About those ‘special interests’

By Ron Harris

The older I get, the more I dislike the label of “special interests,” a sneering indictment implied when the media and public sling expletives at the trolls manipulating political contributions and pork barrel payoffs and moneychangers in the lobbying temples.

Almost always those “special interests” are perceived to be, for examples, Big Auto Companies, Big Oil, Big Insurance, Big Labor Unions, Big Pharma, Big Trial Lawyers, Big Dog Owners and Big Blowhards Bragging about Bagging a Billion Bucks in Bonuses (betcha can’t say that rapidly three times).

It just kinda rankles me that those Big entities get the “special” designation.  I’m a senior citizen, and I think (no, I know) that myself and my fellow seniors are special.  In fact, you could say with accuracy that we’re the largest “special interest” in the nation.

Consider these statistics:

On July 1, 2007, there were 37.9 million of us greybeards 65-and-older, which was 13% of the total population.  The Census Bureau predicts there will be 88.5 million of us by 2050.  (But, unless Obamacare is passed, it is unlikely I’ll be around in 2050 to affirm or refute that prediction.)

Our voting bloc is huge, and our political contributions are reflected in volume rather than “fat cat” prominence, i.e. 16% of President Obama’s 3.7 million campaign donors ($200 and under) were 65 and older, while 53% of John McCain’s 827,000 small donors were in our age group.  You do the math.  (And I’m sure someone will, and hit me with how much more 16% of 3.7 million is than 53% of 827,000 – pshaw and balderdash, I say.)

Those stats don’t prove that most of us are Republican, just that many of us, having paid our dues in life, don’t particularly like the probability of Democrats and Big Government (the ultimate ‘special interest’) redistributing our nest-eggs to those who believe they shouldn’t have to pay dues.  That’s just an “old” thing learned in the University of Diverse Crises (UDC, previously “School of Hard Knocks”).  You young(er) folks probably wouldn’t understand.

In the 2008 Presidential election, 78% of the 65-older crowd was registered to vote, and it is estimated that 63% of those registered did vote.  Seniors consider voting a privilege and civic responsibility, while many in the 18 - 45 demographic consider it an annoying chore, if they vote at all.

In 2007, nine million of us were military veterans. That number continues to decrease due to the attrition rate of WWII vets, and -- a reality that saddens me -- we’re all going to be the worse for it when the last of the “Greatest Generation” passes.

And don’t make the mistake of believing that all us “geezers” 65-and-older are retired sloths guzzling from the government trough of Social Security, Medicare, et al.  In 2007 some 15% of our 37.9 million was still in the work force.  I dare say it’s larger today.

The Department of Labor notes:  “Between 1977 and 2007, employment of workers 65 and over increased 101 percent, compared to a much smaller increase of 59 percent for total employment (16 and over). The number of employed men 65 and over rose 75 percent, but employment of women 65 and older increased by nearly twice as much, climbing 147 percent. While the number of employed people age 75 and over is relatively small (0.8 percent of the employed in 2007), this group had the most dramatic gain, increasing 172 percent between 1977 and 2007.”

Why do employers like seniors as employees?  Because we are, for the most part, steady, reliable, trustworthy, know the value of a dollar and the importance of creating value, and we bring a key asset – experience, even if only from that aforementioned UDC. 

Granted, we have to have a bathroom or Porta-Potty within eyesight and/or quick-step distance, but other than that, seniors are often the best workers a boss can have.  Of course, it also helps when that senior is un-opinionated, patient, diplomatic in dealing with customers and other employees, and never argues with the boss.  No problem, aren’t all seniors like that?

Therefore, I’m going on an all-out lobbying campaign to convince the media and their talking-heads to include us senior citizens in that “special interest” category they so love to denigrate.

The current crop of elected politicians in Washington and their challengers in this election year ignore us at their peril. Those politicians would be wise to remember the immortal words of one of our most beloved leaders (may he R.I.P.), Howard Beale, who taught us:

“Things have got to change. But first, you've gotta get mad! You've got to say, [screaming] I’M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I’M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE.' Then we'll figure out what to do about the depression and the inflation and the oil crisis. But first get up out of your chairs, open the window, stick your head out, and yell, and say it: [screaming at the top of your lungs] "I'M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!"

Howard, the people of Massachusetts heard you and thank you.  That state’s folks got out of their chairs and took action.  Many more, including scores of us “special interests,” will do likewise come November.

My thanks to the websites of Federal Election Commission,  Dep’t of Labor, Census Bureau, seniorjournal.com, and 1976’s ‘Network’ newsman Howard Beale for contributing to this column.