"I am going to buy George Bush a PIGGY BANK!"

by Shelley Bluejay Pierce

September 18, 2008


Just this morning, President George Bush finally addressed the American people in regards to the massive financial collapse we have been watching over the past few days. Many of "we the people" have probably been wondering where the heck the President has been in terms of speaking to all of us about the collapse and what he and the governmental leaders are going to do about all of this.

Many have expected a major, prime-time, evening address so that the workers in this country, who pay the tax bills, would be home to hear what their leader had to say to reassure them.

We didn't get that. Not even close!

I was prepared this morning for a long, fluffy speech this morning from the President but we did not get that either. Actually, we got nothing but a less-than-three-minute long speech, in which he took no questions from the press corp, and walked off...stage right folks, exit quickly and go hide inside the White House.

That was it.

Three minutes given to a major crisis and all I could thinks was, "Seriously? Are you really kidding me President Bush? What the hell was THAT!?"

He also made some one-liners that immediately had me in a fighting mood. His opening statement attempted to make clear that he understood the U.S. citizen's pain right now. He stated, "I share their concerns..."

Really? Are you serious with that comment?

How can you and Laura Bush "share" in the average citizens' concern over the current economic crash when an article Bloomberg News released in May 2006 states:

"President Bush and his wife, Laura, had assets valued between $7.2 million and $20.9 million last year, up from as much as $18.1 million a year earlier, annual disclosure forms released last night showed. Bush, who says his economic policies have helped Americans increase their wealth, is still making up ground from the start of his first term in 2001, when he and his wife reported assets of as much as $24 million."

Are we to supposed to believe that VP Dick Cheney also "shares our pain" when in the same article referenced above states:

"Vice President Cheney disclosed a portfolio worth as much as $94.6 million in 2005."

A few seconds later in this "speech," President Bush began with "We have taken control of...." and continued to describe how the Federal government has stepped in to the financial fray.

Yes, you did "take control" of the financial crisis by breaking the very laws of a capitalist nation and within seconds, placed us in the same socialist category as China.

Why, thank you Mr. President.

How kind of you to take hard earned, taxpayer money to purchase AIG and instantly plunge the US Government into the business of "owning" an enormous insurance company!

I can assure you that I, as an average US citizen, feel much better knowing that I now "own" part of a multi-national, multi-trillion dollar-asset-laden, international corporation that has its roots in... CHINA!

I am feeling so confident that the financial leaders in this country got a bargain price for AIG as well since we taxpayers paid $85 billion dollars for this gem of a company.

Yes, I feel so much better now.

The last statement from President Bush, in his mini-money-commentary, provided the US taxpayer with even more reassurance that all was well with the financial health of this nation by saying, "....there has been additional liquidity by infusing the market with 55 billion dollars into the system...."

Over the past few days, I have watched the US economy unravel into a nightmarish, panic-driven mess while news commentators rattled off financial numbers that the average US citizen cannot begin to comprehend. Several of the more astute economic gurus continued to remind viewers that the USA budget deficit stands at approximately $500 BILLION dollars.

Hearing these figures caused me to pause and wonder how or where this administration is getting "cash" to infuse anything, let alone purchase an internationally based insurance company, bail out Freddie and Fannie, pay for supplies and rebuilding the hurricane Ike areas and STILL pay for a billion-plus-dollar-a-week WAR!

I found myself reverting to what I would call, "focused nostalgia."

Once again, I was wearing the monocular blinders, called "age" and orally repeating the mantra, "I remember back in the old days when...."

I flash backed to my childhood when I received an interesting gift one year from my parents. Inside the pretty, wrapped package all tied up in bows was a piggy bank. While the piggy bank was pretty with its little flowers painted across the surface, I was less than pleased with the gift! Being a child, I wanted something exciting and rare that would make my gift a topic of conversation and envy amongst my young playmates.

Instead, I got a glass, painted-flower-adorned.... piggy bank.

Whoop-ti-doo! I can remember thinking.

I thanked them and set the pig carefully upon my dresser in an attempt to show my parents that I actually gave a hoot about this blasted glass pig.

However, over the next many years that I had that piggy bank, I learned the true meaning behind my parents' gift to me. Each week that I completed my assigned household chores or did something extra to help my parents, I loaded a few more coins into the pig. On special occasions I might be lucky enough to place a tightly folded dollar bill or two into the slot cut so neatly atop the glass pig too.

Over a few months time the pig became heavy and I could barely lift it! As Christmas approached, I remember asking my mother to help me remove the plastic stopper in the belly of the pig so that I could remove my precious loot and go shopping with my hard-earned money for gifts.

I was never so sad as one day standing at a checkout counter and wanting to buy a very special gift for my Grandmother without enough coin to do so. I begged and pleaded with my mother to help me with some additional money to purchase this rare treasure and that is when she did the greatest thing a parent might ever do for their child...

She said, "No."

I still remember the agony I felt having to go find an alternative gift that I had enough money to purchase. I felt angry, disappointed and dismayed at the concepts contained within this new economic-waste-land I was now learning about. However, my mother was beginning lessons that I would need over a lifetime and I am grateful beyond what words can express that she bought me a little glass pig.

That piggy bank taught me the value of working hard to earn your money and the self-control to say the word, "NO!"

After watching the Bush administration over the past eight years, I have decided that I have just enough coin saved aside in a large glass jar (yes, I accidentally broke my piggy bank from childhood...crushing event in my life, I can assure you!) to purchase George Bush and Dick Cheney a piggy bank.

I might even have enough coin to purchase a piggy bank for the incoming new President as well, if I dig through the couch cushions a few times. I may even attempt to buy one of those extra-special ones that you can record a comment into the voice recorder deal that many toy manufacturers now include on items. I will even honor the long used political catch phrase, "Just say NO!" as the message recorded into the little pig.

The value of the piggy bank sitting upon the leaderships' desk might provide daily reminders to, "Just say NO!"

Each time they are tempted to withdraw money from the bank to pay for items they deem important but may not have enough coin to cover?

"Just say no!"

Think of it will you? The national debt would slowly disappear as a balanced budget emerged.

The Social Security accounts might be repaid to the people of this country who worked decades of their lives paying into that piggy bank in hopes of a return on their original investment when they needed that money.

Think of it all! Perhaps I could organize a fund drive and by all of us pitching in some saved coin, we could buy each Congressman, state Governor, city Mayor and all of the big-wigs on Wall Street a piggy bank that would remind them...
"Just say NO!"

...to spending more than you have in the bank.

"Just say NO!"

...when temptation strikes and you are buying into a deal that sounds too good to be true.

"Just say NO!"

...and the gift of a little glass piggy bank might just be the single most important gift we as a united people could ever gift to our Nations' leaders.

Anyone have extra coins hidden in their couch cushions to contribute to this cause or are you needing those coins to buy food, pay the electric bill or put toward your house payment?

Sadly, the priceless lesson of "spend only what you have enough money for" is another of those mantras from the "focused nostalgia" mindset. Those of us who are old enough remember when this was the predominant mindset in this country.

I am a person of strong conviction, however, so I truly am going to send the next President of the USA a piggy bank as a "White-House-Warming" present.

If the pig doesn't have one of those new-fangled-high-tech gadgets to record my voice? I will revert to the "focused nostalgia" art of hand writing a note, which I will deftly place atop the pig with the inscription,

"Just say NO!"