Thursday, November 20, 2008

What is Missing from the Bailout Proposals, and how MSNBC once again put their own agenda ahead of country.

Bailout Matching Funds. Has anybody in the media even mentioned the possibility of bailout matching funds?

Anyone needing a bailout from the government should have been required to submit cost saving measures that would be immediately implemented. The idea that big business put their hands out and asked for money without submitting any type of documentation that they too were getting leaner and meaner is something that the mainstream media, led by MSNBC, missed.

Instead of questioning the rapidness with which the bailout bill was moving forward, MSNBC chose to scapegoat John McCain and his desire to postpone the first debate and get back to Washington to discuss the bailout bill. MSNBC actually broadcast all day long with a position that the 700 billion dollar bailout bill MUST PASS!

Two months later and the big three automobile manufacturers want a 25 billion dollar loan, but can the big three offer some type of payroll and overhead costs reductions? The big three want a 25 billion dollar loan, can they put up 2.5 billion in cost cutting measures as collateral?

The term is Bailout Matching Funds, the matching funds don't have to match one to one, but at least put forth an effort. Once again, MSNBC compromised their role as a news reporting channel and instead steered the original bailout bill discussions into their own agenda of passage of the bailout bill without real discussion, while also attacking John McCain for wanting to focus on such an important measure by postponing the first debate.

And these MSNBC clowns want to run our country for the next four years?

Thursday, November 6, 2008

How come Stock Market Shares fall in Value during a Recession when a Company Breaks Even?

Does this make any sense? Why does a share of stock fall in value when a company breaks even during a recession? It seems to me that breaking even in dire economic times would actually be a good thing, no?

Lets factor in that many stocks no longer give dividends out. If you own a stock that gives no dividends out, and that company breaks even during tough economic times, why should the stock go down in value?

Yes, breaking even is the new profit, and that sure makes more sense than devaluing a stock when the parent company can break even in a recession.

How many of you would have been happy if the stock market would just stay stabilized in the past 2 months? If a company isn't losing any money nor making any money during a depression, why should your stock value go down if the company is not even paying you a dividend?

When a company breaks even, that means they paid all of their obligations, paid its employees, overhead, and taxed, but didn't have enough to create additional wealth for his investors. If the company didn't lose money, why is Wall Street devaluing my stock shares?

A simple question from a simple mind. Can you answer it? The company didn't make any profits during a recession, so that must mean the stock is now worth 20% less??? Huh? Why?

It is likely that a company that can break even during dire economic times probably will do ok if and when the economy picks up.

Me thinks some people on top are kind of stupid, either by design or ineptitude. Who gets removes them from their position, and when?

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Is Quality the Answer when it comes to fixing the global economy?

It seems like economic growth is fueled by the belief in something good. Once the good is created, waves of false excitement that lead to false growth get created as cheaper product imitations are made that leave the consumer with the initial belief that they are getting something valuable, for a lot cheaper.

Once the consumer realizes the new cheaper thing is not as good as what it replaced, nor as useful, consumer enthusiam disappears, the value plummets, and the economy crashes.

The initial desire to save the economy is to then try and just get things going again. But if we create things just to get things going again, and the creation isn't based on quality and longevity, there will be nothing to get excited about, hence no real growth, and the economy will just stagnate.

No matter how many times we are led to believe that quality is not the issue, there comes a moment in the economic spin cycle where quality and longevity does matter.

Just recently I read an article about how Detroit had already started retooling some engine plants to make more fuel efficient engines, and now that the price of gasoline was crashing, there was some regret being expressed that maybe Detroit had over reacted to the spike in fuel prices and retooled too quickly.

It will be interesting to see if quality and longevity can make a comeback. Right now it seems the speculators only know how to make a fast buck, which means quality won't make a comeback just yet, and neither will the economy.

Sunday, October 19, 2008

There may be only one way to fix the global economy.

There may be only one way to fix the global economy, and it revolves around the governments of the world changing how they operate. Governments can no longer be energy drainers and huge tax assessors, it no longer works. The world's global economy will only heal when governments from all over the world actually begin to create wealth rather than drain it.

