Oh - I have so much more to say...

All right - I'm typing this in a hurry so please forgive me if I don't get everything in.

I just had a good conversation with a friend over the book "The Shack" - I don't have time to get into it all TODAY so I hope to jump in tomorrow and give you a insightful review of my own. (Thanks Ron for stealing my thunder)

I do have a question that everyone needs to think over. I have been watching the DNC this week (curiosity won't let me forget about it) and I keep hearing about the economy. Obviously the economy is a big issue in our presidential elections but so is national security. With all that being said...what is the biggest problem with our economy. I'm serious. What is it that makes our economy so dreadful? Is it gas prices, food prices, the housing market, or some other factor.

I remember starting out in marriage during the Clinton years and to be quite honest I don't remember them being as lucrative as everyone claims. Maybe the reason was because of my own economic standings at the time. In other words: my fault.

I'm asking because it is during these dreadful times (as some people view them) that I have been able to reduce my household debt. After attending Financial Peace University and learning how to control spending, save money, and eliminate credit card debt my wife and I have seen some serious progress in our financial stability. Once again...my fault. You see I believe that the economy impacts us (good or bad) depending often times on how we live. This of course does not take into consideration job loss, layoff, or sickness. And the greatest problem many people face is that we expect the government to provide for us rather than providing for ourselves.

If gas prices are a problem then why don't we as a nation do something to impact gas prices. And for those of you who are unsure how to do that allow me to simplify: drill here, drill now! You will not (I repeat) You will not lower gas prices by adding more tax to Oil Companies. You will not lower gas prices by taking away a percentage of their profits. The only way our country will affect gas prices positively is when we start producing our own oil or some other means of energy. Plain and simple.

One of the other items I hear about is food prices. More often than not, however, food prices are directly connected to gas prices OR federal regulations. And the housing market? Don't get me started. Banks are forced to give loans to people who cannot afford them and then are blamed when these same people cannot pay for their home. So home foreclosure goes up and new home sales go down. It's a viscous cycle.

Here's the reason I'm sharing all of this. Don't wait for the government to make you wealthy. Go out and acquire wealth for yourself. Learn to save. Learn to spend responsibly. And while I'm at it you cannot blame George W. Bush for rising credit card debts. I guarantee you that his credit card debt is not rising.

As this election draws near we must remember that the economy is not the biggest issue. In fact, many of you remember that after 9/11 our market was supposed to crash. It didn't. What we need to see from the individual is responsibility. What we need to see from our government is responsibility. I have an idea for balancing the budget: CUT SPENDING. Not on our military (yes - we do need to have the world's largest) but rather on some of the ridiculous programs that are being funded by our tax dollars (like making the capitol "green").