TheWiseOldFart

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart   Social media and the internet in general changed everything in our world, and none of it for the better. There are far more lies and conspiracy theories contained in on-line media than facts. This is the primary reason America’s government has become the worst in the world. In 1996 Rupert Murdoch and Roger Ailes created the first 24-hour propaganda machine for right-wing extremists calling it “Fox News.” This added to the creation of misinformation. Today there are several “Fox wannabes,” each of them supporting the worst illegitimate president in history. The last time our nation had a government which did the right thing for our people most of the time was in the 1970’s. Legislators from both parties were forced to vote according to the wishes of the people or face defeat in their bids for reelection. Today, the men and women calling themselves “Republicans” ignore the needs and wishes of the people and vote in support of special interests whose lobbyists co

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart   Greedflation, increases in Medicare, and insufficient increases in Social Security prove that our government and corporate America are colluding to kill older Americans as quickly as possible. My wife and I have one income: our Social Security. We struggled as millions of others do. In 2019 we were surviving, and that is the only accurate term I could use. Today our food bill has increased by about 35 percent. Our gas and electric bill increased 37 percent. Gasoline prices have risen by more than 40 percent. Medicare has risen by about 20 percent. I have found ways to reduce our automobile and homeowner’s insurance, but every other necessary expenditure has increased. The 8.5 percent increase in our Social Security checks we began receiving in January of this year fail to compensate for the increase in the cost of necessities. Greedflation, a planned increase in commodities, and a minimal increase in Social Security in 2024 will endanger our very existence. We