So what can you do about it?

There is no question that every country on earth spends more than it should, and there would be very little argument, I think, that just about any citizen of any country would tell you there is a lot of waste in his or her government. If we want to allege, however, that we, the people, have any say in the matter anymore, then we the people need to get back in the game. That's what the Occupy Movement was about. That's what the 99% metaphor is all about. That is what upholding democratic ideals is all about.

We're in a pretty awkward situation. There's no doubt about it. And, what is so frustrating is that it is obvious that the big guys are playing divide-and-conquer with the little folks ... again. If you don't want to be taken for a fool, my advice would be not to act like one. If you don't want to participate in crazy discussions, don't say crazy things. If you want a better deal for your neighbor and yourself, you've got to start talking to your neighbor again, and you both have to spread the word and get out and do something about it.

To me, the first thing that has to be done is to get money out of politics. As long as money is there, there is simply no room for anything or anyone else. Yes, your elected representative would have to bite the hands that feed them. Yes, those who opposed the biting would have to be the first to go.

The second thing that has to be done, as far as I'm concerned, is to start a reasonable, yet passionate, discussion about what is important to all of us? Each and every one of you is required to ask yourself what you think government is about, and what it should be about, and why it might be in everybody's interest if everybody's interest were put back into the political equation.

Will it be easy? Not on your life. Will it be fast? Hardly. Will we succeed? Maybe not. Is it going to demand sacrifice. Most likely. So perhaps, the first question you should ask yourself at all is whether your own well-being is worth the effort.

The crashes of 1929 and 2008 were warnings for those who were willing to listen. It was selected, specific, private interests that caused it, but it was unrestricted, general, public interests that paid for it. That can't possibly be right, and it cannot be sensibly argued by our free-market friends. But, then again, some people like to have it all ways that benefits them.