The answer to this delimma is that Baby Boomers are partially responsible for the problems America faces and can easily be the majority of the solution. For example, America's Top CEO's earned $5.4 billion last year. 400 or the Fortune 500 CEOs are Baby Boomers. Approximately 70% of the members of Congress are Baby Boomers. Of course, since Boomers represent one of every three adults in America and range in age from 45 to 62, the preceeding facts shouldn't surprise anyone.

In C. Rich's blog dated December 31, 2008, Mr. Rich states: "The baby boomers are the most self absorbed, dysfunctional group of malcontents that have ever been created in the history of the United States of America. These bozos have almost destroyed the entire world, America, the family, marriage and just about any institution they got there hands on. As Obama screamed at the Democratic convention at the Republicans, "Enough!"  This battle cry comes from the generation that had to clean up the mess of this depraved group of people. "Enough!""

Guess what Mr. Rich, Barack Obama is a Baby Boomer. This is where the solution comes into play. Sure, Baby Boomers protested against war, fought for racial and gender equality, rebelled against the military-industrial complex and did a lot to change America for the better back in the sixties and seventies. But it seems most Boomers left their activist nature at college, joined the work force, raised families, created a comfortable lifestyle for themselves and disappeared into normal society. The rest became disillusioned and gave up the fight. A lot of them became the people they distrusted and protested against.

Can they be re-engaged? Will they rejoin the fight to change America? I am convinced they can rise to the challenge with the proper motivation and leadership. A quote from Dr. Greg Ketchum in David Mills' book, 10,000 days goes straight to the point: "I think a lot of the ideals we had in the '60s and '70s were youth based. We were naive in how we could make things happen...Now I think we have enough years on us and maturity. It's natural to get to the unfinished business." And given the problems facing America, we don't have time to waste.

Boomers have the numbers, as well as the financial and political power to take on these issues.  "The next ten years are going to be very defining for America," said David Gergen, White House adviser and Professor of Public Service at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government,  "The big question about Baby Boomer Generation is, is it going to grow up in time and get serious about facing up to the challenges that are going to be here for our children and grandchildren, or are we going to slide by and leave them with a really big mess."

Boomer-Insight.com already provides a platform for your voice to be heard. Are you ready to get this movement started? Don't you think we have waited long enough? Let's get with the program. We have no time to waste.

  

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President Obama - it's time to take the Wheel

 

The headlines this week are all about American Automakers being led by the Administration to create more sustainable and profitable business plans before they all go out of business. You might have thought that the auto industry leaders could have cracked the code on how to do this before their companies were faced with extinction. Especially GM's CEO, who managed his company while it lost 85% of shareholder value, yet he still managed to walk away with a $20M severance package. But the big three automakers have all failed miserably.

 So how will President Obama and Congress save the auto industry? First of all, most pundits don't think the government should be involved in saving the industry. They believe that capitalism without bankruptcy is like religion without hell. They believe it will only encourage bad management in the future. Unfortunately we have come to the point of no return. Granted the automakers have all fostered inept management, top heavy bureaucracy, poor decision making with no forward thinking. And now they are faced with a downward spiraling economy.

 So how can the government address the automakers dilemma? There are a number of ideas on how the US could repair the American auto industry. Some experts think that the government should put a flexible federal tax on gasoline so that the price never goes below $4 a gallon. This has been done in other parts of the world and led consumers to purchase only the more fuel efficient cars. Automakers would have to focus on producing more fuel efficient cars, but at least they could plan for the long term. And it could help reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

 Some experts say that auto companies are unfunded benefit administrators who also make cars. If the administration were to nationalize health care, American car makers would be free to compete on a more level playing field. Under such a scenario, the government would also need to take over the pension plans in exchange for additional equity in the companies.

 Bankruptcy is another alternative being bandied about Detroit and Washington. A legal bankruptcy would be long and messy, but a government sponsored bankruptcy could expedite the process and help the auto makers unload bad assets and unburden Detroit from some of the union workers' more excessive contract provisions. Don't get me wrong, the unions have done a lot of good for this country, but some of the auto workers' contract provisions are excessive.

 General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler could mount a technological counterattack, past history not withstanding. More fuel efficient vehicles don't have to be golf cart sized vehicles that won't exceed 40mph. There is a fellow by the name of Johnathan Goodwin, who has taken a 5,000 pound Hummer H3 and modified it to accelerate from 0-60 in 5 seconds and get 60 miles to the gallon on bio-diesel. Goodwin's accomplishments have been the subject of magazine articles and television shows like Pimp my Ride. The Governor of California has commissioned Goodwin to retrofit a Hummer for his own personal ride. Goodwin has had discussions with engineers at GM, but the only result up this point was that GM decided to convert some of their Hummers to run on ethanol.

 Bottom line is that we don't have to go to electric or hydrogen to get the performance and economy required for Detroit to make a comeback. The technology is there for the taking. I believe it is about time for the folks in Detroit to get their stuff together, unburden themselves from the old ways of doing business, and start building the cars of the future...today. Yes, the government will have to intervene with bailout money, cut the cost of healthcare programs, and maybe even help the companies through bankruptcy. I am not necessarily in favor of $4 a gallon fuel, but OPEC might provide that stimulus for us in the near future without provocation.

 One last point. Mike Rowe, the executive producer of Dirty Jobs, told Fast Company magazine, that he believes the majority of Americans are disconnected from the Americans who still make a lot of our stuff. "Forty years ago it was easy to buy American. Not just because our stuff was better than theirs. We bought American goods because we actually knew the people who were making them. It was a powerful and personal connection that tied us to the products we bought." I hope in the future that Americans will once again have that connection, whether it is computers, solar panels, automobiles, or whatever goods and services we will need in the future.

 Don't you think it is about time to get American manufacturing moving once again in a positive direction. Tell me what you think.

Finally, if you are reading my blog and haven't yet joined www.Boomer-Insight.com, please take a minute to sign up. In order for Boomers' voices and opinions to be heard you need to join us and become a member of Boomer Insight. Once you have joined, you can participate in our polls and discussions on the important issues facing America today. And...you can join in less than one minute. All we ask for is a screen name, your gender, zip code, birth date and password. And it's free. I know you would like to weigh in on the issues, so please engage. Thanks for your support.

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I happened upon an article on the EdmundSun.com website written by Nick Massey discussing Harley Davidson motorcycles, lingerie, Baby Boomers, their progeny - Echo Boomers - and market demographics. I was amazed that the writer was able to talk about Harley motorcycles and lingerie in an investment column. The point of the column was that the American motorcycle manufacturer's target market, Baby Boomer men between 45 and 55, would be diminishing significantly in the next few years and would put the company's future at risk. He concluded that younger motorcycle buyers wouldn't or couldn't pony up the $20,000 for a well equipped hog.

 

By the same token, the children of Baby Boomers, Echo Boomers (mainly Gen Xers) would most likely increase sales for the purveyors of lingerie like Victoria's Secret, Provocateur, Ann Summers and other lingerie retailers. Following in their parents footsteps, Echo Boomers would be entering into courtship, marriage, children, divorce, new courtship, second marriage, and maybe second divorce. He believes that should keep the Echo Boomers buying more and more lingerie. What a jaded view of American life. I can't say that his assumptions are incorrect, but what does it say about American society?

 

The final question is: Just because a lot of Boomers will be hitting their sixties in the next few years, why would that keep them from continuing to buy Harley Davidson motorcycles? And by the same token, who says they aren't still buying lingerie? A reader of the blog I wrote titled Baby Boomers Don't Think they are Old chimed in and said,  "No, I think baby boomers think they are ageless. Even though the number is getting higher they still think young and act young. Most are doing everything they can to stay fit and look younger. The gym has never been so crowded and the plastic surgeons have never been busier. We have so much to help us stay younger. Personally I think age is in you head, and of course how you feel."

 

Mac's blog can be read at www.Boomer-Inight.com under MacM's blog and at www.Blogger.com under Mac@Boomer Insight.

