Less than a week has passed since the $700+ Billion bailout plan was passed to handle the financial crisis. The money is gone. It’s all been dished out. Yet the Wall Street stock market crash continues, the economic crisis continues full steam ahead, and the greedy want even more.

Just today, Nancy Pelosi asked for another $150 Billion for the bailout to handle the credit crisis. No doubt her new plan is filled with pork belly earmarks. The government and all the greedy and corrupt officals on Capital Hill are admitting that the $700 Billion is just a start. They say it’s going to take at least 3 times that. I, for one, am not willing for my pocket to be picked any longer by people who have been elected to serve me, who are treating me like their economic slave. All those who voted for the bailout plan need to resign from office today. More appropriately they should be convicted of TREASON – betrayal after trust-Democrats and Republicans alike.

Indictments for treason should also extend to the recipients of the money for their criminal activities. Just weeks after receiving their $85 Billion dollar rescue package, AIG senior management reportedly spent over $400,000 on a week-long vacation retreat for themselves at a ritzy resort in California at our, the taxpayers’, expense. Their spa bill alone for manicures, pedicures, facials and massages ran up a tab of over $23,000. That is CRIMINAL! And that is just the first of the stories like these. A lot of heads need to be put on pikes. They have stolen America’s financial freedom.

I still want Ron Paul for President. He has the sanest money management plan of all. I still want the FairTax Bill voted in and the IRS voted out. It’s going to take an all-out grass roots effort by the American citizens to get the FairTax Bill passed. I believe, as does Ron Paul and the 70 or more other members of the current Congress who support the FairTax Bill, that it can be done.

I just visited the FairTax website at http://www.fairtax.org and read this message on the current economic crisis and the out-ethics activities of our government officials from their Communications Director Ken Hoagland. I couldn’t have said it better myself.

Hometown America Must Save The Nation

At the heart of the financial meltdown now bedeviling Americans is a simple and profoundly ignored fact that does not require an advanced degree in economics to understand: Our government spends more than it takes in—a lot more.

Sure, regulators could have done a better job but, in truth, politicians at every level have frustrated attempts to blow the whistle on bad loans, bad reporting and bad ethics. Why? Because politicians have been buying our votes with our money—and our future earnings—for a long time. And they don’t want any interference from those they are “helping.”

It’s not just the naked bribes represented by “earmarks” for hometown voters; it is new entitlement programs like the prescription drug benefit, new rules governing the behavior of favored banks and investment houses and a headlong rush to buy the votes of the poor by guaranteeing home ownership, irrespective of one’s financial ability to repay a loan. Lest we forget, let’s also add up all the special tax breaks for favored contributors that have bloated income tax code rules to 67,500 pages. It’s a bi-partisan betrayal of our future cloaked as concern for the common good.

Although our nation was founded on the principle that the citizen was sovereign, government spending increases and more and more taxes taken from our earnings, savings and investments have effectively transformed the American citizen into a serf working another’s land for the privilege of taking a fraction of the fruits of his or her own labor.

Just Trust Us

“Trust us,” we are told. “We have the best interests of the nation at heart.” Citizens are now left with no rational choice to protect savings, college plans, and investments but to accept the new aristocracies’ trillion dollar picking of our pockets to prop up institutions that must function. It is not the first time in recent years that we have accepted the grasping hand of the federal government in our wallets to avert a disaster not of our making.

In 1983 a “Blue Ribbon” panel of similar leaders including Alan Greenspan, Daniel Patrick Moynihan and others “saved” Social Security from another big collapse by dramatically raising taxes on earnings of up to $97,500 annually. The promise, then, was that Baby Boomers would actually “pre-fund” their own retirement with astoundingly increased taxes, decades ahead of time. It was also promised as relief to the coming generations so they would be free of crippling taxes. Sounded good.

Lo and behold, the trillions of dollars taken in since then—far exceeding promised payments to senior citizens—have since been spent on everything else. Turns out, that it was nothing more than a new tax levied on those with earnings below $97,500 a year so executive and legislative branch office holders could have more of our money to spend extravagantly on “us” so they could win new terms in office. The FICA payroll tax has become a major factor in keeping the poor that way, retarding new business growth and keeping middle-class earners from moving up. Worst, it also turns out that our children and grandchildren will, in fact, still be burdened by an ever-growing and mind-numbing national debt AND unbelievably high FICA taxes to support their parents.

In yet another example of playing fast and loose with politics and our money, 1986 saw Congress reject the tax policies of the Reagan administration and as consequence, the Savings and Loan industry collapsed. Turns out the definition of the tax value of real estate holdings had been changed overnight by the House Ways and Means Committee and banks no longer met liquidity rules. That politically inspired cat fight cost American taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars. And worse, we didn’t learn.

