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When I was 18, I received one of the greatest gifts that taxpayers can bestow a young person: the gift of incredibly cheap education. Tuition at Buffalo University for the 1979-80 academic year was less than $30 per credit.
And what did I do with this unbelievably generous gift? Jack squat. I had no stomach for work. All I cared about was the “college experience”–drinking beer, chasing tail, and presuming my opinions on politics and culture were worth a damn. So I became a sociology major, wasted five years of my life, and left Buffalo University with the same amount of economically useful skills I had when I left high school: none.
Now fast forward to today and retired Mr. Groovy. The taxpayers are no longer very charitable toward me when it comes to education, but they are very charitable toward me when it comes to healthcare. Yes, I’m a recipient of Obamacare subsidies. And I’m a much better steward of this unbelievably generous gift. I take my health seriously–I eat right and exercise regularly–but more importantly, I use my Obamacare subsidies to strengthen my finances. The money I save from dirt-cheap healthcare premiums is partially used to convert Traditional IRA money to Roth IRA money and fully-fund a Health Savings Account. In 2023, this financial gambit allowed me to forever shield almost $24K from the sting of taxation. And, last year, I was able to forever shield an additional $12K.
Now a question: Why did welfare fail for young Mr. Groovy but work for old Mr. Groovy?
In a word: culture. When I was young I embraced a subprime culture. I was way too present-oriented, had little discipline, and thought status could be achieved with purchases rather than accomplishments. As a grisly 60-something, however, my culture is much improved. I am very future-oriented, my discipline is rock-solid, and I have no use for bubble status. I only want status from the content of my character and from the quality of my handiwork (see below).
And this why welfare in America doesn’t work. Gifts to the culturally weak only chain them to the habits that necessitated the gifts in the first place. And America’s culture, broadly speaking, is shit.
Mr. Groovy’s Latest Handiwork
Don’t ask me how, but I got commissioned by the Bare Knuckle Boxing Hall of Fame to make a scrap-metal fist. And this is partially why I haven’t posted anything to this blog in months. This fist project is proving to be much harder than I anticipated. But the fist is basically done, and the companion wrist shouldn’t be nearly as hard to produce. So I should be able to start posting again once a week. Only time will tell, of course. Wish me well. Peace.
Great fist sculpture Mr Groovy!
Thank you, Heather. Not bad for a ham-and-egger.
Missed your posts!
Thank you, Dale.
Have wondered where you were. Glad the progressives didn’t wear you down. Thanks, as always, for your common sense take on the realities of human nature and finances.
Thank you, my friend. Woke hegemony is an exhausting foe, but I’m hanging in there.
“Gifts to the culturally weak only chain them to the habits that necessitated the gifts in the first place.”
Man, I’ve missed your writing. Sentences like that make me wish for the day you complete that awesome bare-knuckled fist and get back on your keyboard! I’ve missed your writing but hey, that fist is amazing! Congratulations on the commissioning, my friend.
Thank you, Fritz. At this point in my life, I welcome all superlatives. You’re the best, my friend. Cheers.
That’s a magnificent piece of art with a powerful message you created there. Someone from BLM is going to be calling you soon… lol.
Haha! When I look at my fist, my twisted mind also thinks of BLM too. But some of my twisted friends are convinced that my Hall of Fame job is a ruse and my fist is really a homage to the Donald Trump “fight, fight, fight” fist.
Oh Jesus, I hope not.The rest of the world views your current president with a wary eye,
As a work of art, that fist is terrific! You’re really finding your groove as an artist.
I hear ya, FDJ. No worries. The fist was being crafted long before the attempted assassination on the Orange Man. If it’s any consolation, I’d much rather have Australia as the 51st state than Canada. Any chance you guys would join our novus ordo seclorum? Thanks for stopping by, FDJ. It’s always great hearing from my favorite Aussie. Peace.
Agreed – better mental image. Its sad for me that my mind didn’t first go there.
Whew! Thought either something bad had happened or you ran off.
Well played. Consider performing all your Roth conversions before age 63 or Medicare will get a bigger piece of you and your welfare diminishes.
Thank you, Bill. Yeah, I went AWOL for a while. The fist and my book just consumed too much of my time. And, yes, Mrs. Groovy is well versed in the IRMAA brackets, and she’s making sure we don’t convert too much Traditional IRA money.