So.....you have lots of money, it's yours, you
earned it and you can spend it whichever way you want, it's the way the great
American dream works, it's the attitude that has made the U.S. as unique a
nation as the world has ever seen.
The carrot that is dangled in front of every
middle-classed Americana's nose every single day of their lives, equality in
the bank book. I can remember my Dad saying that every kid on the block wanted
a bicycle, while Jews gave their kids monopoly; you know.....the money game,
according to my Dad, that is what made the Jews "so good at managing
money."
My Dad really believed that it was true, Jews
were better at managing their money because of the games that they played as
kids. It's kind of like the old myth about black kids being able to jump higher
than white guys because they had a special bone in their shin. I actually
believed that; imagine my surprise when I took an anatomy class my junior or
senior year in high school and discovered that there was no such bone.
There is another big American myth out there, the
myth that we middle class people can achieve a financial stability by
"working for the man." The myth continues in today's work society,
the "keep your nose to the grind-stone and good things will happen,"
is almost as outdated as land phone lines.
Middle class people can never have what the upper
class citizen in American has and can have, it's impossible.....the game is
rigged. There's money and then there's "old money," and many
politicians across the nation has old money.
I have never in my life met a politician who I
shared his view for how I live my life, neither Democrat nor Republican. Those
are the rules under which we are supposed to operate as a nation. Those are the
laws of the land. A constitution was written down well over two hundred years
ago, and the principles therein have worked pretty damned well. Sure there are
shortcomings, and outdated rules and regulations, but the core meaning is still
there and still in use today.
You hear every so often, "whenever there is
any kind of election cycle," that a particular candidate has a
"vision, a radical view, or an agenda that will help people." Somehow
these visions, these radical views, or these agenda's don't "trickle"
down to the vast majority of us common folks.
I have a buddy who makes in excess of $300,000 a
year.....a goodly amount of money; he makes his money off real estate, buying,
selling and renting homes and buildings. It's a tough job, it consumes him, he
is at someone's beckon call almost 24-7, and he earns his money.....however
there is no car elevator in his future.
Here is the view from the top, an outlook.....by
the way, no middle class American can see, much less understand. A conservative
looks at a vacant lot and see's a building, a business, or equity, maybe even a
tax write-off. A liberal sees the same lot and see's a home site, or a park
where kids can play ball games and a city park department oversees activity.
Market forces, the magic of capitalism, smaller
government, less taxes, a system where a person can keep more of his
money.....freedom, right, no, wrong. Have you ever heard the term
"panic," or depression, or recession, it's some of the things that
happen from a conservative's point of view.
What happens with a liberal point of view,
over-spending, higher taxes and more American's "on the dole?" I for
one can't figure out why money is always a problem, why the economy is always teetering
on the "brink."
Did you ever notice that while Democrats are in
power the Republicans are dissecting everything that the majority is doing, and
while Republicans hold sway, Democrats are doing the same thing, both are counterproductive,
neither is progressive and both parties do not do the work of government for
the American people.
President Obama is having trouble identifying
with the American people; Mitt Romney has absolutely no clue. There is no
credible 3rd. party, the Tea Baggers want to take everything away.....but keep
their entitlements....."How does that happen?"
In the coming months hard questions need to be asked,
but if the secret service sex scandals continue to grab headlines and dominate
the political conversation, it will be business as usual.
Middle class people will continue to
struggle.....and Mitt Romney will continue to check paint charts for a color scheme
for his new "car elevator."
No comments:
Post a Comment