Okay...

...so I know I haven't been posting lately. I'm sorry -- and maybe you will be, too -- that what finally drove me out of my funk is that basic emotion: anger.

I made myself a promise I wouldn't write anything political for a long time. After all, gotta give "Hope and Change" a chance, right?

Wrong.

What is infuriating me is this notion of "sacrifice," which is being touted by everyone from the New Guy in the White House on down to local political hacks. It seems we are supposed to suck it up and share our bounty -- and more -- with those less fortunate, even, apparently, if some of the less fortunate are paper-shuffling multimillionaires who have seen their incomes drop in the last year from eight or nine digits to a mere six or seven.

Well, I'm sorry. Yes, I have a roof over my head (for the moment), and actually went out to the grocery store today, buying what may, with some stretching, be a week's worth of groceries. I guess that makes me "rich" enough that government wants to drain me of my excess wealth.

I heard a California legislator on the radio today. He is supposedly a "conservative" -- a tag I would have applied to myself until recently, when I realized that it fits me no better than "liberal" -- who wants to raise taxes because my state government is "going broke."

Let's look at this: California already has the highest income, sales and gas taxes in the nation. Under the Governator (supposedly "conservative") the cost of government has risen 40% in the past few years. Much of this increase has gone to welfare for illegals, raises for unionized state workers and useless "public works" projects.

When this legislator was asked why the state didn't cut the juicy wages and benefits of state employees, he was shocked: "We can't do that!," he said.

Excuse me, hot-shot, but I have seen my income cut a substantial amount in the last two years. I have seen the cost of mere existence rise to the point where I'm barely able to manage it.

If the state doesn't get much more money, he says, schools will be closed! People will be on the streets! Roads will collapse!

Bull.

Our school system has wasted billions on new schools -- while the number of students enrolled has actually decreased -- and hiring thousands of "administrative" people.

Our government continues to add employees, most of whom do nothing. Their salaries rise, and their perks increase.

But we "can't do anything about that."

Washington operates exactly the same way, despite the new President's superficial "wage freezes" for his staff, most of whom are making well into six figures, getting health care and retirement benefits most of us can only dream about, and putting themselves in line for big-dollar gigs when they leave the White House.

We can't cut legislators' salaries or perks, either. Need a plane to fly you across the country to do "the people's business?" No problem, buckaroo. Don't fly commercial, grab a government jet.

When you and I are out of money, we can't simply order people to give us more. We have to cut back. I haven't had a damn vacation in more years than I can count; nor do I have the paid holidays government workers get.

These are rough times, and the turnips have little blood left to give.

If the country suffers a financial collapse, it is not my fault, or yours. Nor is it entirely the fault of businesses that haven't "grown with the times" while the government gave preferential treatment to cheap products made overseas by slave laborers.

It is the fault of government, past and current, and their insane desire to coddle their pals (and themselves) because they knew they can always lay the bill on us.

That has to change, and it has to change now.

Don't save some billionaire who suddenly can't buy his fourth vacation home or order another Ferrari. Worry about saving yourself. No one, in Washington D.C. or your state capital, will worry about saving you. You are invisible to them.

I no longer care about those who are considered "needy" because they have blocs of votes for the political hacks or clever lobbyists who know how to spread money around. I care about me, and you.

I'm sick of "sacrifice." It's a mantra that has been chanted too long by people who do not worry about where their next meal is coming from.

It's time we started looking out for ourselves, for our own children and our own futures.

As if what we citizens think matters any longer. It's all unicorns and rainbows now, and if a few -- or a few million -- of us have to starve so we can spread the wealth while those who live on our money thrive, that's a small price to pay, right?

Wrong.

Somehow, we need to let our so-called "leaders" know that we will no longer tolerate their free ride, their insane desire to redistribute what they call "wealth" to others.

As they say in Noo Yawk: "skroom."