The Problem With America's Economy

This past month, a very clear and simple explanation of what is wrong with our economy, came across my desk.  I recently cancelled a credit card, and made sure an old one was still active.  Being in business, I maintain proof of my expenses by using a credit card.  At the end of the year, between Paypal, a credit card, and bank statements from my business account, I'm still able to figure my own taxes and have proof of my deductible expenses.  I know some folks don't believe we should be using the current monetary exchange, but I'm not there at this time.  I figure as long as I'm filing with the IRS and rendering unto Caesar, I'll be using fiat currency, which includes credit cards.  There is no balance carried on my card, just documented proof of expense and payment.  I say all this for no real important reason, other than to clarify, I believe it is possible to be debt free and utilize the benefits of a credit card.

The other evening, after cancelling the one card, I called my the company with my old card and the young man who answered immediately informed me what a privilege it was to be speaking with someone who had maintained an account with the company for the number of years I have.  Truth be told, I've probably had this account more years than he's been alive!  At any rate, as he looked my account over, it seems I qualified for a new and better perk.  I listened and it did sound good, so we went through the process.  I received a letter confirming all that we had discussed and explaining my new status.

In this letter was also a credit report with my FICO score.  Upon reading the information, I did a Google search as to the category of my score.  As it turns out, I have an excellent FICO rating, but it isn't perfect.  It is, however; higher than Warren Buffet's is reported to be.  And that is just the tip of the ice berg in what is wrong with America's Economy.   Since my score was not perfect, a disclosure was included to inform me of the key factors that adversely affected my "excellent but less than perfect" credit score.

1.  Lack of recent installment loan information          translation:  I'm not in debt.

2.  Too few accounts                                                   again:  I'm not in debt

3.  No recent revolving balances                                       "          "

But wait, there's more.  Based upon my recent information in the account upgrade, I now have a credit limit that is nearly twice my annual income.  Now that I've officially seen this in writing, there is no doubt the economy is not improving.   My credit line is not based upon my ability to repay what I borrow. 

In a nutshell, having no debt is the official adverse factor in my credit rating, but I now qualify for a line of credit that would enable me to spend twice as much as my annual income.  This is to further "encourage" our consumer driven economy.  A quick search of consumer driven economy reveals that our spending is actually considered a part of the gross domestic product!  This is the epitome of "digging one's way out of a hole."    

Value Perspective

Last spring, I was speaking with one of my daughters about my latest off grid project.  I told her the original milking parlor has now become the "Power House" and a new milking parlor was established.

A couple of weeks ago, a grid power line came down, so we found ourselves without power, but the wind was amazing!  Now, there isn't enough battery storage, yet to maintain being fully off grid, but the wind was a definite bonus that night.  As a matter of fact, even with a small battery bank, Adonai provided enough wind to keep the entire house functioning at full capacity, including the heat pump!  All of this took me back to that conversation I'd had with my daughter, months earlier.

As we were awkwardly chatting as that is our established pattern, I was grasping for a topic and that's how the new Power House project came up.  Now in looking back, our conversations are nearly always about what the kids are doing, what I'm doing, and who/what she is analyzing . . . This conversation was no exception.  I told her about a bigger turbine, having the big boom truck set the pole, etc. then just casually included.  "All we need now is a $1000.00 worth of  batteries and we're set."  She immediately interjected that a thousand dollars worth of batteries seemed expensive.  I just dismissed it as her usual disparaging comments and went on with life, but now in taking note of my electric bill and knowing I was fully powered up when the line came down, I feel pretty blessed to have spent that $1000 dollars the way I did.

Now, comparing my expense to her lifestyle, I'm thinking this $1000.00 was an actual investment.  Adonai willing, the batteries will last for years, whereas $1000.00 in her hand, I don't think covers the monthly rent.  I realize things in this world are temporal, but as long as we are in this world, I don't think there's anything wrong with making some investments that will last, even if we are looking at temporary verses eternal.  I'm thankful to have no mortgage and no rent, but my house and lifestyle would not be good enough for many.  That's okay, it's more than good enough for me.

As I thought of being able to switch over to our off grid power and how truly blessed I am.  I continued to see clients, do laundry, and as mentioned previously, enjoy a warm house.  And the great thing about investing rather than rent is the differing perspective on temporal.  Apparently, for my daughter, it's all temporary, so there is no need to consider long term purchases or investment, but from my perspective, rent removes the "temporal" option.  If a person wants shelter and is choosing to rent, that option seems more like bondage, to me.

If I live another 25 years, as far as housing goes, all I have to concern myself with is maintenance and taxes.  If I were paying rent, that concern would be quite pricey, not to mention potentially ever increasing.  Now, as I can afford it, I like to add to the battery bank.  It was nice to know, with offgrid power I could still offer care, comfort, refreshments, and if the power grid shutdown had been wide spread, several of us could have weathered it fairly comfortably together.  Everything in this world is temporal, so why pay for it for a lifetime?

