In the process of moving from MI to FL, close to daughter, we decided to go through as many papers as possible and get rid of stuff we just don’t need. Both MK and I took on that challenge – and what a challenge it was!
MK found so many notes from fellow employees at KCRA in Sacramento from the 1970s and 1980s. We both found mortgage information from what seems to be at least seven moves ago. Guess we won’t need that anymore. Something among them really caught her eye – her mortgage interest rate from one of her early condos in California. It was over 9%!
In a neighborhood meeting a couple weeks ago a neighbor shared what she learned on a sermon from a favorite pastor. He talked about the issues facing America today and what generation was least phased by them. Not surprisingly, it is Baby Boomers (born 1946 1964) and the silent generation (born 1925 – 1945).
Shocking? Not at all! We’ve gone through some stuff. Examples:
· The worst mortgage interest rates we’ve seen was in 1981. 40 years ago. How bad? 16.63%.
· The U S Stock Market closed out 1981 at 875.00.
o It closed 2020 at 30,409,56 – even as we went through a pandemic year.
What about riots?
· 1968. I remember it well as I was entering high school and much of it was in Chicago – just 90 miles from my home.
· Rockford West High School Home Coming Dance in September 1971 – race riots break out at the dance. The result is armed police roaming the halls each day taking away weapons for months. This was my senior year of high school and I still remember it well.
Riots are not always about race, police issues or politics! What shocks me is that some people are ready to riot and vandalize - even during times of celebration.
· 1990 - The Detroit Pistons win the NBA championships. 8 are dead.
· 1992 – Chicago Bulls win the NBA championship. 115 arrests.
· 1998 – Denver Broncos win the NFL Super Bowl. 20 arrests. Mayor’s office said “it was like following the path of a tornado.”
· 2004 – Boston Red Sox win the World Series. Overturned cars. Fires.
· 2010 – Los Angeles Lakes win the NBA championship. Torched cars, smashed windows downtown. Violence spread throughout LA.
We will get through all of this. We have before. Unfortunately, we’ll most likely see it all again.
But we believe there is a very simple solution. I’ll always say the Pledge of Allegiance with “Under God” in it. I’ll look at money and be grateful that “In God We Trust” on it. I’ll look at every statue in America and be glad that it is there. Why? Those people are instrumental, and America got where we are today – still the greatest country in the world.
MK and I just got our Florida driver’s license and plates. We chose the version that has on the base of the plates “In God We Trust”. This is the magic for us, and hopefully of millions of other people.
I follow politics closely because of what it means to/for franchising. That profession gave both MK and me wonderful careers.
Unbelievable things today are much better than they were at one time. Remember, July 11, 1804:
In one of the most famous duels in American history, Vice President Aaron Burr fatally shoots his long-time political antagonist Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton, a leading Federalist and the chief architect of America's political economy, died the following day.
And you thought last year was terrible!
Then there is what is happening in Congress today.
As far as I am concerned it is incredible that legislators don’t understand what a franchise is/isn’t! A franchisee is a small businessperson. Their employees are employees of theirs – not of the corporate brand. Case in point, 95% of McDonald’s stores are franchise locations.
We can scream $15 or $20 or $25 per hour. If a franchisee can’t afford to pay that their option is to sell their location. And – the cost of labor in downtown Manhattan should be different than the cost of labor in Dothan, AL.
Enough said. Oh . . . one more point – when the $1 meal becomes a $4 meal, I think the folks in Congress who don’t get it might. Hopefully.
This, to me, simplifies it. Hope we all remember this soon!
Gotta go. Looks like an alligator is in the lake right behind our back door. That, REALLY, is an issue for those cute little ducks sitting on the bank!
