People my age will remember the television program that captured the attention of our nation years ago. The program was called the $64,000.00 question. The format consisted of a host asking questions of contestants and as questions were answered correctly there would be a higher level to attain and more money to be won. The show was exposed as a fraud and taken off the air. The American public seems to have always been enthralled with the winning of money and watching others hit the jackpot. The game shows in the height of network television gave prizes, products, or money to the contestants. With the expansion of cable and satellite programs available for viewing by the nation we have seen the introduction of “Reality Shows.” These programs, we are led to believe; show the real life, as-they-happen events in the lives of certain people or groups of people. The list is growing ever larger all the time with more people trying to get in on the money-making genre that feeds on the people’s voyeuristic habits. A few of the programs build on the aggressive spirit of people; Storage Wars and Parking Wars being two such programs where the viewers are treated to the aggressive struggles and rage of people as they bid for the contents of a storage unit or the special parking space in a large metropolitan area. We are allowed to look into the private lives of housewives, swamp people, and rock stars, with some of the shows that are currently claiming the attention of vast numbers of people every week. Some people have been overwhelmed by the brawling of the hit program of last season called Mob Wives. With all of the brawls, shouting, and pushing, we are allowed to see into the dysfunctional personalities of each of the characters in these shows. It remains to be seen where all of this interest in fake reality is going to finally take us.
There is a real life show playing out on the American stage, currently, that some in the media have called “Debt Wars.” The increase in the debt ceiling of our country has taken all of the oxygen from the news that should be surrounding the announced candidates for the upcoming presidential primaries. The American people have been used as pawns in this fight taking place in Washington that ultimately touches all of us in the pocket book. More than a debt war, we are seeing the ideological exchange of those who believe in bigger government with increased spending to bring us to a nanny state utopia that will control all aspects of the lives of the citizens as opposed to smaller government that allows for personal achievement and upward mobility. The personal ideological views of the players in this war have been clearly seen in the last several weeks. The credit rating of our nation is in the balance. The concept of smaller or bigger government is a choice being laid before our nation’s leaders. The reality that is coming into full view is that we have those in leadership who have staked out their position and refuse to see any other way to approach the subject of government spending. With all of the finger pointing and blame casting that has been in the media, the reality is that we are at a time when decisions must be made as to the future of our country. Those who argue for increased government spending and the enlargement of government would say that we have no other choice but to continue on the road on which we have been travelling. While that is being put forward as a position, there are those who believe the time has come to put a stop to the spending spree that has brought us to the brink of financial chaos. When we are currently borrowing forty cents of every dollar we spend, we must know there is a time when the money being borrowed will have to be repaid. Other people tell us that this path was determined many years ago and there is nothing we can do to stop this spending train from continuing down the track to financial ruin. The American Stock Exchange has reacted since the increase in the debt ceiling by tanking. The reality is that our country does not have a debt crisis, but a spending crisis that must be brought under control.
Ray Newman
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