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PBS Pledge Week: it's baaaack!

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Anyone who worked for a living paid into Social Security. It's not a free gift or entitlement. You should be more concerned about the politicians who view it that way.

Don't be absurd about Senior discounts. Saving 50 cents on a cup of coffee is ridiculous. You're making generalizations. Here is one -- Don't waste so much money getting tattoos...
I don’t have tattoos or piercings and I have to pay full cost on my property taxes, while seniors in some states don’t, which is more than 50 cents difference!
 
The 60 + folks are the ones who are giving most of the money. That's why you continue to see the Lawrence Welk show, Doo Wop, and 60's artists programming.

Hey! Don't lump me and my cohort into that category. I'm in my mid-to-late 60s and doo-wop says absolutely nothing to me; Lawrence Welk was what my grandparents watched (and mine were born in the 1890s); and Led Zeppelin was supplanting the Beatles on the charts when I started listening more closely to Top 40 radio**. We're less Lawrence Welk's confected "family" and more the KY-102* Rock 'n' Roll Army.

(* reference to Kansas City's KYYS)
(** KIOA or WHB)
 
Your age group is the one who gets early bird specials at restaurants, senior discounts at the movies and other places, social security benefits, state property tax credits for being a senior, etc. while having had 40 years (for people in their 60s) to save money, yet you begrudge younger people for "wanting everything for free" while taking the aforementioned discounts for things your generation should be well able to pay full price for. In the meantime people in their 20s and 30s have to pay full price for the things you get discounts for, while we work so you can get the social security benefits we won't get, even though we're paying in.
That is a horribly mistaken analysis of the "state of the senior" at present. You should truly fee shame for having posted it!

Most people retire with little money other than Social Security and/or a company/union pension fund or a government equivalent for the public sector workers. And, like Social Security, those sources are funded from "contributions" made while working... sort of a forced savings account.

Most states do not give property tax discount or reduction for seniors. California , with about 12% of the US population, does not... as one example. And many states tax Social Security income. States with a property tax discount for seniors: South Dakota, Washington, Florida, Alabama, Alaska, South Carolina, Georgia, Hawai, Mississippi, New Hampshire. States with low property tax for everyone: US States with No Property Tax: Check out the complete list here! - NCBlpc

Those senior discounts at movies and restaurants are sales promotions. They are intended to bring in people who are unlikely to go to their theaters or restaurants unless the price is right. Don't confuse price incentives that are intended to attract customers during hours when restaurants are usually empty and when nobody else goes to the movies with "senior benefits".

I know many people who did not earn enough to amass considerable savings because it was hard to make ends meet and reach the next payday on what they made. I also know many who lost their income in the 2008 mega recession and never found another job; they took early Social Security benefits and some get less than $1000 a month today.

And don't blame seniors for the fact that changing birth rates has reduced the income of Social Security while increasing life expectancy has increased the cost of the program. If Social Security had done what state and private retirement plans do and invest the income in stocks, real estate and other revenue-producing sources, they would not be in the state they are in now.

If you look at the incomes of retired people, you would not have such a snarky attitude. The majority live at or just above the poverty level. Look at this list of average retirement incomes by state: What Is the Average Monthly Retirement Income in Every State? | SmartAsset

Could you live in California on just under $35,000 a year? Remember, this is an average. More than half of people have much less. And they still can't afford to go to the movies or Denny's despite the discount.
 
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Most states do not give property tax discount or reduction for seniors.
And some localities do not give “discounts” on property taxes but instead cap property tax increases so if property taxes increase 25% or more in one year (often because of reassessments along with gentrification) a senior on a low fixed income will not forced to sell their house because they can’t afford the new property taxes. Note these programs are usually means tested and subject to household income limits. The weekly 5% discount on Tuesdays at the local supermarket won’t pay for such a steep tax increase. Now if the supermarket starts giving a 20% discount I’ll be very excited!
 
And some localities do not give “discounts” on property taxes but instead cap property tax increases so if property taxes increase 25% or more in one year (often because of reassessments along with gentrification) a senior on a low fixed income will not forced to sell their house because they can’t afford the new property taxes. Note these programs are usually means tested and subject to household income limits. The weekly 5% discount on Tuesdays at the local supermarket won’t pay for such a steep tax increase. Now if the supermarket starts giving a 20% discount I’ll be very excited!
And remember that the average supermarket chain has a net profit of 1% or less. So on a $100 dollar purchase, they make an average of a buck.

