MATTER OF FACT, I’M SOLEDAD O’BRIEN. COMING UP ON TODAY’S SHOW, HOUSING DEMAND VERSUS WATER RESOURCES. WE’RE A SMALL FARM AG COMMUNITY HISTORICALLY, BUT THE MAYOR OF BUCKEYE, ARIZONA, SAYS THAT’S RAPIDLY CHANGING THE RATE OF GROWTH. WE’RE NUMBER ONE IN THE UNITED STATES. HOW THE DESERT CITY IS BALANCING A GROWING COMMUNITY AND ITS WATER SUPPLY AMID A MEGA DROUGHT. PLUS, NEARLY 17 MILLION AMERICANS HAVE LOST MEDICAID BENEFITS IN THE LAST 11 MONTHS. THIS IS AN EXTRAORDINARILY COMPLICATED UNDERTAKING. WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE ONGOING EFFORT TO UPDATE WHO’S ENROLLED IN THE PROGRAM AND WHAT’S BEING DONE TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM LOSING HEALTH CARE. THEY STILL QUALIFY FOR AND SUPER TUESDAY IS FAST APPROACHING. THIS CLERK IN COLORADO IS ONE OF MANY ELECTION OFFICIALS WORKING THEIR WAY THROUGH THEIR FIRST PRESIDENTIAL RACE. OUR DEMOCRACY IS IMPORTANT. WE NEED TO PROTECT IT. WHAT IT TAKES TO OVERSEE THE PROCESS CENTRAL TO OUR DEMOCRACY. RIGHT NOW, I’M MATTER OF FACT. TEXAS AND ARIZONA ARE SEEING A POPULATION BOOM. SEVEN OF THE NATION’S TEN FASTEST GROWING CITIES ARE IN THOSE TWO STATES. WARM WEATHER, MORE AFFORDABLE LIVING, AND A QUICKLY EXPANDING JOB MARKET ARE DRAWING NEW RESIDENTS. BUT THAT GROWTH IS COMING WITH A CONCERN. IN JUNE, ARIZONA’S DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES RELEASED A REPORT SAYING PARTS OF THE STATE DON’T HAVE ENOUGH GROUNDWATER TO SUPPORT MUCH OF THE ONGOING HOUSING DEVELOPMENT. AND THIS IS ALL HAPPENING DURING A MORE THAN 20 YEAR DROUGHT. OUR CORRESPONDENT DAN LIEBERMAN TAKES US TO ARIZONA TO MEET SOME OF THE STATE’S NEWER RESIDENTS AND A MAYOR IN SEARCH OF ALTERNATE WATER SOURCES. LIKE MOST AMERICANS, I JUST THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, WATER IS A RESOURCE THAT WE HAVE ALWAYS HAD. I NEVER REALLY THOUGHT THAT THE DROUGHT WOULD TAKE THE RUG OUT FROM UNDER US. LEE HARRIS AND FRANK AVRIL PLANNED ON ENJOYING THEIR RETIREMENT YEARS IN RIO VERDE FOOTHILLS, A SCENIC DESERT COMMUNITY JUST OUTSIDE SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA. IT’S BEAUTIFUL HERE. IT’S JUST SURROUNDED BY NATURE AND TRAILS. THE COMMUNITY OF MORE THAN 2000 PEOPLE IS NOT CONNECTED TO THE PUBLIC WATER SYSTEM, SO IT RELIES ON HAULED WATER FROM THE CITY OF SCOTTSDALE AMID A 22 YEAR DROUGHT, SCOTTSDALE DIDN’T HAVE ANY WATER TO SPARE, SO IN DECEMBER 2022, IT DECIDED TO STOP DELIVERING WATER. THE WATER HAULERS HAD TO START DRIVING FURTHER AND FURTHER IN ORDER TO GET CLEAN POTABLE WATER TO BRING TO OUR HOMES, AND THAT COST A LOT OF MONEY. SO YOUR WATER BILL WENT FROM FROM WHAT? TO WHAT? WE WERE PAYING ABOUT $130 A MONTH. IT WENT UP TO $440 PER MONTH. ALTHOUGH RIO VERDE HAS SINCE FOUND A SOURCE THAT DOESN’T COST QUITE AS MUCH, RESIDENTS WATER BILLS ARE STILL HIGH AND FORCING LEE AND FRANK TO ALWAYS BE IN EXTREME CONSERVATION MODE. EVERY TIME WE OPEN THAT FAUCET, WE’VE TRAINED OURSELVES TO SEE MONEY COMING OUT. THEY SPENT NEARLY $20,000 ON THEIR OWN RAINWATER FILTRATION SYSTEM. WE HAD TO FIND JOBS, AND AT OUR AGE, WE SHOULD HAVE REALLY BEEN RETIRED BY NOW AND ENJOYING, YOU