It is past time–way past time–for hometown America to save America from our well-intentioned but criminally incompetent, at best, and cynically corrupted, at worst, national leadership. Do we have a moment to lose? Do we really need any more examples of how the new aristocracy can—and will—destroy the pursuit of happiness?

The reform that can save the nation and restore our identity as citizens who have empowered and limited government (instead of the other way around) is called the FairTax.

Because the FairTax allows every American to take home everything that is earned without any federal withholding, millions of distressed homeowners could actually afford home mortgage payments. The elimination of FICA taxes eliminates the highly regressive Social Security and Medicate tax but the FairTax provides a far broader stream of revenue into these faltering programs. Because the FairTax eliminates all exemptions, gimmicks and loopholes, Congress would be removed from the ability to buy votes with tax giveaways and billionaires pay taxes when they spend money. Because the FairTax makes nearly all federal government taxes entirely transparent, the sovereign citizen can know the score and put the brakes on extravagant new spending.

Because the FairTax eliminates the price advantage now enjoyed by overseas producers, American jobs won’t be leaving our shores. In fact, because the FairTax makes the USA the most favorable tax environment in the world, we can expect trillions of dollars of investment rushing into the US economy. With the FairTax, our money is ours first and only secondly devoted to government. Savings growth, investments and business decisions are guided by opportunity and real progress instead of tax avoidance tactics.

We’ve lost more than $2 trillion of our retirement savings in a week’s time and our kid’s future at college is in serious jeopardy. This didn’t happen by accident but at the hands of the very same people who have given the FairTax a cold shoulder. Those candidates and incumbents of either party who would spend our future earnings to stay in office and who reject the FairTax for similarly self-interested reasons now need a strong reminder from voters about whose offices they occupy. Please pay attention to our voting guide and send that message. [See the voting guide at www.fairtax.org]

Finally, our campaign needs your help—as always. We never have enough to do the job right. Send us a contribution if you can, even in these hard times. It may turn out to be the best investment you ever made. If you can’t afford a donation, then help us by recruiting two new supporters. And keep your cards, letters, phone calls, faxes and e-mails going to incumbents and candidates.

The plain fact is, we either now save ourselves from our new aristocracy or suffer the consequences as modern day serfs in a nation never contemplated by our Founding Fathers.

Why do the media and Congress seem surprised about the current credit crisis? I’ve been warning my clients about it for years. The effects of greed, poor money management practices and betrayal of consumers’ trust have been building and are now being exposed in every dark corner of the credit market. The days when practically any business still open could get a bank loan are long gone. The good news is that there are alternatives.

Despite the sub-prime meltdown negatively affecting the credit markets and the dramatic change in the rules of lending, it is still possible to qualify for business equipment leases. Yes, it’s tougher to get the capital you need to grow, but there are things you can do to increase your chances of qualifying for a loan or lease. Here are some suggestions that will help:

Check your credit regularly and take steps to improve your score. Underwriters have always placed a lot of importance on credit scores because it reflects the debtor’s ability to take care of obligations in a timely manner. Lenders are obviously nervous today, so a credit score of 675 or higher is even more critical. It is a smart money management practice to check your score on a regular basis and carefully review the information. In a 2004 study, it was found that 4 out of 5 credit reports contain errors that can be detrimental to your credit standing. These errors include, but are not limited to:

1. Inaccurate personal information and out-of-date addresses.

2. “Closed” accounts listed as “open”, like a student loan paid off but showing delinquent.
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3. The same mortgage or loan listed twice.
   
4. Major loans or mortgages that have been paid off or timely serviced not listed at all.

If you find an error on your report, write a letter or e-mail to the credit bureau. The bureau is obligated to contact the creditor who supplied them with the disputed information and then respond to you within 30 days. If you are unhappy with how the claim is settled, you can ask to have a brief written explanation added to the bottom of your credit report.

To improve your score, you need to take steps to resolve any items that are showing up as delinquent and those in which a judgment or lien has been filed. Make it a priority to pay credit cards and loans on time each month.

Pledge additional collateral. Some lenders who might otherwise turn down your application for a business loan or equipment lease may change their minds if you increase the collateral base. This might add a comfort level in the event things to south. Additional collateral might include specific assets from another business that is free and clear, rental property, or equity in a personal residence.

These are the 32 Words in the Bailout Bill intended To End Our Economic Freedom and Destroy the US Constitution as noted by a friend on my email network.

