I'm actually in terrific financial shape. If I lost my job today, my house is almost paid off, my bills are caught up, I'm out of debt, I've got a year's salary in the bank and I'll have some pension to back up social security. But every single person in my economic bracket I know is living from paycheck to paycheck, is in hock to the yazoo and their spouse is working, sometimes 3,4 jobs per family. And even my luck could turn south if I lost my health insurance and my wife or I got sick. At least I've got VA and she's got Medicare we can eventually rely on. Most folks don't.

Runaway inflation could consume my savings and pensions overnight, and although I have a good job, I have been trying to find a replacement for it for years and nothing is available at more than half my salary, in spite of my 34 years of experience in the industry and 3 college degrees. I guess as long as you're working, there's the house in the suburbs and the SUV and the plasma TV to make it look prosperous, but when folks fall off the edge you just never hear from them again.

No, I probably won't wind up in bagdom, but if I lose my job before I'm ready to retire I'll have to get some gig bagging groceries at the stupormarket or manning the cash register at
a convenience store just to make ends meet. Sure the unemployment rate is low, but it's low-rate employment.

And like I said, I'm in much better shape than most people I know. The ones my age see no way out, the young kids coming up see no way forward, no future and no security to work for. I talk to the new hires, they are scared and overwhelmed. These are not dumb slackers either, they are good, hard working kids who played by the rules and they see no future. When I was their age I was fearless, because I knew as long as my brain was functioning I was confident I could earn a good living anywhere, anytime, even if I had to do it from a wheelchair. I didn't put up with any crap from my bosses because I had skills, experience, and I was smart. I knew I could earn my living with just what I carried in my skull. The youngsters coming out of college now are not like that, they're are all overqualified, underpaid and deep in debt, they are starting out over their heads and they are scared shitless.

People are scared TB, people are not just making it up or being conned by propaganda; there is a feeling in the country that the party is just about over, and there will be heavenly bills to pay very soon. And it's not just leftist angst, the righties feel it too, although they tend to blame the usual suspects, the blacks, the immigrants, and the lefties, anyone and everything except their own extravagant lifestyles. And like I said, I'm one of the lucky ones.