KNOW, OUR START OF OUR GOLDEN YEARS. RIO VERDE’S WATER CRISIS HIGHLIGHTS GROWING CONCERN OVER RAPID DEVELOPMENT IN CITIES AROUND PHOENIX, GROWTH THAT HAS CONTINUED EVEN AS WATER SUPPLIES LESSEN. THERE’S A TREMENDOUS PRESSURE TO GET DEVELOPMENT MOVING AGAIN AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE HOMES FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE MIGRATING TO THE METRO PHOENIX AREA. ERIC ORSBORN IS THE MAYOR OF BUCKEYE, ARIZONA, A FARMING COMMUNITY 45 MINUTES OUTSIDE PHOENIX BETWEEN 2010 AND 2020, WE WERE THE FASTEST GROWING CITY IN THE UNITED STATES. IF WE CONTINUE TO GROW IN 100 YEARS, WE’LL BE SHORT OF WATER. IN AN EFFORT TO PREVENT A WATER SHORTAGE, CITY OFFICIALS ARE SCRAMBLING TO FIND WATER SOURCES LIKE RECYCLING WASTEWATER. THE WASTEWATER THAT’S COLLECTED THROUGH THE SEWER SYSTEM GOES THROUGH A PURIFICATION PROCESS WHERE YOU ARE CREATING PURE WATER OUT OF WHAT WAS ESSENTIALLY SEWAGE. AND AS THEY LOOK FOR OTHER SOLUTIONS, CONSTRUCTION ON MORE THAN 100,000 HOMES AND BUCKEYE IS IN LIMBO. YOU HAVE ESSENTIALLY LOTS THAT ARE STRANDED. YOU CAN’T GO IN AND BEGIN BUILDING ON THEM. THE IMPACTS ARE DEVASTATING. SPENCER KAMPS IS A SPOKESPERSON FOR AN ORGANIZATION THAT REPRESENTS ARIZONA DEVELOPERS. HE WARNS THAT THE STALLED HOME CONSTRUCTION COULD EVENTUALLY LEAD TO AN AFFORDABILITY CRISIS. IN A STATE WHERE HOUSING PRICES ARE ALREADY GOING UP. ANYTIME YOU LIMIT THE SUPPLY, YOU’RE GOING TO CAUSE SIGNIFICANT COST INCREASES. WE’VE SEEN INCREASES IN THE COST OF LAND ANYWHERE FROM 25 TO 40% RIGHT AWAY. THIS CRISIS IS RIGHT NOW. HOW DO YOU GET OUT OF IT? WE NEED TO GO FIND ADDITIONAL WATER SUPPLIES. AND IN THE SHORT TERMS, THERE ARE NONE IN THE LONG TERME THERE MIGHT BE. BUT THESE STALLED PROJECTS CAN’T SIT FOREVER. WHAT WE’RE STARTING TO REALIZE IS THAT INSTEAD OF THINKING ABOUT WATER AS A SUPPLY PROBLEM, YOU CAN THINK ABOUT IT AS A DEMAND PROBLEM. ANDREA GERLAK IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE UDALL CENTER FOR STUDIES IN PUBLIC POLICY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA IN TUCSON. SHE SAYS DEVELOPERS MAY HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD TO TRULY ADDRESS THE WATER PROBLEM. THE NEXT WAVE OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT IN THE WEST ISN’T GOING TO LOOK LIKE THE FIRST WAVE, WHICH WAS THIS COOKIE CUTTER BIG LOTS. THERE’S NOT ENOUGH WATER, AND IT’S GOING TO BE TOO EXPENSIVE TO BRING IT TO ALL OF THOSE PLACES. FOR LEE AND FRANK, THERE, COMMUNITIES UNCERTAIN FUTURE HAS THEM QUESTIONING WHETHER MOVING TO THE DESERT WAS THE RIGHT DECISION. IF YOU KNEW WHAT YOU KNEW TODAY, WOULD YOU STILL MAKE THE DECISION TO LIVE IN THIS PLACE? IF I HAD KNOWN BACK THEN WHAT I KNOW NOW, WE PROBABLY WOULDN’T HAVE BECAUSE IT OBVIOUSLY IS GOING TO KEEP US TRAPPED IN A SITUATION WHERE ECONOMICALLY WE’RE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK FOR A VERY LONG TIME. BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, WHEN WE WAKE UP EVERY MORNING AND WE LOOK OUT AT THE VIEWS, OUR HEARTS SING. FOR MATTER OF FACT, I’M DAN LIEBERMAN IN ARIZONA. NEXT ON MATTER OF FACT, MEDICAID RECIPIENTS