The Work Ethic

Today I am reflecting upon the status of the work ethic in our society. This spurred from an incident that occurred yesterday at my home. We were in our living room when there came a ring of the doorbell. When I answered it there were two men, one in his 40's and the other probably in his early 20's. The older man was apparently training the younger guy so he did all the talking. He held a cardboard box of what looked like cleaning solutions and began into a high speed, aggressive presentation of his pitch. I didn't let him go but a few seconds and stopped him, telling him that I was not interested, that I do not buy from door-to-door salesmen, and that I would not allow him in my house to demonstrate his magic elixir. Well, this seemed to set him off and he got more aggressive, questioning why I wouldn't support someone trying to earn a living rather than living on the dole. I suggested that he get a real job rather than try to foist upon the public some snake oil that they didn't need or want. This set him off and I told him to go away, which he did.

The thing that strikes me in reflecting back on the incident is how our definition of work has changed. As I was growing up I was taught that you work hard to provide for yourself and family. You did this in honest work and people that made their living by ripping off others were reviled by society. The honest used car salesmen had to live down their nefarious brethren in the business. Somewhere it changed but nowadays that work ethic has changed. Many in society believe that however they come by money is okay, regardless of the ethics of the way they get it. Honesty and integrity seem to be only incidental anymore. For example, we all encounter people in the larger cities begging for money with there signs at major intersections. Most profess to be homeless, hungry, or traveling somewhere. When did this behavior become acceptable in our society and not a shameful display of lack of self respect? Many of these people are not homeless but this is how they make their living. Goodhearted people feeling sorry for them get ripped off. These bums see nothing wrong with it because they feel the means justifies the ends.

With the downturn in the economy expect to see more of these folks around, telling you they would work a regular job but there are none. I refuse to support this type of behavior and encourage you to do the same.

Who is Driving the Bus?

Since Labor Day we have been beat over the head with how bad the economy is. I attribute most of this to the presidential election and the party out of power talking it down to win the election. Nothing new about this, regardless of party. However, with the willing assistance of the media, the Democrats have outdone themselves this time. But before you think this is just another "bash the Messiah" piece let me explain how our economy went wrong well before the election.

Historically our country and the world for that matter has gone through recessionary periods, inflationary periods, and amazing growth periods many times. Every time we have a recession people get laid off, businesses close, and the survivors adapt and become more efficient. Many times our economy has been revived by a war or conflict that mobilizes the manufacturing base to support the war effort. This was the case with WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. Couple that with consumer spending increases that were amazing and you have the last 60 years of the our history. However, our economy has become almost exclusively driven by consumer spending and less reliant on our manufacturing base and demand for our products abroad. And consumer spending is heavily influenced by consumer confidence. If confidence in our economy is low then consumers will pull back on their spending, fearing the loss of their job and the ability to repay the funds they borrow to buy cars, various consumer goods, etc.

The current situation was exacerbated by our reliance on debt to facilitate consumer spending. As we were encouraged to spend more and more credit was provided with no reasonable expectation that the borrower could repay it. The real estate boom is the glaring example but credit card debt is just as bad. So as banks began to fail the normal reactions of those banks capable of surviving was to pull back on the risky loans. The housing market ground to a quick halt and so did consumer spending. Businesses reduced their workforces in light of reduced demand and consumer confidence goes into the toilet.

Here comes the government to the rescue! Their solution is to throw more money at it, increasing our national debt exponentially to reduce the pain, protect the financial system, and bail out selective industries "too big to fail". The problem is that these idiots are the ones that encouraged the irresponsible behavior that got us into this mess. Tax policy incentives entice us to borrow money this year to reduce tax liability as a means of economic stimulation. The federal government leaned very heavily on mortgage lenders to make loans that were not supported by the income to repay them, especially loans to minorities. This all started back with Jimmy Carter and was supported by both parties since. So now they are trying to keep these families from "losing their homes" by making the rest of us pay for them. Insanity seems to be ruling the situation.

In my opinion we need less government involvement, not more. Businesses that have not adapted should be allowed to fail. Period. Jobs will be lost, assets will be sold to new owners, and consumer demand will be met. Government propping these losers up has kept them from facing the music and it is about time they did. You keep making products that are inferior to your competition then you should go out of business.

However, there is light at the end of the tunnel. In a little over a month Barack the Magnificent will take office and you will see a new tone in the media. Nobody will call him stupid or lacking intellectual curiosity. Camelot will return and he will lead us from the wilderness of economic despair. Consumer confidence will return and more massive government spending programs will drag us from the recession. Or so it would appear. But the auto industry will have billions of our money that they will likely never repay and will still not learn the lessons they should.

So enjoy the ride! You really don't have much choice.

Political Labels

Liberal or Conservative? Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Communist, Socialist? Labeling or pigeonholing people by their affiliations, opinions, or political heroes has been going on forever. It seems that we all want to put individuals into some nice little box and define them by it, usually as a means of disparaging them. This makes it easy to put all of the perceived negative characteristics of say, being a liberal, upon someone and dismiss them totally. Nice try.

The term that really pisses me off is moderate. I think most people that identify themselves as such are just trying to avoid conflict that results from affiliating with any group with an opinion. If they really have an opinion they are afraid to express it for fear of having to defend it. It's an easy out that I have no respect for.

As a general rule I have identified myself as a Conservative Republican since Ronald Reagan captured the imagination of the country. Unfortunately I have been disappointed since George H.W. Bush promised that conservatism but never delivered. Sure they all invoke his name and promise less government and the usual mantra but the reality is hard to dispute. None of them had the stones to really stand up to Congress and have been willing accomplices to the financial mess we are currently in.

So I hereby denounce my affiliations to all political parties and the labels they carry with them. The only caveat I will consider if you can find one that covers all of the following perspectives:

I am fiscally conservative but believe we all have a responsibility to the less fortunate in our society.

I am pro-life but do not think Roe v. Wade needs to be overturned. Abortion is a personal decision and most women, when given accurate information on both sides of the issue, will chose life for their babies. It should not be legislated on either side but also should not be funded by government.

I am a devout Christian but do not think my religion, or anyone's for that matter, should be sponsored or promoted by government. This religious freedom we enjoy in our country also extends to those citizens who wish to be free from religion. If you want your kids to have a good religious education then send them to a parochial school or get off your lazy butt and teach them yourself. And that goes for Muslims, Hindus, Jews, or Mormons. I don't care!

