The Tyranny of the Elderly

This morning I was starting my work day at the mine, and heard my boss arguing with a relative about politics (a common subject at old copper mines, you see). I don't know exactly what it was that was said, but there was something about changing or adding some new tax. The thought that immediately popped into my head was, "Ah, who cares. Politicians are all becoming fiscal liberals and social conservatives no matter what party you vote for." I smiled at the time because I thought that to be kind of smart, but then later I began to reflect on how I so quickly came to that conclusion.

As far as social conservatism is concerned, one need only look at the current trends in American values movements to see the obvious. And as far as fiscal liberalism (i.e. increase in taxes and gov't spending) goes, I see it to be the trend simply because the people are never willing to let go of a government program that benefits them. The $600 you got back pales in comparison to all the new expenditures that keep piling up every year.

This seemed weird to me, because I once saw in a textbook that as people increase in education, they tend to become fiscal conservatives and social liberals (interestingly, I find myself moving in this pattern). So, if our representatives are going in the exact opposite, it is obvious we are not being led by the educated. Go figure.

But, just who are we being led by? The answer came to me just as fast as that first thought. Old people are running the country. And the more I think about it, the truer it is.

Now, the first thing that led me in this direction is the fact that old people vote more. It's simply the fact. They are generally more involved in politics (at least the parts that involve them) much more than college students. That's why tuition rates keep increasing while retirement age benefits take up more and more tax money. The AARP is the single largest interest group in the United States, and when they have something to say, Congress listens.

So, old people are running us because they care more. Fair enough. But also, just the day before I had read this. In short, it says that the population explosion of the apocalyptic mutant virus future is a myth. People are having less children, and in fact populations in many countries will be on the decline in as little as twenty years.

There's also one other thing. With the average life expectancy going up, and birthrates going down, that means the percent of the population that is elderly is going up and up. By the time I'm thirty half our country could be recieving Social Security (if it still exists). So, not only do old people vote more, but there's more and more of them there to vote. There are of course other issues stemming from this, like how the fuck we're going to pay for two old people for each working person in the future, but that's a debate for another time.

So, as each day passes, the old people who are literally (and I'm being honest, not cruel) the least useful members of our society are deciding everything. And if you think they are deciding things in our interest, than you had better re-evaluate the motivations of a seventy year old man living alone. I don't blame the elderly for doing this, because, really, can you? But I do blame those of us who still earn our money for not doing anything about it. They out-vote us, and soon they'll out-number us. Something has to be done now to keep the keys of the future out of the hands of past.