S&P downgrading our debt rating to AA+ and Wall Street tumbling ought to let you know that we have a debt problem in Washington, but let’s bring that problem home!
Dave Ramsey makes the current debt situation simple: "If the US Government was a family, they would be making $58,000 a year; they spend $75,000 a year and are $327,000 in credit card debt. They are currently proposing BIG spending cuts to reduce their spending to $72,000 a year. These are the actual proportions of the federal budget & debt, reduced to a level that we can understand."
But numbers can’t do justice with the kind of conversation a free-spending husband and an angry, budget-minded wife might have behind closed doors!
“You owe what?!”
“It’s just credit card debt, Honey! We don’t have to pay it all now.”
“Don’t you Honey me! Did I hear you right? We owe $327,000.”
“Those aren’t all my debts!”
“Oh sure, I bought things when we HAD money, but you’re the one who kept your foot on the spending accelerator when we should have slammed on the brakes! We make $58,000 and spend $75,000. With what we owe, we’re barely paying for the interest on our debt!”
“We’ll be OK. I’m going to get a better job.”
“Do you really think putting a bigger salary in your pocket when you got an even bigger hole in the corner will help?"
“President Obama says the recovery is coming back. There’ll be more jobs.”
“The next time you vote for a Democrat for President, will you please do a background check? He may share your philosophy, but no one can spend his way to prosperity and get someone else to pay the bill.”
“The rich don’t pay their fair share. Until I get back in the right job, the government needs to help those like us who have needs.”
“Those who want politicians to take from the rich so they don’t have to pay their own bills are the same ones who buy lottery tickets to become one and elect Democrats in case they don’t.”
“Democrats care.”
“That’s not caring! If people you care about are on the Titanic and the Titanic is sinking because of the weight of the load, the last thing you want to do is to try and get more passengers on board.”
“He’s won’t let the middle class fail.”
“Dear, in Obama’s book, you’re NOT big enough to be ‘too big to fail!’ His hope and change have been a dead-end for our economy. I can’t believe you’re still supporting the Captain who rammed us full-speed into the iceberg.”
“It’s the Tea Party’s fault.”
“That’s blaming the messenger! They’re just whistleblowers, and now I’m blowing the whistle on you!”
“Obama is…”
“Obama is out there playing golf and campaigning while Washington is getting buried in debt! He won’t make the necessary cuts. But forget Obama, we need to take care of our debt. PLEASE, give me your credit card.”
“Honey, you have to spend money to make the kind of money we need…”
“No wonder we’re in trouble! As Ray Kroc said and lived, ‘Free enterprise will work if you will.’ We can’t wait on Washington; we’ve both got to start working to get this under control!”
“I won’t take just any job.”
“I hope you can find the right job, but until you do, we need to control spending. Did see the bumper sticker on Phil’s car—‘If at first you don't succeed, do what your wife told you to do?’"
“Very funny.”
“I married you for good or for worse, but you didn’t have to test me! Trust me. Together we can CUT expenditures, CAP future spending, and BALANCE our budget starting today.”
“Remember that priceless proverb from that six-year-old, ‘He who marries for money...better be nice to his wife.’ I think it’s time to follow that advice.”
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