The government has, in my opinion, a very limited constitutional scope, which it has exceeded. National defense is the primary objective. Entitlement programs are not but they increase dramatically every year. Government has become the first option with politicians buying votes by promising more and more. Anytime someone has the audacity to mention shutting down a federal program the wailing begins. It should be obvious to anyone with a brain that something has to give or we will achieve that Third Word Country status we looked down our noses at for generations. We aren't that far away!

Personal responsibility is a foreign concept to all political groups, save the true Libertarians. And I am not talking about that idiot Bob Barr, either. Our grandparents new what it was because they had to take responsibility for what they did. They had pride and knew that nobody was going to bail them out. It was never the taxpayer's responsibility to pay for their mistakes as it seems to be today. Businesses failed and other businesses took their place if the market demanded what they offered. End of story!

So there you go.

The Winter of Our Discontent

We reach that peculiar period of time between the election of a new president and the end of the term of the old one. Historically this is a time to reflect upon the achievements of the the now-ending administration and the hope and optimism associated with the new. Of course there can't be any achievements to celebrate from the "eight long years of suffering" under George W. Bush (aka Spawn of the Devil). At least none that the mainstream media will share with us. Therefore I will make a weak attempt to chronicle some of those.

As you will recall W. had to defend his win of the presidency through court. Yes, boys and girls, he WON the presidency and Al Gore tried to steal it from him. This cast a pall over the victory and ate up several weeks of the transition period. Nonetheless he took office on January 20, 2001 and set out his agenda in the first State of the Union speech. It was ambitious and bold but, considering his party controlled the congress, not out of reach. Shortly thereafter he was faced with a defining moment in his Presidency that was the source of criticism to this day. He made the decision to deny federal funding for stem cell research. The pro lifers applauded him the abortionists and scientists sucking on the federal tit wailed. Agree or not he had drawn a line in the sand that still has not been crossed. Of course Obama will rescind this order as soon as he is inaugurated.

The next thing to come along in 2001 was the terrorists attack on New York and Washington. By the time that day in September was over almost 3,000 Americans were dead and the rest of us got the message. The leadership W. displayed during that difficult period was inspiring to most Americans. He had overwhelming support for going after those that perpetrated these attacks and was granted carte blache in prosecuting the War on Terrorism. What most of us forget is that just a few weeks after the attacks we had the anthrax mailings and scare. Many resources were directed at this and our national psyche took another hit.

A byproduct of these events was that our economy took a major hit. Trading was suspended on the stock exchanges several days and dropped like a rock for a while. Most industries took significant losses and it looked like we were headed for a recession. But we survived and saw the stock market double over the next six years. Major tax cuts served to stimulate the economy and we saw significant job growth over the same period. W should get credit for this recovery if he is to be blamed for the mess we are currently in. The reality is that being president is like the captain of a ship; he can direct it but if the crew isn't working together he is going to have trouble getting the ship where he wants it to go. Throw in the turbulent seas and you get the picture.

The Iraq War was the next thing to come along and it started off much like the Afgan War. We kicked ass and took names. We entered the war with overwhelming support for military action and everyone expected us to get the job done quickly. Everyone except W and he kept telling us that the War on Terror was going to take a long time. We dug Saddam out of a hole and the Iraqi kangaroo court tried and executed him. It was a beautiful thing! But something went wrong because the Iraqis were not prepared to govern themselves. The fact that they had lived under Saddam's tyranny for over 30 years meant they were out of practice. So our liberating troops found themselves between the factions in Iraq that had been suppressed over the years by Saddam. Throw in there Al Qaeda moving into Iraq and you have no choice but to stay and protect the fledgling government from failing before it has a chance to establish itself.

As our involvement in Iraq approached the four year mark the discontent began to grow, coinciding with the 2008 presidential campaign. Bin Laden had correctly judged the American people as not having the stomach for a protracted battle and the public outcry was to get out of Iraq as soon as possible. The Democrats took up the banner, most of which voted to take out Saddam. This had gone on too long and the American public had lost interest. Everyone running for office could have handled the war better than Bush, we never should have gone in there, or some such drivel beat us over the head. Armchair quarterbacks are a dime a dozen. The bottom line is that the world is a better place without the likes of Saddam Hussein, thousands of more lives were saved by his overthrow, Al Qaeda suffered yet another loss by trying to take us on in Iraq, and the world is safer.

This brings us to current times and we see the liberal champion, Obama, moving to the center. Most of his cabinet and inner circle are retreads from the Clinton administration. He is backing off most of the promises he made and will probably be much more cautious about anything he initiates. This will result in grumblings from the left about how they were betrayed. And around it goes and goes..........

Brother Can You Spare A Dime?

Now it seems that the Big Three U.S. automakers need a bailout. Excuse me, another bailout. They are apparently burning through cash like a drunken sailor on a three-day liberty pass and they urgently need our cash to continue on their binge. Imagine that! Can someone please tell me when any of the three turned a profit? Also, when any of them had an increase in sales without giving away any profit they may have? The short answer is that it has been a long time.

Never fear, Obamaman will come to the rescue! He has been bending over for the unions throughout his short political career so now that he is king they should get all the money they want, right? Not so fast, Bucko. Apparently someone told George Bush that his term doesn't end until January 20th so the Anointed One will have to wait until then to save his buddies. This could be a tricky timing issue as they may not be able to last that long! Alas, what shall they do?!!!!

Well, they may go bankrupt like thousands of businesses do everyday, resulting in layoffs, reorganizations, and renegotiation of union contracts. They could do this voluntarily or involuntarily by defaulting on some of the billions of dollars of debt they owe. Regardless, if they are not blowing smoke about the sense of urgency they face this may be the end of the Big Three as we know them.

Let's say, for arguments sake, we throw another $50 billion at them. What will that do besides buy them another six to nine months? Will their monthly obligations for pensions and healthcare benefits go away? NO! Will their cars become competitive in the marketplace? Not in that short of time. Will the economy suddenly turn around and demand for new vehicles recover to pre-recession levels? Not likely. So then they will come back for another $50 billion, and then another, another and.... You get my point.

So the economic news can get much worse. The failure of one will probably lead to the failure of all three and the loss of a buttload of jobs. I don't wish for it, it won't be pretty, but may be what needs to happen is to weed out the non-competitive units and replace them with the companies that the public prefers.

I Thought the Polls Were Over

This afternoon I took a call at work that turned out to be the Associated Press doing a poll on the outcome of the election. Realistically I probably should not have participated because they called the nursing home I run and I just happened to pick up the phone because everyone else was busy or ignoring it. When I told the guy that it was not my residence and that I had 77 people that did live there it threw him off his game. So, of course, I encouraged him to let me take it and told him he could count my answers 77 times!

