On the gasoline .... during obimbo's years .. from 2010 through most of 2014, at the pump prices ranged from around 3.25 to 3.90 here in Northeast Nohio. I filled up today at 2.75. Not that I like 2.75 .. but comparing that to booshies little hurrah and five years of obimbo ... Not too bad.

Putting everything together for first quarter filing .... I'm not going to get rich, but I'm saving around one large, this quarter alone. It really isn't the reduced rates as much as doubling of standard deductions. To me ... it ain't crumbs.

Prices: Bought around sixty pounds of boneless pork loins, last week (smoking season), for 1.49 per pound ... Haven't seen prices that low in quite some time. Ammunition prices are lower than I've seen in decades. Just picked up a thousand .45ACP for around two hunnert 'n a quarter .. no complaints there .... Most of our vegetables and fruits, in season and frozen, we raise .. so I don't know how bad that would hit me if it wasn't so. I don't know what price increases have hit me ... we buy very little, as bein' old farts, we don't seem to need that much.

But, my tax "problem" is real estate taxes. I haven't raised most rents in six or seven years. However, I have some houses that I was paying around 4000 (per), that are now are exceeding 6700. This area, demographics being what they are ... has never met a levy it didn't like. One suburb went from 1.96% of assessed valuation to approximately 5.25, in just the last decade. I have two houses where property tax and insurance take up close to six months of the rent (assuming they stay rented and the tenants pay their rent) .... Can't even blame that on "the swamp", as all increases go to ballot. I just blame stupid people.

Until there is a revolution ... nothing good is going to happen to the common guy and gal ... Even then, I have my doubts.