National Politics
NationalJournal.com column by Chuck Todd argues that the U.S. Senate is more likely to flip to Democratic control than the U.S. House because history shows that “Senate races are very susceptible to national breezes.” … Charlie Cook, in another NationalJournal.com column. says evidence is mounting that Republicans will have turnout problems in November. What’s more: “History tells us that when one party is either complacent or disillusioned, and the other party is highly motivated, agitated or angry, the results can be devastating to the former while providing boundless opportunities for the latter.”
Blog Watch
Utah Centralist says Salt Lake County's decision to turn down RSL's request for stadium subsidies "is a victory not only for the taxpayers of Salt Lake but also the many people who come here to visit ... Let Real pay for their own stadium" (see also here)... Rural Blogging discusses "the community's role in building families"... The Utah Amicus spotlights Senate District 28 candidate Emily Bingham Hollingshead and her new campaign blog, Emily for Utah... y-intercept observes: "The US adopted excessively restrictive immigration laws when the precious cargo of baby boomers hit the job market. As the boomers reach retirement age, there is a hew and cry for relaxed immigration. Boomer voices are ringing out loud and clear with the message 'We got ours. Now we want servants for our retirement years'" (see also here and here)... Senate candidate Pete Ashdown picks up blog endorsements from Hiding in the Backwaters, Green Jello, and YDems, but fozzylinymoo says Ashdown is wrong about global warming... The Dawg says he ran into Mayor Rocky Anderson at the airport: "No groupies, no entourage. Just a coif of white hair and a come-hither look that lacked the come-hither. Nobody looks like that when they're travelling" (see also here and here).
-- Compiled by Golden Webb
Washington Watch
Hatch, Bennett to BLM: No N-Waste
Sens. Orrin Hatch and Bob Bennett submit letter to the BLM outlining why PFS's plan to transport high-level N-waste to Skull Valley "is not in the public’s interest" (see press release).
Bennett Receives 'Support for Science' Award
Sen. Bennett receives the Institute of Food Technologists’ 2006 Congressional Support for Science Award (see press release).
Local Government Watch
Corroon: No to ReAL
Salt Lake Mayor Peter Corroon announces his decision to deny ReAL Salt Lake’s request for $35 million in public financing for land purchase and infrastructure improvements for the soccer stadium site near 9400 South State Street in Sandy. Says Corroon: "The numbers just don’t work for Salt Lake County" (see press release (PDF file)).
Ogden's Proposed '07 Budget
Ogden City has posted a PDF file of its proposed 2007 budget. To read it, click here.
Mountainland AOG Newsletter
The Mountainland Association of Governments has posted a PDF file of its May newsletter. To read it, click here.
Utahn Receives Dept. of Justice Award
Detective Lieutenant Keith Campbell, of the Uintah County Sheriff's Department, receives the national Project Safe Neighborhoods Achievement Award from the U.S. Department of Justice (see press release).
Three Growth Industries
In his spring Insight economic review newsletter that he produces for Zions Bank, Utah economist Jeff Thredgold writes about three “guaranteed American growth industries of the next 30-40 years, compliments of me and 78 million other Baby Boomers.”
Here are Thredgold’s three:
Financial Planning
Baby Boomers en masse have not saved aggressively enough for our Golden Years. Such a painful reality is one that, in my mind, will drive millions of Boomers to save more diligently in coming years.
Millions of Boomers will also shift more aggressive investment money from residential real estate back to stocks, as news and anecdotal evidence suggests that most of the surge in real estate prices on both coasts and in the nation's SW has run its course. This reality is one that drives my continuing view that the Dow will reach 12000 later this year.
More and more Boomers will acknowledge that they may not have the necessary skills to develop a sound investment program for the future. These anxieties will translate into greater use of investment experts, financial planners, trust departments, etc. In addition, the ongoing shift within corporate America from offering workers "defined benefit" programs to "defined contribution" programs puts the onus on workers more than before to manage their money…
…the wise among us will increasingly turn to experts
Health Care
Common sense would suggest that Boomers will play a major role in the expansion of health care services over the next 30-40 years. Such services will include the traditional combination of public and private sector health care providers, clinics, pharmacies, and hospitals.
In addition, you can add greater demand for plastic surgery of all types. Boomers will not go willingly into our senior years…we will fight it constantly…Vanity of the Boomers? Off the charts!
Rising demand for health care services by Boomers, our parents, and indigents, as well as those with and without health care insurance will strain the system as never before. While such a rise will be "good news" in regards to U.S. job creation, it will be "bad news" in terms of trimming overall productivity and optimizing utilization of resources.
As health care costs continue their unrelenting march higher, we are slowly, but surely, moving unavoidably in the direction of a government-sponsored, nationalized health care system…
…I find the thought truly scary
Leisure & Recreation
Travel, golf, cruising, hiking, spas, motor homes, second (and third) homes, etc.…
Boomers will redefine retirement, just as we redefined all other aspects of life. Stronger dedication to the first two growth industries discussed above will provide greater flexibility than ever before to enjoy life in our Golden Years.
Boomers will travel the world as no demographic group before them. The sharp rise in ownership of additional homes, timeshares, motor homes, etc. will continue.
One major change that is now underway and will escalate in coming years in a big way is the idea of bridging between full-time employment and retirement. Roughly 85% of Boomers say we never want to "retire," but instead engage in a process where we work fewer hours in our skills area. The reality today of tightening labor markets, combined with the slowest projected growth of the U.S. labor force in history over the next 20 years, will give older workers more bargaining clout than ever before.
Those companies and public sector employers who wish to remain viable and competitive will by necessity soon modify their approach to flexible hours and part-time employment…even for senior people within the organization…
…those that do not will simply cease to exist
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