The Death Of The Career Politician

Republican Senator Ted Cruz was a hit on the Jay Leno Show the other night with a few common sense observations that anyone with half a brain realizes.

Watch them here Ted Cruz

I am going to tackle an issue that I believe is way over due: term limits. We learned our lesson after FDR and added Presidential term limits. I think it’s about time we learn our lesson about Congress and term limit them!

Some pundits and talking heads will make the case for no term limits because “what if our side has a great politician in there?” Sorry, this always ends badly. The longer you stay in Washington and the longer you are away from “real life”, the more you stray from common sense.

This simply means that you have to run more decent human beings.

This will also benefit the country because more “good” people will want to run if they know the MOST they could even be in office is two terms, say.

On the flip side, it will discourage some “misguided” people who want to “get in” just to self-serve and save themselves and their family from all the destruction being driven by the political class. Just in case anyone didn’t know, the elites in Washington (President, Cabinet, Congress, Aides, etc.) don’t have to abide or follow many of the laws passed by THEMSELVES! Like the dreaded Obamacare just to name the most recent and pressing issue.

Who says that politicians are some special class of people? They do! Why are they exempt from laws they passed?

If the laws and regulations they pass are so amazing and will benefit the rest of us so much then why wouldn’t the Congress and the President want to abide by them? Hmmmmmmm……

Americans are sick and tired of the games being played in Washington. You are going to see many changes the rest of this decade. They will come in many shapes and sizes. One that must occur if we are to right the ship is congressional term limits.

NO MORE CAREER POLITICIANS!

Our Founders believed that service was just that, service. Not a place to grow comfortable and secure sweetheart deals and run the country in to the ground.

It is about time the people take back the country from the political elite before it is too late. There is a shrinking window of time where that is still possible.

Ted Cruz, Rand Paul and the like will lead this revolution that will galvanize many Democrats and Republicans, young and old, black and white. The simple reason being FREEDOM is something that both sides of the aisle can agree on. Enough said.

A Letter From “The Forgotten Man”

(Excerpt from The Glenn Beck Show)

Glenn,

The Republicans caved as I expected, but that’s not news where I live. As the discussions were going on in Washington this week, I called my senator and I called my congressmen too. I left them a message with my phone number and my e-mail address. I asked them to stand tall, to get the spending in order, to make Obamacare equal for all Americans, not just special interests. The recording that I received said they would send me a response. I’ve called them before, got the same recording. I won’t hear from them. After all, I’m The Forgotten Man.

The media today is blaming the TEA Party for all the ills in Washington. I laugh when I hear that, Glenn. Just give me 10 minutes with each of those so-called journalists, just 10 minutes. I’d ask them, “What is the TEA Party? How did the TEA Party get started? What do people who support the TEA Party principles actually believe in?” I can guarantee you, Glenn, they don’t know the answers. But I would share it with them anyway. We believe in liberty. We believe in freedom. We believe in a much smaller representative government. We believe in the God-given right that has been given to each individual. And then I’d ask those journalists, “When you give your daughter her allowance on Saturday and she comes back to you the next Wednesday saying she spent it all, and more, what do you tell her?” If they reply, “Well, you’re going to have to wait until next Saturday and you’re going to have to work it out,” I’d tell those journalists, “Welcome to the TEA Party.” If I met somebody in Hollywood and I asked them, “Why do you use Toronto to depict New York City in their recent movie,” and they told me, “Well, it’s cheaper to do it there,” I’d say, “My gosh, you sound like not only a capitalist but a new member of the TEA Party.” I’d ask them if they believe that every man, woman, and child should be treated equally, regardless of their gender, race, or religion. They would all say, in their journalistic ivory towers, “Of course.” And I would say, “Welcome to the TEA Party.”

