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Barack Obama is right. America is hurting and you know what? Nothing heals hurt like some money.

M-O-N-E-Y.

Mun-ee.

(Note to readers: If you continue reading this column, rather than words on paper, please imagine Chris Rock with his delivery, tone, inflection, facial expressions and the way he paces the Comedy Central stage like a caged tiger. Cue the spotlight as we join Mr. Rock.)

“That’s right.

That’s right.

Folks are hurting.

They are double bagging the spare change they’ve been saving in a bucket on their night stand, taking it down to the bank and cashing it in to buy back-to-school Crocs for the kids. To pay the rent. To slam in their checking account before another check bounces.

Folks are hurting, pawn shops are booming and secondhand stores are expanding due to the increased number of buyers and sellers brought on by a rough economy.

Some folks are hurting worse than others though, but you know what? For some folks it’s their own darn fault.

Look at the folks who are losing their homes to foreclosure because banks never should have loaned them money in the first place. Democrats say they are the victim of “predatory lenders.”

Say what? Predatory lenders? You mean guys in suits chased these people down, pinned them to the ground and stuffed money in their pockets? That’s what predators do. They chase prey that’s running real fast trying to get away from them. During the past 10 years, have you seen any guys in  suits chasing anyone down on the street, catching them, pinning them to the ground and stuffing money on their pocket? I didn’t think so.

Here’s an axiom for you: There are no predatory lenders, only stupid borrowers. These are the folks Obama wants to help out by giving them some money and that’s OK. Money heals the hurt. The government might as well spread it around to ease some pain.

But what about folks who are living paycheck to paycheck for the first time? Who have already cashed in their spare change twice this year? Who have worked 50 to 60 hours a week to get what they’ve got? They paid their taxes, never asked for much from the government and now the government forces them cough up more money?

Quick. How many ya’ll know who I’m talking about? That’s right (head nod). That’s right (head nod). I’m talking about the folks with retirement IRAs who gotta cash them in for more Crocs for their kids and to pay their rent or pay mortgage and such because they done run out of money. The government is screwing these folks for no good reason and nobody is saying a thing, not Barack Obama or John McCain or anyone else.

Here’s how the screw job happens. If you cash in your IRA before you’re 59 and a half, you got pay a $1,500 penalty on top of the back taxes you owe.

Fifteen hundred bucks and the IRS doesn’t even have honest decency to the call it a “penalty” or to stick a note on the 1040 income tax form that says “You being penalized, sucker, if you’re filling in this line.”

The line in question is Line 60 on the 1040 form under the heading “Other taxes” that states: “Additional tax on IRAs …”

But it ain’t a tax the IRS is stabbing you with, it’s a penalty. The IRS is penalizing you $1,500 for cashing in your IRA early, on top of the back taxes you owe.

It’s a penalty! The IRS is penalizing you for not doing what it wants you to do, which is to not cash in your IRA until you’re at least 59 and a half. The least the IRS could do is use the right word while it takes your money.

And did anyone run the numbers on Obama’s plan to give money to folks who are getting foreclosed on? Is that figure more or less than what the government takes in on IRA penalties from folks who never did anything particularly stupid or wrong?

Anyway, if Obama is going to fly around the country talking about helping the little guys who are hurting he might think about helping little guys who have done nothing but help the economy by going to work and paying taxes for the past 30 years but are now being screwed out of $1,500 when they cash in their IRA because they need the money.

Lynn Burton is night editor for the Aspen Daily News. He can be reached at lburton@aspendailynews