It’s not doom and gloom, it’s anger of politicians
As person who sits down once a week to write a newspaper column, let me tell you it is very difficult this week to have positive thoughts.
I’m facing a blank computer screen and all I think of are those incompetents in Washington, DC. On another day, I’d include Lansing, since we’re in the fourth year of a recession here.
Damn the Democrats.
Damn the Republicans.
Damn the President.
All three have voter approval lower than a snake’s belly. And, to a party, they’ll say they are not to blame for the financial condition brought to our country and we as individuals. This is being written the morning after the president’s recovery package was turned down by members of the House of Representatives.
An hour ago, Mr. Bush told us again the passage of this measure was all that would save us from foreclosures unlimited, complete failure of financial institutions, ending education funding and breadlines from coast to coast.
Is he right?
No one really knows, and the man has been wrong before. We can’t have blind confidence in his leadership. At the same time, we have to assume he knows more about the problem than we do.
But on the other hand, newspaper-folk know nothing is to be assumed.
Mr. Bush said today, ‘The Congress must act!? And, ‘We are depending on decisive action!?
I have watched politician after politician before microphones saying, ‘Matter of fact is . . .?
The thing is, there isn’t a fact to be found. It’s guesswork.
And, the guesswork involves their reelection. If any of these electeds have the country’s best interest in mind, it doesn’t show. Yesterday’s House vote was along reelection lines.
Those up for the November election voted the way their constituents have been polled to feel. We have no confidence in Washington decisions.
We know Washington’s decisions brought about the current crisis. We know lawmakers are interested in more power. We know they allowed the two major government financial institutions to fail.
We know their failure to prevent those failures gives us absolutely no confidence they will be able to correctly disperse $700 billion into our system and reduce our debts, let alone lead to prosperity.
Washington has smashed the American dream for many. After working toward their reelection, smashing dreams is their second choice.
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No, I don’t feel better having written the above.
We must move on. But right now I’m going to get dressed and take ma’dog Shayna for a ride.
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Well, I’m back, and at least the trip made Shayna feel better.
Before I’ll feel cured, however, I must predict some things that will happen between now and March. March is Boards of Reviews month.
That’s when property owners appear before their fellow citizens and talk to them about the too large assessments placed on their land, as of December 31.
That time, 3 months, is seething time. Along with this tax review comes budgeting difficulties for schools, townships, villages, counties, etc. which are dependent on local property values for their existence.
Local tax revenues will drop.
Then will come an out-pouring of pleas for millage votes to support school programs, townships, etc. that schools, townships, etc. have continued (and increased) even though they’ve known for a couple years property values have plummeted as property sales declined.
Expect frantic cries for help, ‘or we’ll have to stop bussing and cut curriculum, lay off police and firemen, leave roads potholed, not feed the homeless and cut medical care.?
To that I say, ‘Oh, my. Cut Chinese language from third graders??
The world will end, if there is a world left after Congress? bailout.