So, I have to tell you how hard it was to resist the temptation to go down the obvious post title on this one.
It was really really hard.
There, now ya know.
But really, cars and airplanes are not strictly the same thing. And, for that matter, neither is the making of cars and the flying of airplanes the same thing either. However, companies that make cars and companies that fly airplanes ARE kinda the same. Same in enough ways that they make for useful comparisons.
Posted in Economics, Economy, Elections 2012, Government, Politics: National
Tagged Auto Bailout, Bankruptcy, Barack Obama, Steve Rattner
Romney is wealthy; hell, he is loaded. And I think it’s gonna present him some problems:
It seems that this lack of any real financial struggle has made Romney tone-deaf in what he says about people and money. This fault is Romney’s veritable Achilles heel.
Romney has to acknowledge and accept that this charge will be leveled against him. He has to be prepared for it, plan for it and practice for it. I think he will. And there is plenty of good reason for him to defend himself and his occupation:
…the direct employment losses that result from private-equity deals are not as large as critics claim: on average employment declines by only 1% two years after a buy-out, once the jobs created at new facilities are counted. Such shifts in employment are part of the creative destruction that invigorates the economy, and if private equity hurries the process along, that is all to the good. The evidence suggests that it does. Private-equity buy-outs tend to increase productivity—by around 2%, on average, according to one academic study. If firms become more efficient, the economy works better. Resources will be reallocated where they can better be used.
Romney needs to embrace the free market capitalism that Obama attacks. Romney need to accept the label of capitalist and instead, turn it around and label Obama as the statist that he he is.
There is no shame in taking a corporation that’s struggling and turning it around by, in part, trimming the work force only to hire more productive and able staff in the near future.
Romney needs to celebrate this, not hide from this.
Posted in Elections 2012, Politics: National
Tagged Barack Obama, Capitalism, Mitt Romney, Venture Capitalism
The 2012 election should be interesting. If for no other reason than to see what the impact of corporations being on equal footing with labor unions and the press.
If, for example, the Teamsters are able to contribute and influence, if, for example, the New York Times can endorse candidate, why cannot ACME Plumbing do the same?
I just posted that the 2012 elections are looking good for Republicans. Most folks feel that the the Senate could swap, and if it doesn’t would turn more red than blue. And only the most partisan individuals in the democrat party feel that the House would turn. But the state elections are looking great.
And here in North Carolina? The news is looking even better. Our sitting 1 term governor isn’t looking to run for her 2nd term:
RALEIGH, N.C. — Facing a tough fight for a second term, Gov. Beverly Perdue said Thursday that she will not seek re-election so she can focus her energy on fighting for a sales tax increase to fund education.
This is garbage by the way. Purdue has a horrible approval rating here in Carolina and she knows she doesn’t have Obama’s momentum to carry her through this year. She’ll lose, she knows it, so she’s dropping out.
Another win for Republicans in 2012.
More and more the election of 2010 is proving to beneficial to the Republicans. Not only did it take away the 60 vote majority that allowed the Democrats to pass any political agenda they desired, but it also gave the House of Representatives to the Republicans. Suddenly the Democrats were faced with having to compromise if they wanted to pass an agenda.
Gone were the antagonistic and obnoxious divisive attitudes of the new President and his lieutenants. Gone were the days of Obama snidely remarking:
“Well, we won.”
Yes, the 2010 elections were great just because of that. But now were seeing even more. We’re seeing a nation with more Republican governors. We’re seeing the awesome work that Scott Walker is doing in Wisconsin. We’re seeing the similar work that Ohio is doing, and Florida. Further, the state elected officials were impacted as well. Gone were the days of a North Carolina State House being dominated by Democrats. For the first time in 140 years the Senate and the House are controlled by Republicans.
And now, in the election of 2012, we’re seeing the benefit of that. We’re seeing congressman decline to run:
Washington — Thirteenth District Congressman Brad Miller said Thursday that he will not run for re-election.
The five-term member of the U.S. House said North Carolina’s Republican-controlled legislature “dismantled” his district when they redrew voting maps in July.
