Day: August 16, 2011

Will That Be Cash Or Charge?

My regular readers know that I have a tendency to find stuff that just pisses me off….and to the point that I must rant…..and I found an absurd report…..

Until recently, I had always paid cash for just about everything I bought…you know computers, groceries, everything…..but all that changed after I was badly hurt after Hurricane Katrina….I was forced to retire with a disability and had to have my check direct deposited…..I have NEVER been one to use a lot of credit cards….I guess I am from the old school of economic thought…..if I wanted something I bought it when I had the money to cover the cost….I still pay cash but it is in the form of a debit card and not a pocket full of greenbacks…..

I had a rude awakening when I went for pain management…..they did not take cash!  I had to be insured or NO help……my leg had been crushed and I now have about 70% use of it….I was not insured because NO company will insure a broke person, both physically and monetarily, and I am not old enough for medicare….all of it has been resolved but a recent story I read made me think about the ordeal from the past….

I know we are told by the government that we should be on the lookout for any suspicious behavior….but really?

It seems that cash is still a dirty word and could make you a person of interest to the authorities if you pay in cash…..I know…what the Hell am I talking about?

the White House announced a community-based approachto combating terrorism in the United States, the FBI and other agencies are asking managers of surplus stores to spy on their customers, watching whether they pay in cash, make “extreme” religious statements or purchase products such as waterproof matches.And the request from the government also is going to gun shops, fertilizer suppliers, motels and hotels, authorities say.

Earlier this month, the Obama administration announced a new plan titled “Empowering local partners to prevent violent extremism in the United States.” In it, Obama wrote, “Communities – especially Muslim American communities whose children, families and neighbors are being targeted for recruitment by al-Qaida – are often best positioned to take the lead because they know their communities best.”

“The best defenses against violent extremist ideologies are well-informed and equipped families, local communities, and local institutions. Their awareness of the threat and willingness to work with one another and government is part of our long history of community-based initiatives and partnerships dealing with a range of public safety challenges,” the report says.

So once again….if you pay cash for stuff you could be deemed a “suspicious” person and subject to an FBI check and harassment…..
Why is cash a dirty word?  Could it be because few make any profit off the transaction?  There is NO service charge for using cash….at least for now!

The American Dream

We all have our opinion of just what the American dream is…..to some it is that vine covered house in the suburbs with the 2 car garage and 1.7 kids…..to others it is to live batter than their parents…..and yet others believe that the dream is to work hard and make their way to the top……but what is the real definition?

We hear the president and the candidates and the politicos talk about the loss of the American dream because of the economic collapse….and if we use their definition then we are talking about social mobility…or simply….that whole work hard and make a better life for your family as you move up the labor ladder…..

Social mobility, huh?  Movement from one class—or more usually status group—to another.  Social mobility is a myth, in the U.S, those who are born in the bottom 20% have a 97% chance of remaining right there in the bottom 20%.

So the American dream that the politicos are selling does not exist any longer….it has been killed by the very system that all hold dear, capitalism and the free markets….as this economic situation that we face today continues to spiral out of control….we move further and further away from the dream that we are told we must have to make America strong…if it continues unabated it will mean that we must face a life of low wages and poorer living conditions….is this what you signed on for?  An American dream that is nothing but a lie told by politicians that are getting wealthy off your dime?

It is NOT too late….all these factors can be changed……but it is up to the American people to demand change and in doing so have the cajones to FIGHT for change.  If we become to lazy or complacent then we will not suffer…it will be our children and grandchildren…….I cannot let that happen…..I was taught better than that!