Posted on 09/20/2008 1:28:16 PM PDT by Maelstorm
I’ve learned most of life’s lessons the hard way, always have. I once joined a really cool health spa when I was in college earning $55.00 a week. I soon realized that I couldn’t afford to belong to a really cool health spa and was reminded of it every month for almost two years as I wrote checks I couldn’t afford to write until my obligation to the not-so-understanding owners of the really cool health spa were paid in full. That was stupid, but I learned from it.
I once gave a friend of mine $4000.00 dollars to invest in a “can’t miss” real estate plan. It was can’t miss and so complicated I didn’t even understand how the deal worked. I’ve never seen the $4000.00 or all the profit my friend assured me I’d see. That was stupid, but I learned from it. I’ve not seen that friend much since then.
Now, our elected officials are considering a 3-billion dollar bailout for people who are in danger of having their home mortgages go into foreclosure because it turned out that they couldn’t afford the loans, the monthly payments and certainly couldn’t afford the penalties that came with failing to make their payments. The 3-billion dollar bailout will also fund the banks and lenders who made loans to the people who couldn’t afford them in the first place. The banks and lending companies in many cases knew they were making loans that were at the very least risky. They made bad loans and the people who took out the loans either didn’t know or didn’t believe they’d be unable to pay their mortgages.
I really believe there are folks who have never connected the dots between government bailout and their own wallets. There are folks who believe that the government is this independent entity that has its own money and can pay for things we can’t pay for. The money for this bailout and all government bailouts come from you and me, if you pay taxes. It’s our money; the government doesn’t have any money that they don’t get from us.
I’m not anti-tax, not at all. I’ve paid a lot of taxes for a lot of years and I’m glad to. I’m glad my tax money is spent to build roads and bridges. I’m glad my tax money is spent to feed hungry children who come from poor families or families where parents fail to feed them themselves. I want to pay taxes for our military and our park system and police agencies that actually serve and protect and solve crimes. What I don’t want to do is pay the mortgage for people who buy homes they can’t afford. I’ve lived in several apartments in my time, not because I love thin walls and no yard, but because at the time I couldn’t afford to buy a home. Sure, everyone wants to own their own home, but how about saving some money, make more money until you get to where you can qualify for a legitimate home loan that barring illness or unemployment you can afford. I hesitate to mention personal responsibility because I know how it is generally looked down upon.
Do you know how much money 3-billion dollars is. I don’t, but it looks like this…. $3,000,000,000.00. It’s billion with a B and its money that could be spent more wisely. Spending billions to bail out bad decision making by large lenders and individuals is simply a bad idea. It never dawned on me that the government (taxpayers) would fix my dumb mistakes in the past, and I promise not to come calling when I make my next stupid decision…………. And make it I will.
Well, Gosh!
You remind me of the teacher who grades a paper that is brilliant and the only response is, “OOOps, no comma there, and that line is a little crooked and the margin should be wider, and oh, How could you mispell that owrd?”
give it a break. I will say it over and over.
REAGEN IS DEAD.
BUSH IS NOT RUNNING FOR ELECTION.
THIS IS 2008.
BTW, if you really want sovereignty...just go for isolationism and vote for ron Paul. Oh, I forgot. 9-11 kinda destroyed that idea.
8 generations? My ancestors were on the Mayflower. I have eaten in, and slept in three of my ancestral homes in New Hampshire and Vermont. So I doubt that your family has survived more than mine has.
My grandfathers fought with George Washington in Valley Forge, the War of l812, and the Spanish American War. My people have been leaders in every generation, fine, Christian people who, for the most part, have loved and served their country well.
If you don’t see eye to eye with me, perhaps you haven’t read the same books that I have. Perhaps you also have not watched this coming for the past 50 years as I have done.
I understand that personal attacks are not encouraged on Free Republic. So rather than go that route, why don’t you give us your ideas on what HAS brought this bad kettle of fish about?
Wow! Nit-picking big-time! Save your wrath for someone who deserves it.
Though I worked hard for Ronald Reagan, I had to hold my nose to vote for globalist George W. Bush, just as I could not vote for Daddy the second time around. But I couldn’t bear Gore or Kerry.
I am an American. What are you?
By the way, I, too, am all for standing up for our allies.
Too bad is seems you can’t even be bothered to read my response to you (correctly) and I really don’t care if you were personally a signer of the declaration of independence, or even the maga carta for that matter.
Even the best can be brainwashed, or lead down a dark path. It is where you seem to be.
I don't agree with President Bush on all issues, but he has had to surmount some enormous crises. I applaud his devotion in some of the most important issues. Just think..we could have been blessed with Kerry during these turbulent times.
The MSM has lost all credibility in my world (not that they ever had much.)But I fear they control this country. It's not a new thing. I read that during WWII the Chicago paper of the time decided to publish that we had broken the Japanese “code” after the battle of Midway because the owner of the paper hated FDR. The Japanese coincidentally changed there code language. And let us not forget Rathergate.
Under the circumstances, I don't think W has done a bad job at all.
Please excuse my typo, but my macular degeneration has gotten much worse the past few months.
The things I listed in post 76 are GWB’s policies.
You call this dissonance. I call it illustrating my point.
My ‘formal’ education came to an end when I became a wife and mother in the early l950’s. They didn’t brainwash students in school until after I was out of school. Those were the days! :)
Your reasoned post so surpasses my rantings. ha.
you have a balanced view of the impossibility of being perfect in Bush’ position, especially since he ..even as Pres...has very very limited power.
What on earth are you talking about?
Basically, it's the nation's fault for letting US government do this.
It's now our task to educate WHY it was wrong to congressionally force such disastrous policies and expose exactly WHO is to blame (other than the voters who elected the leadership).
Since there is so much interest in this subject, everyone will want to know every juicy detail.
Give it all and we'll see just how smart the voters are in the November elections. I think conservatives will win by a giant landslide since conservatives have been barking about this for years. Since Bush and Administration has covered the debt, it will draw a lot of sympathetic attention from those who owe a lot.
BTW, here's the Gospel Reading for September 18, 2008 (very timely for today's situation):
A certain Pharisee invited Jesus to dine with him,
and he entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table.
Now there was a sinful woman in the city
who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee.
Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment,
she stood behind him at his feet weeping
and began to bathe his feet with her tears.
Then she wiped them with her hair,
kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment.
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself,
“If this man were a prophet,
he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him,
that she is a sinner.”
Jesus said to him in reply,
“Simon, I have something to say to you.”
“Tell me, teacher,” he said.
“Two people were in debt to a certain creditor;
one owed five hundred days’ wages and the other owed fifty.
Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both.
Which of them will love him more?”
Simon said in reply,
“The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven.”
He said to him, “You have judged rightly.”
Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon,
“Do you see this woman?
When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet,
but she has bathed them with her tears
and wiped them with her hair.
You did not give me a kiss,
but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered.
You did not anoint my head with oil,
but she anointed my feet with ointment.
So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven;
hence, she has shown great love.
But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.”
He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
The others at table said to themselves,
“Who is this who even forgives sins?”
But he said to the woman,
“Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
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