The questions were the usual ones we heard thousands of times over the past 3 months such as:

How would you rate ____________ as a priority of the government? Top priority, somewhat a priority, low priority, not a priority. The blank was filled in with, the economy, the war, the financial institutions, the auto industry, tax cuts, etc.

Then there were questions about W.'s approval rating, congress' approval rating, Obama's election.

After they finished the opinion questions they went through a series of demographic questions including age, income, education, political persuasion, color of underwear, etc. The entire survey lasted about 15 minutes.

I answered the questions honestly and, in retrospect, I probably wasn't the person he was expecting to interview. I was unabashed about my opinions and I even got several laughs out of the dude.

This is only the second time in my life I have been selected for a poll, not counting the time we were selected as a Nielson family. I rarely talk to solicitors on the phone and reserve my most acerbic comments for those that try to push the issue.

There has been much talk recently about the methodology of opinion polls, whether they are skewed toward Democrats. There is also a concern as to how much we are influenced by them and what part they played in the eventual outcome of the election. The fact that many people want to vote for a winner may influence them to vote for the candidate that they are told over and over will be the winner. I used to discount such indictments but now I'm not so sure......

The Kool-Aid Gets Bitter

We are just now 48 hours after John McCain conceded defeat to Barack Obama. In that time we have learned the following:

1. The stock market doesn't think much of it. (down 10% in two trading sessions)
2. The "change" is going to involve many Washington insiders from the Clinton Administrations.
3. The Prime Minister of Italy thinks Obama is very attractive and wants to introduce him to his wife. (I don't make this up!)
4. You can kiss that middle class tax cut good bye.

It should be fun to watch the Move On.org and Daily Cause folks as their heads explode over the next several months. As Obama is faced with trying to keep all of the balls in the air and abandons all of their liberal dreams it will become apparent that there is more to being President than getting elected.

Another One Bites The Dust

Unlike the past two presidential elections I didn't lose sleep over this one. All prepared for a long night the "drama" of this election was over pretty quick and I saw no point in torturing myself by watching the finally of the inevitable train wreck. The only question was how bad would it be. Pretty bad.

This election is already being hailed as a great victory for America and the world. Obama was the overwhelming choice of friend and foe alike in world opinion. I wonder if that is because they perceive him as weaker, more malleable than John McCain or that they bought in to the Messiah business. I anticipate that this honeymoon period will last up to the time he disagrees with someone then they will be critical of him as well. Then again, if his rhetoric is to be believed, is foreign policy will be one cum-by-yah moment after another. We shall see. While I rarely agree with Joe Biden on anything he did have it right about Obama being tested in the first six months. Then we will see the mettle of the man.

So then, this is the end of the political career of John McCain. Sure he has some time left in the Senate and may even get re-elected again. Before you know it he and Bob Dole will be doing ED commercials together! He found out, finally, that being a hero doesn't mean an automatic ticket to the White House. You have to inspire people as a leader, which he never did, and you must demonstrate leadership qualities. The failures of McCain rest solely on his shoulders because he made one poor decision after another. He was never my candidate and never the choice of the base of the Republican Party so I am not surprised he lost or how badly he lost.

So today we can put this behind us and look forward to a new direction for the country. New does not mean better, just new. Like it or not we usually get what we deserve.

The Miracle of America

It seems each election cycle the politicians outdo themselves by making more outrageous commercials than the previous cycle. There have always been slanderous accusations and will continue to be but with the 24/7 opportunities made available to them we are inundated by every wild charge imaginable. In the last few minutes I heard about a state rep that was in favor of child molesters. This other "evil doer" was in the tank with trial lawyers! God help us! If we were to believe the commercials these people should be in jail not seeking our votes. The reality is that both of these people are decent citizens with a genuine desire to help shape the direction of our country. The same goes for their opponents. Having once served a term as an elected school board member (the most thankless job in the world!) I have a great deal of respect, pity or both for these folks that commit themselves to public service.

I have several friends that have seen more election cycles than me and many others that have seen less. I have supported the eventual winner more times than not in the presidential races and have thrown a few bucks their way. Nonetheless, in each election where an incumbent did not succeed himself there was a peaceful transfer of power to the winner. When the election is over we reluctantly put aside our difference and give the winner the support and prayers he needs to lead our country for the next 4 years. While just under half of the voting public will be disappointed with the outcome I expect they will accept the results and support their elected officials. They always have.

Election Night Drinking Game

In just a couple of days we should have a good idea who the leader of our country will be for the next four years. That is, assuming these armies of lawyers each party has poised don't get out there and act like flies. Barring that I have a game the whole family can play to bring more excitement to the election returns. For each candidate pick out one worn out phrase or word that you are totally sick of hearing. For Obama it can be "change", "historic election", "Messiah", "that one", or "Hussein". For McCain of course it has to be "maverick", "experience", or any reference to his age. Use one of these or any other for each candidate. Play as individuals or teams. The objects of the game are twofold. First, each time one of the magic phrases is uttered during election coverage everyone that did not choose the phrase must have a drink. Alcohol or not it still gets to be fun. The second object is to keep track of how many times each phrase or word is said. At the end of the night the phrase with the most mentions earns that person a prize.

I tried it the other night as I was having a wine cooler. I chose the word "fight" because I had noticed that every political ad ran told me how their candidate would fight for me. I ususally fight for myself but as long as they are willing to why should I get dirty? So I started with the 6 o'clock news and barely made it past Wheel of Fortune. I decided then and there I would never try it again with anything alcoholic.

The Lies About Taxes

One of the constants of this election cycle is that both candidates like to play fast and loose with the tax issue. Obama swears that 95% of the "working families" will receive a tax cut under his plan. Of course roughly 40% of working families pay no income tax at all and a good chunk of them get some or all of their social security payments back in the form of earned income credits. So the numbers don't work out since only 60% pay income tax. Additionally, Obama says he will let the Bush tax cuts of 2003 expire in 2010. Since those cuts affected every tax bracket everyone who pay taxes will realize an increase and some that aren't paying taxes under the current tax brackets will after the expiration.

Not to be outdone John McCain swears that he will make the Bush tax cuts permanent and give an additional tax cut to "stimulate growth of the economy". There is only a couple of things wrong with this plan. First, I don't know how he thinks he will manage to get a Democrat congress to go along with making them permanent. With Harry Reid and company controlling the Senate such legislation will never see the light of day. The second problem is that McCain is unlikely to get his additional tax cut through the same congress. So taxes will go up for him as well.

