The Economy.........

"Money often costs too much." (Ralph Waldo Emerson). Ain't that the truth. In my 47 years, I've never been so afraid of money as I am now. The American economy is falling apart. We're on a high speed train headed for a very hard brick wall and we are definitely going to crash. What are we supposed to do to stop the train wreck? How do we prevent the accident from happening? I'm no mathematical genius. I can pay the bills and balance the checkbook. That's about it. I can't study stocks and mutual funds. That's a foreign language to me. I have no earthly idea about investing and so on. Perhaps that makes me naive and/or stupid. I just don't have a financial talent. I've always believed....or taken for granted....that our government officials would have a clue as to what's involved. Wouldn't it seem that those in the financial world would see the brick wall and they'd do something to put on the brakes? Apparently not. Here we are. Banks are failing. Gas costs too damn much. I saw an Exxon sign listing the price of gas at $3.79 a gallon. Now that sounds cheap as compared to other cities...like Atlanta. The gas companies are so selfish. You'd think...when the chips are down...companies would try to help. But they don't. I saw on CNN this morning that car sales are down 30%. That's huge. Consumer spending is way down. What a surprise. Food costs are skyrocketing. Utility costs are increasing. What are we supposed to do? What is the average Joe American supposed to do to survive? The other day, Wall Street saw a drop of 778 points. Analysts said that was the equivalent of $1.2 trillion dollars. Hello? Mr. President? Congress? Anyone? We need help. Big time. And will the $700 million bail out really, really help? Will it make a difference? Will it help all of us? I'm not so sure. All I know is...I'm terrified. My anxiety level is off the charts. America is supposed to be so strong...such a prosperous nation. I'm questioning that now. I wonder...and as I said...I'm no mathematical genius...but I wonder...if we stopped spending millions in foreign aid...would that help our economy? I don't know. Wouldn't it seem logical to keep that money at home? Or does that make us totally selfish? Shouldn't we look out for #1? Shouldn't we be concentrating on our own problems and finding solutions to fix them? I'm just asking. I'm just wondering.

I want things to be better for us all. I want to feel safe and in control. I want the American people to be reassured that our government is actually doing something to fix the problems. Don't give us hype. Don't lie to us. Don't skirt around the issues...thinking they'll go away. Cuz they won't. We need competent leaders. We need a real solution. I'm tired of worrying...of being scared that we're headed for a depression.

I'd like to get out of my seat on that train. I'd make my way to the engine room and I'd grab the brake line and pull. I'd push the buttons and I'd make that runaway train come to a screeching halt. Then, I'd open the doors and escort the American people safely off that damn train. Someone has to do it. Put on the brakes and keep us from barreling into the brick wall. Just do it. Do it now and save us all from the crash.