I have to admit right upfront, economic issues are not a strong point of mine. I have a hard time following them, understanding them or determining their impact on my life. I mean, after all, I'm the kind of guy who hates the idea of spending $100 on something but has no problem spending $20 on 5 somethings! So I probably make John McCain look like an economic savant.

So, it's been hard for me to grasp why the economy suddenly just went straight into the toilet and appeared to do so just almost out of the blue last fall. Granted, I've heard one side tell us it has to do with the Community Reinvestment Act and how this somehow ended up forcing the banks to give housing loans to those who couldn't afford them - i.e. someone who works at Burger King making $6.50 an hour now have the ability to buy a $250,000 house and then can't understand why they can't afford the house payments.

Then I've heard that it's due to lack of regulations in the business community - although I don't know what regulations they are referring to and why the lack of them was unimportant (see I told you, I may not be well informed in parts of this subject matter!)

Regardless of who's to blame or what was done in the past, here we are. Banks are struggling, people are having a hard time getting the loans they need (and hopefully can afford), and people are losing their jobs left and right. It's a tough situation and it's one that I certainly agree needs to be addressed. My concern stems from the way it is being addressed.

Right up front, I need to stress I was completely against the inital bailout package last fall. I was a supporter of John McCain and I disagreed with him wholeheartedly (and President Bush for that matter) that it needed to be done. Not to mention that he was such a proponent of no pork in bills and that thing was filled with pork. I wrote all three of the people who represent South Dakota and told them my feelings on this. I was saddened to see that our Republican Senator - John Thune - thought the bailout was necessary. And I was suprised that the two Democrats - Tim Johnson and Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin were against it. And then I realized the two Democrats were up for re-election and John Thune was not. Then it was clearer to me.

And here we are several months later and that money is becoming very hard to account for. Banks are still not loaning out money - just as many predicted.

Then President Obama took office and created another stimulus package. And this one is again filled with pork. And this one - now that no elections were taking place - fell pretty close to party lines. I disagree with this package as well. I think the idea of taking money from my kids, grandkids and great grandkids to deal with issues today is a horrible unethical idea. In fact, even though apparently I now earn about $15 - $30 more a paycheck because of it, I am still against it. I plan to put that extra into my girls savings accounts - because in reality it's their money (and their kids).

I know there are a lot of emotions on this subject. I know that many will think that I, who have a job, don't really know what I'm talking about and those who are struggling trying to find a job need help. I know that help is needed but I just don't see how this type of help is going to be of any use to anyone.

But what really has me concerned is what has happened in the last few weeks. I'm sure many know about this whole AIG thing. This is a company that apparently our government has thought was too big to fail and so bailed them out last year and apparently this year as well inside that stimulus package. And then AIG went and used some of that money to give their executives very large bonuses.

Now, I absolutely think that AIG was foolish to give their execs those bonuses. But I don't think AIG should have been bailed out to begin with! It's not our business to tell AIG what to do with their business and in return it's not our business to bail them out! So if they want to run their business into the ground fine, but then we shouldn't give them any money either. They should be allowed to fail.

But to hear the President and Senators express outrage at these bonuses was apalling. Certainly they can indicate they disapprove of those bonuses, but they have absolutely not one iota of a right to tell them that they can't give them out. It's just beyond understanding to me that people think the government should be allowed to tell someone in a private business what they can make! Not to mention, that apparently those who showed all this outrage, are the ones who were responsible for putting into the stimulus package wording that allowed the AIG execs to get the bonuses to begin with!!

Then these same people - remember the ones who made the AIG bonuses happen - went and passed a law taxing these bonuses at 90%! Ninety percent! Money that they allowed to be given they now take at ninety percent! Not even talking about the constitutionality of such a tax on a specific group, how does this even make sense to anyone? What is the underlying plan here?

It sure seems to me that what is being done is to try to bring a form of class warfare into this country. People as a rule, are always jealous of those who have more than them. Some of us try not to let it rule us, some of us try to work harder in our lives to allow ourselves to have those things we have a want or a need for.

Others apparently want to bring those who have much "down a peg or two". We somehow don't think it's fair that an individual who runs a business or organization should be able to make more money than us. This makes no sense to me. I have never worked for someone who makes less than I do. Ever. And I'm okay with that. If that person is taking the risk of starting a business or running one they should be rewarded for their successes and should have to deal with their failures. That's how it works in a capitalistic society and that's a good thing.

Many could argue that those who make a lot don't pay us enough. Fine, if that's your feelings on the matter, quit your job. Find one that will pay you enough. If you can't, start your own business. You take the risk. If it works, fantastic! If it doesn't, then at least you can't blame anyone else for it. Stop listening to the Phil Donahue's and the Michael Moore's of the world who are out there lately saying capitalism is dead, and yet both have made millions in a capitalistic society complaining about the things that they got rich off of.

It may seem like the popular thing to do right now to be mad at those who make more. It may seem like the government has all the rights in the world to come after those people. It won't stop there, I promise you. If this continues, one day, it'll be your wages they come after. Someday you'll be the one who makes "too much".

Class warfare attempts to knock the guy at the top rung off. But ultimately, as each person falls off that ladder, the one who will be at the top is you. Are you ready to be the one hated then?