GETTING BUMPED OFF THE PROGRAM AS IT’S LISTS OF ENROLLEES IS UPDATED EVEN IF EVERYTHING GOES CORRECTLY, THERE WILL BE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO LOSE COVERAGE. HOW CAN THOSE WHO STILL QUALIFY GET THEIR COVERAGE BACK? PLUS GOODBYE GREAT RESIGNATION, HELLO, GREAT RETIREMENT. WHAT’S DRIVING THIS LATEST EXIT FROM THE WORKFORCE? AND NEXT MONTH, SHE’LL MAKE HISTORY DURING COLORADO’S PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY. WE FOLLOW A COUNTY CLERK IN COLORADO WHO’S THE FIRST LATINA, THE FIRST QUEER PERSON, AND THE YOUNGEST CLERK ELECTED TO OVERSEE VOTING IN HER COUNTY. YOU’RE WATCHING. MATTER OF FACT, AMERICA’S NUMBER ONE NATIONALLY SYNDICATED PUBLIC AFFAIRS NEWS MAGAZINE. ON THE FACE OF IT, THE NUMBERS LOOK SHOCKING. MORE THAN 2 MILLION PEOPLE DROPPED FROM MEDICAID IN TEXAS, 1.4 MILLION IN CALIFORNIA, 1.3 MILLION IN FLORIDA. IN TOTAL, NEARLY 17 MILLION PEOPLE HAVE LOST MEDICAID COVERAGE SINCE APRIL. OF LAST YEAR. BUT THOSE NUMBERS AREN’T TOTALLY UNEXPECTED. ACCESS TO MEDICAID, WHICH PROVIDES HEALTH CARE COVERAGE TO LOW INCOME PEOPLE, WAS EXPANDED DURING THE PANDEMIC. NOW THAT THE PANDEMIC IS OVER, STATES ARE NEARLY A YEAR INTO A NATIONWIDE EFFORT TO GO THROUGH AND UPDATE THEIR ROLLS. BUT IN THE PROCESS, SOME PEOPLE WHO QUALIFY FOR COVERAGE ARE GETTING BUMPED OFF. MATT SALO IS THE FORMER FOUNDING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MEDICAID DIRECTORS. MATT SALO, NICE TO HAVE YOU. SO DURING THE PANDEMIC, THE MEDICAID ROLLS WERE AT ROUGHLY 100 MILLION PEOPLE. HOW MUCH OF A JUMP WAS THAT FROM PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS? WHAT MEDICAID HAS DONE IN TIMES OF NATIONAL CRISIS IS THAT IT HAS SERVED AS A FIRST RESPONDER TO HELP STRENGTHEN THE PHYSICAL, SOCIAL, BEHAVIORAL AND FINANCIAL HEALTH OF AMERICANS IN CRISIS. AND SO WHAT WE DID DURING. THE PANDEMIC WAS WE DECIDED NO ONE WOULD LOSE COVERAGE FOR ANY REASON THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRETY OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY. SO MEDICAID WENT FROM ABOUT 72 MILLION PEOPLE TO CLOSE TO 100 MILLION PEOPLE. AND NOW WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF, IF YOU WILL, RIGHTSIZING THE PROGRAM. UM, ARE THERE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN KICKED OFF THE ROLLS OR WILL BE KICKED OFF THE ROLLS? WHO IN FACT DO QUALIFY? THE SIMPLE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IS YES. AND PART OF THAT IS THAT THIS IS AN EXTRAORDINARILY COMPLICATED UNDERTAKING. AND EVEN IF EVERYTHING GOES CORRECTLY, THERE WILL BE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO LOSE COVERAGE. NOW, WHAT WE ARE, OF COURSE, SEEING IS THAT IN THE REAL WORLD, THINGS ARE GOING WRONG AND PEOPLE ARE FINDING THEMSELVES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, UH, LOSING COVERAGE, BUT ARE PROBABLY STILL TECHNICALLY ELIGIBLE. AND PART OF THAT IS GOING TO HAVE TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT THERE IS A RESPONSIBILITY ON BEHALF OF INDIVIDUALS, ON BEHALF OF FAMILIES, UH, TO ENSURE CARE THAT THEY ARE STAYING CONNECTED TO THE MEDICAID PROGRAM, THAT THEY ARE