In 1959 a virtually unknown coach was hired by the Green Bay Packers. This short, hefty Italian American, Vince Lombardi, came to the coldest stadium in the league and turned football up-side-down. By the time he left his record was 98-30-4 (.758) he had won 5 NFL championships and the 1st two Super Bowls. Mr. Lombardi was not into flashy, complicated football. He started his tenure in Green Bay by saying that football was a game of blocking, tackling and execution. He did not have a team of a few superstars. He had a team of good players and convinced them to leave their egos on the bench. Bart Starr, Paul Hornung, JimTaylor, Jerry Kramer, Ray Nitschke, Boyd Dollar, Fuzzy Thurston, Herb Adderly, Forrest Gregg, Max McGee, Willie Wood, Elijah Pitts are all legendary names in Football. The results of Lombardi’s talent are almost mythical and on 2/1/09 yet another team will get a trophy named for him.
The point here is not that Mr. Lombardi was a great coach, we know that, the point here is the “blocking, tackling and execution” concept. Lombardi proved the value of this concept to such and extent that we need to find how to apply these principals to our current economic challenges.
Okay, so what are the blocking and tackling equivalents in our economy, borrowing and spending or saving and consolidating? Should we be encouraging people to spend money? Over the past 5-6 years the spending and greed factors have been proven devastating. We are on the verge of spending $1 Trillion more with no end to further spending in sight. Once again, Einstein comes to mind: “A definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over, expecting a different result.” With the brain trust available in this nation, is spending more money the best we can do? Is throwing more chum into the feeding frenzy even rational? Clearly, I don’t think so. So, criticism is easy – how about some solutions" I have a couple of suggestions:
1. Make savings and dividend interest income tax free for tax payers under a reasonable income cap, and allow a tax deduction for the 1st 10% of income deposited into a bank savings, CD or MMF account, every year. Encourage people to create and invest wealth instead of squander it (e.g., a tax rebate if you buy a car?)
2. Allow 100% of health insurance premiums to be tax deductable. Assist people with market place health insurance instead of paying it for them and creating yet another monstrously unmanageable government beaurocracy. Then regulate the health insurance industry make them make the system work. AND stay the hell away from my medical records.
3. Subsidize home mortgage interest rates and let the mortgage industry refinance the entire country to payments and rates people can afford. For people who have bailed on their home and mortgage its tough luck Charlie. For people who are hanging in there, but struggling, give them a chance to refinance to a lower fixed rate and cover a reasonable amount of past due payments. This country has an amazing mortgage lending machine, and it can work through this crisis with a little assist. FHA, VA, FNMA,FHLMC, and GNMA together have the tools, programs and knowledge in place to fix this. They just need a little tweaking and some prudent, reasonable limitations thoroughly spelled out. We have plenty of data on past excesses and they can be brutally controlled if there is even a hint of repetition. There are a lot of good lenders with integrity and ethics out there and they can and will step up and do this right, given the opportunity.
4. Make TARP/ARRB funds available to small and medium sized businesses to keep them healthy and productive. Give every congressman the task of finding 4—6 small to medium sized businesses in their district that are on the verge of collapse or job layoffs and help them stay in business and preserve or expand jobs.
This is the most likely place for greed and graft to occur so merciless oversight will be necessary.
Can you suggest a few more?
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Madness abounds
Madness is to think of too many things in succession to fast, or of one thing too exclusively – Voltaire
The ARRB of 2009, TARP on steroids, is an $819,000,000,000.00 tab being presented to “We the People of the United States” in an attempt to spend our way out of our economic dungeon. (Like digging your way out of a well?) This is force-feeding, top-down spending most of which will never get outside the DC beltline. This brings the total to $1,619,000,000,000.00 or an increase in debt of about $5,400 for every person in the US population. Like any of us need more debt.
