History From My Point of View

I'm so glad that you are back and ready to be riveted by more comment on the State of Things and the Reviling of Baby Boomers.

If you read the previous post "Boom! Boom!" you will get the drift. That I suspect us Oldies are being scapegoated.

There is - of course - a natural urge to blame others when we feel helpless. And resentment of one generation towards a previous is quite common. I may have managed that myself at some point. But the ubiquity of this "Selfish Baby Boomer" refrain amongst the media has me puzzled. Particularly as some of the "writers" concerned are not exactly spring chickens themselves. Is Wool being Pulled over Somebody's Eyes? As in... Poor Old Scapegoat Can't See Past His Coiffure?

As an elderly, self-serving person - I will endeavour to recall what I consider to be some of the contributory factors to the younger generation's predicament. As well as I am able before senile dementia sets in, of course. (And Yes - I can still name the current Prime Minister. It's that smooth-faced rich boy Cameron... and for good measure.... his Deputy is Putty Boy Clegg.)

So.... Once upon a time and in my lifetime... we had Free Education, Grants for Higher Education, Free Healthcare, Council Owned Housing Stock with comparatively low rents, State Pensions, Nationalised Industries & Utilities such as gas, water, electricity, railways, telephone and postal services, and.... Reasonable Employment Prospects, etc.

Now when I say "Free" - let me remind you that I mean we paid Income Tax and National Insurance towards such things. Lord knows... if we lost our jobs, became ill, or too old to work... it was good to know we had Paid Our Taxes and Insured Ourselves Nationally, so to speak. Because not everyone can manage to pay their taxes. Particularly the Rich. But "C'est la vie" as they say in Monaco.... or possibly Switzerland.

In the late 1970s The Iron Lady became Prime Minister. (Not a Baby Boomer herself.) The proud Daughter of a Humble Grocer - as she was keen to point out - she assured us that she knew how to Count the Pennies and the Value of Things. So she proceeded to sell off "Old Stock".

Into the Clearance Sale went Council Housing, Gas, Electricity, Telecommunications, and the Water Supply industry. I think also... North Sea Oil whilst she was about it. The Scots are particularly forgiving over that one... Meanwhile Health Minister, Ken Clarke, (tobacco expert) was starting to dismantle the Health Service as we knew it.

The Iron Lady proceeded to nobble the hated Trade Unions ( I know... but you are nothing without representation, my dears) ... and dismantled the last of the Coal Industry. Her successor, John Major, sold off the Railways.

There now. That's what I call a Clean Sweep.

But let me be clear. I never voted for the woman. I didn't get a say in this Clearance Sale. I didn't buy shares in the new privately owned Utilities... because I thought that they were "mine" before they got sold off.

Stay tuned for further thoughts on the subject. After all, Mr Cameron has Unselfish Plans of His Own.... for the Big Society Junket.

And remember The Old Man's Compassionate Words of Wisdom:

"Everybody does the best they can in the circumstances in which they find themselves."