COMMUNICATING, UH, UPDATES TO THEIR LIFE SITUATION, SUCH AS, YOU KNOW, WHERE ARE YOU WORKING? WHAT IS YOUR INCOME? OBVIOUSLY, WHEN YOU DEAL WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE INCOME, THAT CAN SOMETIMES MEAN LESS ACCESS, MORE BARRIERS TO ANSWERING THOSE EMAILS MAKE SURE THEY’RE CONNECTED. ARE THE STATES DOING ANYTHING TO TRY TO HELP MAKE IT A LITTLE EASIER? EVERY STATE, UH, IS MAKING AND HAS BEEN MAKING CONCERTED EFFORTS TO TRY TO MAKE THIS SYSTEM WORK BETTER. UH, FOR PEOPLE. AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE IT EASY ENOUGH FOR THEM TO COME BACK AND PROVE THEIR IDENTITY, PROVE THEIR RESIDENCE, PROVE THEIR INCOME? YOU CAN SIMPLIFY SOME OF THAT. YOU CAN’T COMPLETELY SIMPLIFY ALL OF IT. AND, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HEARD FROM A LOT OF STATES WAS MAIL IS DEAD. I THINK THAT’S A NEW REALITY OF WHAT WE’RE GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH. AND I THINK WHAT WE’LL SEE MOVING FORWARD IS A LOT OF EFFORTS THAT ARE GOING TO GO INTO TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE MAKE THIS PROCESS MORE 21ST CENTURY NORTH CAROLINA IS THE LATEST STATE TO EXPAND MEDICAID BENEFITS. OTHER STATES THAT HAVE HISTORIC BEEN VERY MUCH AGAINST EXPANSION. UH, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, I THINK SOUTH CAROLINA WOULD BE ON THAT LIST. MISSISSIPPI CERTAINLY IS ON THAT DO YOU SEE CHANGES THERE? WE ARE DEFINITELY SEEING A LOT OF TRACTION IN STATES THAT WERE RESISTANT, UH, TO THE EXPANSION. I REALLY THINK ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT HOW THE MEDICAID COVERAGE DURING THE PANDEMIC WILL PLAY OUT IS THAT SO MANY ADDITIONAL PEOPLE CAME ON TO MEDICAID OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS. I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT THERE WE KIND OF HIT AN INFLECTION POINT WHERE PEOPLE REALLY STARTED TO UNDERSTAND THAT, OH, THE MEDICAID PROGRAM IS NOT JUST SOME LOW INCOME PROGRAM THAT SOMEBODY OVER THERE GETS IT IS SOMETHING THAT IMPACTS ME AND MY FAMILY AND MY RELATIVES AND MY FRIENDS AND MY COMMUNITY. AND I DO THINK THAT WILL START TO SHIFT SOME OF THAT CONVERSATION AROUND, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE GET TO YES, IN THOSE STATES THAT HAVEN’T MATT SALO, THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. COMING UP, OUR DEMOCRACY CAN BE FRAGILE. SHE SAW VACANCIES IN THE TOP POSITIONS OVERSEEING OUR ELECTIONS AND DECIDED SHE WANTED THE JOB. I’M A DEMOCRACY DEFENDER. WHY THIS COLORADO WOMAN PURSUED A JOB. OTHERS ARE CHOOSING TO QUIT. PLUS THE OVERALL POPULATION OF THE U.S. IS GETTING OLDER AND RETIREMENTS ARE SPIKING. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR THE ECONOMIC FUTURE AND STABILITY OF BABY BOOMERS? ELECTION SEASON IS IN FULL SWING. MARCH FIFTH IS SUPER TUESDAY, 15 STATES HOLD PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES, AND THAT INCLUDES COLORADO. THE STATE ARGUED BEFORE THE SUPREME COURT THAT FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP SHOULDN’T BE ON THE PRIMARY BALLOT FOLLOWING THE JANUARY SIXTH INSURRECTION, AND SINCE THEN, SOME ELECTION OFFICIALS SAY THEY’VE