CapitalistMarks

Bare as the Moon? Nope, some green!

Posted on 13. Mar, 2009 by scott.

Just when I thought that BHO and his team were going to leave us all to the winds of fate, I start seeing some green.

THe BHO team has been woefully deficient in their efforts to stimulate the economy.? A survey of 80 influential economists (Jeez, do we have 80 economists out there, let alone 80 influential ones?? Could be part of the problem) shows that the VAST majority of them give BHO and his econ team a failing grade.

And so, BHO and his muppets must have taken note.? They are starting to talk a bit more positively instead of scaring us all on this 2nd Friday the 13th of the year.? Thank Heavens for that!

The market has been up 3 days in a row, and remember that the market is a leading economic indicator (it kinda tells us what things will be like 6-9 months down the road).

So, positive vibes (learned that from my favorite war movie — Kelly’s Hero’s) are starting to take affect.

The economic forecast is NOT as bare as the far side of the Moon anymore . . . there is something green out there and it just might start growing big.? All they gotta do is keep their eye on the ball (unemployment) and leave the rest to the good, hardworking folk of America.

Talk it up Obama, and keep howlin’ at the moon!

Next week my Freddie Mac stock might be up 50% (yes fifty freaking percent) all the way to 60 cents a share (and I’ll be able to sell it all and buy a Big Mac (not the value meal, just the Mac).

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thanks for this pic to flickr’s timwilson

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Soup lines on horizon?

Posted on 10. Mar, 2009 by scott.

BHO, are you listening to the markets, the people, the unemployed, the . . . republicans?? Guess not.

Listen-BHO, Pelosi, Reid, Geithner, Bernanke: I’ve said it often in the past, as far back as last August — the ONLY thing that you have to resolve right now is unemployment.? Get tunnel vision on that one issue.? Until you get it right.

Forget focusing on banks, investment bankers, auto companies, pork-spending UNLESS it is first about employment.?

Solve the problem with 8.1% unemployment (going to 10+%) and the other ‘cards’ fall into place.

People with jobs pay mortgages, save, spend, have confidence, buy cars.? These are all things you guys (see the impressive list above) seem to worry and talk about … but don’t seem to do anything about (yet).

Just show us the jobs.? Get people employed.? Let any failed company go into bankruptcy…the company and its management deserve it, they earned it, even the shareholders have to accept responsibility, even the bondholders.? But, if the company can prove it will provide jobs AND turn earnings around, only then should the government bail them out.

Encourage companies to hire, any way you can.? Reduce their taxes, offer incentives, give entrepreneurs reason to entrepreneureate, cut the government’s abusive regulation and paperwork . . . and do it NOW.

Create the jobs you promised BHO and get this country out of the mess you have inherited and that you have so far done NOTHING to mitigate.? The truth is that a very good case can be made for the position that you and your ‘appointees’ have made this whole recession worse . . . much worse . . . heading for a depression even.? So take the gloves off and fight for right — for jobs!

Show us the jobs.? End the soup line frenzy!

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Thanks to flickr’s photo from gamillos

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Sunrise? Sunset?

Posted on 04. Mar, 2009 by scott.

My last blog was very negative . . . on the economy and the current administration.? I haven’t slept well for days.? Yet, Obama seems to have gotten the message, though I am pretty sure it wasn’t from me.

Today, for the first time, this administration has gotten something right.? And in a pretty big way too.?

How could this have happened so fast,?I have talked to niether Obama nor Giethner . . . ever, and that is one of their problems (at least in the vast wilderness of my own mind).

I?wrote about this jan 26, 2009 (see the good, the bad and the sad ).??I said then that the mortgage problem can be solved in a pretty straight forward way.? Lower interest rates and terms of existing loans.??I thought then that?40 year terms and interest rates at 4% or even lower would do the job.? A real good start on that problem anyway.

Today, Obama ’s team is making progress (not on the key unemployment problem but on the mortgage crisis that is almost as bad).? The thing they announced today may be a?bit complicated (hey, its the government doing this not Disney) but it is going to make a BIG difference in the mortgage mess.

