PoliticalChatter

George Bush and the Republican Senate just wiped out the Democrats once again in a legislation fight. Think about what happen in this auto bailout plan. First the plan was to provide them with piece of them banking bailout (something both Bush and the automakers wanted), then it became something much more. The liberals drooled on each other with the possibility of government owned auto industry. Barney Frank and the UAW were having dreams of a union owned business, filling their utopian fantasy.  

But, then something happened. The bill grew so to insult the capitalistic values of even the average American. There was talk of an auto czar, the government owning 20 percent of the industries, environmental standards and on and on and on. Just as it seemed the move would be made and Atlas would in fact shrug, the white knights, the Republican Senators swooped in, slain the dragon, saving capitalism as the plan was dead in an instant. 

Think this out. Bush’s people quickly realized the feeding frenzy ongoing in D.C., so they tossed in more chum before going for the kill. The idea was to make the bill so outrageous that it would never pass, they knew it and that was their goal. Yes, Bush was battered, but so what he is gone in a month, more importantly the Republicans who will remain behind to fight the battle, look like heroes to their conservative base. They prevented the most blatant socialistic move in perhaps this nation’s history. On the flip side, Bush will simply hand out a portion of the already passed banking bill, the automakers will get their piece of the pie (with few or no government regulations, Bush will not be tagged with one more failure and the Republicans Senators can pound their drums of victory…Yes, Dems you were roped-a-doped one last time by the guy you call the worse President in the history of this nation.

How interesting is this entire situation going to get? That is a question that can’t be answered, but yesterday I posted it was likely to be contained to the governor. Now, with the revolation that candidate number five is JJ Jr, it could be getting very interesting.

If this is the case and the governor felt he could get $1 million dollars from candidate five there are many questions to be asked. First, did JJ make the offer to buy the seat. Second, who was involved in the process and finally is JJ the candidate of choice of Barack Obama? Sadly, it is very likely these the questions will never be answered and one has to ask why didn’t the Special Prosecutor clip one of the players and attempt to  flip he/she if as he noted yesterday this corruption is emmense?

I guess the point is now I must watch this scandal closely as it is becoming very possible this fire is spreading.

Shock, stunned, sadden; all are being used to explain the arrest of Illinois Governor Blagojevich for selling the senate seat, may I ask why?  

Come on people this type of stuff happens all the time, except it is normally done under the cover of party loyalty etc etc. This one just happened to be a bizarre in-your-face action by Blagojevich, leaving one to question the mental state of this guy. This is the

stunning part of it. The shock comes from the simple stupidity of this guy, who apparently thought he could push around the president-elect.  

Now the conspiracy buffs will start rolling, trying to link Barack Obama to this entire situation. Of course Obama had his eyes on a specific person, but think folks, for a lack of better words, Obama is the victim. He is the one Blagojevich was hoping to receive something and that’s it.

Senator Christopher Dodd has called for GM CEO Rick Wagoner to resign. Yes, the same Sen. Dodd that was overseeing the housing loan program that, oh yeah collapse a few months ago sending the nation in to a recession. Of course Dodd’s intentions were good and filled with virtue, meaning the means is always justified by the intention. On the flip side Wagoner is an evil, money hungry executive who thinks of only the bottom line. I wonder when the UAW may feel some political pressure.  

Rush Limbaugh has set the policy for all conservatives and others concerned about the auto bailout to follow. We support the workers; we are just opposed to the
Union. This is a brilliant standing and as liberals have shown more than acceptable.  

Other than the auto front, not much is taking in D.C these days as the city anxiously awaits the arrival of the savior, Barack Obama. Until then I will search for something to write about, perhaps focusing on my favorite time of the year; Christmas.

Saxby Chambliss stopped the Democrat slaughter winning the running off in
Georgia. People are making a big issue over how the Republicans still hold the filibuster power in the Senate; no they don’t. Does anyone really believe the likes of Olivia Snowe and even John McCain are going to be willing to filibuster any important piece of the legislation? No, they won’t. What they will be doing is taking their normal moderate stance and looking for a compromise. The other drama is the Minnesota Senate race that just keeps going. Norm Coleman is trying to hold of Al Franken, who appears headed to the Senate. Something must be done about these election counts that just keep going and going and going. Any recount that has virtually no deadline is ripe for corruption and you can bet this one has plenty of it. Set a date, hold it firm and get the process over, period.  

Now onto better things; the continued fight over the auto industry bailout. The process continues to move forward and eventually they will get the deal. Proponents have declared that the auto industry is crucial to the economy; really? 

 If two stores open on the corner and each get 100 shoppers a day, they hold equal importance to the corner’s economy. If over time one store offers a better, cheaper product and increases their market share of the corner economy by 100 more shoppers a day, that store has a growing importance to the economy. While the other store, once important, is becoming less so simply because their customer base, thus revenue are in decline.  

That is the
United States auto industry, yes they hold a market share but it is declining, thus they are in economic trouble. In other words their importance to the economy is growing smaller by the day if it weren’t there would be no talk of a bailout. Bankruptcy and consequently, realignment would make them stronger in the long run and bring the American auto industry back to life, but that would mean cuts for the UAW, which is in essence the purpose of the bailout, to save the UAW at the cost of the free market and eventually the auto industry.  

