Tough Summer?

I caught the following headline today:

"Bush warns of 'tough summer' with higher petrol prices"

I simply can't be so dismissive -- especially in-light of the Exxon executive that received a very handsome retirement settlement and there's a lot of people protecting this guy because of the BILLIONS he has made for Exxon.....

How nice for him..

No regret..

No sympathy..

No questions..

No inquiry..

No nothing..

Simply accepting that this is what it's like being an American..

So what is it like being an American??

-Energy prices have risen 58% in the last year..
-Medical care prices continue to rise above 40% this year..
-Housing costs have risen another 40%
-This along with the 8 trillion dollar debt, the 1 billion dollars a day spent in Iraq, and the college program being ripped apart to shreds..

It wasn't until I watched Bill Maher's program this week that I realize that the middle class is splitting apart.. If you're upper middle class - you might be okay because there are tax breaks that are helping you get by.. If you're mid to lower middle class - I'm sorry, the outlook doesn't seem very bright for you..

What's ironic here is the Republican party is heading into the November elections - a very decisive moment if they are to secure the House and Senate.. The irony is that they are *reporting* a generally better range of numbers for the economy: more people working for instance, but when you look at how much the cost of living has become - then that's not a really telling sign of just how well it is.. Yes, people are working, but wages have not increased since the 90's.. Let's do a little bit of math:

$5.15 an hour x 21 days a month x 8 hours a day: $824
After taxes: $648 and some change

$648 a month..

You need to pay rent, utilities and you have to pay for food..
You need transportation, clothing, and medical insurance..
You need gas for your car, insurance..
If you have children - your life is even more complicated..

Rent is at least $600 in most places..
Leaving you $48 remaining for utilities, food, insurance and gas..

So when the price of gas goes up a dollar - for most cars that's $10.00 at the very least.. How long does that last?? A week maybe?? $40 a month.. $480 a year.. Yeah - that's right.. Almost a full month's salary gone - just to keep up with the price of gas..

So this is what it means for it to be a "tough summer.." It's also what it means to be "uniquely American," that now infamous quote Bush told a working mother who had 3 jobs just to try and make ends meet.. No Mr. President.. I'm sorry.. That's not uniquely American..

What's uniquely American is how an Exxon executive can make $400 million just by retiring, while a divorced mother of three is forced to work three jobs to keep up with paying her bills..

So I guess if you support this President, you support his idea of cannibalistic capitalism.. And if you support this type of capitalism then you're supporting the fact that the Exxon executive should just walk freely out the door while the mother is unable to keep up because he needs to maintain the fuel expenses for the company jet that is being leased to him..

No, no.. Maybe you're right, George.. This is a much, much better situation for everyone..