Thoughts on the election: Mom explains her philosophy

Retirement is not what it used to be. The traditional idea that one puts in their decades and then kicks back to watch soap operas and knit socks for your grandkids may be breaking under the pressure of whatever the American dream is contorted into under tightening economic circumstances.

Examples are numerous, of course. Hell, take Barack Obama's 30 minute infomercial yesterday evening, which depicted a retired fellow who was forced to take a loan out using his home as collateral and get a job at Wal-Mart, of all places.

Of course, that was the point of including that scene - to scare viewers into thinking their retirement could be toiled away selling potting soil and garden hoses until they drop dead. But the motivation is a strong one. I, for one, never want to be the sad eyed old man standing behind the counter at McDonald's, shoving packets of french fries at bratty teenagers when I am 70 years old. What a tragedy.

My mother, for her part, has gracefully embraced retirement and managed to stay away from employment with a nefarious major corporation while still not surrendering to the notion that she should just relax and play shuffleboard all day (though her building in Florida does have fine shuffleboard facilities).

Though officially retired for several years, after decades in the insurance business, she has already managed to put in time at a non-profit and somehow complete nearly all the steps necessary for a boat captaincy (of all things).

Now, she spends much of her time volunteering for the Barack Obama campaign. In fact, she was in the audience for the live portion of Obama's infomercial just last night and has worked the phones and serves as a team leader in her local community for the campaign.

She is a passionate supporter of the Democratic nominee, and though she doesn't write his name in this submission, I think it is evident her ideas mesh with much of his message.

Thanks, Mom!

Other submissions in this series:
-Teddy Kahn on Dog Sh-t and Competitive Obama-Mania
-S. Thompson on "The Business Party"
-Grandmom's thoughts on how politics play in her world

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I am an optimist; but, in anticipating that others approach life with a similar attitude, I find that I am disappointed with people.

We see problems in our world. We are equipped to address them. Everywhere we see conditions that could be vastly improved with the application of a higher set of values: poverty, hunger, abuse, war, economic issues. I believe that we need the kind of change that brings honor to our leadership and honorability to the force we present in the world. The current problems in our country have stemmed from what I find to be an inappropriate set of values held by many of our leaders. A focus on self, rather than on others, has impacted very negatively on our relationships with other countries, our economy, the war in Iraq.

Call me naïve, but I do believe that we can change much by electing leaders who seek goodness, who believe in talking with our enemies, who believe in establishing basic rules to encourage a less extreme distribution of economic prosperity among us. Improvement in our education system, for example, not only leads to greater opportunity for individuals, but brings about greater results for our entire country and the world. If the removal of a tax cut above specified income limits enables us to significantly enhance opportunities that benefit the greater good, I am willing to give up that cut. I find it hard to believe when I hear others that are fairly well-off state their unwillingness to contribute in that way. Focus needs to shift from what is the best for me right now to what can be the best for all of us and our children as we go forward.