Some thoughts on money

I don't care too much for money, money can't buy me love. (Not my original, thanks to the Beatles. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMwZsFKIXa8) Or should we compare to The Baby's "Money" which goes "The best things in life are free/But you can keep 'em for the birds and bees." (Like two people will know this song so here is the Youtube for this excellent song! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTirjVo8A0I)

So two things today really irked me about money and I figured this is as good a forum as anything else. Why? Because I can. Why else? Its my blog. Why else? Do I need another reason? No.

First, the California Assembly gave raises to their staffers - again. I know. These folks haven't received raises in a while, haven't had a cost of living adjustment, blah, blah, blah. Don't even give me this nonsense. Let me guess: we need to keep these talented people as well. Right?

Newsflash to the fine folks running the California Assembly: most Californians have not had a raise in years either. It sucks. Its crappy. Its called a recession. Actually, its probably a double dip recession, if not a depression. Do you know what happens in a recession? People lose jobs, pay is cut, benefits are cut. Yep, sucks. Do you know how we get out of a recession? We have to spend our way out of it - not giving our employees raises because they are such good people, but getting consumers to spend money at businesses. That gets business to invest the money and voila, recession starts to turn into gains. Then the economy improves.

Look, its been hard for these people who work for the Assembly. I mean, they must be out there every day using their hands, worrying about where the next paycheck is coming from, wondering how they are going to get health insurance for their families. Oh wait. Sorry. I got those people confused with working Americans. You want it hard? I have clients who live paycheck to paycheck and pay their bills with money orders because they don't want to bounce a check and have so little in their checking account that bouncing a check is possible. I talked to a guy this week who is a supervisor for a construction company and has had to lay off 40% of its employees. Unemployment is over 10% and that doesn't count the people who have just given up looking for a job.

People are out there every day working hard and wondering if their job will still be there in a week. The people who work for the Assembly know that they have a job and its not going anywhere. How do they know this? Because the one thing you can count on - politicians will put themselves last on the list of people who have to take pay cuts, lay off employees or do anything else that will not benefit them. Sad, but true. So these folks don't have the same worries as the rest of us. (Oh, and I don't really count me in there - I am fortunate enough to have a job where I can sit and write this nonsense during the day.)

Memo to the California Assembly: do the right thing and rescind the raises and show the rest of us that you actually care about California and not just your employees. Since these folks won't do anything, let me go to my next money grubbers.

Charities........what? Charities? How can that be? These folks ask for money. Nothing wrong with that, especially if the money is going to a legitimate cause. Breast cancer research or ending MS or helping the homeless. All great causes. I don't have a problem with any of them. So what is my problem?

Have you ever sent these people money? They send you a thank you letter back THAT ASKS FOR MORE MONEY. Yes. Thank you for your generous donation, now send us more money. WTF? How exactly is that supposed to make me feel? I just gave you money. I donated. I did my part, however small it may be. How about you just thank me and leave it at that?

Dear Michael, Thank you so much for the soccer ball for my birthday. I am going to put it up in my office with my other memorabilia. Now, please send me another one. Your friend, Jon

Could you imagine if someone actually sent a thank you card that said that? No. Miss Manners would go into cardiac arrest. Even I would be bugged by it. Yet, more and more charities are doing this and we aren't pissed off? Well, I for one am. Next time I send money to a charity and they ask for more money, I am writing them off and won't give them anything else. Done. Finished. No mas.

By the way, Hala Moddelmog, take a 10% pay cut and Susan G Komen for the Cure will have an extra $50,000 and won't need to ask me for more money. Simple!