I’m back.
It got so crazy that I finally just left the country. But I’ve returned in time for ‘the final week’ of the 2008 presidential election. It seems like this campaign has been going on for a decade. I’m glad that it will soon be over.
As best as I can tell, here’s where we are with a week to go:
Barack Obama has a zillion dollars in campaign funds. As a result, he is right this minute on every other station on my cable network. A slick, 30 minutes campaign commercial is airing wall to wall.
Barack Obama has a lead in the polls that some say is large and others say is narrow. But he leads nonetheless. And in the end it will not be about national polls but about state by state electoral results. From that perspective, a person could win just 50 more votes across the nation that his rival and yet win every state. This is why the national polls are meaningless. It’s state results that count.
Obama is poised to win in an electoral landslide.
John McCain is, well, John McCain. Old. Moderate. Unpersuasive.
It’s true that he was war hero in the War of 1812. But how many remember? Or care?
The good news that the wipe-out loss that he is about to experience will spell the end of the John McCain-Lindsay Graham wing of the GOP. Perhaps true Republican conservatism will gain traction within the party once again.
The bad news is that Barack Obama is about to President of the United States with Joe Biden as Vice President. And Lord knows who as cabinet members and Supreme Court appointees.
I may be out of the country as much as possible.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Friday, October 10, 2008
Sign of the Times
AP - NEW YORK - In a sign of the times, the National Debt Clock in New York City has run out of digits to record the growing figure.
As a short-term fix, the digital dollar sign on the billboard-style clock near Times Square has been switched to a figure — the "1" in $10 trillion. It's marking the federal government's current debt at about $10.2 trillion.
The Durst Organization says it plans to update the sign next year by adding two digits. That will make it capable of tracking debt up to a quadrillion dollars.
The late Manhattan real estate developer Seymour Durst put the sign up in 1989 to call attention to what was then a $2.7 trillion debt.
As a short-term fix, the digital dollar sign on the billboard-style clock near Times Square has been switched to a figure — the "1" in $10 trillion. It's marking the federal government's current debt at about $10.2 trillion.
The Durst Organization says it plans to update the sign next year by adding two digits. That will make it capable of tracking debt up to a quadrillion dollars.
The late Manhattan real estate developer Seymour Durst put the sign up in 1989 to call attention to what was then a $2.7 trillion debt.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Good Money after Bad
When an investment goes south and yet the investor keeps pumping cash into it 'in hopes' that it will turn around - that's sometimes called, "throwing good money after bad."
That idiom perfectly describes the recent actions of the Government.
Pitiful business decisions were made. Multiplied millions lost. The the Government steps in and "throws YOUR good money after bad." 700 billion worth.
So, you've lost your retirement and now your children have an additional 700 billion tax debt to 're-fi' somehow.
How did it help?
The stock market has continued a triple digit fall for six days in a row. 20% of total market value lost in just seven sessions. 40% lost in the last year.
The 'Candidates' are saying that this is just the beginning.
Paulson now suggests the Government buy into banks - bad banks and good banks.
Let's see - the banks owned (even in part) by the Government...
I think my first book will be "The Venezuelazation of America"
I feel confident that the title is available.
That idiom perfectly describes the recent actions of the Government.
Pitiful business decisions were made. Multiplied millions lost. The the Government steps in and "throws YOUR good money after bad." 700 billion worth.
So, you've lost your retirement and now your children have an additional 700 billion tax debt to 're-fi' somehow.
How did it help?
The stock market has continued a triple digit fall for six days in a row. 20% of total market value lost in just seven sessions. 40% lost in the last year.
The 'Candidates' are saying that this is just the beginning.
Paulson now suggests the Government buy into banks - bad banks and good banks.
Let's see - the banks owned (even in part) by the Government...
I think my first book will be "The Venezuelazation of America"
I feel confident that the title is available.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
It's Over
It’s over.
McCain came into this debate trailing in the polls and facing a landslide deficit in electoral votes. He had to have a game changing performance. He had to win outright, hit it out of the park, KO his opponent. He didn’t
Obama was very poised and smooth. He waffled on a few things for sure but he nailed some answers as well. Part of it is just the difference between a man in the prime of life and a man who is elderly. Some of it is ‘generational.’ A lot is that Obama is the better debater. But most of it is substantive.
McCain just did not deliver the substantive goods. He was not really clear on nearly anything. He just talks about ‘I know how to’ leaving us asking, “OK, if you know how to, tell us!”
One friend called and lamented, “they both really say the same thing.”
A TV focus group person after the debate repeated that sentiment, “they said the same thing.” Other nodded agreement.
EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!! That’s what we have been saying all along - McCain is NOT a conservative so he is going to sound pretty much like Obama.
Speaking of not conservative. The worst part was when McCain said that the government should ‘buy up the bad mortgages.’ What? We should nationalize the worst part of the mortgage industry?! Is that small government Republicanism?
Oh my. One of the big lessons here is that if the GOP continues with a system that allows a primary candidate to ‘win’ a state with 30% of the vote it will continue to guarantee the nomination of someone 70% of Republicans don’t want.
So ‘my friends’ it’s over.
But it may be good news overall. My biggest fear was that if elected McCain and his type would rise and reinvent the GOP. His coming landslide loss will allow the GOP to re-evaluate itself. Perhaps true conservatives and constitutional loyalists will gain ground. If somehow this can be the end of the Bush-McCain wing of the GOP we will all be better off.
