Live Within Your Means

Whatever happened to the good old fashioned idea that if I don't have the money I can't buy it? Where did we turn the corner from "responsible living" to "rights based" living? Rights based living is the idea that because I'm an American I have the RIGHT to have prosperity whether or not I actually earn it. If I don't want to work for it, then the country owes it to me.

Using "rights based" living many have taken on grand ideas of how they should be able to "make" their wealth. Look at recent scam artists that were "working" to make money - Madoff, Petters, and Hecker to name a few. Perhaps they all started out as Responsible Living people, but somewhere their plans took a hit and they became Rights Based people. They went from hard work and dedication to 'give it to me at any cost.'

Eventually they were caught at their games, but not before many, many people were hurt. Their rights somehow trumped the rights of others and they were allowed to profit from their schemes for many years.

Unfortunately the same is NOT true for our federal government. Although there have been many loud outcries against bailouts, 'bridges to nowhere' and other pork projects, the government goes merrily on with it's head in the sand in the name of "saving the economy" or whatever tag line feels good at the time. The Rights Based living has taken us down a dark and dirty road. It has placed a burden on our country that is likely to bury us. The amount of debt saddling our country now will only balloon in years to come.

Where did we turn the corner from living responsibly to this 'rights based' living? More importantly WHY did we turn the corner? Did we think it would be easier just to give prosperity away? Did we think that our children would be better off if they DIDN'T have to work hard? Do we really think that we can sustain this kind of living? Oh I'm sorry, look at the housing crisis and we have our answer - we can't.

People everywhere are worried. They're worried that their investments won't be enough for retirement. They're worried that their houses will be taken. They're worried that their lifestyles will have to be altered. Those worries are justified if the plan is to rely on the federal government to take care of the problems. Washington can't save any of us. Washington's Right's Based system is so entrenched in their thinking that they only see one way to save the world.

In the state of MN recently our state government took action that I haven't seen in some time. The governor actually "unalloted" programs. Yes folks, that means he took money away from various programs. Was it pleasant? No. Was it painful? Yes and no. Was it necessary? Absolutely.

You see Rights Based living can't go on indefinitely. Eventually we have to go back to working for what we get. We have to do responsible things like - spending less than we make, paying our bills, buying only what we can afford, and oh yes working for all of it.

If you want to be more secure in the future, start down the road of Responsible Living today. Make it a goal to pay off your house early. Make it a priority to stop using your credit cards. Make a plan to have money tucked away for a rainy day. If you do this, then you won't need Washington to help bail you out. If you don't, then don't knock on my door asking for bread. After all, I don't believe it's your Right to have it if you haven't earned it.