The Public Health Care Option

We have hundreds of private health care plans. We also have Medicare, Medicaid and we have the plan that our Representatives and Senators enjoy. I have an idea. Look at all of these and choose one for the public option. The only requirement is that the Senators and Representatives must accept this as well along with the rest of the government workers.

They call this problem the public option, like the public is something other than them. You know those pesky public people. The Senators on the talking heads show this morning almost admitted that this was so difficult they didn't know what to do. If that is surprising to you than you are not paying attention.

We have millions of people out of work and still bleeding. COBRA is not an option for 95% of the people. Employers are going to start cutting back on health care offerings. Things are going to get worse before they get better. Washington, do your job. Either use what programs we have and subsidize it or shut up. There are models everywhere, a lot of good ones that work. Pick one and let's move on to creating jobs. Because if that doesn't happen nothing else will matter. The Great Depression lasted so long because there were no jobs. Jobs create income, which creates, money in peoples pockets, which helps everything. No band aids like cash for clunkers as that was a only short term flashy political thing that in the long run will do little. A long term solution is needed here.

Hellooooo, anybody home??????

The Power of the Vote - Use It.

Have you had the time to witness your representatives to Congress actions lately. We see such things as people shouting LIAR! at the President. We have representatives telling people that one parties health plan is for them to die quickly when sick. Still the same we vs them, you can plug in the party of choice.

It is not however time for change, it is time to vote. This is our time. Take a long hard look at your spokespersons in Congress. Are they doing a good job or are they just howling at the moon. Their retirement plan includes health care and a nice pension so don't fret for their well being just vote them out. Put fear into all their hearts that if you act like a fool you will be dismissed. We can fix this. We have the power and we need to use it. The stakes are too high to continue with representatives who don't get it.

Around one hundred fifty years ago a wise President told us this country was of the people, by the people and for the people. Coming this November make sure the person you vote for gets this. If they don't, send them on the way to their life's work.

New Manager, Same Ball Club Part 2

For the few readers of this diatribe you might remember that it was written here that we have a new Manager (Obama) but the same team (congress). Not many more wins should be anticipated. Here is some fodder to perhaps prove the point.

In our gotta have it right now society the left feels the stimulus was not enough and wants to spend more money to get the economy moving. The Obama plan is not working. The right says Aha, I told you he was a tax and spend liberal. None of his plan is working. Could they both be right?

Truth is only about 10% of the Obama stimulus plan has been implemented. It will take time to implement the plan and hopefully get us out of this economic mess. It took time to get us in (Congress and Wall Street) and it will take time to get us out (Obama). We need to get out of this hole in the right way so it is a lasting recovery. Change will be hard here. Remember Manager Obama has pretty much the same team, so don't expect too many more wins than last year. Play Ball.

Wall Street and steroids

There is a parallel between steroids in baseball and Wall Street. Baseball players took steroids because their peers did and they wanted to be able to compete. Wall Street analysts took extreme risks because their peers did to and they wanted to be able to compete.

Now here is the difference. Baseball woke up and said no more steroids and we will begin testing. Wall Street gets more money (their steroid) and still little or no testing. You don't reward bad behavior. What is the incentive for Wall Street to not do this again when our government is the pusher. Is this so hard to see?

Sports Need to Change Too

I heard on the radio today from Colin Cowherd that the average Yankees ticket last year was $43. This year in their new stadium it is now $78. Not sure if that includes the thousand or so obstructed view seats. Nice architect. Same deal for the Mets.

On another front, 35 million dollars plus is being spent on a basketball coach for the University of KY. I think that is over 7 years or so. That makes it better, right.

On still another Michael Vick feels he can waltz back into the NFL and command $10 million a year. Are you kidding me? Must be, because the bankruptcy judge wasn't buying either.

The point is that until we get control of ourselves and realize that no one is worth that much money we are in trouble as a culture. All sports are out of cost control and soon no one is going to be able to afford to attend. Let's show some responsibility here, someone, please.

Hail to Jon Stewart

We finally got some hard reporting from an unlikely source. The Comedy Channel. Finally someone stepped into one of these greedy pseudo capitalist clowns and exposed them for what they are. They are all a part of the dirty little secret known as greed is good and don't tell anyone we are leveraged beyond belief, it will work itself out bunch.

