Ask Not What Your Country Can Do For You......

Brad Mayfield “In this tough economic market what can our government really do to help there own?”

It is my opinion that the government helped us get into this mess, and it is the government that needs to help get us out of it. However, they are not the only culprits- we the people are just as guilty.

As we moved out of the dot.com fallout, investors began dumping their money into real estate (and oil, but that’s another story). At the same time, interest rates on home mortgages dropped to record lows. Add to that mix, predatory lending by both big banks, and greedy mortgage brokers. Finishing off the recipe for disaster were glutinous Americans feeding off the temptation troth of having the biggest and the best of everything they could get their hands on, even if it meant living way beyond their means. The final straw- Alan Greenspan playing financial God raising interest rates knowing full well the impact it would have on homeowners across the country. The government set us up for disaster. From beginning to end, the problems that we are dealing with today are direct result of one thing. GREED. So, how does a government full of greedy politicians working for greedy lobbyists competing for the money of greedy American’s fix itself? Good question; but I believe we need to start with common sense.

The great John F. Kennedy said “Ask not what your country can do, but what YOU can do for your country.” And though that was applicable for the time, it is not any more. Today, we need to act with the motto “what can we do for each other?” If at this point you are expecting President Obama to swoop in with a magic wand and solve the domestic issues we are facing, you are in for a huge disappointment. I like to think of the President as the lead singer in a band. He is nothing without his musicians, but is without a doubt the voice and spokesperson for the band. And what is a concert with no audience? As a performer myself, I can attest to the energy that we feed off from an active and participating audience, the American people being the audience in this scenario. Unfortunately, most Americans are so focused on the one leader they have neglected to pay attention to those at the local and state level (the musicians). Voter turnout during our state and local elections not attached to presidential election is poor and in my opinion, a disgrace to our democratic society. Basically, they don’t show up for the concert but complain about the performance.

To conclude, if you want to see the economy fixed, the change begins with you. It is US that drives the economy, and US the weakens it. Yes, the government plays a part, no one is denying their contribution. But, it is up to all of us to fix it. How? Volunteer. Pay attention to your children. Make sacrifices. Stop bitching and complaining. Take your family out to dinner once a week, and cut back on beer and wine. Downsize the size of your home. Pay better attention to recycling efforts. Don’t over medicate. Put down the cell phone and pay attention to those around you. Love your spouse. Care for your parents. Take responsibility for your actions, and inactions. Then watch the world change. Until then, watch the demise globally- it’s partly your fault.

Addie Owens-Donovan