In These Trying Times

I have to state that this current financial crisis has not really affected my wife and I. Of course expenses are up but we deal and nothing has changed. Perhaps maybe we don't eat out as much or take as many weekend getaways or as many vacations. And for the most part none of our friends and associates have been hit hard either. From what I can gather we are a part of bubble group who don't have a lot of money but our incomes have not been affected.

Taxes I will admit is something I don't pay a lot of attention to. All I know is that no matter who is in office our money is taxed to death. I make it and it is taxed, I spend it and they tax the spending of it, I save it and they tax the saving of it. We are in this group which still receives a refund each year and happy to get some of our money back. And the stimulus last year was a real blessing to us even though we knew it was our money in the first place.

So when Obama talks of a tax cut for our group I'm cool with it and feel no empathy for the top 5%. Especially upon doing research and seeing how so many have offshore accounts and hide their money in foreign banks. I don't see them as caring about us. Having been a part of the legal department of corporate America and dealing with the board members, believe me, they could give a shit about the rest of us. Their bottom line is about what goes into their pockets.

It amazes me that even after seeing exactly how little these financial institutions and their officers care about us, even as we give them our money, I am honestly amazed to see some still defend them. And even after all that has happened some still complain about someone anyone placing stringent regulations on their dealings. The government has been and always will be what it is. I have lived under both administrations numerous times and for me at least there is basically no difference. My life is my life and the government has actually made no difference in my quality of life or the way I live it.

Hell, I've got all that I need, a lot of what I want, a little money in the bank, good credit that I don't need to use in any significant amount, and very little debt. As for what my grandchildren will inherit, the best I can do for them is to teach them to live life on life's terms. We don't control nothing and never have. You play the hand you're dealt and try to play it well. The way the world is, what I know they will inherit, is a world at war. So the best thing I can do for them is to give them a warrior's spirit, because two chances to one, we will be at war with someone and our grandchildren will have to fight it. So yes I am skeptical but also aware of my REALITY.

I believe in the middle class, and not those top 5% and like I said, so many of them are not putting the money back into our economy. I pay my taxes no matter what but they take tax shelters in the Cayman's and the Bank of Lithuania. There is a big investigation going on right now regarding them. And I don't begrudge them what they have, as a matter of fact, I wouldn't mind being in their shoes, but to mourn their tax burden is not in me.

As for those who are suffering in this economy, of course I feel for them, but what exactly am I to do? Brother and Sisters I have been at a point to where I had nothing. I have lived in one room. I've had a hoopty where I had to keep my foot on the gas and brake at the same time to keep it from stalling at a red light. But I survived and things got better and that had nothing to do with the government whatsoever.

We are Americans, we are strong, and we will ride this out. Survival of the fittest once again comes into play. You must agree that probably no one who took office under these circumstances would be any better along now and as I said, my life has been my life under numerous administrations. In all honesty my best times financially has been under one Republican in Nixon and one Democrat in Clinton. The rest of the time it has been just riding the wave.

Again, for the rest of those who are hurting in these difficult times, they too will just have to ride it out, until this wave passes. And just using my life experience, this too shall pass, and we will move forward. This is just my thought but in my thinking everyone is wanting everything fixed not now but RIGHT NOW! It was a process getting in this mess and it will be a process to get out of it. You may not think the President is headed in the right direction but many Americans disagree with you. As for me, hell I don't know and am willing to do as I've always done, which is ride the wave. So we will see, but come what may, we are going to have to deal with it. And yes I am BLESSED and don't apologize for that bubble being granted to me at this time.

I've always been one of the most laid back fellows you could ever meet and live life on life's terms. I can honestly say that I have been broke and happy at the same time. And again, I don't know how, but I just believe things are going to work out, turn around, get better for me, America and all of its people. That at my core is who I am.