September 5th, 2009

The Nation’s seniors

Are deserving of respect.

But please let’s not pretend

That they’re without defect.

 

Some of you are intolerant

of different races.

You complain about government handouts

and welfare cases.

But it reduces your argument’s purity

That you’re living on Social Security.

 

You have fond memories of the good ol’ days

Now replaced with malaise.

Squeezed out of the world you used to run.

(Or anyway, so thought James von Brunn.)

 

More than any other age group

You voted for McCain.

Did you like him more or just fear Obama?

The reason we can’t ascertain.

 

You have a long list of things reviled

Like kids behaving a little wild.

But it’s still wrong for a 61 year old man to slap

somebody else’s child.

 

You’re all on Medicare

But you think it’s fair

that 40 million uninsured

are without healthcare.

 

You’re worried your premiums might pay

For a young person’s hospital stay.

That’s immoral, you say,

But the reverse is OK.

 

You’re worried more people covered

Would make heathcare demand outstrip supply.

God forbid you have to wait a little longer to see a doctor

So that someone else doesn’t die.

 

You want respect

But aren’t willing to give it to those you elect.

When they don’t agree with your view

You scream ’till your face is blue.

You think it’s proper if you disagree

To burn someone in effigy.

 

You say “I’m fine, I’ve got mine.

You’re stuck. You’re out of luck.”

No more tax dollars for those who have the least,

But don’t touch the 65%+ of the non-defense budget spent on seniors.

In fact, it should be increased.

 

Many of you are wonderful

(my parents included),

but some of you

are seriously deluded.

 

“Senioritis” is the disease

That lets high school seniors do as they please.

But many of you seem to have caught it,

And the infection has spread ‘till the whole country’s got it.

 

Does “Senioritis” have a cure?

I hope so, but I’m not sure.

The status quo we can’t endure.

The danger to the body politic is acute,

The need for action absolute.

 

Will this poem convert you,

Or convince you that change won’t hurt you?

I do hope so.

But one thing I know:

Even if we sometimes have to sacrifice

If we don’t we (and others) will pay a greater price.

 

I know you fear change

But isn’t it strange

That one generation gave so much to its country

And the next just wants to take from it?

In WW2, your parents saved the nation.

It’s not too late

To emulate

The Greatest Generation.

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Comments

2 Responses to “Senioritis”

1. Newsericks » Blog Archive » In praise of the younger generation Says:
   October 16th, 2009 at 8:46 pm

   [...] Ironically, they should be the ones opposing healthcare reform, not seniors (see our earlier post about that), but instead they tend to be the most supportive of all age groups, as shown in the [...]

2. Newsericks » Blog Archive » A Big Man Says:
   March 20th, 2010 at 8:24 pm

   [...] It’s strange that the party that wants to return to days of yore [...]

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