“Decisions by the (Treasury) Secretary pursuant to the authority of this Act are non-reviewable and committed to agency discretion, and may not be reviewed by any court of law or any administrative agency.” – Section 8 of the Paulson Proposal

Bluntly, this clause was put in the Bailout Bill to personally protect the authors of that bill. Why? Because they know it is a bad bill designed to harm the public while protecting the out-ethics companies and company executives whose money management mistakes got them into trouble.

Did you listen to President Bush’s 12 minute address to the nation on the evening of September 24th? In one breath he stated the economic crisis was caused by too much lending of credit. Then 3 times he stated that the solution to the problem is the Bailout Bill which would make it possible for more credit to be given to businesses and families.

So how can what created the problem also be the solution? It CANNOT.

Did you listen to Bush and watch the politicians and so called “experts” being interviewed about the Bailout Bill? Did you notice that rach one of them used the word “hopefully” more than once? – Hopefully this will help, hopefully the housing market will start to recover, hopefully the government can sell the distessed properties that they are buying that ‘We The People’ have to pay for now. The authors of this bill and our political representatives on Capitol Hill doubt this bill will be the real solution. That’s why the authors of the bill added the clause that protects them personally if it doesn’t work – they are merely “hopeful” and are nowhere near certain.

The Great Depression finally materialized when the amount of credit loaned reached a critical mass and far outweighed the public’s ability to pay. That exact same situation has happened and the public cannot pay the credit debt they have incurred. To extend more credit is to send us faster down the slippery slope toward a long and deep recession.

I am against the Bailout Bill. I am for letting the executives who make millions in salaries every year take the hit for their out-ethics money management that created their companys’ and Wall Street’s problems of greed and financial mismanagement. I refuse to bail them out when I have worked so hard to keep my business and household financially sound and out of debt. I don’t want to be punished as the producer while their non-production is rewarded.

President Bush, Mr. McCain, Mr. Obama and all members of Congress, GET OUT OF OUR WALLETS and pay for this out of YOUR multi-million dollar annual salaries instead, since you are so HOPEFUL that this Bailout Bill is the correct solution. Take the billions in salaries made by the executives of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, AIG,  and Wall Street brokerages. You were elected to serve ‘We The People’. We don’t work for you!

Despite the ongoing efforts to save the U.S. Economy from disaster, the financial road ahead is going to be difficult for the vast majority of us. Instead of going into desperation and despair, however, one financial expert says there is much that can be done to protect yourself and contribute to an economic turnaround.

A short time has passed, and the only thing certain about the U.S. Economy as of this writing is that there is still a lot of financial uncertainty. This is being reflected in yet another big drop in the Dow Jones for the first day of trading. Commentators, Financial experts, and some of the smartest economic thinkers in the world still do not have a guaranteed fix for what is going on. As confidence plays a very large part in economic growth and stability, the lack of it could easily lead to despair and desperation.

But this does not have to be the case. Every single one of us, to a greater or lesser degree, all play a part in the health and stability of our economy. Although it is easy to get lost in the mind-numbing figures floated by Congress and Administration officials, the truth of the matter is that behind all of those facts, figures, and statistics, is a human being who is going to play an important part in our economic future.

No matter what happens, whether we have a Recession or in a worse case scenario, another Great Depression, our behavior and the way that we manage our money is going to have to change, and change in a big way.

Following a successful money management philosophy is going to determine how fast and how successfully we are going to weather this fiscal storm and come out the other end as an enduring economic power.

Although this may seem like a daunting task, the good news is that you can begin to take action, right now, to protect yourself against a bad economy and play your part in turning the situation around.

Well known money management expert and financial advisor Sandra Simmons has seen the economic writing on the walls for a few years now. She has written and lectured on the bad economic indicators long before it became fashionable to do so. Fortunately for her many clients, they are already well insulated against this current economic crisis. Her formula for protecting you against the next potential Great Depression is something everyone can do with a little fiscal willpower and discipline.

“The first thing you need to understand is what the word ‘economics’ means in terms of thinking about your personal or company finances, and how you can use what it means to your financial advantage,” says Simmons. “Forget what the media says about ‘economics’ when they report on the gyrations of the stock market, the banking industry, the mortgage defaults and unemployment statistics. Those are ‘economic representatives’ that gauge an area that is bigger than you can personally control.”

“What you do have control over is your own business and household economics,” she continues. “The definition of economics I am using is the original one: ’the art or science of managing a household or business.’ And those are things that you, as an individual, can control.”

