I had a knee-jerk reaction to the Supreme Court ruling on
ObamaCare - ObamaTax and I wrote this editorial to address my concerns with
that and one other thing. The two combined worry me. I know this is not
directly related to buying groceries nor is it about firearms legislation but
now that I have slept on it for a week or so, I still think you folks should
have a chance to read it.
* * *
Dear
People:
I really,
really do not want be alarmist. Believe me it is one of the last things I
would ever want but I am a bit worried.
We have
two events working against us when it comes to putting food on the table every
day.
First,
there are near drought, or near drought conditions in the heartland and the
southeast. Crop reductions and failures are almost certain. The
result will be short-term shortages of some food items and higher prices for
those that are available. Fresh produce will be particularly affected
except for some local products.
My advice
is that, if you have the resources, buy ahead as much as you can. It
would be in your best interest to seriously consider gardening for at least
some of your produce. It is a bit late for planting but there is still
time for crops like peas, green beans, zucchini, and cucumbers.
Second,
is the ObamaTax. I am not an economist and I want to keep politics out of
this as much as possible. However, it is obvious, even to me, that
nothing good will come of it with regard to the general economy.
The
ObamaTax carries some good things for healthcare and I would like to see those
put back in place after the repeal of ObamaTax.
There are
twenty-one tax code changes in ObamaTax. None of them levels or decreases
the tax burden for anyone. I am not going to list or explain them
here. If you want to read them all, look athttp://www.atr.org/obamacares-first-birthday-commemorates-twenty-one-a5963
What I do
want to say, however, is that the long-term effect of ObamaTax, in conjunction
with expiring tax law, on farms, small business, and the self-employed will be
negative to the point of devastation. Who knows what the “ripple effect”
will be on the overall economy.
I do not
know what to do about it other than to become more active politically.
However, that is not the reason for this missive. My intent is to offer
advice on how to put food on your table without going broke.
I also
have few ideas on how to accomplish that in the long-term. However, I do
see some things one could do.
One, buy
as many canned goods as you are able to now. Do not wait; prices are
going to go up, way up. Buy only what you regularly eat. Buy good
food; do not waste money the junk stuff.
Two, if
you have the resources, buy freeze-dried and/or dehydrated foods for long-term
storage. Do not wait; prices are going to go up, way up. Buy only
what you regularly eat.
Three,
convert the sunniest parts of your lawn into gardens and plant what you will
eat. Do not sell anything as that would bring unwanted government
attention.
Four, if
possible, get together with your neighbors for community gardening in order to
produce larger yields. Do not sell anything as that would bring unwanted
government attention.
Five,
acquire pickling and canning equipment and supplies and learn how to use
them. This could be another opportunity to involve your neighbors in a
community effort.
I have
absolutely no ideas about how to easily deal with meat and dairy
products. I only see two alternatives right now. One is to buy
canned meat and instant dairy products both everyday items and those that are
prepared for long-term storage.
The
second alternative is near Impossible in urban settings and may be difficult at
best in suburban areas. That alternative is to raise your own livestock
for meat and dairy; I will not go into that now.
Thanks
for reading this. I do not like being so pessimistic but I tend to be
realistic and I do not like what I think I see coming down the road. I
sincerely hope that I have not offended anyone.
Your comments
and questions are welcome. I will respond to them as best as I am able.
