America and the Washing Machine

Our washing machine went kaput over the weekend. The repairman came today to see if it could be salvaged. It needed a new switch, and would cost $250.00 to fix. He suggested that we buy a new washing machine rather than spend so much fixing up one that was a few years older than God.

So off my wife went to Sears to see what could be had. She came home with amazing news. A mid price washing machine…a Samsung top loader… delivered and installed would cost around $1,100.00. Holy Crap!!! My wife said that this washer was midrange in price. They had some cheaper, but if the water was too hot they would melt.

Now I know it has been awhile since I looked at washer/dryers. We have two sets in our basement, one we bought 35 years ago ourselves, and one that came with the house…now over 40 years old. Obviously we got our money’s worth out of both and we should quit our bitchin’. But Geeze Louise. Add a dryer and you would be pushing $1800.00. Back in the day you could buy both for $850.00 and they would last for most of your life.

Of course, this is delivered and installed, and they will haul your old washer out of there. And you get a 5 year extended warranty which I never used to buy until other appliances and computers I didn’t buy the extended warranty for went kablooey so now I do. Got it? I don’t think what I buy today will last forty years…maybe six!!! C’mon…my mother had refrigerator in here basement that still worked she bought in 1952. I kid you not!!! (Jack Paar anyone?)

The point of this discourse is that washing machines represent the state of the world and the state of our nation right now. Cheap goods bought on credit that will probably wear out before you are done paying for them. And they are expensive…very expensive.

Here is the sad state of the economy. Unemployment in Europe has climbed to 11.5%. The manufacturing index fell in this country for the first time in three years, and quarter to quarter orders for manufactured goods are down more than 30%.

And inflation is beginning to rear its ugly head. I was only half tongue in cheek on the washer comments. Who can afford to buy a washer/dryer pair these days…but then again everyone graduating from college is living at home with Mom and Pop, perhaps until they have to leave when the go off of Mommy and Daddy's health insurance policy. 

Folks…we are in trouble. My wife went to buy a plastic display stand that used to cost $2.00. Now they are $5.00. Go to lunch at Wendy’s. What used to be $4.50 is now $7.00. All that printed money is beginning to land where it oughtn’t.

If our economy continues to contract, the Great Recession may just turn into the Great Depression Part Deux. If the government doesn’t stop the spending and actually encourage rather discourage small business, we can kiss our prosperity and our posteriors goodbye.

As we watch our celebrity president dance his way around the largest single tax increase in American history, and it is taxing everything from real estate transactions to tanning spas, we could very well be looking at the end of our country as we know it. We will become a vassal class to an imperial state.

Or we could turn it around. Realistically look at things today. Then make your decision.  In the meantime, where's the closest laundromat?