Editorial

What does Proposal 2015-1 have to do with last economic slide?

Letter to editor_8I typically distrust most political actions. I know that is going to unintentionally group some very good people acting to the best of their abilities on the behalf of you and me and every other citizen under their jurisdiction.

Yet based on past experience, with Social Security Income as a case in point, I do not feel our leaders have Joe Citizen’s back like they should, and it is not entirely their fault. I and possible a few million other U.S. citizens must share in the fault.

U.S. citizens have been so busy just trying to keep their head above water, that they do not have the time, energy, or other resources to try to convince our country’s leaders they are elected to serve us, and to put more effort into efficient governing with integrity. As long as average citizens remain quiet like lemmings, things will continue to decline. The economy will pick up and run its cycles as best it can with the increasing national debt, yet things will not improve.

This fact is based on another fact — money runs the government, and big business has the money, pretty black and white. The way big business is running things, one income band after another is feeling the pinch. First, it was lower wage earners who were noticed as hurting financially. More recently I have had several professionals from multiple disciplines share with me the unrealistic demands placed on them, and downward pressure on their income, and how it just is not worth it to continue in the trade they went to college for, trained for, and worked in for 10, 20 or 30 years.

Same thing happen in the REO market, first lower priced homes went REO, and later the lakefront REO market was affected. Just like current wages, started in the lower wage band, now the seasoned professional is affected. Wages have not risen, liabilities have risen.

The recent economic crash started about five presidencies back, and with each succeeding president, banking rules and regulations were changed, relaxed to the point lenders were allowed to fund very risky loans, and the entities rating the mortgage back securities sold on the secondary market to fund the Risky Loan business, were frequently rating the securities much higher than they should have been.

So, while millions of homeowners lose their homes, the remaining owners, whether they own free and clear or are paying a mortgage, lose 25-50% of the value of their home, putting many under water, the lenders, securities rating entities, and groups that influenced the securities rating groups so they could sell more fraudulent securities, get bailed out and jobs in the White House. Go figure?

Until a lot more people decide it more equitable to stand up for their rights, things will get worse, for us, our children, our grand children etc.

What does all this have to do with Proposal 2015-1 for roads in the May 5 election? I am not typically impressed with the stewardship of our tax dollars, nor the level of integrity available, yet we have before us Proposal 2015-1. Is this another end run? Is it a good thing? Your input is also requested. It is needed, as we must reduce the Lemming population.

As stated earlier, so many people are pushed beyond reasonable limits just trying to keep their head above water, so maybe if enough people who can make the time to respond here do, and share, on this issue we can all have a better chance to make a better decision on this issue.

One Less Lemming,

Virgil Gleason, Wayland

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