Pocketbook Revolution

The old saying "money talks" is proven every day, in most every way with the Lobby.  Without lobbyists, our representatives would have to buy their own lunches and pay for their own recreation on their meager $174,000.00 annual salary.  The term actually came from business reps standing in the lobby on Capitol Hill waiting for their opportunity to approach a representative regarding a bill or legislation.  Currently, being a lobbyist is an actual career opportunity.

A lobbyist is a professional persuader, a negotiator with cash in hand, "hired" by any collective cause to cajole politicians into legislation to further the cause they represent.  Interestingly, since favors are given, rather than money exchanged it's not illegal or bribery to influence a representative by these tactics.  Obviously, the individual citizen, does not have the power, a.k.a. money, of the lobby.  By the same token, we the people, do not have a largely supported collective cause that is able to send persuasive lobbyists to Washington.  In all honesty, the representatives and councils of family values groups haven't really accomplished much in Washington regarding abortion or the gay agenda.  Those who desire morality and freedom simply cannot win by the rules in Washington.  So what's the answer?

It's time for a pocketbook revolution.  It's time to speak loudly and clearly with our wallets.  Every company, every collective power that promotes something we don't believe it, just stop buying their products!  It really is that simple.  If you don't like the way Procter & Gamble used a gay wedding to both promote Tide and deride Kim Davis, then stop buying Procter & Gamble products . . . all of them!  If you don't believe in the abortion pill or birth control pills, stop using any of the pharmaceuticals produced by the companies that produce the products that offend you.  My latest biggie, was when Frito Lay came out with rainbow Doritos.   Frito Lay makes a great many products besides the special order Doritos.

Do your homework!  Memes and complaint posts on social media aren't going to change things.  All these blogs I've been doing for years would have no impact at all if I didn't back my views with my wallet.  I'm still not making a noticeable difference, but I'm only one person.  If all the people who post memes and articles against abortion, birth control, and vaccines actually stopped supporting Big Pharma straight across the board on all their products, our voice would be heard.  Sick and tired of the Bruce Jenner saga, get rid of the channel that carries his show and google to discover which companies are supporting the transgender agenda.

Our representatives are not listening to us, but they do listen to the lobbyists and lobbyists get their money from Big Corp.  If Big Corp is losing money . . . the benefits to politicians will slim down.  We've had this backward for too long.  Big Corp is calling the shots, the lobbyists are delivering the perks, and the politicians are owned.  If we the people actually put our money where our mouth is and stopped buying ALL the products made by companies promoting what we don't support, we'd see an all new meaning to "trickle down economics."  If we the people don't buy it, Big Corp can't sell it, they have to take a new approach, or lose money.  If Big Corp starts losing money . . . lobbyists will be scurrying around like rats on a sinking ship and politicians might have to actually listen to "we the people."  Or better yet, without all the perks, politicians might leave Washington after a couple of terms.

Even if there aren't enough people to collectively win this pocketbook revolution, those who do will at least know, we've taken a stand and not contributed to the moral collapse of this country.

Investing

We seem to have developed a "pawn" and debt mentality about life, in general, here in the US of A.  I've been contemplating a few theories about different types of money management and mismanagement.  Of course, I prefer my own method of management and my perspective of money, but then I guess most of us do, or we'd make changes.  I've come to realize, even those who say they want help don't actually want to change their method of management, they just want an increase in funding.  Fortunately for many, our society has a great many safety nets available, but rather than use these agencies for emergencies, the supply has become a way of life . . . being subsidized is budgeted in, if you will.

As I've shared here, previously, my expenses are pretty minimal.  I receive questions about financial management almost daily.  Often those "questions" are really veiled requests for funding.  Most of the time I share information, rather than funds, but when Abba leads me to offer financial assistance I do it.  I am an enabler by nature, so I have to hear Him before I just hand out cash, because I've done that in the past, only to realize that really didn't help the individual at all.  

As I listen to various management practices, I sometimes struggle to understand the mentality.  I struggle, especially when it comes to believers and our responsibility to Abba in the way we should manage our money.  There are four kinds of people and it becomes apparent in financial matters as well.  There are three types of folks who save.  Those who designate a set amount from every paycheck, those who are always afraid they won't have enough, and those who simply don't spend as much as they earn.  Of course the fourth kind of person is a non-saver.  When it comes to professing believers, I've actually heard some of them say saving and investing is a lack of faith . . . and some of those same folks aren't afraid of hard work, while others have no shame in begging.

