As We Say Goodbye to George Carlin--One last laugh at the Boomers Expense

George Carlin who died this year we can all agree has some good riffs --this one at the boomers' expense:



For historical purposes Carlin was born in 1939. Carlin is not alone in his view that boomers took more than their share, are narcisstic and hypocritical. But here is a challenge for you dear reader--can you or anyone find some kind words to say about us--failing this can you share some other good funny material about our incorrigible ways?

Boomers, Corruption and a New Years Plea

The list of bad guys of 2008 is a long one--but what do they all have in common? I am talking about the current Illinois Governor, Elliot Spitzer, John Edwards and then all those various heads of big organizations like the SEC and Freddie Mae who deny any responsibility for the currrent crisis but are inevitably implicated in the mess of greed and corruption. We cannot leave out our good Senators and Congressman as well who took campaign contributions and pushed for more relaxed regulations. Senator Charles Schumer from New York being one prime example as the New York Times reveals. Well what do they have in common? Most of them were boomers. Even if we exclude Bernie Madoff (with all your money) who is 70 (and Bill Clinton who committed his sins a while back and punished us all for them by allowing the incumbent to win campaigning on a false promise of bringing "honor and dignity back to the White House.")

So here is my hope for the new Obama's presidency that it will continue to indicate by words and action a new tilt towards morality, public welfare, trust and responsible government. But the new President can only take it so far. As the Schumer article makes clear the system invites a level of corruption that is hard to detect because manipulators can be so well rewarded.

If Obama will insist on having all his cabinet officers--recruit people with years of consistent public service, and ensure that the "end justifies the means" politicians and staffers don't sabotage a commitment to morality and transparency that he has pledged. We all have a trust to help him fulfill this necessary correction to our current politics to avoid another meltdown that could take our political system down with it as well as our financial one.