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I Was Wondering


Thursday, July 1, 2010

I am an American. Natural Born. Do I get anything for that?

I was once proud to say "I Am An American". I'm  wondering...am I STILL proud? I wouldn't be a patriot if I said no. I'm just torn these days about WHO is most important to our American government, and to Americans who are in some seat of power in our many industries. I so badly need to vent...before my head explodes right off of my shoulders. Bear with me, please, I believe some of my vents may be buzzing around in your heads, too. Maybe you, also, are losing sleep...

Small Businesses...backbone of our WHAT?

Health Insurance:
My husband and I have owned a small mailing business for 28 years. We've never suffered so much as we have in the last few years. Our state - "Tax"achusetts hasn't helped. Keep increasing our employer paid taxes and say sayonara to most of us. Our state mandated Health Insurance for all, a few years ago. The backlash of that is being borne primarily by small businesses. God forbid the Health Insurance companies should reduce their profits. Two years ago we were going to get a 20%+ increase in our premiums, so we went with a $500  deductible. Last year, on our anniversary date, we were going to get hit with a 33% increase to keep the plan we had. We could not afford such an incredibly high increase, so we went to a $2,000  deductible.  We quadrupled our deductible, yet still pay about $25 more each month. Tell me how that makes sense?  We're helping to cover all of those who HAD to get insurance even tho they couldn't afford it. The Health Insurance companies sure weren't going to take a hit...so pass it along to the little guys.

AND DO YOU WONDER WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN OBAMA-CARE kicks in? Our state is a model. Be afraid, be very afraid.


OH YEAH...SMALL BUSINESSES ARE THE BACKBONE OF OUR COUNTRY.

Banks:

Oh, right, many took bailouts with condition that (Oh, wait...WERE there any conditions?) they would make low interest loans available to those who needed them...including small businesses. WE had a business loan (line of credit) that our esteemed Bank of America decided to "call in". We weren't using it to borrow from...then pay back...than borrow from again and again. No...we were just paying interest each month, because we didn't have the money to pay it down over and over again. So now...it is no longer available to us, except to pay (through electronic debit) each month for the next five years...until it is paid off. We certainly needed THAT help while pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps to keep our company afloat.
So now, as a gift to ALL of us, they've found ways around the Feds new rules to add more and more fees to the fine Natural Born Americans who are struggling. Many are now charging you $6.00 (or maybe more in some places) to cash a check at their bank if you do not have an account there. (Blackmail? Are they having that hard a time getting new account holders?) Oh, and they also fingerprint the individual who's paying $6.00 for the privelege of cashing their check there. And don't even get me started on the way they account for your debit card uses. I think it borders on "illegal". They don't debit your account in the order you USED that debit card over the course of a day. They are entitled to start with the HIGHEST charge and go down to the lowest. Overdraft fees anyone? They are making money "hand over fist"...at the expense of those who are finding it hardest to get by.

City and Town Governments:
Yes, they are having a hard time, despite our taxes increasing each year. So, they employ "vendors" to do some of their work.  Be very afraid if their June 30th end of fiscal year is approaching. Don't expect to get paid...even for bills over 30 days old...until AFTER June 30th. And a huge corporation who has many state contracts...well...screw  the little guys...they  need to make their bottom line look good. The little guys who service them well can wait. Like WE (little guys) don't have bills to pay!

Keep increasing the costs of the little guys to live something closely resembling the way they used to live...and what will America be then?
I don't even want to start on benefits afforded to  illegal aliens that WE NATURAL BORN CITIZENS would NEVER qualify for. 

We've always been considered a  "Melting Pot"....well we're all MELTING...and where is our government to stop the flow?
Gee, I wish I could be assured of a raise every year...great health insurance...and a nice pension!
Dream on Americans. 
Maybe the next revolution will be American citizens vs. American politicians.