Included in this installment is $10,000,000,000.00 for health care for children who do not have insurance coverage at the moment. Per Mr. Obama, this is “a down payment” on a universal health care plan for all Americans. Assuming this is 10% of the eventual cost, we are looking at another $1 TRILLION tab sometime in the next 4 years for health care. A related earmark is money to digitize all medical records into one giant data base on a computer(s) managed by the government. That’s right ladies and gentlemen, all of our medical records are going to be input into a data base to save millions from the elimination of paper records. (Hackers, blackmailers and con men are salivating as you read) There is no opt-out of this deal. Privacy? Fagetaboutit
Also included, by N. Pelosi, is several billion dollars for contraception-related expenditures. Sex education in schools, pregnancy prevention services, subsidized abortions, and financial support for related non-profits (e.g., Planned Parenthood). Condoms will be handed out in high schools like Obama bumper stickers last October.
Other provisions:
· $79 Billion in Fiscal Relief to states; :)
· $44 Million to rehab the US Dept of Ag. Headquarters in DC; :(
· $400 Million to refurbish our national monuments in DC; :(
· $100 million for low income housing lead paint abatement; :(
· $80 Million to fund an inspection dept. to make sure all of the other money is spent as planned - ARRB-TARP COP (where can I apply for that job?) :( :(
· Another $150 Billion installment to AIG because (boo hoo) they took a big loss on the sale of their Singapore financial operations and are still in trouble. (Does the image of a water hose in a gopher hole come to mind?) :( :( :( :(
Provisions Not found (but could be in there somewhere)
· Housing – foreclosure assistance
· Predatory lending abatement
· Immigration reform
There is a $500 per person tax credit to try to buy us off with this boondoggle. (Sorry guys, I may be easy, but I am NOT that cheap.)
The ARRB of 2009, TARP on steroids, is an $819,000,000,000.00 tab being presented to “We the People of the United States” in an attempt to spend our way out of our economic dungeon. (Like digging your way out of a well?) This is force-feeding, top-down spending most of which will never get outside the DC beltline. This brings the total to $1,619,000,000,000.00 or an increase in debt of about $5,400 for every person in the US population. Like any of us need more debt.
Included in this installment is $10,000,000,000.00 for health care for children who do not have insurance coverage at the moment. Per Mr. Obama, this is “a down payment” on a universal health care plan for all Americans. Assuming this is 10% of the eventual cost, we are looking at another $1 TRILLION tab sometime in the next 4 years for health care. A related earmark is money to digitize all medical records into one giant data base on a computer(s) managed by the government. That’s right ladies and gentlemen, all of our medical records are going to be input into a data base to save millions from the elimination of paper records. (Hackers, blackmailers and con men are salivating as you read) There is no opt-out of this deal. Privacy? Fagetaboutit
Also included, by N. Pelosi, is several billion dollars for contraception-related expenditures. Sex education in schools, pregnancy prevention services, subsidized abortions, and financial support for related non-profits (e.g., Planned Parenthood). Condoms will be handed out in high schools like Obama bumper stickers last October.
Other provisions:
· $79 Billion in Fiscal Relief to states; :)
· $44 Million to rehab the US Dept of Ag. Headquarters in DC; :(
· $400 Million to refurbish our national monuments in DC; :(
· $100 million for low income housing lead paint abatement; :(
· $80 Million to fund an inspection dept. to make sure all of the other money is spent as planned - ARRB-TARP COP (where can I apply for that job?) :( :(
· Another $150 Billion installment to AIG because (boo hoo) they took a big loss on the sale of their Singapore financial operations and are still in trouble. (Does the image of a water hose in a gopher hole come to mind?) :( :( :( :(
Provisions Not found (but could be in there somewhere)
· Housing – foreclosure assistance
· Predatory lending abatement
· Immigration reform
There is a $500 per person tax credit to try to buy us off with this boondoggle. (Sorry guys, I may be easy, but I am NOT that cheap.)
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Government Free Enterprise?
A number of years ago the IRS seized a business in Nevada for non-payment of back taxes. As is required by law, they proceeded to operate that business to protect the financial welfare of the employees and junior creditors. That business was the Mustang ranch, a rather well known brothel. Now remember the business being conducted on this ranch, is the oldest in the world. Despite thousands of years and at times fanatical attempts to eradicate it, this profession has defied all challenges and continued to flourish. But, the government failed. The business went belly up (no pun intended) and had to be liquidated.
Now we are talking about nationalizing our banking system, socializing health insurance and having the government operate them. Hello? Is anybody listening?
