Here is one that sticks out:   A GUY WHO DRIVES           A CAR WIDE OPEN        IS NOT THINKIN’        HE’S JUST HOPIN’

When I had digested President Obama’s strident, partisan and angry oratory in Ohio two days ago, I had the impression he and his speech writers had not been and were not — THINKIN.’   Just hoping that the message would work since nothing else seems to be (working that is).

That messsage?  One the dems have been using a lot lately and one the President believes mitigates all of his disastrous spending policies:  The devil Republicans made me do it.  Especially President Bush.  Not the dems fault.  Blame anybody else but not them.

The crowd that was there loved it.  The ‘anti-Beck’ has spoken and the faithful cheered.

I didn’t buy it and I don’t think the the voters in Ohio will either.

Come on, who is the President kidding?

His Ohio visit and message wasn’t about the economy at all.  It didn’t address the problems nor offer any viable solutions.  There was no meat in it.

Nope.  It was nothing more than a campaign speech with all of the requisite negativity thrown at the ‘not-so-loyal’ opposition.

There is no place in today’s economic and political atmosphere for our President to be so decisive.  I can understand why Beck, O’Reilly, Olberman and the like do it (money, money, money — thank you ABBA).  But the President?  No way, Jose (not Canseco)!

The President’s primary job is to solve American problems, close behind is to be a cheerleader for our weary nation.

Come on Obama?  What have you and your fellow socialists Democrats done in the past two years?  Doubled and tripled the deficit, created unheard of debt and done absolutely nothing to fix unemployment.

The blame game only works so long and the dems deadline to drop out of the game was last spring.  Oh, yeah, Obama, what ever happened to that change in politics you promised us?  Same old same old.

I don’t like either party right now.  I hope you are with me on this.

Bush was an awful President.  The Republicans in Congress just made his terms worse.  But Obama is opening himself up to being right there at the top with Bush and the dems in Congress are not helping the President.

We need solutions from our leaders.  Not stonewalling and criticism.  But President Obama has really opened the door and the Republican leadership is going to go storming through.  I hope they do.

We need new and better leadership.  In Washington D.C. and in our own backyards (cities, counties and states–hope you heard about the city leaders in a small California town that were bleeding the working citizens to death with near $million compensation packages).

To mention just one important thing, we need to start over with a completely new tax code . . . and that will only happen if we get completely new leaders in Washington.  To change the anger and hatred in politics we have got to change the politicians.  In fact we need to rid our nation of the word “politicians.”   No career elected leaders, ever, just genuine citizens elected for a term or two.

I (we?) can only hope that the two parties tear at each other so much that we, the people, see them for what they are and start voting out every single multi-term elected official there is.

By the way, a VAT (value added tax) like most other developed nations have would be an excellent replacement for our income-tax system.  And the best way to stimulate the economy is to create jobs, give incentives to businesses, and then get government the heck out of the way.

Good thing too.

But, what is the deal here, is Obama chanelling the Gipper?  Has he been studying Reaqan’s successes in his spare time?  Wouldn’t that be cool?

On Tuesday, when the President began to lay out his new employment strategy I thought I was listening to the President Ronald Reagan.

You probably did too (if you are old enough to remember or have read about his economic policies).

Consider that Obama and his team are contemplating reducing employment taxes, providing direct incentives for new hiring, eliminating capital gains tax (one year only — but hey that is a supply side beginning) on new small business spending, federal guarantees of small business loans and ressurrecting the Gipper himself to coordinate the program.  Okay, that last was just for fun because everyone knows that Obama can’t to that . . . he is not a God as some (the Nobel Committee among them) think!

This is all good classical supply side stuff . . . not enough to satisfy Reagan’s good buddy Arthur Laffer(who posited that lower tax rates could increases tax revenues) . . . but a start.

I wish there was some direct government hiring instead of extending unemployment benefits (which adds to costs with nothing in return).  Heck if we are going to pay the unemployed for a year or more to not work then lets get them doing something productive  (see earlier post).

This is pretty cool stuff coming from a new President who has proved to be much further left than many voters thought he would be. And I am further encouraged he will seek real change in D.C.

Along with this he proposes increased federal spending for highways, bridges and stuff.  A further improvement in my opinion (again see earlier).

