Keeping it real...economy!

"Times are tough!"

We are all hearing that practically everywhere we go.  Our country's economic woes have seeped into every crack and crevice of our daily lives.  Talk of shedding jobs, low growth, mortgage defaults, and water tight credit fill our conversations whether at home with family or out on the streets amongst friends.  The new administration is touting its Stimulus Package which in their words is aimed at jump starting the economy and creating jobs by injecting massive government spending and feather weight tax cuts.  As the package makes its way through the motions of Congress the real economy waits....

There's something perverse about a nation in which nearly 3/4 of our wealth is measured in our volume of consumption.  How did we get here?  How did we prioritize the acquisition of goods and services as the locomotive of our economy?  How did we allow a country's coffers to run dry only to live off of massive debt in the hands of another?  How did we continue to do this over decades and decades and expect this way of living to be sustainable?  Did my father's generation or his father's not think that this party might one day run dry?  What about the new generation of Americans who, if a new system is not created, will only read about Social Security in the history books?

Don't get me wrong, the fundamental ideas behind capitalism and market forces are powerful and capable of producing positive results for our society if harnessed and adapted the right way.  However, the utterly gut wrenching and sickening greed pervasive up and down Wall Street must come to an end.  How does it feel as a tax payer to have these out of touch, fat cat, selfish group of egotistical low life "gamblers" stuff their pockets with exorbitant bonuses on your dime as Washington continues to proclaim that their survival is paramount for the prosperity and stability of our economy?!

Surely there must be a more sustainable way to create innovation, prosperity, increases in social welfare and quality of life!

As income distribution continues to widen, our infrastructure crumbles under the weight of neglect and education becomes a luxury I put stock in the new administration to do the right thing.  "Change," "Hope," and "Yes we can" were catchy and inspiring slogans but the tires need to meet the road and no clever campaign slogan can replace visible action and progress!  I am willing and able to do my part to build a more balanced life for myself, my loved ones, and future generations of Americans....are you?!