Chapter One

"The Way We Are"

The Boomers, often characterized as an infant group—"baby boomers", have long since cast aside that name for in their growing maturity they have obtained a significant place in America. The "Greatest Generation" which preceded them made their reputation for two principal reasons, their ability to overcome the depression and to bring about a victorious end to World War II.

The boomers are a phenomena in their own right for they have already changed life as we know it in recent decades. By definition Boomers are those born between 1946 and 1964, seventy some million. As Tim Smart of U.S. News and World Report expressed it, "they have changed everything from music to marriage to mutual funds." "This healthy, wealthy and wise band of zoomers," he calls them, "are charging toward retirement with some 50,000 turning 50 each day." He says they have transformed the suburbs, brought about the "soccer moms" with it and played a commanding role in school and community affairs.

In the middle 1990's 14 million were 50 plus, of those 90% had graduated from high school, 25% from college, 73% had some form of investment, 75% owned their own home and according to an AARP report the top 25% had average salaries of 100,000 dollars. However, the lowest group of people was disproportionately composed mostly of women who made only $10,000,. Things are changing. In 2007 all of the second wave boomers born between 1956 and 1964 using the earlier figures are doing better than the earlier group. These glowing praises for the Boomer