Thoughts on Debt

You do realize that we practically live in a virtual world, don’t you? The fact is nothing is what it seems and what you are being told is probably not the truth, so let’s look at the facts— The crude oil prices are dropping rapidly and the price on gas at the pump has come down some.  Did you know that it can take about 3-4 months for the pumps to have a decrease from a drop in the oil prices today.  Also, did you know that part of the reason for the increase in gas prices, aside from the economy and the war, is that the demand for gasoline has been rising and the supply has not.  The United States has not built even one oil refinery since 1976 which is 32 years of ignoring that we need more oil and not taking any action.  Also, in fairness to the average gas station, they make very little money on their gasoline sales and rake in a much bigger profit from keeping their gas prices competitively low, to encourage you to come to them and buy something to drink, cigarettes, lottery tickets and so forth.  It is the mini marts themselves that bring in the revenue in these places and not so much on the gas.

I still personally see a big difference from region to region on gas prices and in my travels this past weekend found gasoline prices that ranged from the highest price I saw at $3.39 per gallon for regular unleaded to $2.95 per gallon.  A savings of .44 per gallon is not laughing matter.  Especially when you consider, I didn’t go on a massive country wide trip, I only drove down the highway about an hour and that is how much the gas prices varied on a short drive.  I don’t care what they say in the news, I know that some of this must be price gouging, I don’t mind when the prices vary a little but when I can drive to the next town over and spend .20 less per gallon, something is rotten in Denmark!

These days it does seem that overall we are questioning everything and I want you to know that we are all doing it. Take for instance the fact that on Friday morning my car needed gas, so I stopped and put gas in the tank, regular unleaded of course, after all who is paying for the premium gas anymore. I paid $3.51 for a gallon of gas. Then it was Friday evening and I had to run out to the store and my boyfriend’s car was parked behind mine, so I took his. It needed gas, so I stopped to put gas in the tank at the same station and paid $3.99 per gallon. Then on Saturday morning we were out and the gas station sign said that same gas was now $4.09 per gallon and by Sunday morning it was up to $4.29 per gallon. Now I hear that the gas companies felt that this was warranted because there was a storm coming through Texas - Hugo I think, but who can keep them all straight anymore. You must think though, why must we pay for assumed potential future damage from a perspective storm? I mean it really doesn’t make any sense except as another excuse to hike the price of gas again. You must wonder how they can get away with this? I know I do especially when I hear that gas in Iraq costs about .39 a gallon. Maybe we should all move there, after all we own it now, in more ways than one.

The cost of everything is going up and up and I think with each rise in the inflation rate, my blood pressure goes up another point.  All this financial stress must be putting a real strain on some very stressed out American’s.  After all, at least half of America is on some type of anti-depressant or mood altering drug, and this was before the current financial crisis.  Although we would like to think that we are immune to all the hub bub that we hear through out the day, let’s face it, this is a very stressful time and we are all feeling it.

It is tough to go to work everyday, knowing at the end of the week when you have filled up your tank and have bought groceries, there won’t be a dime left over for anything extra.  We all are feeling the pressure and those of us with children are really feeling it.  With back to school time fast approaching, the inability to stretch the dollar is amazingly obvious.  Trying to buy those little extras that make back to school time so much fun, have long since past.  Now it is a strictly necessity world, where if you don’t need it, then you just don’t buy it.  It really is that simple.

Ask most counselors what one of the biggest factors is for stress and they will tell you unequivocally it is money.  It causes stress in marriages and causes divorces and it also causes rage, frustration and uncontrollable anger.  This is why cases of divorce and child abuse are more often sighted in poor or middle class families, rich families show less tendency towards there particular family problems.  The main reason is money.  Lack of money and inability to survive attacks at our core instincts and rips us apart.  It allows those more primitive reaction mechanisms to kick in and fight or flight to take over.

Personally, I worry about how the difficult economic times are going to wear on the structure of our families.  I am afraid to see how these problems will effect the nations children.

Everyone is talking about the prices of everything going up and up.  Most people blame it on Bush, blame it on the war, Sadaam Husien, all the arab nations, etc.  Well, a recent report says that while we are all struggling trying to be able to afford to put gas in our tank and food in our stomaches, Exxon is making a whopping $1500.00 per second.  Why is this? The problem is that everyone is using the war as an excuse to get more money out of us and put it in their pockets.  The part that I really find perplexing is where is our government in all this? Why are they not stepping forward and putting a reasonable cap on the amounts that companies especially food and oil companies can make off of us during this period of time.  Why aren’t they standing up for us in our time of need? The answer in my opinion can only be one of conspiracy.  They must be getting something from the companies either monetarily or otherwise which is worth more to them then the American public.  This whole situation is a travesty and just another way to keep the public focus away from what they are doing.  After all, if we are all so busy trying to figure out how we are going to be able to pay for things, then we can’t be looking at what they are doing, right?

I mean isn’t it lovely that during this financial crunch our government is going to start reducing their employees to a four day work week, so they don’t have to pay so much in transportation and gas.  I think that is a wonderful idea, but if this is the solution then why not reduce all companies to a four day work week.  Why not reduce school to 4 days per week? After all, not only would this save everyone money in the long run, but it would also save on the amount of gas and oil used in this country and therefore would reduce the demand, especially when you think about all the people who have really long commutes.  And wouldn’t it be helpful to have an extra day off a week? Well, I wouldn’t get your sights set on that, unless of course you are one of the elite few who get paid by the federal government.