The State of Things

I briefly commented on this just a couple blogs ago, but I feel the need to say more.  Why?  I don't know.  Maybe I'm masochistic.

I’m not an expert of politics, the economy, or laws pertaining to such.  I’m a middle-classed, married mother of three (with one having already flown the nest).  I'm even a grandmother now at the ripe old age of 42.  :-\  I worked administratively for 16 years, mostly in the medical field, and have a couple years of college under my belt.  With the birth of my second child in '98, I chose to leave "the work force" and become a full-time mother ... a full-time job in itself!  (Who knew?)  These days, I can’t really call myself a “stay-at-home” mom because, I’m in the middle of a lot of volunteer and community efforts that rarely give me the opportunity to enjoy time at home.  But the reason I'm so involved is because I want to improve my community and encourage my neighbors to do the same.  I'd like to see the efforts infect all neighborhoods across the globe.  I live in a neighborhood full of mostly '20's craftsmans, but dotted with a few victorians and some occasional other styles.  Once upon a time, this was a bustling community with almost all necessities within walking distance.  There were at least two mom & pop groceries within one and three (short) blocks from my home, not to mention many other necessary businesses that helped complete the community.  All of the schools are even within walking distance (one of which is the very loved 1916 elementary school which I and my neighbors are trying to save).  What does all of this have to do with anything?  I am your everyday, ordinary average Jane. 

Now, onto my "average Jane" thoughts.  I rarely have my television on, but everywhere one turns, there's unavoidable daily banter of "the big three bail-out."  Just behind this, there's "big news" about major budget cuts that are affecting every level of government.  Because I've immersed myself in trying to save a very important part of my community (the school), and all I've come to learn about how negatively the loss of a good school can affect a neighborhood, not to mention working to create a neighborhood watch to decrease crime, along with a slew of other efforts, I can't help but think about ALL of these things together. 

Educationally, we (the U.S.) have been falling below the mark in comparison with the rest of the world.  This is nothing new ... it's been the case for quite some time ... and I guess that's how the "No Child Left Behind" act came about.  However, our country’s future successesdepend on our children of today (whether you're a parent or not) receiving stellar educations.  The kind of budget cuts that have been happening for a few years now - and that are assuredly to come - will not only halt our current mediocre educational system, but start an even faster decline to the quality of American’s education.  Education is the foundation of … everything. 

Also, in this kind of economic stress, crime sky-rockets.  People are stressed and have shorter fuses (can you even imagine road rage worsening?).  Others turn to theft while even more (than in the current population) will turn to chemical substances to numb themselves from their worries.  Then, we'll have those that will suffer more health concerns because there's no secret that stress promotes a number of health problems.

But, due to the declining economy, there are budget cuts across the nation that are drastically slashing our emergency services (causing great loss of manpower to police, fire and EMS), as well as to our already limited educational system.

So this brings me to the proverbial elephant in the room (of at least my own head).  In regards to the bailout to “The Big Three” – WHAT ARE THEY THINKING???

I understand the enormous impact and domino effect the failure of these companies would create, not only for the United States, but other countries, as well.  What I don’t understand is why we’re considering bailing-out (for-profit) companies that, due to their own irresponsibilities, have dug their own grave, when our country’s most important foundational structures that are most needed (schools, police, fire, EMS, etc.) are being crippled by these severe budget cuts.

Growing up, I was taught "you make your bed, you have to lie in it."  In other words, make responsible decisions or pay the consequences!  I'm a firm believer in tough love.  When my children make bad choices, I don't bail them out - - if I did, they'd never learn from their mistakes.  Therefore, I obviously don’t agree with bailing-out self-made victims.   Poor planning on their part should not constitute an emergency on our part.  How … why … have these too-large companies been allowed to get so big?  It’s one thing for a small mom & pop shop to fold.  We lose one pawn in a game of chess.  It’s quite another to lose a significant major piece such as a queen, as it will very likely lose the game.  But this was one of the reasons the Sherman Anti-Trust Act was specifically put into place over 100 years ago - - to prevent these types of long-reaching negative fall-outs from entirely too-large of companies!  So not only has "the big three" been irresponsible, so has the United States!  We've allowed these colossal companies to do as they please, which means "huge profits" at any cost (and at the cost of all of us!?).  This has not only depleted all of the "pawns," (a huge problem in and of itself) on the game board, but has also enabled them to move many of their game pieces to a completely different (less costly to them) game board - yet still play the game - affecting not only our own economy, but the economy of other countries as well when the game goes crashing to the floor.  Why? Why? Why???

I could be a little more sympathetic if this wasn't their fault.  But these auto industries in question have been struggling for several years, yet chose to ignore the warning signs and make responsible changes.  But there are auto industries out there that AREN'T failing because THEY have made responsible decisions and adjustments along the way. 

Unfortunately, this is where I falter.  I don’t have any magical suggestions to this dilemma anymore than the next guy (or gal).  But in my everyday life, when I’m doing something that isn’t working – I step outside of the box and try something completely different.  So maybe what we need to do as a country is not hand-over even one dollar to irresponsible parties, but take that same money and find a constructive way of creating beneficial and good industries to help bring jobs back to the United States.  Imagine if we returned to making 90% of our own toys rather than just 10% - how many jobs would that bring back?  What if Walmart brought all of their factories back into the U.S.? Then there are green industries that we truly need to jump into.  It seems like a no-brainer that bringing "industries" back into our own country would obviously create a good number of jobs, thus creating a "wash" for the job losses incurred by the fall of entirely too-big and too-irresponsible companies.

The other "problem" stems from the "gotta have it" and "have it now" people.  No credit?  No problem!  We don't care if you don't make enough money to pay for your heart's desire, just sign on the dotted line.  PEOPLE!!!  GET A FREAKIN' GRIP!!!  If you don't make enough to put back a savings to pay for something you want, how do you think you're going to be able to pay for the credit card or loan payment PLUS INTEREST?!?  The media keeps hyping how credit is the root of the economy.  Huh????  Our country existed for 150 years without credit cards!  Home and property loans were also granted (or denied) by your neighborhood banker who also knew you because you BOTH lived in the SAME COMMUNITY - where your reputation meant something.  If you were new to the community, or young and just starting out, then your well-known parent or other responsible party (who taught you to be responsible as well) *might* co-sign for you.  What happened to those days?  Oh yeah ... entirely too big monopolies, loss of community, and loss of parents teaching their children how to manage money.

*sighs*

Again, I’m not very knowledgeable on these issues, and I'm kind of blonde, too - maybe I just don't "get it."  But from where I sit, I am genuinely perplexed.  To me, I don't see this as rocket science - I see it as a disassociation from "the basics."

*edited to add*

I'd also like to comment on the unions.  Unions, once upon a time, were a GREAT thing.  I have a couple family members who great benefited, fairly, from unions a couple decades ago.  However, the pendulum has swung entirely too far and what was once a fair and protective organization, has gotten way out of hand.  We just went through a horrible negotiation process between our school board and our teachers' union.  In the end, all teachers received an equal and across the board raise.  I do not deny that they deserved a raise, as they hadn't had one in about three years.  However, I do take issue with job performance not coming into play.  As great as it would be if all teachers were identical in their abilities and efforts, they're all individuals and should be treated as such - thereby receiving raises according to job performance appraisals.  So this is why I do not support the unions of today.