Now the bad part . . . the Obama team are talking even more about spending our way out of this  crisis.  Watch out deficits the dems are at it again!

But let’s focus on the good stuff . . . helping small business is a great start (and maybe enough to jump-start employment).  Small business are the real engine of growth in America–where the real ingenious stuff happens, where innovation hits the tar of the growth road.  Two thirds or workers in America are putting forth the good effort with small businesses . . . hence the best place to expand.

My bottom line:  I like this.  If implemented quickly this can be a great impetus to the economy.  Further such a quick implementation would likely raise confidence and increase consumer spending.  All good things.

I am hopeful just as long as the Republicans are supportive of the good stuff and don’t fight all change just for partisan political reasons.

Now, I would like you to remember this important point:

The best, quickest and most permanent way to improve governance in the United States of America is with strict term limits.  If our legislatures won’t implement this then we, the people, can.  Just don’t vote for anyone who is in office.  Any change is better than the status quo in Washington D.C.!!

thanks to flickr’s will hybrid for the photo of Hoover Dam

Seems the banks and other lenders who seemed to need this huge bailout or relief don’t really need as much as anticipated and provided for.  But, makes you wonder . . . when over the weekend we learned that a few more banks have failed and now the count is up to 130 (and will continue through the end of the year).  Remember that this is more than FIVE times the number of banks that failed last year.

What is going on here.

The truth is that the few big financial institutions that are left are eating a LOT bigger piece of the money-profit pie.  Instead of needing more money they are paying the TARP funds that they got from the government back (with a profit no less).  To the tune of tens of billions of $$.  Means that the total TARP funds available should be even higher than announced right?

Good for them (the big banks)  I guess and too bad the regional and smaller banks are taking it on the chin.

Bottom line here:  Obama and the democrats smell something pretty good for them.  They think they have just found at least $200 billion that is already in the budget (yeah, that $1.5 trillion or so  deficit we are faced with) and is NOT going to be used for its intended purpose.

What does any government (city, state, county or federal) do with money they have left over each year?  Oh, come one . . . have you ever heard of them returning it?  Gotta find a way to spend it . . . and fast!  That’s the attitude in Washington.

Of course Obama just had the big confab last week on unempl0yment and tomorrow he is going to talk about how he wants to deal with this horrendous continuing problem (Tuesdays seem big to him lately — Afghanistan and now unemployment).

But the $200 billion?

Republicans want to use the funds to pay down debt.  Makes sense.

Democrats want to use the funds to increase employment.  Makes even better sense right now.  We are, after all, not of out the recession woods yet and unemployment is still 10%.

Spend the $$ on improving employment.

We need it.

But do it right.

No more of these projected ’saving or creating jobs’ deals that take months and years.

Get some (or most of the $$) into the hands of the needy masses right away.  Do it like they did during the depression.  Hire the infrastructure workers directly by the government and bypass the private sector (could save many months and still let the big contractors bid the jobs to save $$).

If this works we get the infrastructure improvements we need (some of them anyway –fix roads with pot holes, bridges, dams, levies etc.) much faster and the government puts people to work NOW.  Then later (I know that is a scary thought)  government employees can be transitioned to the private sector as the economy picks up.

$200 billion?  That is a lot of jobs Mr. President.

Hope you are reading this Obama, Pelosi and Reid.

Stay the course, spend the $$ and put people to work before Christmas.  What a great present that would be to this great United States of America!

thanks to flickr’s ciaran mcGuiggan for the photo

Holy Moses this story was real.

The London Times called the award ‘absurd’ and I have to agree.

First a caveat, I did not vote for Obama, however I have had high hopes for the changes he promised on the campaign trail and personally (though we haven’t and will never meet) I like the guy.  I’d love to sit down and have a Rootbeer and talk basketball and golf . . . and especially politics and economics.

Second — the reality.

Obama has not accomplished anything yet.

Apparently that does not bother the Nobel Committee.  They awarded it for his ‘promise and potential.’ I don’t know if he will ever be entitled to the award but in any event this award is at least 5 or 6 years to early.  Ya gotta do something real to get an award don’t ya?

