Fergy’s Fables: The Eviction

Once upon a time, a simple, law-abiding man named Bob lived in a modest house in a friendly neighborhood called Fair City.   Bob was like most people in Fair City.  He had a wife and children.  He went to work each day.  He smiled at his neighbors.  Life was good.

Bob and most of his neighbors had jobs.  They earned money to pay their bills.  They lived within their means.  If they earned $10,000, they had $10,000 to spend, and lived a standard of living which they could with that sum.  They shopped at the stores that gave them the most food, clothing, toys, tools and other things they wanted for the lowest price.  This way they could enjoy as many of those things as their money would buy.  If their work slowed and their wages decreased, they had to tighten their belts and do without some of the toys and entertainment.  In better times, as their income went up, they could actually live a higher standard of living and even save some of their money for a rainy day.

One neighbor, however, was different.  On a drizzly fall day Bob noticed a moving van backed up to the door of Ulysses’ white house.  There was also a “For Sale by Bank” sign in the yard.  Bob stopped by to see what was happening.  It was a sad day for Ulysses.  Bob asked him what happened. 

“I just don’t understand why the bank is making me move out!  It just isn’t fair. I usually make over $20,000 per year.  Last year I made $21,700.”

“Where do you get the money?” asked Bob.

“Fair City collects it for me from my neighbors’ paychecks.  I’m asking the Fair City council to give me a raise so I can do better at paying my bills.”

“I’m not sure I like the idea of you getting a ‘raise’ if it means taking more from me.  By the way, how much do you owe?” asked Bob.

 “$142,710,” replied Ulysses.

“Hmm.  That seems like a quite a bit for someone with your income.  How much did you spend last year?” asked Bob.

“Right around $38,200,” said Ulysses.

Bob blinked. Twice.  “Oh, I’m so sorry.  Did you have some disaster, or medical bills or something like that?”

Ulysses: “Not really.  This is just about what I spend each year.  I actually spend a lot on gifts to the City council and to people who like me.  And a big chunk is just interest on my bloomin’ mortgage!” He frowned. “That is maddening.  I do sort of plan my spending, though.  I automatically increase it every year.”

Bob: “But your income has never been more than $21,700?”

Ulysses: “That’s about the most I’ve ever made.”

Bob: “So where did you come up with the extra $16,500 to spend, if you never make that much?  From your savings?  Do you have a lock-box somewhere?”

Ulysses: Well, I used to have a lockbox but I wiped that out some time back.  Now I just put the extra purchases on my Chicom Credit Card.”

Bob: “Surely your spending beyond your means is not something you plan to keep doing forever is it? I mean, the bank is bound to get nervous!”

Ulysses: “As a matter of fact, the bank warned me of that very thing, but I did something about it.  I cut my spending back.”

“Oh, that’s good!  By how much?” Bob asked hopefully.

Ulysses shrugged: “I promised to reduce spending this year by $385.  Surely they should give me another four years in my white house.”

Bob didn’t know quite what to say.  He shook Ulysses’ hand.  “Godspeed, my friend, wherever you end up,” he said.

Every Fable has a Moral

If you add 8 zeros to the figures in this story, you can substitute the “U.S.” for Ulysses, and have an idea what those in charge have been doing in Washington, D.C. 

* U.S. Tax revenue: $2,170,000,000,000                                          

* Fed budget: $3,820,000,000,000

* New debt: $ 1,650,000,000,000

* National debt: $14,271,000,000,000

* Recent budget cuts: $ 38,500,000,000

Even these numbers are a little behind, as the debt has now passed the fifteen trillion dollar mark.  None of us could continue any such pattern and not expect to be evicted.   In Ulysses’ case, he is really only causing problems for himself.  In the case of our federal government, the problem affects us all. 

This blog is about liberty.  Every bit of spending by government is a diminution of personal liberty, for the government is forcibly taking the earnings of individuals and choosing how to spend it.  Many years ago, Herman Talmadge said,

“Virtually everything is under federal control nowadays except the federal budget.” 

The situation is far worse today than when he said it.  And to perpetuate the problem, Federal “Ulysses” is buying protection from the “bank”—voters—by how he spends.  He promises gifts like unemployment benefits, “free” health care, business subsidies, even food and shelter, if we will just let him keep up the binge.

In order to get the federal budget under control, we must unequivocally tell the spenders “No more!”  Eviction time is approaching.  Will we let Ulysses ‘buy’ our vote with another promised gift, using money he takes from our neighbors?