When I was a brand new lieutenant one of my Marines came to me a week before payday and told me that he was out of money and that the Navy Relief Society wouldn’t help him. I marched right over to Navy Relief ready to do battle. The lady volunteer told me that they couldn’t help my Marine until he prepared a budget. I failed to understand why that would help, but she was firm. No budget – no assistance.
I returned to the barracks and sat down with my Marine to fill out the stupid budget so we could get him a few bucks to feed his family (he was married and they had a baby). I knew exactly what he made so we started with that figure. On payday he had cashed his check and went home to pick up his wife and baby. On the way out of the trailer park he paid a portion of his rent – very responsible. He stopped at a gas station and filled his tank – no argument there. Then they went to a restaurant and had dinner. Well – they had to eat I suppose, but there are less expensive ways to get nourishment. They followed dinner by swinging by the record store and picking up the latest records that they were dying to get – hmmmm - they’re free on the radio I thought. Then they swung by the grocery store for the essentials of life including cigarettes, beer, and some staples. Now a week later they were 7 days from payday and they needed baby formula (I wondered how many cans of formula you could have bought for the price of that “Boston
I don’t know what happened to this Marine after he left my platoon – but I’m pretty sure that he’s a Democrat Congressman now.
This is how Democrats spend our money. You see it locally with gold plated offices, ever-rising salaries for an increasing army of bureaucrats, gifts, grants, absurd benefits packages, and other assorted perks. But the minute the budget comes into crisis they tell us they have to lay off firemen and policemen.
Most of us recognize the bait and switch. The mystery is why Congress can’t. Certainly this is exactly why Democrats (Progressives, Liberals, Socialists, whatever) don’t want to pass a damn budget. It is also why Republicans did pass a budget. This is also why we need a Balanced Budget Amendment.
I don’t know where you are now dear Navy Relief lady, but will you please go to Washington , DC
That same lady was working when I took one of my Marines in to Navy Relief. He was married with two children. Same story. If I see him today and he is a liberal Democrat, I will whip his ass.
ReplyDeleteMost Americans need a lesson on budgeting. They were supposed to get that lesson in school, but for some reason it got by-passed.
Our public schools are letting us down. It's time to cut their budget and see if we can educate our kids on the street.
Some people are too stupid to understand the big difference between "want" and "need".
ReplyDeleteThey believe them to be one in the same.
I was in the Army with guys who used to blow through a paycheck in a few short days and then bounce checks to get by through the following week.
Not only did it get them in trouble with the 1sg but it also cost them in bounce fees which made them short on their next check that they'd blow.
The other idiots used to get on AFES the DPP plan and have huge stereo systems and giant tv sets that they "needed" but, couldn't afford to eat at the chow hall when they "wanted".
They're all probably congressmen by now.
Excellent example on simple terms people should be able to understand.
ReplyDeleteI had a similar situation happen within our family. Our son, who had a young baby at home, would spend what little money he had on beer, cigarettes and occasionally a tattoo, then come asked me for money for formula. As hard as it was not to help the baby, I had to say no. He just didn't get it.
Things are better now. That problem is resolved. He finally got it but it meant having to make some hard choices.
America is co-dependent much like a parent is co-dependent to a child. Next time you write an article, put up a picture/link with the book "Co-dependent no more". It is a book most people should read nowadays.