Does anyone else notice a theme that seems rather apparent in this crappy economy we're all stuck in? Everyone wants more money.We are all well aware that of course the government wants more money. President Obama seemed to almost chant that with his "pass this bill" rhetoric—the real message behind his jobs bill is of course more taxes. And not a day goes by we don't hear from somebody in the Congress, or a representative from our local municipality that the coiffures are dry, we need more, more, more!
The banks are considering charging fees for the use of their debit cards now. Of course the answer to that is because we are having trouble turning a profit. When you travel to Las Vegas, they want to charge you a resort fee that can be as much as $15-$20 per night. For? Would you have guessed it's a charge for the use of their towels, and to have a maid come in and toss your sheets? All things that back in the day used to be a part of what you pay for in your regular nightly rate to stay at a hotel.
...because we all know that the hotels in Vegas are financially wheezing so that these fee resorts are a must charge—even though profits were up by around 36% last year despite the lagging economy. Do pardon my sarcasm on this particular item, thank you.
In all of this I ask, "What about Bob?" What about you and I? Aren't we Bob? Look, we're having trouble too. We are having trouble turning a profit just like everyone else. Our costs have gone up too. I don't have the exact numbers in front of me right now, but I can tell you that nearly every single daily necessity has risen in cost steadily, and heavily over the last at least four years or so.
Might I only ask one other begging question besides asking, "What about Bob?" Where exactly in hell is all of this frigging money?
I'll admit that this is a bit of digression, here, but I do think it's important to make a note of it. That is, I hate to get back on my bash the CEO bandwagon here, because every time I do that I get called a moron for not understanding about risk reward, and entrepreneurship, and for not appreciating hard work. But the reality is that all the while, while CEOs keep saying they need more to keep the wheels of their business turning, I see their paychecks rising in record numbers. The money isn't going into infrastructure. It's not going into improving efficiency. It's not going into giving their employees pay raises.
But CEOs are getting pay raises. So is the Congress. So are the guys who cut the grass in the park that's across the street from my house.
So again I ask, "What about Bob?" Because if the argument seems to work for everyone else that the costs keep going up and that's why I must charge more, and need more to get by, why can't Bob make the same argument? When Bob goes to the table and says, "It just ain't cuttin' it boss," the boss just nods his head and sends Bob back through the door.
"Whine, whine, whine," the boss says. "Just deal with it. Times are tough."
And to that I say the following. Exactly! So why don't you? Just deal with it, that is. I think it's high time one of these geniuses, be they in Congress or be they in business, with all of their fancy degrees actually use an ounce of their brain to figure out what the problem is before they determine what the solution is. Because every time one of these solutions come up, Bob has to give up more of his money.
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2 comments:
Greed my man. It drives us. For "Bob" I think it's more need, but somewhere along the way it turns to greed. The top CEO's and Congress are all greedy and don't WANT to be troubled with cutting back. It is far more complicated and uncomfortable to make your budget work when you have to work with smaller funds to meet greater expenses. Those guys are out of touch and have forgot how to do it.
Honestly, I think Congress as a whole is so lost in tax and spend, and people so used to their entitlement crap it's hard to cut anything. Congress doesn't want to give up any perks or money. The lower class that depends on the government doesn't want to give up an perks or money. So that leaves the middle class. I said last night on Twitter. The problem with America and taxes is that only we middle class understand the responsibilities. We make too much money for the government to cut us a break, and not enough to take advantage of the loopholes the upper class do.
But I digress, what's a middle class guy to do like you or I but rant? I don't see much hope in our political and economic future. It's time we either figure out how to get rich, or we should find two small shacks side by side and we'll let it all go and tell Congress to send us our unemployment/welfare/food assistance/energy assistance/healthcare etc.
I've got more, but I'm staring to ramble. :) That's why you are the writer and not me.
Spot on on all fronts. It's a twisted game and we are the pawns. It's a tough thing for me because I often find myself a bit torn. I like the free markets, when they work. I like capitalism, when it works. I like globalization, when it works. The "when it works" part is always the big question mark. :)
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