52 Days Left
Each Friday, I write an email to many of my clients involved in the Texas legislative process on what's happened the past week and what's likely to happen the following week. I start each email with a countdown until how many days are left until sine die, which for our purposes translates to "the last day of the legislative session."
The recent talk of Cyprus and North Korea have many asking a similar question...how much time do we have left to get ready for another major problem to fully manifest itself in America? The question is understandable when you have stories like this one: North Korea Tells Brit Diplomats To Get Out - Then Sets Chilling April 10 Deadline.
There are other troubling signs. Announced just today: Almost 90 million Americans now have dropped out of the labor force. This doesn't count the number of people who are on disability and no longer work. Next week, the Obama Administration will announce new proposals to limit how much money someone can have in their IRA. From the article: "The senior administration official said that wealthy taxpayers can currently 'accumulate many millions of dollars in these accounts, substantially more than is needed to fund reasonable levels of retirement saving.'" As if it's the government's job to tell us how much we're allowed to save or spend. And interestingly, no one calls me a fear monger any more for claiming the government is planning to exercise control over our retirement plans. The lack of criticism on that front has not gone unnoticed.
Meanwhile, David Stockman of the Reagan era comes out and says what I've been saying for years: "all America’s economic problems stem from the welfare state and the end of the gold standard."
Even Rush Limbaugh, who championed the phrase "American Exceptionalism" not too long ago, said today: We are living in a dying country.
If you accept Rush's premise, and if you believe our current economic course is unsustainable, what are we to do? Can we do anything about it?
First, let me say I don't know how much time we have before there's another 9/11 or Katrina or OKC Bombing or stock market crash. I wish I did. But I don't let that stop me from moving forward and taking steps to help ensure the well being of my family for whatever may come our way.
So this evening, I want to share some thoughts with you that I hope will give you a blue print on what I think you need to be doing in the next 52 days. I'm using that time frame because there's a handy clock on a Texas lobbyist association website that measures, to the second, when sine die occurs for the Legislature. Might as well use their sine die as our own personal clock for getting better prepared.
Make physical exercise and better health your new hobby.
Some of you won't like this. But with reports that we will be facing a shortage of doctors in the coming years, we have to be more proactive with our own health care. You need to be losing weight, building stamina, flexibility and strength. You don't have to join a gym. Start walking. Change your diet. This is the preparedness lifestyle.
Put together a sixty day supply of food and water.
This is just a start, of course. A sixty day supply will get your family through a lot of calamities. And you may be able to use it to help another family in need.
Don't count on being able to get money out of your bank.
It feels weird typing that. But power outages after major storms render ATMs and bank branches useless. And if Cyprus is any indication of what might happen here, we need to be prepared accordingly. This may mean keeping cash and precious metals secured somewhere in your home or other safe area.
That's it. That should get you started. I realize I didn't tell you to go out and buy more guns and ammo. All the guns and ammo in the world are worthless if you don't have food and water. Most of you reading this already have this part of your plans squared away anyway.
Use the time you have to do what you can.
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