Now we are talking about nationalizing our banking system, socializing health insurance and having the government operate them. Hello? Is anybody listening?
Sunday, January 11, 2009
US DOH
Does anybody out there have any memory of the reason given for the establishment of the DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY during the Carter Administration?
Anybody? Anything? No? I didn't think so.
Bottom line: We've spent several hundred billion dollars in support of an agency the reason for which not one person who reads this can remember. Ready? It was very simple, and at the time everybody thought it very appropriate.
The Department of Energy was instituted 8-04-1977 **TO LESSEN OUR DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN OIL**** **HEY, PRETTY EFFICIENT, HUH? GOOD JOB YOU GUYS! **
AND NOW ITS 2008, 31 YEARS LATER, AND THE BUDGET FOR THIS NECESSARY DEPARTMENT IS AT $24.2 BILLION A YEAR, THEY HAVE 16,000 FEDERAL EMPLOYEES, AND APPROXIMATELY 100,000 CONTRACT EMPLOYEES AND LOOK AT THE JOB THEY HAVE DONE!
THIS IS WHERE YOU SLAP YOUR FOREHEAD AND SAY 'WHAT WAS I THINKING?'* SOMEONE NEEDS GO GIVE THEM THEIR SIGN*
Then rename the DOE to the Department of HUH?? I think the US DUH is more accurate.
Ah yes, good ole bureaucracy. And now we are going to turn the Banking system over to them? And the automobile industry?* *God Help us.*
From and unattributed email received from a friend.
Anybody? Anything? No? I didn't think so.
Bottom line: We've spent several hundred billion dollars in support of an agency the reason for which not one person who reads this can remember. Ready? It was very simple, and at the time everybody thought it very appropriate.
The Department of Energy was instituted 8-04-1977 **TO LESSEN OUR DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN OIL**** **HEY, PRETTY EFFICIENT, HUH? GOOD JOB YOU GUYS! **
AND NOW ITS 2008, 31 YEARS LATER, AND THE BUDGET FOR THIS NECESSARY DEPARTMENT IS AT $24.2 BILLION A YEAR, THEY HAVE 16,000 FEDERAL EMPLOYEES, AND APPROXIMATELY 100,000 CONTRACT EMPLOYEES AND LOOK AT THE JOB THEY HAVE DONE!
THIS IS WHERE YOU SLAP YOUR FOREHEAD AND SAY 'WHAT WAS I THINKING?'* SOMEONE NEEDS GO GIVE THEM THEIR SIGN*
Then rename the DOE to the Department of HUH?? I think the US DUH is more accurate.
Ah yes, good ole bureaucracy. And now we are going to turn the Banking system over to them? And the automobile industry?* *God Help us.*
From and unattributed email received from a friend.
Where Have All the Leaders gone?
Remember Lee Iacocca, the man who rescued Chrysler Corporation from its death throes? He's now 82 years old and has a new book, 'Where Have All The Leaders Gone?'.
Lee Iacocca Says:
'Am I the only guy in this country who's fed up with what's happening? Where the hell is our outrage? We should be screaming bloody murder! We've got a gang of clueless bozos steering our ship of state right over a cliff, we've got corporate gangsters stealing us blind, and we can't even clean up after a hurricane much less build a hybrid car. But instead of getting mad, everyone sits around and nods their heads when the politicians say, 'Stay the course.'
Stay the course? You've got to be kidding. This is America, not the damned, 'Titanic'. I'll give you a sound bite: 'Throw all the bums out!'
You might think I'm getting senile, that I've gone off my rocker, and maybe I have. But someone has to speak up. I hardly recognize this country anymore.
The most famous business leaders are not the innovators but the guys in handcuffs. While we're fiddling in Iraq , the Middle East is burning and nobody seems to know what to do. And the press is waving 'pom-poms' instead of asking hard questions. That's not the promise of the ' America ' my parents and yours traveled across the ocean for. I've had enough. How about you?
I'll go a step further. You can't call yourself a patriot if you're not outraged. This is a fight I'm ready and willing to have. The Biggest 'C' is Crisis! (Iacocca elaborates on nine C's of leadership, with crisis being the first.)