 

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Chip and Dan Heath, authors of the business best seller, Made to Stick, recently released their latest book titled Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard. A synopsis of their book was written up in the February 2010 issue of Fast Company magazine and provided some great insights in dealing obstacles that one might encounter in life or business.

The basic premise of the book has to do with taking a different approach to confronting change. The Heath brothers encourage their readers to move away from analysis and towards locating any positive elements within the problem or issue. As we all know, change doesn't come easy to people or employees.

Chip and Dan point out that when encountering difficult problems, most people try to discover the solution by over analyzing the problem. Rather than analyzing all of the negative components of the issue the authors advocate finding the positive elements or bright spots within the problem. Instead of looking at what isn't working, why not focus the spotlight on what is working. And clone those elements to resolve the problem.

According to the Heath brothers, psychologists have discovered that our minds are ruled by two different systems - emotional and rational systems that compete for control. The rational mind wants to change something while the emotional mind wants it to stay the same. By using emotional keys to drive the rational changes, change can indeed be accomplished. It is all about discovering those keys and incorporating them into the solution.

Using a narrative style of story telling to get their points across, the authors provide real world examples of how this is being done across the world. According to the editorial review of Switch, Switch shows that successful changes follow a pattern, a pattern you can use to make the changes that matter to you, whether your interest is in changing the world or changing your waistline.

According to Publishers Weekly, "The Heath brothers...address motivating employees, family members, and ourselves in their analysis of why we too often fear change. Change is not inherently frightening, but our ability to alter our habits can be complicated by the disjunction between our rational and irrational minds: the self that wants to be swimsuit-season ready and the self that acquiesces to another slice of cake anyway.

The trick is to find the balance between our powerful drives and our reason. The authors' lessons are backed up by anecdotes that deal with such things as new methods used to reform abusive parents, the revitalization of a dying South Dakota town, and the rebranding of megastore Target."

You can find this book on Amazon or at your favorite retailer. Understanding how to best deal with changes in your life or your business is critical if you expect to keep moving forward. Of course, if you are perfectly content to stay where you are, then you won't need to learn these lessons.

How do you deal with change? Do you embrace it or fight it?

 

 

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According to a recent article in Psychology Today online, titled "Peak Performance in the NFL, Fortune 500, and Life", the author, Dr. Leslie Becker Phelps, states that besides the tried and true ways of improving performance, there is another factor not normally discussed by most of the so-called experts in the field that is the underpinning of most high perfromance individuals.

The tried and true ways of achieving peak performance that Dr. Phelps mentions are:

      ·         Developing a clear goal

·         Breaking your goal down into small steps

·         Focusing on the individual objectives

·         Rewarding yourself for completing an objective

 She points out that these are all necessary and important components in becoming a peak performer, but there is an additional element that is frequently left out. This element has to be considered if one expects to become a peak performer. That element has to do with the origin of one's motivation.

It is obvious to most people that motivation is a key element. But discovering the origin of your motivation is not so obvious. Dr. Phelps breaks motivation into two types: extrinsic and intrinsic. Extrinsic motivation originates from outside your self. Extrinsic motivation is more about materialism and acquisition than fulfillment. It is about working hard to acquire that big house, fancy car, lavish lifestyle...those sort of things. Extrinically motivated people do it for the acquisition of stuff.

Intrinsically oriented people seem more connected and passionate about achieving their career and life goals. The autonomy they feel and their capacity to meet the challenges they encounter drives them to succeed. According to Dr. Phelps, intrinsically motivated people are happier socially and seem to have a higher sense of well being. Compared to extrinsically motivated people who seek wealth and fame, intrinsically motivated folks suffer less depression and seem to stay healthier.

The better managers provide their subordinates with autonomy and positive reinforcement to encourage their employees to perform at their peak. These managers try to inspire their subordinates by making sure the employees see the value and importance of their role within the organization.

Positive reinforcement and other non-material rewards tend to help the employees stay engaged and motivated. When the employees understand the value and importance of their role in the company, they have a vested interest in the success of the organization and are more likely to perform at their best.

This management philosophy parallels intrinsic motivation. Part of the secret is ensuring that your colleagues and subordinates have autonomy in their approach to their jobs. In my management career, I always thought the best management technique was to provide my subordinates with goals and guidelines and then leave them to their own devices and methods to get the job done. Give them ownership of the process and they will feel compelled to achieve the goals and objectives you have set for them. They will also understand more clearly how their role fits into the successful completion of the their team's overall goal.

Peak performers are almost always intrinsically motivated. You have to love what you do to succeed at the highest level. It is critical to have a burning desire to succeed. Consequently, you will do whatever it takes to reach your goal. Peyton Manning said in an interview once that he loved playing football and would do it for free. He went on to say, "Obviously, I wouldn't tell my owner that, but I think I would (play for free)". Peyton is certainly is one of those peak performers who is internally motivated. 

Supporting a person's autonomy and inner motivation has been proven to help in addiction suppression such as weight loss and smoking cessation. In Fortune 500 companies, research studies revealed that workers that were given autonomy ranked higher in job satisfaction and showed increased job performance. It has also been used successfully in sports training at the highest levels. Athletes with a burning desire to win usually do.

Peak performers are very passionate about what they do. They understand that to achieve their goals they will have to be totally dedicated and make sacrifices. Persistence is another key ingredient of peak performers. Each small failure is just another step up the ladder to success. If the passion is there, the peak performer will find a way to succeed.

As Dr. Phelps reminds us, "If you want to achieve peak performance, it is essential that you begin by pursuing a goal that grabs your heart... and surround yourself with people who help breathe life into that dream".

What is your philosophy on motivating people to perform at their highest level? How do you motivate colleagues and subordinates? What is your dream? How have you motivated others to help you realize your dream? How have you helped others realize their dream?

If you are a Baby Boomer and haven't joined our community, www.boomeropinion.com, please consider it. It is free and only takes a couple of minutes to sign up. You can share your viewpoint and voice your opinion on the critical issues facing America. And if we recruit enough of you, we can positively impact business and political policies around the country.

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In a recent Assoicated Press article titled, With Obama, many say bye-bye to Boomers, the writer Jocelyn Noveck states, "To a number of social analysts, historians, bloggers and ordinary Americans, Jan. 20 will symbolize the passing of an entire generation: the baby boomer years." While I don't believe this for a minute, I am sure a number of people out there take this seriously. By the way, President Obama is a Baby Boomer.

Hopefully, the Boomer elitists and corporate greed mongers will be displaced by the more pragmatic and socially conscious Boomers and Gen Xers that Barack is bringing into the new administration. And this will mean a new agenda for America. This is the only way we can move forward and get America back on track.

In the meantime, I hope that you Boomers out there in internet land will come to our site and others, and let America and Washington know that we don't want to be remembered as the Greediest Generation, but as the generation that continues to change the social and political fabric of this country for the better.

Over the last decade or so, alot of economic and political turmoil has been facilitated by Boomers in positions of power and has reflected badly on our generation.  Under President Obama's leadership, we can join the good fight and help turn America around. Given the fact that we represent one out of every three adults in America and control the majority of wealth in this country, we have the political and economic power to help the new administration return America to its position of leadership in the world.

It won't happen if you don't get involved. Barack's team will be organizing Americans in the coming months to help get our country moving forward once again.  So stay tuned, be ready and get involved when the time comes.

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Baby Boomers are Americans born between 1946 and 1964. You know who you are...don't try to hide from us.

Baby Boomers represent one out of every three adults in the U.S. Boomers control 70% of the wealth in America. Every day 10,000 Boomers turn 50 years of age.  Boomers spend $2.3 trillion annually on consumer goods and products, which is $400 billion more than any other generational group. In the next 10 years. the advertiser's golden demographic(Americans 18-49) will increase in by 1 million while the 50+ age group will increase by 22.5 million. Bottom line...the 77 million Boomers out there have tremendous strength in numbers and buying power. We want to translate that into political power and only you can help us do that.

