Hunkering down

I am a successful sole proprietor of an online business that I bought in 2008. Revenues exceeded $350,000 last year. I was featured at Inc.com and on MSN's homepage. Last year I spent $62,435 on my business - cash that was injected into the economy and created jobs.

Last year I spent $47,550 on extras for my family because of my success - a car, 2 TVs, jewelry for my wife, finishing the basement (employed 3 contractors), a gun, a pressure washer. You get the idea. Bottom line - I purchased goods and services that contributed to our economy.

But according to some politicians, I am not to be admired or modeled. No. I am to be attacked. My taxes should be hiked. My charitable deductions should be reduced. I am told this by politicians in the midst of a terrible recession.

So now I am hunkering down. My business is down, but I am still doing well. However, I am hunkering down. I am holding onto my money. I am not buying anything extra - that $3,000 Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope I was going to buy from Celestron? On hold. That $2500 I was going to spend on online advertising? On hold. That $3,000 necklace for my wife? She'll have to wait.

I am freezing my spending beyond essentials and debt payments. I have gotten a glimpse of what the future will bring from the current crew in Washington DC -- higher taxes, cap and trade carbon schemes, endless bailouts. I'm spooked and I'm holding onto my money tight.

I'm hunkering down. Because even though I am doing okay, politicians have convinced me they want to confiscate my wealth. They are spooking the markets and investors. So I worry that my customers will start hunkering down just as I am.