With Age Comes a Little Wisdom: How Would You Know?

Claiming that wisdom comes with age is only partially accurate. We tend to long for some of our past. Physical pain and limitations are frustrating. However life teaches us how to handle these difficulties. For some unfortunate men and women aging includes mental challenges: these are far more difficult to endure.

Life is an experience and the greatest teacher of all. One of the most valuable lessons I wish I had learned 50 years ago involves physical possessions. If I had to guess how much of the money I earned was wasted, I’m pretty sure the number would be at least 50 percent.

Not being a wealthy man, my biggest expenditures were automobiles: they were much cheaper in the 1970’s. I always found money in my budget for a car payment. Although we didn’t have cellphones and the desire to have the latest version each year, we did have our vices.

While 60 percent of all Americans struggle paycheck to paycheck in the 21^st century, the other 40 percent waste money we need to survive. Until America moves forward into a more spiritual and people-oriented society, our government will use this to their advantage and remain in control of all of our lives.

Over the last 44 years, the government of the United States has devolved into the least competent and most corrupt in the world. They hide their sins under the guise of “reasons of national security.” Bullshit.

My experience in 78 years makes me an informed American, and at the same time depresses me beyond anything I believed possible. Our current government, both sides of the aisle, continue to fail the American people. The people are the country. To hide the failures of the men and women we elect is unforgivable. To tell the complete truth would expose the incompetence of every man and woman in Washington in the 21^st century.

Our system of a Democratic Republic requires trust: trust that the men and women receiving our votes will place our needs and wishes at the top of the list. However, politics are of more importance than 340 million people. Winning elections is priority number one. Everyone in Washington has one ambition: to win elections and secure their positions of power and financial wealth. Without term limits, this will continue forever.

In my youth, I was an optimist. In my young adult years between ages 25 and 45, I was a pragmatist. As an older American, I have become a pessimist.

In America’s 248 years, our leaders have failed to preserve and improve the ideals and dreams of our Founding Fathers. Personal ambitions have replaced the principles and integrity of the men who created our nation. We, the people, are suffering from the effects of “professional politicians,” an idea our Founding Fathers never anticipated.

I foresaw what would happen in 2016 if Trump became your president. It was far worse than I imagined. Most of the good accomplished before Trump was destroyed. A great part of this reality can never be repaired. Now, another illegitimate election has returned the greatest traitor in American history to a position of unlimited power, thanks to a corrupt Supreme Court.

This is the greatest threat to our nation’s future. All three branches of government are corrupt and incompetent.

The truth is simple, factual, and disappointing. With few exceptions, the majority of our nation’s people; the working class, low-income Americans, and those in the poverty level have no representation in Washington.

My bride and I are part of more than 73 million Americans who depend on our contributions to Social Security for our survival. This year we received a two-percent increase in our monthly checks, although our costs rose by about 60 percent. Trump is about to give additional tax cuts to billionaires/oligarchs. I admit that his pisses me off more than I can say.

America is no longer a respected country; it is a business. Profits for corporations and maintaining the outrageous profits of 813 billionaires/oligarchs are of more importance than the quality of life for 340 million people.

Trump made many promises during the 2024 campaign. He failed to keep one promise between 2017 and 2021, and continues to fail our nation’s people in 2025. He is now known by a new name: “the Destroyer.”

Yesterday, April 5, 2025, huge protests across the nation revealed the distrust, anger, and even hatred for Trump and his party. When will our government stand up for our nation’s people? Will they continue to allow a Nazi to destroy our nation piece by piece?

Op-ed by James Turnage

If you follow my blog, you will be an informed citizen