You see, where I live, Glenn, using common sense, sharing common values, and exhibiting common courtesy is not the exception. It’s the norm. But I’m The Forgotten Man. And speaking of parties, maybe it is time for a third one. But not for the so-called journalists I see on TV because they already have enough parties. That’s why I don’t think they ask any that you had probing questions. In April I was watching the White House Correspondents Dinner on C-Span. Before it got started, they showed the journalists arriving. I thought I was watching the Academy Awards. Designer dresses, tuxedos, limousines. As each one entered, the flash bulbs would go off. Then they would stop, smile, turn slightly to the right. More flash bulbs, slightly shifting to the left, more pictures. I thought to myself, they’re not journalists; they’re the Kardashians. And it’s the same thing when the Washington Post or the New York Times or Vanity Fair throws a party. They will sell their souls to be there. But they don’t really have any souls to sell because they’ve already sold them before. If you work in the media in Washington or in New York or in Hollywood, I guess you have a decision to make: You can ask the tough questions that Americans actually would support you on, actually expect you to ask, or you can ask the “I want an invitation to the next party” question.

Glenn, I’m through with all of them, but I want you to know I’m also through with complaining. Misery loves company, but I’m kicking misery to the curb. The next time I write to ya, I’m going to focus on what’s good, on what’s possible, what’s remarkable about America. I may be The Forgotten Man, but I haven’t forgotten about America. You say this all the time, “We’ll get through this.” We will. Just wait and see. Much the sun is always brightest right after the storm.

– The Forgotten Man

Education Is The Destroyer Of Slavery

This decade is going to prove to be very volatile. The world is teetering on the edge of a cliff. There are things you can do and there is hope!

You MUST get educated! That is the most important thing you can do. No one can tell you exactly what do. Each situation is different and you must educate yourself and devise your own plan.

The world’s demise could be your biggest opportunity!

Why Gold and Silver Are SO Important

This site is run by one of my favorite mentors, Mike Maloney. He is phenomenal at education and informing people about the upcoming storms.

You can find pretty much anything you need to know on his site. Plus he regularly talks about other people he looks up to and learns from!

Enjoy!

Research Your Life

Open your eyes.

Enough to change your whole life.

Stop living your life with someone else’s eyes. You don’t have the same environment, thinking, or surroundings as that person.

Make your own decisions and do your own homework. I’m not talking about doing homework in school – that is topic for a while different day.

Do your own homework for life. Research before any big decision you make. Even smaller decisions like which kayak to get.

Women do it about petty things like clothes and makeup. Men do it with things like TVs and video games.

Take that time to do it on things that really count – like where your kids to to school, where to invest, etc..

Plan your life. Research it. Study it.

You only have one life. Spend the time necessary to give you and your family the best one possible.

And The Next Crisis Is…

Its hard to say what the next financial crisis will be in this country. Will it be housing again? Commercial real estate? Or will it be Social Security or Medicare going bankrupt? Maybe the U.S. dollar collapsing or most likely the Japanese yen going bust?

I think there is a good argument to be made that it will be the pyramid scheme we’ll refer to as student loans.

The Next Crisis?

Our politicians wont let this happen because, you know, “it wouldnt be fair if someone couldnt go to school only because they couldnt afford it.” I mean we just heard the President say this again in another campaign speech earlier this week: “its not that we need equal results, everyone should have equal opportunity.”

I hate to break it to people but thats not life. You make your own breaks. If you are older than the age of about 10 you should have realized this. You level your own playing field or you dont. Its that simple. I would have loved to have Wayne Gretzky or Bobby Orr coach me my whole hockey career but its not that simple. You cant make life FAIR no matter how hard you try or how many government programs you scheme up.

They are going to try and make college free someday, MARK MY WORDS!

The President may mention it before he leaves office. I would put money on it actually.

Americans have to realize that they cannot have their cake and eat it, too.

You cannot be the most prosperous and free country on Earth and think you can still pay for everyone to sit home and produce nothing.

