Offended

I don't get into politics very often. In fact, until just this past Summer, I never really cared or understood politics at all. My childhood was drowned in political discussions between my dad, my uncle and my grandparents. They made it all sound so boring and confusing. It wasn't until the propaganda for the big election this year started rearing it's ugly head that I started seeking information and paying attention to presidential candidates.

So, really - what I'm about to say is just some first thoughts and gut reactions. I'm the first to admit that I'm no expert. I just feel obligated to blog about it. I feel that it's my responsibility to promote conversation or understanding or at least to open possiblity for discussion.

But, I also feel compelled to say that I'm completely offended by the government right now. They want to take MORE taxes from ME to help BAIL out some IRRESPONSIBLE citizens. From what I can gather - it sounds like the greedy large-living Americans have FINALLY borrowed too much money. One too many credit cards have been run up. Two too many cars bought but not paid for. Three too many mortgages are behind. Four too many families have lost their homes... thier jobs... their ability to pull their own weight.

I never even used credit until three years ago when my family and I made the move from Colorado to Kansas. I didn't even understand what credit was until then. Granted, when I learned that "everybody has a car payment!" we had a little bit of fun. We bought our cars and after we moved here, we had fun with new floors and a new dining room table. We finished our basement so I could have a business down there. And, yes - hindsight is always 20/20 ...if I knew then what I know now (thanks to some good friends, great small group conversations at church and of course Dave Ramsey) we probably would never have made some of those decisions as a family. But, still - we didn't go absolutely crazy and live way beyond our means. We kept up with payments and were able to pay quite a few things off in good time. In fact, all our debt is paid off besides the van (which, in case you missed it... is for SALE) and my student loan. And, of course, the house... thats for another post at another time. Sigh. None of our debts ever put us at risk of filing bankruptcy. We've never had to live with calls from bill collectors. We always paid the money for the THINGS we had to have.

My point is that I know of so many Americans who cannot afford to properly and rightfully pay for the diamonds that adorn their fingers or the purses that lug their STUFF. There are so many nice cars.. nice SUVs and VANS and HYBRIDS out there... and too many of them belong to people in really ritzy houses with lots of cool THINGS and flashy TOYS. They don't have money like they look like they have money. Quite the opposite. They have DEBT. Lots and lots and lots and lots of debt. I have some debt. But I'm working on that. I'm learning and climbing and I am earning the money it takes to pay the debt off. Cuz it's my debt. And I created it and I will fix it. I spilled the millk, so I'll go through the trouble of finding a paper towel to wipe up the mess. And then spraying the surface with vinegar water so the ants don't come. It's a big pain in the ass, but it's my spill so I'll take care of it. I "bought" the STUFF so I will rightfully PAY for it.

What I could do, is call my dad or my grandma or someone and say in my pity voice "uhh, I need you to bail me out" ...and they will do so because they want me to see them as a HERO. Well, and because they love me.

I'm offended that I'm being asked - no, told - to pay for someone elses STUPID mistakes. But, that's not what really has my goat today. What makes me angry today is that when I wrote to my representatives and asked them NOT to vote for the bailout, they listened to me... and then another proposal was drafted and that other proposal passed the senate and today I sit here at my computer with my jaw hitting the floor and my eyes bugged out because of what I'm reading...

Apparently, I'm a greedy pork eating citizen who can be bought. Or, rather, those who have been elected to represent me can be bought. My opinion about paying for someone elses DEBT can be overruled because my senator was bought by way of blackmail. To paraphrase this article by Cheryl Casone at Fox Business, it's insulting that my government will throw out random ideas to pursuade my elected official to vote in line with their propsal. You don't like the tax payers paying? Here, what if I throw in this perk!? You are passionate about this ...what if we agree that you can have this as long as we win your vote to pass the bill? Apparently it has a name: Pork Barrel spending. It's ludacrious. To suggest that I might be more likely to shell out my portion of 700 BILLION dollars becuase you offer me a tax break on the rum I buy from Puerto Rico.... I want to be given more credit than that... no pun intended.

I know that the whole Wall Street fiasco goes deeper than this. I know there's a national crisis, and that a good tax paying, law abiding citizen such as myself is being given this chance to rise above and help out. I know that there might not be any other way to fix the problem. But, I also know that I'm trying to stay informed. And, I also know that this crisis is definitely affecting my take on the election.

I also know that I wrote Senator Brownback and Senator Roberts asking them to vote No and to push Dave Ramsey's Common Sense Fix - and both of them voted no on the floor last night. I'm doing my part. I'm staying informed. I'm writing my congresspersons. I'm talking openly about it to raise my own awareness.

Whether you agree with me or not. Whether you are liberal or conservative, Republican or Democrat, whether you care about the Stock Market or not... I feel better having voiced my opinion. Because, as of right now, that's still a right of mine. And who knows how much longer I'll still have my American rights. Things change daily around here! Thanks for reading. :)