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12 Dec |
That sure didn’t last long Day to Day Life, Politics
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I guess I was a little premature when I switched from being a contrarian/pessimist to a contrarian/optimist.
I should have known Republicans in the senate couldn’t get past their partisan agenda, and do what’s best for the entire country, instead of only what’s in their own self interest.
As I see it now, unless President Bush acts authoritatively, and helps the Big 3 automakers with money from the TARP fund, another large part of the US manufacturing base (which is what has made this country so great) will be disseminated, and we’ll be headed for another great depression, which we may never emerge from.
Whoever said there were worse things in life than having lymphoma or myeloma, sure knew what he was talking about.
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6 Dec |
Out with the old Off Topic, Politics
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For the longest time, I’d been thinking our economy was headed downward. Lately I was even thinking we were headed toward a great depression of sorts, but a comment by one of the retired, old timers in the bike club, while we were having coffee/tea after our ride, got me to thinking. He said,
I’m sure glad I’m living on a fixed income.
That’s when it dawned on me, while so many people have condemned social security as a ponzi scheme, it may be the true savior of our economy. Sure things will likely worsen some for many in the next couple of months, but there is an abundance of retired individuals, having the protection of that social net, who will ultimately help cushion the blow, until the various proposed stimulus programs are implemented.
Social security didn’t exist in the 30’s, and neither did unemployment compensation, and that contributed greatly to making the great depression ‘great’. Plus the numerous stimulus package(s) that were introduced, at the time, were of such a feeble nature, they were ineffective. It wasn’t until the onset of WWII, when a large enough stimulus was introduced, that the economy really got kick started.
That’s not going to happen this time, and I don’t believe we’re destined to repeat the mistakes of the past. And with people like Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and Christina Romer, head of Obama’s Council of Economic Advisors, both scholars of the great depression, I am for the first time, in a long time, becoming optimistic [about the economy].
And after last months jobs report, it appears many more politicians are also seeing the necessity to save GM, Ford and Chrysler, and for a massive economic stimulus, on a scale comparable to what got us out of the great depression.
Sow it’s out with the contrarian/pessimist of the past, and in with the optimist. Ok at least a contrarian/optimist. One should never get too complacent.
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12 Nov |
Sometimes I have to wonder Day to Day Life, Politics, Work
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This morning, as we were having coffee at the midpoint of our morning bike ride, a friend and long time riding buddy commented
I just hope when Obama gets in, he doesn’t screw up the economy too bad.
SAY WHAT? As if the economy isn’t screwed up enough already, after 8 years of George Bush, 6 years of a Republican congress, and a free market system left to run amok, he’s worried Obama might screw things up more. (Sorry ……. I couldn’t help myself. 
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No matter what Obama does when he gets into office, has to be an improvement. I don’t think it’s possible to screw things up any more than they already are. There just isn’t that much room left, if any, for things to get worse.
But even with that said, I can see it now, as clearly as I can see LA from the top of Turnbull Canyon when the Santa Ana’s are blowing, Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh calling for the impeachment of Obama, and blaming this whole economic mess on him and the Democratic congress.
Then on top of that, I’ve got a customer “all up in arms” complaining the manufacturing plan that was submitted by the machine shop, for some parts that we’re making, isn’t satisfactory.
The big deal in this case is, there isn’t even a requirement to send a separate machining plan for approval. (We already provided a manufacturing plan, including machining, which was approved.) It seems our sales manager requested this plan from the machine shop (bypassing quality), and then proceeded to send it to the customer.
Like I said, sometimes I just have to wonder where some people have their heads?