How the Decline Hit's Home

Missouri has been pretty lucky this Winter. Only a couple of cold snaps that didn't last more than a night or two, no real big snow storms and some pretty frequent warmer spells so far. Gas prices that finally hit reasonable again and lower than normal feed prices to boot.

All the while though we been hearing nothing but crying, screaming and bellyaching from MoDot. The Missouri Department of Transportation which lost it's Hail Mary bid to get a ridiculous State-wide sales tax approved so they could continue their cash cow on the taxpayer dime.

Ominous warnings about MoDot's next budget and how it was going to have to abandon most of the roads within the state have been going around ever since the November vote. 

MoDot budget vote causes changes in Missouri Roads

The plan is called the "325 system" because the budget will drop to $325 million. MoDOT will now have to use its limited funds on just 8,000 miles of Missouri's 34,000 mile highway system.

Notice nothing is mentioned about reduction in employees, equipment, pensions, bonuses, double dipping positions, million dollar toys, paid holidays or any of that kind of stuff. NO what will be abandoned is just the work they are paid to do.

My bet is there are a number of directors and department heads sitting around some meeting in Jefferson City.... Wait no in Columbia because they always like to have their meetings in Columbia as far away from the central offices as possible... Complaining about the fact that there hasn't been a major snow storm this Winter to get their point and threats across.

This is a small example of how public departments and government employees everywhere are going to attempt to hold the people hostage as things continue to decline. You either pay up or we are going to stop services no cuts will be coming in salary, benefits or positions though. Seems to me if the DEPARTMENT of TRANSPORTATION is ignoring almost 3/4's of it's roads then it doesn't need 3/4's of it's employees now does it?

As I have pointed out this is the stage of the collapse where the public is attacked, held hostage and extorted as the beast madly thrashes around refusing to die but trying to take as many of us with it as it can. Even that minimal snow we received the other night was not even touched on most of the highways. Next will come law enforcement and fire departments, street lights, well the list and timing will be different depending on location what all will have in common is big governments attempt to place any and all pain onto the private citizen not on itself.

The most dangerous time of this long slow collapse and decline is now. This is where entire savings will be eaten away by fines, fees and unforeseen emergencies. Loss of economic activity, harsher laws designed to transfer private wealth to public coffers etc.

Remember however the longer we hold out the weaker the beast becomes. Starve them, starve them all and perhaps we can survive this next level of decline.

Keep Prepping Everyone!!!