A Working America Needs Leaders with Heart and a Soul Not Sold to the Money Devils

"All public service is a trust, given in faith and accepted in honor." Senator Bob Casey (D-PA)

What is preventing Congress from committing themselves to job creation rather than draconian abortion legislation… job creation rather than defunding Planned Parenthood… job creation rather than partial closure of the FAA over union organizing… job creation rather than busting unions… job creation rather than unconscionable cuts to social programs… job creation rather than the exclusion of revenue increases to any debt debate.

If as Senator Bob Casey so eloquently states… “All public service is a trust, given in faith and accepted in honor”… why are we left to believe a Republican agenda to “one-term” President Obama is the answer to why not… job creation … job creation… job creation!

Our “path to prosperity ” should not be a bullet train hurdling at speeds in excess of 150mph tracking right through the middle-class, the poor and most vulnerable of our society. It should not be a rampaging bulldozer clearing a path through America’s middle-class neighborhoods foreclosing on our obligations to those suffering unemployment and the loss of their homes.

“We made a promise decades ago to help provide critical services to those in need — to help them feed their families and find jobs,” Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., said.

America’s promise of a better life for those who work their entire lives should not include a ’retraction clause’ to the American Dream based on the inability of America’s leaders to lead.

Finding work is near impossible for those of us who have spent a lifetime contributing, especially those of us without degrees or whose degree skill-set has aged along with us.

The elderly unemployed are especially hard-hit when job training is required. Like other job benefits the cost for most employees over 55 includes higher salaries, higher medical costs, and a shorter return on job training expenses.

“Of all the flash points in the debate over how to make sure Social Security is well funded for the long run, few generate as much heat as raising the retirement age. Today, the so-called normal or full retirement age is 66, up from 65 a decade ago. It is scheduled to increase by two months a year starting in 2017 until it reaches 67 in 2022. Meanwhile, 62 remains the age at which those who retire early can collect a percentage of their full benefits.”

The red-hot debate over raising the retirement age money.cnn.com

I believe the social security age needs to be lowered to open the work marketplace to younger people with the new skill-sets in technology, engineering, economics, environmental studies technologies required for today and tomorrow's industries allowing the aged population to retire at 60 or after 2 years of unemployment beginning after age 55.

• Many of the 55-65 year old employees have years of salary increases, older job skills, and more costly medical benefits.
• The potential with earlier retirement is for companies to hire 1-2 people for every retiree.
• A younger workforce with less costly medical insurance benefits and a renewed insurgence of unemployment and social security taxed dollars revitalizing both of these social programs.
• The opportunity to use sliding scale benefit payments for early retirees based on financial security allows for a gradual feed of beneficiaries into social security benefit payments, while making Medicare available at the age of 55.
• I would invest in both at the same time with a voluntary retirement at 55years (waiving social security benefits to age 60) and a lowered-age retirement of 60years with benefits for those whose retirement is not secure.

Like millions of Americans, I find myself unable to find employment after 40 years in the work force. I will be 60 years old at the end of August, am without insurance, losing my home and learning that after 40 years of contributing I find myself in need of a safety net that is being deconstructed at my hour of need.

• Did I ever imagine I would enter my senior years vulnerable and poverty stricken... of course not!
• Do I relish being a burden to my family, my country, my fellow Americans... of course not!

Do I believe America can be fiscally responsible and support their most vulnerable poor, seniors, children, and people with disabilities... of course we can!

The obligation of the wealthy, of America's business leaders, political leaders, social leaders are being called to service... how could they not step up and answer to the moral integrity of America given the trust, faith and honor we bestow on them?