Hagel has proposed raising the retirement age to 68. Sitting here at my computer in climate controlled building, I say, sure, why not? I work with people who are between 65 and 70, and they have lost little of their edge. Bob Novack is 74, so is Clint Eastwood. But what about people who work in jobs that require physical labor?
Many jobs not thought of as physical labor are more taxing then people may think. How about waitresses and cashiers who must work eight hours on their feet? Or assembly line workers who stand in awkward positions performing repetitive motions?
I had a neighbor who worked 41 years as a button holer. She had to work production. A certain number of items a day minus discards. You meet production you make minimum wage and keep your job. Above production you are paid per piece, below production, you are fired. When she retired at 58, her health was shot. In those days she only had to wait 8 years for social security. It was a long wait.