Speak From the Heart HowMr. Rogers Saved PBS
I’m of the age where I remember Mr. Rogers like an old friend. I must have been small, and I suspect I watched his show when my brothers were at school and my mother wanted some peace and quiet. But I loved it. I loved the cardigan, the voice, and the many friends who stopped by to visit. However, at the time, I was blissfully unaware of his role in saving PBS. The reports say it was May 1, 1969. As the war continued in Vietnam, people gathered before the Senate Subcommittee on Communications in D.C. to fight for what they believed was critical programming for the American public. A proposed budget cut to Public Broadcasting Services (PBS) of $20 million was on the line. Without those funds, who knows what would have happened. It wasn’t looking good, and the chairman, Senator John Pastore, had listened to speech after speech. He didn’t seem persuaded and was anxious to put an end to the hearings. Then Fred Rogers, host of the newly syndicated series “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” got his turn. He was different. He didn’t use numbers or research to make his point. In his wonderfully calm voice (he was a pastor and spoke in a comforting way), Fred Rogers just shared some stories and talked about why he was concerned with “typical” children’s programming. Two minutes after Rogers began talking, Pastore’s demeanor changed — his face softened and he relaxed. From his work in child development, Rogers had come to empathize with and understand the worries and fears of children. He explained to Senator Pastore that he had created a show for children, saying, “I feel that if we in public television can only make it clear that feelings are mentionable and manageable, we will have done a great service for mental health.”
Rogers even shared with Pastore the same sentiment he shared with us kids at the end of each episode: “You’ve made this day a special day just by being you.” Pastore remarked, “I’m supposed to be a pretty tough guy, and this is the first time I’ve had goosebumps for the last two days … I think it’s wonderful. Looks like you just earned the $20 million.”
If you’d like to see Mr. Rogers’ testimony for yourself, you can check it out at YouTube. com/watch?v=fKy7ljRr0AA.
No, I haven’t seen the movie yet, but I intend to one day soon. I think this world would be a better place if Mr. Rogers were still around, welcoming us to his neighborhood.
Bankruptcy Isn’t the End
2 WAYS TO BUILDWEALTH AFTER BANKRUPTCY
After a bankruptcy is completed, most people pay closer attention to their finances and develop new spending habits. They learn to budget and become much more careful about their spending. They are more motivated than ever to create the financial future they envision, but many people without a full understanding of bankruptcy think it is the end of their financial future. Our clients understand that it’s just the beginning.
Two popular ways to invest are real estate and the stock market.
Real Estate Many of our clients dream of buying their own home. Real estate has historically appreciated in value from year to year and is close to inflation-proof. While it’s true that the waiting period for some government-backed loans is 2–4 years, there are lots of other options. Local banks and credit unions often hold their own mortgages, so they have more flexibility in their lending. Very small banks may put more credence in your history with them and your ability to repay than your credit score. If you can save the down payment, there’s no reason you can’t buy a home of your own within a year or two of your bankruptcy. A lot of our clients have done just that. Stocks The beautiful thing about stocks is that you can buy as much or as little as you want. You can use a broker and get advice, or you can do your own research and
experiment a little on your own. If you investigate something called “dollar cost averaging,” you may find that regular stock purchases in small amounts over a period of time can add up to a lot in the long run. The internet gives all of us a tremendous amount of information that wasn’t available even 10 years ago. No one knows the future, of course, but historically, the stock market has been the most successful way to build wealth.
The goal for most of us is to find financial security. Being free of debt can be the first step toward achieving that goal.
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