I know people who always take care of their bills and finances, but don't necessarily believe in savings accounts or funds.  I got out of the stock market, I think in '06, maybe '07, before the crash.  I never went back.  My only stock investment now is four-legged in the pasture, rather than paper on Wall Street.  I don't have a huge savings account, but things in this world do break and do wear out, and sometimes an opportunity is presented that I just don't want to pass up, so I like to have a little nest egg.  I want enough to buy a good milk goat or a used tire, if need be.

I've been hearing a lot lately, about selling things that I consider an investment . . . For example, many folks in my circle of influence raise various breeds of livestock.  My goats and chickens are an investment, and some years I do better than others, but the point is, I plan to own a milk goat and laying hens over the long term.  I'm not getting rich here!  I do buy and sell bucks seasonally, but rather than sell a milk goat when prices are high, I figure she'll produce so much milk and so many kids . . . Yah willing, and she's much more valuable to me in production than in a one time sale.  I have one milk goat, I paid $100.00 for, over two years ago.  I've been offered $200.00 for her, but she's worth so much more than that!  So far, she's given me four kids and milk to feed bottle calves, which means meat in the freezer.  Usually the young doelings bring about $75-$100 and the bucks at least $50.  Right there is more than the $200.00 offer.  Then there's all the milk, and we all know the price of beef.  I truly do not remember any returns or dividends from Wall Street investments that can match this in a year or two.  I know I never owned any stock that doubled in value in two years, while also paying "daily" dividends.

If America returned to an agrarian society, I know we'd be healthier, but I also believe our economy would be stronger.  Flocks and herds are a safer investment than paper . . . and caring for flocks and herds means we'd have more exercise, need far less entertainment, and have much less stress!  An agrarian society invests in life, instead of possessions. 

When It Comes to Need and Provision

What do we have to bring to the table besides a fork and a need?

Today is officially the 10 year anniversary of shaking the dust off my feet as I left my training ground in northern Missouri.  In that northwest Missouri city, I'd operated an outreach mission in what was deemed a blighted neighborhood, maintained my membership and attendance at the local synagogue, while visiting nearly every church in the town on Sundays.  I'd also served as a school mentor in that blighted neighborhood, worked the food kitchen with my fellow congregants from synagogue, conducted Bible studies at the state mental health facility, and served as both police and fire chaplain for the city.  It all seems sort of a blur, now, but in that time I was learning and being trained for what I am now doing.

All of the duties mentioned in the previous paragraph were regular weekly responsibilities, except fire and police which were monthly meetings, but 24/7 on call emergencies.  I wasn't called on every call, only deaths, and thankfully there were not many criminal or fire deaths, but there were some.  Now the point I'm getting to regarding need and provision is, all of these "positions" came with a title and responsibility but no monetary compensation, whatsoever.  I had a modest income from an annuity, and by modest, I mean less than $600.00 a month.  I also had some reflexology clients @ $15.00 a session.  With that income, I was able to pay the utilities, keep gas in my car and insurance, and provide a weekend meal for the children in the neighborhood who came to the Bible class.  In that time, I actually had a few folks who simply handed me money, saying Abba had told them to give it to me.  That didn't occur frequently, but it did happen on occasion.  I also had folks, religious folks, asking for donations and bills to be paid . . . which did occur with regularity!

Through that time, I was also blessed to do a bit of traveling in mission work, and I would always receive an extra blessing along the way. In running this little outreach ministry, a larger church that was 501c3 agreed to stop sharing a devotion at their food pantry . . . Something about state donations.  It was through this time, they asked if they could donate the perishable leftovers to the mission I ran.  It was mostly veggies and prepackaged salad mixes, which just happens to be my very favorite food and probably least favorite of kids!  I was honest with them and told them salad was my favorite, but "my kids" probably wouldn't eat it.  They said, "Enjoy!"  So for three and a half years my grocery bill was less than $20.00 a week which included feeding the children on Saturday night.

 Traveling ministry was enjoyable, but I clearly heard that my mission call was to America, and three weeks before 9/11 Abba led to me to a computer ministry.  That in itself is quite a story, but that will be an article for another day.  Back to this preparation for barter and sharing.  My monthly bills also included a land line for the mission and a cell phone for my volunteer chaplain duty.  When I heard the call to move into the computer ministry, an internet connection also became a monthly bill as well.  I was still able to save some money!  In that seven years of running that mission, I discovered how very little I actually needed and how content I was just to be serving YHWH, but He was still simplifying me.

Now, as I prepare for others to join or just continue to reach out in this area, I have an electric bill, a communication bill, and a feed bill, which are all paid monthly and still amount to less than $600.00 a month.  I'm blessed with income from a business and book sales, but to this date, it hasn't put me in a new tax bracket.  I do not live "poor as a squirrel" in winter, not at all!  But, in over two decades, by the grace of YHWH and change of dependency, my cost of living has remained under $600.00 a month.  When it comes to need and provision, one of the biggest lessons I've learned and believe I will teach others is just how little worldly wealth it takes when we realize YHWH truly is our Provider.

