In the 1960's and 1970's my generation both fought in, as well as fought to end, the war in Vietnam. We marched in the streets for equality of races, farm wages, and genders. After watching a man try to turn the government into a weapon to punish domestic enemies, our efforts even brought down a corrupt Presidency. Our musicians, especially The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Jimi Hendrix, changed music forever. Cannabis was our close friend and "high" of choice.
By the 1980's, however, after our "greatest generation" parents had paid for our education, we began earning money and starting families. Suddenly (at least to this boomer), hippies began veering to the political right. We helped elect a man who turned the south into a racist Republican stronghold and convinced many that government "was the problem."
En masse we began to vote against our own self interest.
By the 1990's, having begun to save some of that money earned, we elected our first Baby Boomer President. To aid in our search for more wealth, he stripped away almost all regulation pertaining to the banking and financial industry. The flood gates were now open to all manner of risky enterprise. The rich could generate more wealth for themselves than even they could imagine. We loved the money he put in our pockets, but we were embarrassed by the fact he could not keep his pants zipped. So, we eased over a little more to the right in our next election when we had two Boomers from which to choose.
As we moved into our 40's and 50's, and into the 21st Century, we elected a new President touting "compassionate Conservatism." He and his Cabinet set about making the wealthiest of us filthy in those riches. Because we had no skin in the game with a volunteer military of poor young men and women we began two wars and lowered taxes, a scheme only Walt Disney could understand.
What have we done with all of that wealth generated on the backs of the working class? Well, an
Associated Press report says we have decided to give it to our dogs...and cats. More specifically, we spent $55.7 Billion in 2013 on our pets. [See
ON PET OWNERSHIP]
According to American Pet Products Association President and CEO Bob Vetere animal owners are expected to spend about $60 Billion on their critters in 2014. When asked why such a boom in spending for the
AP story, Vetere said,
"What is feeding a large part of the growth now are the baby boomers who have become empty-nesters and are looking for some other ways to find the love and affection they used to get from their kids."
Really!?! So selfish we would rather give our money to Fido and Fifi than to help the poorest among us? This is where we have gone? Literally to the dogs?
Let me muse on my generation before we all
"f-fade away," in three-part harmony so to speak. Tomorrow I touch on the 1960's and 1970's when it appeared baby boomers...the Hippie Generation...had a heart. Wednesday I will discuss what I call the "dark side" of the boomer force, the 1980's to the Present.
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