Why is this important? It is important because being a member of such a powerful demographic should give us a dominant voice in America when it comes to impacting and directing our government leaders and policies. Unfortunately, that has not necessarily been the case in the last 20 years. Yes, we had a significant impact on government policies and social change in the sixties, seventies and eighties, but what have we accomplished recently. Not much. It seems that special interest groups and lobbyists have wielded all the power since the early nineties. 

Given what has taken place in the last few years and particularly the last few months, it seems to me that the Baby Boomers could again become a significant force in shaping social, economic and political direction and policies in America. That is why we have developed the Boomer-Insight internet community. Our mission is to give Boomers a platform to express their views and a polling place to weigh in on the most pressing issues facing America today. If we can draw a significant number of Boomers to our site, and generate enough buzz through our forums and polls, America and Washington will take note and incorporate our ideas and vision into their policy making and direction. Given our numbers and intellectual strength, we can become the most powerful lobby in Washington. Once again the Boomers can transform the social and political fabric of this nation in a positive way. But it can't happen unless you engage in our polls and express your views. This site has no political affiliation and we will ensure that whatever the consensus is on any given subject or policy, it will be communicated to the powers that be.

On a lighter note, we will also provide you with forums and blogs to talk about yourself, your family and your interests. After all, this is your site and you will control the content. The only disclaimer will be regarding taste and appropriateness of the content. No pornography or inappropriate images will be allowed. You are old enough to know what is appropriate and what is not.

Don't let those guys in Washington continue to drive this country into the ditch. It is up to us to get them back on track. We have the numbers and the financial power to make them listen. It's up to you.

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What do they have in common? Both have been used to rob Americans of their hard earned cash for way too long. Now they have a second thing in common. I was wondering when I would find another candidate for my annual WTF award for 2009. I believe the U.S. Senate has provided me with a candidate.

The commonality between credit cards and guns has to do with a piece of legislation currently in the Senate. Last Tuesday, May 12^th, the Senate voted 67 to 29 to attach a measure to the credit card bill that would allow park visitors to carry concealed hand guns into National Parks. The credit card legislation, aimed at cracking down on credit card practices, has been languishing in the Congress for two years.

President Obama has asked to have the credit card legislation on his desk by Memorial Day. Seeing an opportunity to push his own agenda on the coattails of another fast moving piece of legislation, Senator Tom Coburn, an Oklahoma Republican, added this measure to the credit card legislation. Coburn, in his speech on the floor of the Senate, told his colleagues that this wasn't a "gotcha amendment", but a genuine step to protect American's second amendment rights. This amendment would reverse a judge's decision last March to block a rule change initiated by President George W. Bush.

I don't have anything against guns. After all, I am from Texas. I don't think assault weapons should be available to the general public. I don't think carrying concealed weapons into National Parks is a particularly good idea.  But the fact that the senator is from Oklahoma reminds me of the time I lived in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

I moved there to help a startup software company with their marketing. One day my son and I were out scouting for places to ride our dirt bikes and we came upon a one-lane wooden bridge on the edge of our surburban neighborhood. There was a sign at each entrance. The sign read, "No shooting from the Bridge". Like it wasn't okay to shoot from the bridge, but any other spot not designated a on-shooting zone was okay. Don't get me wrong, Tulsa is a beautiful city and a great place to raise a family. Just keep in mind that Oklahomans have a slightly different view on firearms.

Back to the issue at hand. I have to agree with a comment made by Jon Houston, an aide to Rep. Carolyn Mahoney, a New York Democrat who was the bill's chief sponsor in the U.S. House, who said, "It's just wacky".  Rep. Mahoney has been pushing this bill for more than two years. It passed in the House in 2008 and it just passed in the House again this year. The Federal Reserve passed its own rule changes cracking down on credit card fee hikes, but their rules won't take effect until 2010.

Credit card legislation has not made it through the Senate in past years, but it has been gaining momentum since the new administration took power. So will this legislation end up becoming law with this latest amendment? The House and Senate will need to craft a compromise between the House version and the Senate version. We can only hope cooler heads prevail and the credit card legislation is only about cracking down on the usurious rates charged by the credit card companies.

Regardless of what happens, I believe this demonstrates the integrity, or lack thereof, in our nation's legislative bodies. It just amazes me how these guys keep getting elected term after term. But to paraphrase one of our most famous Americans, David Letterman, "you can't make this stuff up"! Every election, we just get more and better comedy material.

There is one way to start trying to let these guys know we are watching them and talking about them. Join our web community, www.boomer-insight.com, and add your two cents to our continuing dialogue on major issues. We welcome your opinions. You can participate in our polls, forums and discussions on the most pressing issues facing America and those issues specific to Baby Boomers. It takes less than a minute to join. Thanks for your support.

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Bailouts haven't done much to help our faltering economy, so how could technology save the economy? What would you do with $100 billion? Spend it wisely we hope. That is what President Obama and the U.S. Congress are hoping. That's the amount in the stimulus package devoted to discovery, development and implementation of technologies in energy, healthcare, a smart grid, broadband and R&D.  

The short answer to the question is yes, technology can and should save our economy. In the short term, most experts believe that this infusion of capital into the various technology sectors will produce 3 million new jobs over the next two years. And most economists also agree that 80-90% of new economic growth comes from advancements in science and technology.

The breakdown of allocated dollars is as follows: Energy - Renewable energy incentives will be $200 billion which are primarily tax credits to individuals, companies, utilities and research. $16.8 billion will be given out in grants for energy efficiency and renewable-energy research. Health-care - total allotment for this sector is $19.6 billion. Most of this money will go to health-care providers who upgrade, standardize and utilize electronic record keeping systems.  Smart Grid - The government has allotted $11.0 billion for this sector. You might be amazed at just how much electricity is lost during transmission. Research and Development -- $19 billion, with the majority of the funding going to the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, NASA and Department of Defense.  Miscellaneous Funding  -- $8.4 billion going to loan guarantees for renewable energies and transmission technologies.

So what would be the downside of the government's new stimulus package? First, let me say that there is a lot more upside than downside with this plan. And yes, $101.9 billion is a lot of money regardless of how it is spent. There are a few areas where the money might not be going to the right sectors. But that is a very small part of the total package. For example, investments in extending broadband into rural areas and some of the proposed renewable energy projects might take too long to get a reasonable return on the investment. 

Extending fiber optic cable to rural areas might not be the best use of stimulus monies. A small portion of the stimulus plan calls for extending broadband reach to underserved areas and some experts believe that is not a good idea. It would have been a good idea 5 or 6 years ago. Of those who don't currently have broadband today, less than 5% say they would like to have it, but that leaves over 95% who say they don't want it, either because they don't feel they need it or because it would be too expensive at the current pricing.

In the area of renewable energy, some worry that there are some areas of renewable energy that will never be cost effective. Remember ethanol? The government has spent millions helping growers, refiners and producers in the ethanol sector, yet it still requires more energy to produce than it saves. Others worry that the smart grid might run high power transmission lines to remote solar installations and wind farms that produce energy that is too expensive to compete with more traditional sources like coal or natural gas. The price of oil and natural gass will determine just how competitive renewable energy is in the future.

In the coming years, I believe that the technological advancements in generating these renewable energy sources will make them competitive. One of the major benefits of the stimulus plan is that it will protect these renewable energy companies from coming completely unraveled due to market forces in the faltering economy. The advancements in this field need to be pursued even if they aren't financially feasible today.

Company executives in the renewable energy fields, like solar, wind and biofuels point out that they have been hanging on by a thread just to stay in business. Yes, there are some areas that might never come to fruition because of the cost of production. But if we don't help them through the next few years, then the U.S. could very possibly remain dependent on foreign oil until the Middle Eastern oil companies pump out their last barrels of crude.

