"Living Within Our Means..." 'Michael Herr' (Aloha Friday)

Renowned author Michael Herr is back guest-blogging on this awesome Aloha Friday talking about  the reality of politics... Enjoy!  Make sure and check out Michael's website at; http://www.michaelherr.com/
　

ALOHA FRIDAY

May 18, 2012

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It's Aloha Friday...

Living Within Our Means
Aloha folks.

Do you live on a budget? Most of us do. Whether it's a tiny, tight budget — like a college student living on Ramen every night, or a young married couple making four pounds of hamburger and a chicken last a week — or a larger more open budget — like Donald Trump limiting himself to one hundred million a month in expenses. We learn to live within our budgets. And if we, for some reason, exceed our budget one month? What do we do? Why of course, we cut back on our spending the next month. Or maybe we dip into our savings a little.

Yes, everyone lives on a budget. Except for politicians. I'm sure you've noticed, politicians never cut back when they go over budget. Instead they look for new sources of revenue, which usually means new taxes.

This morning I saw an article about a city near me where the local politicos are planning on instituting a tax on sugary drinks (what are those exactly?). They plan on taxing these drinks (mostly sodas) at the rate of one cent per ounce. Small Coke, such as I drink one per day, twelve ounces — twelve cents. Multiply that by the number of sodas consumed in a city every day. Multiply that by 365 days in a year. You're talking some real money. Oh, these politicos say they'll also vote (they get to vote on this, not you) about earmarking this money for sports activities and nutrition education. And a while after this new tax goes into effect, they most likely will decide to re-direct the money to other pet projects.

Politicians never, ever, cut back on their spending — unless it's something that they don't really care about, such as schools or the elderly. They keep their own salaries high. They keep their perks (health benefits, cars, meals, hotels, 'fact-finding trips'), at least until some watchdog group finds out about their abuse of these perks.

Do I have a solution? Sorry, no. This is a mindset of almost all who are in politics. Spend, spend and spend some more. And that 'some more', well when we need even more 'some more' then we just add another tax.

By the way, do you know the definition of Politics? It comes from two words. Poly, which means many. And Tics, which are bloodsuckers. You put it together.
Okay folks, see you next week.
　
　

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check out Michael's website at http://www.michaelherr.com/