In his first address to a joint session of Congress, President Obama declared that he was going to "speak frankly and directly."
That's what I want to do as well. I want to speak frankly and directly to the many people who have written to me complaining that they aren't directly benefiting from the federal government's efforts to resuscitate our gasping economy.
The sniveling sentiments of these people come down to one question: "What about me?"
It appears that Singletary has an axe to grind. Apparently she sees the same sniveling sentiments across the country and wants to shut them up before they sour the President's bailout efforts.
"We have lived through an era where, too often, short-term gains were prized over long-term prosperity," Obama said.
I understand that people who did the right thing are frustrated. They saved. They scrimped. They crunched the numbers and bought homes they could afford long term.
I understand their need to have someone pat them on the back.
So consider this your pat.
But I'm getting increasingly weary of people carping that they aren't getting a piece of the billions of dollars in debt the federal government is amassing to try to dam up this economic mudslide.
Thankfully she understaaaands, she feels your pain, your carping frustration. But she is weary of all you complainers. Hush it.
For a personal finance expert I find it intriguing that she makes these claims. I actually thought that people in her profession were supposed to preach the dangers of over extending and praise the acts of responsible spending, saving and investing. But not this time around.
What is it about the government's bailout plan that spells long term prosperity? I wonder because commentators like Singletary enjoy dipping into President Obama's speech and use such phrases like confetti; as if they provide some validity to their point. Yet I fail to see the point and they fail to explain what they mean when they say "short-term gains were prized over long-term prosperity"? How is massive deficit spending going to ensure long-term prosperity? Why doesn't Michelle Singletary, personal finance expert, explain this one to all us complainers instead of using it for an anchor in her article?
Not insulted enough? Singletary was just getting started; you big baby.
These people are suffering from what I call "WAM Syndrome" or "What About Me?" disease.
My children have WAM. I see them looking as I pour juice or cut a piece of pie. They watch closely to see whether their siblings get more. If I give one child a little extra of something, the other two pout and whimper, "What about me?"
But I expect this from children. They often don't understand that sometimes one person -- whether he or she deserves it or not -- will get more. They can't comprehend that life isn't fair.
Really, life isn't fair? But isn't that what all this class envy and bullying is about; making life fair for everyone except those that played by the rules?
Mind you that Michelle Singletary claims that she is using the same kind of frank and direct talk that President Obama uses. Perhaps that is the takeaway as she tells you that you don't need the tax break, you don't need a bailout. Stop whining.
Am I upset that my home value has dropped? You betcha.
However, why are you grousing that you aren't getting money or a tax break if you don't truly need the help?
This is the kind of presumptuous rubbish that is designed to guilt you into falling in line, getting with the program. And she justifies it one more time by dipping once again into words spoken by President Obama.
If you're susceptible to WAM Syndrome, the cure is to be thankful for what you have and to have compassion for those who are hurting. Think of all the personal agony or broken marriages or stress that accompanies the threat of foreclosure.
Obama called on us all to make the concerns of others our cause.
"If you haven't been personally affected by this recession, you probably know someone who has -- a friend, a neighbor, a member of your family," Obama said during his speech.
Okay, so you're not getting bailed out. But the reward for doing right when others didn't is that you're living better than they are. So stop whining.
Stop whining you money grubbing, grousing, carping, childish, what about me diseased, WAM syndrome laden, sniveling, responsible capitalist. Hush.
