Dear America,

I pulled a Palin this morning as I was driving my girl to school; writing the thoughts screeching through my head on the palm of my hand as fast as I could, only at red lights, of course.  When totally by accident, I realized I was using red ink, as it was the one and only pen pulled out from the bottom of purse -- after having picked through gum wrappers, loose change, and lipstick first (successfully navigated also at a red light). But being April 15th and with the matter of taxation without representation spinning wildly out of control, I just can't help but take a moment to wrap my head around the irony.

Eventually I make my way home to carry out the beginnings of my day -- pour a second cup of coffee and pop a squat next to my new best friend, Vaio -- and commune with the happenings of the world; splashed on the front page of Yahoo we discover various titillating stories, as usual. 

What stands out? The synchronicity of most people paying far less in taxes, along with the market over 11,000 and still looking up -- all good news.

So, to recap, most people are paying less taxes (as promised...isn't that special) and the market is up -- we can all stop our worrying today, for this administration has saved the day! Recovery is finally here! Isn't that just swell, everyone? 

Everyone? 

...hmmm....that doesn't sound like happy to hear me.

I guess that nagging underlying worry that somethings not quite right is persisting -- is there a doctor left anywhere in the house?

...hmmm...it must have something to do with that prophetic one liner:

"we are five days away from fundamentally transforming America!"


Don't misconstrue, we want the market to go up,
we love it when it goes up.
Everyone's like, hey, how 'bout those stocks today.
Yeah, my 401's a jumpin', the big fish are a dumpin',
the dividends are a lumpin' -- this administration really is
a workin'.

They're like, pointing fingers to the Dow, saying, see,
see,
right there,
our stimulus really did do something, see.

Well which is it big guy?  You seem confused.

If we were to take your commentary on the "too big too fail" financial crisis, taking into account the fundamental changing of American philosophy, and station these thoughts like billboards on the side of the road ...taking in the hedge funds, sub-prime mortgages, bailouts and taxpayers, GM and AIG, bonuses and backstabbing, stimulus and unemployment (all converging into one bloody mess, if you ask me) -- but if we listened to your administration all along the way, you would have us believe Wall Street, and everything that goes with it, is evil. 

Yet, in the last few days, it is this very market that you immediately cling to for redemption!   I'm sure, it makes for tingles up the leg well deserved, as justification for taking such extreme measures to save this fine commonwealth.  I'm sure all intentions were pure and all other options were looked at first...and now, after all that's been said and done, you've got to look somewhere to have us all believe that what you're doing is really working.

You're doing it to us again, aren't you?

You are making us think we can all go back to sleep as everything is turning around; beating us to the punch of the accident waiting to happen...again...you know something don't you...walk away now people, there is nothing here to see. 

The thing is, you can't have it both ways -- you either appreciate Wall Street for all of it's highs and lows, understand Wall Street flipping it's bulls and bears, respect Wall Street -- and the cyclical nature that it truly is, including big bonuses -- as that's how the game is played -- or you don't.

It's not personal, it's business, right?  It's Wall Street; certainly no place for sissy's, queasy stomachs, or the weak of heart; and besides, the very people who paid for you to get where you are today, many of whom accompany you in your administration, have all traveled down the very same road.  So let me say it again, it's called Wall Street.  Of all people, with an honest look, you should be bending over backwards to kiss the streets of New York, rather than the sheiks and monarchs from around the globe.

But I'm getting side tracked; back to the headlines:

Most People Pay Less Taxes --
As promised, and right on time, courtesy of this administration, bing!
Just keep walking this way, they say, we have your best interests at heart.

Turn back people!

Something is not quite right...how can it be after legislating a trillion dollar health care package, after dishing out nearly two trillion in bank bail outs, stimulus funds, unemployment reimbursements, and frivolous earmarks, and when we all know of our unfunded liabilities buried deep within our top three entitlement programs -- Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid -- and as if all that were not enough, facing a staggering 12 Trillion Dollars in National Debt on top of it.

Wake up people!  We are in the midst of the changing of the guard -- regime change -- a coup d'etat on America as we eat, sleep, "pay less in taxes and get more benefits", as they hope and pray we fall back into our most natural state of being, lulled into thinking everything is okay now, happy days will come again...

Out with the old, in with the new; this is America, welcoming the new age of the redistribution of wealth.

This is the age for all those people who scream "I want my Obama money" and "I want my Obama-care."

When did we go off course?  (about a hundred years ago)
Where did we take the wrong turn?  (DC)
Why are we letting this administration drive us over the cliff?  (we're not)

The analogy of a car driving over the cliff, like Thelma and Louise, seems to capture this moment in time well; I only bring it up as this has been the go-to visual in political commentary all this week, so let's just run with that some more.

For starters, how about we take a moment to step out of the car and take an honest look at ourselves. Much of this is our fault, too; we let it happen, slowly and over time, we sat there eating drive through burgers and Krispy Kreme's day after day, singing to the radio without a care in the world, and certainly not looking in the rear view mirror.  It was bound to catch up to us -- and it did.

I am reminded of this week's Biggest Loser, Suze Orman being the biggest guest.  She was doing her thing, making her usual observations equating actual weight gain with debt; and with brutal honesty, she told the participants they would never drop their insufferable extra pounds until they paid full attention to their personal debt piled up (having already spied on their finances, ah snap).

She continued to implore upon them to tend to budgetary issues sooner, rather than later -- adding the dimension of right action creates right results.

But foremost, she made it very clear, debt is a burden -- a weight in and of itself that keeps us from achieving our goals and living life to the fullest.  (hmmmm...Suze was an Obama supporter...I wonder about that...)

Hey, I wonder if America's obesity problem is somehow tied to our national debt?  now that just gave me chills.

The real good news is that it has nothing to do with the car; it's about what we put in it. 

Perhaps what we really have to do is get out of that shiny new GM car which we purchased last fall, because it was just too good to pass up, sell it, and learn to walk on our own two feet again. 

Perhaps, we could begin to actually pick up the pace, and start jogging, get far enough along to do a 5K or do the sixty miles in three days, like the Susan G. Komen walk for Breast Cancer Research. 

Perhaps, we would eventually feel so good about ourselves, from the inside out, enriching the relationships we are blessed to have in life, be it in our work or family or special interests and affiliations, that we would... 

naturally,
without government help, 
make smarter money decisions, make healthier food choices, make honorable our word,  take better care of one another, and give more, much more, thanks to a Higher Power -- all jump-started by simply choosing to go with Suze logic and discovering how to live within our means in peace.  All this with the added benevolence of watching our children watch us, learning most importantly how not to make the same mistakes -- reaping the benefits of self-reliance for generations to come. 

Easy street, Wall Street, my street, your street all begin with the steps we take individually and collectively for the common good -- we just seem to be having a few fundamental differences on just how to put our best foot forward.

In the meantime, the most un-American day of the year is here and more people will be paying less in taxes than last year.  Oh and just a few people will be paying a little bit more.  And the Market is up.  No need to concern yourself whatsoever...keep walking...this way now...and we're walking...

It will be years before the other shoe will drop.

Make it a Good Day, G

You want to tip toe through the numbers some more?  Go to one of my new favorites...thank you, Ringo, for the graphs, charts, and watchful eye -- always looking out for lady liberty, making clear the road ahead with the understanding of where we've been.