Maybe not.  But…

Why didn’t Pons and Flieschman get the Physics award a decade or so ago when he promised to have found the potential of Cold Fusion?  Why didn’t I get it whey my high school English teacher told me I had great promise and potential?  If we get awards for promise and potential then all of us should be collecting big checks from the Nobel people . . . tank you bery much.

According to reports Obama was nominated only days after his inauguration.  That is unbelievable.  The voting was based on his stumping speeches and promises on the campaign trail.  Whooeeee!

On the face of it, this award is ridiculous.  All I can think is that the Europeans and Scandinavians who voted for this have bought into the ‘celebrity’ status of our new President.’  Too bad.  This will surely put more pressure on  him to perform.  Not like he needs any more.  But the sad thing it will also give him and his majority party new ‘political’ capital.

In his comments about it, this morning, Obama said that the award is historically made to give momentum to worthy causes.  Okay.  To be fair he is not the first sitting president to receive the award.  Roosevelt and Wilson also had the honor.  Of course they weren’t only in office for nine months at the time, but whom am I to wonder?  Continuing, President Obama was sufficiently humble and mentioned that the award should be shared with all people who strive for progress, independent of faith, race or religion.   He further recognized that it was probably for his ‘engagement’ with other nations and desire to stop the spread of nuclear weapons.  Okay.

All good stuff.  But, nothing accomplished yet.  Just words. . . a mighty wind, so to speak.

The republicans immediately embarrassed themselves with critical comments about our Commander in Chief.  Of course they should have been critical of the knuckleheads in the Nobel Committee but then who is counting?  Then the democrats came back with a volley of their own and characterized the republicans in the same breath as the Taliban and Al Queda.  What idiots!  Again, I remind you of the power we (the people) would have with term limits!

Of course I am proud that our President will receive the award.  I am also hopeful that someday he will actually deserve it.  But not so much now.

Where does Obama go from here?  He was placed on a pedestal by the right wing in America.  Now that pedestal has been gold-guilded by the left oriented Nobel Committee.  It is going to be an all uphill journey for Obama from here on,  that is for sure.

All because a bunch of people back in the ‘old’ world . . . think he is cool and want to show how liberal and accepting they are.  Dangit.

Expectations?  Hope?  Change?  Now it will become a democratic stronger mandate that will ruin any hope of bipartisan cooperation on the many important issues facing all of us.  I guess that celebrity trumps ‘blue collar’ accomplishment every day in the rarified atmosphere of the rich and famous.  Sad.

Nine months.  Nothing.  Nada.  What will the next year bring?  I am afraid to contemplate the unrestricted power of a democratic majority backing our newest ’super-hero.’  Can hardly wait for the movie.

I can only hope for reasonableness.  We can only hope that the dems don’t get too carried away with this newest and ultimate ‘approval’ of their socialist and anti-business leanings.

Congratulations President Obama.

And good luck, our man!

thanks to rubberpaw for the photo from flickr

Well, I tried to find the word in dictionaries used in that way.  Can’t be done — at least not by me.  The closest is an obscure usage regarding a fee on the London Stock Exchange.

Still, I like the word and whether they are using it correctly or not, I want to adopt it in a political and economic way.  Heck, I think it fits.

Here is how.

The party in power right now, the democrats, seem to be going in the opposite direction from the wonderful source of their name, democracy.

In other word, there is a contango in the relationship between the democrats and democracy.  And that is wierd.

Shouldn’t the democrats be supporting and framing our famous democratic ways?

Heck yes.

But that ain’t happenin’ folks.

Sure, they were elected in a democratic election (sort of if we forget the implications of a flawed electoral college).  But they don’t want that same democracy to work in either the Senate or the House of Representatives . . . and it really doesn’t seem that the democratic Executive branch wants it either.  Is our current government really democratic . . . if it is then I am a cockatoo!

These democrats want to use their strong advantage in congress to ’slam dunk’ their agenda on the American people.  I don’t oppose the agenda, I just oppose they way they are going to force it without any ‘other’ opinions being considered.  Demit, the democrats don’t have a monopoly on intelligence or anything else for that matter.  Political decisions are ALWAYS ecnomic ones.  Usually they favor the party in control (or even the individuals in control), but almost NEVER the people.