Hats off to Jon Stewart and now let's get the rest of the Wall Street crowd on his show for their moment to get exposed. Let's invite the CEO's of AIG, CITI, and the rest to be on Jon's show. His show appears to be the only place where we can speak about greed and being irresponsible.

Cramer got what he deserved and he knew all along that we were leveraged way too far out. After all he ran a successful hedge fund for years. You know one of those types of instruments that has caused all the problems. And while we're at it let's get the Bill Clinton's, Chris Dodd's, Barney Frank's, George Bushes of the world on the show too and ask them what they were thinking when they passed and or signed legislation that allowed this all to happen. I know I sound like a broken record but this is a conspiracy of greed and these people are financial terrorists. You go Jon Stewart!!!!!!

Bigger is Better?

Make no mistake about this. It is the big, really big banks that are causing all the trouble around here. One of the problems with consolidation and lack of competition is that when something(s) fail it causes chaos in the markets. There are about 3 or 4really big banks left in the U. S. They are still having issues because of trust. Big bank number one doesn't trust big bank number 2 and so on.

I have an idea. Why don't Big Bank #1 and Big bank #2 go and see little bank #234 and little bank #432. Those banks are solvent, making good loans for good people who deserve one. They don't need a bailout because the truly smart people really work there. These folks make a solid living, work and play where they live, volunteer for worthy causes, and create expansion of our economy everyday. They talk to their customers and perform the due diligence required to make a good decision for EVERYONE involved.

Until we get back to banking and fiscal sanity none of the efforts being made will help. Are you listening AIG, CITI, JP, BOFA. Have your management team go visit a local bank that has about 12 locations around a county or two. They will show you how it was done yesterday, how it is done today, and how it will be done tomorrow.

New Manager, Same Ball Club

My children will tell you that I always explain my philosophies with baseball analogies. I believe rightly or wrongly that life is best explained using baseball for understanding. Having said that let's first look at our ongoing national team, the legislative branch. This branch over the last 20 years has tried to fix energy, education, health care, taxes, infrastructure, Social Security, Amtrak, Medicare, and on and on. In baseball terms this legislative team has finished out of the playoffs, way out, for at least the last 20 years. If you think this team has been in the playoffs read the Limits of Power by Andrew Bacevich.

Now, the owners of this team, the of the people, by the people and for the people, people, have said we need a new manager with new ideas to lead our team. But, the team is the same. Oh one faction may be in charge now where a different one was before but it is still the same team, with the same the same hitters and the same pitchers and the same player agents. While their performance maybe at best marginally better with a new manager, we haven't really made any trades for power hitters, or solid pitching to help with this team. Face it, this team really has no All Stars.

Spring is coming to America and it is almost time to play ball. The first few months are really spring training as we get to know the new manager and his coaching staff. We have spent a lot of money in the off season but have gotten few new players on our legislative team. We have some new team captains but it appears all they do is yell at the old captains and vice versa. Doesn't make for real good team harmony. I fear another year of missing the playoffs is in order.

It appears to me we need to change the lineup and give our new manager some power hitters, some pitching and some good utility players for his team. Without several lineup changes this team will again finish poorly. Remember this in November and remember to look back at the standings. Play ball.

On Transparency

Transparency is one of the new watch words we are hearing lately. We are saying our financial institutions need to be transparent or said another way have their actions and business practices visible to everyone, especially investors.

You know like divulge all the money held in offshore accounts, or the assets that you have artificially inflated with idiotic accounting. You know like be honest about the money you have been entrusted with. You know like a consumer with a credit score that tells all about them. Shouldn't banking institutions have the same thing? Shouldn't consumers be able to know everything about a financial institution before they invest?

We need to cut the fancy financial crap and go back to assets and liabilities. If it is harder than that then we fail. If Joe bag of donuts walks into the bank and says I need a loan but I got some stuff over here you can't see what do you think the loan officer will say. That door has to swing both ways or banking will never recover.

