Let'er Die! I was listening not long ago to the Republican debate against each other over "fixing" government. I also caught a little bit (what I could stomach to listen to) of Barry presenting his last stimulus plan as the new stimulus plan. Nobody (not even the estimable Dr. Paul) is telling people that GUS (the Government of the United States) is in its death throes. Everyone is proposing elegantly expensive (and politically profitable) life support for the beast. Yet, a growing number of prepared folk are simply saying "Let'er die!"
GUS has a death pact you see. Politicians are trying their darnedest to convince Americans to sacrifice all they have to rescue the chronically rotund GUS from rolling off a cliff. My thought is "Why not let her go?!" We can pick up the blubbery pieces later if anyone wants near the stench. It seems scary to the ill-prepared, but there is no great invasion force poised at our borders waiting for the chance to enslave us all is great GUS isn't somehow "protecting" us. However, I am sure our "leaders" would cook up such an idea if they thought the threat could extend their beloved GUS cash-cow just a few more days.
I think we would wake up the day after the grand "THUD" and see that the sun actually rose and the air was still breathable, the ground was just as arable, the grass persisted beyond reason to grow, and many of us could still go to work and get our paychecks. The third of us that depend on GUS blubber for our living would have to scramble a bit that morning, but hopefully we all prepared for this ahead of time (you have your year's supply of food and water, right?) and no one is going to suffer in any deep sense. Of course, a minority will suffer some, but that is only because they steadfastly refused to listen to warning voices.
So, here is the warning again: GUS is going down and her death isn't going to be pleasant for those who chose to be her dependents. Here's what to do about it: GET A YEAR'S SUPPLY of FOOD and WATER. PAY OFF your DEBTS to GUS as much as you can. ACQUIRE REAL MARKETABLE SKILLS toward SELF-SUFFICIENCY and LEARN to grow a GARDEN. (Sorry, "paper-pushing" is not an actual skill unless you know how to compost the paper.) It really isn't difficult at all if you avoid wasting your time on things that won't help you when GUS and her grease slick vanishes into nothing.
When you are dealing with an authentically suicidal person, talking them down from the ledge is only really putting off the inevitable. They will eventually find a way to kill themselves if they really want to. The questions are these: Are YOU going to have yourself attached to her when she finally succeeds in her pact. Are YOU going over the edge with GUS like some devoted love-slave?
Personally, I intend to remain a casual spectator at a good distance. You aren't going to catch me giving the last of my power and money to "bail out" something that will greedily take all your money and then self-destruct anyway.
Let GUS jump off the cliff without your last dime. Just let'er die!