"I've often wondered," telepaths Woof, "about your Social
Security System. Let's face it: it
started in 1935 when people were lucky to live to age 65! Now, you can get early retirement at 62, and
most people are living into their 70s and beyond."
"Yeah?"
"Well" the point is" a lot of people retire" and they
don't know what to do with themselves.
They get bored, they get restless; they even die. People can die when there's no purpose to
their lives. People think life is about
happiness, but it's not. That's okay for
your average dog" but, for most people--who are a little more evolved--it's not."
"I'm listening. --
Lying on his stomach, Woof folds his paws in front of
him. "Well" suppose people changed their
way of thinking about retirement" and about working? Suppose, at age 62 or 66, people got 40-60%
of what they get now for Social Security" but they're allowed to continue
working where they are now with a 2-3-day work week? They get paid at the old hourly rate--but
they've now got extra days to recover from the daily grind. And, they've got extra money coming in from
Social Security benefits--but the pay-out from the System is going to be a
fraction of what it is going to be now!"
Now I sit with my hands folded in front of me. "Aren't employers going to balk? Aren't they going to complain about carrying "dead
wood," and not being able to hire younger workers for much less pay?"
Woof shrugs in that unique way of his. "People always complain--until they see how
their interests are served. What I'm
saying is, we've got to be thinking how to move into a Transitional Age! Nobody has really thought that through. It's time to pause and think it through. With Social Security, for example, employers
get to keep some of their best employees--and they've got lots of jobs opening
up--lots of hours to fill. The older
employees can train younger ones--they've got the experience, and they don't
have to worry about training someone who's after their job--because they still
have their job, just less of it! Think
of all the college kids who are mortgaging their futures right now with student
loans because they can't find jobs to get them through school! Those kids can take those part-time jobs and
get hands-on training from the ultra-skilled.
It's a re-balancing, and a win-win-win.
We need to re-configure our whole system so that experienced people
become teachers and role models for the younger generations! We're in a Transitional Age" and this is a
major way of thinking about it. We need
to become a nation of teachers and learners!"
I whistle. It's
not a Humphrey Bogart whistle like after Lauren Bacall has kissed him for the
first time in "To Have and Have Not."
But, it's a pretty good whistle.
"By the way, Chief," Woof says. "I haven't had my walk yet today!" For appearance' sake, Woof brings me his
leash.
*
After
our walk, Woof and I are still excited, wondering how we can apply the lessons
of "17 Camels."
"How
"bout Immigration?" I ask, tossing a frisbee, which Woof catches in his usual,
show-off backward-somersault way.
"Okay.
" I've thought that out, too," he says, tossing the frisbee back at me. (I did mention that he's an exceptional dog,
didn't I?)
"Yeah?"
"Well"
it's thorny" but, here's one way: We're
not going to tamper with the 2nd
Amendment--we're going to enforce
it! The amendment is all about "a
well-regulated militia," and we're going to encourage the formation of
well-regulated militias! (Of course,
we're not going to allow assault weapons because nobody was thinking about
assault weapons in 1789--in the age of the Musket when everybody knew who the
town "crazy" was and kept an eye on him!)
Anyway, we let these militias train and patrol along our southern
borders! Yeah" I know" I know" it's
risky."
"I
don't think the Mexicans are going to like that!"
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