The Strugglesville Monetary Digest's " A Journey into Capitalism".

Economics, in my mind, ain't worth stopping traffic in New York City for. It's too damn cold to stand outside up there. Them protesters should thank the authorities for having enough good sense to "tro 'de bums out"of the park. It's too damn cold to be camping out North of the Mason Dixon Line most of the year, much less in November.

The Furry Freak Brothers, underground comic book characters of the 60's ( Art Crum?) had a quaint philosophy of life..."Dope will get you through times with no money better than money will get you times with no dope".

Put in today's perspective "Money will get you through times of no protesting better than protesting will get you through time of no money."

I worked for a guy who said he'd shoot himself if he had to live on $100,000 a year. I have friends that lost "everything" in the stock market in '09. They got it all back when the market recovered, and more. I didn't see much change in their life style.

I think of "no money" as in, "REALLY no money". Ever been miles from home, no friends around, out of gas, thumb out, twenty five miles to the nearest town, and hungry to boot. I survived more than one of the "self imposed, lack of planning" episodes in my youth, and never thought much about it. No money was a fact of life then...who ever knew it grew on a Capitalistic Tree.

Money is illusive in that you never have enough when you need it. I care not what the financial pundits say about saving for a rainy day. Try it...go ahead, save. If you do save for  the rain, it'll flood, and you'll need much more than you have saved. Go to your friendly banker, surely he'll make this better!

The bank has your money, my money, and everybody's money...and they WANT all the money...but they're not gonna' lend you a dime...you don't qualify. So, you learn to do with less, and like it. Ten years later things get a little better, and you get stupid again. " Let's buy a new house, Honey, I think I'll look at a Rolex, and a Zero Turn. You want a new Beamer? Go for it"!

I have spent years supping with the poor, and I want to introduce you to the Strugglesville Monetary Digest cover story of the  month. " A Journey into Capitalism'.

Capitalism is a fickle mistress. It seems to be in full flower for ten years, no longer than 30. It begins to die so slowly no one notices for another ten years...then it's dead as a doornail 2 to 10 years...or in the case of Japan, 20 years, to date. Slowly, Capitalism starts to grow and flower again. Everybody happy!

During these cycles, The Rich have money... always, the Middle Class has money... sometimes...  the Poor, in Strugglesville, have just enough to keep themselves alive.

Why these cycles? Enter the "fickle finger of fate". No one knows why the flowering plant called Capitalism decides to give up the ghost. Economist recognize the dying plant too late, and deem the state of affairs dire; corrections of the most drastic nature are needed! For what?

In my 70 years, I lost one job working for a concrete curb and gutter company, the biggest in Northern Virginia at the time. I thought it a ploy for the owners to take a much needed European vacation. I was working the next week, doing the same thing for the competition. I think it depends on whose doing the "sky is falling" mantra. Enter Economists, The Fed (just who is the Fed?) and Politicians.

Economists cry: WE'RE DOOMED, PANIC EVEYONE.  Everyone panics. Talking heads take over. Question: Who's gonna' pay for this mess, someone HAS to PAY! Answer: The middle class will pay. Politicians throw rocks at each other; no one wants to accept blame for killing Capitalism. The Fed folds it's hands across it's expansive belly and smiles.Why shouldn"t they?  "Capitalism" ain't dead, only sleeping. But we have the funeral anyway.

After the funeral, the Rich People sit on their money, Banks Fold, Giants Topple, Heads Roll. The noble men of government begins to embark on one of it's original Constitutional Rights... to print money. They print money to stimulate the economy and create jobs.

Stimulate what? All the damn jobs left ten years ago. All the industry move out ten years ago...read my lips. THERE AIN'T NO STINKIN' JOBS. Capitalism has moved to foriegn shores for a while. Don't worry, folks, Capitalism treats everyone the same...ask Japan. It'll grow, flower, and die. It will come back again someday, somewhere. Remember, the Eskimo's haven't had a chance to sell ice, yet, if there is any left when this "warming trend" get through with it.

I think it's pretty much the same for all "monetary systems". Capitalism, Socialism, Communism, all them "isms" are flawed at some point in their careers. It usually leads to mass hysteria amongst the huddled masses.

It's a cycle, people, just a cycle. Suck it up and plant a garden, read to your kids, blow up your TV and try to find Jesus any way you can.You really don't matter much in the mix. Relax, and hold on to what you love the best.

My brother has taken advantage of capitalism many times There was the houseboat on the lake, the airplane and the condo in Fla and the Corvettes. He usually didn't have enough money in his pocket to buy a hot dog at the Varsity. He's been broke more times that a Yugo. His take on capitalism is: "Poor is a Condition, Broke is Temporary." In other words, "There's a sucker born everyday, and sometimes you're it."

We here in Strugglesville resemble that remark.

Barter, anyone? Now, there's a Capital Idea.