Ponzi Schemes.

 Ponzi Schemes.

 

When something seems too good to be true, it isn’t true at all. Let’s discover another way to shuffle greed. Right now, it feels as if the American government is floating a real-life Ponzi scheme on the people of this nation. Where have all the funds originated that are paying for multiple “give me” programs? We all realize that the “government” does not pay for anything. The person who actually pays taxes pays for everything out there from Medicare to stimulus funds. If student loans are “forgiven,” those loans go against the amount of money from tax payers who must pay for the tuition of their own children. Many commercial schools have allowed students to take out loans knowing that those students would never make even one payment to return what the school used as their tuition. But the government demanded that women either go to school or get a job if they wanted to continue to receive benefits to support their children. Of course, they went to school. Did they learn anything? Maybe. They mostly learned how to work the system so that they could get the funds they wanted to support themselves. A few of them then continued on to take jobs for which they might or might not be qualified. A very few actually worked at their education and made something of themselves!

 

Thinking about the latest promises of “raises” in social security benefits is a bit worrisome. Just like every other time we hear that something wonderful will come out of Congress, we need to grab the salt shaker. A trip to the grocery store will tell you where a large portion of that raise might be headed. And stopping by the gas station will cause a person to just about drop his or her upper plate! When it comes right down to it, we are all going to have to learn to take care of our own needs, whether it is food, fuel, clothing, medical care, or things that are not total necessities. We really are terribly spoiled here in the U.S. Entertainment, eating out, personal transportation, communications that are easily obtained, travel from one side of the country to the other, all the conveniences that are basically unknown or unobtainable in some countries are ours.

 

We also have some standards that have been established for care of elders, children, homeless, mentally challenged, or others who are unable to care for themselves. NOT that those standards are always maintained! After Hurricane Ida hit, some nursing home patients were left to lie around on cement floors in a warehouse without proper clothing, food, or any actual caretaking. And the children in foster care or those being warehoused because there are no homes for them? No, they are being neglected as well. So who can establish better care according to the standards already established?

 

Today my thoughts went to an old-fashioned idea that my grandparents believed in. They thought that churches should be responsible for widows, orphans, and the needy. Many young men and women in schools have been mowing lawns and doing work for elderly folks in their home towns. They receive credits toward graduation by performing “good deeds.” What would happen if our local churches maintained a food pantry, a babysitting service for mothers who had to work, a tutorial service for children who needed extra help with their school work, sewing classes for women who needed a trade, machine or carpentry classes for those willing to learn a trade that might get their hands a bit dirty, a garden or three for extra food in areas where stores were unavailable? So many things CAN be done if people are willing to do them. And if young teens could be rewarded for tutoring, babysitting, or doing any of the multitude of tasks that these services required, why not?

 

Some folks pick up the leftover food stuffs from restaurants, vegetables from grocery stores where the stuff would be tossed, or even merchandise from stores that need to clear shelf space. Those things can and should be used wisely. Planting gardens and growing things can be a real joy for those who have never seen something grow. Raising chickens, raising rabbits, or just learning to can vegetables could save some money and teach responsibility. No one should grow up or grow old with the “give me” attitude so prevalent in this nation. We need to learn to take care of ourselves. We need to be more realistic about our government and its total lack of accountability. Sooner, rather than later, we will see the end of the Ponzi schemes.

 

Sorry not to have a lot of joyful things to say tonight. Will say that the big ol’ toad who dines out by the hen house just keeps getting fatter. And Thompson did kill another rat this early morning. So, life goes on.

 

Rest well and be grateful for all the blessings God has given us. You are loved.