Another important point is that neither of these guys are known to be champions of tax cuts. I expect Obama to follow in the footsteps of Bill Clinton (who also promised a middle class tax cut in 1992) and renege on the promise. The financial "crisis" sets it up perfectly. McCain, who voted against the Bush tax cuts twice now expects us to believe he is drinking the tax cut Kool-aid and will seek to make them permanent. Neither of them will make the necessary effort to control the spending of a runaway government so cutting the revenue just puts us further in the hole.

The long and short of it, boys and girls, is that you should not count on any significant reduction in your tax liability in the years to come. Fairy tales like that really should begin with "once upon a time.....)

The Media's Effect

Much has been made of how "in the tank" the mainstream media is for Obama. I have followed all presidential elections since 1972 and I cannot remember anymore one-sided reporting of an election as this one. While usually they defend themselves this year they are pretty unabashed with their positive reporting of Obama and negative reporting of McCain. But the question is will the result be positive or negative?

A perfect example is how they have dealt with Obama's decision not to accept federal matching funds as defined in the campaign finance reform law. The fact that he made a pledge to then reneged on that pledge is the key point, not the money itself. In 2000 when George Bush made a similar decision he and his "fat cat" Republicans were roundly criticized in the press for trying to buy the election. No such criticism for Obama. The difference is that Bush never said he would accept matching funds and the limits imposed by them. With Obama it seems that promises are only valid when it benefits you. He obviously has raised a buttload of money and, as evidenced by the 30 minute infomercial played on the major networks last night, he is not afraid to spend it. I guess the ends justifies the means.

Another example of how the media is in the tank regards the infomercial. Being a practicing insomniac I watch news programs all hours of the night. Obama received "reporting" of his infomercial as "news" throughout the night, many programs replaying full segments of it. A paid political commerical being the lead story in the news seems a little out there to me.

If this sounds like sour grapes, I guess it is. If they were behind my candidate I would probably relish the free advertising. But it still would not be right! The media has the responsibility to report the facts and to limit bias as much as possible.

The Passing of a Lady

I just received a call about a lady I know passing away tonight. She blessed this world with her presence for 92 years. She saw more hardship in her lifetime than my spoiled generation could even imagine but always had a smile and laugh for everyone she met.

I came to know Anita in May of 2006 when I became the Administrator of the nursing home where she lived. My earliest recollections of her were twofold; I broke up an argument between her and a man who dared to sit in a chair in the lobby that she was convinced belonged to her. The second was that she tried to get me to hire her because she wanted something to do. She was 89 at the time. Both of these episodes were replayed many times because you could not convince her that the chair belonged to the facility or that she really didn't need to do any work. Nonetheless she was always happy to see me and put a smile on my face when I would have my talks with her. She was one of my favorite people and I will miss her greatly.

Anita was a member of what Tom Brokaw called "The Greatest Generation". They are leaving us at an alarming pace and I will be very sad to see them go. If you know anyone 80 years or more old please show them the respect they have earned and brighten their day while you have the chance.

What Is So Scary About Palin?

Since that Friday in August when John McCain chose Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate the Democrats and their willing accomplices in the mainstream media have been on a vendetta against her that makes what they did to Dan Quayle in 1988-1992 seem like reciting nursery rhymes. They have savaged her for everything from her gender and primary job of being a mother of 5 children to her clothing. They chided her about not being accessible to the press while Biden hasn't talked to them in almost 60 days. They attack her lack of experience to deflect attention from Obama's less impressive resume'. Joe Biden's gaffes, which are many, are either not reported or laughed off and played down where if Palin isn't the winner of the geography bee against the reporters her perceived lack of knowledge becomes headline news for three days.

Here is what I see about Sarah that scares them. She has struck a chord with not only the conservative base of the Republican party but also with the regular Americans that work, raise their kids, believe in God and go to church. She is a wild card that they cannot figure out so their approach is to belittle her unmercifully. The lack of respect for her position is apparent by the constant lampooning of her on comedy shows. The media wanted John McCain as the Republican candidate because they felt Obama had the best shot against him. They figured he would just pick some other old white guy for a running mate (like Obama did) and the Dems would coast to victory. Well she changed everything! Sarah made this a race again and I think it will be close on November 4th because of her. I don't believe the wishful thinking of the media polls that show a blowout for Obama, and neither does he. The purpose of these polls is to infect the Republicans with complacency and not go vote. I guess we will know in 10 days whether it works.

The Meltdown Continues

If you have interests in the American financial system, which includes practically all of us, October has been a schizophrenic ride not for the faint of heart. Probably the most telling point is when a 300 point drop or gain in the market has become ho hum. The wild swings, not only in the domestic market but in foreign markets as well, have been trending significantly down for the last several months. I will make an attempt to explain this.

The stock market is one of the purest form of capitalism we have. The price of stocks is determined by demand, or what another person will pay for it. You can do all of the fancy analysis as to value you want but a share of stock will only get that in a sale if someone with the cash to buy it thinks it is worth it. Secondly, investors buy a stock trying to predict how the perceived value of that stock is going to grow. Many factors go into that prediction but taking cash from your money market account and purchasing a stock or mutual fund requires a great deal of confidence and faith in the overall financial systems. Obviously the confidence levels out their are not high so many people, fearing loss, pulled their money out of the market and are not putting it back. Therefore when someone looking to sell their pool of buyers is significantly smaller than it would be if the billions of dollars on the sideline were out there seeking investment opportunities. So when someone on Monday tries to sell a mutual fund valued at $20 per share but the best offer is $18 it sells for $18 or less. Less because timing is crucial and computerized trades seek to sell these shares as quickly as possible. If that person looking to buy is tentative about it the computer seeks to find a buyer at whatever offer is out there. Multiply this example by millions and you see why it really takes very little to drive the market one way or another.

The biggest driver of the market today is uncertainty. The perceived differences in where the winners of the election of November 4th will take the country has the market in turmoil. Remember, the market is trying to factor in everything to predict the future and when you have such significant difference between the Democrats and the Republicans it is hard forecast the impact of the election. Also the mixed messages of the 24/7 media add to the turmoil. So until the election is settled and the country has decided which way the government is going to go expect another couple of weeks of turmoil. Regardless of who wins having the final determination will as least give us a blueprint to work from and we can go about trying to predict the future with a little more certainty. Meanwhile, where the bottom is nobody knows.

The Deed is Done

Thanks to the wisdom of our political heroes the voters of Texas are allowed to vote early for all elections. I went today and performed my civic duty and cast my votes for the November 4th election. I don't think I have actually voted on election day since they instituted early voting. The process in small town Texas is actually pretty efficient. As we live approximately 20 years behind the rest of the world most of the folks don't trust electronic voting. The tax office has one electronic voting machine which gathers dust most of the time. I always use it because it is faster than the paper ballots and I enjoy the weird looks I get when I am using it.

