• End Our Intimate Relationship With Debt

American taxpayers are witnessing an unprecedented full-frontal attack on free enterprise, business, innovation, invention, creativity, productivity and entrepreneurialism. This is a misguided strategy from elected officials. At its core it is also an attack on employment.

We are provided a daily dose of news from Washington and from Wall Street’s experts that the economy is now in a phase of recovery, however we are told that this is a jobless recovery. "Jobless recovery" must be a new mantra concocted to perpetuate feel-good perceptions. There is little point in wasting anyone’s time analyzing this non-sense. For the millions of unemployed, and all the workers who will lose their jobs over the coming months, the economy is, and for the foreseeable future, will continue to be in a recession. This is not a glass-half-full attitude, but a lucid perception of the reality facing the road ahead for taxpayers, so let’s not sit and wait for answers from government. The actual number of unemployed is over 26 million. Where are we going?

As a result of this drawn out recession, and out of the undiminished American perseverance, a whole new wave of entrepreneurial ventures will spring up over the next five years. Washington has not been able to kill the entrepreneurial energy that created the millions of jobs in the first place, regardless how much it has tried. This remains enough of a "free" country that from the housewives in the suburbs struggling to feed their families, to the laid off office managers in the cities, individuals across America will rise to the challenge, and do something for themselves. They will take back whatever control over their own lives they might have relinquished to carelessness. Such is the nature of the human condition, as long as it does not allow itself to succumb to oppression, but holds the door open to fulfilling inspiration. America continues to be an environment where fulfillment at all levels is possible.

Out of the current stress and anxiety, will sprout a new collaborative entrepreneurship flowering through mutual inspiration and encouragement. The population’s negative reaction to “bigger, more expensive government,” that we have seen this past year, has not been an accident. While there will always be those who want to be “taken care of,” the vast majority of America has a natural desire to flourish and succeed without “big brother.” America also wants to see its government implement its laws with more diligence than has been demonstrated over the past twenty years.

Over the coming decade, the biggest change in perception that Americans will have to make will be in their relationship to debt. Debt has been very effectively promoted by banks and government, to the point where consumption of the conspicuous kind became a necessity for happiness.

Our general perception has been that debt is not only right, it is a right. Evermore lavish homes with equally lavish mortgages have become expectations, without which we have not achieved the unanimously accepted “dream.” How has such a perception translated to the national stage? It has become nationally acceptable that the U.S. government reach a state where it owes $13 trillion or a little under $120,000 per taxpayer. With an ever-increasing Federal budget deficit nearing $1.5 trillion, and no one seriously yelling stop, politicians have every right to think they have free reign to do as they please.

Washington knows and understands that perception is everything. Until the taxpayers decide otherwise, the White House and Congress will not implement restraints on the out-of-control spending.

The 110 million Americans paying income tax should lock out the grating noise of the propaganda machines lathering up their conscious minds with idiocies, and do what is right - Change perception on debt. Debt should be used when absolutely needed, rather than when desires have been stimulated into “wants.” Much of the national budget has been bloated by special interests, and by satisfying the personal wants of elected officials. A fraction of all government spending is needed. Demand a drastic cutback on that spending.

Debt has inflicted enough damage on the American landscape, and come very close to injuring the American psyche beyond recognition.