RECEIVED DEATH THREATS, ONLINE ABUSE AND HARASSMENT. CLOSE TO HALF SAY THEY FEAR FOR THE SAFETY OF THEIR COLLEAGUES. BUT LIKE MANY STATES, COLORADO’S ELECTION OFFICES WERE ALREADY GETTING THREATS FOLLOWING THE 2020 ELECTION. MORE THAN A THIRD OF ITS ELECTION OFFICIALS HAVE EITHER QUIT OR LEFT THEIR JOBS BECAUSE OF TIME LIMITS. THAT’S LANDED JEFFERSON COUNTY WITH A NEW COUNTY CLERK, AMANDA GONZALEZ, REPRESENTS A LOT OF FIRSTS. FIRST LATINA, FIRST QUEER PERSON AND THE YOUNGEST CLERK EVER ELECTED IN THE COUNTY. I REALLY WANTED TO BE THE PERSON THAT WAS ENSURING THAT WE WERE PROTECTING EVERYONE’S RIGHT TO VOTE. I, MYRNA SMITH, DO SWEAR WHEN I THINK ABOUT DEMOCRACY, IT’S REALLY THE MANIFESTATION OF OUR HOPE AND OPTIMISM, RIGHT? WHEN YOU’RE VOTING, YOU’RE HAVING A SAY IN WHAT HAPPENS IN THE FUTURE OF YOUR YOUR COMMUNITY. IF THEY NOW LIVE IN JEFFERSON COUNTY, HEARING THINGS LIKE, WE’VE LOST 300 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AMONG ELECTION ADMINISTRATORS IS SCARY. MAYBE THAT’S NOT QUITE THE RIGHT MEASURE OF WHETHER OR NOT AN ELECTION IS IN GOOD HANDS. AN ELECTION IS IN GOOD HANDS. IF YOUR ELECTION OFFICIAL IS UP HOLDING THE CORE VALUES OF DEMOCRACY, SEE, THESE ARE PARTIZAN POSITIONS. I’M ELECTED AS A DEMOCRAT, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT’S A NONPARTISAN ROLE AND ALMOST UNIVERSALLY, REGARDLESS OF PARTY AFFILIATION. OFTEN PEOPLE ARE LIKE, YES, OUR DEMOCRACY IS IMPORTANT. WE NEED TO PROTECT IT. I COME IN WITH A LOT OF POLICY BACKGROUND, A LOT OF ORGANIZING AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT BACKGROUND. BUT OF COURSE, I’VE NEVER BEEN THE PERSON WHO ADMINISTERS AN ELECTION. HEY, HOW ARE YOU? THERE ARE 64 COUNTY CLERKS THROUGHOUT COLORADO. AND MANY OF US ARE NEW AT AND WE BELONG TO A COUNTY CLERKS ASSOCIATION IN THAT SOME OF WHAT THEY DO IS EDUCATE ORSBORN, AND THEY HAVE CREATED THESE FORMAL MENTORSHIP PROGRAMS OF PARTNERING A NEWER CLERK WITH SOMEBODY THAT HAD BEEN IN THE ROLE FOR A LITTLE WHILE. YOU HAVE THAT. PEER TO PEER RELATIONSHIP WITH SOMEBODY. IT’S IMMENSELY HELPFUL. I WAS ASSIGNED TO CLERK FITZPATRICK UP IN BOULDER WHO IS A GENIUS. I’M SO GRATEFUL TO HAVE HER IN MY CORNER IN 2019. NO ONE KNEW WHAT A COUNTY CLERK WAS OR WHAT WE DID, AND WE LARGELY RAN KIND OF BEHIND THE SCENES. SINCE 2020, EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT A COUNTY CLERK IS, AND WHAT THEY DO, AND SO WITH THAT HAS BROUGHT A LOT OF SUPPORT. THERE’S ALSO A LOT OF SCRUTINY ON OUR PROCESS. I UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE ARE NERVOUS ABOUT 2024, BUT I ALSO DON’T WANT TO CATASTROPHIZE. I THINK THAT PEOPLE EXPECTED 2022 TO BE A LITTLE MORE CHAOTIC THAN IT WAS, AND WE HAD, BY MOST MEASURES, A PRETTY SMOOTH ELECTION. WE HAVE CAREER STAFF THAT HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A LONG TIME AND ARE WELL PREPARED. I RAN FOR THIS, THIS OFFICE BECAUSE I’M A DEMOCRACY DEFENDER, BUT BUT I DON’T STAND ALONE HERE. I’M SEEING PEOPLE THAT I KNOW, JUST LIKE LIKE REALLY CARE ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY AND THESE SYSTEMS AND FAIRNESS AND EQUITY THE WAY I DO, WHICH FEELS