I'm still furious about the Cash for CLunkers program which paid people with taxpayer dollars to destroy the inexpensive cars we need for affordable transportation and spare parts. And that's only one link of the economic policy chains holding us down. I bought the boots because they will never get cheaper, and they may become literally invaluable if we can't find a way out of this economic mess. Honestly, my reluctance to assume debt has been my best financial decision ever. It's been not a lot of fun living poor, but I don;t have debt looming over my head, and it's hard to put a price on that feeling.