Issues

My friend and I were talking about the scary situation our economy is in, the scary situation with the polygamist group, raising children in the world, the scary situation with health care, child care etc. Everything sounded so despondent. Are any of you like us? We are worried and have anxieties! We don't know whether to go up or down, left or right? Do we pay this bill or that? Has anyone else noticed the price of everything is going sky high? We all know what happens. The price of one thing goes up, causes panic, so everyone else drives up prices of everything else; from home rates, to apples. For instance, grocery items have jumped 57% in the past 12 months and foreclosure rates are on the same rise! YIKES. Matell just came out and said all their prices will increase on ALL toys, and, at the rate that gas is going up we'll be paying a dollar more per gallon at the end of the year, than we are currently paying. I know, I know...oil keeps people employed, keeps our homes warm, our cars running...but it kept people employed, homes warm, and cars running at $0.96 a gallon! In 2001 I remember filling my car up, a 4 door sedan my parents gave me to use for college, for 10 bucks!!! Yup! TEN! I don't want to sound like a raving 90 year old with no teeth, but c'mon, something HAS to change! It's the principle of the thing, whether you can afford it or not! We should tap into our national emergency oil reserve and tell the foreign oil companies to lower their prices or we won't come back for business. They know they can't survive without major countries supporting them, so why don't we set the standard?! We also end the war against an "idea!" We can't fight an idea. We CAN protect our land from the invasion of that idea, but we can't dispell people's thoughts by bombs! British troops tried to dispell our founding father's ideas, and that didn't work either! They stood by the ideal of a free nation. (I'm in NO WAY supporting terrorism, so just take it for what it's worth.) This war was supposed to be a get in - drop bombs - get out fashion. What happened?Did you know that the US employs public relations specialist who work extensively to create a picture perfect situation for the media. For example, "Operation Iraqi Freedom" was staged! When our US soldiers toppled Sadaam's statue our "employee" handed out American flags, gathered in a select group of Iraqi's, and shut out the area to media and other "anti-Operation Iraqi Freedom" citizens until the stage was set to perfection. THEN the cameras were allowed to start rolling! I'm serious. Look at other past wars. You think Kuwait actually happened like it did? It wasn't picture perfect people, it was WAR! But it was made to "look" like we had "smart bombs" that got the enemy only..blah blah. In the book "Imperial Hubris" Michael Scheuer predicted that a slow bleed of our economy would be what loses us the war. He predicted that this war would be won by the "other side" by basically bleeding us dry! I think we know that it's working. We are all scurrying around like ants trying to find every morsel of food to keep existing (well that's what I feel like sometimes). I personally think we need to stop the stage show in Iraq; not in all countries, but Iraq. It's bleeding us dry, and they will win if we keep giving them the chance. I'm not anti war. Well, yeah, I guess I am. But, I do know that it has its purposes. Like, getting rid of Sadaam. I'm happy he's out of power, but what about Bin Laden? DUH! Did we shift focus a bit? Our troops are amazing, and I give them props for their courage. I wouldn't want to see people's homes destroyed because of an ideal. I didn't want this to turn into a philosophical debate or anything, but hey, it's just bleeding us dry. Everyone discounted Michael Scheuer when he wrote his predictions, and now we're paying for it! Diapers are up, produce is up, milk is up, poverty is up...jobs are being out-sourced, people are unemployed at a high rate, and nationally people are living -1% within their income. As members of the church, and in most Christian communities we know that "if ye are prepared ye shall not fear." I have no fear. I'm prepared...to an extent. That being said, there are still anxieties about the future! BUT, I'll call it a skunk when I see a skunk, and this war is a skunk, along with all the problems is has caused. The fear, anxieties, debt, crime, foreclosures, etc...etc... This didn't happen because millions were stupid with their money, it happened because of our Imperial Hubris! So, let's help each other live frugal, live informed, update each other. Anyone know any tips on investing money? Home remedies so we can save co-pays by not going to the dr? Ways to get better gas mileage? How to pay off credit cards the smart way? How to save on tuition expenses (besides just "not going")? Family friendly activities for free? Let's post links and chat it up so we keep each other informed and positive!