If it wasn’t so sad.

If it wasn’t so sad why do we now see some banks abandoning homes that have been foreclosed, leaving them to decay and rot? Does that not impact communities, the tax rolls and property values and is it not an issue with them? Is it that they have written off the loss and now they will move on and let someone else deal with it? It is cheaper then fixing them and maintaining them? Does it not impact them as well? Yes decay even as we drive past and all the while our candidates run about talking about their plan. Talk is cheap no matter how well you speak it if it is not followed by action. Yes, if it wasn’t so sad.

Here in the state of Florida we have one insurance crisis after another. Our Governor, maybe our next Vice President, is a Market person. He prefers, like Mr. McCain and the other candidates to let the market drive the costs and find the solution. OK, can anyone with any reasonable sense say their costs have gone down and we have had fair and equitable solutions? People are buying less and less because of all the other impacts to their budget just to get along. They are literally hanging on by a thread trying to pay for necessities and in my opinion the "market forces" are driving people in that direction. Is it economics or speculation or manipulation that is driving the costs? If it wasn’t so sad.

In my opinion the Governor of Florida is also a nice man, good intentioned and he believes in that system he was indoctrinated into. However, this is not about nice it is about being able to do. I do not see why they hold to that opinion based on recent life experience with a well known insurance provider, but that is his opinion and theirs. Just what does that say? In my opinion intentions, no matter how well intended, do not help people unless it produces something that benefits the citizens. Want an answer about "market driven", go ask a Floridian. If it wasn’t so sad.

Ok, need some additional help? Example; Auto Insurance in the state of Florida. Everyone is required to have it regardless of economic status or cost. If you do not have it you do not drive legally. So what are the rules for obtaining. Well if you have read my prior article on Credit and Debt to Income Ratio you know you will pay through the nose if your credit is not the best. Secondly, you insure the car, not the person so why should credit matter as long as they get paid. It really doesn’t matter if you own the car or not, you insure the car not the person. The person who allows you to be added to their policy and pays the bill accepts the risk. Yet, go to the Dept of MV and see what they tell you. It means they require a person to secure their own policy, why and who runs what in this state? Does anyone know?  If it wasn’t so sad.

So now we get to economics. The cost for one car is staggering. So auto insurance is costing single people making $13,000 A YEAR gross, at the low end, about $1500.00 a year for the bare coverages and that is if your credit is worthy and maybe only one ticket. Forget about it if you have more then one ticket. Ok after paying in, lets say a couple of thousand dollars a year for taxes and getting little back what is left to live off of? Yes and they expect people, a great number of them, to survive. Oh and by the way don’t have individual insurance you can’t drive. Can’t drive, can’t work. Intelligence right or incompetence? What if you have more then one car? If it wasn’t so sad.

In my opinion it is another outward symbol of the decay of this nation and certainly the leadership. In my opinion it is another statement of character and competence. If it wasn’t so sad.

What is required is action now on multiple fronts. No not after the election and after I redecorate my Oval Office, no, now. Are they not self defined professed leaders? In my opinion it is like a project gone amuck. Yes always an official leader for all that is good and no one in charge when things are bad. Someone needs to step up and take control now. Are they not Senators? Can’t they build coalitions as they profess and certainly why not now when their comrades are all wavering who they want to stand behind. It makes for a great opportunity. Is that not what leaders do? Gather the troops , find the doers, reorganize and take immediate action. Do now and secure the victory, yea sure.  All these comprehensive discussions lead no where, nada, zero, zilch. If it wasn’t so sad.

Also, why all this "Comprehensive" talk that these leaders are always throwing out when questions are raised. This is a complex issue and we need "comprehensive discussions". In my opinion that means, see you. Complex my, oh you know what I mean. In combat when wounded and hurting bad they tell you stop the bleeding, restore breathing, treat for shock. Ok we are bleeding and no one is there to stop it. You can forget about all the rest you are dead. If it wasn’t so sad.

So it is simple, we need leaders who take decisive action now to eliminate issues and like I said, now. "Show us the money" as they say in the movies. In Iraq we have more of the same and why shouldn’t we. If our own house is not in order how do we expect theirs to be? Are we not the instrument of example, education and direction for them? We need up front, honest and direct talks, period and with everyone as to how "we" together, hey a new concept, can work together to end this religious and sectarian war. If they do not want it as a people who can impose it? If their goals are not our goals how can we secure the peace? Remove the bad influence, get to the root and get past it. Sure they will have bloodshed, don't they have that now and if left unresolved, once gone, they will have bloodshed. That’s right, only force of arms. If it wasn’t so sad.

