Americans are depressed. Americans are tired and exhausted. This depression and exhaustion has been building since early 2007, and it’s peaking now. Now I am depressed, and I am tired.
Normally I am a “glass is half-full” fellow. My glass is about a quarter full now. If my glass was a quarter full of gas, I could sell it and live for a couple weeks on the profit.
My depression actually started with a trip to the gas station. Have you stopped by your local gas station lately? Now we have gas prices going through the roof and there’s no end in sight. Americans can’t afford much else.
Nobody is smiling at the gas pump these days. The other day, when I was purchasing gas, a man at pump number seven was looking as though he was ready to pull a gun and end it all, right there. With a blank look on his unshaven face, he stared as the dollars clicked by – $30, $40, $50, all the way up to $70 dollars. I think I heard him mutter, “There goes this month’s installment for my kid’s college fund – just for a trip to Billings.”
At my gas pump, a sweet female voice came over the speaker. I thought I heard her say, “Pump #14 is ready, please pay inside. We accept cash, credit cards, or your first born. A banker is standing by for folks driving an SUV.” As I paid inside she smiled and said, “Would you like to buy a $7.00 car wash with your purchase?” With a glazed look in my eyes, I bit my lip and said, “No…thanks.”
With gas prices hitting all-time highs, people are not as “giving” or “charitable” as they once were. In the past, we routinely gave to worthwhile causes like veterans’ organizations, police organizations, candidates, etc. Not this year. When the folks call asking for donations for their worthy causes, I just say, “Sorry, we can’t give this year.” As the election gets closer I may say, “I’m sorry, but due to the Democrats ruining a good economy, we can’t give.”
We put a few items out for the Scouts when they were picking up food. This year, we checked closely to see if we really wouldn’t eat that can of chicken.
Sadly, things can get a lot worse.
How about a visit to your local grocery store? Buying food is tougher than ever. Forget about the steak, it’s hamburger now – sloppy Joes, hamburger helper, etc. The sizzle won’t be happening on my grill this summer from a nice thick T-bone; instead it will be the fat from cheap hamburger dropping on the coals. That’s if I can afford the propane for the grill.
In 2006, America wanted change, so they elected Democrats to make the change. Since January 2007, they have controlled the House and Senate and the agenda. America did not get change. Americans got shafted. The Democrats wanted control. They got it, and with it they are taking us down the toilet.
Do you remember that the Democrats passed an energy bill last year? A lot of freakin’ good that’s doing. A barrel of oil is around $123.00. That’s an all-time high. A gallon of gas has gone up about 40 cents since the Democrats passed the energy bill.
But, they gave us tax credits for a windmill. Just recently, the Democrats decided they wanted to make the Capitol “green.” Of course, it will cost you and me millions of dollars so they can make it “green.” It’s easy to be “green” when it’s not your money being spent to make it “green” with.
On Tuesday, we saw Billings and Great Falls voters defeat school levies. Depression rolls down hill even hurting our children. There’s just no extra money. We just can’t give any more when it takes $50-$100 to put gas in our vehicles just to get to work. We can’t afford the extra money when we have to use it just to buy food and gas.
We “got change” in November 2006. I say, “We got hosed.” Most folks would enjoy traveling back to those pre-election 2006 days. Problem is we can’t afford the gas for the trip.
But there’s hope on the horizon! I received my ballots in the mail yesterday for the June primary here in Montana. There are a lot of choices to make. The first choice is selecting a Republican ballot or a Democratic ballot.
I’m sorry Hillary, but I am depressed.
The Western Word 
It was a joke. I placed a question mark after it as a question since the democrats took over congress, the gas prices have gone up considerably. “Post hoc ergo propter hoc” in this instance, means that because of one event (democrats took over congress), the gas prices rose (the democrats caused it).It basically means, that since an event came after, that the event must have been caused by this one. You can say the same thing about beer. The democrats took over congress and beer prices have increased. 😉
Jack the Blogger: I have no idea what that means!I forgot more Latin than I ever knew.🙂
Wulfgar-Nope, I have not been too cocky about the Chiefs’ chances in, let’s say, about 10 years. We’ll probably fight it out with the Raiders for last place in the AFC West. Things are looking a little better after the draft, but not enough to for me to purchase Super Bowl tiks just yet. I can hear Obama now with his best Al Gore speech, “Everything that is down should be up; everything that is up should be down.” It’s the classic Bush Derangement Syndrome (BDS). Everything that is wrong with the country is his fault. I think I picked that up from Geeguy’s blog when someone said (Mayor Donna) Stebbins Derangment Syndrome – saying everything wrong in Great Falls is her fault. GeeGuy: Post hoc ergo propter hoc?