McCain came into this debate trailing in the polls and facing a landslide deficit in electoral votes. He had to have a game changing performance. He had to win outright, hit it out of the park, KO his opponent. He didn’t
Obama was very poised and smooth. He waffled on a few things for sure but he nailed some answers as well. Part of it is just the difference between a man in the prime of life and a man who is elderly. Some of it is ‘generational.’ A lot is that Obama is the better debater. But most of it is substantive.
McCain just did not deliver the substantive goods. He was not really clear on nearly anything. He just talks about ‘I know how to’ leaving us asking, “OK, if you know how to, tell us!”
One friend called and lamented, “they both really say the same thing.”
A TV focus group person after the debate repeated that sentiment, “they said the same thing.” Other nodded agreement.
EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!! That’s what we have been saying all along - McCain is NOT a conservative so he is going to sound pretty much like Obama.
Speaking of not conservative. The worst part was when McCain said that the government should ‘buy up the bad mortgages.’ What? We should nationalize the worst part of the mortgage industry?! Is that small government Republicanism?
Oh my. One of the big lessons here is that if the GOP continues with a system that allows a primary candidate to ‘win’ a state with 30% of the vote it will continue to guarantee the nomination of someone 70% of Republicans don’t want.
So ‘my friends’ it’s over.
But it may be good news overall. My biggest fear was that if elected McCain and his type would rise and reinvent the GOP. His coming landslide loss will allow the GOP to re-evaluate itself. Perhaps true conservatives and constitutional loyalists will gain ground. If somehow this can be the end of the Bush-McCain wing of the GOP we will all be better off.
World of Hurt
We are in a world of hurt.
We are in a world of hurt for several reasons relative to our presidential choices. But one of the biggest reasons is that we have the choice between two senators.
No executives from which to choose. No choice of anyone who has ever held an executive office of any significance.
The debate tonight is a perfect example of why neither of these gentlemen brings executive experience to the presidency. Every sentence begins with these words:
“I said”
“I wrote”
“I advocated”
“I reached out”
“I know how”
See, a senator thinks “I said” is the same as “I did.”
These guys have not ever “done it” at the executive level of government.
We are in a world of hurt for several reasons relative to our presidential choices. But one of the biggest reasons is that we have the choice between two senators.
No executives from which to choose. No choice of anyone who has ever held an executive office of any significance.
The debate tonight is a perfect example of why neither of these gentlemen brings executive experience to the presidency. Every sentence begins with these words:
“I said”
“I wrote”
“I advocated”
“I reached out”
“I know how”
See, a senator thinks “I said” is the same as “I did.”
These guys have not ever “done it” at the executive level of government.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Friday, October 3, 2008
Botched Bailout
McCain lost his last chance at winning when he voted for the bailout. The House Republicans had already sent a loud message that the conservative base of the GOP was dead-set against the bailout of Wall Street. At the same time, Obama was for it. So let’s see -- the GOP is against it and Obama is for it. So which way did McCain vote in the Senate? With Obama of course.
McCain is a Senator of course - a group which in this case was not as in touch with the grassroots.
He should have opposed the bailout with vigorous debate. He should have given voice to the fury of the ‘working class Joe.’ He should have defended the tax-payer. And he should have led the charge with alternative ways to address the crisis.
Further, he should have named names (as he said he would as President) in fixing blame for this crisis. He should have reminded America that the Dems have been the majority party for two years - yet they did not have the leadership necessary to respond effectively to this crisis.
McCain’s campaign should have dispatched feisty Palin to attack the bailout on behalf of working moms and union-worker dads everywhere. They should have gone totally populist and defended ‘the people’ against ‘the corruption on Wall Street.”
Anyway, McCain was weak in every way in his ‘go-along’ vote for the bailout.
Voting against it would have given him the platform for the final few weeks and the last two debates to hi-light the difference between a conservative-market driven approach and a government-as-savior approach.
Only a big security threat can save him now. Or maybe Sarah can if they turn her loose. Without one or the other, I predict (again) a landslide win for Obama. Scary and sad.
McCain is a Senator of course - a group which in this case was not as in touch with the grassroots.
He should have opposed the bailout with vigorous debate. He should have given voice to the fury of the ‘working class Joe.’ He should have defended the tax-payer. And he should have led the charge with alternative ways to address the crisis.
Further, he should have named names (as he said he would as President) in fixing blame for this crisis. He should have reminded America that the Dems have been the majority party for two years - yet they did not have the leadership necessary to respond effectively to this crisis.
McCain’s campaign should have dispatched feisty Palin to attack the bailout on behalf of working moms and union-worker dads everywhere. They should have gone totally populist and defended ‘the people’ against ‘the corruption on Wall Street.”
Anyway, McCain was weak in every way in his ‘go-along’ vote for the bailout.
Voting against it would have given him the platform for the final few weeks and the last two debates to hi-light the difference between a conservative-market driven approach and a government-as-savior approach.
Only a big security threat can save him now. Or maybe Sarah can if they turn her loose. Without one or the other, I predict (again) a landslide win for Obama. Scary and sad.
Lipstick Smacked
86% surveyed say Sarah Palin won the VP debate. That may be the most decisive, lop-sided, slam dunk of a debate win since JFK's trounce of Nixon.
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