What is wrong with listening to us?  Why don’t they want to take the time to do things right and let the right (republicans) have their say on amendments to health care, environmental, tax, educations, stimulus spending (or not) and other issues?  Why not take the time to make all legislation right from the start?

I don’t care what happened in the past.  This President (and his cohorts elected recently) promised change.  To heck with the ideological mistakes of the republican past.  Yes, they pulled the same stuff whenever the could.  And yes, they aren’t trying too hard to contribute this time . . . most of them just do nothing and complain (same old, some old political garbage).

Well, get of fyour lazy butts you misguided republicans and start at trying to help.

Well, (part II) sit down from you pompous platforms of leftist and socialistic ideals you misguided democrats and start listening to the PEOPLE as well as you partners on the right who should try harder to be the LOYAL opposition.

Let the decisions be made.

But make dem sure that everyone’s voice is considered and that the majority doesn’t force feed trash to the minority.

Be more democratic you democrats.

Demit!

Be more responsible and intelligent you republicans.

Demit, again.

Give us all something we want and not something you THINK we want.  Listen to the people on the streets, listen to everyone.  Make sense of the mess you have created and do it now.

Demit, again.

I hope we, the people, get together next year and two years after that and two years after that and VOTE ALL ENCUMBENTS OUT OF OFFICE.  If we had only one or two term politicians then most of this ‘political’ crap we have to live through would be done with.

We, the people have a responsibility in all of this too!  Vote responsibly and make sure your voice is heard!

Demit, finally.

Thanks for the photo to flickr’s glasswindow

Specter made all the headlines today.? This is bad news.? For the Senate (which moves one step closer to a filibuster-proof, democrat rubber stamp, politically driven fraternity), for the country (which will suffer as a result of a further decline in real debate of the issues at hand), and for Pennsylvania (which will continue to get lackluster service from their elected officials).

But there is more to the story.? This breaking news is further evidence of the selfishness of our elected officials and proves that getting elected trumps any personal, state, or national ideology.? This is also a further banner for the concept of term limits.

I might add, that for me (in Utah) the news was even more disturbing because I also learned today that our aged and many-term senators (Bennett and Hatch) are going to run for yet another term.? They are perfect examples of entrenched, lazy, ignorant politicians who believe they should ’serve until dead.’? As far as I can tell they have been dead to the needs of the country for a long time already.? Enough is enough.? Stop the madness.? Make it possible, eaiser, and practical for someone else (not an incumbant) to get elected.

Thanks for your attention, and now back to our regular programming.? Arlen Specter.? Why did he switch parties?? Was it because of a moment of clarity that moved him to the realization that the democrats are doing a better job for our country?? Was it because he suddenly realized that the party he had represented for decades no longer shares his values?? Was is because he was going to loose in his state’s republican primary election?? Bahdabing!!

No magical transformation here.? Simply a desire to get reelected.? Just that simple.? Trade your long-standing beliefs for a few extra votes.

Thanks to his good buddy, the Senator from Connecticut, Joe Lieberman, the path has already been laid.? Remember that Joe the plumber the ‘transformer’ became an Independent in the last election when it was clear that he would NOT win the primary election as a democrat.

So, here we have two fine examples of the problem with American politics.? And one of the great arguments for term limits.? These two ‘prime’ examples prove the point.? They don’t care about any specific ideology or great points of ‘their’ parties platform–they care only about staying in office.? At the drop of a pin they will switch beliefs and strong relationships with others just to get elected.

I could go on, but just about anyone out there is smart enough to get the point without further argument (well, except maybe for ANY elected official, of ANY party).

We don’t want vote-pandering streetwalkers representing us in Washington D.C.? What we need are real people, with real jobs, with real families and with real ideas.? We need people like that to go to Washington, serve two terms at the most and then head home to where they will return to their real families, real jobs etc. and let the next guy fill in.

We DON’T need lifetime politicians who care only about getting reelected.? Damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead kind of guys are NOT in Washington.? They are in cities and towns all over America and they sure as HECK can do a better job than the ‘prostitution for votes’ knuckleheads who are back there right now!

