WE HAVE BECOME SHEEP

Hey Tim,

This is something I have to get off my chest.


As a voter and a tax payer, I'd just like to say how happy I am to see my fellow Americans talking about politics and voting. I haven't seen or heard this much political discussion since the first time Bill Clinton ran for office. We all want change, however that is usually what we have left in our pockets after someone, anyone gets into office. We all want programs to fix this or that but we forget who is going to have to pay for them. The taxpayer. And not just any taxpayer, the middle class smuck who gets up everyday and goes to a job they hate to work for a company they can't stand but they do this because it is their "American Dream". So why has it turned into a night mare for so many of us? Because, as previously stated, we all want change.

We have allowed ourselves to become sheep led to slaughter so to speak. We have allowed our desire for programs to help us to override our common sense. With respect to the current administration, this is not a problem that they have created. But is not from the previous administration either. This has been years in the making. I will never forget when President Reagan deregulated everything. I said to my step-father that it was a good thing that the President did, right? And I will never forget his answer, "now yes, but years from now. I don't think so." Don't you hate it when your folks are right?

People, whether you like it or not you need rules of some kind. If you don't believe me, try an experiment with your children. Take away all and any rules for a couple of hours and let me know whether your house is still standing. I'm not saying we need to go crazy with the rules but think about this for a minute; at one time there were twenty-five drug companies in this country, now there is what three or four and that is why the prescriptions are so expensive, no competition. Same principle with the airlines. Take away the rules and the game gets played on whole different level.

I think that this is how the health care industry got out of whack. I don't think the American public wanted a government ran health care but rather, wanted the health insurance companies regulated better and not to decide their course of treatment but their doctor to determine that. My doctor should determine how long I stay in a hospital for treatment or post op care not some guy in a suit who has no idea my medical history but goes by a chart that says the "average recovery time is....."

The same needs to apply to the energy companies. 30% rate increases because they are now deregulated WTF. Which brings me back to the middle class smuck. Who will pay my bills when I'm broke because I had to cover the cost for all the new programs for everything else? Companies are crying about the economy and using the poor state it is in to forgo raises for the hard working American. The point is everything is going up except our pay and we have to rob Peter to pay Paul and what do we do when Peter wants his money? Will I get a bail out like the banks and the auto companies. But, again isn't that free enterprise; some companies succeed and some go under?

Part of the problem is that there is no industry in this country anymore. The excuse is that it would cost too much to manufacture here. Really, did you folks miss the pet food recalls, the clothing recalls and my favorite, the baby formula recall? These are products that were made elsewhere that had something in them that were in "unacceptable levels" whatever the hell that means. So you tell me how much did these companies save by going outside this Great Nation to get these for mentioned products made? More importantly how much did these recalls cost them? Make this country productive again by putting the American worker to work in the American factories. Better yet, let's put the trains back to work. that is one way to create jobs. Someone needs to lay the new track and maintain them. We will still need trucks to haul the items to and from the rail yards to their destinations. That is just one example of using some common sense. I'm sure more of you can come up with other ideas.

Folks, remember the old adage, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Also, if you would like to have the Government take care of you, be prepared to give up a few things we take for granted. Most important, our FREEDOM!


Thanks for reading Tim. And yes you may put this on your blog if you would like.

Sharon