A New World

It's a new world for Americans. Years ago I promulgated a theory that summed up America's ills as consumerism, commercialism, and capitalism. It seems I was not far off. I now propose that Americans combat these evils by hording money. Capitalism is the idea that people engage in the production of goods and services for money and for centuries it has been one of the guiding principles of this country. But it evolved into the idea that it is ok to make money, legally, "at all costs." I came to this conclusion of the evolution of capitalism as a destructive force in the 1980s when I noticed that tobacco companies "earned" billions in federal subsidies to produce poison. Commercialism is capitalism's bastard step child. Basically, capitalism reduces everthing into a profit-generating enterprise. For example, some of the Super Bowl's best commercials are about beer and Bud is King. How many commercials do we need to tell us to drink beer when most of the viewers are drinking beer. Bud is advertising to Bud drinkers, talk about preaching to the choir. How stupid is that? An advertiser telling football fans to drink beer? We all know that sports fans are beer drinkers. However, the commercials make it ok to get drunk. Consumerism is nothing more than "keeping up the the Joneses." For the last 15 years or so, Americans bought up SUVs. Vehicles originally designed for heavy duty use, like the Jeep and the Suburban, became all the rage. Suddenly Americans wanted SUVs to drive the little ones to church, what an under-use of capacity, like bringing a machine gun to a fist fight. If ever there was a frivolous purchase, it is the gas guzzling SUV. True to my predictions, the walls came tumbling down. Now there is fear and panic. How do we survive this economy? For now I suggest Americans horde savings. Look at it this way, you are giving your bank liquidity. Save money in the bank and the bank has money to lend, and the economy prospers. That is a true patriotic American. Save, save, save. Let me qualify that statement, save in a locally owned bank or your neighborhood credit union. Stay the hell away from the large national bank crooks who are stealing your children's future. My big brother once told me that he did not fear petty criminals. He could defend himself against muggers or he could run away from them. However, he feared the son of a bitch wearing a coat and tie cause that guy was going to take him to cleaners, legally, and laugh all the way to bank. He was right. AIG, Bear Stearns, Indy Mac, Merrill Lynch, and so on, collectively have taken my retirement. They literally stole it from me and they are getting bonuses for being so clever about it. Wouldn't you know it, the government is in cahoots. Revolution anyone?