I really don't like politics. I dislike economics even more. I am just not hardwired for it. I am horrible at saving money, I hate to balance my checkbook, and I am not very good at sticking to a budget. I think there is just way too much right brained creativeness in me to stick to rigid schedules and plans.
That said, I know how much money we make each month. I know how much goes out each month to bills. I know how much we pay a month on our mortgage. Before Brian and I bought this house we crunched numbers again and again and again to make sure that we were not getting in over our heads. We bought this house with an interest only loan. And we refinanced in a year to a 30 year fixed. Easy peasy. We are not mortgaged to our eyeballs and even in this crappy economy if we HAD to sell our house we still owe less than we could sell it for.
Where am I going with all of this?? It makes me SO MAD that the government is going to take MY money that I have been faithfully paying on time for the past four years of being a homeowner and giving it to the people who thought they could afford a house twice the price of mine while making half as much money.
I am not frustrated with people who have lost their jobs in this crappy economy and therefore can't make payments. I am talking about Joe Jones who drives the brand new car, took a Hawaiian AND Park City Vacation last year, has HDTV, gets a new wardrobe every year, and is now facing foreclosure. Why the heck should he receive my help?????? Make the guy sell all his toys, let him take the bus, and then maybe he will learn that he doesn't need an 3000 square foot home for him and his wife! I'm talking about Suzie Spendsalot who works as a nail tech and was told by the Bank of Pipe Dreams that on her $30K a year job she could afford a $2000/month mortgage payment and said, "Really?? I can??? Sign me up!" Even with my limited math skills I know that if I have $1000 coming in a month, I can't afford $2000 going out. Even if someone at a lending company tells me I can.
I'm sorry people. If you bought more than you can afford, your gig is up. It's time for you to rent a 900 square foot apartment with your two kids, survive 95 degree days with no a/c, be surrounded by chain smokers and people who cook stinky food, and drive 10 year old cars so you can reassess how much you really CAN afford. You don't deserve to be rewarded with bailout cash paid with MY taxes so you can continue living in homes that are nicer than mine, enjoying a lifestyle that I don't allow myself to have.
Can you tell I also struggle with the Parable of the Prodigal Son? I'm all for mercy. Heaven knows I need it in my life. But I still have a hard time when people who have done things the RIGHT way are given a nice pat on the back and the people who broke the rules, inconvenienced others, and screwed up are given swag bags. At least the Prodigal Son was repentant. I fear that most people who will be getting bailout funds are only mad that it didn't come sooner.
22 comments:
Amen!!!!
I'm just being an ostrich lately. Trying to keep my head in the sand so it doesn't explode over all of these crazy stimulus packages that make me so mad.
And I so could have written your first paragraph.
I am with you all the way!!!! I am also annoyed at the people who still can afford their payments but walk away from their houses because they owe more than the house could sell for today. There should be some major long term consequences for people who choose forclosure. If only there was a way to tell the deserving of help from the financially foolish!!! OK getting off of the box now.
You echo my thoughts exactly! This bailout makes me angry on so many levels. I say let the free market system work for both businesses and people that were not responsible in the first place and don't make me, my children, and my children's children pay for it!
I so agree with you!! It bugs me even more that they are passing a "stimulus package" where 90% of it is not directly related to stimulating the economy, but to pet projects of politicians. I am all for helping people who have lost there jobs, but not for the people who have just overspent!
Wow you just described the first 12 years of where we lived in that "your gig is up" paragraph. Kinda funny, kinda sad. We put our dues in by living that way so we can be comfortable now. Too bad some people just don't get it.
I've so been on this soapbox myself and I'm sure it's on my blog somewhere.
My biggest pet peeve? Stupid people. Amen!
We were just talking about this last night - David says he is about ready to do something - what he does not know as "we the people" are not listened to anymore. Amen to your thoughts and thanks for speaking out!
You got it---send your post to your local newspapers, to the White House, your senators, congressmen anbd everyone else you can think of. It's time we quit paying the bills for the likes of these people!!!! The middle class gets screwed big time!!! And Obama keeps printing money on paper that has no value. Stimulus package my eyeball!!! PS: Missionaries are supposed to keep OUT of the political ring, but.....
amen..to all that you said.
Hey, I'm sure I am one of the big eyed people you could end up help bailing out.
While we looked for a home we did want something probably a little bigger than we should have. We used both incomes to get it and here we are. We also listened to so many tell us we could do it and banks telling us we could. We too wanted to live the American Dream.
The problem is life changes and over years priorities change. No jobs on our front have been lost but I have stopped working due to circumstances unknown to some. My point is, We never know what goes on behind closed doors or how situations change with someones health and the care might drain there savings and leave them with no choices or Bonus that are normally 30-40k a year and expected are completely cut. When you live yearly having that income that change is a big one.
Yes, there are many who drive nice cars and have new clothes and lots of toys, we live in a world all about worldly possessions and credit and instant gratification. If your are not raised with good guidance this is an easy trap to fall into and I am not completely innocent in that. Cheers to thoes who are. But there are many, many people who get placed in situations for reasons unbeknownst to us.
I can only imagine when the Law of Consecration comes to pass and how many of us will we feel it's unfair. Something to think about.
For me the most frustating issues with the bailout is the 90% pet projects this money is going to and not enough money to keep food prices, utilities, fuel and cost of living down.
