HOW BAD IS THE ECONOMY AND WILL AMERICA SURVIVE?

Just how bad is the economy? Forget what the lying sh**s in our government are putting out to the media. Here are some actual figures compiled by our local paper, the Starke Journal. This past year, 10 local businesses have gone under and closed, making a total of 26 local businesses gone over the last 3 years. The local KOA campground, which 3 and 4 years ago was full all winter, is only at 57% occupancy. Traffic counts on US 301, the main route from anywhere on the U.S. east coast to Florida's Gulf coast, are down 27 to 64 % from '05/06 levels. Remember trickle down economic theory? Well here it is in it's current government induced state : every business that closes hurts the suppliers that business bought from. That supplier has to make staffing cuts to stay afloat. The companies / manufacturers that supplier bought from have to make cuts. More and more unemployed.  Remember, Starke is just one small town, this is multiplied thousands of times around the country.

Why do I say this is government induced? What precipitated the housing and banking crisis that started this whole chain of events? It's all politics. Government rules and regulations forcing banks to make loans to people who couldn't ever afford to repay them. (Why? All in the name of diversity)Government "watchdog" agencies that were supposed to police the financial industry in cahoots with the very entities they were supposed to police, actually facilitating the robbery of America. So many government regulations you can't put a swing set up in your back yard without a stinking permit, let alone build something new for a business.

How much longer do you think we will continue to exist as a nation of free men? Considering all the government (federal, state, and local) laws and regulations we have today, are we still really a free nation now? Or has the decades long, gradual, piece by piece, infringement of personal liberty already destroyed that concept?

Why, what personal liberties have we lost, you say? I don't see any difference in my life.

OK, let's start with an easy one : the right to be stupid. Drive without a seatbelt and your government, in the person of a police officer, will issue you a fine if you get caught. Ditto ride a motorcycle without a helmet in some states. Oh well, that's for the common good - the taxpayer has to pay for the medical care of those idiots, so we have the right to take away their right to be stupid. Whoops, who said the taxpayer has to pay for their injuries? I'm sorry bleeding heart do-gooders, that's not my problem. Neither is it my problem to feed, clothe, house and otherwise support the 15 kids you've had while milking the welfare system.

How about the right of free speech? Duh, heard about hate crime laws? That's right, call an African American the n word (unless, of course, you're a black rapper) call a male homosexual the f word, and you could be charged with a hate crime.

How about the right to keep and bear arms? Oh, they are working SO hard behind the scenes to get rid of that one!

Wait one second before you start calling me names. If you're my neighbor, my friend, in my church or community, AND SOMEONE WHO HAS STRUGGLED TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY, but fallen on hard times, I will probably help you out of a jam if I can. But, it is NOT THE BUSINESS OF GOVERNMENT TO FORCE ME TO DO SO.

You CAN do something about this. You DO have a say in whether America stays free or ends up bankrupt like the European socialist countries are. Folks, I know some of you are way more liberal than I am. Some of you who are extremely intelligent think the Obama Plan is the way to go. I ask you to look at just one bit of evidence : socialism/communism DOES NOT WORK. It has not worked anywhere in the world it has been tried. Oh yeah, it will work for a while - until you have more takers than givers. Look at the problems of every single European country. Greece and Spain both would be bankrupt today without international bailouts. The rest of them are not in much better shape. Look at OUR national debt, we are only a very few years away from defaulting. NO ENTITY, BE IT A FAMILY OR A GOVERNMENT, CAN CONTINUE TO SPEND MORE THAN IT TAKES IN FOREVER.

Your vote does count, remember Florida and the hanging chads? YOUR vote could be the vote that swings an election. Your OPINION does count. Since 95% of our current crop of politicians only care about reelection, believe me,even though you may only get a form letter reply, they tally the letters on issues. Do you support our troops? Are you a veteran? Have you put your very life on the line for your country? A true patriot who loves your country and what it has stood for in the past? Remember, many, many thousands have DIED to protect YOUR freedom. Surely you can take a few minutes out of your life to let your voice be heard in our government. The Internet has made it so easy and quick to do that. Click on the link above "contact your Senator or Representative". Let them know what you think. And please, please, know the candidates and their positions before you pull the voting lever.

Dumb Farmer