Gadabout's History Lesson

Alert!

The sky is falling
Upon blind, sheltered Lemmings
Talking on iPhones

Gadabout believes that the health of the economy is much healthier than most of us are led to believe. Yes, some people are scrapping by and facing challenging hardships, but for the vast majority all is coming up roses. During the presidential election of 1980 (the first presidential election Gadabout voted in), candidate Reagan proposed the question, “Do you feel better off today than you did 4 years ago?” Those were powerful words that led to a landslide election victory. For the benefit of younger readers, the country was a mess in 1980. Home interest rates were above 15% (that’s right, 15%), unemployment was nearly 10% and personal income was flat. We were in the dumps! Gadabout joined the military after graduating from the number 1 Mechanical Engineering College in the state because there weren’t any jobs!

If you have been keeping an open ear to the endless campaign rhetoric, then you have noticed that the dialog never touches upon a skyrocketing stock market, low unemployment, a firm housing market (excluding a rather small correction the past year), and an upbeat national personality. We are led to believe that the rich are too rich (yes, I believe we should examine taxing the super rich), we are loosing a war and the health care system is out of whack. Yep, we need to work on all of these areas and make further progress, but Gadabout feels better today than he did 4 years ago. Except for being 4 years older and feeling the years in my hips and knees, I certainly don’t feel worse.

Look, Apple’s iPhone sold 500,000 units during its debut weekend. $500 for a phone! How bad can things be in the country when we are all running around celebrating paying $500 for a phone when Verizon will give you one for FREE if you sign up for a 2 year service plan? Americans like feeling bad and depressed regardless of their personal successes and fortunes. The Talking Heads tell us the sky is falling, so we all seek shelter and hitch a ride on the “bitch and moan” bandwagon. In the 70’s and 80’s very few could have afforded a $500 dollar phone, let alone buy a new car or home. Come on, folks; the cold war is history, we are working and creating, and paying our bills on time!

Last point—do you spend more money on your pet’s health care than your own? Yeah, I thought so.