On the Financial Crisis

These last few weeks have been filled with big deal news.

The biggest and most far-reaching, though, is the ongoing wrangling and hand wringing going on over the current state of U.S. (and therefore world) financial markets.

Make no mistake about it: things are bad and they'll probably get worse before they get better.

Anyone who looks at my personal balance sheet will know I'm no financial genius. But I do understand a thing or two about fear and power mongering. (Not so much from personal experience as from research and living through the past decade.)

What's going on now regarding the financial situation is a parallel of what went on post September 11, 2001. Important decisions being pushed up on We The People and our representatives by those in power (who may or may not have an agenda of their own) using the tactics of obfuscation and fear.

"Approve what I'm telling you or we're all going to be in really big trouble! Trust me! No need to look deeply at it!"

This speech by Congresswoman Kaptur (D-Ohio) sums things up nicely, I think.

Stand up for yourselves. Don't let those in power bully you into giving up more of your rights, or the money you've worked hard for.