Are You Stimulated

An economist I'm not. Understanding the infinite layers of the political onion and how each of those layers may or may not affect my day-to-day life — not so much.

What I think is that there can't possibly be just one villain to blame for the current state of our economy.

Damn AIG! Those no good thieves ruined our economy, stole our money, and are living the high-life. Really? I cannot force myself to believe that one company, no matter how big or poorly managed could have possibly put us in the state we find ourselves in today. Should the AIG execs have been given their bonuses? Perhaps we shouldn't be so quick to take up the torches.

I recently read the resignation letter of Jake DeSantis as it was published in the New York Times. He makes quite a compelling case that not only should his bonus have been paid, but maybe we should all calmdown a little and take a breath.

How quickly we forget the record setting profits made by oil companies in 2007 while gas prices were at all time highs. This I related to directly. This took money right out of my wallet. This caused me to realign my budget with what my "needs" were. I needed to get to work, therefore needed to pay $100.00 - $120.00 every two weeks to get there. This was when I noticed the economy taking a nose-dive. Well before I know anything of the housing market. All I knew was that weirdo Canadian money was worth more than ours.

I don't know about you, but when I hear about the Government bailing someone out, it just doesn't register. It all seems a bit theoretical. I figure a bunch of money I'll never see is going to be wasted somewhere. A "Bridge to Nowhere", flight allotments to hunt wolves from planes, saving a tree or owl I've never seen of heard of. The new style of waste seems to be bailing out companies run by people so out of touch with people like me there is no reasonable expectation for them to even try.

Here's What You Do
Actually ask yourself who cares? Do you, really? I feel like I should care, but upon honest self reflection I can admit that I just don't. Dollars-to-Dounuts if the "news" stopped harping on it everyone would stop caring, kind of like the war. Is that still going on? There are real things to be upset about. There are actual things that we can have some say in. Local and State governmnets are all to dysfunctional for us to assume that bellyaching will be cause enough for change on a national scale. If social justice and the good of the common man are your thing, take a look around your city or town. I'll bet you could find something or someone that you could really help.

By the way, just filled up, $2.06 , it was $1.89 two days ago.