Why Are We Going Broke?

I typically don’t post a lot about politics because the issue is obviously contentious, as most folks can’t separate their political views from their personal biases about individual politicians, groups, or political parties.  As a result their views change based on the “who” as opposed to any strong beliefs or convictions.

I’m amazed at the current state of our great nation’s finances.  Four years ago, our Legislative branch, and Executive Branch started authorizing massive spending programs to help our economy recover from a recession.  Two years ago, these branches, after an election cycle, continued this practice and added even more spending to it in terms of health care reform with the tag line that these reforms were going to save us money.

Now we are broke having apparently over spent to the point that we need either to cut spending or increase our debt ceiling.  Changing gears this fast in a car will strip your transmission and I’m curious what it is going to do to our government and our nation.  Over spending is never an answer, even if that overspending helps me out.

Our political process has also turned the taxpayers into a pawn for re-election.  Am I happy that taxes are at an all-time historical low?  You bet!  Am I happy that our nation is broke?  Not at all.

Unfortunately, our policies swing based on the needs of our politics and what our government does now seems to be done without respect for the future.  Before we couldn’t spend enough to save ourselves, now we can’t save enough to save ourselves.  There has to be a better way to govern then one that lives at the edge of the extremes.

Perhaps our nation could learn from the great state of Indiana.  Our state has not been governed on the extremes.  Is it perfect?  No, but our budgets is balanced, our taxes have not increased and we have over a billion dollars in reserve.  It isn’t easy but we know it can be done.