The twilight zone

Ever feel like you're in the twilight zone, where everything you hear defies logic and common sense?

On my way to work Friday, I was listening to NPR, not my usual fare. A teaser for an upcoming segment kept me listening. Are you cutting back on spending even though you've not been directly affected by the economic crisis? the announcer chirped. "Well, then you might be part of the problem."

My blood began to boil.

In the segment some guy began bemoaning how his sister, who hasn't even lost her job, is postponing a bathroom remodel because of uncertainty about the economy. He thinks that she ought to spend her hard-earned cash to help out the guy who could be remodeling her bathroom instead of using the money to build her family's safety net.

Now, let me get this straight: The people who are responsible with their money so that they won't have to burden taxpayer funded "safety net" services are responsible for prolonging an economic crisis primarily caused by people and institutions that took on massive debt with no savings to fall back on.

And these responsible people are now expected to help revive the economy by spreading their money around. Hell, the government wants everyone, regardless of credit worthiness, to go into debt. They're bailing out banks and automakers so they can continue to loan money to those with medium to poor credit. Did we learn nothing?

Soon, and very soon, Atlas will shrug.