Keep your 'eye on the prize.'

If Americans are plagued with any one infectious, epidemic-type disease, it is their collective inability to focus for any time span, beyond the life expectancy of a female Dolania americana mayfly, which last time I checked, was no more than five minutes!

When a politician innocently proposes a five cent per unit tax on 'sodas,' in the name of better health care for all, he is getting his foot in the door and selling to the American public something they subconsciously know 'is wrong.'

Politicians have hypnotic-like abilities to make paying more taxes, a good thing. What the hell, it's only five cents--a lousy nickel! If it means better care for the poor junkies embryonically positioned in an urban alley-way, hell, I'm all for popping the top and swallowing this sweet nectar for the good of those less fortunate among us! Might be a good time to remind these guzzlers of caloric tainted liquids, at one time, tax on a pack of cigarettes was a mere penny! Smokers, now paying a good portion of their daily wages for packs of 'weeds,' will all tell you 'how great that one worked out!' And please be reminded, even as we breathe secondhand smoke-filled air, some of today's health programs are dependent on nicotine-crazed junkies gasping for one last breath, of course, for the good of those less fortunate among us!

This same mesmerizing skill is now being applied when attempting to 'come up with cash to finance a totally revamped health care system. Almost everyone agrees, reforms are absolutely necessary, but none, other than those on the left, say this can't be accomplished without demolishing this institution. Most Americans agree, medical services available to them and their families are envied worldwide. In reality, problems are more likely prevalent within these politician's circle of friends, hiding beneath comfortable tax shelters in Bar Associations and Pharmaceutical communes. If you were to tell me Jesus will return on the mountain and perform cash multiplication miracles with our nonexistent treasury dollars, I'd be leading the masses with excitement and say, 'go for it!' Unfortunately, on this one folks, even Jesus is 'out to lunch!'

Politicians in Washington realize our treasury is broke....empty, vacant! But what most American's don't realize is, we Americans are quite rich. According to a 2007 piece written by Alexander Green, author of Gone Fishin’ Portfolio, "There are plenty of Americans who spend too much and save too little. But they don’t represent the national trend. Net wealth in the U.S. – the total value of all assets, including stocks, bonds, bank accounts, houses and retirement funds, after subtracting debt – is approximately $54 trillion. That’s $16 trillion higher than it was four (six) years ago. And it’s nearly 10 times what total net worth was in the U.S. in 1980. Total American wealth is clearly rising, not falling."

So next time you see your local Senator or Congressman on Main Street, Anywhere, panhandling for your coins, he's quite aware of what's in your back pocket and that is where his attentions are focused.

Today you can afford, and pay five cents extra for your Pepsi, but remember, your friendly representatives in Washington have bigger plans for your wealth. So forget your pocket change--keep your eye on the prize, and keep it 'safely tucked away in your back pocket!'