Bottom line. If the bulk of these funds are used wisely and America is able to begin creating more green jobs and move towards a renewable energy economy, then this money will have been well spent. We certainly need to come up with a plan that will help our citizens go back to work, particularly in the manufacturing sectors. If the stimulus package accomplishes that and moves us in the direction of energy independence, then all these billions of taxpayer dollars will have accomplished the stated goals of the stimulus package. If not, then you best fire up your human powered pedal generators. You will need them soon to light your homes and power your laptops and TV's.

Do you have an opinion? Are you a Baby Boomer? If so, why not consider joining our web community at www.boomer-insight.com. It takes less than a minute to sign up and you can participate in our polls, forums and discussions on important issues facing America like stimulus packages and renewable energy funding. Our goal is to attract enough members so we can affect policy decisions in Washington in a positive manner. We are open 24/7. Thanks for your support.

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Okay, don't get too excited. I am not suggesting that democracy doesn't already exist in America. I voted in the last election and I hope you did too. However, we do not have a democratic form of government. The United States is a republic and our duIy elected representatives determine the policy directions in America and make the laws in the country.  All I am saying is that with the internet, we have a better chance for every American's voice to not only to be heard, but to influence political decision making at local, state and federal levels.

My hope is that more opinion portals and relevant social media sites will be launched in the next few years and provide the platforms necessary to allow most, if not all, of our voices to be heard by the politicians and officials who run this country. There have been a number of politically active sites that have sprouted up in the past few years, but in most cases they have their own special interests, agendas and biases.  Their main objective is to have their single minded viewpoints served up across the web, rather than a providing a public forum for everyone to openly discuss those issues.

And if enough Americans voice their opinions on important issues, maybe they will be able to drown out all of the noise made by the various special interest groups and lobbyists. In order for this to happen,  millions of Americans will have to speak up. I truly believe Americans want their voices to be heard. They just need a platform.

Yes, there are some drawbacks. Not everyone in America has internet access. But the numbers are improving every day.  According to a Nielsen NetRatings report, 3 out of 4 families in America have internet access. The Nielsen report stated that 204.3 million people have internet access. The report was released in 2007, so you can be sure the numbers have increased since then. Those who don't have internet access include poorest citizens in America. The only way their voices could be heard would be if they were able to access the internet from a public library or other public access location. Internet equality is not there yet.

And I am sure there are plenty of folks out there who regularly access the internet that don't believe any individual can make much of a difference, so they won't participate in political polls, forums or discussion groups. But compared to the number of people who actually vote in national elections in this country, even a small percentage of participation by Americans online could become the great equalizer.

The upside is that there are a lot of internet users who will want to get involved and participate.  A lot them already are involved. Whether they are blogging, participating in polls, or just commenting on major news sites, they are offering their opinions and insights. The internet is the ideal platform for this dialogue to take place. When a person openly discusses their views and opinions online, they aren't judged by their age, race, ethnicity, religion, gender or geographic location. So from that standpoint their voice will be equal to everyone else's voice in their vote, opinion and viewpoint on any and every issue.

 So, why is this important to me you might ask? My partners and I founded www.Boomer-Insight.com, which is an opinion portal targeting Baby Boomers. Our site provides polls, forums and discussions on the most pressing issues facing America. So yes...I do have a vested interest in seeing that internet democracy succeeds. And I would like to make capitalism work for me and my family. But, I would also like to see America return to its position of prominence in the world and regain the respect and admiration we once enjoyed not so long ago. Our reputation is somewhat tarnished.  I am confident Americans want to re-engage and tell our political leaders what they need to hear, not what they want to hear. I believe our site along with other opinion portals can become major catalysts for change in America. We hope to achieve similar results to President Obama's election campaign organization.

There are a lot people who believe Baby Boomers are responsible for the America's economic downturn and the sorry state of politics in America. In their younger years, the Boomers fought for racial equality, women's rights, integration and many other positive social causes. Their voice has grown silent. There are 77 million Boomers out there and I am convinced that their participation in polls, forums and discussions will affect policy making in Washington. If you are happy with the status quo, then don't get involved. If you aren't satisfied with the state of our nation, then let your voices be heard through whatever medium is available to you.

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I believe we have another nominee for my 2009 WTF award. I believe it is okay for the government to have a say in the executive compensation for those companies that the government has propped up with federal funding, but in the private corporate sector that is not okay. Some members of Congress are testing the waters with talk about reigning in executive compensation for all private sector companies, not just the companies taking federal assistance.

How does a company get away with giving out exorbitant bonuses to executives when they are drowning in red ink? It happens. Apparently the government was asleep at the wheel and unaware of AIG's executive bonus plan. There were other instances of large year end bonuses paid to executives at some of the other companies that were on the federal dole. Should the government begin setting executive compensation limits for all large American corporations? I don't think so.

Yes, I realize that there are a number of executives out there who are certainly overpaid. I have seen my share of Peter Principal Candidates working as upper level executives and CEOs for mainstream public corporations. It was very obvious that they had risen above their level of incompetence. However, if the Board of Directors of one of these private sector companies determines that their executives should receive an exorbitant salary,  and/or stock options, bonuses, golden parachutes, then so be it. If the company is underperforming, then these board members have risen to a higher level of incompetence, as well. In the long run, incompetence is self correcting and the board members will get what is coming to them - removed.

Even the most inept private sector companies are not fair game for government regulation, with the possible exception of discrimination or anti-trust issues that might arise and be tied to a particular company. The bailouts and rescues will prove themselves or not, but let's be prudent about any additional regulations.  Free enterprise and capitalism should be left to regulate itself via market forces. I understand the public anger at paying bonuses to under performing of non-performing company executives, particularly if we have to use taxpayer money to keep them in business. If you are on the government dole, then you get what you deserve.

On the other hand, if you run a company that is meeting or exceeding its expectations and paying off its investors in spades, then the government has no place in governing that compensation for its staff.  The market will determine an appropriate compensation level for this company's executives. Just like separation of church and state, let's see to it that America maintains separation between the regulation of public sector and private sector entities.

If you are a Baby Boomer and haven't joined my web community, www.boomer-insight.com, then please consider it. It only takes a minute to sign up. You can participate in polls, forums and discussions on the most pressing issues facing America and Boomers.

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The world wide web has brought people and ideas together far better than anyone could have imagined just a few years ago. Being able to communicate with anyone, anywhere at any time has made the world a much smaller place and provided us access to information and ideas no one dreamed possible a couple of decades earlier.

Citizens across the globe can discuss news, politics or any other subject with impunity. Of course, impunity could be part of the problem that I am addressing. Don't get me wrong, freedom to express one's views is a fundamental right in this country.  It is essential to the evolution of our society for everyone to express their views on what's happening in the world. Of course, spreading misinformation can help a group dominate the debate on any issue and this sort of thing happens all too frequently on the web.

On the web, news is gathered continuously and made available as soon as it happens anywhere in the world. Information about ongoing events can spread across the world in a millisecond. In some cases, this sort of thing happens much to the annoyance of governments or business entities that would prefer such information not be made available to anyone. We have seen this during the Iraq War, the Iranian elections and numerous other events across the world.  Social media has spawned a number of i-reporters that call people to action by giving their versions of news or events as they unfold across the world. Some are quite objective and others are not very close to the truth at all.

A recent example is the "death panel" myth that was broadcast both on the internet and television by numerous conservative groups and individuals. The healthcare provision in question was about compensating doctors for consulting with patients about end of life planning so the patient can determine exactly how they would like to be cared for in their final days...not to determine whether they should get life saving treatments. In the past, doctors were not compensated for this consultation and consequently didn't encourage it. Once a patient reaches their final days of life, the conversation cannot take place and hundreds of thousands of dollars can be spent sustaining a condition the patient might not want sustained. Whether you are for or against healthcare reform, misrepresenting the issues detracts from the real debate. Scare tactics have been a staple of both political parties and I am sure will continue to be part of their arsenal.

