There Goes the Neighborhood

As Washington continues to dither on the debt ceiling, and the Tea Party is playing dress-up once again to show their “patriotism,” I have been reading articles and opinions from both sides of the debate. The problem I have with those who disagree with the likes of me when pointing a sharp finger back to the George W. administration as the reason why the US of A fell and continues to fall into a deeper money ditch, is that the amnesia, unrealistic, and cynical outlook of Conservatives blocks a true reality of the entire situation.

I can hear the sighing now. “Here she goes again – typical Liberal thinking.“ 

First, look at the below chart, which is based on numbers by the Congressional Budget Office. You will see where and when the federal budget has risen and fallen.

All right. That’s that. So what? you may ask. Obama has continued to raise the debt in monumental proportions. And that’s what is happening now, so get off the blaming Bush cycle already!

I ask, how can he (or anyone) who has been given not only a terrible burden of such magnitude fix the problem in conjunction with an opposing political party so deeply entrenched in partisanship that even governor’s of the opposition party’s brand are disgusted with their Washington counterparts’ inability to bend, negotiate in good faith; to be, shall I say – reasonable?

Imagine this: Your spouse/partner goes on a spending spree for 8 years with your joint checking and credit accounts. Some of the purchases are needed, others are simply drunken rampages egged-on by their friends (Wall Street). You know about some of the debts, and do what you can to reign in the spending. Through either a contract or moral obligation, you cannot leave that person, nor can you take away their access to the credit or bank account. If you try, they always find another way to get their hands on the money through whatever means they can devise – legal or otherwise.

And then they die. You are left with the responsibility for a debt larger than you expected. Not only that, they owe money to two very frightening thugs (Iraq and Afghanistan wars), and cutting ties with either may cost your life and threaten the lives of your extended family if you don’t continue to pay out.

The weight of the financial burden is so heavy that although you are strong, it feels as if you are carrying 50 lb. weights in both hands every day. You are unable to file for bankruptcy, as you do not qualify under the law, and your family is beginning to starve, a few need hospitalization, others require expensive medication. The situation is dire, and you have no other choice but to borrow more money just to keep your family from dying or going on a panicked killing-spree in a starvation-induced  hallucination.

You need support from others to take care of your family because you are working 12 hours a day on two jobs just to stay afloat. You turn to neighbors for aid with cooking, cleaning and other basic domestic needs so that your home doesn’t turn into a garbage pile. You offer a barter. You are willing to help them in whatever ways you can in exchange for their time, but your neighbors refuse. They don’t like you because you have different beliefs than they do, and suggest you sell your house, pray, and move into a smaller space despite the fact that you don’t have the credit rating to find a new home to rent or buy.

Your house/property has been neglected because you cannot afford the maintenance costs, and were you to sell, you would not come out on the strong end and would be in worse financial shape with all of the costs involved with moving, etc. Your family already is hurting from their own illnesses and have already begun to make drastic lifestyle sacrifices.

Your neighbors also tell you that they won’t help because they believe you are paying too much in medical insurance and groceries although you need both for your on-the-brink family to survive. And, were you to attempt to change insurance companies, you would be denied coverage because all of your family members have pre-existing conditions. If you change your current policy, you will incur deeper debt to handle a higher co-payment. It's a no-win.

Your neighbors continue to shun you. You just don’t get it, they sneer. You’re living way beyond your means, and you took out a huge loan recently that has added to your debt! They have forgotten, it seems, that your now-diseased partner/spouse once held block parties and showered the neighborhood with gifts every holiday and bailed them out when they needed help.

They liked that person because they shared the same belief system. What happened by that person to place you into the financial ditch is in the past. Why haven’t you pulled-it together yet? You are a total loser and we want you out of the neighborhood STAT. So what if your ill child is crying and needs a babysitter? Too bad your parent is in the hospital on life support and you are responsible for their care!

We won’t help you mow your lawn, paint the ugly fence, trim your trees or anything even though our property value is going down because your home is falling apart! You aren’t one of us and that’s the end of it, you schmuck!

You have made a few mistakes along the way. You aren’t perfect. You gave a few dollars from the loan to several family members who went to the casino instead of paying their bills – and they lost the money. That sort of thing. Nevertheless, you are trying to do what you feel is best as the head of an ailing household and all you are getting from the outside world are roadblocks to any progress. You are, in truth, running-in-place.

In desperation, you call a neighborhood meeting, imploring the residents to meet you half-way if they would only help. A few of them will, but only if you give up your car, knowing that where you work doesn’t provide public transportation. Another offers to fix one of the broken windows in your home, but only if you take one of your children out of school and send them to work.

And so it goes…….

If you’d like another way of viewing my point of view, check out the following article: The Debt Amnesia