For decades, older Americans were told to work hard, save smart, and play by the rules. That if they did, they would retire with dignity. But in Biden’s America, and after years of neglect and mismanagement by Democratic administrations, that promise has completely unraveled.
Across the country, millions of Americans over the age of 55 are being forced to delay retirement or try to return to work. Not because they want to, but because they can’t afford not to. Their savings have been gutted by inflation. Their job prospects are dismal. And the very economy they helped build is now actively working against them.
This is not just a sudden problem. It’s the inevitable result of years of bad policy. The Obama-Biden era more than doubled the national debt, punished businesses with taxes and red tape, and fueled a culture of government dependency. Then Biden came back into office and supercharged the spending. The result was the worst inflation in 40 years, crushing the purchasing power of anyone living on a fixed income.
In 2024, the average monthly Social Security check was about $1,900. That is nowhere near enough to cover rent, groceries, healthcare, and other basic necessities. Retirement accounts that were supposed to last 20 years are now barely lasting five. The American dream of retiring with security and peace of mind has become a nightmare.
But the insult doesn’t end there. When older Americans try to re-enter the workforce, they find themselves ignored, undervalued, or outright rejected. AARP reports that it takes much longer for job seekers over 55 to get rehired. And when they do, it’s often for lower pay, fewer hours, and roles that are beneath their experience and capabilities.
Corporate America, flooded with woke ideology and HR groupthink, routinely labels these applicants as “overqualified.” That’s code for too experienced, too principled, and too expensive. In today’s hiring culture, experience is treated like a threat rather than an asset. Managers in their twenties and thirties would rather hire someone who checks a diversity box than someone who can mentor, lead, and deliver results.
Ageism is now the last acceptable form of discrimination in America. Try filing a complaint. No one will listen. Try demanding accountability. You’ll be told you need to “adapt.” In other words, sit down and be quiet.
On top of that, Biden’s immigration and labor policies are worsening the problem. The expansion of the H-1B and OPT visa programs means that American companies can import cheaper foreign workers instead of hiring American citizens. Older workers, especially those in white-collar professions, are being replaced by temporary visa holders who will work for less and never challenge the system. This is not about filling gaps in the labor market. It is about maximizing profits at the expense of American livelihoods.
Even worse, many of these displaced workers invested in retraining, graduate degrees, or certifications to stay competitive. But universities have failed them too. Instead of equipping students and professionals with relevant skills, higher education has become a bloated ideological machine that churns out debt and watered-down credentials.
This is not just an economic failure. It is a moral one. These Americans raised families, paid taxes, built businesses, and defended this country. They did everything society asked of them. Now they are treated like a burden instead of a blessing.
Conservatives must lead on this issue. We need a pro-worker, pro-dignity agenda that prioritizes American citizens of all ages. That starts with enforcing age discrimination laws and holding corporations accountable when they sideline older candidates. It means offering tax incentives to companies that hire older workers and eliminating incentives to outsource jobs or rely on foreign labor.
We should also overhaul how we think about retirement. This is not about dependency. It’s about freedom. Americans should have the freedom to retire when they are ready or to continue working without being penalized or marginalized.
We also need to reform Social Security and retirement policies to ensure they are sustainable, secure, and shielded from the same political gamesmanship that created this crisis in the first place.
Older Americans are not looking for sympathy. They are looking for opportunity. They are asking for a fair shot. They want to be respected, not discarded.
They built this country. They kept it running. They passed their knowledge and values to the next generation.
Now they need our support.
It is time for America to stop turning its back on the people who gave it everything.
Dr. Isaiah Hankel, Ph.D., is the CEO of Overqualified.com and a three-time best-selling author.