When the stories originate from a trusted source like CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS  or a myriad of other credible news organizations, it is as good as it gets. Unfortunately, other interpretations of news events and stories as told by so-called internet journalists can vary from being somewhat slanted to downright fabrications of the truth. Of course, when everyone has access to the same medium for reporting, then one would be naïve not to expect exaggerations, misinterpretations or complete fabrications of the truth to be broadcast. Fortunately, there are sites that deal specifically with uncovering the facts and exposing myths or outright lies on the net such as snopes.com, wikipedia.com, truthorfiction.com, smokinggun.com, etc. Major news organizations take part in the debunking as well.

Okay, we agree that biased and inaccurate reporting will always be an issue on the web. What does that have to do with polarizing of America? The polarization has to do with where we congregate when we go online. Most people are attracted to sites that share their ideological, cultural and lifestyle views. In doing this, we are unknowingly choosing sides and drinking the coolaid. The battle lines are being drawn and we are being told to rail against the other side or group. 

Remember not so long ago when we all got our news from the same broadcasts on television and read the same newspapers? At that time, we used our selective perception and intellect to hone in on stories and news that interested us. But we were all drinking from the same well. It was up to us to assimilate the news of the day and come to our own conclusions. With the advent of the internet, we can have someone else to provide us with our point of view based on where we fit in the political and social spectrum.

We draw our own line on the internet when we determine which special interest group to join. It seems to me that we are letting our group, party or lifestyle affiliation determine what we think and how we perceive the news and the current events of the day. We are being spoon fed our take on America and the world. We get calls to action daily on how we should react to these events and how we should feel about them.

Frankly, that doesn't seem much like democracy in action. And yes, I realize that America is not a true democracy, but a republic, so don't get incensed and correct me. It is easier to let our web groups tell us what to think and how to act. But is that a good thing? Are we becoming the lemmings described by George Orwell in his book, 1984, albeit special interest lemmings? Do we need to let someone else interpret the news and draw conclusions for us? Recent town hall meetings would suggest such behavior, as would the left calling for prosecution of the previous administration for war crimes.

I am not suggesting you cut your ties with your favorite sites relating to your political party, special interest groups or other affiliations. I am only suggesting that you look at more than one side of an issue or event and draw your own conclusions.

It seems to me that the best ideas come from spirited intellectual debate not predetermined conclusions made for us by our party affiliation or Facebook group. One of the reasons my partners and I started www.BoomerOpinion.com was to democratize the process. BoomerOpinion.com has no affiliations with political groups and encourages open discussions on every issue. Sure, each of the partners have their own political views, but our polls and discussions do not reflect those views. Our content is all about the collective voice our membership. So if you are a Baby Boomer and you are ready to independently voice your own opinion, and not your party or group's opinion, then please come join us.

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Time magazine's November 22, 2009 article, "The ‘00s: Goodbye (at last) to the Decade from Hell" points out that the first decade of the new millennium might be one of the worst decades for America in recent history. How could they have drawn this conclusion?

In the last ten years, we have experienced two financial meltdowns - first in 2000-2001 when the internet Bubble Burst. Then again in 2008-2009 - that one shouldn't be that hard to remember. America also suffered through 9/11, Anthrax letters, Hurricane Katrina, massive corporate bailouts and major unemployment. And last, but certainly not least we have had to deal with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that continue take American lives and siphon off more and more of our tax dollars and resources.

So have we learned anything from the last decade? We should have learned a lot, but if Washington D.C. is any indication, we may be doomed to repeat the last 10 years. Have you seen any new government policies to address the problems on Wall St. and in the investment banking community? Have we put in place new regulations to prevent Wall St. and investment bankers from overleveraging their capital and gambling on speculative investments and derivatives? No.

Has our government initiated the legislation that would provide funding to rebuild America's dilapidated infrastructure to prevent future catastrophes such as those that took place in New Orleans and Minneapolis? There has been a lot of talk on capitol hill and some small projects approved, but no real progress in funding major infrastructure projects. Has our government put a priority on job creation or required the banking industry to use some of their TARP money to open up credit lines to small businesses? No.

While we are drawing down our troops in Iraq, it appears that the President plans to build up our troop levels in Afghanistan. I am still waiting to hear what our objective in Afghanistan will be and why we need an additional 35,000 troops at a cost of one million dollars per soldier per year. I thought we were getting out of the nation building business.

Seems to me that Afghanistan will just be another Iraq. We initially went into Afghanistan to get Osama, yet we don't even know if he is there or in Pakistan. Won't our occupation in another Middle Eastern country just increase the terrorists resolve.  If we run Al Qaeda out of Afghanistan and Pakistan won't they just move their operations to another country? Do we really need to spend $35 billion per year to democratize Afghanistan? My son and I are both veterans, so don't accuse me of being a pacifist. I am just trying to determine how our national security is protected by occupying Afghanistan.

How did we reach this point in history and how can we prevent repeating the same mistakes in the next decade? Most historians would say that we reached this point through neglect, greed, self interest and losing sight of our responsibilities both in America and globally.

So how can we get back on track in moving America forward? The economy should be our number one priority. Job creation should be right at the top. In the next ten years, our top priorities should be green jobs, investment in small business, rebuilding our infrastructure, alternative energy research subsidies, designing and building a smart power grid, and more comprehensive information sharing in key sectors like government agencies and medicine - ie. electronic medical records. Had the FBI shared information on the shooter at Ft. Hood with the military, could that tragedy been averted? Maybe, maybe not.

Financial regulations need to be put back in place to regulate Wall St. and the investment bankers. When it comes to banking regulation, investment banks and commercial banks should not be under the same umbrella. They are very different and they should be regulated and insured differently. Why should the government treat investment banks the same as commercial banks and insure speculation on the part of investment bankers? It doesn't make sense.

The American people need to become more involved in government, business policy and government regulation of business. As long as the industry lobbyists continue have major influence over legislators in policy making in Washington, the people won't have a say in how business and industry is regulated and controlled. We need to take back our government from corporate America and the lobbyists. Isn't it supposed to be a government of the people, by the people and for the people?

One way we can ensure that our voices are heard in Washington would be to leverage the internet and mobilize our voices. By democratizing the web and galvanizing public opinion on each issue, we can use the internet to tell the politicians exactly how we feel about each of these issues as they arise.

The major political parties and their leaders seem to be more interested in working against each other than addressing these issues. Instead of doing the job for which they were elected, they only seem interested in blocking each others progress, rather than working to pass the needed legislation to get America back on track. I'm not suggesting deconstructing our political party system, but giving Washington a non-politically biased barometer of what their constituencies are thinking about a particular issue at any given point in time. If millions of Americans voice their opinions on these issues, don't you think our fearless leaders will listen and act? 

It is all about the numbers. I started my web community, www.boomeropinion.com, to give Baby Boomers a voice in America. Boomers represent one of every three adults in America and control 70% of the wealth in this country. One would think their opinion counted for something. If even 10% of the 77 million Baby Boomers in America voiced their opinions on these critical issues, I am convinced Washington would begin to listen.

Within the next few months, we will upgrade Boomer Opinion to allow our users to create their own polls, ask topical questions and start discussions on topics of their own choosing. We will follow that with opinion portals for Gen X and Gen Y. Once we get traction, maybe our political leaders will start working to fix America instead of fighting each other over partisan agendas.

What is your take on the last decade and democratizing the web? Is America ready for this? Let us know what you think.

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A recent Op-ed piece in the Washington Post by Eric Schmidt, Google's CEO,  discusses disturbing trends that he believes demonstrate America's failure to maintain its leadership position in innovation. The trends he points to have to do with searches related to delaying back to school purchases last fall and increases in searches for payday loans over the past two years.

Mr. Schmidt believes that the best ways to curb unemployment and spur job creation will be through business and product innovation. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke has talked about America's ‘innovation deficit'. America has been the global leader in innovation for generations, but it appears that we are losing our leadership position.

In the area of green energy, China and Germany are making significant technology advances and threaten to become the ‘green silicon valley' soon if we don't redouble our efforts and get some help from Congress. Schmidt clearly states that America relied on big investments in NASA and the military to create new technology breakthroughs, but that is no longer the path to the future for America's innovators.