Here is part of how it will work.? Say?a homeowner is underwater on their mortgage so they go to their?lender to redo the terms to make them manageable?(only occupiers … not investors).? Pretty good terms too.? They?can go as low as 2%? interest rate (yes, TWO PERCENT), and the term can be extended to 40 years.? I’d like to think that Giethner or Obama read my earlier blogs, but?I doubt it . . . they have been too busy lately bad-mouthing the economy and the lack of intelligence of the american consume.? That has helped with?further eroding confidence?( how Machiavellian of me to think they would do otherwise).? Maye that was okay to them since ‘they’ didn’t cause this mess –wait, wasn’t Obama a Senator for the last couple of years, wasn’t Giethner the President of the New York Federal Reserve Bank?

Depsite allthat rhetoric,?this is a huge step forward for them and it shows they are starting to think about the actual problems and not the ones they dreamt about years ago.??I think if we get just a couple more of these kind of intelligent and worthy deals thrown out there (I won’t get into the fact that this mortgage thing is going to cost upwards of $75 billion) then the gloom may start to diminish.? Maybe they will now move on to unemployment since they have ‘treated’ the smaller symtom first.

I?am still not ready to say that this is a beautiful sunrise of a new era of prosperity and fairness in the American economic-politicoal landscape (wasn’t that the main promise of Obama in his campaign?) but this makes me think that the sunset is not as definitive and certain as?I?believed just?yesterday.

A?good step one, Mr. President . . . stop traveling the circuit and come up with about three more just as effective?along with detailed plans of implementation.

Sure, in this new mortgage deal some big lenders?including freddie (I’m own a chunk of that?stock at about 10X the current price) and fannie (haven’t touched this one) are going to write down some big $$$ but the government is going to share the writedown (hence the cost).? The?40 years?? Yeah, that is going to hurt some balance sheets too, but remember that when times are good Americans don’t tend to stay in their homes for the long term.? This goes particularly for the younger, upwardly mobile (dare?I say ego driven) buyers that are always wanting something bigger and better — let me interject here that?I am in the same home?I bought when?I was 29 years old (my first) and have never seriously considered ‘moving on up’ like the Jefferson’s.

The short term impact of this new ‘plan’ is going to be very positive for the mortgage crisis, help a whole bunch of people stay in their homes, and help the economy as well.?

Long term?? Well, 40 years is a really long time . . .?I won’t be around then and most of you won’t be playing full-court then either.? As an aside,?I suggest you start now while you are young enough.?Basketball keeps?one thin and trim?and isn’t as expensive as golf or tennis or tanning.??Just a new pair of tenny-runners every two-three years.? Confesssion, though,?I gained 30 pounds when?I had to quit BBALL becaue of a bad back.??I still think?I could take?Obama in a game of horse and maybe one-on-one …? you reading this Mr. President?).?

This mortgage plan helps,BHO? thanks.

Another few moves like this and?I will be ready to declare a new sunrise! (plus, I’ll?spot you three letters in a game of H-O-R-S-E?or six points in the one-on-one, first to 12!)

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thanks for the flick photo goes to clairity

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Clowns not always funny?

Posted on 03. Mar, 2009 by scott.

Sadly?I have to change my view on the political-economic situation as it stands today.? And the new view?is very sad indeed.??

Know something?? A clown isn’t funny when it does something stupid unintentionally and the flop ends up hurting others.

I?readily admit that there are?some times when certain clowns are never funny i.e. the anti-scoial and unsportsmanlike antics of Bobby Knight the “clown’ king of college basketball, or?Madoff the ‘clown’ king of immoral investment managemen? (he wants to protect $62+ million for his wife)– or any of the CEO’s of about any of the major financial and banking corporation (perhaps the?biggest clowns yet!).

The issue at hand.?? The economy.

Our Secretary of the Treasury is a sad, sad, clown though he tries not to be.? Every word he utters makes things worse. This can’t be intentional, can it?

Giethner spoke today before a Congressional committee — jeez louise,?I thought the guy was dead,?I mean where has he been since his worthless ‘high-profile’ speech a couple of weeks ago?? You know, the one that sent the markets into a tailspin.

My of my, what, an unfunny guy.? To think that I thought Bush’s appointees were clowns.? Obama’s set a new standard that indicate he recruits solely from the Barnum & Bailey school of economic napping.