PRETTY DARN GOOD. AND I THINK THAT THAT’S THE REASON THAT OUR DEMOCRACY WILL CONTINUE TO BE OKAY AHEAD ON MATTER OF FACT, A RECORD NUMBER OF BABY BOOMERS ARE SET TO TURN 65 THIS YEAR, AND MANY ARE RETIRING. WEALTH HAS RISEN A FAIR CLIP FASTER THAN INCOME, AND THAT’S HELPING TO FINANCE THESE RETIREMENTS. WHAT’S THAT MEAN FOR THE BALANCE OF THE US ECONOMY AND THIS MONTH MARKS THREE YEARS SINCE NASA’S MARS ROVER LANDED ON THE RED PLANET. THE ROVER SEEMS TO BE MARKING THAT ANNIVERSARY WITH AN AMAZING GLIMPSE INTO SPACE. WE’LL SHOW YOU THE NEW IMAGES TO STAY UP TO DATE WITH. MATTER OF FACT, SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER AT MATTEROFFACTTV. 2024 IS SHAPING UP TO BE A BIG ONE FOR BABY BOOMERS. MORE THAN 4 MILLION WILL TURN 65 YEARS OLD THIS YEAR, BUT REACHING THAT MILESTONE DOESN’T MEAN THEY’RE SLOWING DOWN. PEOPLE BETWEEN 65 AND 69 ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE EMPLOYED THAN TEENAGERS. IT’S A MIXED BAG AND WHY THEY’RE STILL WORKING IN AN AARP SURVEY. SOME SAY IT GIVES THEM A SENSE OF PURPOSE. OTHERS SAY IT’S FOR FINANCIAL REASONS. STILL, SOME BABY BOOMERS ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH RETIREMENT. THE US NOW HAS NEARLY 3 MILLION MORE RETIREES THAN PREDICTED. THAT’S ACCORDING TO THE FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF SAINT LOUIS. THIS IS THE SECOND BIG WAVE OF RETIREMENTS IN JUST A FEW YEARS. THE FIRST HAPPENED DURING THE PANDEMIC, WITH MORE THAN 3 MILLION PUSHED INTO EARLY RETIREMENT. SO HOW DOES THIS AFFECT THE WORKFORCE? WENDY EDELBERG IS A DIRECTOR OF THE HAMILTON PROJECT, AN ECONOMIC POLICY CENTER AT THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION. THE GOOD NEWS FOR THE OVERALL ECONOMY IS THAT AT THE SAME TIME THAT WE’VE SEEN AN INCREASE IN RETIREMENTS, IMMIGRATION HAS BEEN REALLY STRONG. AND THAT’S HELPED TO DRIVE GROWTH IN THE LABOR FORCE BY 2050. THE 65 AND OLDER POPULATION WILL INCREASE. FROM 58 MILLION TO 82 MILLION. THAT AGE GROUP WILL MAKE UP 23% OF THE TOTAL POPULATION IN. STILL AHEAD ON MATTER OF FACT, NASA’S MARS ROVER HAS SENT BACK MORE THAN 600,000 PHOTOS OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS. WHY? 68 OF THEM ARE NOW GETTING SPECIALFINALLY, SOLAR ECLIPSES O HAPPEN A COUPLE OF TIMES A YEAR HERE ON EARTH, BUT MARS AND ONE OF ITS TWO MOONS, PHOBOS, ARE GETTING IN ON THE ACTION. TAKE A LOOK AT THESE PHOTOS. THEY WERE CAPTURED EARLIER THIS MONTH BY NASA’S MARS ROVER PERSEVERANCE. IT SHOWS PHOBOS CROSSING IN FRONT OF THE SUN, CASTING A SHADOW ON THE RED PLANET KIND OF LOOKS LIKE AN EYEBALL IN SPACE. PHOBOS IS ACTUALLY 130 TIMES SMALLER THAN OUR EARTH’S MOON, AND IT’S NOT THE FIRST TIME PERSEVERANCE HAS CAPTURED ONE OF ITS ECLIPSES. NOW, FOR ALL OF YOU CELESTIAL WATCHERS HERE ON EARTH, WE HAVE A TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE TO LOOK FORWARD TO. IT’LL BE VIEWABLE FROM NORTH AMERICA ON APRIL 8TH. IT IS SURE TO BE A GREAT SHOW. THAT’S IT FOR THIS SHOW. I’M SOLEDAD O’BRIEN. I’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE NEXT WEEK. FOR MATTER OF FACT. TO WATCH MORE STORIES LIKE THIS ANY TIME, HEAD TO MATTEROFFACTTV.