a mask, but, then again, I came to the realization that I might get killed. 

Congratulations U.S.A, we have now added yet another divisive wedge to our society, Maskers vs Non-Maskers.  Don’t we have enough societal dissensions already?  What have we become as a nation?  Is this how we “Make America Great Again?”  Think about it the next time you choose not to wear a mask.

Time for Old Folks to Go

 

In full disclosure, I am a 75 year old male.  I state that so that readers won’t think I’m anti old folks.  As I watched the Senate hearings on the latest nominee for the Supreme Court,  I couldn’t help but wonder if I was watching an episode of “The Living Dead.”  Why were there so many old folks?  Heck, Dianne Feinstein, one of the leading interrogators, and senator from California, is 86 years, 10 months old.  I was curious.  Just how many others in their upper senior silver years are calling the shots for a country where the median age of its residents is 38.2? 

After some research I discovered, to my horror, 58 out of a total of 100 senators presently serving in Congress are over the age of 65, 38 are over the age 70, and 12 exceed the age of 80.  In fact, the average age of half of our senators is 73.5.  And none of these elderly folks are bound by the same obstacles as the general public when it comes to societal needs, particularly as related to health care.

They all have a unique health insurance plan, funded by taxpayers’ money which is exclusive to them.  Those 65 and older don’t have to rely on Medicare, Obamacare, or any other Medicare Advantage Plan, and no- out- of- pocket drug plan. They are chauffeured around in tax payer funded automobiles while in Washington, D.C., and on top of that get paid big bucks.  Their salary being $174,000 per  year plus the ability to earn an additional 15% of their annual salary on other “outside” work.  They are also allowed an additional tax deduction of up to $3,000 for living expenses.

Additionally, many hold this job for a long time, some as long as a whopping 45 years. 

Does this sound like someone who identifies with you? 

And let’s not forget about the ages of the current individuals vying for the office of President.   Trump is 74 and Biden is 77.  Just where have all the young folks gone?  And with all this commotion about the mental acuity of Joe Biden, what about all those old folks in the Senate? 

Sadly, there is not enough space to discuss our esteemed members of the House of Representatives, but the oldest champion there is Rep. Don Young, from Alaska, 86 years, 11 months old.   He has been in Congress for 53 years. 

Now I’m not in any way implying that old folks can’t continue to make productive contributions to society, but there is an element of being “in tune” with the society that exists today if you are to serve as a representative for addressing its needs. 

It’s time to step back and let our kids take over even though we might be at odds with them.   This can never occur with the present election system we have, age limits and true term limits need to be implemented.

We already have term limits for the President of the U.S.  He/she can’t serve for more than 8 consecutive years.  So why are our legislators, that supposedly represent our current society, exempt?

We need to stop re-electing folks that truly are not representative of our populace and are for the most part “out of tune.”  Stop relying on name recognition as the major factor influencing your vote.  The younger generation in this country needs to wake up.  It’s time to put the old folks out to pasture.