Leaders are made, not born. Leadership is forged in times of crisis. It's easy to sit there with your feet up on the desk and talk theory. Or send someone else's kids off to war when you've never seen a battlefield yourself. It's another thing to lead when your world comes tumbling down.
On September 11, 2001 , we needed a strong leader more than any other time in our history. We needed a steady hand to guide us out of the ashes. A hell of a mess, so here's where we stand.
We're immersed in a bloody war with no plan for winning and no plan for leaving.
We're running the biggest deficit in the history of the country.
We're losing the manufacturing edge to Asia , while our once-great companies are getting slaughtered by health care costs.
Gas prices are skyrocketing, and nobody in power has a coherent energy policy. Our schools are in trouble.
Our borders are like sieves.
The middle class is being squeezed every which way.
These are times that cry out for leadership.
But when you look around, you've got to ask: 'Where have all the leaders gone?' Where are the curious, creative communicators? Where are the people of character, courage, conviction, omnipotence, and common sense? I may be a sucker for alliteration, but I think you get the point.
Name me a leader who has a better idea for homeland security than making us take off our shoes in airports and throw away our shampoo?
We've spent billions of dollars building a huge new bureaucracy, and all we know how to do is react to things that have already happened.
Name me one leader who emerged from the crisis of Hurricane Katrina. Congress has yet to spend a single day evaluating the response to the hurricane or demanding accountability for the decisions that were made in the crucial hours after the storm.
Everyone's hunkering down, fingers crossed, hoping it doesn't happen again. Now, that's just crazy. Storms happen. Deal with it. Make a plan. Figure out what you're going to do the next time.
Name me an industry leader who is thinking creatively about how we can restore our competitive edge in manufacturing. Who would have believed that there could ever be a time when 'The Big Three' referred to Japanese car companies? How did this happen, and more important, what are we going to do about it?
Name me a government leader who can articulate a plan for paying down the debit, or solving the energy crisis, or managing the health care problem. The silence is deafening. But these are the crises that are eating away at our country and milking the middle class dry.
I have news for the gang in Congress. We didn't elect you to sit on your asses and do nothing and remain silent while our democracy is being hijacked and our greatness is being replaced with mediocrity. What is everybody so afraid of? That some bonehead on Fox News will call them a name? Give me a break. Why don't you guys show some spine for a change? [Barring Ann Coulter from the Today show for life, because you don’t like what she has to say?] Had Enough? Hey, I'm not trying to be the voice of gloom and doom here. I'm trying to light a fire. I'm speaking out because I have hope - I believe in America. In my lifetime, I've had the privilege of living through some of America 's greatest moments. I've also experienced some of our worst crises: The 'Great Depression,' 'World War II,' the 'Korean War,' the 'Kennedy Assassination,' the 'Vietnam War,' the 1970's oil crisis, and the struggles of recent years culminating with 9/11.
If I've learned one thing, it's this: 'You don't get anywhere by standing on the sidelines waiting for somebody else to take action. Whether it's building a better car or building a better future for our children, we all have a role to play. That's the challenge I'm raising in this book. It's a "Call to Action" for people who, like me, believe in America '. It's not too late, but it's getting pretty close. So let's shake off the crap and go to work. Let's tell 'em all we've had 'enough.'
Make your own contribution by sending this to everyone you know and care about. It's our country, folks, and it's our future. Our future is at stake.
Lee Iacocca Says:
'Am I the only guy in this country who's fed up with what's happening? Where the hell is our outrage? We should be screaming bloody murder! We've got a gang of clueless bozos steering our ship of state right over a cliff, we've got corporate gangsters stealing us blind, and we can't even clean up after a hurricane much less build a hybrid car. But instead of getting mad, everyone sits around and nods their heads when the politicians say, 'Stay the course.'
Stay the course? You've got to be kidding. This is America, not the damned, 'Titanic'. I'll give you a sound bite: 'Throw all the bums out!'
You might think I'm getting senile, that I've gone off my rocker, and maybe I have. But someone has to speak up. I hardly recognize this country anymore.
