My government scares me!

The Financial Tide has become the Red Tide. There was a line in the Pogo comic strip: " We have met the enemy....and he is us!" What scares me the most is that all this deficit spending that is going on at the local, state and federal level all has to come from the same pocket book -- mine! I was watching one of the Tea Bagger rallies on TV and a woman had a poster with the picture of a baby and the caption:" I'm only 6 hours old and I'm already $46,000 into debt"

Back in the first quarter of 2007 when the stock market was down and looking like it was going to continue downward for a while, I personally started cutting back. I moth-balled my credit cards and begin to use only my debit cards. If I didn't have the money, I didn't buy it. My government seems to have never gotten the word.

All I hear is how they are considering trimming next years budget. How about this years budget? I've asked my friends that work for "the Man" if they have been asked to cut back. They all say no. They have been told if it's budgeted go ahead and spend it.

Here in Charlotte we are talking about laying off teachers, police, firemen and EMTs but we are still going ahead with highway beautification projects, side walks and even a trolley to a mall that is in foreclosure because they were already budgeted. People are being let out of jail to keep costs at the courthouse down.

Hey you guys in government! Many are unemployed or under employed so income tax revenues are down. Retail spending is down so sales tax revenues are down. Property values are down, people are filing for downward reassessments and foreclosures up so property tax revenues will be down.

When will my government at all levels stop spending like a drunken sailor? Does anyone have the number of the local Tea Bagger chapter?

I'm not sure what I as an individual can do, but I've got to do something. That's my money they are spending. Wait a minute -- They are writing IOUs and signing your name and mine. Did you give permission for someone to sign IOUs for you, I know I didn't.

Can anyone in government give me a definition of "fiscal responsibility". Let's hear your ideas.

Jim Van Meerten is an investor who writes here and on Financial Tides. Please leave a comment below or email JimVanMeerten@gmail.com.