UNCOMMON CENTS 61

WE NEED TO RE-FAMILIARIZE OURSELVES WITH THE GREAT COMMUNICATOR, RONALD REAGAN. IN HIS GREAT 1964 SPEECH, WHICH CATAPULTED HIM INTO THE REPUBLICAN PARTY LIMELIGHT, HE TOLD A POLITICAL JOKE ABOUT A THIN MAN AND A FAT MAN. A LIBERAL WOULD ASSESS THE FAT MAN'S PROBLEM NOT AS THE RESULT OF OVER-EATING - THE CONSERVATIVE VIEW - BUT AS THE RESULT OF HIS TAKING FOOD FROM THE THIN PERSON. THIS ANECDOTE ILLUSTRATES THE PERVERSE THINKING OF LIBERALS WHICH IS TYPICALLY PESSIMISTIC, SUSPICIOUS AND FAULT-FINDING. MR. REAGAN (LATER U.S. PRESIDENT) CONTINUED IN HIS SPEECH TO DENY THE NEED FOR CONVENIENT LABELS AS LEFT AND RIGHT BUT RATHER HE ADVOCATED THE USE OF UP AND DOWN. CONSERVATIVES, HE KNEW REPRESENTED OPTIMISM; LIBERALS DOOM AND GLOOM. TO RE-PHRASE REAGAN, I SAY THAT AMERICA EITHER LOOKS UP OR IT WILL GO DOWN ( INTO IGNOMINY). AND WE SLIDE PERCEPTIVELY ALREADY.

AMERICANS SLIDE BACKWARDS EACH YEAR IN THEIR SAVINGS AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY. WHEN A WORKER FROM 1957 SCRAPED TOGETHER $50.00 BY FORGOING THAT ADDITIONAL DRESS OR SUIT OR BY RE-SOLEING THAT PAIR OF SHOES OR BY FINDING SATISFACTION IN JUST ONE EXPENSIVE STRAND OF PEARLS, HE OR SHE INVESTED IT IN A SAVINGS ACCOUNT OR, IF SAVVY, INTO THE STOCK MARKET. THE TYPICAL "LEAVE IT TO BEAVER FAMILY" WOULD HAVE BEEN REWARDED WITH $284 IN A SAVINGS ACCOUNT OR $1,952. IN THE STOCK MARKET BY 2007. LIFE IS MUCH SIMPLER - NOT MORE COMPLICATED - TODAY. BY A SIMPLE TRIP TO THE COMPUTER, A YOUNG PERSON MAY CLICK HIS WAY INTO A BROAD-BASED MUTUAL FUND. $50.00 OF 50 YEARS AGO AS A STARTER WOULD NEED TO BE ABOUT $500.00 NOW.

HOW DO YOU SAVE $500 OR $5000? IF A NEW HOME COSTS AN AVERAGE OF $241,400, FIND ONE PRE-OWNED OR IN A LESS TONY AREA THAT COSTS THOUSANDS LESS. IF A HARVARD EDUCATION COSTS $31,665, FIND A LOCAL COLLEGE OR AN INTERNET UNIVERSITY THAT COSTS THOUSANDS LESS. IF EGGS COST $1.29 A DOZEN AT KROGER, $2.29 AT WHOLE FOODS OR $.89 AT ANOTHER POPULAR ESTABLISHMENT, THE CHOICE IS CLEAR. IF COFFEE COSTS $1.99 A POUND IN A LARGE CAN, BUT $4.99 A POUND FOR GOURMET OR FRESH GROUND, REMEMBER THAT YOU CAN APPRECIATE ECONOMY AND COMMON SENSE WHEN THEY BUILD PRIDE OF OWNERSHIP IN YOUR FUTURE.

A HOME IS WHAT YOU MAKE IT, NOT ITS CONSTRUCTION OR CONTENTS.

AN EDUCATION IS WHAT YOU PUT INTO IT, NOT HOW HIGH THE STATUS OF THE PHYSICAL INSTITUTION.

AN EGG IS AN EGG NO MATTER HOW YOU CRACK AND COOK IT.

ONE JAVA IN A CUP OF FRESH, HOT COFFEE IS NO DIFFERENT FROM ANOTHER, OVERPRICED BEAN.

HINT: A DOLLAR SAVED IS A DOLLAR EARNED WHEN YOU INVEST FOR THE LONG TERM.

P.S. MOST OF US WILL NOT BE LUCKY ENOUGH TO GET A ONE MILLION DOLLAR BUYOUT FOR A TRAILER ON FLORIDA'S WATERFRONT. MOST OF US WILL NEED TO BUILD OUR PRIVATE RETIREMENT HOME.