The government started this fiscal year with a record high deficit. This is mainly due to all of the recent bailouts that have been instituted to save companies. Not the Mom and Pop stores, mind you. The government bailouts have only gone to the big companies that are too big to be allowed to fail.

Just recently American Express was able to change its identity to one that makes it a banking institution so that it would be able to receive some of the bailout money. I have to wonder if I could be eligible if I changed the name of my company or business to something with ‘the bank of’ in its title.

Now the government is going to step in and bailout more companies once again. This time it is the top three automakers (although I don’t know how top you can be if you have to be bailed out). There was a time when sound business practices are what kept a business running and not a government check.

The top three automakers in the United States pay more per hour to get a car made than the other companies - as much as 3 times more. If business A makes a product for $50 and business B makes the same or nearly the same product for $150 then can you guess which one is going to have the most profit at the end of the day.

Hand outs are NEVER good. There are times when people,individuals - need a hand up so that they can regain their balance and go on. But companies have to make it on their own or this ceases to be a free market society.

What’s worse is that you and I are paying for these government bailouts. CEO’s, administration and even workers in the companies that are making WAY more money than I am are using my money to get a paycheck. It just doesn’t seem right.

The record high deficit will continue to climb as long as the bailouts flow freely. The government is building up a debt at a time when the rest of us are being called to dig out of debt. It has to stop now or we will be selling out the future of our children.