Money, Money, Money was the first line of a fun song awhile back. We all want and need money, but what is money and why does it command so much attention?

The best definition that I have found is from an article by John Gordon, a well known author and economic expert. He says that money is considered a commodity like oil, eggs, or beef which means that it can rise and fall in price depending on the supply and demand. When the price of money falls, the price of every other commodity must go up. That is called “Inflation”.

What causes the price of money to go down? When the increase of money dumped into the economy is greater than the availability of goods, we have to spend more money to get even basic needs.

November 2022 reported 5% inflation year over year. That means that things are 5% more than November 2021. However, that is misleading because the inflation rate last November was 8.5 %. That 8.5% didn’t go away. In reality, inflation is 13.5%, and that rate does not include all sectors of the economy like repair parts for cars and appliances.

An old adage is an historical bit of truth written as an easily understood and remembered phrase such as “The LOVE of money is the root of all evil” from the Bible. There is also an old adage that says ‘Figures don’t lie, but liars can figure.” Both adages fit Biden’s Victory Lap speech touting that inflation is going down because of his bloated spending plans. He also says gas prices are down–as compared to what?

My last fill-up was $4.15 a gallon and Diesel fuel was $5.99. It was down for a short time because he paused the federal gas tax and drained the federal fuel reserve. Those are band aid policies at best. You can put lipstick on a donkey, but it is still an ass.

“A fool and his (Our) money are soon parted.” Most people cope with inflation by shopping carefully, choosing less expensive items, eating at home, postponing vacations, etc.–not so with the Government. This administration subscribes to the “modern economic theory,” which maintains that government can borrow and print an infinite amounts of money without causing inflation or affecting the supply of goods.

Using this theory, the government borrows money at an extremely low rate and tax income is supposed grow from the added spending to pay the loan.

So, the USA overspent on every nutty project imaginable, but the theory didn’t work. Our national debt skyrocketed causing “Inflation” which raised interest rates voiding the “paying it back” part of the plan.

“Money is power”? Who gave the president the power to promise $150 million in reparations to third-world countries to make up for supposed climate change caused by the industrial revolution? That is just plain nuts. They should pay us for raising the world’s standard of living.

“He who has the most money wins” and “Money Talks.” Some $400,000,000 was spent on the Georgia Run-Off election. Enough said!

“Follow the money” is my favorite adage. Ongoing investigations of Hunter Biden’s lap top reveal connections and payments made to Hunter, Joe, and the Biden Family by the Communist Chinese Government. The collusion of printed media, social media, and TV with the FBI, CIA, and Justice Department to cover up the Hunter Laptop information is also coming out.

Why collude? Was it the Love of Money that rooted your evil?

Joanne Oviatt is a Pittsfield resident.