Oh Paige, you just described my sister to a T. She is one of those who believes the world owes her a living, and a nice car, and a nice house, and a $100 dye job and hair cut each month, all the while taking money from the government and my parents to uphold her lifestyle. I agree with you completely, and I sympathize with Rochelle.
Rochelle -- I agree with everything you said. :) I don't think you stirred the pot at all. You offered different perspective. I agree that there are many situations out there where with honest, hard working people have fallen on tough times. Those are the people who should be helped. The ones that would take the hand up and make the best of it. Not go buy a flat screen TV right before cashing in their foodstamps at the grocery store. Or take their government issued debit card to buy Louis Vuitton handbags to take back to the shelter. But I don't think there is a way to implement a "worthy of a handout" test, so they have to hand it out to anyone and everyone who is "in trouble," whether or not they brought that trouble upon themselves or not.
And the Law of Consecration. *sigh* There is a reason it didn't work the first time. It is a perfect law, with imperfect people. It works great in principle, but once you throw the natural man in there it all goes to pot. I just hope and pray that when we are asked to live that law I am a more patient person. Ideally, everyone living it would be looking out for the best interest of the church as a whole, and not for themselves or even their family. I think that when you have the faith to believe that everyone is trying their best, then the law works. Unfortunately, in our society many people aren't trying at ALL and they are being rewarded for it.
I never wanted to infer from my post that someone in your situation was looking for a handout. I *know* some of the steps that your family has taken to deal with your hardships. And I'm sure that your willingness to be responsible and prepared probably played a large part in being blessed with Jeremy's new job.
Thanks for your perspective. You are ALWAYS welcome to stir up trouble on my blog. As long as I can delete it when you are done. ;)
AMEN! Alelujah! You said for all of us! Thank you! We feel the same way!
Yikes! Can i copy and paste this on my BLOG? This has been a on going discussion with myself, my husband and some close friends. Here's the deal. We've spent the last 16 years living under our means. although it looks like we have allot we actually live very carefully.(we save allot)(we sacrifice) I am lucky to be able to be a stay at home mom, and my husband has a great job and god willing will keep one. It drives me insane. seeing people and yes there is allot out here that live way over there means.. way over .and i have to foot there bill.. you have no idea that your blog nails it.. I can allow it to tick me off daily so i try not to think about it. the thing is we should be telling those people.. anyway can i copy this? LOL take care
soooo right on, Paige! I was just shaking my head at the latest bailout. First corporations, now mortgages, what next . . . credit card debt??? I fear that these policies are just going to further perpetuate the entitlement mentality that is raging across the country.
I agree with GG - send this to the newspaper.
I came across your blog and I enjoyed it until I came to this post..... I have to say that I am deeply offended by this. I know many people that have been through this and I cannot believe you would wish this upon anyone. I would not even wish this upon my worst enemy... I see that you are a mormon, but I know this is not what they teach or what they would want any of their members to wish upon anyone.... I really find it hard to grasp your logic. I know I am rambling, but basically, if I were to judge as harshly as you did in this post, I would have to "assume" you are a very closed-minded, mean-spirited person.
ouneone -- Actually, our church DOES preach the main jist of my post -- provident living. Living within your means. Being self sufficient. I don't even know if you will come back to read this, but I am not going to spend an hour typing up my response. You don't know me. And you completely misread the meaning behind my post. If you feel that someone who has intentionally spent money they don't have on homes, boats, cars, clothing, and vacations that they DON'T need is worthy of my tax dollors, then you're right. I am a horrible, terrible person. Because I don't. Thanks for stopping by!
I know Provident Living is the topic of your church, but I don't think that wishing someone to a 900 sq. ft. apartment with their children surrounded by smoke, no A/C, and stinky food on 100 degree day is what the church would want from these people you speak of. Is repentance not enough in your book? I would hope your church is there to help people, not to judge them and kick them when they're down. You completely missed my point and I hope, for your sake, you get my point and just stop thinking you are superior to anyone else. "Judge less ye be judged."
*I* was the one living in that apartment. For two years we lived in that situation while we scrimped and saved and made sure we had the money to get into our house. Because we knew that if we had $1000 coming in, we couldn't afford $1500 going out. But lots of people believed that crap and now THEY are the ones that those of us who did things the "right" way are bailing out. THAT is my issue. Our country is breeding generations of people who feel that they are entitled to all their little hearts desire. And that they shouldn't have to sacrifice anything to get those desires. A huge home isn't a luxury, it's become a right. I stated in my original post that my feelings exclude all those who have lost their homes due to an unforseen change in circumstance. There are plenty of people out there who were living well within their means when their "means" were taken away from them. That is a tragedy that has struck many of my friends and family members. But when that tragedy struck they cancelled cell phones, sold one of their vehicles, put their homes on the market, and lived off of their food storage. They didn't go running to the government to help them maintain their previous standard of living.
So since my posts infuriate you so much, feel free to not come back. There are certainly lots of people out there who share your point of view.
Well, thank God for freedom of speech, it is your blog and that gives you the right to write whatever you want. I will not come back, but I think it is important to be a little sensitive when you have an open blog and since you are representing the LDS church, it really gives non-members a distorted view of what the church is all about. Kudos to you for saving your money and buying a house....YOU will not have to lose yours, the people who were irresponsible do, they have a long tough road and they do not need people making it ten times more difficult for them.
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