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We were gathered around the table for donuts on Friday jabbering about all kinds of stuff when the subject of Oregon's unemployment came up. It suddenly got very quiet while we pondered the subject. You see, statewide we're at a bit over twelve percent right now with outlying counties running even higher. Ever since I moved here Oregon is the first to take it in the shorts economically and the last one to get over it.

We were gathered around the table for donuts on Friday jabbering about all kinds of stuff when the subject of Oregon's unemployment came up. It suddenly got very quiet while we pondered the subject. You see, statewide we're at a bit over twelve percent right now with outlying counties running even higher. Ever since I moved here Oregon is the first to take it in the shorts economically and the last one to get over it.

The donut crew as we've labeled ourselves are all over sixty five. And no, we're not immune to the Obama administration's Socialistic policies (as I call them) which are resulting in the economic demise of our U.S. economy. I know it's a little late for pointing fingers at the democrat voters as we're all suffering as Americans from high prices and job losses. And we don't know who exactly is behind it all, anyway.

Maria, the 85-year old matriarch widow who sat on my right has a pretty good retirement income and for the most part doesn't have to worry. She can have a gardener mow her lawn, she take trips and really doesn't do without. But she is very concerned for her kids who all live in California, which is experiencing an economic meltdown.

Pete was parked to my left, in his seventies and always shaking with his affliction. He's a funny guy, always making wise cracks and doesn't offer much on the subject of the economy. Guess he figures he won't be around too much longer so why worry about it. His wife Doris is sitting across from him speaking her mind and must be pretty concerned. They had to sell their home not too long ago because it was just costing them too much money each month and now they live in a much smaller apartment. She's got to be worried what will happen to her when Pete dies.

Bob, the diabetic and his wife Paula sit together. Bob just had part of his stomach removed for some reason and lost some weight, too. He and Paula (both in their sixties) are officially retired but Bob still has to do the books and taxes for some local companies in order to make ends meet. It seems they're feeling the pinch, too.

Me? I'm sixty-six and supposed to be retired. Odd how folks think that when you reach that age you can really kick back and enjoy. Well people, here's a big news flash for you. A lot of us can not afford to retire, ever. As I see it, if the economy maintains its present course there will be no retirement for anyone.

Let's use me as an example. I compose articles to submit online. This is one of many published on the Internet. Since Social Security doesn't pay me enough to live on and I have no pension, this is how I make my living. No complaints! It's my reality and so long as I can still continue writing, I'll survive and thrive.

This coming Friday the donut crew will no doubt seat themselves around the table again and chatter about whatever is on their minds. Life will continue, I suppose until one of us, some of us and eventually all of us pass into eternity. Until then however, our small group of seniors represent a microcosm of folks who are pretty much non-existent to most folks in this country. Who cares, really how this sabotaged economy is affecting us?

I find it interesting how politicians become so concerned about seniors at election time. They'll promise everything they can for us when it's not theirs to promise. Their rhetoric is convincing, slick and attracts the votes of so many gullible, trusting seniors. But when they're voted into office they're not to be found and their promises fade to dust just as the politicians know that those seniors who elected them will soon do. But no matter, our politicians know there's a whole new crop of seniors that should be just about ready to be manipulated during the next election cycle.