I publish a number of blogs, most of which are centered on methods of living life within our means- trying to take a common sense approach to achieving a life of balance and efficiency, for ourselves and even future generations. There are lots of tried and true tips out there, ideas that worked in the past, ideas that have been tweaked to work for decades henceforth. Knowing that I could chip away at the trials and tribulations of navigating such a dynamic world with such measly means, makes me happy enough and gives me hope.
Then, I sit down to my computer (earlier this week by the time this gets published,) and see:
The Working Class Has Sacrificed Enough! It’s Time The Wealthy Pay Up
Gong Show Government and the End of the World
It's the Inequality, Stupid
All of a sudden, my calm, coupon cutting acceptance of the fact that, while I may never wipe my ass with silk toilet paper, I can be contented with a roof over my head and full bellies around the dinner table, turns into chicken little-esque screaming, in the virtual streets of my Facebook news feed, sensationalist, panicked lyrics from Les Miserables!
At this moment, all I feel is fear! Fear that the economy will indeed recover, but never for me. I get conspiracy theorist seeing articles like:
Plutocracy Reborn
Ex-State Department spokesman: WikiLeaks, New York Times did the same thing
Budget Deal Needed To Avoid Spending Train Wreck, Government Shutdown
But the truth is that while they aren’t conspiracy theorist, I certainly wish they were. I am certain, at this point in my disintegration, that the world ending 2012 is not literal, the Earth will not implode or explode, but that the world as we once knew it will indeed be gone. I am convinced that none of us can probably even remember the last time we voted for someone to represent us based on the fact that we knew in our heart that they had integrity. I decide that maybe it’s really not worth busting my ass to try to break even, cause it’s not going to matter in the end. I want to take my family, drop off the grid, go to some deserted island or some obscure side of a mountain and live off the land. I don’t want my children to live in such inequity. I don’t want them to know want or have needs that aren’t addressed. I am mother lion at this point. I don’t have the heart to tell my happy with today husband about the world falling apart when he’s not looking. I don’t want to break the news to my parents, who have spent decades working hard and saving their modest income, that it was all for nothing. “I will not go quietly in the night and I will not vanish without a fight!” (Haha, that was a tweaked quote from Independence Day, I substituted my “I”s for the “We”s.) I am ready, there is no longer time for patient acquiescence- I will rally my working class friends and we will prepare our barricade!!!
But, then I stop. Is that what “they” want us to do? Do “they,” with their ridiculous mounds of money from a life spent in public office or building giant corporations that don’t pay taxes, want us to rise up, only so that they can stomp us out for good? Then, I resign myself, maybe there is no point? IS there a way out?
I revisit the world of the rational for a moment. The only thing I can logically think of that MIGHT help set things straight would be term limits. We would have to somehow get it as a national referendum- is that even possible? With term limits, WE the People can stomp out career politicians that make choices in the best interests of everyone, but the working class folks. We can vote for a candidate, with both the candidate and ourselves knowing full well, that by the time the term of office is over, the candidate will absolutely be returning to the ranks of the rest of us schmucks- working for a living. With no term limits, there would be no pensions to be paid, no need for focusing on re-election. Serving the public would become a temp job. It would be a way to serve the country by trying to make it better. The offices would be served with the knowledge that the compensation would be equal to the median salary of the constituency. So, if the average Joe in So and So’s district makes $30K a year, without gas mileage comps or healthcare benefits, then so would So and So. How about that for ensuring empathy? How about we level the playing field, create a real life round table around which Knights and (what? Dames?) can sit and make choices that will benefit We the People. A round table where no one, save the President, maybe, has seniority that bullies any freshmen representatives, cause they are all fresh (wo)MEN that are eager to make good choices (like I prompt my preschoolers) and know how to hit the ground running.
And maybe, just maybe, our representatives will actually take their duties seriously , in accordance with the principles set forth by the revolutionaries that helped shape this nation of United States. Maybe the poor and the working class will, once again have a fighting chance at actually pursuing and achieving life, liberty and happiness.
As I write this, I truly feel I have a better chance of winning the coveted big lottery jackpot. My thoughts drift to that time a couple of months ago when all the animals were inexplicably dying at the exact time that Wikileaks was releasing earth shattering documents. Coincidence? I am weary. I can’t remember the last time I have felt confident in any truth that has been offered to me. I can’t remember the last time I wasn’t pissed off when I voted for the lesser of however many evils.
At this point, my five year old little boy comes into the room and gives me a big hug with an even bigger smile. It’s not his fault he was born into this horrific mess, but it is my job to protect him from it. We are in an age of entitlement, and we have been for far too long. Isn’t that how things were right before Rome began its descent? The great thing about the economic disparity is that, because there are so few at the top, the rest of us bottom feeders have the numbers on our side. I don’t advocate violence, by any means, but there are a lot of ways to fight back, and I think it’s time that we Americans remember what it means to fight for something that we hold dear to our hearts. Egypt did it, and something tells me we can, too.