We can all agree and sadly too late that it is evident we did and do not have enough boots to do the job right the first time. Is not the so called "surge’ evidence of that? A] more troops, b] local control. Wow, a brain storm equals improvement. Take those troops out and everyone is praying hard it holds. Except our President who knows where it is all headed and in one of those rare moments I agree. We need a decisive end or go and prepare because a failure to expect what is going to come would be in my opinion incompetent. Yes, like the Embassy Roof Top in Nam, see you and fend for yourself. 4000 lives, hey not my call, sorry. Tell that to those killed and wounded families. If it wasn’t so sad.

Immigration, in my opinion another ‘Comprehensive" lark made by those who sit in power. Give me a break, we need a strong and fair non exploitive worker program that places Americans first but pays all equally and get this novelty, a "living wage" and no rewards for breaking the law. Yes, we will have to pay more period, end of story but are we not paying already even on top of the billions given away freely? All this about "we are a nation of law" give us a break, please. Speak to the reality and the facts you had a hand in creating and propagating you cannot ignore. If it wasn’t so sad.

In my opinion and who am I just another average American and in my little world the answer to our American economy is wrapped up in a core issue that is no longer simple. We need good stay here jobs worked by Americans simply means no work, no nothing. You gave the farm away so how do we get people back to work ASAP? No not those jobs this President keeps alluding to that his administration has created. Yes, thank you Mr. Feel our pain leaders, minimum wage, go no where, dead end types for Americans. No we must end the giving away of the good jobs offshore and build at home and stop giving the good jobs to Green Card holders along with the statement Americans can’t do them. Yes and by the way stop the free education, the grants, etc for foreigners and focus on what we are now and do it NOW not after this election for Americans. If it wasn’t so sad.

We also need to end the outsourcing of our vital national defense which in my opinion is creating a new global military where our "allies" get the bigger share and we get the scraps. It undermines our security.  Ally today, enemy tomorrow. Save billions lose trillions. Ok, do I have to remind you about "our" allies? Just look to Iraq and what they call a coalition. How many fingers do you have so you can count them. Please if you can’t see the forest for the trees what can one say? If it wasn’t so sad.

Yes the need for leadership is so appalling we settle for the books cover, the packaging, the new sheet metal and the Easter Bunny, anything that promises, like cattle to the slaughter. If it wasn’t so sad.

No these are not easy tasks that lie ahead but they are not insurmountable. Can they be implemented overnight, no. However, we can start immediately to shut down the bleeding, restore breathing and then treat for shock. Yes the essentials of combat medicine. If it wasn’t so sad.

So while this group is running around eating pizza, and hot dogs and pressing hands and taking pictures and doing a lot of talking of what they will eventually do we continue to bleed. Yes 57% absence, 31% absence and on and on and for a work time that is so short one wonders can they get anything done. Yes, check their records. What they have done and in this case what they have failed to do. We bleed for lack of a leaders because regardless if one professes to be a leader, i.e. Nero or Caliglia, it does not make for one. Yes, as I keep saying, the proof is in the works, in what they have done and failed to do. If it wasn’t so sad.

The office for president is a no choice situation, as even the so called media experts said last night, except for some differences that people could take or leave they are almost bookends. The rest of the answers are written in Free Trade and the Market Driven mentality and the World Ideology which in my opinion has no place for the common man of any nation. I prefer Fair Markets but strange that word is always omitted. If it wasn’t so sad.

Last night there was an interesting show on ancient Rome. Basically they were discussing its citizens and people. They said very distinctly and to paraphrase, there were two classes in their society. The lower class had no real value except to serve the purposes of the few. To be used and discarded as required. Not politically correct to say even then, but the truth. I have elected to call that the have and the have not of today. In my opinion to think any differently, even in light of all the so called intelligence of this age is in fact and in my opinion ignorance and in some cases bliss. If it wasn’t so sad.

Hey agree or not, until We the People decide we want to restore our freedoms and way of life and the pursuit of happiness, tell me where that went, we will continue to get what we have. No, it is not the system, it is those who run it or allow it to deteriorate wherein the problem lies. So even if we make a minor change we will have sent a message loud and clear that it is time to change things. Can they do it? I wouldn’t expect it yet they can if they wish to and they do not have to wait to do it. So, why do you accept that they don’t? If it wasn’t so sad.

Robert T. Melaccio Sr. 2008 Copyright ©2008 Robert Melaccio