THE VIEW FROM ST. CHARLES

DECEMBER 17, 2023

VOLUME 51

THE MOST DISMAL CHRISTMAS IN MY MEMORY.

We attended our annual company Christmas party last night, (yep, I am still employed as old as I am), and it was fantastic. Our shop is in a huge building, and they turn one section of it into a giant kiddies playground, a huge buffet, and they even have a DJ and light show for the older kids. It was indeed a great experience to see over a hundred folks enjoying the evening with friends and co-workers. They handed out gifts and dozens of cans of “Silly String” to all of the kids, you can imagine what happened next.

On the way to the party, my wife and I stopped at a local Shari’s restaurant to pick up a couple of pies for the buffet. When my wife returned to the car, she said the place was virtually empty at 5:30 on Saturday evening. She said the server told her it’s getting increasingly difficult to just stay open without customers. After attending the party for an hour or so, we headed back south to the “ranch” and stopped in at our favorite comfort food establishment, “Black Bear Diner” and grabbed some good old cholesterol laden vittles. This restaurant is quite large and was virtually empty. My wife loves prime rib, which they normally serve on Saturday evening, nope, not serving it anymore. The menu still looks the same, but certain items are no longer available. Simply not enough available customers to support the higher end food selections. My wife had a New York steak, I had fish and chips (all you can eat sea food platter is long gone) We topped it off with a blackberry cobbler with ice cream (a share dish). Keep in mind, this was “run of the mill” food, nothing exotic or special, no alcoholic beverages, and our total bill was $78.00. At that point, it became abundantly clear why Shari’s and the Black Bear Diner have a lot of empty booths. By the way, a Shari’s pie used to cost about 7 or 8 dollars, is now $15.00. The bill at the Black Bear was exactly twice what we paid about a year ago.

About two years ago, the geniuses here in Oregon (Democrats of course) decided that the minimum wage should be raised to $15.00 per hour, along with a few other costly items that employers were going to have to provide. We used to be able to buy a cheeseburger, regular sized fries and drink for around five bucks. Carl’s Jr. now charges $13.00 for that combination. It’s virtually impossible for us to get out of the local food market for under $150.00 for a weeks’ worth of regular stuff for two folks. I’m actually excited to see the price of regular gas down the $3.49 per gallon. That’s exactly one dollar more per gallon that we were paying during the Trump years.

Here is the bad part. These prices are never going down again. If anything, they will be going up in the future. Your income is not going to be able to catch up, and your life is going to become a lot different.

Your favorite restaurants, your local service companies, the small community specialty shops, they are going to slowly disappear because people can no longer afford to patronize them. The companies that will survive will be ones selling cheap goods made in China and other Asian companies, while American companies are being economically strangled. Auto manufacturers are having to deal with ever more stringent government mandates, including providing costly electric vehicles which most people don’t want, and all of that cost is being added on to new ICE cars which you can no longer afford. I was talking to a friend in the auto repair business, and he said none of his customers own their cars anymore. They just make never ending payments. Buying an older good quality used car is a much wiser choice today.

The government is determined to kill internal combustion cars forever. In the future you will see a concerted effort to make all of the old classic and antique cars disappear through all sorts of government regulations that will make it virtually impossible to maintain them. Insurance companies in Europe are partnering with the government to make insurance premiums on classic cars so high it’s obscene. Parts stores in the US have stopped stocking parts for cars over ten years old. It’s only going to get worse.

I’m sure you remember a few short years ago when American corporations were doing everything possible to win you over to their products and services. These same corporations are now conspiring against you, in partnership with the federal government to control the way you think and act. Did you ever think General Mills or Walt Disney productions would become your enemy? Did you ever think Target would be trying to influence your child’s behavior. Did you ever think in your wildest dreams that Children’s Hospitals would be sexually mutilating kids? This is all really sick stuff.

The people in my neighborhood are feeling the same way. Although we only know a few of them, they are showing their feelings by not decorating their homes for Christmas in the way they have in the past. People are being hurt by this current bunch of morons in DC, and the hurt is going to continue for a good long while. So, yep, it’s dismal and discouraging to watch our precious nation being ripped apart by some of the most inept and dishonest people I have ever seen in my lifetime.

Our company party last night was filled with folks having fun, enjoying each other, and for a few hours not thinking about the struggles they face. That is what we need to do, find solace in our friends and families, and not let ourselves be destroyed by these vile actors. The future of this country depends on strong people willing to “tough” their way through the hard times ahead and build a better future.

Gather with your family and friends and bask in the glory of God and his son Jesus Christ, focus on what really matters, and recreate your happiness. This life is only for a short time, eternity is what matters, and deserves your full attention.

VERITAS VINCIT ~ LIVE FREE OR DIE