As to how I voted that is pretty obvious if you have read any of my previous posts. Pretty much for the Republicans, except if Jimmy Joe is running for JP as a Democrat I might cross over. This being a county where hardly anyone runs as a Republican those that do tend to be a little hinky. I do have a county commissioner friend that is a Republican running for re-election. I voted for Tom but am afraid that his party affiliation may be his undoing. Nonetheless, I am done and the knuckleheads can call all they want and it doesn't do them any good!

The more important point is how everyone else votes. If you believe the polls Obama should win easily. I don't believe them! I think it will be somewhat of a replay of the 2000 election, spiced up by some rioting and looting if Obama does not win. Hell, we might have rioting and looting if he DOES win! The press is building the Dems up for a victory and they will be so disappointed if they do not win. We might even have a replay of the Supremes.

I have three children, two will probably vote for Obama, the other will not vote. So my wife and I will cancel their votes out. Such is life!

Intellectual Snobbery

This election is loaded with irony, none more striking than the Democrats condescension toward the very people they allegedly champion : the hard working middle class of America. It started in San Francisco with Obama's referring to those "bitter people clinging to their religion and guns" to more recent smears of plumbers and others that dare to dream of their income exceeding His arbitrary definition of "rich" being over $250,000 a year. So if I understand Obama a plumber that doesn't make a lot of money should be happy with where he is and take the benefit of his class status. That is, accepting the mythological tax cut Obama is promising. And if, by his sweat, hard work, and business acumen he does get rich he should be more than happy to "spread the wealth" to those less fortunate, the loser's of life's lottery.

Well this all makes sense now! Obama and his ilk did so much to help these small business people attain their wealth that it is only logical that there be some profit-sharing arrangement for them to get their share. And of course, since these politicians were working the 14 to 16 hour days most small business people work when starting up the business it would only be right that they participate in the earnings.

In my years in business I have had the honor to watch first hand the work and dedication of small business people in pursuit of their dream. In many cases they have little more than a high school education and perform a service most of their more educated brethren would refuse to do. I admire anyone with the drive and ambition to go into business for themselves, realizing that most of them will fail in the first five years of operation. But they take the risks anyway because very few countries in the world would afford them the opportunities that America does. More often than not they succeed in spite of the government rather than with their assistance. Burdensome taxes, government paperwork and regulations, and a general public looking to take what they have in some frivilous lawsuit. Lawyers, accountants, insurance companies, and other "professionals" suck more of the profit from their businesses to deal with these bureaucratic traps. So do they really ask for the government's "help"? I think not!

Obama waxes poetic about knowing where he came from and how he understands the middle class. Hopefully he realizes that it was the American taxpayer that afforded him and his wife the opportunities for a first class education. He sure isn't acting like it!

The Eloquence of Obama

In the past several weeks John McCain has been playing his own form of class warfare, painting Obama as a smooth talking intellectual, that looks down on the common man. The latest play is the infamous "Joe the Plumber" episode which McCain pounced on. The whole discussion about Joe took a different direction but the gist of the exchange between him and Obama illustrated a lack of understanding by Obama of the concerns of a large portion of the American population.

The more important question is whether being an great speaker and communicator is an asset or a liability? Obviously if you are a Democrat it is a great asset. The Republicans are trying to demonize it because their candidate just doesn't have it and never will. I believe that is what got Bill Clinton elected twice because that is what Democrats (and many Americans) need from their President; great speeches to inspire them to drag their lazy asses to the polls. Republicans have a whole different set of motivations and really wouldn't know what to do with a Huckabee as their nominee. So, if you believe the polls, it seems to be working for the Dems this year.

One other question that this raises is whether eloquence equals intelligence? I have heard many great preachers that could give wonderful, inspiring sermons that really work up the crowd but in getting to know them realize that they are dumber than a rock. A command of the language is not necessarily a command of the facts. To judge a persons' intellect by their speaking ability would be a mistake.

The Sunday Talk Shows

As you might guess my favorite Sunday talk show is Fox News Sunday. I started watching it when the late Tony Snow was the moderator and continued on with Chris Wallace. They always have two conservative and two liberal commentators on their round table and it gets pretty entertaining. When Bill Crystal and Juan Williams go at it I hear the polar opposite positions of the topic. So when those two agree on anything I expect to see the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse coming across the horizon.

Such was the case this morning. Crystal has been in the tank for McCain since 2000 and, up until this morning was his biggest supporter. However, today his frustration was inconsolable. He spoke of the election and McCain's erratic behavior in the last two weeks as if McCain had already lost it. He seemed genuinely depressed about the prospects of the Republican Party on November 4th. Of course Williams, who has been cheer leading for Obama since he got in the race, was in total agreement with Bill. I expected him to put his arm around him and give him a big hug. Britt Hume just scowled and the horse-faced Maura Liason looked like she was on Quaaludes, both of which were expected responses.

The problem as I see it is McCain is behaving like a desperate man. His October surprise, the financial meltdown looks to be his undoing unless God forbid, we have a terrorist attack between now and the election. All of the fundamentals have been lining up for a Democrat win and the stock market dropping like a rock might be the last straw. His flailing around makes him look like a boxer on the ropes and not the guy that needs to be leading the free world.

Look, I have never liked McCain. Given the choices I will still vote for him. For all of his failings I still believe he would be better prepared for the job than Obama. The fact that these two are the best this country has to offer really depresses me.

Financial Meltdown

We are hearing the 24/7 reports on the "crash" of the market, "financial meltdown", and a thousand other euphemisms used by the talking heads and their "experts". The real question is whether this is real or a product of the presidential election? As you might guess, I have an opinion on this.

The stock market has become bi-polar of late, wildly swinging from positive to negative in moments. Yesterday the Dow dropped around 400 points in the last hour of trading. The reason given was that GM was in trouble. Really? Was this some kind of epiphany the market collectively had at 3 p.m. and everyone sold, sold, sold? I really doubt it. Really what has been happening since our political heroes decided we were in a financial crisis is the market traders are trying to guess where the bottom is. Everyone is hoping to find that perfect moment to buy, locking in on exceptional bargains and therefore profits when the market responds. The problem is that the government has decided that they have the answer so they float a new idea every 14 seconds, trying to stimulate confidence in the markets and stop the free fall. What has really happened is that the politicians efforts have just the opposite effect. They are bi-polar therefore so is the market. The more they tinker the more erratic the stock market.

