In less than a year, I'll turn 60. September 24, 2008. Mark it on your calendar so you don't forget to send a card. I try to keep up with the government. It's hard, but someone's got to do it.
If you're a "boomer," and you make your living in the Mortgage industry, strap on your helmet! Riding the wave of "mortgage fraud" that is all the rage right now, and under the guise of protecting us from financial scams, more than one lawmaker is getting ready to regulate us more thoroughly.
Here's an example from the website of Senator Wayne Allard from Colorado:
Protecting Seniors Financial Nest Egg
Over 75 million Americans will turn 60 years old over the next twenty years, or 10,000 people a day. (MJ note: Here's the heart of the issue for our Congress:) The impending retirement of the Baby Boomers will leave 91% of America's net worth controlled by seniors, making them targets for financial fraud and con games. It is our responsibility to ensure seniors have the proper tools and education to maintain their financial wellbeing throughout retirement. Scams targeting seniors can range from investment fraud, loan or mortgage fraud, prize and sweepstake fraud, and thefts by people seniors know and trust. Without appropriate guidance or financial education seniors could fall victim to any of these scams or numerous other con games... And so on.
America's net worth will be controlled by seniors! Oh My GAWD! I'll tell you what: I'm real comfortable protecting myself against finance scams.
How about doing something really valuable for Baby Boomers? Continue to fund programs at the University level around the country that create Nurses and Nursing Faculty! I'm getting older, and so are you, at a time when nurses are in short supply.
Today, October 22, 2007, at 5:30 p.m., the Senate will vote on an amendment by the same Senator from Colorado (#3369) to the Labor, Health and Human Services (L-HHS) Appropriations Bill (currently being debated in the Senate) that will cut funding for the HRSA Title VIII nursing programs.
As a Lender, and a licensed REALTOR in the State of Arizona, I give back to my community by serving on the Board of the University of Arizona's College of Nursing. Dean Marjorie Eisenberg tells me that we've received around $4M in HRSA funds for our programs over the past 4 years. This funding is critical for our graduate students, and for our Nursing Practice, PhD, and Doctor of Nursing Practice degree programs.
I'm not just plugging for Arizona. The other 49 states in the union have the same issue, and will suffer in the same way as our College of Nursing if these funds are cut.
So Lenders and Real Estate Agents of the Baby Boomer generation, take a little action. 10 minutes is all I ask.
- Call YOUR senator.
- Ask her or him to vote against this amendment. You're not getting any younger, and neither are they!
- Click here to find your Senators and their phone numbers.
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
EDIT: Message from Marjorie Isenberg, Dean, University of Arizona College of Nursing (10/23/07)
AMENDMENT DEFEATED!
Beginning at 5:30 p.m., the Senate voted on Amendment 3369 offered to the FY 2008 Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill by Senator Wayne Allard (R-CO). I am happy to report that the amendment was overwhelmingly defeated!! The Senate voted 68 to 21 to table (kill) the amendment.
Thank you ALL! Marjorie A. Isenberg, DNSc, RN, FAAN Dean & Professor, College of Nursing University of Arizona, Tucson tel. (520) 626-6152 FAX (520) 626-2669 misenberg@arizona.edu;
Mike,
Nice post. Unfortunately there is another statistic that plays a crucial role here. The generation following the baby boomers is reproducing at just over 'replacement rate'. this means that unlike the elderly that are being presently supported by the 'boomers' and their taxes, we 'boomers' won't have this luxury!!! Thanks, Fran
Eric, did you click the link and call your senator?
Fran, ditto the question! I agree with your assessment, so it's important to keep the funding that creates the nurses and nursing faculty to train those nurses. Please call your senator and ask him/her to vote against this amendment by Allard.
Mike in Tucson
Mike, you political activist you! As you know I turned 55 today, not as old as you. I hope you get my social security checks when you are ready.
I suppose the Boomer affect on our economy is going to be a wild ride. Gotta go, and contact my Senator.
My birthday is also September 24th....cool :) I'm 31, but I can imagine that cutting this Nursing funding would have long, far-reaching, negative consequences. Thanks for the post and I'll check this out further.
Mike,
We have been having a nursing shortage for a long time. I remember meeting some Nurses, in a Program, that came from overseas to fill the gap we have. I can make my call to the Senators, thanks for bringing this info up.......
Also, I wanted to comment to Fran.....even though the generation behind us isn't reproducing at the rate of other generations.....we will still have a viable work force from new citizens, and immigrants working and paying taxes.....the Visa program is alive and well.....and we do end up with many many highly trained people from around the world that want to call America Home......
I hope you all saved to fund your retirement because everyone knows Gen-X doesn't want to work;-)
Actually, I'm a Gen-Xer and hope you have a fabulous retirement on my tax dollars. Still, I do hope you saved to supplement as retirement benefits won't be getting enriched any time in the future.
True point the below blogger made is that in fact the government has flushed much of the money insead of using it as originally intended. Either way, I doubt I'll have much to look forward to other than my own savings.
Hey, Mike. Very intelligent observation. I'll surely contact my Senator...Not to get too political here, but I have no idea how any one (you know who I mean) thinks we can move away from private health care to a national system and maintain the efficiency (ok, the same efficiency we have now) necessary to provide baby boomers with the health care they need.
oops, just realized the time has passed....
What's that I see way up there???? Why it's a well-deserved, big gold star! Congrats, Mike!
We do need the nurses & things that you mention. But I must say, all too often, I have seniors taken advantage of, and it upsets me! I do not know how the government can prevent it a lot of times, but it is disappointing to see those that do prey on seniors!!
Thanks for the feature, and thanks to each of you for commenting!
Kate, voters are the educators. I encourage you to start contacting your California senators by email on a weekly basis; read their websites, and educate yourself on their voting record. It's all just a click away.
Dan, "Happy Birthday to You, ..." Thanks for stopping by to comment.
Vicki, thanks for your comment, youngster! Now's the time for you to get involved with your State senators on legislation. Like blogging, many intend to get started, but very few actually do. You're a doer!
Linda, thanks for taking the time to decorate my post!
Kathy M, your comment is thoughtful and well-written. Thanks for that, and for stopping by to visit.
Chuck, thank you. So can I count on you to come to my fundraiser? LOL
Keith, the Federal government should do for us what we cannot achieve at the individual, local or state level. Period.
Kathy C, thanks for straightening that youngster out! LOL
Natalie, you're right. It ain't gonna happen!
Marlene, you went to the trouble of making a star for an old guy! You're the best. Thanks for stopping by to rub in the senior thing, young lady. LOL
Donna, contact your senators. This one is in the books, but the next one is right around the corner. Thanks for commenting.
Eric, thanks for putting fingers to keyboard! The only reason VA hospitals have a bad name in the health care system is that civilians don't get involved. There's one near you. Some lonely vet would love to spend half an hour visiting with you. It's another way REALTORS can give back. Get your butt down there! If not you, then who? LOL, but just a little. This is important.
Ronald, I appreciate your comment. Find the crooks, and put 'em in jail. Make an example!
Bob & Carolin, it was good, wasn't it? Thanks for commenting!
Mike in Tucson
Mike, how is it that you are on the Board of UofA School of Nursing? That's mind boggling
As for retirement for Baby Boomers, we can't afford to retire on what the government wants to give us, so we must take it into our own hands. this Senator seems to want to take that option away from us as well.
Bill Roberts