Watching in the wrong direction... aren't they?

Maybe we all are looking in the wrong direction, and that is when something to really fear jumps out and gets you... cougars anyone?

Looking at my last morning post and seeing the cheering over the breaking the 10,000 point barrier on Wall Street - one would think all those investors had read what I wrote and went out and spent wildly trying to get those big bonuses that Congress is worried about. I know that the market is only displaying the price offered and accepted by the buyer and the seller. I am glad there is a resurgence of confidence in the Economy, and if you really know what that means and what I meant you are going to make money.

Congress is worried about big bonuses in high finance - they are looking in the wrong direction - they have a taxing power, which I think they abuse, but they can fix the big bonuses quickly - tax them away. But they are looking in the wrong direction, the government is bleeding in money being thrown around, debt climbing and money printed in excess of good sense (that last is way too easy for Congress to overlook). If their books were my family finances I would throw up my hands and go a little more crazy. I am responsible and wonder why Congress isn't, they do look like pigs at the feed, but that says bad things about the pigs and that wouldn't be nice of me. They are looking in the wrong direction.

And don't blame it on that...

Tuesday night a patron asked me something and I told him it happened on Monday - which seemed like several days ago - I was loading my days with lots of work, which is good, and the motorcycle rides were like a vacation, but you might not understand. Still for the last few days the rumor mill and local newspapers have talked about the closing of McNeil Island Corrections Center to save money because we aren't taxed enough when we don't spend the money for purchases. Now the Federal Government sent out the software to give us some of our money back to stimulate the Economy (but they know if the economy is stimulated that they will get more from the rich fat cats that will rake it all in). But in Washington, they would like to add an income tax to get more money to spend, and yes the voters will get to turn it down, and the politicians will pass it anyway - someone has to pay for sports complexes in Seattle, don't they?

Back to my work days, the inmates are saying that forty of them are going to Connell, Washington as part of the closing of McNeil Island (could be they are going to add to the population at the new facility at Coyote Ridge Corrections Center, so they can get operating at full speed.) That rumor is as good as the one where everyone is going to get an earlier release date because they can't afford to keep everyone locked up. The drug offenders like that one the best - they are always sure that the drug laws don't protect anyone and drugs never hurt anyone - but then everyone believes in fairy tales when they are young and foolish, or old and foolish. Still, everything inside the library is finishing with "it doesn't matter they are going to close this place soon", no matter what the subject, the problem, the service, the END is near.

So, I am looking at changing work - or just retiring at sixty-two (nah, I would die if I retired too early), but this whole economic downturn might be designed to move me into another field (I am so self centered). If I wasn't so good at paying my taxes properly I could have worked for Obama in Washington, DC. Now I will have to see what is out there I can help with in America's future, which is where I seem to have spent most of my life. All because the elected representatives couldn't manage a budget - is there a message there?

Pay up, lay down your bets, getting in the game...

I do buy Lotto tickets, one per drawing, knowing that it is the best tax on the poor and mathematically challenged ever devised -- but then I never figured the Government was Good, just opportunistic and amoral. Thirty-five cents goes to the State, seven cents goes to the vendor, then there is advertising and maintenance costs - the remainder is paid out to the winners. If there is only so much Luck in each person's life, then I have had all of mine and I am happy, I don't expect to win the big one, but then I do want to play - I just don't gamble, being I never risk what I can't afford to lose.

I was thinking about all that today as I paid the bills, and balanced my books and almost made it out of the hole... I paid a lot down on the bills and loans, and was hoping that with that surge of the Stock Market (based on whimsy) I would be ahead of what I owe... but not yet, as I paid the bills the pool of cash shrunk, so I am around minus eight hundred dollars of even. Not that I couldn't think I was ahead - I never figure the sale of the home, cars, motorcycle, guns and china services, furniture, computers, televisions and such. I also never figure I will die and the insurance will pay off much if my heirs are watchful and aware. With the full court press of President Obama and his folks I am sure that there are surprises in my financial future - when you add up all the taxes on people and the new improved government services they want to fund with the tax on those rich folks they will coming after mine soon enough. If there were to be a great change that would free up the FREE MARKET, it would be one tax payer, one tax collector in the United States.

I am only Earl, but I pay taxes to the Federal Government, the State Government, The County Government. I once had broad shoulders, but weighing me down has rounded them a bit and bends my back. Why do I put up with such foolishness, it wasn't always that way, was it?