Everyone struggles to stay within budget from time to time. However, the average person, with a little help from the “Great Recession”, has had no choice but to do their best to live within their means.
From the years of 2007 until recently, it has been a struggle for the average American to make ends meet. When times get tough, the choices get hard too.
Losing a job or income meant cutting out restaurant trips, cable TV and all superfluous expenditures.
Why is it that the Federal and State Governments cannot do the same?
This week’s big “scandal” was about Chris Christie enjoying the beach that had been closed to the public. http://insider.foxnews.com/2017/07/03/chris-christie-lounges-new-jersey-beach-closed-public-budget-standoff-photos-reaction It had been closed due to the inability of New Jersey’s House and Senate to ratify a budget.
The public’s reaction was largely unwarranted as the state maintains a home at this particular stretch of beach for the use of the sitting Governor.
Christie defended his actions, “That’s because the governor has a residence at Island Beach. Others don’t. It’s just the way it goes. Run for governor and you can have the residence.”
That stands to reason, yet, the press has to make a big deal of it.
Illinois is another state that is about to lose its credit rating and become a “junk” state. That means that the state would have a junk, i.e., bad credit score. https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/illinois-remains-on-brink-of-becoming-first-state-rated-junk/ar-BBDvrpI?li=BBnbfcN
For three straight years, Illinois has been unable to pass a budget.
Illinois has about 15 billion in unpaid bills at this time and is in a severe budget crisis and in danger of a negative credit spiral.
The governor has vetoed the last UNBALANCED budget, yet the veto has been overturned in the Democratic controlled house and has passed the vetoed stopgap budget.
For the boys and girls at home, this is like the head of the family stating that they have $2,000.00
a month to pay household bills. The rest of the family members declare that they must spend $ 3,000.00 a month and drown out the decision of the head of the family and proceed to live beyond their means.
This is what is happening in the Federal government, and the state governments are following suit.
It is the elephant in the room, yet there is little to no cooperation from either party to actually start a discussion on how the respective governments can operate on the monies that are incoming. Otherwise, payment due will always exceed accounts received.
Most are more interested in their partisan sacred cows and being sure that the right pockets are padded.
It is time for the American Public to apply extreme pressure to the elected officials. Most are spending as if there is no tomorrow because it is so easy to spend other people’s money.
If the Average American has to live frugally when the money is tight, no less should be expected of elected officials.
photo credit: Excerpted from: .v1ctor Casale. #pay #payment #creditcard via photopin (license)
