About politics, politicians, economy, and national issues affecting your family? With the start of the new school year upon us; I have been explaining the three branches of the national government to our boys. It is a very hard thing to explain to a child why Mommie and Daddy are really paying attention to the new hot topic about the economy, national budget, and unprofessional antics of our elected leaders.
I firmly remember growing up in Southern California during the national gas crisis. I remember when K-Mart, Wal-mart, and Target was a dirty word and only those preceived to be poor had to shop there. I rightly remember grocery shopping with my single-parent mom; who could not fill her cart with anything other than: rice, beans, sugar, flour, pasta, Koolaide, white bread, hamburger meat, bologna, and no fresh produce other than bananas.
I firmly believe as a parent the reason we as a country have gotten into the economic mess we are facing now is our leaders are still using a credit card to pay another bill. Our economy while complex is quite simple; the United States has a spending problem.
So this week, I have been having firm discussions with our boys about the necessity of living well within our means. However, it will be a tough go for us because we really do not spend on frivalous things like: prepared foods, eating out, entertainment, vacations, clothing, games, or other luxury items. We also depend on our government to honor my military retirement and healthcare. My husband is a government employee facing the possibility of being cut from his job. The rest of this year we as a family will be looking for more ways to stretch our already limited budget.
I am going to have a hard time though explaining why Mr. Obama just held a birthday dinner in which the plates cost 35.8K when our family's meal was rice, carne guisada, and beans for less than $3 for the entire meal..... Just saying
11 comments:
Hi there! Good points about why the US is where it is! We must remember though that it has taken the US far longer to get into this mess than the three short years under Obama. All of the 'western world' has overspent for decades because we have felt we are invincible and we live in the land of Oz!
All our leaders need a wake-up call....but let's remember who put them there.
I didn't grow up in Canada, so my oldest daughter and I learned together during last election. We learned about the different political parties and what they stand for. This coming year she will learn about the government in more details, so guess who will be learning too?!!
It is difficult to see how these politicians spend the country's money while so many go hungry or with way less. That's a harsh reality that our kids end up learning too.
I didn't discuss anything like that with the first four. My youngest heard about it all the time and has an interest.
I hear you loud and clear. I think the big shots in the White House and government should "suck it up", too and cut back personally as well as for our country. Alot of us are already cutting back and what's good for the goose is good for the gander. Jim had some good points - I sure hope we Americans can vote some of those folks out of office next year. And yes, we've always talked to our kids about every subject under the sun. Since they've become and are becoming young adults, they are able to see alot more clearly as they are experiencing some of things that we've been talking about all these years. Example: my daughter in highschool was bent on shopping (with her own money) in certain stores and wouldn't be caught dead in a Walmart. Now, she buys garage sale clothes and shops sales and is very frugal. She took it upon herself to read Dave Ramsey books. She's 23 and telling me and her dad what we should be doing, too!
I couldn't agree more. We have a huge spending problem in our government! I for one think it was a good thing that the credit downgrade happened. I listened as to why that agency said they downgraded. They did it as a wake up call to the government that we are spending to much, while we are at odds doing it. That we will face these same issues yet again, and what will the answer be next time after another ugly non productive debate of pointing fingers as we just saw. No doubt they will continue to raise our debt limit ceiling until some how some way its put to an end and that could end not so pretty for the U.S. if that continues.
It should not be by cuts to U.S. citizens... Our government can run perfectly fine and take care of the U.S. and be out of debt if they choose to. They need to take a look at how the money is being spent! We cannot take care of the world!!! There is and always will be plenty of need around the world. But we have to start putting the U.S. first. We cannot police the world either! Someone needs to inform them of this! Their job is the U.S. first!!!! Until they realize this and stop acting as if we are the government/police of the world I don't know how they will ever get our budget back in order. That may sound cold but we simply cannot solve and fix every other countries problems while the US is falling apart at the seams!
I won't even get started on the constant bickering and divide our two party system is causing. Its simply a joke.
I don't understand why everyone cannot see this. We do not need a party system. We need a united for all system. Forget parties of any kind, forget pointing fingers! United we stand, divided we fall. Seems they could see this but no they cannot. Oh sorry I said I wouldn't get going on that LOL...
Hey Jim, I am thinking our hard core fiscal problems started back in the Reagan era. I do remember him being pro-military but, I also remember all the spending on the STARWARS initiative and then emptying of state mental hospitals to save monies. Weird the things a 20yr old remembers eh? Nice to see ya! Mal
Alex,
Just yesterday, I seen where the United States sent 100M to Somalia for aid of their 7M people. I am wagering that will include support personnel. IDK if they were militia but, I don't think anyone is paying attention to how much we actually give in aid to other countries. I just don't know what the acutal fix is for the United States. Thanks for commenting, Mal
Mrs. Sharon,
I did not teach the older three anything like I do with our youngest. Personally, I believe that was one of our biggest downfalls as parents to the older kids. I am thoroughly equipping Saenz and Zephyr because I don't have another 'hostile' parent to deal with. So happy you got some rain; I am so jealous.
Take care,
Mal
Vickie,
What chaps my hide is; our savings account only earns a miniscule amount of interest. While the banks are allowed to use 90 of every 100 dollars deposited to 'gamble' on making horrible loan decisions using our monies. Plus they are allowed to bet on defaults and such with our monies because they know they can use the FDIC insurance to incase they lose the monies we have deposited. Crazy right? Using a credit card to pay for high interest debt is not a sensible way to do business. Also GOOGLE Dead Peasants Insurance polices. There are many ways big corporations are using monies to edge up their own profits while middle, working poor, and the truly poor are barely scraping a living.
Nice to see you commenting by the way,
Mal
Texan,
If we actually look at the rating system. The US should be around the BBB or BB+ area. So I am not surprised at the down grade at all and was expecting it since early last year.
What I am most interested in is that; the Market tanked on Friday before the announcement of the S&P down-grade at 7 pm-ish. So, I am guessing there were some major inside trading going on; so the in the know peeps would not lose monies. Whilst the majority of folks are told not to pannick while you see your 401K dump 1-20% over a week.
LOL
Just amazes the heck out of me.
Girl, All I can say is I am pissed off too. I am just sick of the rich dominating the average citizen through trickery.
On another note: I did find this link interesting though. If you want to know if the company you work for participates in dead peasant policies on its employees.
http://deadpeasantinsurance.com/which-employers-bought-policies-on-the-lives-of-employees/
Thanks for commenting, chickie!
Mal
Excellent points.
Lana
www.FarmLifeLessons.blogspot.com
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