Merry Christmas!

 Folks,

Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope that you are in good health today, and that you're doing well. I hadn't planned on posting today, and I damn well didn't think I'd be posting this. I thought it might be a few days or weeks before posting again. However, I hadn't planned on seeing this video on Bo's Legion of Men channel either, nor had I planned on making the below comment. Here's another comment I want to preserve for posterity.

The video you're about to watch is about how private equity firms are buying up mobile home parks. They've been buying up whole neighborhoods of homes too. Because they can pay cash and pay 20%-30% over the asking price, private equity firms are snapping up homes all over America, and they're helping to put home ownership out of reach for more and more people. Thanks to what's been happening in the housing market, my home's value has DOUBLED! This whole situation is a conundrum for me, which I explain in the below comment...

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Bo, I FEEL you! I had been a fourth generation Republican, but I got disgusted with them. I'm disgusted with the Democrats too, so I became an Independent a few years ago. I'm retired, and I'm a veteran (didn't retire from the Navy though). This isn't the America I grew up in. I remember how, as a 14 year old boy back in 1976 (America's Bicentennial, our 200th b'day), carrying the American flag in a Memorial Day parade for my Boy Scout troop. I was SO proud! That was one of the highlights of my life. I was so proud of the American flag and what it represented. The America of today is not the America of 1976. I am disgusted with what America has become. I'm disgusted beyond words.

As someone who leans conservative and libertarian; as someone who's all for minimal gov't; I don't know if we can do without gov't, let alone keep gov't out of business. Part of me says that no one should be prohibited from buying or selling something to or from anyone else. OTOH, when private equity firms pull this shit, I can't take a hands-off approach, either. That's where conservatism and libertarianism fall apart; they think that gov't can do no right, while business and private individuals can do no wrong. With socialism gets wrong is that they think gov't can do no wrong, while businesses and private individuals can do no right. So, what's the answer? I don't know. What we have clearly isn't working though.

While I am doing okay with what I have at the moment, but who knows about the future? I "own" a small, simple house free and clear. I put the word "own" in quotes because, thanks to property taxes, one never truly owns their own home. The taxes have been kept reasonable-for now; so have any increases, which have been below inflation since I've lived here. Who knows if I'll be able to afford the taxes 5 or 10 years from now? On the one hand, I like where I am; I like my house after fixing it up; and I'd like to stay here. OTOH, I might have to renew my passport, and look at moving overseas. After seeing this, I think I better plan a recon trip to SE Asia, so I can check things out. As much as I would like to stay put, I'd better be prudent and keep my options open.