New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burris is facing a 3 year prison term for carrying a handgun; 3 years. The guy shot himself in the leg, harmed nobody and now could go away for 3 years. Does anyone else see the idiocy in this law? This is another prime example of a law having unintended consequences with freedom as the victim.  

Is anyone else beginning to wonder if Hillary Clinton actually won the presidency? I am stunned at the number of former
Clinton people being appointed to Barack Obama’s administration; I thought the President-Elect promised change? Perhaps he meant change back to the way it once was. It is interesting how Obama is going about the process. Unlike Bush who awarded loyalty, Obama seems to be going with experience. Let’s hope these former Clintonites are the ones that made the right decisions, making Bill a very successful president.  

The economy is officially in recession, which means we are actually 4-6 months into it and should be coming out in about 5 months. If you are an investor start looking for alternative news sources, to get a jump on the deals on Wall Street.

The terrorist attacks in Mumbai
India have taken the danger level of the world to another level. There seems to be little doubt the terrorist came out of
Pakistan, which is bad news for the world.  

India and
Pakistan have fought three wars and with this horrific attack, could be looking at a fourth. Of course the stakes are much higher with both possessing nuclear weapons; perhaps the threat of such warfare will prevent any more bloodshed.  

Barack Obama is coming into a situation that could not be anymore tense. With the world focused on the economic situation, the fact is there are far greater dangers lurking.
Russia continues to act more and more like the old
Soviet Union, China remains determined to become a military superpower and now Al Qaeda is showing they are still around.  

With a fresh president about to take office, look for all three of these antagonist to make some type of move over the next six months, although
China seems the most unlikely, because of their economic ties. The Chicoms, although wanting more military power, understand where their true power is located. AQ may have just made their move in
India, but that is yet to be determined. As for
Russia, anything seems possible with Putin in control.  

Let’s hope that President Obama is well prepared for this unprecedented challenge.

Ho, ho, ho! Well its Christmas time and the federal government is handing out gifts left and right; the only stipulation is to get one you better be a corporation. The federal government announced they will now bailout Citi Bank; oh well what’s another trillion here and a trillion there. Where is it going to stop? There answer is there is no ceiling and the government will continue this reckless action. 

Making things even more frustrating was Barack Obama today announcing what can only be described as the New Deal Part II. He is pledging new jobs, which can only be in the government sector, new roads and bridges and solar and wind energy. This means more government workers, more government spending and an ever growing burden on the tax payers. Obama proclaimed his government will have responsible spending, that would make him the true messiah if he accomplished this miracle.  

The road this nation is currently on will not lead us out of the forest, it will take us deeper. Government spending cannot stimulate an economy for the long term; they are a Snickers bar; a quick, sugar boost. When the high is over the crash comes, so more sugar is needed. Eventually, the burden will become so great that those carrying it will simply walk away, freeing themselves from government sponsored enslavement. Perhaps then people will understand the importance of a free market and free minds to work within this market.

Have you ever stopped and looked in the mirror and asked, really asked: Am I a liberal or a conservative across the board?

Here is what I am talking about. The farmer, where I live in the middle of conservative America, is both a conservative and a liberal. They are conservative when it comes to guns, they want no government involvement. They are liberal when it pertains to abortion, they want big, intrusive government. Conservative when dealing with welfare, liberal with farm subsidies. Now let’s look at the socialite liberal. Liberal when dealing with environment, government should dictate how people live to protect the environment. Conservative with many civil liberties, all about less government. Liberal with diet and eating habits, bigger government, more involvement.

So, you see this cuts both ways. Conservatives are liberals and liberals are conservatives; confused? Look at this way, almost every American is a big government liberal when dealing with issues they deem correct and implying those to others. People should behave in a specific manner and the government is correct in enforcing it. Yet, when dealing with issues that they either disagree with and/or apply to them, they suddenly become small government conservatives.

If this were not the case, the libertarian party, which supports an individual, freedom, small government agenda would have long since taken power. Yet, they have not and the reason is simple, because they are not liberal/conservative on a issue basis, they are classic liberals on all issues.

The United States Government is once again going after a private citizen; this time it is Mark Cuban. The exotic owner of the NBA Mavericks, Cuban is being accused of an insider trading for a deal with Mamma.com. The SEC is claiming he sold all his shares just before a major announcement which affected the share price. The SEC is claiming this was an inside trader move, which violates regulations.  

What is this really? It is another personal vendetta by a government agent against a private citizen. Cuban helped financed the movie Loose Change, that accused George W. Bush of attacking the

World
Trade
Center so he could invade
Iraq. Nuts, yes and Cuban often walks a fine line, but a reason for the government to comb finely through the dealings of a private citizen? No!  

Speaking of Cuban, who supported Barack Obama, he posted at the Huffington Post.com his concern with Obama’s economic transition team. Cuban is concerned that there are no business people, only professors and politicians. Hello Mark, Obama does not trust and/or like the business world. Where were you doing the campaign?