Ya just gotta do something right Tim.? Don’t just stand there and watch the decline.? You are the freakin’ Secretary of the Treasury and most of us pay taxes to support you (you sadly do not pay all the taxes you should — at least until hauled in front of Congress).?? You’ve blown it, Obama guy.

Here is the situation.??We are in a fifteen month long recession (so far) and it is getting uglier by the day.??I have written about this before but in a hopeful way.? Now I find little to hope for and a lot to fear, because the new President and his team are NOT offering any encouragement or positive stimulus to the economy.? Quite the contrary.

Geithner and Obama and Reid and Pelosi are?not even trying to be bi-partisan.? They are just good old fashioned spend and govern democrats who?have now managed to push our country (not to mention the rest of the world) into the front end of a big?depression.? Soon that will be true by?almost any definition.

My new outlook (barring any real action by Obama and his crew of motley democratic fools):

Unemployment will reach 10% by mid-summer, GDP?will decline by 10% over the next year,?the recession will go on for at least 24 months (becomind a depression), and people in the USA will suffer, as will people in the U.S.?of?E (European community) and the dis-U.S.?of Soveitsky and all the other U’s and dis-U’s that are out there.? It feels real bad, this puppu could get?real ugly real soon.

Dang it Obama, I had hope for you and yours.? But you chose a tax cheat to be Secretary of the Treasury?? That should have been a glaring warning signal to you and everyone else.?Wasn’t caught by the guys in the easy chairs up on the hill.? This Giethner?guy acts like he has only that Barnum?& Bailey degree?? Come on.? How is he smarter than me?? Or anybody else for that matter?

?I had expectations of new intellectual highs in this administration.? Turns out that the smartest guy from the top down now is Joe, freakin’ Biden??? Aw, heck — how can? this be?? Biden is?only half as smart as Bush (ouch!) and he’s the smartest in this group?? Doesn’t bode well for us.? Maybe its only ‘cuz he speaks?on?TV?less often . . . but then again when he does speak — whoo momma, you wish you could just push the mute button.??Frankly I?find it hard to believe he?attended elementary school let alone graduated.?? And he was a senior senator?? How can?anyone take the guy seriously?? To be sure he reminds me of?Reese in ‘Malcom in the Middle’.

Giethner and the rest of his crew (what crew — he can’t get anyone to join the treasury let alone make it to the mandated Congressional interogation) aren’t doing the job at all??

Obama himself?? Turns out he is a great speaker . . . not such a great decider.? Not yet anyway and the clock is ticking.

Get going, Obama, my man, my fellow lover of basketball (the only truly?manly, non-neanderthal?sport in the world — except at the college and pro level where it is nothing but a showcase of bad ‘tats and worse attitudes — not the skill oriented, non-contact sport?I grew up with).

Whoops, there?I go again,?keep getting side tracked — but realize here that Biden, Pelosi, Reid and Geithner make me seem like a genius!!? Does that frighten you?? It should.?

Obama, my fellow lover of the leather-orb . . . get a clue, take some hints for the guys who manipulate the market for a living . . . they don’t like your ‘plans’ or lack of them at all.? That’s why the stock market has plummeted since your inauguration.

Nobody seems to like of believe?what you are doing (not even your fat-walleted, permanent politician, ne’er-do-wells in the democratic majority congress).? The dow down over 2,000 points since you got elected.? Banks dropping like flies in a sauna since your oath of office.? AIG, that great elusive pyramid scheme, eatin’ up our tax dollars like a happy California cow in good Utah pasture.?

The real bad news?? The whole shebang is gettin’ worse?since your great rose-colored speech a week or so ago.?? Sure you can lay out all the entitlements and social programs you and Pelosi have ever dreamed of,?just tell me how the heck are we gonna pay for them in anybody’s lifetime??

It just ain’t workin’ bud.? Take a deep breath and think it through again.? Then step up to the line a hit nothing but net by deciding and chosing some beauracats (sic) that can at least analyze the alternatives.

By the way, you can’t legislate morality, even though you seem to believe you should?legislate debt and the consequent immorality of it all.?? You wouldn’t be the first one to try and fail.?

