America, Grow Up!!!
Dear America,
I know this weekend we celebrate your birthday, and 235 is a lot to be proud of, a lot people never thought you’d make it this far. Unfortunately, you’re not the country you used to be. Don’t get me wrong, I still think this is a place where an individual can rise from abject poverty and come up with the next million dollar idea and make a fortune, but America, you have got to start growing up and acting like a mature responsible adult.
You are going to have to stop spending money you don’t have on things you can’t afford and make some tough choices down the road. If you don’t it is quite possible that you won’t make the quarter of a millennium club.
Let’s take a look at your finances. If we’re to take the Congressional Budget Office at its word, for 2011 the President wanted to spend $3.83 trillion. We’re taking in only $2.228 trillion, which means we’ll run a deficit of $1.48 trillion. Our national debt is expected to go from $11.9 trillion in FY 2009 to $15 trillion in FY 2011. Do you see a problem here? Now there is a little good news in that the federal deficit actually drops to $1.27 trillion in FY 2011; however, I don’t really find a lot of comfort in that. That’s the equivalent of being told I’m only going to be shot 8 times instead of 10. I think after I get hit with the first bullet it doesn’t matter anymore.
Part of your problem America is you want to do everything for everybody, and you can’t afford to do that anymore. You can’t afford to subsidize every industry nor can you afford to subsidize everyone’s health care. You can’t afford to subsidize everyone’s retirement nor their education. We also can’t subsidize every nation’s national security. You’ve got some tough choices to make and you better start making them soon.
And to help you out, I have a birthday present for you. My wife and I will agree to pay a little more to help you get out of debt. We’ll also let you keep what we’ve paid into Social Security and we won’t take Medicare when we get old if you agree to the following. Make sure everyone whose getting subsidized (welfare, corporate tax breaks) also takes less. Stop taking money out of our checks for Social Security. And incentivize saving so the Lovely Mrs. Shabazz and I can save to cover our own retirement and health care and we can take care of our ourselves in our golden years. Expanding our 401 K options and health savings accounts will do just fine.
America, if you can do that you’ll find you’re in better shape than you think. You’re a great country and having dated a lot of other countries, I’m proud to call you home. However, there won’t be much of you left if you don’t get your act together. In 1776 you decided to move out of your Dad George’s basement and strike out on your own. In 2011, it’s time to recapture that spirit. If anyone can do it, you can.
Happy Birthday, America! Enjoy your day! And no cake! You’ve been picking up a few pounds over the years and we really need to talk about exercising more. You can have a cigar though, I’ll buy. I know a great place 90 miles south of Florida.
