tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1185219031783989911.post8678613365222074347..comments2023-12-23T02:16:43.463-08:00Comments on "Rational Preparedness" : The Blog: My Ramblings on Middle Class ErosionJaneofVirginiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15320442534060401465noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1185219031783989911.post-52447854336739347942013-08-07T10:21:30.246-07:002013-08-07T10:21:30.246-07:00We need much lower gas and energy prices, not high...We need much lower gas and energy prices, not higher. A good way to start would be to remove all the special punitive taxes found at all phases of gasoline/fuel production, so it is taxed like any other industry. <br /><br />So much of the price of a gallon of gas goes to government. Get rid of that, let it be subject to a state's general sales tax and nothing elsedmarkshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07269773990064736457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1185219031783989911.post-43579693582460807302013-08-04T10:08:36.146-07:002013-08-04T10:08:36.146-07:00Our last electricity bill which came Tuesday was g...Our last electricity bill which came Tuesday was greater than six hundred dollars. Five years ago, it was a hundred and thirty. Two years ago it was two hundred and twelve. Off grid is not cheap, and we have an off grid back up system, but we should begin to look at going off grid again. We can't do six hundred a month on a regular basis.JaneofVirginiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15320442534060401465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1185219031783989911.post-7881023091483252582013-08-04T07:29:21.107-07:002013-08-04T07:29:21.107-07:00My parents made it to the end but only because the...My parents made it to the end but only because they paid off their home and were protected by Prop 13. If my dad were in business today he would have gone bankrupt and starved because he would be too proud to take unemployment.<br /><br />Remember that one of the open promises of our president, before the election, was to raise our electricity bills dramatically. It is good to see that he has kept at least one promise.<br /><br />Grace and peace.Pumicehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18384572020071079433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1185219031783989911.post-73288771330486354282013-08-03T04:33:20.190-07:002013-08-03T04:33:20.190-07:00Yes the transformation has been quick. It used to ...Yes the transformation has been quick. It used to be that if one worked hard and remained in the same job that a comfortable retirement was a distinct possibility. These were the grandparents who helped with college for grandchildren and took long awaited trips to Europe or the Caribbean. Now, they wonder if they will be able to sell their houses, pay their power bill, retire at any point, or pay for the medications that might keep them functioning. Lord help the survivor class. Thanks for your comments, Sandy.JaneofVirginiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15320442534060401465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1185219031783989911.post-19024253961790323982013-08-02T21:35:10.936-07:002013-08-02T21:35:10.936-07:00Jane,
What middle class, it really appears most o...Jane,<br /><br />What middle class, it really appears most of the middle class are now being considered the lower class. The changes have been quick, I don't for see the economy getting better anytime soon. If we all make it, we will be considered survivors. Sandy Livesayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06183449816586125720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1185219031783989911.post-39203497417233885842013-08-02T20:45:01.210-07:002013-08-02T20:45:01.210-07:00Yes they were. My Dad was a member of the John Bi...Yes they were. My Dad was a member of the John Birch Society. He used to joke that he was so conservative that he "made the rest of the John Birch Society look like a bunch of flaming reds". Part of me is glad he is not on Earth to see the Obamunists.JaneofVirginiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15320442534060401465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1185219031783989911.post-31376738019990530352013-08-02T20:43:19.944-07:002013-08-02T20:43:19.944-07:00Good points, Lotta Joy. I have always thought tha...Good points, Lotta Joy. I have always thought that upward mobility is a trap and that having something doesn't mean you could afford it, just that you found a way to borrow the money for it. I am not comfortable owing very much money. I just never have been. I do worry about holding on. The changes have been quick. It's been much tougher in the past five years.JaneofVirginiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15320442534060401465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1185219031783989911.post-63610103528423490392013-08-02T20:17:28.234-07:002013-08-02T20:17:28.234-07:00My dad built our house piece by piece. As he coul...My dad built our house piece by piece. As he could pay for a board, a board was placed on the house. I lived the same way. I never bought a car I couldn't pay cash for. I have never owed a penny to anyone. I was never "middle class" since I lived below my means. And now, the middle class no longer exists except in people's mindset. There are the haves, and the have nots who want what the haves have. We, the "middle class" make do, or do without. The difference is we don't hate the ones who have it all. Our attention is focused on trying to keep what we've got and it's getting impossible.lotta joyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12742978845913126675noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1185219031783989911.post-41961493707507677652013-08-02T17:35:37.810-07:002013-08-02T17:35:37.810-07:00The John Birch Society was telling everyone this 5...The John Birch Society was telling everyone this 50 years ago, but no-one listened because of their foolishly calling everyone since Adam a communist. However, they were spot-on!Gorges Smythehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08777621500611603786noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1185219031783989911.post-72474667311963580512013-08-02T16:25:50.569-07:002013-08-02T16:25:50.569-07:00Yes, you make many points here that are absolutely...Yes, you make many points here that are absolutely right on. The class warfare which is being stoked by the present regime simply distracts us from the real matter at hand. A deteriorating and poorly managed economy in the US is bad for everyone, from the poorest of the poor to the wealthy, and certainly for those of us who were, or aspire to be middle income.<br /> You are absolutely correct in that it is not money that conveys class. I know poor people who have a lot of class and wealthy people who are classless. I think we should leave aspiring to be Middle Class behind and do exactly as you suggest. I think my family and I will aspire to be of the survivor class. This in itself could be tough.JaneofVirginiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15320442534060401465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1185219031783989911.post-2299045015259559172013-08-02T16:11:02.112-07:002013-08-02T16:11:02.112-07:00We left the middle class years ago or maybe it lef...We left the middle class years ago or maybe it left us behind. I'm not sure about using the class label as the class warfare stuff got us our current government. I prefer to use the word income as middle income. I know some people who have a lot of money and yet are low class. So we are low income now but act like we are middle class. It is all just words when the money is worthless and the cell phone won't work, maybe we are survivor class.Sunnybrook Farmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18135224259672444423noreply@blogger.com