You don’t have to make it that way.? Go after the root problem.? UNEMPLOYMENT.? If?a dude has?got a job then he?can pay his?mortgage . . . even if?his house is worth less today than a year ago.? Let the?homeowners stay in their houses for a while–until the value goes up again.? Just keep people EMPLOYED and create jobs for those that are NOT employed.

everything else is smoke and mirrors and nobody that can read at the 8th grade level is buying it.

When is a clown not funny?

Pretty much always, when the clown is a myopic democrat that believes the nincompoops in government know a lot more than the people out there that WORK FOR A LIVING and actually paying taxes.

the arrival of the depression will be too late for you to act responsibly and you have only days or maybe weeks to act — certainly not months.?

Do something smart, intelligent and right.? NOW!!? Even something funny if you must . . . just now something sad and disastrous.

IT AIN”T FUNNY NOW MAN!

Crap, I just remembered, I?hate clowns!!

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and thanks to mel b. at flick for the photo

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Change? Ahhohh!

Posted on 27. Feb, 2009 by scott.

I have been looking over some of the budget numbers for our new President’s term . . . this year and the next seven (assuming he makes it that long).?

This is really bad news and confirms my fear that Obama is further left than?I had previously hoped.? Big government?? The biggest!? Huge government spending?? The huge-est!?Increasing taxes?? The increasing-est!? And that is only the beginning.

$1.7 trillion deficit this year (more than three times last year’s).? Another $1.2 trillion next year.? Oh, my gosh.??I may just re-enlist in the republican party because these democrats are making Karl Marx seem like Howdy Doody.

If?I read this stuff right then we are going to add about $7-8 trillion of deficit in the 8 years that Obama will likely serve.? We haven’t had that kind of government spending since . . . . well the nearest?I can come up with is when the Emperor Nero tried to rebuild Rome by burning it down first.? Don’t think the analogy is as bad as it sounds–give kids (read Congress) some matches and you bet there is gonna be a fire.?

A?caveat here though.? Obama is throwing in the cost of our wars (which Bush should have done) and adding a few other things to make the deficit look (and feel) a lot worse right now.? This is a political move though and is intended to make the $600 billion deficits in four years or so seem good since they will cut this year’s deficit by more than half.? But that is smoke and mirrors.? The plan calls for the deficit in every year of Obama’s 4 or 8 year term to be GREATER than any in the Bush years.? Holy mackerel!!

I?had such high hopes for Obama.? Now he seems to be playing right into Pelosi and Reid’s playbook that was written by John-boy Keynes.? They think government can solve all problems and at any cost.? Big mistake.? I would like you to name be five big problems the government ever solved effectively.

I’m not going to make any final judgement yet but right now the future is not looking that good for free-market economists.

Change?? Wasn’t looking for this kind, this fast, this big, this awful!

Wow, even Wweden is looking downright Adam Smithian.

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Bold predicament

Posted on 24. Feb, 2009 by scott.

Ahh, the pain, the agony, the humiliation.? When will it ever end??

How about soon??

My bold prediction (see blog of feb 13) was intended to document my belief that our markets (stock) had about bottomed out.??I said that the next week would begin a real rise in prices (stock).? But, and here I ask for some lenience — or at least some sympathy, the one week predicition was not as significant as the prediction about where markets would be in a few months or at the end of the year.

Our talking heads in Washington are all we need to stiffle any progress.? All they have to do is open their mouths (the image here should be Pandora’s box) and we all know what comes out.? Nothing good, most of the time.? Our cheer leaders have become ‘boo birds’ and that doesn’t help anything.?

Today we hear that comsumer confidence is at an alltime low.? In the 20’s!? No wonder.? Obama and his minions have nothing good to say . . . ever!? And if we hear it from them (the collective we) then we believe it and boom– down go the markets, real-estate values, paychecks, confidence, emotions . . . .

BUT . . .?I stick with my longer term predictions and I’ll tell you why.? Confidence is at an all time low.? The markets (as measured by the dow and s&p) are at levels we haven’t seen since 1997.? Unemployment is at 7.6% and climbing.? Advertising rates are way off.? Retail sales are plummeting.? Oil is way low compared to a year ago, but gas prices are not so low.??I could go on.? There is NO reason to be positive.

Except.? this is AMERICA.? When things get bad, we get together.? When things are worse, we look around and do what we can to help.?

