I’m Not too Crazy about Reality, But it is still the only place to get a Good meal(G. Marx)
Just got back from dropping my son off at the mall. He works there 1 hour short of a full-time position. Stopped off at the grocery store. The price for a bag of milk has gone up a lot. Items that cost $1.99 a little over two years ago have price increases of 2-3$. What gives here. Sure we are experiencing all sorts of problems affecting our economy, like supply shortages, and staffing issues but according to our elected officials we are economically back, stay safe, but yeah, we are back. So why are these prices escalating every damn day? I live in a nation that can produce energy resources like no other, gas, oil, and natural gas too. Why are we buying our energy from dictatorships and antiquated Kingdoms?
My fellow employees cannot afford to drive to work, and there are no reliable alternatives offered to them. No railway, subway, or bus system is extensive enough. Why? Because our unimaginative, cheap-ass politicians did not initiate or approve of these effective methods of transport. Canada was united historically by the vast railway systems of the past. Now you cannot take the train very far to Northern Ontario, or any other area’s in Canada. WE HAVE TO DRIVE! We need gas to do so.
When our fuel, food, services and other necessities become unbearably costly, what do Canadians do?
Well, they complain about it. Just that. Americans would freak out as their gas prices escalate much like their New York Stock Exchange. If our taskmasters, who formulate and manipulate our economy do not do something soon, we can assuredly believe “that bad things are coming our way”.
True Story: I knew a Franciscan Priest, a Father Anthony, born in Italy long ago. As a young priest (in Pre-WW2 Italy)Fr. Anthony was put in charge of the most progressively active Dioceses in Italy, just outside of Rome. At the time, Communist and Anarchist Forces openly agitated for strikes, protests and hopefully “revolution”. Mussolini’s Government needed cash(like our present-day governments), so they increased all sorts of taxes and prices of items they managed. The price of milk, eggs and bread increased drastically, and this enraged this concerned priest to a point where Fr. Anthony had to respond, and so he did. This Friar stormed into The Dictator Mussolini’s Office, whereupon this priest verbally challenged the leader of Italy to a fist fight. Two hours later, this priest returned to his church, certainly waiting for the police to arrest him. Instead, the price for milk, eggs and bread not only returned to their previous prices, but a further 10% was taken away.
The theme of Story: Complaining will get you NOWHERE. Become an active citizen, and protest the prices our Grocers, Gas companies, and Governments have unleashed upon us. We are talking about STRIKES, or perhaps we can stop going to those stores that seem most dishonest, profiteering upon our backs. How about the People Sanctioning the Profiteers and our Governments who seem unwilling to do anything about it.
If you do nothing, nothing will change. Be the solution Folks. Our leaders are leading us down the pathway to recession, depression and mass mental illness. Much of what happened before the Great Depression is happening now. Surely this shows us our elected leaders know nothing of history. After the Great War, many people became well off(the roaring ’20s), and there was a great deal of money flowing into the economy. Rich folks were making massive profits, so the average Joe also wanted in, but he had little money. Off to the bank, he went borrowing funds that were then used to buy stocks. Many of the stocks at that time were issued by firms with no real worth. Joe needed more money, so he borrowed more funds using his stocks as collateral. Then the Stock Market levels dropped. The Banks called in many loans. Joe lost everything. Apply this to what’s happening within our economy. People are severely indebted, over extended. They own homes, cars and things purchased using credit.
We have fallen into a vicious financial cycle that many of us will not be able to escape, much like Joe in the 1930s. We need to drive prices down. Only through the application of citizens’ efforts can this be done. Protest, March, Deny the profiteers your cash. Manage your debt responsibly, but most of all STOP being the Willing Victim. Pressure Governments to Act in your interest, not the present-day Profiteers.
Steven Kaszab
Bradford, Ontario
skasza@yahoo.ca