Hone Those Talents

I went to town today and did a bit of stocking up.  I want to be prepared to help.  This is going to sound a bit selfish perhaps, but when others need help, I'd just as soon be able to hand them a can of tomatoes rather than a canning jar of tomatoes.  Of course, I'll help if I can but I don't want to lose track of my jars.  In this same trip, I discovered some very sad news, that seems to be marking an end to an era.   It's weighed so heavily on my mind, I've had to double check blogs and articles to make sure the issue has not already been published, but I think I've just been talking about it to anyone and everyone.

 In one of the many recent trips to town, I went by the Locker Plant I've patronized in the past.  Last year, they told their customers they were reducing their operation hours to deer season only, but they would still process beef through that season.  Since deer season is quickly approaching, I thought I might find someone at the place getting ready.  Rather than finding anyone there, or a note on the door as to the opening day, the place was obviously beyond abandoned.  The pens were all torn down, the refrigeration compressors were gone.  Believe it or not, I really tried to justify those two looming facts by considering, the compressors sitting out in plain view when the business is closed 8 months would just be an invitation for theft and vandalism.  As for the pens, since the focus now was primarily processing wild game, pens would really not be needed for dead animals.  The mail box atop the pile of neatly stacked deconstructed pen sides jolted me out of my idealistic denial.  There was only one more thing to check . . .

My little moment of denial came to a crashing halt and my fear confirmed, when I checked the meter box.  The meter had been pulled.  So, the next obvious thought of choice was, the elder generation had lived out his days and the descendants realized there really was no future career in a Locker Plant.  That may be what did happen, I don't know.  I know it was a family business that began right after WWII, just like the orchard up the highway that shuttered last year.  I truly do hope and pray that the senior generation simply lived out their days with the kids and grandkids juggling their "real career" and helping grandpa.  If that's the case, there's only one tragic detail to this story . . . Most in our society, even though they consume meat, do not raise their own meat, much less know how to process it.

In two years now, I've seen business shutter that were keeping alive the way of life that has sustained humanity throughout history.  It's time to dust off those talents and learn how to produce and process our own food, while we still can, or hone some talents that will produce good products for fair barter.    

Our Value

Realizing most folks under 50 have no awareness of the way business was done for centuries upon centuries before the industrial revolution, I want to share a bit of information.  Actually, if it weren't for my fellow congregants in synagogue, I'd have very little knowledge of this, myself; as the way of life I'm about to share basically disappeared through the late 50s and early 60s.

Before the industrial revolution, agriculture was the backbone of this nation and many nations, but not everyone farmed.  There were businessmen who created and produced products, but they were still very much dependent upon agriculture, as we still are today.  We just don't realize it because we, as a society, have so distanced ourselves from the basics.  Before the Great Depression, there were businesses that thrived in towns across America, primarily family businesses in which the family lived in an apartment above the business.  Actually, many of these downtown businesses survived the Great Depression and continued to flourish until the Interstate Highway system was built in the 50s bypassing the downtowns.

The downtown businesses were usually family operations that ranged from bakeries to grocery stores, even clothing shops and jewelry stores.  Farmers had basically the same situation, only they worked the rural  land that had been handed down to them, and often lived in the same farm house in which they'd been born.  The point I'm making here, is men did not measure their self worth and success by their "toys" and extras, but by what their hands and hard work produced.   Business people in town strove to create the finest apparel or long wearing leather craft, exquisite jewelry, or  . . .  a tangible product of worth.  They were recognized for craftsmanship, rather than accumulation.  Farmers strove to have the finest crops and healthy herds, rather than newest tractor and biggest house.

Now that our society has become intensely materialistic and entertainment oriented, one thing has remained consistent.  Entrepreneurs do not need entertainment.  The movers and shakers of this century are not sitting by idly awaiting the next gadget.

I've done a bit of figuring.  When the farmers and businessmen of our history made their living and supported their families, their product, produce, and the manners of their children were a reflection of their success.   Free time was considered laziness and extravagant extras were considered a sign of poor management.  A good farmer or businessman didn't owe anyone.  His value was not in what he made an hour, but what he built in life and what he would hand down to the next generation.

For the most part our society has stopped building and stopped investing.  It takes a significant hourly wage to live for the moment!  Quality craftsmanship has lasting value when applied and taught to the next generation.  Land has lasting value, when worked.  Hourly wages spent on entertainment and gadgets are gone very quickly, and soon forgotten.  Life insurance has replaced inheritances and that basically makes the statement: "we are worth more dead than alive."  

It's not too late to invest our G-d-given talents and invest in the next generation.