Why Am I and Other Seniors Being Punished for Getting Old?

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart

I began working in 1962, at the age of 16. The owner of a gas station across the street from my church hired me for one dollar an hour. I was scheduled to work 13 hours on Saturdays. No such thing as overtime.

I pumped gas, checked the oil level, made sure the batteries were filled with fluid, washed windows, and made our customers feel welcome. Inside the bay I changed oil, lubricated the undercarriage of cars and trucks, and repaired tires.

I was never without a job after that first day at the gas station, with the exception of time spent in the U.S. Air Force until I was let go in 2008 from my job in a warehouse as America experienced the “great recession.”

I looked for work for a while, but at the age of 62, no one offered me a position. Then, early in 2009 I saw an ad seeking individuals to work in the 2010 decennial census.

I won’t bore you with the details, but my time in the working world ended before the last two months of 2010 became history. I had worked for 48 years, paid my taxes, and contributed to Social Security and Medicare. I have one question: Although I and my employers contributed to these programs for 48 years, why am I still being forced to pay for healthcare?

Every other developed nation in the world has free healthcare. Why am I still paying for medical care at the age of 78? America has never been a great country because it has never placed the quality of life for all of its citizens in priority number one.

Op-ed by James Turnage

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