A LOOK INTO OUR FUTURE- GREECE?
If our government doesn’t get spending under control, this country will fail.  Many of our politicians are burying their heads in the sand, but they all know the US is heading over a financial cliff.  If we don’t make a change, the country we hand over to our children and grandchildren will be but a shadow of what our parents gave us. Proving this fact requires about 5 minutes of objective thought. All we have to do is look at Greece. Where they are, is inexorably where we are headed. We have to change direction, NOW.

All the Great Speeches of History– will not cure us. Like heroin, they make us feel good for a while, the next day, all the problems remain, but now we also deal with withdrawal!
Only Real Solutions Solve Real Problems– Much like a bitter medicine. It’s unappealing, it tastes bad, we don’t want to take it… but if we do, we get better, if we don’t, we get worse, maybe even die!  It’s time to take our medicine!

HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?
The government of Greece, as has ours, forgot, a simple truth. Government gives nothing to anyone without first taking it from someone else. It can’t give to me, unless it took from you, your family or your friends. It can’t give to you unless it took from me, my family, your family and friends. Eventually, there is nothing left to take so no more to give. The inevitable result is chaos!… 

The government’s desire to “give” has now become so out of control, that in order to give to you or me, it doesn’t just have to take from my neighbor as in the past… it now has  to take from your children, my children and yes even our grandchildren!
There is only so much that can be taken. When there’s nothing left the party is over and the “goodies” stop. Free government “gifts” are every bit as addictive as heroin. And like heroin when it’s gone, the withdrawal symptoms can be deadly.  Again, as I’ve said, I am not a partisan.  I freely acknowledge that there is no question that the policies that have brought us to this point have been, to one degree or another, in place for many years.  However, under Obama, it’s as if the “Bad Policy” accelerator has been put to the floor.

Should the policies of Obama really surprise us, given the history of his past and current associations?
See the Company Obama Keeps.
Why the drop in unemployment is so disturbing
See Lies of Obama.
List of lies, half truths, broken promises and failed policies.

JUST TAX THE RICH A BIT MORE? It won’t work.  see…
http://allsolutionsnetwork.org/blog/the-reality-of-taxation/ 
http://allsolutionsnetwork.org/blog/tax-the-rich/
It is often argued that the solution to our problems is to make the rich pay their “fair share”. I agree with the fair share part. But what is a Fair Share? The reality is that if the feds took 100% of all the income from the rich (defined as 250.000 per year), the government would still be well over $500,000,00 in the hole.  What this proves is that the government, this country does not have a revenue problem, it has a spending problem.  Any politician who says otherwise is lying. That is a simple fact!
It’s simple… the more the government “gives”, the more it has to take from someone else. 

WANT TO START A RIOT? Just take away the freebies
As the government “gives” more and more, there is less and less left from citizens for the government to take. There comes a point, at which, it is impossible to take or tax more.
As people receive these government “gifts”, whether in the form of cash or other benefits, they come to depend on them, expect them, plan their lives around them… these benefits become internalized as “rights” that belong to them. This not meant as an insult. It is just how every member of the human race is built; including myself.

No matter how much we want our government to “give”; to take care of everyone, to allow help everyone to live a carefree life, free of the stresses of poverty, there comes a point where the “rich” don’t have enough to sustain the financially unsound “deals” the bureaucrats made with the people and the unions. Like it or not, that is a simple mathematical fact and when it happens things must change.  It’s better to start that change when it can be done without draconian cuts.  The longer the change is delayed, the more deeply the inevitable cuts hurt.

What happens when you wait too long… and then they are taken away?  Look at our Greece… If we don’t pull our heads out, this will be us… much sooner than you think.
Greece in 2010- It came to a head. The government had nothing left to give. Instead of understanding the economic and mathematical realities, the people felt they were being robbed.

But there’s been plenty of time to fix it? This is Greece,now. Once this chaos starts and spreads, it is difficult to stop.  We still have time, but we have to act now!

For anyone that thinks this can’t happen in the US, just remember “Occupy Wall Street”.  To anyone with open eyes, the beginnings of the chaos can be seen.

