This is a post made on May 9, 2008 and it is more relevant now than it was then...

Friday, May 9th, 2008

"Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn." Gone With the Wind, 1939

America is committing suicide by Congressional Cowardice!

The Congress doesn't "give a damn." It has completely abrogated its sworn responsibility to provide vision, wisdom and leadership. Some in Congress have given their votes and their minds over to the insane claims of fringe groups who really hate America. Others have relinquished their power to the Behemoths; corporations, unions, lobbyists that disguise themselves as spokespersons for some group or cause, and government agencies whose only function is self preservation regardless of the cost to the Country and its People - that's you and me and 300 million other Americans.

All in Congress have put political party goals above the needs of America.

The presidential candidates are members of Congress, too. Each of them has "caved" to one or more of the caveates of their constituents during the campaign. All of them have failed the "vision, wisdom and leadership" test when it comes to recognizing and dealing with the realities of the 21st century.

Obama niavely clings to an exclusive far left agenda while promising to be a uniter. Clinton is strident as she proposes specific, liberal, tax-increase based solutions to every imaginable challenge masked in so much detail that even an advanced degree in economics wouldn't help one understand - or believe; just like HillaryCare of 1993. McCain offers only partial insights into his thinking and programs as he tries to convert his image from that of an independent minded conservative to that of a "sorta" party loyalist.

There are two intimately related issues that should drown out the cacophony of claims by the crazies and the wimps and overshadow every other concern:

1. America is at war. Insane Islamic zealots believe that only they possess the truth, and that destroying the western world in the name of Allah is the path to their heaven. It's war declared on America - not criminal activity.
2. America's - and the world's - economy is based on oil.  If America doesn't tap into its own oil reserves - as every other country in the world is doing - America will soon become a slave to the OPEC nations like Saudi Arabia and Venezuela - the birthplaces of the Islamic and other crazies. At the same time, America needs to have the vision to commit signigicant resources to oil altenatives.

If our leaders deal with these two issues, every other concern will resolve itself.

Some will argue that the current economic malaise is driven by failures in both the oil and the financial industry. The financial industry, however, is becoming more and more dependent on oil rich countries to supply it with the fuel for its engine, and that means dependence on oil by proxy.

Your personal economy depends on America being a leading economic power. If America fails to maintain its status as the engine of liberty through its ecomomic strength, you and I will become servants to some foriegh power.

We need to elect leaders who recognize and deal with these harsh realities instead of those in Congress today who pander to every Behemoth that promises a contribution to their campaigns to stay in office - translate that as "to stay in power."

In the meantime, you need to find ways to save money that allows you to control the money in your life. At the micro level you can switch to energy efficient light bulbs, drive more slowly and less often, buy more fresh food and less prepared food; that will help you and the rest of us too.

At the macro level you need to gain control of your money, to apply principles and practices that have been tested and proven over centuries and millenia and that apply equally today. This blog attempts to shed light on them. For a fuller understanding -> www.TheMoneyForLifeBook.com

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