The most famous business leaders are not the innovators but the guys in handcuffs. While we're fiddling in Iraq , the Middle East is burning and nobody seems to know what to do. And the press is waving 'pom-poms' instead of asking hard questions. That's not the promise of the ' America ' my parents and yours traveled across the ocean for. I've had enough. How about you?
I'll go a step further. You can't call yourself a patriot if you're not outraged. This is a fight I'm ready and willing to have. The Biggest 'C' is Crisis! (Iacocca elaborates on nine C's of leadership, with crisis being the first.)
Leaders are made, not born. Leadership is forged in times of crisis. It's easy to sit there with your feet up on the desk and talk theory. Or send someone else's kids off to war when you've never seen a battlefield yourself. It's another thing to lead when your world comes tumbling down.
On September 11, 2001 , we needed a strong leader more than any other time in our history. We needed a steady hand to guide us out of the ashes. A hell of a mess, so here's where we stand.
We're immersed in a bloody war with no plan for winning and no plan for leaving.
We're running the biggest deficit in the history of the country.
We're losing the manufacturing edge to Asia , while our once-great companies are getting slaughtered by health care costs.
Gas prices are skyrocketing, and nobody in power has a coherent energy policy. Our schools are in trouble.
Our borders are like sieves.
The middle class is being squeezed every which way.
These are times that cry out for leadership.
But when you look around, you've got to ask: 'Where have all the leaders gone?' Where are the curious, creative communicators? Where are the people of character, courage, conviction, omnipotence, and common sense? I may be a sucker for alliteration, but I think you get the point.
Name me a leader who has a better idea for homeland security than making us take off our shoes in airports and throw away our shampoo?
We've spent billions of dollars building a huge new bureaucracy, and all we know how to do is react to things that have already happened.
Name me one leader who emerged from the crisis of Hurricane Katrina. Congress has yet to spend a single day evaluating the response to the hurricane or demanding accountability for the decisions that were made in the crucial hours after the storm.
Everyone's hunkering down, fingers crossed, hoping it doesn't happen again. Now, that's just crazy. Storms happen. Deal with it. Make a plan. Figure out what you're going to do the next time.
Name me an industry leader who is thinking creatively about how we can restore our competitive edge in manufacturing. Who would have believed that there could ever be a time when 'The Big Three' referred to Japanese car companies? How did this happen, and more important, what are we going to do about it?
Name me a government leader who can articulate a plan for paying down the debit, or solving the energy crisis, or managing the health care problem. The silence is deafening. But these are the crises that are eating away at our country and milking the middle class dry.
I have news for the gang in Congress. We didn't elect you to sit on your asses and do nothing and remain silent while our democracy is being hijacked and our greatness is being replaced with mediocrity. What is everybody so afraid of? That some bonehead on Fox News will call them a name? Give me a break. Why don't you guys show some spine for a change? [Barring Ann Coulter from the Today show for life, because you don’t like what she has to say?] Had Enough? Hey, I'm not trying to be the voice of gloom and doom here. I'm trying to light a fire. I'm speaking out because I have hope - I believe in America. In my lifetime, I've had the privilege of living through some of America 's greatest moments. I've also experienced some of our worst crises: The 'Great Depression,' 'World War II,' the 'Korean War,' the 'Kennedy Assassination,' the 'Vietnam War,' the 1970's oil crisis, and the struggles of recent years culminating with 9/11.
If I've learned one thing, it's this: 'You don't get anywhere by standing on the sidelines waiting for somebody else to take action. Whether it's building a better car or building a better future for our children, we all have a role to play. That's the challenge I'm raising in this book. It's a "Call to Action" for people who, like me, believe in America '. It's not too late, but it's getting pretty close. So let's shake off the crap and go to work. Let's tell 'em all we've had 'enough.'
Make your own contribution by sending this to everyone you know and care about. It's our country, folks, and it's our future. Our future is at stake.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Fix the Economy?
So, let’s see now. Congress passes legislation granting Barack, Hank, Nancy & Harry (BHNH) control of $1.2 Trillion so they can spend it on “stuff” that will stimulate the economy. Can you even imagine the earmark feeding frenzy? Does anyone remember those ‘Amazon’ movies with the piranha attacks? This will make Madoff look like a penny-ante piker. What I want is the concession to sell tickets to the audience for this fiasco.