Before you think I am just beating a dead dog I will defend them. They are only doing what is being demanded of them. As a result of years of government manipulation of how our money is invested (i.e. 401-k's, IRA's etc) the average working American taxpayer has a stake in how the stock market does and has watched the evaporation of said investments. So they panic and the government panics. The problem is that our leaders don't know what they are doing because, if they did they would understand that we didn't get here overnight and it won't get fixed overnight.

Yes, I believe it will get worse before it gets better. Businesses will reevaluate their leveraged positions and come out stronger financially on the other side. Those that fail to recognize the necessary changes needed (are you listening Ford & GM?) will go away. That is unless the government props them up once again. It will take a while but the market will strengthen and stabilize and these memories will fade.

A Break From Politics

I don't know about you but it seems that each presidential election cycle wears me out worse than the previous one. Maybe it is because I am getting old or that my disappointment with the selection each time grows. Whatever the reason this is a good day to take a break.

Most of my adult life has been consumed with the "pursuit of happiness". Of course the description of said "happiness" has changed over the years so it has been a moving target. After high school it was about the path to wealth was integral to happiness. I made goals (most unrealistic) of where I would be financially at 30, 40 and beyond. I was single, relatively intelligent, and had all of the confidence in the world. There was nothing I could not achieve. As usually happens, detours along the way adjust your goals and your definitions of happiness. Finding someone I wanted to spend my life with changed everything. My narcissism took a back seat and family was front and center. Happiness was found in the adventures of my children, the life my wife and I built together and my part in these things. The next stage, which for me began about 10 years ago, was finding happiness in the service to others. Their smiles were my smiles and I find great satisfaction in serving others. Gone are the dreams of millions, big houses, and all the toys that come with an opulent lifestyle.

So in looking back I have no regrets about the path I took, the choices I made, or how things ended up. I would suggest to those who are early in their on journey to consider the following:

1. Consider the number of times you smile or laugh daily.
2. Are your pursuits bigger than yourself?
3. Do you have someone to share your life with?

The happiest times in my life are the times when I laughed and smiled frequently. Having a purpose that goes beyond the pursuit of riches is crucial. Without my wife and family my accomplishments would not have been as satisfying.

The Bradley Effect

I have heard several recent references to the "Bradley Effect" and whether it will be in play in the presidential election this year. For those that may not know this refers to the California gubernatorial election years ago when Tom Bradley, then the may of LA, was the democrat candidate and was leading handily in the polls. It is believed that people lied to the pollsters about who they were going to vote for, fearing they would be considered racists if they said they were not voting for Bradley, a black man.

So with Obama being black the media naturally assumes that white people are lying to the pollsters because we are, of course, all racists. I actually believe it is a form of intimidation, just like the insinuation that there will be riots in the street if Obama loses. So when a pollster calls some old white man what is he going to say. This old white guy tells them to leave me the hell alone. My vote will be cast at the ballot box not through some stupid poll. And, hopefully, most Americans will have the sense to not be influenced by these polls. The least of my concerns with Obama is his race. I think he is a puppet for the Move On.org types and doesn't have the judgment to be president.

So whether there will be a Bradley Effect or not really shouldn't matter.

The VP Candidates Square Off

The much-anticipated meeting between Palin and Biden has finally occurred and I was not disappointed. In fact, it seemed to be much more lively and interactive than the one between Obama and McCain. It was entertaining but still followed the predictable script of out-right lies, half-truths and distortions on both sides. As much as these people preach about change I think that these people can barely spell it let alone do it.

This whole event was like watching NASCAR: everyone wanted to see Palin implode. We had been set up by the few interviews that she has given to the mainstream media and their commentary about it. Of course everyone, including the old guard in the Republican Party, was all over every gaffe or minor error she might make. All I have heard for the past two weeks is how stupid she is, how ill-prepared she is, and how Biden was going to mop up the floor with her. Well, she didn't implode, Biden didn't mop up the floor with her, and she was engaging and much more entertaining than anyone else in the race.

Chances are this debate will not be the knockout punch for either campaign. Unless someone really screws up neither will the remaining two. I still believe that the election will ride on whether Americans want their "grandpa" as president or their "kid brother". Despite the efforts of the media to convince us otherwise, I still believe "Gramps" will come out on top.

The Debate

What a bunch of crap!

One hour and twelve minutes into this farce I cannot imagine anyone has been moved to change their mind about who they will vote for on November 4th. As expected Obama is spouting his "I am the smartest person in the room" and "I know everything". John McCain, predictably, draws upon his 35 years of experience, recalling situations that demonstrate his experience. What did they accomplish? In reality not much.

The reality is that the country will vote for John McCain because he is white and old or for Barak Obama because he is black and young. You can sift through the bullshit and the geography lesson each tries to impress us with and they don't mean anything. Historically this would favor McCain because old white people vote more than young and black people. The question is what will young white women do? I have never been successful in predicting this so I won't even bother.

My perspective is clear and would be clear if they had 400 debates. Past behaviors are reliable predictors of future behaviors. Obama has never seriously invested himself in anything before he began running for president. What little record he has is very liberal, bordering on socialist. He has been about as maleable as putty during his quest for the presidency and wouldn't know real conviction if it bit him on the ass. He is not ready to be president and it scares the hell out of me to imagine the country I love under his leadership.

In McCain's words he has never won a Miss Congeniality contest and I really don't care for him personally. He is a grumpy old man! But I don't plan to date him, watch a football game or drink a beer with him. But I do trust him to do what's right for our country so I will vote for him.

Financial Crisis?

For the last week we have all been treated to the ugly side of our country's financial condition. We are barraged by politicians telling us how bad things are and how much money it's going to take to fix it. The question I have is why should we give more money to the people that caused the problem and trust them to fix it?

As a matter of review, it seems the legislative and executive branch of our government woke up last week and discovered that the good old U.S.A. government is about $10 trillion in debt. And that is just the government, not counting the record level of debt the average citizen is carrying on their balance sheet. One figure I heard is that our annual interest on the debt is $287 billion, which is pretty small considering the relatively low interest rates we are currently enjoying. Just think what it would be if that was on your VISA card! So now we are told that we have to spend up to $1 trillion more to keep the financial house of cards from all falling down. The bigger questions are how did we spend the first $10 trillion and what has changed to make us think the amount won't be $12 trillion in another year?

