Looming Fiscal Cliff

For those in the United States there is the looming issue of the so-called Fiscal Cliff. This is ending of a set of tax rules that will automatically set tax rates up for most people and remove a great deal of deductions and exemptions. Many are afraid about what this will do to businesses, jobs, and the pocketbook. Others are just worried about how messed up a government must be to get into such a position.

As for the taxes and increased cost of living, there is little that one can do right now except to try to live within one's means. As an Asatru person, you know that you can tough it out and possibly even prosper in the figurative Wolf Season of a fiscal winter. Be brave, plan ahead, and trust to yourself, your ancestors, and your Gods.

As for a messed up government, that's a different story. First off, much of the Fiscal Cliff talk is political posturing. Neither of the political parties wants to risk being the one who screwed over the populace. They will drag things out and, at the last minute, make the necessary concessions for an unhappy compromise. After that, they will claim that the other side made them make the concessions and they had to do so to save the American little man. Note that I didn't specify a party; they all will do this.

A more important point is the position of the government in relation to the average person. Many people see the government as a separate entity that runs rampant like a drunken giant stealing from the peasants and trampling things at random. That's not quite how it is in the United States. We are not ruled by an outside agency, but by our collective efforts.

You may be thinking, "I'm not running the government. It's those other guys." Well, that is somewhat true. We live in a representative democracy. This is the form of government held by our Heathen ancestors. Each group picked representatives from the tribe and sent them to go argue with the other representatives of the other tribes. This was how we did things.

So, how involved are you today? If you are not involved, you really are letting "those other guys" run things. Those other guys may not like what you do or believe and they may make it really tough for your kids. You don't really want that.

If you really don't want the other guys to decide what is best, you had better get more involved. Be aware of who your representatives are at every level of government. Vote when you can. Ask tough questions in a public forum. Run for office if necessary!

In the big scheme of things, you are part of this government whether you like it or not. You just have to decide how much effort you are willing to put into it.