Global economy overlap, in which emerging industrialized nations now compete with existing ones, can only be reversed if each and every government creates it's own wealth and reduces taxes on it's citizens, and the banking institutions quit charging long term interest on short term purchases.

What kind of wealth can governments generate? Energy wealth appears to be the number one commodity. If the United States government could supply energy to it's citizens at very competitive prices, it would become it's own wealth generator and in the process would not need to tax so heavily.

If the United States government generated it's own energy, we would not need to have so many troops spread throughout the world. I don't recommend our government directly compete with energy companies, however there are certain kinds of energy the government should be able to handle, energy such as hydroelectric energy.

In the information age we could lead by example, not by military presence. It really is all about energy now.

Monday, October 13, 2008

Stock Markets Rise over 900 Points, biggest rise ever, um, did your stocks go up very much in value???

I didn't delve too deeply into who did well today, however, just for fun and research purposes I track a few dozen stocks. Hardly any of them had more than a one or two percent jump in "value" on a day when the stock market went up 11%. Somebody has some explaining to do.

Thursday, October 9, 2008

What will fix the Stock Market? How about the government admitting that they and the banking community have gutted the consumer beyond recognition.

George Bush will speak AGAIN this morning and once again I will be reminded of the musical quartet playing on the deck of the Titantic as the Titantic sank. I feel as if George Bush is simply there to ease our minds while the economy tanks.

What would fix the stock market?

An acknowledgement by the government that between their level of taxes and fees, along with ultra high interest rates by the banks on unsecured credit, the consumer does not have enough spendable income left. If President Bush would just admit this, and agree something needs to be done about it, this would actually encourage wall street. New investments in products and goods by businesses would be spurred by the belief that the consumer will be able to afford new purchases at some point in the near future.

However, something else has to happen, and I'll devote my next article to that key issue.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

George Bush Explains about Credit 101, never Mentioning that cash is a good thing to have.

President Bush explains the economy to everybody during ANOTHER hastily called press conference...."Lets say you have a chair for sale, but the customer doesn't have the credit to buy the chair...."

My question is, why doesn't the customer have the cash to buy the chair? Answer, because taxes, fees, and interest take as much as 60% of a customers income, that's why there is a "need" for credit.

I never realized that the Government and Wall Street was doing everybody a favor by keeping everybody in debt and requiring ever increasing debt loads to pay their monthly bills.

Crikey.

NBC Bailouts out on CSPAN Bailout Spoof starring George Soros, Pelosi, Frank, Bush & Sandler lookalikes, but others have preserved the clip.


The Saturday Night Live CSPAN Bailout spoof video clip has been removed by NBC. I consider this bait and switch. Garner great ratings from political material, then pretend it never happened. I stumbled upon a gracious entity who understands the importance of preserving political art and you can download it at Saturday Night Live Spoof starring George Soros lookalike.

This link automatically downloads a wav file to your computer so don't click on it if you don't want it on your computer. I downloaded it with no problems. If you download the video the George Soros piece is in the final 90 seconds, however I don't think you can fast forward the video to the final 90 seconds.


Allegedly the Sandlers complained about their spoof segment, presumably about the caption that appeared over their scene. I can see why they would be concerned. The Saturday Night Live CSPAN piece should have stayed available with the Sandler caption blurred out or rewritten. Yes that can be seen as a form of censorship but since it involves inflammatory language about offing someone, I think an exception could be made.

For NBC to pretend the piece never existed is just wrong and in a way they may be doing more wrong by not accommodating the Sandlers AND letting the viewing audicence see the piece for ALL THE OTHER BITS THAT ARE IN IT. One wrong should not mean an entire piece is deleted from the internet.

George Soros manipulated the democratic race and Barack Obama doesn't care that millions of hard working voices and the elderly were denied a realistic chance to be heard in the Great Plains caucus contests, not to mention Florida, Michigan and Texas.

