The nation is careening over the fiscal cliff like Thelma and Louise in a final desperate act as they flee from the law. Unfortunately for you and I, our elected leaders are not fleeing from the law but from responsibility. And in the end, it will be the taxpayers that are left in the mangled wreckage of our solons inability to shoulder their responsibility.
At this late stage, the best anyone can hope for is a continuation of the present system for a short period of time to give Republicans and Democrats more time to negotiate. If that happens, does anyone believe we will not be in this same position at the next deadline?
Know that on January 1, every taxpayer in this country is going to face a significant tax hike. The estimate is an average of $4,000 per family.
And as much as Washington talks about "raising revenue" ( which is politi-speak for raising your taxes), there is no serious discussion about cutting spending. That has to be part of the equation- a substantial part- if we are ever going to get our country on solid financial footing.
When you listen to the heated rhetoric and all the talk over the next few days, keep these facts in mind: we have run an annual deficit of over $1 trillion for each of the past 4 years; our national debt is now $16 trillion; and and now Washington is considering raising the debt ceiling again to increase our deficits and national debt.
Friends, the lunacy of this is simply that Washington cannot control their spending, and no amount of taxation or confiscation of our wealth is going to remedy the problem. Until there is serious discussion about curtailing out of control spending, there will be no progress made toward getting our country on the road to financial health. And more importantly, every year, Washington will greedily eye more of your money to continue their profligate ways.
So as we close out the year, I would tell you not to get discouraged, even in the face of these dire circumstances. Stay engaged in the process. Be a happy warrior and fight the good fight against the nonsense that is happening in Washington. Effecting change will require all of us to be involved, and most importantly, not just at the national level, but at the state and local level as well.
This is going to be a painful period, far worse than the presidency of Jimmy Carter, and I didn't think that possible. We will all feel the impact of the ineptitude from Washington. Our wallets will suffer. Yet we will get through it. It will be more difficult than it should be, and it will take more time, but we will do what we have always done as a nation.
We will persevere.
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We bid farewell to our kibble focused dog that has graced the header of these Friday blogs. Look for a new mascot for 2013 next week.
Thank you to all who have graciously taken time to read the blog. Your support is very much appreciated, and readership continues to grow because of your kindness.
As 2013 unfolds, my wish for all of you is that the year holds many joys and blessings; that you find wonder in daily living; and that each of us can lift up a fellow traveler on the journey.
And that, my friends, is my view.
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