The printing of money will only get you so far, just ask the Romans! Our joy ride WILL come to an end if we keep traveling down this delusional “shared wealth” vision.

If it worked then America would have been modeled after every other country that existed prior, but it wasn’t. There is an excellent reason for that.

The Death Of The American Dream

Financial Education Blog

Why the Impending Financial Crisis is Creating a New America

Posted July 23, 2013  By Robert Kiyosaki

I believe that the American Dream is dying because many of us have lost our moral compasses. Our schools are not fulfilling the educational needs of our students, nor are they being kept safe. We see so many kids, especially from poor neighborhoods, who turn to street crime and violence.

Rich dad often said, “Needy people become greedy people. Greedy people become desperate people. And desperate people do desperate things.”

The greatest gift my rich dad gave me was showing me both sides of the Employee-Entrepreneur coin. He exposed me to the life of an entrepreneur and offered me an environment in which entrepreneurial thinking could thrive. Today, I do not need a job, a steady paycheck, money, bonuses, government support, or Social Security and Medicare.

Financial independence

The Rich Dad Company propelled Kim and me into financial independence. We do not need paychecks. We work because we love our work, sharing what we know so others can also grow and prosper.

While we make a lot of money, most of that money does not go into our pockets. Most of the money is spent on growing the company, investing in new and better technology, more people, and new product development. That is what true capitalists do.

But Kim and I are the exception, not the rule. Today, in America, we have a growing problem. People are becoming increasingly dependent on the government as the gap between the rich and the poor continues to widen.

The rich are getting richer

According to the Congressional Budget Office, the increase in incomes between 1979 and 2007 in the United States looked like this:

Poor: Income grew 18% over 30 years
Middle Class: Income grew 40% over 30 years
Rich: Income grew 275% over 30 years

Then in 2007, the bottom fell out when the boom went bust. Today, incomes for the middle class and poor have stopped going up, yet the rich seem to be getting richer faster.

In 2011, the number of Americans living in poverty grew to 46.2 million people. That translates to approximately 1 in 6 Americans who now live in poverty, and that number is growing. When a person has no property, they join the ranks of the poor and become dependent upon the government to take care of them. Oftentimes this leads to increased violence, both on the streets and in our homes.

Students on food stamps

Nearly 47 million Americans rely on federal food assistance benefits (food stamps), a 12-year high attributed to the weak US economy and high rates of unemployment over the last five years.

A lesser-known fact is that college students are among the fastest-growing segment of our economy to rely on food stamps. As tuition fees go up and financial aid opportunities vanish—and parents who were once a source of financial support have lost jobs or homes and become ineligible for college loans for their children—students have had to fend for themselves.

The next poor

Are teachers headed for the ranks of the poor?

In 2011, the California State Teachers Retirement System, CalSTRS, realized it faced a long-term deficit of $56 billion. A deficit is the gap between assets and estimated
liabilities.

CalSTRS collects $6 billion a year, but needs $10 billion each year to meet its obligations. A shortfall of more than $4 billion a year is a lot of money, especially for government bureaucrats who do not know how to invest or how to make money.

If the California teacher’s retirement plan goes bust, the taxpayers will be stuck with yet another massive bailout. Worst of all, millions of teachers will slide from the middle class and join the poor.

Again, repeating the words of John Bogle: “The whole retirement system…in the country is in, I think, very poor shape and it’s going to be the next big financial crisis in the country….”

The new America

All of these statistics translate to one thing: the American Dream of go to school, get a good job, buy a house, andinvest in a portfolio of stocks, bonds, and mutual funds is dying. Financial crises are creating a new America. Today, the middle class is disappearing and the gap between the rich and the poor is growing.

For some, this is discouraging. Many people choose each day to give up on their dreams and to be increasingly dependent on the government. They give up their freedom for security—though if CalSTRS is any indication, that’s not security at all.