Retention Bonuses

The big CEO's of the financial industry just were before Congress indicating there would be no big bonuses or wasting of taxpayer money. The were correct, there won't be as many bonuses, but in their place will be retention awards to retain the talent they want to. A wise woman once told me if it walks like a duck, and it swims like a duck, and it quacks like a duck, IT'S A DUCK!! The financial terrorists have no moral compass and yet they are being treated as they do. Or is it just a dog an pony show for Congress to look good and powerful, when they are neither.

This is a sad chapter in the culture of greed that pervades our country. It will be our eventual undoing if not stopped. Only the people of this country can save it as the leadership void in Congress is critical. Know who you are voting for and use the power of the ballot. We have new leadership at the top and he deserves a better support group than what he has in the two houses. Don't think party think brains. Give him the team he needs to be successful. Not people who don't know fossil fuels from their shadow.

What is the End Game with all this Stimulus Stuff?

I think the stimulus packages, this one and the last one, is a load of baloney (insert your own expletive if you like). Albeit a big load but baloney none the less. What these packages are trying to do is restore the excesses of the past where consumers buy more than they should, whether it be houses, cars, credit card balances or whatever. Does anyone do a reasonableness test anymore? Are we trying to go back to living beyond our means? Are we saying we need to return to the past excesses? This all seems like a vicious cycle to me. How does this practice ever end?

As a nation and a world we need to relearn to live within our means. We need to know there is predatory lending when the rewards for making loans is so great the lenders will do anything to make loans. Remember what Michael Douglas said in Wall Street "Greed is good." Is that what we are trying to get back to? Are those really the new good old days? I think they are the days of the financial terrorists and hope they are gone forever.

I think it would do America good to step back and realize that perhaps that $2,000 plasma HD TV isn't really necessary. Perhaps a Chevy will do instead of a BMW. Perhaps a starter home would be good instead of a $350,000 four thousand square foot castle with a 100% mortgage that takes all of one income just to pay the mortgage, taxes and insurance, utilities, furniture and so on.

We need real leadership here just like when you looked your child in the eye when they were little and said you can't have that. Sorry, but we can't afford that right now. We need to save that money for your college fund. Let's start looking past tomorrow and think about the big picture. Ask yourself, do I really need all this, or is it just baloney.

The Drug of Money

For about the last 20 years or so many leaders in our financial industry thought it was a good idea to leverage their companies at a ratio of about 30 to 1 or higher. They were flying high making incredible amounts of money and ignoring the basic tenants of risk. Kind of like the drug addict who keeps on using and thinks they can stop anytime they want. We all know how well that turns out. Well intentioned friends and family enable the addict and they don't get any better.

Well what has the government been doing? Our financial industry has the drug of money clouding their judgement. Our past government enabled this behavior by giving them more of the drug with no strings, thus enabling them. Taxpayer dollars provided more of the same drug that got the money addicts in trouble in the first place.

Here is hoping President Obama sees the folly in this type of government action and truly changes the course. If you are going to use my tax dollars either the addict needs to reform or we need to replace them with a non addict. Giving money, drugs or anything else to someone who has a history of abuse usually turns out badly unless the money/drug is removed or the person is truly rehabilitated.

Gitmo To Go

President Obama has indicated he plans to close the detention facility at Guantanamo. I say it is about time to not only close the detention facility but to close Guantanamo Bay and give it back to Cuba. This is really part of the silliness of politics anyway. We need to start normalizing relations with people who don't always think exactly like us. Cuba would be a good start and would send a good message that the old ways of doing things are gone. A new America is on the horizon, one that leads by example.

We should also look at our presence throughout the world and start cutting back. We can't afford to be all things to all people. Bases in Korea, Germany, etc should be closed or at the very least scaled back. As far as the Middle East is concerned that area has had Christians, Jews and Muslims killing each other for centuries. All in the name of God, Allah, Christ whatever. Perhaps it is time to leave the area to its own devices and just, well, leave. We keep sending in the latest Secretary of State over and nothing really comes of it. Until the people of the Middle East region come to the same conclusion that the Northern Ireland people did (the killing must stop) the rest is just politics. The people of the region must want the killing to stop or it won't.