Friday I had a flashback to the 1970s. People were lined up to buy gas all over my hometown. Some stations ran out of gas. Prices went up hour by the hour. I got gas at a convenient store that wasn’t very busy at all. In fact, they seemed happy to see me. One of the owners came out and asked me if I wanted to fill up. Two Asians guys ran the store. If I have to pay through the nose to fill my car up, at least I chose a place that seemed to appreciate my business. As I was pulling out, more cars were pulling in. I wonder if they got treated as well as I did? All this gas business was over the hurricane, Ike, that hadn’t even hit
Of course the news has been all over this story. People have complained. Subpoenas were served on gas stations owners who were gouging customers by our attorney general on Monday. News stories covered or tried to cover how much gas really cost. Come on, did they really think anyone was going to share that information? Bottom line- Americans, myself included, are going to pay the price, until we run out of the money to do so. I’m lucky. Things are tight for me because my husband is the only one working right now but we are able to get by. Some people are not so lucky.
I know there are people who have to make some hard decisions. Not only are gas prices high but so are food prices, medical cost, well, just about everything is going up. We learned yesterday no one is safe from going under. Big companies that have been in business for years are going under. I heard a financial professor at a local college tell a news reporter that things are going to change. It is going back to the way things were in the 1970s.
Oh, Lord. That was the energy crisis. High prices. People being priced out of the housing market and losing jobs. Wait a second that is what is happening now. I think we may need to look further back in history. Back to the 1930s. Think about the roaring 20s when everyone lived high and on credit. Sounds like how we live now, doesn’t it? Will the government allow another depression? Are we as strong as our great grandparents or grand parents? Let’s hope we don’t have to find out.
3 comments:
I can't help but wonder, why is it that the "government" is "allowing" a depression, when it's INDIVIDUALs making horrific choices (living on credit, like you described) that caused the economic problem? It always comes back down to everyday people and their choices that cause these upheavals. The government didn't force anyone to spend more than they made, why is the government responsible for their spending?
Your thoughts?
My thoughts? Well, the government is bailing out companies out who made all these loans that they knew couldn't be paid back. By doing that, they got into the business of controlling the economics situation. How many companies can the government bail out? Then you get to the individuals who were given the credit in the first place. The government is already helping out on mortgages. Did these people think they'd never have to pay them? Of course they did. Mortgage companies were assuring them they'd be able to re-finance before the high interest kicked in.
The government isn't responsible for the choices people made. It's just the fact that the government thinks they are responsible, especially since the people they are helping give them money and keep them in office.
I've had a hard time even finding a gas station around here that still has gas...and the ones that have it are charging whatever they want. I have no choice - I will have to pay it because I have less than 1/4 of a tank left. I have a small car and it's costing me $45 to fill up. That's a big chunk of money when you don't have a job.
I'm living on unemployment and child support. I applied for help at our local DHS office and guess what? I make too much money. I also have assets that can be liquidated (my home and my car, neither of which I could sell for what I owe on them), but the state doesn't care. I was told "come back when your unemployment runs out or your ex stops paying his child support". Have a nice day.
I want to know what has happened to the America I grew up in? Where is the job stability and company loyalty that my dad had working for the same company for 35 years? My parents didn't buy anything unless they had the cash to do it. And if you did use a credit card, you paid it off when the bill came in. People took responsibilities for their own actions, not blame society, the government, schools, their parents, etc.
My son is blaming me for losing my job and putting us in this precarious financial position. It doesn't matter to him that I was laid off due to lack of work. All he cares about is that Mom isn't bringing home a paycheck anymore and it's putting a crimp in his lifestyle. I'm an embarrassment to him.
Luckily, my daughter, since she is homeschooled, sees how hard I'm looking and understands that we have to change our lifestyle to live on all that money the state says I make.
I fear for the future of this country. I fear for the quality of life my kids will have.
I just hope that whoever makes it into the White House can do something to fix the mess we're in.
Sorry...I didn't think my comment would be so long.
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