Take a conversation?I overheard the other day.??A nieghbor who has lost his job has been frustrated in his search for a new one.? During a conversation,?I heard first one other neighbor, and then yet another, offer some encouragement and even some suggestions as to where the unemployed guy could look.? Then, yet another guy joined in and said that his company had an opening and promised to arrange an interview (which by the way he did).? Now, this is no fairy tale with a beautiful princess or handsome prince at the end.? It is just real life in AMERICA.? Turns out the job was only temporary and at a much lower wage than expected . . . but (and here is the great AMERICA part) if the guy did a good job then he would probably get offered a?fulltime thing at a much higher wage.?

AMERICA — where people start humbly, prove themselves and move on to bigger and better things (and get a lot of help from freinds and neighbors along the way).

That is why my bold prediction stands.? Maybe not for last week in the market (‘cuz it was ugly I tell you) but still for the mid and long term.? go back and read it.??I may have been off on the short term by a week or two or so . . . but the rest stands.?

Don’t complain until the longer part has played out.?

I’m still confident.?

I’ve put my money where why words are.?

Come this summer, I’ll be right, just wait and see (if not I’ll be the one looking for help from my neighbors . . . and you know why I’m not worried sick?? I’ll get that help . . . that is what makes us great–that is why confidence will start to improve etc. etc. etc).

Bank on it!?

Just don’t bank with CITI, BofA, Wells Fargo or until the FED gives them some more of my (and your) money . . . that is a blog for another day.

Waiting for your?comments, just not earlier than June for any of the negative type!

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From one small seed!

Posted on 16. Feb, 2009 by scott.

What happens when you plant a seed (assuming it is nurtured)???It grows.? And it can grow big if it is the right seed.

Today?I start giving capitalist marks (from one to four thumbs up or thumbs down ). . . depending on how purely capitalist or socialist the issue Iam talking about is.

The issue is the stimulus package?passed by the ?democratic bulldozing of the legislative process.

and the envelope please.? THREE THUMBS DOWN.

The stimulus is much more marxist that capitalist.? Hence three negative marks.

iIve been saying it for months.? Said it the first day of my econ class back last august long before the crisis really hit (Bush was still saying our economy was fundamentally sound… remember?).? The issue is jobs, jobs, jobs!?

And what do we get?? Social programs, special projects, pork, and government stimulus? — not jobs stimulus.

What sector of the economy is going to grow the most in the next 12-24 months as a result of the stimulus?? Government for crying out loud.? Who do you think is going to administer all that money?? And once they get hired do you think they will get let go when the economy turns around?? Nope!? Never happens in the public sector.? Those favored ones are in their jobs?for life.

Oh, my gosh . . . Obama pushed this through in three weeks, Pelosi was his point and Reid his facilitator.? They didn’t do any real bi-partisan negotiating.? They forced three conservative Senators to vote for it by promising disaster and guaranteeing to lame the blame on them.? NOT A SINGLE REPUBLICAN VOTED FOR IT IN THE HOUSE??????? Doesn’t that say something??

Stimulus, chimulus.? This is crap!? We need jobs . . . NOW–? and not government jobs with way above average compensation and incredibly generous benefits.? Not when steel, auto, carpet, and golf club makers are getting laid off.? (oh wait . . . government workers have lots of time off so maybe they will stimulate the golf club industry).? Mr President, if you really want to spread the wealth around take it from the overpaid and underworked government employees and spread it AROUND.

By the way, if the economy is slowing down so much wouldn’t it make sense that we need less government to administer it (Ahhnold is even laying off in Cali -phoneia0)?? Why don’t we cut government to reduce costs?? Do it simultaneously . . . oh,?I know all the arguments about jobs–heck?I believe most of ‘em– but justice must be served.?

Do you think any Congressmen or Senators will be laying off any of their staff?? Don’t think so.? Betcha they are already placing ads for more help (more likely just giving them to political favorites).

I’m saddened by the failure of our President to listen to both sides.? His tax cut?? You might see a few buck in 9 months or so.? His infrastructure package?? You won’t see any of that for a year or two.? What was he thinking?? Jobs?? Except for government there won’t be enough to matter in 2009.

I?was so hopeful.? Not for this stimulus and not now.? Watch this government ’seed’ grow.? It will be a big redwood in a year or two and how long do redwoods last?? Like, forever!!

