Is anyone else upset about this GM thing?

Our government told us the sky was going to fall if GM filed for bankruptcy. Hmmm. Looks like they were wrong. Wrong to give them a bailout and wrong about the sky falling.

Our taxpayer money was once again wasted.

Has anyone else needed a bailout? Well, they are available, apparently to those who are not paying their mortgages on purpose so they can take advantage of the bailout real estate loans out there. Seems they are risking their credit rating to get a better loan for a house they overspent on in the first place.

Don’t get me wrong. I am not criticizing those who have lost employment or have taken a cut in pay. I’m talking about those who still could pay their mortgages and are choosing not to.

On that same subject, I have friends who have excellent credit who bought a house in May that took months to get funded. Funny thing, too. They were not offered the rate of 4.25 percent, like the other guys are getting.

There’s an underlying issue here: rewarding bad behavior.

It even sounds like a bad idea. Let’s apply it to other areas of life, like parenting or dog ownership.

Example A: My child doesn’t do his chores, but he wants to go to the movies. Bailout plan! I pay him anyway, and he gets to go the movies. Reality! He doesn’t get paid and doesn’t get to go to the movies — a natural consequence.

Example B: My dog wants his bone but wants to eat it on the carpet, which breaks a rule he already knows and understands. I tell him to eat it on his bed, but he runs for the carpet. Bailout plan! He gets his bone anyway. Reality! His bone gets taken away, and he doesn’t get it until he is ready to obey — another natural consequence.

Take out the natural consequences in life and there are no boundaries, no order to keep our morals and values in tack, like paying our debts.

We need consequences to our behavior to help us to learn from our mistakes and value doing the right and honorable thing, like running a business soundly or living within one’s means.

Those of us who are being responsible are and should be feeling left out of these political decisions.

Frankly, it is not fair.

Also, it’s not fair that our children will bare this horrible burden that their generation will be handed, which is a whole other argument.

Is this the change “everyone” wanted?

• Debra Hurtt is a 13-year Tracy resident and mother of two who works at Central Elementary School.