Powerless Injustice

[Click on the title to see Mike Roger's referenced video]
It's shocking that clearly stating the obvious as the rep from Michigan did on the "floor" is so easily dismissed by other supposed representatives.
I've felt a similar powerless injustice certainly as an irrational kid, as can be expected. But as an adult it's much less tolerated. I was at a car auction in Palm Springs at a vintage car race 20 years ago. I was looking at a funky little Triumph Herald convertible circa 1965 completely restored that was with the various Ferraris, Maseratis and formula cars, when I felt the brush of the back of a Arab Sheik's dismissive hand shooing me away from his space as he had a look. In shock I glared at him, but he never looked my way; just deferred me to his bodyguard who looked prepared to eliminate me if I so much as touched his boss, living within his rules as I'm sure he did. That dismissive wave of the hand spoke volumes.

I have felt that same powerless injustice when I was invited by a renter in my house (past tough times) to visit his extended family for dinner. I caught slight undercurrents of resentment that I had it so easy as an American citizen, while this group of brothers was living outside the tax structure of our country as maids, gardeners, mechanics (from whom I bought a Volvo), car painters and car auction buyers. Our way of life is under attack and there is glee around the world as Obama, their savior, is putting us in our place. It's clear that there is a sense of entitlement at "getting even", that those of us who've worked hard need to step aside now. The White House is no longer insulating us from the laws of the jungle. There has been no other more dangerous time for our country. Mark Levin's book, "Liberty and Tyranny" has helped clarified the core values that are a reference as we feel our lives slowly eroding. I fear critical mass is much closer than we think, though we're lucky to have many well positioned advocates of our free enterprise system acting as weather vanes. Sometime, deplorably, we may not be able to talk among ourselves.

Thomas Sowell Clarifies Interconnectedness

Few understand the capitalist economy better than Thomas Sowell of the Hoover Institute. Click on the title to see a very clear synopsis of why the economy took such a deep plunge.

Katmaikayak Tours

These people know how to show you the Alaska experience!

Taking The Lid Off Of The Economy.

My former entries were bombastic and a little on the wild side as I condemned the new presidency as a truly Statist organization as defined in Mark Levin’s “Liberty and Tyranny”. Since I’m not held to the confines of a pro writer, I have no limits to my bombast other than common sense, and that, marginally.

But it is becoming painfully obvious that our leaders have no desire to help their citizenry in ways that truly matter. The financial world is looking to China to ease the strains put on the world economy! The obvious explosion of capitalism in China is overwhelming the iron fist of Communism. Given half a chance, capitalism grows like a weed!

In the August 10^th, 2009 issue of Business week ,

Maria Bartiromo asks Donald Tang of CITIC,

“Was China smarter than the U.S. about stimulating the economy?”

Mr. Tang answered with, “Policymakers have really tried to take advantage of the crisis to transform the economy from an export economy led by the coastal region to [one led by] domestic consumption by, for example, giving customers vouchers to buy electronic goods and reducing taxes to put money in their pockets.”

Maria Bartiromo, “You were in China two weeks ago. What has happened on the ground?”

Joseph Meuse /Belmont Partners, “I’m telling you they’re already past the recession. The economy is humming. I see at least a 9% GDP growth.

Maria Bartiromo, “Are the Chinese amazed we’re still stuck in the recession?”

“That’s right. They’re holding all the cards and will continue to do so. There is a feeling here that China is still stuck in some kind of Third World mentality. It’s not. It’s a superpower.”

As anyone who lived through Reaganomics knows, lowering taxes stimulates growth. When conferring with the economist Arthur Laufer, Ronald Reagan took a chance and the rest is history with the capitalist machine making the United States the place to be for thirty years. Strong leaders can take chances that give power to others. Weak leaders are convinced they need all the power they can get. Our President has proven himself to be a micro manager, cautiously doling out snippets of “stimulus”, hoping to restart the economic engine, just enough to generate a healthy flow of taxes that he can regulate like a kid fine tuning his motorbike for maximum economy. I think he’s got some definition misunderstandings between “economy” and “the economy”, since he’s been “educated” ever mindful of the imbalance of power in America, in the best grooming institution of the politically successful. It’s one thing to ignore history, yet another to ignore Chinese capitalism’s health readily available for all to see. It would appear that our President’s vanity is clouding his vision that he will be accepted as the leader of the Big Boy’s club, but it’s all about leverage and traction. There’s a reason the USA has garnered respect amid controversy for so long. Don’t presume anything in the real world.

