Warren Buffett Takes Republican Challenge, Take Urban Poverty Law Center Challenge, Warren

Some financial experts place Warren Buffett's economic empire holdings at upwards of $45 billion dollars. This is a substantial sum under the control of one Midwestern man who other than this modest accomplishment could be just another aging man in America you might run into at the country store or sitting on the benches in the local Wal-Mart foyer waiting for momma to finish shopping.

Buffett with his Berkshire-Hathaway investments has tied up enough capital to make all government expenditures for about three days. That's it. Warren Buffett could take the US Government over for only three days. Does he think his matching contributions from republican senators dollar for dollar is going to make any difference in our financial crisis?

I hope he is only being absurd because of the absurdity of the situation where we find our government stuck between a financial abyss and a hard place.

I am a lucky man. I have not missed a meal for want ever in my lifetime. Like that fellow in the song who has a Maserati that does 185, "life's been good to me, so far." So, this having been said, I am ready to up the challenge to Mr. Buffet. I will donate $2 for every $1 you contribute to the US Treasury voluntarily to retire the national debt up to $100 dollars!

I would hope all my readers, both of you, will make similar pledges and push the envelope just a little bit so we do not have to watch our public servants squirm as they realize there are no superheros out there willing or able to come to our nation's rescue. We are broke. We must rebuild. There will be some hardship, but hopefully we will all be able to eat and sleep in nice places. After all, Maserati's are fluff whereas a Chevy Volt is a necessity. Or is it?

All I am saying is we have to cut the fluff. Tomorrow is the next day of the rest of our lives provided we do not die today. If we go on my financial austerity program and in a few years if we are looking flush again we can then see if we can afford to resume payouts to the cronies who ply for political favors through their contributions to our precious leaders. The titans of crony capitalism will have to suspend their dreams while we rebuild. I hope they have set something aside to hold them over through these hard times.

Warren, send it all in cause I am following your lead. I have a hundred dollars that says I will have a hundred dollars after you have acted.

Jackson Delano Maybolt, President, Urban Poverty Law Center