Spend on only what you really need
Live below your means. That is the very basic rule for keeping within a budget.
It goes for an individual’s personal budget, for the budget of any commercial establishment and for any department of government.
In other words, do not spend what you don’t have. Even if you are expecting the receipt of a certain amount, do not spend it before you actually get it.
It just takes a bit of common sense; however, it seems that too many in this country have never learned that simple principle. All of those who have consistently lived by credit have, to some measure, brought us to the current financial crisis.
The ones who spend the most are affiliated with government agencies ó federal, state and local ó and it is our money, not theirs, that they are spending.
There is a limit to spending money that is not in hand. When that limit is reached, we get higher taxes, prices and unemployment.
There are times when unexpected emergencies occur and those who have consistently spent below their means will be in a better position to handle them.
The careless spending and borrowing by the government comes from all levels ó federal, state and local ó and this is why we now find ourselves in a financial mess. We have rising prices, taxes and unemployment. We never learn, and we continue to spend recklessly with no thought for the future. When will everyone figure this out? I hope soon.
ó June Clancy
Salisbury
Redistribution of wealth destructive
Why have we the people, the citizens of this country, allowed such erosion to the Constitution of the United States? We have a government completely out of control. They seem to have no boundaries in spending, legislating and in changing the structure of our economic system ó that is, free trade and free enterprise ó that has brought untold prosperity to the people.
Therein lays the problem; the wealth is not so equally distributed to all people. And so we have a group in Washington, mostly Democrats led by Obama, going about the redistribution of wealth. They want to make it fairer, they want economic justice.
The politicians want to decide who will be the winners and who will be the losers.
Here is a list of hastily thrown-together government programs that never seem to resolve the problem, only exacerbate and cause delay or failure to resolve our dilemma: TARP (Troubled Asset Relief Program), PPIP (Public-Private Investment Program), TALF (Term Asset-Based Securities Loan Facility), TLGR (Temporary Liquidity Guarantee Program), CAP (Capital Assistance Program), TIP (Targeted Investment Program), HASP (Homeowners Affordability and Stability Plan), CPFF (Commercial Paper Funding Facility), AMLF (Asset-backed Commercial Paper Money Market Fund Liquidity Facility), MMIFF (Money Market Investor Funding Facility).
All of this is followed by KYMGB (kiss your money good bye).
This may sound good to some people who believe that government can solve any problem, but this is not and should not be a purpose of government. However benevolent you may think this to be, it is destructive to the character of the people, leaving responsibility not to the individual but to government.
The real purpose of Obama and the Democrats and some Republicans is to buy all the votes they can for the next election.
Wake up, people. Your country is going down the drain.
ó Richard Roberts
Kannapolis
Fly the flag, show your patriotism
As our country seems to be heading down the toilet at a rapid pace, I have to wonder: Where did all of the flags go?
Almost eight years ago on Sept. 11, 2001, the United States of America was attacked by radical terrorists trying to instill fear into the American people. On Sept. 12, 2001, just about every home, car, and business had and American Flag flying from it shaking a fist in the terrorists’ face.
Does it take acts of violence against the U.S. before the people show Patriotism? It certainly appears that way to me.
Stand up and show your true patriotism and dig out those flags from where ever you put them and fly them high and proud!
ó Chris Cooper
Salisbury