But until then? Back to clipping coupons.
Then, I sit down to my computer (earlier this week by the time this gets published,) and see:
The Working Class Has Sacrificed Enough! It’s Time The Wealthy Pay Up
Gong Show Government and the End of the World
It's the Inequality, Stupid
All of a sudden, my calm, coupon cutting acceptance of the fact that, while I may never wipe my ass with silk toilet paper, I can be contented with a roof over my head and full bellies around the dinner table, turns into chicken little-esque screaming, in the virtual streets of my Facebook news feed, sensationalist, panicked lyrics from Les Miserables!
At this moment, all I feel is fear! Fear that the economy will indeed recover, but never for me. I get conspiracy theorist seeing articles like:
Plutocracy Reborn
Ex-State Department spokesman: WikiLeaks, New York Times did the same thing
Budget Deal Needed To Avoid Spending Train Wreck, Government Shutdown
But the truth is that while they aren’t conspiracy theorist, I certainly wish they were. I am certain, at this point in my disintegration, that the world ending 2012 is not literal, the Earth will not implode or explode, but that the world as we once knew it will indeed be gone. I am convinced that none of us can probably even remember the last time we voted for someone to represent us based on the fact that we knew in our heart that they had integrity. I decide that maybe it’s really not worth busting my ass to try to break even, cause it’s not going to matter in the end. I want to take my family, drop off the grid, go to some deserted island or some obscure side of a mountain and live off the land. I don’t want my children to live in such inequity. I don’t want them to know want or have needs that aren’t addressed. I am mother lion at this point. I don’t have the heart to tell my happy with today husband about the world falling apart when he’s not looking. I don’t want to break the news to my parents, who have spent decades working hard and saving their modest income, that it was all for nothing. “I will not go quietly in the night and I will not vanish without a fight!” (Haha, that was a tweaked quote from Independence Day, I substituted my “I”s for the “We”s.) I am ready, there is no longer time for patient acquiescence- I will rally my working class friends and we will prepare our barricade!!!
But, then I stop. Is that what “they” want us to do? Do “they,” with their ridiculous mounds of money from a life spent in public office or building giant corporations that don’t pay taxes, want us to rise up, only so that they can stomp us out for good? Then, I resign myself, maybe there is no point? IS there a way out?
I revisit the world of the rational for a moment. The only thing I can logically think of that MIGHT help set things straight would be term limits. We would have to somehow get it as a national referendum- is that even possible? With term limits, WE the People can stomp out career politicians that make choices in the best interests of everyone, but the working class folks. We can vote for a candidate, with both the candidate and ourselves knowing full well, that by the time the term of office is over, the candidate will absolutely be returning to the ranks of the rest of us schmucks- working for a living. With no term limits, there would be no pensions to be paid, no need for focusing on re-election. Serving the public would become a temp job. It would be a way to serve the country by trying to make it better. The offices would be served with the knowledge that the compensation would be equal to the median salary of the constituency. So, if the average Joe in So and So’s district makes $30K a year, without gas mileage comps or healthcare benefits, then so would So and So. How about that for ensuring empathy? How about we level the playing field, create a real life round table around which Knights and (what? Dames?) can sit and make choices that will benefit We the People. A round table where no one, save the President, maybe, has seniority that bullies any freshmen representatives, cause they are all fresh (wo)MEN that are eager to make good choices (like I prompt my preschoolers) and know how to hit the ground running.
And maybe, just maybe, our representatives will actually take their duties seriously , in accordance with the principles set forth by the revolutionaries that helped shape this nation of United States. Maybe the poor and the working class will, once again have a fighting chance at actually pursuing and achieving life, liberty and happiness.
As I write this, I truly feel I have a better chance of winning the coveted big lottery jackpot. My thoughts drift to that time a couple of months ago when all the animals were inexplicably dying at the exact time that Wikileaks was releasing earth shattering documents. Coincidence? I am weary. I can’t remember the last time I have felt confident in any truth that has been offered to me. I can’t remember the last time I wasn’t pissed off when I voted for the lesser of however many evils.
At this point, my five year old little boy comes into the room and gives me a big hug with an even bigger smile. It’s not his fault he was born into this horrific mess, but it is my job to protect him from it. We are in an age of entitlement, and we have been for far too long. Isn’t that how things were right before Rome began its descent? The great thing about the economic disparity is that, because there are so few at the top, the rest of us bottom feeders have the numbers on our side. I don’t advocate violence, by any means, but there are a lot of ways to fight back, and I think it’s time that we Americans remember what it means to fight for something that we hold dear to our hearts. Egypt did it, and something tells me we can, too.
But until then? Back to clipping coupons.
I just stumbled across your blog while reading comments on my blog's FB page. Very nice work. I'm going to feature this article on there now.
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