So I was catching up on some reading of the blogs I follow. One blog I recently started following is Diane Medved’s “Searching for Bright Light“. Mrs. Medved is a psychologist (I think, Mr. Medved usually introduces her as “Dr. Diane Medved”) and wife of radio talk show host Michael Medved. I enjoy her wit, her insight and her perspective.
(which causes me to comment, David Boze, another local radio guy has his wife on occasionally and I would love to read her blog, if she had one! She’s great, but I supposed both of these women have to be, being married to whom they’re married.)
In the post I was reading, Dr. Medved was talking about taxes and the capping of CEO’s salaries. Recently I’ve discussed with friends the stimulus package and other things about taxes (I still cannot believe how much we will probably owe and how much we’ll need to set aside for next year). Dr. Medved’s comment stuck out to me – she said, “We must remember that government is an “it” and has no money of its own–just what it coerces under penalty of imprisonment from its citizens.” This is so true! In my discussions with people I’ve said that – the stimulus money is not the government’s – it’s OURS!! They’re just giving it out to “more deserving” people.
all that to say, I really wish the government would just let us keep our own money and let us stimulate the economy ourselves. In the article Dr. Medved was reading, the CEO employed tutors, nannies, and drivers. He also went to expensive restaurants, which employed people; bought expensive clothes, which required special people to make them; had a house in the Hampton’s which required a real estate agent, bankers and people to keep it clean; and did other things with his money that help the economy. He did all this with only 1/2 of his $500K/year, because the government took the other half! Imagine what he could do if he’d had all his money to spend.
Sometimes I think the government just wants to punish people for working hard and achieving the American dream. A friend of mine said it used to be you worked hard to get the American dream and now people want it handed to them right now. Jeff said the American dream used to be more about working hard to get what you wanted, not just getting what you wanted. I think we have become a selfish nation, one that believes everyone owes us something and gosh darn it, they’d better give it to us. I don’t know if that is the whole nation, though, or just a small, but outspoken minority.
What do YOU think?
(seems a silly question to ask, since no one ever reads this, but what the hay. now I sound like my Dad.)
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