Monday, May 25, 2009

Money Trouble? Its Your Own Fault

I saw this headline for an article by Liz Pulliam Weston, a writer for MSN Money and just had to read it.

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SavingandDebt/LearnToBudget/MoneyTroubleItsYourOwnFault.aspx?page=2

In the article, the author pretty much comes out and tells people to quit whining about this or that causing your financial problems and to take responsibility for them. She notes that on the MSN message board that she often sees people writing "I should be living better than this," as they complain that the high cost of living is at fault for their woes. Finally, she provides a list of decisions that people make that directly affect their financial situation. Ask yourself - did you:

- Spend more than you made?
- Fail to have a rainy day fund?
- Try to get by with too little insurance?
- Fail to pay attention to the terms of the loan you were getting?
- Figure "something will work out" rather than having a plan?
- Procrastinate dealing with an issue until it became a big problem?

I would just love to shove this list up the a** of every person in Congress and every stinking state legislator in every state that is having financial problems, because I know the answer to every one of those questions. "Figure something will work out rather than having a plan" ought be the name of that ridiculous stimulus bill if it was an honest attempt by Congress to get the economy on track rather than a payoff to those who vote Democrat. And "Procrastinate dealing with an issue until it became a big problem" is the hallmark of government greatness in action.

Here we have the national debt piling up to absurd numbers, states begging for bailouts, and the dollar ready to become worth less than the paper that its printed on, but is government making sound financial decisions? Nope, they hear every lazy-assed person out there whining that "I should be living better than this!" and they feel like they have to right all of the wrongs that these poor saps have been forced to endure at the hands of the evil rich. THAT IS WHY WE ARE BANKRUPT!! And guess what? All of those nincompoops who borrowed more money than they could pay back - THIS FINANCIAL DISASTER THAT WE ARE FACING IS YOUR FAULT TOO!! Yep, all those mortgaged-back securities that are dragging down our banks...those were people borrowing more than they could pay back. Hey everybody - Quit your F***ing whining and get to work. Earn your own keep, live within your means, and stop asking me for a handout.

Speaking of living within your means. I keep reading about the government is going to protect us all from the evil clutches of the credit card companies and is calling the new law "credit card reform". Whenever I hear the word "reform", I immediately know that the government is playing musical chairs with winners and losers in whatever is being reformed. The new winners? People who can't live within their means or are too irresponsible to pay their bills on time. The losers? The financial services industry and the people who pay their cards off in full every month who are going to be charged more fees or get less rewards.

Now I agree that some of the practices in the industry were a bit harsh on consumers, but nobody held a gun to cardholders' heads and asked them to borrow money on the terms of their lending agreements (see "fail to pay attention to terms of the loan you were getting") and then forced them to carry a balance. I need some government "reform" that doesn't cost me more money. I also apologize to all of those who have balances on their credit cards for reasons of job losses or health problems that truly are not their faults - and not for overspending. To everybody else and their Santa Clause impersonating Representatives - get your house in order through hard work, sacrifice, and smart decision making. I've left you a list courtesy of Ms. Weston - Citizen Zane

2 comments:

  1. Place term limits on every sentator,congressperson-8 years&out.Fresh honest faces have no chance of being elected in our current form of goverment.C'mon folks-get off your asses,its time for action.

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  2. Anonymous poster is absoultely correct about fresh faces being elected. Even bigger longshots are average citizens of high integrity and work ethic because they are not politically connected or fabulously wealthy enough to finance a viable election - and also too busy trying to make an honest living! As for term limits, I love the idea. Until snough members of Congress have the guts to impose them, wel...right now its up to the voters to do it themselves. VOTE THEM ALL OUT!

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