I received some pushback saying I was minimizing the recent events as a "distraction". I understand how that could be the perception of some. But to be very clear, I am NOT minimizing anything but rather pointing out what is not often reported. The real issue I made was that the USD is under pressure and inflation is likely in 2021. Maybe even double digits.
My focus has been and continues to be protecting my clients for IRS abuse and making sure they pay ONLY what they legally must in taxes. I'm pretty good at that and my clients would and do agree.
Perhaps some reading this blog think I am only interested in the finances of the world. Not so. I am also very concerned about humanity and the respect all humans should have for each other regardless of race, creed or religion. THAT is the Constitutional promise.
Right now, see efforts and large ones at that, to make race a big issue especially the shift toward diminishing the value or rights of the white population. Surely, some may feel the "white privilege" deserves raining in. But in my entire life, I've never felt privileged and often felt discriminated against. I was a teenage long haired hippie outcast, a Scientologist subjected to IRS abuse and public shaming, a Catholic chastised for being pro-life, a Trump voter chastised for my vote...as Biden might say, "come on man". My family was poor but working poor and I pulled myself up in spite of odds against me and became a good producing Citizen. Maybe you've done the same.
I recognize that other races may have it tougher but I had no privilege other than the Red White and Blue opportunity. I was raised in a tenement maybe even a ghetto with multi nationalities as residents. We had Jews, Italians, Greeks, Arabs, a real melting pot...we all got along and celebrated holidays and birthdays in big backyard parties under the L train tracks. It was a wonderful and interesting upbringing and though I can't claim it was completely free of racist thinking, it sure wasn't apparent to me. My family displayed none of that.
The key point is that productive people live better than non productive people. That tenement had producers of all kinds. I oppose political policies that want to make it all even and let non producers live as well as producers. That is unfair but creating opportunity is fair. Some say under banner of "social justice" that non producers have been kept down by racist ideologies. Surely true, but there are plenty of laws that can be used to sue for this. I say go for it. But to make public policy on broad generalization is not good policy. Help people educate themselves, improve their lot through decent work and opportunity for advancement, good healthcare etc...I'm for that.
This blog is not intended to be a catch all for society's ills. There are many. But I will always strive to promote our Constitution, the Bill of Rights and say what I think when they are under stress. Right now, they are under stress. I still will remain thoughtful and polite. If the day comes that I am not, something terrible would have happened.
Best to a Great 2021!
Donn Marier
DM-Your Own CFO