The new maps put Miller into the 4th District with political ally and fellow Democrat David Price. Miller said he didn’t want to run against Price.
Republicans are drawing election maps. And those maps no longer favor generations of democrats. They are now favoring Republicans. And high time.
With the wave of Republican victories in the states in 2010 elections, one of the goals has been to tighten Voter ID laws. Currently there is no requirement to show ID in order to vote. Republicans are changing that by passing legislation into law that requires some form of state ID in order to vote on election day.
Democrats are crying foul.
The claim from those on the left is that such laws are aimed to diminish the Democrat vote. The logic, as I understand it, is that the people who don’t have valid state IDs are the poor, minority voters. And these poor and minority voters typically vote Democrat.
As evidence that these laws are being passed to repress voters is the argument that voter fraud is not common; in fact, it’s very rare. While I’m willing to accept the fact that voter fraud is not rampant, I have little faith in the methods that measure it. For example, how are you able to audit such an event? Ballots are private, anonymous and carry no identifying marker. I’m not sure of the science behind the data.
In any event, the whole argument smacks of, “We are willing to allow a certain degree of fraud in order to allow more of my voters to vote.”
The whole of the Democrat argument is one of politics.
However, there IS a certain statistic that is easily validated when verifying voter fraud; dead voters. How surprised was I to see this:
Time and time again the reporters were given ballots. In some cases they even tried to make the case that they didn’t have ID only to be assured that they didn’t need it.
No fraud indeed.
Hat Tip: Larry Volker
Posted in Elections 2012, Liberty, Politics: National
Tagged New Hampshire, Voter Fraud, Voter ID
What a few month’s time will do.
As the end of 2011 drew near, the Occupy Wall Street movement was in full swing. Cities across America were host to Occupy camps full of protesters willing to make the case that the greed and corporate influence in America had reached the point that they could influence legislation. The rich and powerful would be able to craft laws that benefited themselves at the expense of everyone else.
The system was broken. And it needed to change.
The Democrats, facing an election year of better organized Tea Party grassroots organizations, were only too anxious to look at the Occupy movement as a method to garner support. Support and sympathy:
“I understand the frustrations being expressed in those protests,” Obama told ABC News senior White House correspondent Jake Tapper…
The President goes on to compare the Occupy movement with the Tea Party, and then expresses the need to reach out to the Occupy protester:
“The most important thing we can do right now is those of us in leadership letting people know that we understand their struggles and we are on their side, and that we want to set up a system in which hard work, responsibility, doing what you’re supposed to do, is rewarded,” Obama said. “And that people who are irresponsible, who are reckless, who don’t feel a sense of obligation to their communities and their companies and their workers that those folks aren’t rewarded.”
Similarly, Nancy Pelosi expressed her approval of the movement like this:
During a press conference Thursday afternoon, House minority leader Nancy Pelosi praised those participating in the “Occupy Wall Street” protests. “God bless them,” Pelosi said, “for their spontaneity. It’s independent … it’s young, it’s spontaneous, and it’s focused. And it’s going to be effective.”
“The message of the protesters is a message for the establishment everyplace,” said the House Democrats’ leader. “No longer will the recklessness of some on Wall Street cause massive joblessness on Main Street.”
To be sure, each side is entitled to its foot soldiers, its partisans. And they should be expected to pander to ’em all they want. To think otherwise is rather foolish. But it’s interesting to see how quickly the shine has wore off:
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte, which is hosting this year’s Democratic National Convention, may ban camping on city property, a move that would end an anti-Wall Street demonstration.
…
The ordinances would essentially end the Occupy Charlotte encampment at the old City Hall, where protesters have had a presence for months.
The Democrats don’t want the Occupy folks at the convention. At the convention where people will be seen on TV. Where questions will be asked and answers demanded. It would appear, for the time being, that the Occupy movement has run its course.
I’m watching the fellas in New Hampshire. It’s recorded because watching the Saints-Lions game was more important. And, even the game was delayed due to the family Harry Potter night.
Ron Paul knows he can’t win; he doesn’t wanna win.
He wants to preach.
And we should listen.