GaryMcCollum.com

There is a Holy Trinity for the use of income in an American household: Spending, Saving and Taxes.  All three legs are a househld’s responsibility, but only two of these three legs are within the household’s control on a daily basis: Saving and Spending.  Meanwhile, Taxes–as inevitable as death–are controllable every two years, at best.  In the interim, the Taxes affecting an American’s household income are entirely within the control of our stewards…our custodians…our elected representatives.

With the present state of the U.S. economy–an economy in which production and sales are lagging, but access to credit and savings are depleted–two of the three aspects of the afore-mentioned Holy Trinity will play a key role in our economic recovery.

Inherently, Americans recognize that the only way to restart the economy is for American households to continue Spending.  This has rarely been a problem for Americans and we still want to spend and honor this leg of our Holy Trinity. Proof can be found in the businesses that who adapted their models or, in the case of companies like McDonald’s and Wal-Mart, remained true to their core principles.  Sales for such businesses are strong and, frankly, keeping the U.S. economy a power in spite of globally challenging times.  The Spending choices may adapt, but the Spending itself will continue and, over time, will allow everyday American men and women to pull us out of these times, just as they have in every other crisis this country has faced.

At the same time, Americans recognize that the long-term stability and financial viability of this nation are dependent upon increased Savings.  Over the past twenty years, many Americans fooled themselves into relying too heavily upon credit, while living beyond our basic means.  Part of this trend was due to the government incentivizing household debt; part of this trend was due to household borrowers making poor decisions.  Regardless of past mistakes, however, Americans want to earn our way out of this crisis, by paying down debt, learning from the error of our ways, and working to insure that they don’t suffer: (A) any longer than we have to now; and (B) at any similar time in our nation’s future.

These two aspects of the Holy Trinity are daunting on their own.  The Obama Administration and Democrats in Congress, however, are determined to make sure that if Spending and Saving don’t kill you, Taxes will–either now (if you fall within the increasingly larger category of “rich Americans”) or later (in all likelihood, if you fall within the even larger category of “American, period”).  While we reinforce two of the legs on this stool, President Obama and Congress hell-bent on taking a saw, flame-thrower, and axe to the final leg in the hopes of bringing everything tumbling to the ground.

American families only have so much money they can allot to their responsibilities under this Holy Trinity of household income.  And the last time I checked, it would be illegal if we decided to just start printing more money to cover any shortfall on our end.  So, for our representatives to willingly choose to increase our burden both now and in the future is irresponsible, reckless and economically punitive.  At the same time, our representatives continue to spend our money, as if the bill will never come due, guaranteeing another attack on the Holy Trinity in the near future.

As a student at the University of Kentucky, I knew a guy who rarely had any money and would often order beers on the tab of friends whom he knew were on the way to the bar, but had not yet arrived.  Congress has turned into that guy.  American households are, thus, left with three responses:  (1) Sheepishly pay the bar tab, slowly going broke in the process; (2) Stop showing up to the bar, so he has to find a way to pay for it himself; or (3) Pay the tab one last time and then take the guy into the alleyway behind the bar and kick the guy’s ass.

We’ve tried Option 1.  It simply leaves everyone broke.

That leaves Options 2 and 3.  While liberals will tell you violence is never the answer, Option 3 is the right call for the time.  Use your fists of fury to punch the ballot box for a conservative in 2010.  Hold them accountable and promise the same to your new representative two years later if you think for a second that they didn’t get the message.