Those of us born during or shortly after World War Two are responsible for the destruction of this country. We set in motion the actions that will bring the country down. Baby Boomers plus or minus a few years. We did it and we need to fix it. We can’t blame our kids. They and our grandkids will pay the price for what we did and didn’t do. As you are living your golden years, taking care of aging parents and going to your grandkids soccer games, take pause and ask yourself do you have enough vinegar left to try to fix what we did?
I’m going to give you just one example of what we have done to this country. Our parents, the greatest generation, built O’Hare airport in just one year. That’s an example of how they got things done. Roll up my sleeves get out of my way, I have a job to do.
Between then and now, our generation took over. Thanks to us, here’s how things work today. The O’Hare expansion project, which was initiated by a Senator from Iowa, Tom Harkin(D) is the best example I can cite. Illinois has not had a senator for 50 years who could do anything. Senator Harkin insisted the City of Chicago and the state of Illinois take action to stop delays in and out of O’Hare. He won, and it was started in 2001. One runway. It will be done in 2014, maybe.
So, Grandma and Grandpa, go look in that mirror. This is what you’ve done to the future of this great country. We, you and I, have bound us up like a kid with a wedgie. Our parents built almost everything and we have destroyed it all. We can’t get squat done anymore. Because of us, the new runway will never be used. Millions and millions of dollars, years and years, all for nothing. Thanks to no fuel or no low cost tickets, there will be half the flights in 2014 there are today. How long would it take for China to build an O’Hare in one of their cities today. One year. They build two cities the size of New York every year. Airport, no problem. Nuclear power plant, no problem.
How did we let this happen? Doesn’t matter. If you don’t like it and you’ve got any juice left, stand up and fix it. You screwed it up, do you want to die knowing you did and still not lift a hand to fix it. What else do you have to do? Play golf, clip your bond coupons, and rock away your years. Many of us are younger than the fool the Republican party is running for president. Most of us have ties older than Obama.
How do we do it? If the NRA can do what they do to keep our guns, we can do more to correct the problems we created. What is AARP doing? Taking our money and sending us a nice magazine with Jamie Lee topless on the cover. Plus, the discount coupons and the insurance we can get just as cheap elsewhere.
Our generation needs to get organized and develop political clout. We need to make one more stand to fix what we did.
