Marcia, Marcia, Marcia

We’ve been hearing a lot about Main Street lately. Seems “Main Street” has become a buzz word for all the regular folk out here. The term Main Street has come to signify you and me  and together “we” seem to suddenly have become important. Great financial minds working to bail out fallen giants have suddenly discovered “we” are a great excuse for pony-ing up $700 million. They say it’s to save “us” and the future for generations to come.
I’ve heard tell special concessions have been made to benefit “Main Street.” Golden parachutes have been punctured, for the good of “Main Street.” And what does the real Main Street think of all of this?
Well, I live on Main Street and I’m pretty upset. For eight years “we” have been ignored and taken for granted. Treated as if we were invisible. In return “we” have continued to work away, pay taxes, raise our families, give generously to charity and be all the great things everyday people are. “We” on Main Street have taken our responsibilities to family, the greater community and society very seriously, just as we always have. “We” have done all these things without the expectation of a zillion dollar bonus, without teams of accountants and lawyers. “We” have done all these things with confidence those in positions of power were proceeding in the same manner — not.
This country seems to have deregulated integrity, honesty and common sense over the past eight years. Leaving Main Street shaken to find itself a victim of corporate greed and trickery beyond comprehension.
Something was coming, I could feel it, as the gap between the haves and have-nots continued to widen ... as the middle class continued to evaporate.
Raises in gas prices, insurance premiums, raises in co-pays, raises in utility costs, raises in food costs. I’m not sure how many more “raises” Main Street can take. Salary increases to off-set all of these raises just haven’t been possible. So “we ” Main Streeters took two (or more) steps back and accepted things ... what else could we do?
Today, when someone says, “I got a raise,” it’s hard to know whether they are referring to an hourly increase in wage or a change in their health insurance premium.
“We” do not deserve this ... “we” have not asked for it, “we” did not benefit from it ... yet we will pay for it — and do you know what? I really don’t want to.
Last week I jokingly said to someone, “Well, we’ve decided who we are moving in with. The family member with biggest yard and room for chickens, a cow and a garden.” Will it come to that? I pray not. Are we deserving of this stress, definitely not? Will those at fault be punished in any manner? I’m not sure, but I hope so — because Main Street does not deserve to suffer for the greed and shady practices of a couple of avenues called Wall Street and Capitol Street.
Sorry everyone, but I think we’ve been trickled on by a combination of flawed economics and avarice. Now “we” just need to keep this from ever, ever, ever happening again so whatever your thoughts are on the current economic situation, let them be known. Call, write or e-mail. March, protest, cast your ballot. Let East Capitol Street feel the rumbling from Main Street.