Barack and all of those ridiculous talking head and op-ed idiots keep reminiscing about FDR’s New Deal legislative genius that fixed the last depression in 1933. Hey guys—that was NOT fixed until we solved the unemployment problem by sending everyone without a job to Europe and the Pacific to fight a war and put everyone else to work producing goods and products needed in that war. We can’t do that anymore. Besides, can you imagine 3,000,000 soldiers in a war after seeing what 150,000 in Iraq looks like? Trust me, WWII would have ended for America the day after Normandy if there had been imbedded reporters and cameras there.
Our Captians of industry sent ALL of our production capacity to China and Mexico (thanks you greedy pricks). Have you been to Gary, Pittsburgh or Detroit lately? All those production facilities are shuttered and rotting or soon will be. GI Joe and Rosy the Riveter are distant, fading memories. Now we have to import our fly swatters from Malaysia.
What’s the plan guys? Spend $1.2 Trillion on production in China, India, Malaysia and Mexico to gold-plate their economies in hopes that it “trickles down” to ours. Maybe if we spend enough in Mexico, their economy will improve so much all of the illegal aliens in this country putting a drain on our economy, will go back voluntarily, then they will build a wall to keep us out. Yankee go home, but leave your money!
So it’s hopeless right? Maybe not, let’s find out. I don’t have the answer, but you do. There are a hundreds of smaller production companies out there that could be “stimulated” and “encouraged” to expand with a small piece of that $1.2 Trillion. (thats ELEVEN ZEROS). And I do NOT mean wholesale or retail sellers of imported stuff, financial institutions or incompetently managed car makers. I mean companies actually taking some combination of raw materials and turning them into a product that can replace the imported stuff wholesalers and retailers are selling and banks are financing.
There are small foundries all over this country pouring molten metal into forms to make thousands of different products; All of the Craftsman hand tools are made in Colorado; A small company in Minnesota produces thousands of pine chop sticks exported to Japan; A small company in Iowa manufactures, in Iowa, and installs paint and powder coating booths all over the world; A research lab in Wisconsin invented Oriented Strand board and glue-lamb beams; A CA based company invents and in plants all over the country, manufactures a large % of the soda and soup cans we use daily; there is a research group near Chicago that is on the verge of curing Pancreatic cancer (without using fetal stem cells). None of these companies have well-connected, on-the-take lobbyists in DC. None of these companies can afford to make six-figure contributions to politician’s campaign funds or pay for vacations to exotic places. Their executives don’t have Gulfstream jets, chauffeured limos or hot and cold running bimbos or interns. The employees of these companies are the GI Joes and Rosy the Riveters of today’s America. You want to stimulate the American economy and produce, not SPEND our way out of the present economy? Earmark OUR money into these companies. They will take us there.
Senators and congressmen, you want earmarks for your constituents? Find a bunch of companies like these in your state/district and put them on the earmark list. The more you find and “stimulate” the more likely you are to be re-elected. Just be forewarned. These guys will NOT pay you a finder’s fee, and they will not let you rake off a cut for yourself, but they will remember you and vote accordingly. Now we are talking honest–hardworking not greedy –selfish. Come on you guys, this is not the time to loot and jump ship, this is the time for Americans to get busy and work for the common good of all of us.
Barack and all of those ridiculous talking head and op-ed idiots keep reminiscing about FDR’s New Deal legislative genius that fixed the last depression in 1933. Hey guys—that was NOT fixed until we solved the unemployment problem by sending everyone without a job to Europe and the Pacific to fight a war and put everyone else to work producing goods and products needed in that war. We can’t do that anymore. Besides, can you imagine 3,000,000 soldiers in a war after seeing what 150,000 in Iraq looks like? Trust me, WWII would have ended for America the day after Normandy if there had been imbedded reporters and cameras there.
Our Captians of industry sent ALL of our production capacity to China and Mexico (thanks you greedy pricks). Have you been to Gary, Pittsburgh or Detroit lately? All those production facilities are shuttered and rotting or soon will be. GI Joe and Rosy the Riveter are distant, fading memories. Now we have to import our fly swatters from Malaysia.
