How many times have we heard from politicians and pundits that the Obama stimulus plan will be a burden on our children and grandchildren? I would say this statement is the big red herring of this debate. This argument has been around for years and I fully believe that when it gets right down to it, that those of us that have grandchildren are not that worried about what deficits we leave them with. I never remember once my father worrying about what federal debt that I might have to deal with but he was worried about how much his tax bill might be, that the government would support whatever programs he felt would enhance his business, and yes he liked a balance budget. But when it came to a balanced budget or some federal spending that might help him, his concern for the budget was far less than his hope for the program. Do you really believe that any politician in Washington is really concerned about your grandchildren?
Each generation has faced the problem of the federal debt, and just like my father gave me the problem as it were, I will pass that along to my children, for my concerns now are what is going to happen in the next 12 months and the year after that. Lets face it, if your house burns down today or blows away your concern for the deficit will be nil, as we tend to address our immediate concerns and problems and so does everyone. Today the problem is a stock market in free fall, job loss, foreclosures, health care, Iraq, and Afghanistan, so that what the next generation and the one after has to do with the debt, has to be their problem, just as it was for my generation and the past ones. I loved the surplus that Clinton created and cried as Bush destroyed it, but it happened and now the most important thing is digging out of the hole and if that requires a huge deficit------so be it.
I would also like to point out the absurdity of the statement, “what they are doing with MY tax dollars”. First of all, half or more of the folks that love this statement, pay little or no taxes. I have paid taxes for over 50 years-----lots and lots because 50 years is a long time, even if I was not one of the bigger players and I did not like to pay any of it and tried to reduce them in any way I could. But I still had to pay and I considered it a penalty if you will, for making money but once paid it was simply gone. I had no more idea of how that money was used than I did the traffic ticket I paid. I have used the interstates, I have used the federal waterways, airports etc. and now get my Social Security, so I guess I could say that I have had some return on my taxes but to complain about how they have used MY taxes seems simple minded. Maybe I should complain about how they have used yours.
