OCR Text |
Show i - 1 i " 'i ir I Ten OXIock Whistle by David Fleisher Preparing for an unknown future The economic conditions in this country are such that it's depressing to go to the store to buy food and other basic commodities. . Inflation has reached an almost intolerable level, and a lot of Americans are still out of work. President Reagan has promised to improve the situation by making cuts in the federal budget. I hope Mr. Reagan succeeds, however, in the event he doesn't succeed, it might be wise for all of us to prepare for what could turn out to be lean times ahead. Now is the time to look to the future with a cautious eye and to mentally prepare yourself for the worst, even if the worst doesn't happen. Now the worst, to me, would be having to do without certain kinds of foods, such as Chinese food, bagels, and Frosted Flakes. Of course, there are many other things I would miss, in the event of another Great Depression, such as brocolli, string beans, grits and sweet potatoes. I would not miss Alfalfa Sprouts in the least, or anything else that resembles grass. Not to be an alarmist, but I think we should consider building little storage areas in the basement of our homes, again, just in case we have to do without certain things in the future. It goes without saying that you could store things other than food in these areas. Things like "Tide" and "Cheer", kleenex, coffee, tea, vodka, and aspirin. And don't forget tooth paste and dental floss. The basement area concept could be expanded to include living quarters, swimming pool, sauna, jacuzzi, game room and tennis courts. The idea here is to store up everything you might need in case the economy goes on the skids. But this has a reverse effect: spending now for things you might need in the future will aggravate our already inflated economy, causing prices to rise. But if you don't purchase these commodities now, and if inflation does go through the rooi, you won't be able to afford things when you need them. If all of this sounds confusing to you, it's not uncommon because economics is probably the most confusing subject on the face of the earth. I have found most economists to be either incoherent or completely out of their minds. What is particularly disturbing is the fact that many leaders in this country have no idea how to control the economy; it's as if they make bets, like in Las Vegas. One such bet came from an official employed by the Federal Reserve Board who said he was in favor of discouraging people from spending money; consequently, he likes the idea of having high prime interest rates. Now with high prime interest rates, it makes it hard for people to buy new homes cr condominiums, forcing them to stay in their old homes. And people get depressed because they have to remain where they are. and furthermore, when you consider a nation full of frustrated homebuyers, this brings on the Great Depression. People eventually get sick, despondent, edgy, nervous, and then they need aspirin; but they can't buy aspirin because it's too expensive. This is called a spiraling problem in economics. Whenever a politician says he or she wants to balance the budget, that always sound encouraging. Do you know what balancing the budget really means? I know you've heard the ' expression a lot, but do you actually understand what affect balancing the budget would have on the economy and on your personal life? I haven't a clue. When you're talking about a federal budget consisting of billions of dollars, it's hard to understand the repercussions of a balancing act. All I know is, peanut butter is scarce now and if balancing the budget helps that situation any, I'm all for it. In the meantime, I suggest you build the storage area and buy as much peanut butter as you can. And don't worrv Yourself sick over the economy; as my grandmother used to say: "Whatever happens, happens. Work hard and eat well.' As I walk up Main Street, I hear the Ten O'Clock Whistle. Subscribe |