According to the Google CEO, the internet provides the tools and information to anyone with an idea and access to the web. He goes on to say that the next breakthroughs are just as likely to occur in a coffee shop as they are to occur in the lab of a major corporation. His best advice to the government is to get out of the way and eliminate any roadblocks that might stand in the way of small business or individual entrepreneurs.

 He believes that any legislation that is considered by Congress should promote competition rather than protecting the interests of the established businesses and corporations. Generally these protectionist policies are encouraged by lobbyists and special interest groups in Washington. As we know, many legislators try to protect businesses and corporations in their districts. Competition is critical to business innovation.

He also believes that we need to create a culture that tolerates failure. As Eric states in his article, "Show me a program with a 100 percent success rate and I'll show you one with 0 percent innovation." Remember the light bulb? Let's see, how many element combinations did Thomas Edison try before he succeeded in creating an operational light bulb? You get the point.

Mr. Schmidt applauds the decision by Congress to double science funding, but says they need to take it a step further. He advocates an R&D tax credit in order to encourage more businesses to invest in their future and America's future. Eric also believes that information needs to become more open and accessible. Government funded research should be made public to everyone through an internet platform similar to Wikipedia.

Mr. Schmidt also thinks that the government should loosen its reign on Visas since so many of the best and brightest foreign students that come to study in America leave after completing their programs in America. He thinks we are losing too many gifted and talented people to our foreign competition.

I agree with Eric 100 percent. America's global leadership position has always been about being able to outsmart and outthink our competitors, whether it was in battle or in business. And when it came to innovation, look what we have accomplished in the last 100 years. Think about Henry Ford, Xerox, IBM, Apple, and a myriad of other innovative leaders.

Our economy is in the tank. Unemployment is too high. It seems to me that our only hope of recovery is innovation. New ideas translate into new industries which translate into new jobs. And let's keep those jobs here for a change. One of the reasons we are in this pickle is because we didn't just outsource jobs overseas, we outsourced our technologies.  Let's try to be smarter this time.

What is your take on this topic? Do you have a million dollar idea? Do you agree with Mr. Schmidt on how to erase the innovation deficit? We want to hear your thoughts.

If you are a Baby Boomer and haven't joined our community, www.boomeropinion.com, please consider it. It is free and only takes a couple of minutes to sign up. You can share your viewpoint and voice your opinion on the critical issues facing America. And if enough of you speak up, we can profoundly impact the tone and direction of business and political policies in America.

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In the past, Americans have always provided for future generations, but our political leaders reversed that trend. Will a new movement emerge with the aim of providing our children with a brighter future or will we just leave them with budget deficits and mounting debt?

In a recent Op-ed column in the New York Times, David Brooks wrote about the failure of politicians to provide for future generations. In his column, Mr. Brooks wrote, "One of the keys to healthy aging is what George Vaillant of Harvard calls ‘generativity' - providing for future generations."

Mr. Brooks went on to write, "The odd thing is that when you turn to political life, we are living in an age of reverse generativity. Far from serving the young, the old are now taking from them." He brought up the fact that the federal government now spends $7 on the elderly for every $1 it spends on the children. Add to that the enormous debt load we are leaving to future generations and the future doesn't look to bright for our kids and their kids.

The federal government and its policy makers have thrown in the towel when it comes to solving America's financial problems and ceded them to our children and grandchildren. It is like continuing to operate your business at a loss year after year, and then hoping your kids will be able to fix it when they get to take over the business. That is just postponing the inevitable. Not smart.

It should be obvious to most people that our current system of government is self corrupting and has become counter productive. Regardless of how sincere our newly elected representatives are, they can't seem to make any real progress towards getting America back on the right track. The lobbyists and special interest groups have a stranglehold on our political process and only want to pursue programs that serve their own greed and self interests.

Add to that, opposing political factions that seem to only want to ensure that representatives from the opposing party don't succeed in addressing the issues at hand, and you have a recipe for no progress. Consequently, our political leaders are getting nothing accomplished. Their best intentions are ridiculed and lambasted by their political opponents and big business interests. America is marching in place, not moving forward.

What's the solution? I believe there is a solution. Spontaneous social movements have been successful in the past. Anti-war and racial equality movements in the sixties ultimately changed America. Gender equality was another. Where would we be today without those movements? Back then they had only the network broadcast media to help them move their causes into the limelight.

With the internet, the playing field has become wide open to anyone with a voice and a web connection. Recently, web campaigns like the Obama campaign and the Tea Party movement have both been very successful in drumming up support for their agendas. The internet created instant traction for those movements in America.

There are a couple of ways we can get the ball rolling? A great many of you have called for term limits. In reality, your vote is an excellent method of enforcing term limits. All you have to do is register and exercise this privilege. If the incumbents are so totally consumed with raising money from special interest groups to get reelected, whose future will they be voting for in Congress. Not ours.

Recent elections have demonstrated that most folks are fed up with their current representatives or party affiliation. In those elections, most prognosticators have said that those elections were votes against the President and his party. I say the voters were just demonstrating that they wanted a change, regardless of party.

Besides throwing out the old guard, it is up to all of us to weigh in on the issues and voice our opinions. Go to the news and opinion sites and let your collective voices be heard. Isn't that how spontaneous social movements get started. If enough of you speak out against the current political shenanigans going on in Washington, maybe some of these guys will get the message and begin actually doing the job for which they were elected. If not, just vote them out of office.

Taking our elected officials to task is not the complete answer. They obviously need our advice. Unless you think that being advised solely by lobbyists is okay for your representative, then we need to speak up. Broadcasting your ideas about how we can best address the critical issues facing America is another way you can help. Particularly those of us 45 and older need to bring our collective wisdom to the table.

Since we are already being blamed for the majority of problems facing America, we should be the first to offer our political leaders advice on how to fix them. Don't you want to help to ensure that our children and grand children have a bright future? Well, if you do nothing, then nothing will change. You can just sit back or you can jump in with both feet and make a difference. It is up to you. 

My web community, www.boomeropinion.com is all about weighing in on the issues and voicing your opinion. The site already provides polls, discussion forums and articles on critical issues facing America. And we are currently redesigning the site so that each and every one of you can suggest your own polls, ask your own questions of the membership and submit your own discussion topics and follow the discussion as it progresses. Why not join today? It only takes a minute to join.

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I went to see a new orthopedist today. My wrist has been problematic for sometime. Of course, earlier in my life I had raced Motocross and done a lot of skateboarding which I am sure contributed to the issues I was having with said wrist. I had my knee scoped last summer and it seems to be working better, which is amazing since I have no ACL. The ACL, or lack thereof, was a result of my last Motocross race. My two favorite past times are mountain biking and golfing. Needless to say, a functioning wrist is important if you want to engage in either of those activities. I had gone to another orthopedist a year and one half earlier and he told me that the best he could do would be to fuse my wrist bones together. That would make golfing virtually impossible. So I went for a second opinion. My doctor was a nice young woman who I thought maybe would know of some new breakthrough technique that would fix my wrist problem. After reviewing the xrays that I had brought in and a couple of more that she had ordered done at the clinic, she told me that the arthritus had progressed to a point where surgery would not fix the problem. Unless, of course, I wanted the bones in my wrist fused together. No thank you.  She did suggest an alternative surgery that she could do to reduce the pain. She told me that she could cut the nerves attached to my wrist which would eliminate the pain I was suffering and possibly provide a greater range of motion. Sign me up Doc! After all, who needs nerves in your wrist. All they do is cause suffering to the amateur athlete. Soon I should be able to abuse my wrist joint to no end with no pain. At least, until it completely quits functioning and then I can get it welded together. Doesn't suck when your parts quit working. Yes it does. Surely, there will be some titanium wrist joints available by the time my wrist ceases to function. One can only hope.

