Many of us have realized the necessity of paying down our debt, cutting out excessive spending–some of us are even trimming unnecessary spending (voluntarily or otherwise). We’re doing this because reality has caught up with us.

They want to save us, and that’s a nice sentiment—but we’re in a burning building and they’re drowning us in debt in their effort to put out the fire with spending!

Why can’t they see that they’re not helping us? I don’t believe we’ll ever get to a stable economy or reach any kind of equilibrium as long as the government is trying to take over the role of individuals as consumer, spending money we don’t have.

The problem I see is that we, as citizen’s of the United States, haven’t forced the government to make the kinds of cuts businesses and individuals are being forced to make. Layoff? Pay reductions? Not the federal government!

I’m an independent voter, but I tend to like more democrats than republicans. I’ve voted democratic in every presidential election so far, but I always mix it up when it comes to state and local politics. But–I’m not a fan of big government no matter who’s in charge.

Just the other day I was watching a news program and heard that most federal employees are being paid more than double that of someone working in the private sector for the same job. I wish I could find a link to an article about this, but I couldn’t dig one up.  Regardless of the truth of that statement, I think government needs to shrink, and shrink big!

Stupidity multiplied is doom to the nth power.

Here are some of what I believe are fundamental problems with current society and government:

• Too many laws
• Too many loopholes in those laws
• Too many lines in the tax code
• Too many federal employees who make too much money versus comparable non-government jobs
• Too many frivolous lawsuits are allowed into the judicial system
• Too much influence for lobbyists and special interest groups
• Too many elected officials run for office only to get their own agendas passed (whether or not it’s in the best interest of the voting public)
• Too many people think debt shouldn’t have to be paid back just because “lender’s are evil” (Signed contract despite iffy terms–stupid individual. I’ve fallen into this category enough times to be embarrassed to admit it. When you want something bad enough, you’re willing to sell your soul to get it, but later “the lender did it to me.” I’m not always as hard-line about this as it sounds. When a lender verbally promises one thing and a contract says another, they should be held responsible and the debtee should be given the best deal of the two–verbal agreements should be as binding as paper agreements–but this is from someone who actually thinks meaning what you say is fundamental to your honor and integrity.)
• Too few people mean what they say
• Too few people honor their agreements if it hurts them to do so
• Too few people value honor and integrity
• Too few people think of anyone else before themselves

I could go on and on, but I’m afraid I’m boring you. This is one of those posts I just felt I had to write, and I hope it’s given you something to think about. Feel free to leave comments or questions.