When I was VP of a supermarket chain in the 70's, I ran the radio stations they had acquired as part of a purchase of the local Holsum Bread franchise. They tried to sell the money losing stations, and couldn't so they hired me to run them. Our 40% profit margin was so amazing to them that they wanted to buy stations in places like Miami and New York!
 
That is a horribly mistaken analysis of the "state of the senior" at present. You should truly fee shame for having posted it!

Most people retire with little money other than Social Security and/or a company/union pension fund or a government equivalent for the public sector workers. And, like Social Security, those sources are funded from "contributions" made while working... sort of a forced savings account.

Most states do not give property tax discount or reduction for seniors. California , with about 12% of the US population, does not... as one example. And many states tax Social Security income. States with a property tax discount for seniors: South Dakota, Washington, Florida, Alabama, Alaska, South Carolina, Georgia, Hawai, Mississippi, New Hampshire. States with low property tax for everyone: US States with No Property Tax: Check out the complete list here! - NCBlpc

Those senior discounts at movies and restaurants are sales promotions. They are intended to bring in people who are unlikely to go to their theaters or restaurants unless the price is right. Don't confuse price incentives that are intended to attract customers during hours when restaurants are usually empty and when nobody else goes to the movies with "senior benefits".

I know many people who did not earn enough to amass considerable savings because it was hard to make ends meet and reach the next payday on what they made. I also know many who lost their income in the 2008 mega recession and never found another job; they took early Social Security benefits and some get less than $1000 a month today.

And don't blame seniors for the fact that changing birth rates has reduced the income of Social Security while increasing life expectancy has increased the cost of the program. If Social Security had done what state and private retirement plans do and invest the income in stocks, real estate and other revenue-producing sources, they would not be in the state they are in now.

If you look at the incomes of retired people, you would not have such a snarky attitude. The majority live at or just above the poverty level. Look at this list of average retirement incomes by state: What Is the Average Monthly Retirement Income in Every State? | SmartAsset

Could you live in California on just under $35,000 a year? Remember, this is an average. More than half of people have much less. And they still can't afford to go to the movies or Denny's despite the discount.
I did live in California (Bay Area) on under $35k/year for a few years, I ate $1 menu McDonald’s, used coupons and had a bunch of roommates. I wasn’t trying to be snarky, I was just pointing out examples that contradicted what tbolt said about people in my generation “wanting everything for free”. I didn’t mean to suggest that that made the people who get those senior discounts “bad people” or anything like that. If that is how it came off, then sorry about that. Also, Social Security taxation doesn’t always apply to people with modest incomes, according to their website:
Social Security History
“ In 1993, legislation was enacted which had the effect of increasing the tax put in place under the 1983 law. It raised from 50% to 85% the portion of Social Security benefits subject to taxation; but the increased percentage only applied to "higher income" beneficiaries. Beneficiaries of modest incomes might still be subject to the 50% rate, or to no taxation at all, depending on their overall taxable income.”
 
I didn’t mean to suggest that that made the people who get those senior discounts “bad people” or anything like that. If that is how it came off, then sorry about that.
Understood. Thanks for the clarification!
 
Taylor Swift & Beyoncé should buy PBS then that way PBS doesn't need to do Pledge drives every month it seems. PBS in the afternoons took off kids programming at 1PM or 2PM to air more for adults also because they have PBS Kids on a subchannel. Proves that government can't run a network since PBS doesn't make a profit other than a little not that much, and I wonder how many local PBS stations are in debt for?
 
The government doesn't run PBS. PBS doesn't make a profit because it's set up as a non-profit. That's on purpose.

I doubt many stations are in debt. A lot of them are owned by colleges and universities.
True too the confusion about "Government running PBS" is based on local PBS affiliates like KPBS San Diego which is owned by public universities like California State University. Also the non-profit status comes from a time when the local stations were founded they were listed as local educational foundations as the license holders in some places. Yes this is all political rantings that come into play here surrounding Public Media and always placed while looking for segments about PBS Frontline and PBS Newshour that certain parties don't want aired.
 
Yes this is all political rantings that come into play here surrounding Public Media and always placed while looking for segments about PBS Frontline and PBS Newshour that certain parties don't want aired.
It also goes back to the early days of PBS. Anyone remember NPACT (The National Public Affairs Center for Television)? It was intended to be an independent news and public-affairs operation with programs distributed by PBS. It was the home of Robert MacNeil's first news program on public television. It provided coverage the Watergate congressional hearings for distribution to PBS stations. Then, you know, more Watergate and Nixon and Agnew.
 
