The sights and sounds that nature has to offer! It was all there last week when we went on a family vacation to Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon National Parks. I took a break from my job as a mortgage buyer so that we could experience it all. Pre-kids, my wife, and some friends, I went on an eight-day backpacking trip through Kings Canyon with some friends many years ago. It was a memorable experience that I have fond memories of. We were able to stay in our cars or motels, so there was no need for us to carry backpacks. We spent part of each day on the road, and stayed in a different motel every night.
While traveling so much, I saw the best and worst aspects of human nature. We met many tourists who were friendly and helpful, including park rangers, waiters and motel clerks. On the other end of the spectrum, we encountered drivers and employees who believed that they were the only ones who could drive on the roads.
I was traveling 65 mph and one driver stopped me on the freeway. Okay, it was a bit more than that, but I must have been under the legal limit . I was only a few feet ahead of his car, so I had to brake hard and lean on my horn. He gave me a nasty glance and mouthed obscenities as he passed me in another lane minutes later. He couldn’t have seen what he did as anything but dangerous and moronic. This driver’s actions mainly affected me and him, and they were forgotten in a matter of minutes. He was one of many idiots.
A much larger scale, politicians and their discussion about the debt ceiling have gone beyond rational comprehension to the absurd. As I write, both the House and Senate have passed the debt ceiling bill. I assume that Obama will sign it tonight. The bill does not actually reduce the nation’s national debts. The majority of spending cuts will occur in the future and entitlement programs are virtually unaffected. Even if all the spending cuts took effect tomorrow, the current debt would not be affected. My children will one day pay higher taxes to cover the deficit today. This assumes that they are able to get decent jobs.
As both a caring citizen as well as a mortgage buyer I am deeply concerned at how badly our economy will fall apart. If the housing market continues to fall, would I be willing to hold a risky note on my mortgage? Should I keep dollars when the Feds plan to devalue the dollar’s purchasing power and make it more expensive? Our economy is in dire straits. Soon, I might need another vacation!