Just a thought to start you on your week.
You know what makes people risk-averse?
Reality.
The real world includes earthquakes and tornados and cancer and broken bones and lost jobs and bounced checks and and cheatin’ wives and dumb dogs. Reality is a country song.
And not one of those nice ones by Garth Brooks. Reality is Willie Nelson in a foul mood, looking to kick in some teeth.
You know what makes people take dumb risks?
Government.
Government is tax breaks, tax credits, tax shelters, transfer payments, subsidies, exemptions, special favors, competition-stifling regulations, unsafe hurricane & flood insurance, overhead, triplicated paperwork, fat-cat bailouts, and every other dumb stupid idea that makes it profitable for dumb stupid people to do dumb stupid things on your dime. Pay up, sucker — your neighbors might be dumb, but they’re smart enough to sell their votes to your congressman. And you’re the one stuck with the double-trillion-dollar chit.
Government is Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny all wrapped up into one — but you’re the one stuck nursing his drink and listening to Willie Nelson. Everyone else is out having a much better time.
So think about that as Washington thrills in the chance to put a whole lot more regulations on top of Wall Street — and Main Street, and your street — to protect poor little you from the big, bad men who would do you wrong.
If you think the IRS put Willie through the wringer, wait until the whole of Washington gets done with you.
It’s hard for me to picture Willie in a violent mood (unless in a scene from, say, Barbarossa).
If I wanted to name a country singer who could do damage, I’d think of Toby Keith or Eddie Montgomery or, hell, Hank Jr. He may be 60 but he ain’t mellowed any that I’ve ever seen.
I’d originally written it with a Waylon Jennings reference, but it didn’t work with the headline I wanted or with the IRS thing at the end.
But in my heart, it’s still Waylon.
Better?
Government can only put off reality for so long. Eventually, it catches up. Ask Iran.
The quicker and further the government is from reality, the quicker and harder reality comes snapping back. We’ve been moving away from reality fairly slowly from a historic sense, but we’re speeding up lately.
But we’ve been running from reality for a long, long time in the country. We will have a lot of distance to reconcile when the Man comes to settle the accounts.
Ouch. Not that I disagree, but what woke you up on the wrong side of a margharettia to post this one?
Accurate as always, but dude…
Now see? Why can’t the Right identify itself this succinctly and win an election? I swear, there is an entire fiscal policy in these two statements:
You know what makes people risk-averse? Reality.
You know what makes people take dumb risks?
Government.
And while we’re at it, anybody really believe that “free” health care will make people more risk averse?
Every version of “Mamas” I’ve ever heard is a Waylon & Willie duet, actually.