Getting Political

Joey's gonna love this (even moreso because he can catch me using "gonna" which isn't proper English").

I've been getting involved in our political process beyond teaching the children about our three branches of government and reviewing the history of our nation. (I'm sendinging emails, signing petitions, making phone calls, mailing tea bags.) As I witness the hundreds of billions of dollars being created, financed, or taxed (maybe I could say "begged, borrowed, or stolen") and appropriated by our representatives in Washington I am waking up to the fact that by not saying anything I'm part of the problem.

I know what it takes to run a fiscally responsible home, I now know what it takes to run a fiscally responsible business, and I don't understand how those same principles don't apply to running a fiscally responsible governement.

Guiding principles:

Don't spend what you don't have.
Don't buy things just because "everybody else is."
Don't make emotional spending decisions.
Recognize the difference between necessity and luxury, and:
Borrow sparingly, out of necessity, with a sound plan to pay it back.

I've added a new blog site to my list to help remind me how my money is being spent. You may care to check out http://www.legistorm.com/ if you're interested.

I looked up the salaries of members of the House of Representatives during my adult life.

1985--$75,100
2000--$141,300
2004--$158,100
2008--$174,000

Great incentive to get votes. Join a campaign, get on staff and if your candidate wins you get thousands of dollars of taxpayer bonuses.

I'm writing a letter to Mr. Obey, who already wrote to me and admitted which of his constituents he doesn't "give a you-know-what about"--it wasn't clear whether I'm one of them or not. I don't think this letter will be my last.