Baby boomers not to blame

By Michael T Mullins

Pictured is Michael Mullins.

I am absolutely sure that most of us, from time to time, have said something that at the time sounded fine, but after we started thinking about it we realized that maybe we could have worded it differently to those we were addressing. Since I was elected to the Marion County School Board, I have had to explain myself on a few occasions because what I meant to say came out in a way that someone understood differently. It happens. We all make mistakes. And since we all make mistakes, some of you may feel that we have no room to criticize others for their mistakes. With that, I am going to quote singer, songwriter Billy Joel, "You may be right, I may be crazy." Nevertheless, I have to get this off my chest.

With 24-hour news at my fingertips I am never lost for hearing some of the most ridiculous statements made by our government officials on every level. But I am willing to give those men and women who serve their local city or county government the benefit of the doubt because they are not, by the most part, career politicians. They are just trying to help make our communities a better place to live.

What, you may ask, after hearing all the silly and ridiculous remarks I've heard before, could get me so bent out of shape? Why am I so upset? I quess it's because this time it has hit home. It has become personal. I am speaking of the article in the April 11 issue of The Lebanon Enterprise on Congressman Brett Guthrie's most recent visit to Marion County. He was speaking to the Industrial Foundation's Friday Forum about various issues. What caught my attention was his statement concerning the Federal Budget, which includes Social Security. To quote Congressman Guthrie, "Our parents drive the debt, they had too many kids. In 30 years if we do nothing, Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare will be 100 percent of federal revenue." He went on to say, "As baby boomers are starting to reach retirement age, federal spending will increase on programs such as Medicare and Social Security."

Now, I know that I am not the sharpest tool in the shed but I think I understand Congressman Guthrie very clearly. He is blaming the lack of funding in the Social Security system on the parents of the baby boomers. In all my life I have never heard anything so off the wall. I would like to know where he gets his information. I would think that he would get his facts straight before he makes such a ridiculous statement like that. In just a few minutes I found a multitude of facts in regard to the Social Security System via the Internet explaining how the system was created and how it has developed into the terrible mess that it has become. I could find nothing indicating that the baby boomers had anything to do with it. As a matter of fact, our own elected officials in the U.S. Senate and Congress are responsible for ruining what started as a great program. Our great senators, congressmen and congresswomen have set a precedent. They have taught the American people that they can live above their means as demonstrated by their borrowing from the Social Security system over the last several decades and not paying it back. They have taught the citizens of this country that we can spend what we don't have, go deep into debt and then we can blame someone else when we can't find the money to pay it back. And they do this while they increase their own salaries and pensions.

Not only is Congressman Guthrie incorrect with his statement, but his math doesn't add up either. Who does he think has largely contributed to Social Security for the last 40 years? It's the baby boomers. If the government had left it alone, and used it for what it was intended we would not have this problem today. Congressman Guthrie should apologize to the citizens of Kentucky and all the people of the U.S. for not admitting that he, and the rest of his gang, are responsible for the mess that has been made in this country. The only blame that he can lay on the baby boomers is that we voted him into office. As good citizens our duty now is to figure out how to get rid of the whole lot up there in the Capital and start all over.