Smart Money

Freedom - What’s it worth to you?

Anything?

“If you want to find the source of an idiot’s problem, just look at the solution he keeps applying to try and solve it.”

Joel Bowman

The Rude Awakening

Dear Reader,

“You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom.

What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving.

The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.

When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is about the end of any nation.

You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.”

~~~ The late Dr. Adrian Rogers , 1931 to 2005 ~~~

“When you know that you’re capable of dealing with whatever comes, you have the only security the world has to offer.”

Harry Browne
Financial Advisor and Writer

WOW!

Last spring I was walking in a park. A short distance ahead of me was a mom and her three-year-old daughter. The little girl was holding on to a string that was attached to a helium balloon.

All of a sudden, a sharp gust of wind took the balloon from the little girl. I braced myself for some screaming and crying.

But, no! As the little girl turned to watch her balloon go skyward, she gleefully shouted out, “Wow!

I didn’t realize it at that moment, but that little girl taught me something.

Later that day, I received a phone call from a person with news of an unexpected problem. I felt like responding with “Oh no, what should we do?” But remembering that little girl, I found myself saying, “Wow, that’s interesting! How can I help you?”

One thing’s for sure - life’s always going to keep us off balance with its unexpected problems. That’s a given. What’s not preordained is our response. We can choose to be frustrated or fascinated.

No matter what the situation, a fascinated “Wow!” will always beat a frustrated “Oh, no.”

So the next time you experience one of life’s unexpected gusts, remember that little girl and make it a “Wow!” experience. The “Wow!” response always works.

Rob Gilbert
Editor of “Bits & Pieces”

“Most fears cannot withstand the test of careful scrutiny and analysis. When we expose our fears to the light of thoughtful examination they usually just evaporate.”

Jack Canfield
Speaker and Author

“Not the maker of plans and promises, but rather the one who offers faithful service in small matters. This is the person who is most likely to achieve what is good and lasting.”

Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
1749-1832, Poet, Dramatist and Novelist

As a basic step of self-esteem, learn to treat as the mark of a cannibal any man’s demand for your help. To demand it is to claim that your life is his property - and loathsome as such claim might be, there’s something still more loathsome: your agreement.

Ayn Rand
Atlas Shrugged

“I hear all this bickering,” writes our last reader, “from readers about the Fannie/Freddie bailout and our current state of financial affairs. Sure, you can blame the Fed, the Congress, the president (and you’re right — it enabled this to happen for decades), but the fault lies with you all!!

“You, the American voter, continue time and again to re-elect these corrupt malcontents into office! Nancy Pelosi, Barney Frank, Ted Kennedy, Harry Reid, Charles Schumer, John McCain, etc., are all career politicians! George W. has served two terms! You, the people, keep re-electing career criminals to rob you of your life’s savings and destroy all hope of prosperity for your grandchildren. You, the people, in your apathy and ignorance shoulder ALL the blame for this mess.

“Why should career politicians change their ways? They have a great racket going. They are lining their pockets to the tune of millions. Until the people send a message by voting out at least 85% of the incumbents in Congress, NOTHING WILL CHANGE!”

From the 5Min. Forecast

“I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.”Bill Cosby
Actor and Comedian