In today’s new America, there are only two options: increase your financial education and learn to create your own wealth by playing by the rules of the rich, or become poorer and poorer and rely on the government and the rich to take care of you.

Which sounds more secure to you?

I fear our financial crises will only continue to grow. The rules of money have changed and you must adapt. Today, I encourage you to first come to grips with the new America and then to resolve to do something about it.

By increasing your financial education and starting a business or investing, you can set yourself up to thrive while others struggle to survive. Start today.

Putting In The Work

Everything that happens, happens to everyone.

That is life. And the sooner we all realize that the better off we will be.

What we see in the news today, particularly today is a little unsettling. As Jim Rohn said, “for things to change for you, you must change”.

All races, religions, and creeds have been – and some continue to be – persecuted. Stereotypes are predicated on the fact that things continue to happen and create patterns.

You cannot disregard this simple fact.

For things to change and stereotypes to change, people must change and create BETTER patterns.

Humans, whether we like it or not, are judgmental beings. That is how we are built. We judge who will be our friends, who we associate with, who will work for us, etc..

For things to change, you must change. It starts with one person at a time, breaking the trend and creating a better pattern.

It is possible. Hard, but possible.

No Better Time Than The Present

The title of this post says it all..

There is NEVER a better time than right now, this very instant, to make a move, take action, change the direction of your life.

Stop following the crowd. Stop doing what they do. Stop listening to what they listen to. Stop watching what they watch. Stop talking like they talk. Stop working like they work. Unless you want what they have.

The great news is you can ALWAYS change. The door is always there for you to open.

It’s like going down a highway and passing exits, those are all opportunities to get off and change. They keep on coming but it’s up to you to decide to get off the cruise control and make a change.

Now more than ever this country needs business owners and entrepreneurs and creative thinkers.

Those who take the Information Age by the horns will win and those who are stuck in their old ways, old jobs, old “pensions”, looking for government to take care of them will get chewed up and spit out.

Multiple streams of income is the wave of the future – the Information Age.

Network marketing, real estate, coding, startups, inventors. They will make the rules of the future. It’s not too late to start doing any or all of these.

You just need to decide to get off the highway.

Show Me Your Friends

You are the average of the 5 people you hang around most.

Now that is something to think about. Look around you and think about who you spend time with. That is WHO YOU ARE. You spend time with people that are like you and you become the people you are around.

We are all guilty of it. It is a part of life. The reason successful people seem to be “snooty” or “uptight” is because they only want to be around people who make them better and push them.

So if they don’t want to hang around you then there is a reason why, maybe a few, and you must figure those out.

If you are fine with who you are with, how you are acting, what you are making, then by all means keep the status quo. This post is not designed for you.

Success leaves clues. Hanging around successful people will help you change your attitudes but you must also begin that process first.

“God helps those who help themselves.”

If you are looking to make a change and better your life then look at your environment around you. Ask yourself if that’s how a successful person would live or who they would hang around with.

Your answers may be life-changing.

If You Take On Risk, You MUST Get Paid

Debt and risk usually go hand in hand. But making sure you are paid for taking risk is not always something one thinks about.

When most think of investing they think of RISK or GAMBLE.

This is not true with a financial education.

You can begin to see how the more investing and/or debt you use the more wealthy you can get.

By adding good debt (a rental unit that someone else pays the mortgage for) you can begin expanding and creating wealth.

If you are taking on a debt you MUST be paid for it. This is making profit in the acquisition of a deal rather than the sell of a deal. A deal must be profitable right away or it is useless. You cannot hope the market changes or that you might get renters. Everything has to be under control when you buy the property.

Same goes with stocks or any other asset class. Leveraging yourself, infinite returns and insurance on your assets is the name of the game.

Most will not take the time to become educated in money. It’s not important enough to them. If that is you, that is fine. But for those who take it seriously, there is a world of financial education waiting to be had.

The game is stacked against you. You can keep getting the game played on you or you can play the game. It’s your move.