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 The world Health Organization yesterday warned that the world is on the verge of a pandemic. New cases are popping up all over the world and the first death in the U.S. was reported yesterday. The W.H.O. raised the threat level to one notch below a full-scale pandemic stating that sustained outbreaks were occurring both in Mexico and the United States.

The last thing we should do at this point is panic. After all, approximately 36,000 Americans die of the flu each year without an epidemic. And don't forget the number of people that die in auto accidents each year. In 2007, it was over 42,000 Americans. Should we be vigilant? Absolutely. Should we take all the precautions we can to prevent being infected by any airborne infection or virus? You bet. I live in Texas and we are right on the border with Mexico. Am I concerned? I am.

My wife is a Physician Assistant in family practice at the largest military base in Texas. She believes we might be over reacting to this situation. She also understands that we have the best medical facilities and care of anywhere in the world. And the U.S. has a much better informed public when it comes to health issues. She also recommends that everyone take extra precautions with regard to hand washing and physical contact with people outside one's family. If you think you should wear a mask, then by all means, wear one.

I just worry that if we began closing all of our school districts and shut down every public event scheduled for the next couple of weeks, we will do further damage to an already weakened economy. Imagine the childcare issues that will arise if we closed all of our schools. And the impact it would have on our nation's workforce. Panic is not the answer to this situation.

Obviously, if a case is reported in a school or a workplace, then that school or workplace should be closed until the virus is contained. Should our public officials close all of the schools and businesses in that district? I don't think so. Should they curtail all of the athletic, scholastic and other public events in that district? Again, I don't think so. We need common sense to prevail.

 In the famous words of FDR, "The Only Thing we Have to Fear, is Fear Itself".

If you are a Baby Boomer and haven't joined www.Boomer-Insight.com, please take a minute to sign up and join. You can weigh in on all the most pressing issues facing America today. Thanks for your support...Mac

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The debate has gotten hot and heavy in the last few weeks and I am amazed at the misinformation that is being disseminated by the shouters and disrupters at the Town Hall meetings across the country. I realize there are a lot of legitimate beefs with healthcare reform. You certainly have a right for your voices to heard. Just like you guys, I want my voice to be heard. But, I am not interested in shouting down my Congressional Representative or my Senator. My political views not withstanding, I am most interested in what is best for America and American Business.

First, let me say, that I have health insurance and I am satisfied with my coverage and my provider. I can go to the doctor of my choice for a small co-pay and get my prescriptions filled for a small co-pay. Being an old guy, and a very active one at that, I feel very fortunate to have this insurance. In the last year or so, I have had my knee scoped, my cholesterol checked, my wrist operated on, and several other examinations and consultations. I have been seen by my family doctor, my cardiologist, my orthopedist, and an endocrinologist. 

I can understand why a lot of you guys are skeptical of the government becoming more involved in our healthcare. Based on the government's ability to manage other areas of our lives, you have good reason to be skeptical. Given the fact that the U.S. government has mismanaged numerous projects and contracts over the years from defense to building bridges to nowhere, it stands to reason that you should be concerned about them getting involved in the healthcare business.

That said, I would remind you that the government has been running Medicare for the past forty five years. And they have done a pretty good job with Medicare. Ask any senior if they would give up their Medicare coverage and I am quite confident you wouldn't find any takers.  Is it perfect? Not really, but it is better than a number of private plans. So what does Medicare have to do with healthcare reform? It demonstrates that the government can manage a healthcare program and do it well for the long term. It also dispels a number of myths that many of the dissenters have raised about government run healthcare.

With Medicare you can choose your doctor.  Yes, there are small percentage of doctors who don't participate, but most do. Medicare pays for your prescriptions. Medicare will take you regardless of pre-existing conditions. There are no death panels determining who gets to live and who doesn't. Most private insurance providers want you to convert to Medicare when you turn 65. The older you get the more healthcare you require and the more it would cost those private providers. Medicare doesn't ration treatments or procedures. Medicare doesn't require that you drop your current plan when you turn 65, if you are satisfied with your coverage.

Current private healthcare is responsible for a lot of waste and inefficiencies.  There are many physicians that will recommend tests and procedures that you might not necessarily need just to protect themselves from potential medical malpractice suits. As long as the costs of these procedures and tests fall within provider guidelines, the private providers pay for them with no questions asked. So litigation definitely is a factor in rising healthcare costs. The lack of online universal record keeping systems translates into redundant tests, missed diagnoses, prescription interactions and lots of other problems that result because those practitioners don't have access to your complete medical history. Private providers don't encourage or pay for preventative procedures in most cases. That raises healthcare costs as well.  

 AARP has come out in favor of healthcare reform. Obviously, they want to see the final bill before they endorse it, but they know that the system is broken and needs fixing. They also know that Medicare has been good for Americans and will cost taxpayers less if people received better healthcare before they turn 65. Can the government fix healthcare without putting our great grand children in debt? I certainly hope so. Cost will be a concern, but I believe they can accomplish this through better efficiencies and preventative care. Plus, if there is a public option, that will cause the current providers to become more efficient, put more pressure on the drug companies to be more realistic in their pricing, and in turn make private sector healthcare more affordable. That will be a win/win for everyone concerned.

I would also like to point out, that one of the reasons American businesses have not been able to compete with their foreign competitors is partially the result of skyrocketing healthcare costs they are paying to keep their workers insured. In fact, that is certainly one of the problems our automakers have had to deal with for the last couple of decades. Add to that, the rise in litigation in America relating to corporate, product and service liability and you can see why American business has lost its competitive edge. Tort reform should be next after healthcare reform if America is to regain its competitive position in the world of business.  

What's your take on this issue? Inquiring minds want to know. Comment on Linkedin and/or on my web site, www.BoomerOpinion.com. We are always looking for Baby Boomers with an opinion that don't mind speaking out and can successfully complete a sentence.

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 In the last thirty years I have worked as a product manager, marketing manager and sales manager. I even wrote a book on marketing in 2002 titled Marketing Alignment. Shameless plug number one - my book is available on Amazon.com. Based on my background, one might think it would be improbable that I would be in favor of banning any consumer advertising and marketing.

Sure, most people understand why companies can't advertise automatic weapons or cigarettes on television. And if you NRA members won't to take me to task on that issue, feel free, but remember I am an advocate of the second amendment. I suspect a lot of you would be in favor of at least limiting the TV advertising of fast food late at night or sugary cereal products targeting kids in the morning. After all, thirty percent of Americans are obese.

My complaint has to do with prescription drug advertising. Congress allocates the FDA $2.4 billion to regulate our foods, drugs and cosmetics. The big pharmaceutical companies spend twice that amount each year on consumer advertising.

About six years ago Congress, in their infinite wisdom, decided that the big pharmaceutical companies were wining and dining the healthcare professionals (doctors, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, etc) in order to get them to prescribe their company's drugs. So they passed legislation to put a halt to most of these practices. Well, the executives at the major pharmaceutical companies scratched their heads and came up with a different approach. They decided to go straight to the consumers and advertise their goods on national television. 

I am certain a great many of you would be happy if you didn't have to witness another erectile dysfunction or enlarged prostate commercial ever again. Include me in that group. There is a movement in congress these days to try to put some limits on this advertising. Representative Henry Waxman, (D) California, would like to see the FDA  bar consumer advertising for any drugs until they have proved safe in real world use. Another democrat, James Morgan of Virginia is sponsoring a bill that would ban ads for prescription sexual aids like Viagra and Levitra during prime time on grounds of decency.

The drug makers and their proponents contend that direct to consumer ads educate the public and inform them about medical advances. Personally, I think diagnosing yourself based on a television ad is dangerous and will do more harm than good. I also believe that this television advertising is a significant contributor to the rising cost of healthcare in America. It seems to me that the big pharma companies see this as an easy way to reach the more gullible hypochondriacs out there who will take any pill they can get their hands on. I believe that healthcare reform should include some type of ban on these prescription drug ads.

