There is a disturbing trend that I have come across in recent months and quite frankly it is pissing me off. If it isn't bad enough that people who work hard to climb up the ladder of success have to pay a greater percentage in taxes for their efforts, but now they are made to feel bad for doing so. I have heard from no less than three people in the last week who felt guilty for getting ahead. These are good people who work hard at their jobs and have made the right decisions to get ahead. They haven't stolen from anyone, in fact you could argue that they are themselves the victims, but they don't see it that way.

It is time to reevaluate the values shoved down our throats on a daily basis, by those who oddly enough earn more than we do. Politicians, actors and reporters all make a fairly good living and are much more likely to find themselves living in million dollar homes than anyone I have heard complain. Yet each one of those categories, in general, have found the time to honor the poor and decry the middle. It is easy to point the finger at the middle with your mouth full of wagyu steak.

One of the most patriotic things you can do for your country is to earn money. The more you earn the more patriotic you are. Why? Because there is very little you can do with that money that doesn’t help other Americans. It isn't about being selfish, it is about Economics.

If after you earn the money you:

• Burn it or put it in your mattress
  You help lower inflation and increase the value of a dollar
• Put it in the bank
  You give the banks more capital with which to lend
• Invest domestically
  You give a business the cash it needs to expand
• Invest overseas
  You increase American influence and strengthen our currency.
• Purchase goods
  You have helped give a person, if not multiple people, a job
• Donate to Charity
  You have helped someone less fortunate than yourself.

While this list is by no means not exhaustive nor have I explained in depth the reaches of each choice due to the brevity of my forum, I am sure you are smart enough get the point.  Capitalism is a democracy with money instead of votes. You vote for the products and services that best suit your needs and desires. This in turn rewards those that provide to you those services so they can continue to work and potentially hire others. If you earn more votes for yourself, then good for you. Those who tell you that you need to spend more money have missed the point. You don't need to spend more, you need to earn more. Spending is only half the equation, and if you are doing it on credit you are doing a disservice to yourself and the country.

I believe we are at war with those nations that wish to defeat us, not on the field of battle but on Wall Street. Developing nations like China and India are hungry to win the global battle and are fighting to get ahead. As Americans, we have given more foreign aid than any nation in history. Will China be so generous?

The standard of living we as a nation have earned is not guaranteed and each generation must fight in order to perpetuate it to our children. Many of the poorest Americans have cell phones, TV and electricity, which is far more than those who live in other countries. If you pull yourself up, by proxy you will lift up those around you as well. So stop reading this and go get a second(or third) job.

"A rising tide, lifts all boats" - John F. Kennedy