Jim Thompson
Jim Thompson
By Jim Thompson
HCP columnist

It seems difficult to comprehend except that we are seeing it before our eyes every day. The turmoil, the rancor, the dissatisfaction among a people who had so much and are willingly throwing it away is truly astounding and depressing to behold.

I am speaking of the United States, of course.

Will we right the ship before disaster strikes? It is not obvious that we will, although the national election in Sweden last week is a reason for hope. After years of destruction and degradation, they resoundingly threw the progressive left out of the government.

Politically, here I blame both parties (I also blame the legal profession, which sets a poor example with their thirst for money that knows no bounds), although I think the Democrats are cleverer at exploitation than the Republicans.

Here is just one example from this past week. A U.S. senate candidate from a faraway state, soliciting funds, sends out an email broadcast that tells the recipients (me included) to keep the contents of this email confidential, especially from the Far Left.

How stupid do these people think we are? Confidential? Email blast? Those words don’t belong on the same page, let alone in the same sentence. Of course, he wanted money.

I am getting some glee out of the southern Republican governors busing and flying illegal aliens to the doorsteps of their Democrat sponsors. But in truth, this just adds more to the rancor.

The love of money is the root of all evil, and we are seeing this manifestly exhibited in this election cycle – even worse than it has been before.

Name your problem – climate change, abortion, inadequate schools, inflation, the violation of U.S. borders, on and on. The formula is predictable. A politician makes a pronouncement about how terrible and unjust the condition is. The boring speech of hyperbole wraps up with a need for more money.

How many trillions of dollars do we have to spend to fix these problems? How many trillions have we spent in the past that haven’t fixed these problems? It is a broken record.

People are greedy, but I have not seen one yet, including the queen of England, who has been able to take anything with them when they checked out.

Now, I am hesitant to tell what I am about to say next. First, I always pay my taxes, despite the fact the government just throws the money away, and I am doing very well these days. My federal tax bill in recent years has – each year – exceeded what I made as a gross salary in the late 1980s. I have already told you before that I am a tither and have been all my life. I leave generous tips for the help that cleans my hotel rooms – and so far, this year, I have stayed in hotel rooms about 60 days. I “pay it forward” in the fast-food car line.

Here is the hesitant part.

Earlier this year, when inflation started to raise its ugly head, I decided I could do a little more. So, now, when I buy gas, I slip a U.S. currency bill beneath the gas pump nozzle when I leave.

When I go to the grocery store, I go to the aisle with rice and slip a U.S. currency bill between the bags of rice. I am not going to change the world by myself, but my personal anti-greedy campaign is going to cheer up a few people, I hope. Even if for just a few minutes.

You can join my anti-greedy campaign. Maybe you can’t leave a large bill, but you can leave a dollar. The key is to do this anonymously and randomly. Thus, without seeking praise for yourself, you put a bright spot in someone’s day.

So, my speech – or column – this week ends with money, too, but with a twist. Take the challenge. If enough people do, we can change the mood in this country by Thanksgiving.

This is one place where I truly feel we are all in this together. Take a stand against greed. The United States of America is at stake.

Jim Thompson, formerly of Marshall, is a graduate of Hillsboro High School and the University of Cincinnati. He resides in Duluth, Ga. and is a columnist for The Highland County Press. He may be reached at [email protected]