Spread the news.? No more than two terms for ANYBODY!!? Spread the news.? If you sell your soul for a vote we don’t want you in office.? Spread the news.? Americans have had enough of Blogojevich, and Lieberman, and Specter, and Hatch, and Bennett.

We want new blood in Washington, and we don’t have to spill blood to get it.? This is America.? Let your voice be heard

Spread the news.

So I don’t have to all the time.

Give me a break, I have a tee-off time at 4:00 and I WON”T be switching from the blue tees to the white tees to the red tees to the . . . .? just to score.

thanks to flickr’s scriptingnews for the photo

Ah, that leads us to the present.? The elephant may not be dead, but it is on life support and the powergrid is getting ready to shut down.? Take the article by Newt Gingrich in the April 13 copy of Newsweek.? Sure shows how for out of touch those guys (republicans) are.? Ever hear this cheer?? Probably not, since I just made it up.? But it works.? One, two, three, they’re old, they’re stuck, they’re dreamin’, they’re NUTZ!

The former Speaker of the House is trying to position himself for a run in 2012 (boy wouldn’t that be a great ticket Palin & Gingrich — one for the ages!).? Anyway, the article was titled “Our Tanks Are On Full” and subtitled “The energy crisis is an articficial one, created by bad politics.”

On what planet is this political/economic guru living?? I won’t debate that fact that the energy crisis was, in large part created by bad politics (any intelligent person knows it was–and is), but how can he even imagine that it is artificial.

Dang, dude, this energy crisis is real.? Check the figures, read the papers, watch the news, get out and talk to some real Americans who have to buy gas for their cars, oil to heat their homes, electricity to run their TV’s.? Energy demand is growing and energy supplies ARE NOT keeping up.? My utility bills prove that (our local Electric utility just raised rates another few % points today . . . and it is going to hurt a lot of people).? More importantly, in a few years America won’t even be the largest consumer of energy, China and India will fill those not-so-enviable shoes (and that will cause a whole bunch more problems).

Still, Gingrich does have some valid proposals.? He wants America to utilize all possible energy resources (as we should).? But he also misses the boat when he fails to suggest that we must also manage the environment.? Energy, yes!? Energy at any cost, no!? We can utilize all available energy resources but we can’t abuse the environment or risk the future to do so.? What we have to do is find a ‘golden-mean’ of energy and enviromental policy (and neither party has that figured out yet).

The most egregious proposal is one that fits Newt’s right-wing conservative history and capitalist leaning, but it also fails to recognize that ‘free-market’ capitalism beats ‘incentive-market’ capitalism anytime, anywhere.? By the way, I love his name Newt, it fits him when you remember the ‘Newt’ character on the great TV mini-series Lonesome Dove or the slippery little critters we used to catch in the pond out back.

Newt suggests, blithely, that a prize of $1 billion (yeah, that’s a ‘B’) be offered (tax-free no less) for the first hydrogen car that can be mass-produced at a reasonable price.? Boy, this chap is not for me!? He needs desperately to spend a summer herding cattle, throwing bales of hay, or working at Burger King.

He’s a Republican for crying out loud, a captialist, a conservative, and a discredited teacher and congressman.? Don’t listen to him.? I don’t think we really have to worry about that though.

Capitalism works when organizations are free to choose, economically and politically, what ‘process’ works best (and thereby generates the best return . . . or profit if you will).? If hydrogen cars are such a great idea, then free-market economics will provide them over time.? You can’t force it through a prize that makes the Noble Prize (about $1 million) seem like chump change.? For example, you might get economical hydrogen cars, but no way (safe especially) to fuel them.

You can read it all yourself.? His article is neo-classic republican mish-mash.? All for show but little for go.? Go on read it, you might even agree.? But, take it from me.? The author is as out of touch with American reality as the rest of his ‘Grand Old Party.’? Newt Gingrich needs to go back to writing books that are sold exclusively on O’reilly’s TV show (or given away by Glenn Beck on one of his comedy tours).

Newt, stay out of politics and economics.? Leave the real business to people that care, think, and work at real jobs.

Gimme the paddles, kick up the power, we got to try and revive the Republicans or this will be a one-party country for a long time to come.

thanks for the photo to flickr’s bobster1985