And so it begins...

...or ends.

If there was any doubt that the US's dominance in this world was coming to an end, the (poor/lack of) management in the sub-prime lending scandal and its culmination (for now) in the Bailout Abomination should erase whatever's left.

And Paulson has wasted no time in bringing a Goldman Sach's buddy into the fray.

Look for more cronyism, and very little in the way of substantive reform...in the short term. And hold onto your pants (if you still have them). We're in for a rough ride!

Bailout Abomination!

I was hoping that Congress would implement some oversight measures to ensure that Paulson's $250bil "slush fund for buddies" is used properly. Instead, the Senate adds tons of irrelevant (and wasteful) "pork"! The only good thing about the Senate re-jiggered bill is that it increases the FDIC limit from $100k to $250k.

Jeez! Congress's moment to shine and they end up looking no better than the Wall Street criminals that got us in this mess... Nice!

It's not Just McCain That's "Out of Touch"...

...it's (apparently) his whole campaign!

In this article, the following is stated:

Holtz-Eakin also defended McCain's assertions about the fundamentals of the U.S. economy being strong and cited the Republican presidential candidate's work on the Senate Commerce Committee, which oversees telecommunications, as part of his qualifications to lead the country through a financial crisis.

"You're looking at the miracle that John McCain helped create," Holtz-Eakin told reporters while holding up a Blackberry device.

Thanks Mr. Holtz-Eakin. Now I know who to blame for the mess that is this country's telco "market". Dominated by a few ILECs (Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers) that are more interested in squeezing profit out of their current infrastructure than updating it for 21st. century needs. A few years ago we ranked near the top in broadband speed. Now we sit at an appalling 15th!


Why does this matter? Well, not only is the internet the future of commerce, but the future is already here and we are falling behind...far behind!

Get a clue! Stop taking credit and asking for laurels where shame would be more appropriate!

John McCain: Serial Liar

Or rather, John McCain's campaign is based on a series of lies. Negative campaigning gets McCain nowhere, with me, but apparently a long ways with a fair portion of the U.S.

It's not surprising, though it is disappointing.

GOP Tricket...a Bit Difficult to Swallow.

This is what the GOP is asking you to believe:

"I'm a little confused. Let me see if I have this straight.....

• Grow up in Hawaii, raised by your grandparents: you're "exotic, different".
• Grow up in Alaska, eating mooseburgers: a quintessential American story.

• Name is Barack: you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim.
• Name your kids Willow, Trig and Track: you're a maverick.

• Graduate from Harvard law School: you are unstable.
• Attend 5 different small colleges before graduating: you're well grounded.

• Spend 3 years as a brilliant community organizer, become the first black President of the Harvard Law Review, create a voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, become chairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, spend 4 years in the United States Senate representing a state of 13 million people while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees: you don't have any real leadership experience.
• Total resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, 20 months as the governor of a state with only 650,000 people: you're qualified to become the country's second highest ranking executive.

• You have been married to the same woman for 19 years while raising 2 beautiful daughters, all within Protestant churches: you're not a real Christian.
• You cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month: you're a Christian.

• You teach responsible, age appropriate sex education, including the proper use of birth control: you are eroding the fiber of society.
• If, while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with no other option in sex education in your state's school system while your unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant: you're very responsible.

• If your wife is a Harvard graduate lawyer who gave up a position in a prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city community, then gave that up to raise a family: your family's values don't represent America's.
• If your husband is nicknamed "First Dude", with at least one DWI conviction and no college education, who didn't register to vote until age 25 and once was a member of a group that advocated the secession of Alaska from the USA: your family is extremely admirable.

OK, much clearer now."

If you actually believe the GOP's crap: you need to read more or, perhaps, go back to school.