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Saturday Night Live Transcript of a CSPAN Spoof involving George Soros, Nancy Pelosi, Barney Frank, and the Bailout.

Transcript of Saturday Night Live CSPAN spoof starring "George Bush, Nancy Pelosi, Barney Frank, and George Soros" lookalikes. I transcribed this myself, my preference is anyone can put a link to here rather than just cutting and pasting it somewhere else, thanks.

Barney Frank
Many of you are probably wondering where did that 700 billion missing from our economy go. To help answer that, let me introduce our good friend, Billionaire Hedge Fund Manager George Soros.

George Soros
Zo vut became of zat 700 billion dollars. Well, Basically it belongs to me now. Actually, it's not even dollars anymore but Swiss Francs. Since I have taken a short on position against the U.S. Dollar.

George Bush
Oh Really - that's not good.

George Soros
You're not to speak, I don't like you.

George Bush
(nods incoherently)

George Soros
Yes uh, the U.S. Dollar will have to be devalued sometime next week, either Tuesday or Wednesday, I haven't decided which yet, it will depend on how I feel.


Barney Frank
Thank you very much Mr. Soros, You're a great man.

George Soros
Yes, could I just add that even though you know whats coming, you won't be able to do anything about it.


Nancy Pelosi
You're a wise man, Mr. Soros (in awe), and a powerful one.

Barney Frank
You are better than us.

George Soros
(to Anne Hathaway's penniless husband) Your wife is physically attractive, sell her to me please.

Husband
Sure

Hathaway
OK.

End of faux CSPAN conference courtesy of Saturday Night Live.

The video clip has since been removed by NBC. However, you can download it at Saturday Night Live Spoof starring George Soros lookalike. This link automatically downloads a wav file to your computer so don't click on it if you don't want it on your computer. I downloaded it with no problems. If you download the video the George Soros piece is in the final 90 seconds, however I don't think you can fast forward the video to the final 90 seconds.

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Consumer Bill of Rights, Does one even Exist?

The Wall Street Bailout masked what is really wrong with economy. We need a consumer Bill of Rights, and we need one now.

#1 Full Income Tax Deduction for all renters yearly rent.
#2 Full Income Tax Deductions on Primary Home Mortgage (with a cap).
#3 Full Income Tax Deductions on all necessary medical expenses.
#4 Full Income Tax Deductions on all Insurance Premiums.
#5 Yearly Income Tax Deduction of $1,000 for food per person.
#6 Yearly Income Tax Deduction for Fuel.
#7 Yearly Income Tax Deduction for owning a car that gets 38 miles per gallon.
#8 Full deduction on all non investment interest debt once the debt is 4 years old.
#9 No change to the current Income Tax Tables,
#10. The addition of a true Alternative Minimum TOTAL Tax.
#11 Government Bailout to Wall Street primarily for U.S. industries that produce products and jobs in America.


If the above Consumer Bill of Rights were implemented, the U.S. Economy would rebound.

Are there any downsides? A possibly weakened international military presence and ironically, a rapid and large influx of immigrants who would want to live here.

If we continue on with a strong international military while our own country's insides rot out, one must ask just who does this benefit?

If we put the military to work inside of our own borders, doing things like dredging the Mississippi river and installing hydroelectric plants, or rebuilding our country's infrastructure of bridges and railways, our own economy will improve. I prefer a consumer bailout versus a Wall Street Bailout.

117 million Taxpayers received 170 billion dollars in stimulus relief this year, Wall Street wants 700 billion, want is Wrong with this Picture?

117 million Taxpayers received a total of 170 billion dollars in stimulus relief checks this year, now Wall Street wants FOUR TIMES MORE than that amount. I find it crazy that we would ignore the consumer and their exploding debt and instead manufacture money to give to Wall Street, whose primary job is to create more debt among these same group of american consumers that are already in debt.

Crazier still is to give this money to a group of Wall Street Investors WHO WON'T EVEN KEEP THE MONY IN THE UNITED STATES! CRAZIER STILL IS THAT SOME OF THIS MONEY WILL BE USED TO BUY INFLUENCE IN THE NEXT ELECTION!