Marcia Angell, a senior lecturer in social medicine at the Harvard Medical School and former editor of the New England Journal of Medicine, says, "Direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising does exactly what it is intended to do - increase sales for drug companies. Increasingly, it does that by promoting medical conditions, as well as drugs. If the industry can convince essentially normal people that minor complaints require long-term drug treatment, its market will grow."  She goes on to say, "The argument that ads educate consumers is self-evidently absurd. No one should look to an investor-owned company for objective, unbiased information about products it sells. Do we ask the Ford dealer whether his cars are any good?"

Still, there are those that argue that these advertisements go a long way in educating the American public about specific medical conditions and how to treat them. That would be a good argument if it were true. A study that compared the health literacy between the U.S. and Canada demonstrates the fallacy in that argument. Canada, where these ads are not allowed, has a higher health literacy than here in America where we are bombarded daily with these ads.

James P. Othmer, a former advertising creative director and author of the forthcoming book, Adland: Searching for the Meaning of Life on a Branded Planet, had this to say about prescription drug marketing, "My all-time favorite pharmaceutical ad is for something called R.L.S. (Restless Leg Syndrome) a condition whose degree of absurdity is topped only by a drug's potential side effects: "Tell your doctor if you experience increased gambling, sexual or other urges." Mr. Othmer went on to say, "If I had a dime for every time I heard the words "ask your doctor" or saw a crude clip of phallic imagery during a commercial break from the evening news, or was forced to contemplate a stomach-turning side effect, I'd be able to afford my own health care."

So what is your take on this topic? Do you think these drug companies should be able to advertise freely on any medium they choose? Are you ready to contact your Senator or Congress person and tell them to ban this advertising?

If you are a Baby Boomer and haven't joined our community, www.boomeropinion.com, please consider it. It is free and only takes a couple of minutes to sign up. You can share your viewpoint and voice your opinion on the critical issues facing America. And if we recruit enough of you, we can positively impact business and political policies around the country.

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 How could one technology do all of this? Prescription: Networking, an article in the December 2009 issue of Technology Review published by M.I.T., suggests that the implementation of standardized electronic medical records (EMR) would do all of these things.

According to the article, "If you ask how much in total medical spending there is in the country that doesn't need to happen-providing absolutely no clinical benefit-the answer is probably $700 billion a year. Healthcare IT is a fundamental part of getting rid of that." There is no doubt among any healthcare provider you ask that the $2.3 trillion cost of healthcare in America includes a lot of waste. This waste is mainly in the area of duplicated or unneeded diagnoses, treatments and tests.

It is estimated that less than 10% of the hospitals in the U.S. have adopted comprehensive electronic medical record systems. 8.3% of physicians that care for Medicaid patients use them and 13.2% of physicians caring for privately insured patients use them. Doctors that do use electronic medical records report a much higher incidence of being alerted to important lab results, avoiding drug allergies, being alerted to potential drug interactions, ordering critical lab tests, etc. The advantages should be quite obvious.

The real advantages will come once electronic medical record keeping is standardized and shared by every hospital, clinic, private practice and public health facility across the country. This is the only way to ensure that tests and procedures are not duplicated. It will provide every attending physician with all the facts before diagnosing and treating patients. It is amazing to me that these systems haven't been implemented in more medical facilities given the advances in computing and technology over the past 20 years.

The types of jobs that EMR will provide are the best kind-high tech jobs with a future. These jobs will serve the medical community well into this century and the next. The current stimulus package includes $19.5 billion to help fund this program. There will be penalties for those medical facilities that fail to adopt EMR. Medicare will see significant savings from the adoption of EMR over the next ten years.

Hopefully, the stimulus money will provide the catalyst needed to get this program moving quickly. Given all the rhetoric that has been circulating about the cost benefits of the proposed healthcare legislation, electronic medical records should help America jump start the goal of reducing our healthcare costs.

Remaking healthcare through the use of this technology will accomplish a lot of good things for America. Job creation is one of the most important benefits. And by reducing healthcare costs, we can help American business become more competitive around the world. Both of these things will help stimulate our faltering economy. Seems like Win-Win-Win. Let's hope that this movement takes off quickly and gets implemented as soon as possible. It is good for healthcare and good for America.

What's you take on this topic? Do you think electronic medical records can accomplish all of these things?

If you are a Baby Boomer and haven't joined our community, www.boomeropinion.com, please consider it. It is free and only takes a couple of minutes to sign up. You can share your viewpoint and voice your opinion on the critical issues facing America. And if we recruit enough of you, we can positively impact business and political policies around the country.

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 Folks, you can't make this stuff up. Here is yet another candidate for my 2009 WTF Award. If I were to tell you that there are over 200 iPhone apps available that produce farting noises, would you be surprised? It never ceases to amaze me how far we have come since the invention of the telephone. Alexander Graham Bell is no doubt spinning in his grave as I write about this story.

A quote from Wired magazine illustrates the depths our national psyche has descended to when it states, "The producer of a farting iPhone app is making a legal stink over another flatulence app in a looming trademark battle over the phrase, ‘pull my finger'." The trademark suit was initiated by Air-O-Matic of Florida, the maker of the popular ‘Pull My Finger' app. Air-O-Matic claims that the maker of the rival iFart Mobile application has misappropriated the phrase ‘pull my finger' in its advertisements.

David Kravets, the author of the Wired article couldn't stop with the puns and bodily function references when he went on to write, "Such an assertion, according to iFart Mobile maker InfoMedia of Colorado, reeks of misunderstanding of American fart culture." I guess he just couldn't let go of this issue.

InfoMedia's attorney, Kevin Houchin, explained that the ‘pull my finger' phrase and derivations are generally known and widely understood in American culture as a prank regarding flatulence. The prankster requests the unsuspecting victim to pull his or her finger, and once the digit is pulled the prankster expels an inordinate amount of gas. Consequently, the phrase is understood to be a description of passing gas.

So there you have it. Teenage pranks have moved into the technology world and have brought about trademark infringement cases dealing with flatulence. In this case, the uses of keywords or phrases that have otherwise been thought to be part of the public domain have provided the ammunition for a lawsuit in Federal court. AOM attorney Karen Koster Burr wrote "InfoMedia's efforts have been directed at merging ‘Pull My Finger' and ‘iFart' in the consumers minds, so that searches for ‘Pull My Finger' pull up the iFart application. AOM is demanding $50,000 payment for damages.

On a more serious note, trademark issues have been gaining momentum since the internet came on line. I can tell you from personal experience that setting up a web site, web business or web app requires some serious trademark research and even then there is no guarantee that you won't be slapped with an infringement suit and taken to court. When we set up our web community we thoroughly researched our domain name. Yet, 6 months after our launch we were contacted by a law firm, told that we were in violation of their client's trademark and that we had better cease and desist using that derivation of their mark. Otherwise, they were ready to take us to court. 

 There are a number of considerations that you should take into account if you are in violation of someone's trademark. First, do they have a legitimate case against you? Are the trademark names identical or just similar? Second, how big an organization are you dealing with and how deep are their pockets. In our case, I really didn't believe their case was that strong, but our adversary was a global conglomerate with very deep pockets. My company, on the other hand, was a small startup and we really didn't have the legal resources to take them on in court. 

Fortunately for us, we did our homework and found another domain name that was actually more appropriate, and more in keeping with our value proposition, than our original mark. Since we had only been around for a few months and the transition to the new name was an easy one, we bit the bullet and changed it. In our case, discretion was the better part of valor and we worked through this issue successfully. So, if you are slapped with a trademark infringement suit, it doesn't necessarily mean you are out of business.

What's your take on this issue? Have you been sued for trademark infringement? Do you have a story you can tell about trademark issues. What do you think about the fight for iPhone superiority in the flatulence application business? Inquiring minds want to know. Comment on Linkedin and/or on my web site, www.BoomerOpinion.com. We are always looking for Baby Boomers with an opinion that don't mind speaking out and can successfully complete a sentence.

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