Ouch!? Three thumbs down.? And it would have been four except we did need something.? But this?? Yepp.? Three thumbs down.?

Marx, Engels and Lenin (maybe Kruschev too) are laughing in their graves (actually I guess not — they didn’t believe in life after death).

?

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thanks to? avaloncm from flickr for the photo

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Bold prediction

Posted on 13. Feb, 2009 by scott.

The above picture is of the New York Federal Reserve Bank.? Seeing it got me thinking about what the Fed is supposed to do.??I think their duty is similar to that of a doctor.? They aren’t really needed until . . . well until they are needed.? Then their duty is to follow?like the medical oath of hypocrates.? It goes something like this “help all you can and do no harm”.

The truth is this is also the responsibility of the?CEO of our country.

And this past week both Obama and his designee in the Treasury (who used to be the head of the NY Fed) have done anything but.?

This country needs confidence – in the economy – in our leaders – in our politicians and particularly in our President and Secretary of Treasury.? They failed in the last few days.? All we heard from them was doom and gloom.? Forecasts of darker days ahead.? No promises of recovery.? No hope.? No reason to give any of us (except the wealthy) desire to spend — let alone hope.

Yechh . . . it was awful . . . like when my mother made me take one big (think shovel here) spoon of cod-liver oil every morning while growing up (in the cold Norwegian winter.??I hated it.? But you know what?? I grew to be 6′5″ and healthy.?? I have to think?that stinking oil (from the liver??) helped.

Hmmmmm.

We took our medicine this week.? And it wasn’t good.? The news was all bad.? 7.6% unemployment, consumer confidence very low (56.4 which was lower than in january for crying out loud), more bank failures, bickering in congress, the Presidents presumed cabinet falling apart with another Sec of Commerce dropping out etc.? our President really needs to be the ‘Cheerleader in Chief’ but he was much more of a ‘naysayer’ this week and that never helps.

Well it got what he wanted . . . a $800 bill stimulus package that won’t start having an impact for many months.? Was it worth it??

Time will tell.? Understand this though.? The lower the markets and the economy go the harder it will be to climb out.

But . . . and here comes my bold prediction . . . it won’t matter anyway at this time.? Times are changing.? There has been enough damage.? Confidence can’t really get much lower (remember there are still 90+ % of our workforce gainfully employed). The dark days have hurt? enough already.? Tomorrow the sun is going to shine.

Things (a lot of them) are going to get better?despite the?stimulus our leaders have given us.? It will all prove to be a big waste and add to what will be a $13 TRILLION deficit by 2010 (at least).

Prediction:??beginning next week the stock market will start upward and in a big way over the next weeks and months.? Pent up demand and optimism about the future will dominate.? It’s time to buy if you have any spare change (and some high flying stocks are trading at prices change will buy).? The dow at 10,000 by April.? 12,000 by late summer.? Even higher by the end of the year.? The NASDAQ at 2500 by year end (now that is bold).? Oil up to, in a big way — a double by late summer — say $65 to $70.? From there higher, unless we really do start a Manhattan project for oil independence (which was promised by Obama but i’m still waiting to hear a single world about it).

Prediction: by spring, say May or June, the economy will start to follow the up trending market.??New unemployment numbers will begin a steady decline (say under 400,000/moonth ?in June and under 300,000/month in September).? By fall confidence will be back and the world economy will follow.? GDP?will fall the first and second quarter (I say by a total of 4.5%) and turn positive after that.

None of this is the result of the stimulus (any impact it may . . . notice the may . . . have is at least 9 months away).? Some of the improvement?may be a result of Fed and Treasury action (we still don’t know what they will do but if they do it right they good times will get even better and faster).? Banks lending, auto companies?surviving, etc.? but it will happen.??I am counting on it.? I am confident.?

take hold . . . be bold . . . the time is right.??Our country has too many hardworking, honest and good people to let the few idiots and crooks have control our destiny.

?

by the way, thanks to flickr’s epicharmus for the photo

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Pigs can’t fly . . .

Posted on 11. Feb, 2009 by scott.

It’s been a while.? Had to calm down after listening to our new Treasury Secretary?yesterday.? What is going on?? The guy doesn’t pay his taxes and now this?? He must not be paying attention to anything.

