Howard Harrison – Reflections of an Aging Baby Boomer: 2BB 071

Our guest on this week’s podcast is Howard Harrison, author of the book, “Now They Make it Legal – Reflections of an Aging Baby Boomer.”

Coming to you from the visitor’s room at the Rocky Mountain Collective

Howard says the title of the book expresses (in jest) his “bitterness” that the symbol of the 60’s and 70’s counter-culture is finally legal as the youngest Baby Boomers enter their 50’s.

He has been a writer his entire life, primarily as a corporate speech writer and says he wrote “corporate propaganda” for company publications. He’s also won awards and made a decent living. However, he got to the point that he didn’t want to write for corporations anymore and decided to write books instead. “Now They Make it Legal” is partially a memoir in which he puts his own spin on the events that took place during our Baby Boomer youth.

In the book, he compares the similarities and differences between young people today, who have begun protesting and joining grassroots campaigns like Bernie Sanders, with the way we did it in the 60’s and 70’s. For example, the violence taking place during the present political “dog and pony show” is not nearly as scary as when Bobby Kennedy was shot in 1968.

We also talk about the fact that a 70-year-old Jewish guy (Sanders) was able to inspire the younger generation and how it gives us Baby Boomers hope.

Just FYI – In this show we make a feeble attempt to steer away from being political no matter how much we don’t like orange people. – Also, this show was originally recorded during the primaries.

Other topics Howard Harrison and the Broads discuss

Medicare – When Howard was writing “propaganda” for corporations, he worked for several health care firms. He wonders why every other industrialized country on the face of the earth provides healthcare for its citizens except for the richest country in the world. (U.S.) Despite what you hear about heath care clinic lines in Canada and other countries, not one of those countries would chuck their healthcare program for ours. We are the only country that puts its healthcare system in the hands of FOR profit insurance companies.

Doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers need to make a good living but we are the only country that has the payer profiting from it in the private sector.  We also pay more for healthcare than any other country by far and our outcomes are no better than the middle of the pack. Based on that, how can we say our healthcare system is better than everyone else’s?

Howard goes in depth on the Medicare and Healthcare issue so make sure to listen in. It’s enlightening and funny.

Marijuana – Howard also goes into depth about legalization – Listen in

The 2-Party System and the primaries –Howard has definite opinions that make sense. Even if you aren’t a liberal, it’s well worth a listen.

The Generation Gap – Today the GAP is based on technology rather than rebellion.

Rebecca mispronounces Electoral College and then realizes it while editing. Oh well, no one is perfect. (she says, kicking herself)

Find Howard Harrison at www.nowtheymakeitlegal.com

You can purchase his book on Amazon by  clicking here.