Maybe there was a problem with your budgeting skills while times were good. Whereas you were probably raking in the dough hand over fist, the public guy was steadily making their salary. No huge increases. No bonuses. Just regular 'ol salary. Times started going bad, and you didn't scale back your spending. The public guy didn't have to.....they didn't have the ability to spend crazy money. It wasn't there in the first place. Now times are bad, and so is YOUR pay. Doesn't mean the public guy caused it. It means you failed to plan, so you planned to fail. So misery loves company and everyone should be in your boat paddling up a river without a paddle?
I'm just not seeing your logic when you say everyone should feel the same pain. It's usually the people that pace themselves that are going to win the race. If you EVER want to compare highest yearly salary, let me know.
You know, I sometimes find a little raw humor and irony while reading other peoples perspectives. While reading Mike's post, and Texson's also, a marble moved across the floor of my brain and caused me to recall some posts I had read in this forum, a while back - during the not so bad, but not so good, times. As I recall, it was the period when the food and gasoline prices were rising sharply and people were more inclined to spend more time at home - to save money due to the gas - rather than take trips and outings. Folks were posting their complaints about the rising costs, but were also posting their creative ways of avoiding those expenses, yet, still able to enjoy family and friends. They were some good ideas too...
With that said, I also seem to recall postings from a guy, during that time, that really had a (IMO) 'In your face attitude...,' that really enjoyed talking down to people, and made an M.O. of bragging about just how good he had it - while many folks were just making it. Hmmm... that poster's name will come to me eventully, after more marbles move around.
Anyway, this guy would boldly post (in the reader's face...) about his ability to make money, intelligent investments, his prosporous business etc. etc.... And then he would continually brag about such things as.... 'Rollin' out his huge gas-guzzling SUV and taking trips to lakes - while towing his big beautiful boat... And he would usually cap off his posts with something along the lines of.... 'Putting some big fat juicy steaks on the BBQ grill...' To some it up, this guy wanted everyone to know he was on top of the world, he was livin' the life, and the people suffering with economic fears, well, he made it clear - they were just dumb whiners in his eyes. Also, I recall he liked to use the term... "guv-ment..." alot.
Where is that guy, and how's he doing...?