Clearly, reducing INTEREST ON OLD CONSUMER DEBT for over a 100 million american consumers would re-ignite the economy. Instead, the consumer's interests are not being addressed, but the politicians are listening to the very people who will then rebate them money for their own political campaigns.

Credit Flowing on Wall Street to do what, invest in other countries while Taking away more jobs from American Workers?

Between the government overtaxing US citizens, to Wall Street investing american money in overseas enterprises, the American Consumer has been thrown to the curb. Where is Ralph Nader when you need him?

Stock Market loses 1.1 trillion in one day over 700 billion dollar bailout bill rejection.

At first thought, one would say it's a "no brainer" to pass a 700 dollar bailout plan if it prevents a one day 1.1 trillion dollar loss on Wall Street. It would also have been a no brainer to come up with a stimulus package for consumers that encourages consumers to pay down their debts, especially OLD, unsecured DEBTS.

Reducing OLD CONSUMER DEBT may possibly be the least discussed option by financial gurus, yet it makes the most sense. Old debt is money owed on unsecured purchases that a consumer has been paying interest on for more than four years yet the principle has remained the same or barely inched downward during that time span.

Wall Street bitterly clings to OLD consumer debt as a source of income in the same manner a dog chases it's own tail. Wall Street wants to be bailed out of current bad loans, but why? So they can make new loans to whom, people still trying to pay off old debt? Wall Street and the Government can only pack so much debt onto the backs of its citizens, then it's either relief, or imprisonment.

Relief is simple enough. Just allow consumers to pay off OLD DEBT interest free. The banks already have made a ton of money off of the interest that has already been paid on the old, unsecured debt, now the consumer gets to pay back the rest with no more interest charges. The plan is so simple, and worthwhile, that not even a peep has been heard in Congress, from the president, nor from Wall Street, because this plan actually helps the consumer first. The consumer in turn would help everyone else. The consumer helping the higher ups is a plan that just cannot be stomached by the egoists in power, shame on them.

Monday, September 29, 2008

Consumer Debt, Why are we not talking about Consumer Debt?

Over the years we have heard about stock market corrections. Stock Market corrections restabilize the market and allow for a new run of success to occur.

Then there is consumer debt. For some reason, the media, the government, nor Wall Street ever states that reducing consumer debt is actually a good thing.

Has consumer debt ever decreased in the past 20 years? Shouldn't consumer debt periodically decrease so the Financial Industry can again entice us to go more in debt? Shouldn't there be an up and down cycle to consumer debt totals?

Consumer Debt Reduction cannot occur with so many hands inside the consumers wallet. Government taxes, state taxes, questionable interest rate charges on credit card debt, not allowing full medical deductions off of our income taxes, and not allowing full rental deductions to those who don't own property are the primary reasons that consumer debt continues to rise every year.

Until consumer debt is reversed and lowered, nothing can be done to fix the economy that will actually work. The Bailout is evil and was rejected, but until the elite in our society acknowledge that the consumer is overleveraged in debt, nothing will change for the better.

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Lets have REAL CHANGE, Instead of the Government Saving the Bankers, how about the Consumer Saving the Economy.

Because the consumer continues to be under represented in important, national issues, the government makes knee jerk decision based on input from the actual kneejerkers that caused the problem in the first place. Fixing the economy is easy. Empower the consumer by waiving all interest charges on old debt.

Empower the homeowner by waiving interest payments for a year or two. Even if the payments remain the same every month, apply the ENTIRE AMOUNT towards the principal. This will do a heck of lot to help the economy. Discourage buying things on credit or with 12 months no upfront payments.

If the economy gets back to being real, then the condition of the economy can be reassessed in six months to a year and adjustments made that that time. Nobody is willing to acknowledge that the banking and investment industry suffocated too many people by having them pay too much in interest. Nobody is willing to take the government to task for wanting to much in the way of taxes without providing anything to help the economy.