Frankly his speech on the new bank and financial bailout?plan (you know the . . .?the rest of the $700?billion TARP)?was one of the worst ever by a Treasury official.? Geithner (until recently the head of the NY Fed) makes Paulson?seem like superman!

After more than a week of hype all we get was:? ‘we’re gonna do a little of this and a little of that and it will cost a couple of TRILLION $$$ more and it may or may not work and we don’t know exactly what we’re gonna do and it may change but we will try and it will involve government and private sector and you may not like what you hear but it is what it is and i’m coverin’ my bases ‘cuz if it fails i still want my big government pension and . . . . .”?

Oh my gosh!? Can’t he give us even a tiny bone to chew on?

You get the idea.

the Treasury Secretary has got to have his head messed up to give such drivel to the public, the markets, the congress, the press.? After all the work you’ve done Timothy you can’t come up with something concrete?? Why talk at all??

Don’t schedule a press conference days in advance and promote it with all kinds of ridiculous hype, if you don’t have some of the right questions let alone any of the right answers!? We deserve better.??I demand better.? Obama you made a mistake here and you had better start doing something to correct it.? This guy is worse than Daschle.

Think about this.? Geithner was, afterall, part of the wonderful solution worked out in the last months of the prior administration.? You know, the solution that did such a great job with AIG, Lehmans Brothers, fannie and freddie.? Teah, those were winners and sure helped improve the situation.??Now this?

Give me a break.??I only have a Bachelors degree in economics (albeit with a MBA kicker to help undo the damamge of too much econ theory) and though I’ve only taught macro-econ one semester in college–yet,?even?I see the stupidity of talking about nothing when the nation is in crisis.?

Give us SOMETHING!!? What did he do with his Phd. in Economics?? Maybe it was from one of those mail-in schools — you know –? the University of Whats’it.? .? 47 years old and?I don’t think he has really worked for anyone other than the government!!? Maybe we need term limits for bureaucrats as well as for elected officials.? YOU JUST CAN”T WORK FOR THE GOVERMENT YOUR WHOLE LIFE AND STILL HAVE A CLUE ABOUT LIFE IN THE REAL WORLD!!!!? Does he shop at Walmart like most of the rest of us have to now?

My dad told me not to criticize unless?I had a better idea.? well?I do!!? Stop bailing out the financial institutions and the immoral ceo’s.? Let a few of them fail (maybe even more than?a few).? Force?a whole bunch?more to get new management (guys with a clue and some basic honesty).? Let the stuff fall where it may and then start over.? Bear Stearns vs Lehman Brothers . . .? yeah the Fed and Treasury got that one right and that gives us confidence going forward.? Aahhuh.? and I’ve got?some land in Florida I’d like to sell you –? cheap (but cash only, please).?

What is the saying : a pig with lipstick is still a pig?? Did?I get it right.?

This one doesn’t even have the lipstick and it sure as heck can’t fly.?

Dang ugly to look at let alone listen too.?

Strike one timothy.? By the way?here comes the next pitch!? And this one better fly!

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tahks to jere-me of flickr for the photo

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In the foot?

Posted on 04. Feb, 2009 by scott.

Virtually everyone in the country agrees that further economic stimulus is needed.? Yet the right and center-right? ‘on the hill’? are playing foolish games that are worthy only of children?or ‘Limbaughs’.? At what point do we actually unite for the good of the country?? Do they?get it?? Not that I can see.

Fear mongering and threats are idle when the entire nation is on life support.? Do something worthwhile!? Please, Congressmen &?Senators stop the foolishness and act.? For a life-long (until 4 years ago anyway) republican?I am frustrated by the words and the deeds of members of both parties but particularly the GOP.??I won’t go into the term limit argument again but you know it is out there.

Employ. Stimulate.? Employ. Encourage.? Employ.? And do it now!? Anything less is real PORK!

On the other hand maybe in two years certain elected officials will see that they have commited political suicide.??They will be out the door and then (heaven forbid) one party will control everything in Washington D.C..? Oh, what a ‘party’ that will be??? (welcome back Harry Truman)

Jeez, louise!? Stop shooting yourselves in the foot and start aiming a little higher.?? We can only hope!

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