From what I have read, the recent spike in oil prices has more to do with the devaluation of the dollar than anything else. It’s pretty hard to lay that one at the feet of the Democratic congress, at least directly.I also think Wulfgar confuses the ‘national debt’ with the ‘credit bubble.’ While this country suffers from an overall tendency to borrow too much money, both individually and as a government, our current woes are not caused so much by government borrowing, as the collapse of bad debt incurred by individuals.
Yes, for seven years we’ve done pretty well in this country.That was kinda my point, Jack. For seven years “we” haven’t done well in this country. What’s changed in the last year is that the credit bubble has caught up with us, just as the dot.com bubble hit us after the wild Clinton years. The difference is scope. Not everyone got sucked into the tech boom. The debt of 43’s years, on the other hand …(Your Chiefs had a good draft, but I wouldn’t be feeling cocky just yet.)
Hey Montana Headlines and Wulfgar: I feel privileged of your visit, and I appreciate your comments.Yes, for seven years we’ve done pretty well in this country. Something changed the last year or so. Maybe it’s because the democrats took over the majority in the House and Senate? So let’s blame Bush for high gas prices and the high cost of food! Keith Olberman does, so it must be the correct thing to do.The democrats are trying the same method as they did in 2006 to win in 2008: We’ll stop the war and lower energy costs! Mr. Wulfgar, I see you disagree with this post strongly. Probably more strongly than if I would have said the Chiefs will beat the crap out of the Broncos next season. I still appreciate your comments Wulfgar, although your argument would hold more merit if you didn’t call people names. But thanks for stopping by folks. I am still too depressed to even get out and campaign for the candidates of my choice this election season. Besides, the cost of gas is preventing me from doing much driving.
Excuse me gentlemen (MH, I mean no offense if you are a lady) but I don’t remember a Democratic oilman holding hands with a prince of Saud. I just don’t recall the Democratic economy booming while working wages remained static. I do remember a balanced budget and decreasing national debt (a strong dollar) but that was some time ago … maybe about 8 years. I’m kinda fuzzy on the Democratic VP who held secret meetings to set American energy policy with people convicted of screwing the country up the bum. Perhaps you can remind me of those individuals. And I’m just having a real difficult time recalling the Democrat who put us 7 trillion dollars in debt for a vanity war.See, I too am depressed, and pretty angry. But I know who’s not responsible for this mess; it isn’t the ‘Democratic’ Congress of ’06 (elected under the wildly stupid 60% rule.) It might be the 49% obstructers (all Republican) or it might be Mr. Veto. It might be WalMart, purveyor of the finest Chinese wares. It might be Blackwater (Mercenary Rapists’R’Us). It might be a lot of things and a lot of people. Odds are some of them are Democrats. But blaming Democrats as a whole at this point is pretty tawdry, and defies the reality of President Chimpy McHated. No one is blaming the President unduly. He brought it on himself, and us as well.You want to have a shot at fixing these problems? Quit electing assholes like Sales, Rehburg or McCant. For my part, I promise never to vote for Pelosi or Ried. But quit blaming Democrats for the misery you feel at a year of their control of Congress when there were folk such as myself warning you about this crap 7 years ago.
One of the depressing things about politics in America is that most people can’t think past the Presidential race. With all of the important races here in Montana, even active Republicans just want to talk about Clinton and Obama and McCain. What this means is that even though Democrats run Congress, have a majority of state houses, etc., Republicans are still getting the blame for this economy, since we have the Presidency. Democrats may just want to lose the White House again — they can continue to ruin the economy, blame Republicans, and keep getting elected.