Taylor Swift & Beyoncé should buy PBS then that way PBS doesn't need to do Pledge drives every month it seems. PBS in the afternoons took off kids programming at 1PM or 2PM to air more for adults also because they have PBS Kids on a subchannel. Proves that government can't run a network since PBS doesn't make a profit other than a little not that much, and I wonder how many local PBS stations are in debt for?

Umm here's something better PBS Frontline in association with AP just won an Oscar for Best Documentary for a Frontline Episode.
 
Think Again Everybody, PBS' June 2024 Pledge Campaign is BACK ONCE YET AGAIN with Brand New Specials like:
Great Performances: Rodgers & Hammerstein’s 80th Anniversary: My Favorite Things, The Rolling Stones: Grrr Live!, Simon and Garfunkel: The Concert in Central Park (Originally aired on PBS since the August 1988 Membership Pledge Drive), Surviving Disasters with Les Stroud, Country's Legendary Duets, Academy of Country Music Honors, Ancient Roads: from Christ to Constantine (Series), Disco: Soundtrack Of A Revolution (Series), Nature: Grizzly 399: Queen Of The Tetons, Third Eye Blind: Live at Red Rocks, Darius Rucker: Live From Nashville, Chicago & Friends: Live At 55, Pet Shop Boys: Dreamworld, Sheryl Crow: Live In Nashville, P!NK: Live From Wembley Arena, Judy Collins: Wildflowers In Concert, Elton John: The Million Dollar Piano and MUCH MUCH More!!!
Plus encore pledge specials like Suze Orman's Ultimate Retirement Guide, The My Music Specials like The Big Band Years, My Music: Doo Wop, Pop and Soul Generations, British Beat and 70's Soul Superstars, The Brain-Gut Connection with Dr. Emeran Myer, England Made with Love, Barbra Streisand: Back to Brooklyn (Originally aired in December 2013), Finance for the People with Paco de Leon, Grantchester: Investigating Life’s Mysteries, Rick Steves' Mighty Alps, Raising Mentally Strong Kids With Daniel Amen, MD, Social Security & You With Mary Beth Franklin, Italy Made with Love: Generations , Johnny Mathis: Wonderful Wonderful (Originally aired in December 2010), Living Wild: Plant-Spiration With Hilton Carter, America's Home Cooking: Gadgets & Gizmos, Supercharge Your Brain: Maximizing Your Cognitive Abilities, All New Rock, Pop and Doo Wop (My Music Presents)-(Sequel to the March 2011 rebroadcast), Chic featuring Nile Rodgers: Jazz a Vienne, Freddie Mercury: The Tribute Concert, America: The Land We Live In, All Creatures Great and Small: Touring The Dales, American Pop Flashback! Great Hits Of The '60s And '70s, Carole King and James Taylor: Just Call Out My Name, Bee Gees: In Our Own Time, Charley Crockett: Live from the Ryman, Marcus King: Live in Nashville, 3 Steps To Inner Wisdom, Il Divo XX: Live from Taipei, Culture Club: Live At Wembley, Armenia, My Home, Nature: Patrick and the Whale, An American Family at 50 (A 50th Anniversary Special of PBS' "American Family" series since 1973), Celtic Thunder - Odyssey, Ricky Martin: Live Black and White Tour, The Maestro & The European Pop Orchestra: Love & Peace Concert, Episodes from the "Gospel" series with Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Georgia Allman Live: Back to Macon, Georgia, Joe Bonamassa And Orchestra Live At The Hollywood Bowl, The Hidden Map and MUCH MUCH MORE... AND IT LAST FOR 1 WEEK From Tonight Through Sunday June 9th!!
And for my PBS Station KPBS in San Diego, AS USUAL, Started AS USUAL Today its 2-WEEK June Membership Campaign (The Fourth and FINAL Campaign for this Fiscal Year) and it will END on Sunday June 16th!!!!
 
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Keep in mind that the fiscal year for non-profits ends on June 30.
Yes I know, so as I said that the June Membership campaign is the last one to finish the fiscal year for 2023-2024.
And also The June Campaign ends for Sunday June 16th before the fiscal year ends on June 30th!
 
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Taylor Swift & Beyoncé should buy PBS then that way PBS doesn't need to do Pledge drives every month it seems.
Rich people don't stay that way from throwing money away. That, and I can't imagine very successful music artists would want to get into the broadcasting business these days. It's strange how people without money seem to think people with money should just give it away for any cause.
 
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