In true statist form the president has taken a crisis and carried the uncertainty forward with his own bombast. He is on a mission of control. Citizens are merely obstacles to be overcome and milked for all they’re worth. Our “leadership” is elitist in nature and above we mere subjects, as they prepare our lives of servitude. It is truly unbelievable that the Democrats are going along with this madness! Where are the Liebermans of the party now? I haven’t made an entry for awhile because I was hoping the former writing on the wall was misunderstood. It was not and my fears are building about the future of our great nation.

Thankyou, President Obama, for bringing thunderstorms to my future! I have confidence you have no desire to get your head out of the clouds. My next greatest hope is that you’re gripped by forces we can’t see, possibly the money behind your advantages, that have produced leverage on you to make you act counter to American values and that you will level with us when you can’t take the hypocracy anymore.

Wishful thinking.

The Parody: Direct From UTube (click here)

My Tongue In Cheek Parody: Robbing Hood

You notice how your sense of optimism may slip away when you least expect it....a slight irritation on the freeway may lead to noticing the dust on your dash and thoughts that you've been thinking of replacing your car, but money's a little tight right now and you won't mind, for the time being that your lifestyle seems to be sliding down a ravine! Cheer up! You're in good company! Everyone in The Western Civilization is going through the same thing.

There seems to be an effort to systematically deconstruct our economy, the greatest in history and the kingpin throughout the free world! Hold on to your hats; We're in for a rough ride, but there could be a Robbing Hood (click the hyperlink to see my parody) robbing from the rich and giving (wink, wink, nod, nod) to the poor. Oh, and by the way, I keep flashing back to the various futures presented in "Back To The Future".

The American Dream in 2009

For a limited time, for new buyers, GM has offered to take over payments for nine months in the event that they lose their job. It feels like another slap in the face of the American taxpayer, dangling candy in front of greedy consumers who snap at the bait, oblivious to ulterior motives as GM once again insinuates itself into a nine month free ride at worst but solvency at best. The intent is to make the consumer feel important, as though there’s nothing more valuable than you, the consumer and they’re investing in you. The problem is the guarantee would be taxpayer money about which they’re being so cavalier in their marketing strategy. It’s a way they can be broad based in hooking as many as possible to gain leverage at crunch time if it doesn’t work as planned, “taking” from the taxpayer, hooking a buyer for the company’s viability, nine months minimum. It’s offensive to a rational sense of accountability. But GM may not have time to use a more measured approach to stay afloat. It’s sometimes described as a retirement plan that sells cars. Where’s my compassion?
The unauthorized book, “On a Clear Day You Can See GM”, regularly comes to mind with the current GM crisis. The book was initially authorized by DeLorean, but when DeLorean realized the position in which it would put him, speaking as he did about problems within the company, he revoked his support of the project. His collaborator released the book on his own, against the wishes of DeLorean and we readers captured a glimpse into a closely guarded organization.
In a way, I suppose we could look at GM as part of our aging infrastructure, much like the railroads of the late 19th century. GM, Ford and Chrysler survived as they claimed the 20th century, one of the most prosperous in the history of mankind. Several good cars faded away tugging at heartstrings as they went. The British had their powerful Navy in previous centuries. Several American car manufacturers didn’t survive because they lacked a combination of elements that defined our identity as a nation and made us swell with pride at our combined American ingenuity as we were the envy of the rest of the world. Even the most suave in exotic lands wanted a piece of that, “Je ne sais quoi? How you say?” Chasing the dream as we all wish for better times.
Perhaps that is what we are lamenting as we have given the main car manufacturers a comfort zone with our loyalties and our love of the creative and often humorous advertising entertainment that would also suffer from such a void.
The USA made people all over the world glad to be alive. Disneyland was so popular it grew roots in France and Japan. The pursuit of happiness became a final destination rather than an end to those with means as the middle class grew and became international in scope. Goodwill and sharing rippled on many shores throughout the world in the form of marketing of ingenious products, from skateboards to jet skis. Certainly Ipods are sexy and have done their share to once again remind us how lucky we are to live in a country where people come to make dreams reality.
But GM has been an economic engine more broad-based and entrenched in our psyches. We’ve grown up attuned to having a certain car at certain points of our lives. We are living the American dream!