My estimable friend Q, emailed me a link to a photo journalist's expose on the Boston Tea Party Tax protests that took place around the country this last Wednesday.
My thought that I sent back to Q, was:
"Looks like there's a healthy number of people who don't really know what Socialism is, eh?"
He suggested back to me: "No Dave, but maybe, if the spending isn't reeled in they soon will.
So, I'll continue my thoughts. Don't fret them, and take them with salt.
I've never felt I was getting screwed by our government. I've never felt that pessimistic, even when I disagreed with the policies and priorities of Congress, Senate, or President. Call me simple, call me aloof, call me Shirley.
My landlord spends very little money to maintain the property that we rent from him. As a result, the heater doesn't work, the roof leaks, there are squirrels living in the roof, and the plumbing is at least 75 years old and occasionally backs up into our basement. In the 2 1/2 years we've lived there, he has never come in to inspect the condition of things or perform any needed repairs, large or small. He'd rather not spend the money.
As a result, his property is shabby and continues to deteriorate. This reveals him to be a very poor caretaker of property that he received from his father and is a disrespectful way to honor the memory and sacrifice his Dad made to obtain and build up that property.
Surely there is waste in how our taxes are both collected and spent. Every administration is sniped at for the sin of wasting tax dollars. Nothing's new under the sun.
Economic responsibility is very important and none of us want our money spent on things we don't regard as important. Some, however, don't want any of our money spent at all. But closing the national checkbook because we don't agree with all lines of the budget, is simply trading one undesirable circumstance for another, leaving us with exactly what we'd invested, zip. 10, 20, 30 years from now, we would all be quoting the immortal words of Socrates, who said, "I drank what?"
There are many things that our country needs to pay for and are worth paying for. Our national system of highways and bridges, our electrical and communication grids, the system of plumbing and water ways is crumbling. These are just basic mantenace issues that need to be taken care of, and they will cost trillions to fix. But we have to maintain these systems. This isn't popular propaganda, it's just a fact of life. Things that exist, deteriorate. If they aren't maintained, they will fade away.
I don't understand all the ingredients that lead our country into today economic mud pie, but I also don't believe in following paranoia and small vision simply to save a few bucks.
I'm willing to pay to maintain, or preferably, upgrade our country's infrastructure. I'm willing to invest my hard earned tax dollar to preserve the quality and strength our country has enjoyed. I won't agree with how all of my taxes are spent, but I don't have time to determine how it should be spent either. I cede that responsibility to the suits. It would be nice if we had hind site of the future, that would make decisions concerning the future easier to make. But since that ain't possible, we do our best with the information we have today and adjust course when necessary. I don't allow myself to become despondent and cynical when the wind blows, or when my check book balance dwindles. When it proves time to chip in a buy a new light bulb for the community front porch, I'm glad for the light.
Have a good weekend, and Godspeed, John Glenn,
Dave