I have had the pleasure during my lifetime to see the biggest part of this debt be accumulated. Sometime after WWII a paradigm shift occurred in the American psyche that going into debt was a good thing, a way to get what you want now rather than wait until you have the cash to afford it. At the beginning debt was only available with sufficient collateral, such as a home, and was only allowed to basically those who really did not need it. Home ownership really was a dream to most Americans before 1960. Then we hit the $60's and the world changed. My generation, the Baby Boomers, hit adulthood and they were an impatient lot. Instant gratification was the norm, not the exception and we started borrowing money to purchase cars, appliances, and other consumer goods. These debts were generally still tied to collateral and were set on specific payoff terms, just like home mortgages. With the 70's we got general credit cards and as they say the rest is history. Today the average family is carrying $10,000 to $15,000 in debt on credit cards that is used to pay for lattes at Starbucks and just about anything else you can imagine. Most pay the minimum payment each month and the balance keeps growing.

The growth of our national debt parallels the growth of consumer debt, just in bigger numbers. In the 60's we embarked upon the social programs of the Great Society and the deficit began growing. Throw in several wars and skirmishes and deficit spending became the exception rather than the rule. Then we really kicked in to using our tax system to encourage consumer spending and create social equity and the debt kept growing. We mandated programs to make the dream of home ownership a reality for everyone, whether they could afford it or not. We allowed the creativity of the American financial system to work overtime to deal with the debt created by this mandate. All along through the 70's, 80's, and to the current day our government have been spending money it did not have to stimulate growth in the economy. Today the Chinese are a our biggest creditor, much of our country's biggest companies have been sold to foreign interests, manufacturing jobs have steadily moved off shore, and we go hat-in-hand borrowing money to keep it all going. Sound like a financial crisis to you?

Most people my age have experienced a moment such as this at sometime in the past 20 years. Many used bankruptcy, some several times, to wipe the slate clean. Some learned their lesson some didn't. Some declined that option, worked extra jobs, and retired their debt. That experience generally woke them up and they knew they didn't want to go through that experience again.

Since bankruptcy is not an option for the U.S. government the only option is for us to buckle down and pay off the debt. The problem is that nobody wants to pay it now. They all want to try to borrow their way out of trouble. This very rarely works because the lesson is never learned if pain is not experienced. The people that must feel the pain are those that benefited from the excesses of the past. Unfortunately most of those people are now headed into that politically sacred group of over 60 voters. They have saddled future generations with an enormous obligation. The only way they will pay for their transgressions is with a financial correction that devalues what they have accumulated.

So I think the responsible thing would not be borrowing more money but to take your medicine now rather than push it off on our children and grandchildren.

Very unlikely.

Executive Experience

Political campaigns have become marketing events and both parties are doing their best to point out the shortcomings of their opponents. Obama got on the "change" theme and now McCain has picked up the mantel. Of course then we went to the lack of experience of Obama. The VP nominee for the Republicans has been doing a great job of mocking him for his lightweight resume'. Predictably the DEMs countered calling her white trash from Podunk, Alaska, saying her highly touted executive experience doesn't mean anything. Blah, Blah, Blah!

Let's face it. We will never know how a person is going to perform as President until they get the job. Also, the relative effectiveness of a President is largely determined by the strength of support in the Congress. Back in the 60's when all of the major social legislation got passed it was a stacked deck with the Republicans there for comic relief. We can argue about the merits of the legislation but it's a moot point. It became law because the majority was on board for it. Then again Jimmy Carter had a similar advantage and accomplished little more than driving our economy into the ditch. So really we search for clues as to how they will behave, how well they play with others, and whether they can sell ice to Eskimos. We cross our fingers and hope for the best. Because when it comes to the election everyone is going to the voting booth and vote their own opinion, most of which are based on ignorance. There will be a significant percent of the population that will vote for John McCain because he is white. Likewise there will be a large group that will vote for Obama because he is black. Aren't both of them racists? The significance of this is that the former group is greatly under reported in polls and the latter is over reported. Both are wrong but I believe it will be the deciding factor in the election. All of the other crap is just positioning and isn't going to sway very many.

Not a Pushover!

Last night's speech by the Republican nominee for Vice President, Sarah Palin, was the most anticipated since, well the one by Obama the previous week. His was about what we come to expect, long on rhetoric, promises and imagery and short on anything to back them up. Palin's speech was anxiously anticipated because most of us in the Republican camp wanted her to do well but had that doubt sewed into our minds by the barrage of negativity about her in the past five days. It is easy to buy in to the idea that just because she only got her first passport a year ago that she was out of her league. Because she hasn't served in the Congress she can't possibly be qualified to serve. So, understandably, we were apprehensive about what this governor would do. Well, I am here to report she did just fine!

Her speech was very enthusiastically received by the faithful and she did a great job of revving up the base. Conservatives were in a deep funk over the prospects of the election and she has energized several important factions of the Republican party. She represents a segment of the party that can make the difference in the general election. She acquitted herself well in her debut speech and I think will do just fine against Biden in the debate.

What is curious is the reaction from the Democrats and their willing accomplices in the media since her selection. The level of personal attacks on her almost immediately suggests that they perceive her as being anything but a lightweight. I never thought I would here such sexist comments coming from the mouths of those staunch supporters of women's rights in the Democrat Party. But then I remember the scurilous attacks against Clarence Thomas during his confirmation process that I thought I would never see from the defenders of civil rights in the same party. So I shouldn't have been surprised. They were frightened of him and his conservative credentials just as they are frightened of her.

However, to put it all in perspective, she is the Vice Presidential nominee and in the words of John Nance Garner, the office of VP is about as important as a warm bucket of spit. The focus still needs to be on McCain and Obama. One of these guys will take office in a little more than 4 months and will change the direction of this country. To me it is a choice of who will do the least harm. McCain will not be as conservative as I would like nor would Obama be as liberal as I fear. The VP is only coming into play if a tragedy happens.

We Have a Ticket!

Yesterday John McCain selected Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as the Republican VP candidate. Like most people south of the Canadian border I don't know much about her. She is young, attractive and seems to have appeal to a large part of the Republican base, the conservatives. She has "walked the walk" in her own life that proves that she is the real deal. But is she "ready" to be president? That is the question that Obama has been pounded with for the last two years and seems to have convinced about half the country that he is. Let's examine history and see who was "ready" when the unexpected happened.

In 1865 Lincoln was assasinated and Andrew Johnson ascended to the Presidency. Times were touch at the end of the Civil War and the beginning of Reconstruction so I can't imagine anyone was ready for that. Johnson was impeached and missed conviction by one vote.

When McKinley was assasinated a young Teddy Roosevelt, 42, became president. I think history has regarded him as one of our best presidents, putting him on the mountain in South Dakota.

Harry Truman was not well regarded when he became President but proved to do a good job and was re-elected.

Then you have those presidents that were elected that did such a fine job. In recent times Carter, Bush 41, Bush 43, and Slick Willie. Where are the Teddys and Harrys when you need them?

