Government Busybodies: Does Granny Really Need a Nanny?
By Barbara Morris, R. Ph.
(Caution: Crabby Editor at Work)
Given the bleak state of the economy and the likelihood that it won’t get better any time soon, wouldn’t you think government at all levels would reconsider nonessential spending? What a dumb thought. Government exists to spend.
I read an article in a Connecticut newspaper titled “Redefining retirement: Planners think about future services.” This is nothing new – cities and towns all over the country waste taxpayer money to entertain and babysit healthy seniors.
So that I am not perceived as a total grouch, I have nothing against helping seniors in need. (It’s a selfish motive, really. One day I may be a senior, but not likely. J ) I don’t think seniors who are capable of doing for themselves need taxpayer provided senior centers, dance classes, book groups, basket weaving, meditation classes, or other activities healthy seniors could provide for themselves with their own money.
Furthermore, isn't it discriminatory? Why exclude stay at home moms, deaf and or blind people, old codgers, the homeless, CEOs fired by Obama, or even purple people eaters? Where do handouts stop?
Seniors looking for fun and companionship would do well to look to programs that put them in touch with people of all ages and circumstances. Taxpayers pay for community colleges that offer classes that teach marketable skills. Nothing beats a paycheck to help eliminate a destructive entitlement mindset and provide money for a decent lifestyle.
“We need to start planning for these people.”
In the article mentioned above, the director of the Stamford CT Senior Center said, “I thought, let’s find out what the boomers are really going to want. We need to start planning for these people.”
We need to start planning for these people?
Excuse me; “these people” need to start planning for themselves, assuming they want to plan. Maybe some of “these people” would just like to be left alone to find their own entertainment.
A clinical psychologist with the agency complained, “In Stamford, some of us are isolated, do not know our neighbors and feel too busy or tired to add anything to our schedule. . . .”
For crying out loud! Is Stamford out in the boonies? No, it’s not and hasn’t been out in the boonies for a long time. Let’s all have a good group cry for those “isolated” or “too busy or tired” to do for themselves.
Why it is the business of government to care whether anyone feels isolated or doesn’t know neighbors? It’s not as if we live on farms, with the nearest neighbor several miles down the road. Today, many people live nose-to-nose with neighbors. If they choose not to interact with each other, it’s not the business of government to intervene.
I don’t know my neighbors. I know the neighbor next door only to the extent that he complains from time to time to the man who cuts our grass that our foliage is jumping the fence and offending his property.
Not knowing my neighbors would horrify government busybodies hell bent on relieving our isolation. Most of the people on my street are older, having lived here a long time, and they don’t seem to know each other, either. I know this only because an area activist trying to stop the building of mini-storage in our semi rural area complained to me, “You people really stay to yourselves.” We seem to like it that way. Without knowing my neighbors I know they are nice people. When one of them has a party a note Is sent around to neighbors explaining there may be some noise and at what time the noise will cease.
Neighbors keep their grass cut, take in their trash cans promptly and otherwise are considerate. We wave to each other on occasion but that’s as good as it gets. I recall one Christmas when I was taking in mail a neighbor walked by. I volunteered a cheery “Merry Christmas” and was offered a polite wave in return. What more could you want? We don’t need a government nanny to introduce us to each other.
I realize how crabby all of this sounds, but I’m tired of the government wasting tax money on unnecessary services. In my opinion, rounding up healthy seniors into senior centers and butting into personal activity is not only intrusive, wasteful and unnecessary; it is depressing and unhealthy for old people to socialize exclusively with other old people.
But then, I could be wrong. But not likely.
Source: May, 2009 Put Old on Hold Newsletter
Barbara Morris — Image F/X Publications
Barbara@PutOldOnHold.com
760-480-2710
© 2009 – Image F/X Publications, All rights reserved
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