who said this?

I read somewhere that some famous (not amazingly famous, but famous) person was quoted as saying “old people have a duty to die and get out of the way” in talking about overpopulation.
Who?

Richard Lamm, the Gov of Colorado, said this back about 10-15 years ago. Needless to say, he shortly became Richard Lamm, ex-governor of Colorado.

Didn’t Ringo Starr say “People over 60 ought to be shot…they’re just taking up space.”?

He may have, but I knew it was some obscure politician.
and thanks.

While off-track as to the answer the OP desires, I though it germain to cite the Savage Innocents, a movie from the late 50’s IIRC.

Anthony Quinn played an Eskimo. But the part that seemed importan here was when they put the old mother/grandmother adrift on an ice flow. Sent her off to die because she had lost her teeth and couldn’t contribute to the society anymore. She couldn’t soften up the blubber by pre-chewing it.

While it’s Hell to get old(ask me!), I think having as my main duty in life chewing blubber sounds like a death sentence might be actually welcomed.

The actual quote was “Terminally ill old people have a duty to die and get out of the way to give the next generation a chance.” This was in a discussion of the fact that a great deal of health care money was being spent on the the last 6 months of people’s lives, with little discernable effect on their quality of life. He also said “America’s health-care system is wasting tens of billions of dollars.”

And note that he was himself a “senior citizen” when he made this statement.

As far as “Needless to say, he shortly became ex-governor”, Richard Lamm served in Colorado state government for over 20 years, including 12 years as governor. He is the longest-serving governor in Colorado history.

“we’ll stick our heads in the oven in Colorado, little darling,
we’ll go out together, you and I
we’ll each strike a match in Colorado, little darling,
and blow ourselves rocky Mountain High”

  • Come And Grow Old With Me In Colorado

Tom Paxton, One Million Lawyers and other Disasters, circa 1986, available from fine retailers everywhere (Flying Fish Records)

subversion with a catchy tune, in the finest tradition of folk music