What’s the plan guys? Spend $1.2 Trillion on production in China, India, Malaysia and Mexico to gold-plate their economies in hopes that it “trickles down” to ours. Maybe if we spend enough in Mexico, their economy will improve so much all of the illegal aliens in this country putting a drain on our economy, will go back voluntarily, then they will build a wall to keep us out. Yankee go home, but leave your money!
So it’s hopeless right? Maybe not, let’s find out. I don’t have the answer, but you do. There are a hundreds of smaller production companies out there that could be “stimulated” and “encouraged” to expand with a small piece of that $1.2 Trillion. (thats ELEVEN ZEROS). And I do NOT mean wholesale or retail sellers of imported stuff, financial institutions or incompetently managed car makers. I mean companies actually taking some combination of raw materials and turning them into a product that can replace the imported stuff wholesalers and retailers are selling and banks are financing.
There are small foundries all over this country pouring molten metal into forms to make thousands of different products; All of the Craftsman hand tools are made in Colorado; A small company in Minnesota produces thousands of pine chop sticks exported to Japan; A small company in Iowa manufactures, in Iowa, and installs paint and powder coating booths all over the world; A research lab in Wisconsin invented Oriented Strand board and glue-lamb beams; A CA based company invents and in plants all over the country, manufactures a large % of the soda and soup cans we use daily; there is a research group near Chicago that is on the verge of curing Pancreatic cancer (without using fetal stem cells). None of these companies have well-connected, on-the-take lobbyists in DC. None of these companies can afford to make six-figure contributions to politician’s campaign funds or pay for vacations to exotic places. Their executives don’t have Gulfstream jets, chauffeured limos or hot and cold running bimbos or interns. The employees of these companies are the GI Joes and Rosy the Riveters of today’s America. You want to stimulate the American economy and produce, not SPEND our way out of the present economy? Earmark OUR money into these companies. They will take us there.
Senators and congressmen, you want earmarks for your constituents? Find a bunch of companies like these in your state/district and put them on the earmark list. The more you find and “stimulate” the more likely you are to be re-elected. Just be forewarned. These guys will NOT pay you a finder’s fee, and they will not let you rake off a cut for yourself, but they will remember you and vote accordingly. Now we are talking honest–hardworking not greedy –selfish. Come on you guys, this is not the time to loot and jump ship, this is the time for Americans to get busy and work for the common good of all of us.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Becoming Sadness
Yesterday Mary and I lost a close friend and family member. Our little dog Gypsy was put to sleep to end months of struggling with a collapsed trachea. Until now Gypsy never brought a second of sadness to our home. He was pure joy and happiness , as only a faithful dog can be. Even his death did not really bring sadness into our home, only grief of personal loss. I can only imagine the loss he is feeling. He has been terminally separated from his people, to whom, as is typical for a dog, he has been intensely loyal, loving and committed.
Gypsy was our companion for just slightly less than 10 years. He was the alpha of his little pack of 3 other dogs, who are now very confused by his departure. Do dogs grieve the loss of a pack member? Probably not the way we do, but there is a dramatic difference in the personality of our little pack without him and some of the joy in their daily living is gone for the moment. A new dynamic in our home will develop and we will all adjust to this loss, but it will never the same (and probably should not be) without our little Gypsy.
Gypsy was our companion for just slightly less than 10 years. He was the alpha of his little pack of 3 other dogs, who are now very confused by his departure. Do dogs grieve the loss of a pack member? Probably not the way we do, but there is a dramatic difference in the personality of our little pack without him and some of the joy in their daily living is gone for the moment. A new dynamic in our home will develop and we will all adjust to this loss, but it will never the same (and probably should not be) without our little Gypsy.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Happy New Year
Father, I ask You to bless my friends and those that I care deeply for, who are reading this right now. Show them a new revelation of Your love and power. Holy Spirit, I ask You to minister to their spirit at this very moment. Where there is pain, give them Your peace and mercy. Where there is self-doubt, release a renewed confidence through Your grace. Where there is need, I ask you to fulfill their needs. Bless their homes, families, finances, their goings and their comings. In Jesus' precious name. Amen.
May 2009 be your year filled with many blessings and much happiness.
May 2009 be your year filled with many blessings and much happiness.
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