{"id":28,"date":"2011-09-09T06:00:57","date_gmt":"2011-09-09T10:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/godonomics\/2011\/01\/the-monkey-on-uncle-sams-back-has-gas.html"},"modified":"2011-09-02T14:16:35","modified_gmt":"2011-09-02T18:16:35","slug":"the-monkey-on-uncle-sams-back-has-gas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/godonomics\/2011\/09\/the-monkey-on-uncle-sams-back-has-gas.html","title":{"rendered":"The Monkey On Uncle Sam’s Back Has Gas"},"content":{"rendered":"

Prepare your budget for rising gas prices. \u00a0 Some experts predict the price will rise to $5 or $6 a gallon by the end of summer. \u00a0 This price is not only painful for the typical family but has a domino impact on everything else as well. \u00a0The price of shipping food to the grocery store goes up -so groceries go up too. \u00a0 \u00a0 Plan now for MARGIN!!! \u00a0 \u00a0Build your budget around an assumption that your cost of living will go up at least 10%. \u00a0 \u00a0 In fact, margin is a great idea for every budget. \u00a0 \u00a0Have a least a $1,000 emergency fund. If you don’t have one at the moment, start building one today. \u00a0If your paychecks come every other week, build the 2011-2012 budget assuming you get paid twice a month. Use the additional two paychecks (the ones you didn’t “expect” in your budget planning) as margin for the unexpected.\u00a0 Margin is critical for a family budget as well as our nation. \u00a0 Overspending and lacking margin leads to a giant monkey on the back of every\u00a0marriage, family, and nation.<\/p>\n

As Democrats and Republicans argue about extended government programs (ie. Feed the gorilla some more), and cutting taxes (i.e. Switch from tax revenue to Debt revenue), they ignore the real “orangutan in the room.” \u00a0The real problem is that we spend too much.<\/p>\n

Economics 101: \u00a0Governments have no money. They only consume from the private sector. They merely re-funnel money from one area to another. Governments consume by either inflating the currency, borrowing from other nations, or taxing the producers.<\/p>\n

Governments take what is “yours” and make it “theirs.” \u00a0In 1 Samuel 8, the prophet Samuel makes this point to the people as they are pushing for a larger federal government via a king. Samuel says over and over… he (the consuming large government you are about to create) will take your grain, your vineyards, a percentage of all your produce. And it will no longer be yours, but His.<\/div>\n
10 So Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who asked him for a king. 11 And he said, “This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you:<\/em><\/em><\/div>\n
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Samuel says, “Economics and Government Lesson 101. Listen up!” \u00a0What is the “behavior of a king?” \u00a0Well, he spells it out.<\/div>\n

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He will take<\/strong> your<\/span> sons and appoint them for his<\/span> own chariots and to be his<\/span> horsemen, and some will run before his chariots. 12 He will appoint captains over his<\/span> thousands and captains over his<\/span> fifties, will set some to plow his ground and reap his<\/span> harvest, and some to make his<\/span> weapons of war and equipment for his<\/span> chariots. 13 He will take <\/strong>your <\/span>daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers. 14 And he will take<\/strong> the best of your<\/span> fields, your<\/span> vineyards, and your<\/span> olive groves, and give them to his<\/span> servants. <\/em><\/em><\/div>\n

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There you have it. What was “yours” will soon be “his.” \u00a0He will “take” what is yours over and over again. \u00a0Then Samuel spells it out in details showing what percentage of your produce will be redirected out of the private section into the consuming, wasteful larger government.<\/div>\n

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15 He will take<\/strong> a tenth<\/span> of your grain and your vintage, and give it to his officers and servants. 16 And he will take<\/strong> your male servants, your female servants, your finest young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work. 17 He will take<\/strong> a tenth<\/span> of your sheep. And you will be his servants.<\/em><\/em><\/div>\n

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So, the bottom line in any economy is clear: The larger the government, the larger the “monkey on your back.” \u00a0The more government spends, the more it takes from the private sector, the sector that produces actual job creation. The bigger Uncle Sam’s monkey, the fatter the monkey, and the more the real economy slumps over in pain trying to carry the burden of this oversized gorilla.<\/div>\n
We need to put that gorilla on a diet…a huge diet.\u00a0Right now the monkey on Uncle Sam’s back has gas. \u00a0Yes, our monkey has a serious gas problem.\u00a0 Prices have jumped to almost $4.00. \u00a0 Most economists say that gas will be $5.00 a gallon by summer. Gas prices are rising because our economy is crying out. \u00a0Confidence in our dollar is seeping out in gas prices. \u00a0Ironically, gas prices are at historic lows when you compare them to the price of silver. The same silver dime that was minted by the US government can buy significant mor<\/strong>e<\/strong><\/span> gas today than it would when back then. \u00a0 Why? \u00a0The silver is worth more in dollars and oil because the Federal Reserve has “drilled-out” our currency. \u00a0 The US dollar is losing value and a massive selloff is underway<\/a>. \u00a0 A skyrocketing debt<\/a> approaching 14 TRILLION is also causes our dollars to go down and oil to go up. \u00a0 Jobless claims hit 429,000<\/a>. \u00a0 Our leaders need to take a whiff at the smell of gas and other commodities. \u00a0More than ever,\u00a0 we need the monkey off our back.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
For a free, first session of Godonomics, check out:\u00a0 http:\/\/www.godonomics.com\/watch-session-1<\/a><\/div>\n