Which way will Obama go? If McCain is elected and Palin ascended to the office, would she be ready? Nobody knows how a person will deal with circumstances and decisions required in the complex world. All we have to go on is the CHARACTER of the individual. What I have seen of Obama character is not his stong suit. His life has been one political calculation after another, networking himself to prominence through the likes of Tony Resco, Jeramiah Wright, and Bill Ayers. Then when they are an embarrassment to him he promptly kicks them to the curb. I don't see this in Palin and, because I like her values, I will reserve judgment. I have some homework to do this weekend.

The Suspense is Killing Me!!!

So Hillary released her delegates and indicated that she voted for Obama. Why didn't she encourage them to do the same?

What is widely predicted that, after a few states, someone will make a motion to nominate the Messiah by acclamation. Then what happens? The NAGs walk out because Hillary didn't get the complete roll call vote? Inquiring minds want to know!

Really, what the hell do they want?!! Hil & Bill hijacked the convention for all intents and purposes, she gave a half-assed endorsement speech, and then Bill will make an ass of himself tonight. Then what? Are they seriously going to vote for McCain or are they going to beat the dead horse that is Ralph Nader? Get over yourselves, quit your pouting and get behind your nominee.

We Republicans are much in the same place. McCain is going to be very hard to vote for based on his history. If elected he will probably bend us over just like Bush has. The operative word is "probably". Mr. Partial Birth Abortion Obama will definately do it. So I sulked awhile, pissed and moaned my ass off, then decided the pragmatic thing to do is hold my nose and vote for McCain.

By the way, here is a new drinking game for the "debates". Everytime Obama says "change" and everytime McCain says "P.O.W." or "Vietnam" we take a long drag on some hooch. Guaranteed to be the quickest drunk you will ever get.

Hillary Supports Obama?

I just listened to Hillary's endorsement speech and was less than impressed. The gist I got from it was that she endorsed him not for his leadership abilities or his experience but because he is a democrat. At least 75% of the speech was about her and I can't imagine a more hollow speech for him. The question is what is the roll call vote about tomorrow if she is totally behind him?

The truth of the matter is that Hillary knows that it is unlikely that he will be elected President and she is positioning herself for 2012. She doesn't want disaffected Obama supporters turning the tables on her then, blaming her for his defeat. So she goes through the motions. She also knows that John McCain is unlikely to run for more than one term so that is her best shot at the brass ring.

Whatever her game she is still the second-most narcissist person in the country, next to Bill.

Prime Time Coverage

Well it's finally underway! The love fest that is the Democrat National Convention began last night. Mercifully the networks limited their coverage to one hour last night. I have no doubt that we will get wall-to-wall overexposure as the week wears on. Fortunately most of it is happening after my bedtime so I am not seeing much of it.

Predictably it was an homage to the liberal institution of the Kennedy family and their 21st century wannabes the Obama's. Ted Kennedy, brain tumor and all, wouldn't miss this curtain call if they had to roll him in on a gurney! I caught an excerpt of his speech this morning and he looks bad. Then again he has looked bad for years.

The media is trying to put some drama in the DNC with all the talk about the roll call vote. That is just wishful thinking. They know that there is no hope for any fireworks next week with the Republicans. McCain and the Beach Boys are going to have a hard time keeping awake.

One other observation. Wasn't it odd that McCain had his Biden ads on TV so quickly after the announcement of his choice for VP? Maybe he has a mole in the Obama campaign. hmmmm....

Party Time!

Let me get this right: The Dems main goal at their convention is to unify the party. Just how this is going to come about is anyone's guess. Monday night the Messiah's wife will spin the tale of his great accomplishments (that should take about a minute) and the wonderful judgment he has displayed. Then tomorrow and Wednesday night it's the Hil-Bill show, followed by a roll call vote.
Then we all come together at Invesco Field on Thursday night, sing cum-bye-ya, and go out to spread the hard-earned tax dollars to every underserving soul in this country and beyond. I'm feeling all tingly inside!!

The most important thing is that the Dems know how to throw a party and You Tube should be very entertaining for weeks to come. I wonder if Slick Willie is bringing the donkey!

Who Loves Jesus More?

On the eve of the Democrat National Convention I think it is a good time to look at the silliness of the campaign topics. Last weekend the two candidates met with Rick Warren, founder and Pastor at Saddleback Church in California. They had conversations about their faith and issues relevant to his congregation and many other Christians. It illustrated several things to me:

1. Barack Obama is a lawyer and answers questions like a lawyer.
2. The format favored John McCain so we will not see it again in this campaign.
3. Very few people changed their minds about who they support.

The more important point made by the event is that the candidates' focus groups have told them you need to pander real hard to the Christian vote. They saw the success Bush 43 had and are trying to duplicate it. However, we are not stupid! The best I can tell Bush found God and tries to live his life in a Christian manner. Like the job he has done or not, I believe he lives his faith.

Obama on the other hand seems to be blowing which ever way the wind does. How can you be such a staunch supporter of abortion rights and call yourself a Christian? It's the walk that is important, not the talk.

McCain is also suspect in that he is unapolagetic for his transgressions of the past, running around on his wife dieing of cancer with his current very wealthy wife. Does this sound like another John we have heard of recently?

The bottom line is that true Christians are going to probably vote for McCain while holding their noses. Strictly on the abortion issue. The casual Christians will likely vote for Obama because they have rationalized that argument in a similar manner as he. Could be a close race!

The Best Laid Plans

I just posted a comment on another blog and it linked me to this blog I set up over a year ago. I had such great plans, was getting pumped about a couple of political candidates, etc. However, I promptly got immersed in the mundane things such as making a living and forgot all about it. Let's try it again.

When reviewing my last post (over a year ago) I have decided to reveal a little more of my life in order to paint a more complete picture. This might give more insight into my paradoxical political perspective.

Much of the information has not changed except that I will be 57 next month. I am married to the same woman for the past 34 years and we have 3 grown children. I am a product of the capitalist system that has made this country so great and would not have been able to achieve what I have anywhere else. I believe in our country, the principles on which it was founded, and do NOT like the direction I see it going. So the obvious thing to do in a free society is to try to change its direction. I hope we are not too late!!!

So going forward I plan to write on a frequent basis about my views on the current political situation in the country. I'm sure there are millions of people blogging about the same thing. The difference is that I am not some pencil necked academic sitting on some college campus, trying to impress the world with how smart I am. I have lived in the trenches, so to speak, and continue to do so. I have been successful due to my own efforts and defend everyone's right to the same opportunity. I believe the government is way too involved in social engineering and is speeding toward a greater level. This has to stop for the sake of the future generations.