According to Simmons, managing a business or household is an art. She maintains that it requires specific skills and abilities, like putting in organization so things run better. There is a science of managing a household or business, especially in the area involving money.

The following money management strategies are things that Simmons says you can do to guarantee that the economics of your household or business are strong and unshakable, despite the fact the general economy may be on the slippery slide to disaster.

Money Management Strategy #1 – Use CASH Not Credit

“Each time you buy something using lines of credit or credit cards because you don’t have the money to pay for it, you are promising your future income to the credit card company,” says Simmons with emphasis. “Those future earnings will undoubtedly be needed to pay your regular household or business operating expenses. That’s when you end up in the pay-for-life program known as the credit trap.”

The only exception is buying property that increases in value, like buying a home instead of renting, or investing in a commercial building that puts more income in your pocket. Using your money to make more money is smart money management.

Important Money Management Tip: Be sure you negotiate a big discount when you pay with cash. When the rest of the world is on the downhill run to economic disaster and credit is difficult to obtain, the guy who has the cash is king. In addition, figure out how to purchase items wholesale instead of paying retail prices to keep even more of your hard-earned money.

Money Management Strategy #2 – Don’t Spend More Than You Earn

Learn from your grandparents who earned little, but managed to live well. Reduce expenses to a rate that is less than your income. The most direct route to financial disaster is spending more than you make. You can keep a good quality of life while reducing optional spending. This can be accomplished by acts such as buying used equipment rather than new, and eating less often in restaurants. Don’t buy something because you only want it but don’t really need it. It’s just a plain good money management practice.

Money Management Strategy #3 – Money Must Be MADE Before It Gets Spent

“If there is some future large purchase you need to make, begin by setting aside small amounts of cash in a savings account for that purchase and keep that up until you can pay for it with cash,” Simmons says in reference to the safest way to make larger purchases without using credit or going into debt.

On a household level, if your child will be entering college in 10 years, then figure out what the tuition costs will be and work out how much money you have to set aside every week to have the full amount just before they graduate from high school. Plus turn in applications for each student financial aid package, scholarship and student grant you can locate.

On a company level, if you will need to purchase or upgrade equipment for your office, then figure out what the costs will be and work out how much money you have to set aside every week to have the full amount the month you will need to make that purchase. Plus look for each place you can locate to get the best deal possible.

Money Management Strategy #4 – Put Away Some Cash for Emergencies and Living Expenses

“You will sleep much better at night with the financial security of knowing you have money stashed away in a savings plan for emergencies like needing to repair the car or an office machine, having to have some unexpected dental work or experiencing a big drop in income,” Simmons says. “When you have a cash cushion you can get your hands on immediately, then magically, you don’t even worry about money, and your focus returns to living life and enjoying it, and earning money suddenly gets easier.”

In reality, the primary thing you have to be afraid of should there be another Great Depression is not having enough (or any) cash reserves tucked away in a savings plan you could immediately get your hands on.

Out of every bit of income that comes in the door, immediately set aside 10% and stash it in an interest bearing account that you have designated for your cash cushion.

A word of caution here – Be careful to protect your cash. There are many banks that are in trouble, and while some have failed, many are on the government’s “likely to fail” list. How safe is your bank? You owe it to yourself to find out.

While your bank probably won’t reveal their rating if you ask, you can find out for yourself how safe you bank is by signing up to get my FREE Bank Ratings Report right here.

“Perhaps you’ll have to cut expenses AND work an extra job to build your cushion of cash,” concedes Simmons. “Now, no moaning about how you can’t, JUST DO IT!” she exclaims. “As the weeks and months roll by you’ll find you are sleeping better and are walking through life with a lot more confidence knowing you are on your way to financial freedom and have protected yourself from The Great Depression looming on the horizon.”

Why is controlling the flow of your money so important? It is the energy and life blood of a household or business. It is vital to channel some of it through the income producing areas first to keep it running smoothly, and also to save some of it for future survival. Everything runs better when adequate cash is available.

Vice President Joe Biden stated that it is patriotic to pay more in taxes. That statement caused quite a stir and is certainly a point of debate. What is less controversial, however, and what truly would help your country get back on the road to wealth and financial security is following the money management points outlined above. If each and every financially responsible person in the United States got themselves out of debt, relied less on credit, and built savings and wealth, the American economy would be stronger than it has ever been.

This is the road map out. The rest is up to you.

What are you doing to stay financially healthy? Leave a comment.

Sandra Simmons is the President of Money Management Solutions, Inc. She specializes in helping business owners and individuals manage their money to achieve financial freedom. Claim your FREE Debt Reduction Solutions Guide.