There is a tipping point, at which, turning back is all but impossible. We are getting close to that. Once this ball is set in motion, it won’t stop… a least, not until it crashes. That is the lesson of history.  It is the lesson of Greece and Europe that is unfolding before our very eyes.

WHO IS TO BLAME?
This is not the fault of the people. This is the fault of the leaders that promise anything and everything to get elected. They make irresponsible decisions in order to guarantee the continuation of their power and careers. They pass destructive legislation with about as much concern as a dealer selling heroin. It might feel good but it in the end, it will kill us.
Government entitlements are every bit as addictive as heroin. And like heroin when gone, the withdrawal will destroy us.

This is true, not only of government checks consisting of welfare or social security, but also of benefits that government employees receive as a result of collective bargaining agreements. The point is not that government entitlements are bad. They aren’t; they are a vital part of the social safety net that makes American great. But even they must be managed in a fiscally sound manner… not just in a way that guarantees votes. 

A Looming, Long Term Problem
As with Greece, we know that, at this moment, one of the biggest financial burdens our cities, states and counties are currently facing is their inability to fulfill their part of the “bargains” they made with public employees. i.e. teachers, police, firefighters, etc…
When the unions overreach and the “government” (It’s you and me that pays for these contracts), enters into unwise, unsustainable deals (which they always do, since it gets votes and costs them nothing), the government is eventually forced to renege on some of the concessions they made.  Why should anyone be surprised?  They were impossible deals in the first place.  When this happens, it is not really a case of the big omnipotent government choosing to abuse the defenseless government employee. Nor is it simply a case of government versus the unions or employees; Then what is it? It is a case of the unions and government employees against non government employees i.e. tax payers. In other words, it’s government unions against us. As everything else, it’s not the mayor who has to pay, it’s not the government bureaucrats; whether they realize it or not, they are not trying to reach into government coffers to get what they deserve… they are reaching into our pockets.  Tax payer pockets are just about empty!
http://allsolutionsnetwork.org/blog/the-reality-of-taxation/
http://allsolutionsnetwork.org/blog/tax-the-rich/

OUR LEADERS MADE BAD BARGAINS… AND THEY KNEW IT… BUT WHY NOT? They didn’t have to pay for it… We did!  What did it cost our political leaders? NOTHING! It insured big campaign contributions and personal re-election… and by the time the piper had to be paid?  They were enjoying their own, wonderful retirement benefit package! Are we really going to let them do it again?

WHAT TO DO?
If the government can’t afford the wages and benefits that are being paid, there are really only two fundamental choices…. Cut the Spending or Increase taxes. The emotions and controversy that such situations create may be great and terribly controversial, but it is always that simple choice. Cut spending or raise our taxes.
When those “rights” and entitlements are cut or taken away, (even when it is because there is no choice, there is no more money, nothing left to take from those that are paying for these “rights”, chaos ensues.  If the government does not fulfill, even an impossible obligation, they feel that “their” property is being taken, their rights are being violate, just as if they are being robbed.
and it’s not the individuals fault, it is the fault of dishonest, power hungry politicians that will do and say anything to get or keep power.  BUT GUESS WHAT, IT WAS US THAT VOTED FOR THEM!  We can’t do that again.   See Political Lies.  

But regardless of how we may feel, no matter what the cause,  No person, entity or government can forever spend more than it takes in. It is a simple mathematical impossibility; to continue to so, inevitably leads to financial collapse.

IT’S UP TO US
For the sake of our country, our children, our grandchildren, we must start voting for those that have the courage to admit there’s a problem and are willing to stick their neck out to talk about the real issues and ultimately to do something about it… even if there is political risk.  That is not what we got last time.

A great speech makes us feel better. But like heroin, the next day, all the problems remain, but now we also go through withdrawal!

Real solutions are a lot like a bitter medicine. It’s unappealing, it tastes bad, we don’t want to take it… but if we do, we get better, if we don’t, we get worse, maybe even die!

As a responsible society that wants our children to have a better future, isn’t it time for us to “man up” and take our medicine?

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