BTW: Dow dropped another 7% today. So we've effectively lost 20% of the stock market in 10 days. Officially defined a "Stock Market Crash". I had $2800 in a 401k before all this, now I have $1500. I feel bad for anyone who wanted to retire this year.
It'll keep falling until someone (well, a few someones) decide "Holy shit! It's time to go bargain-hunting!"
As Clark Howard (syndicated radio host on money issues, apolitical but as frugal as they come) said, "This is the single best opportunity of a lifetime for younger people with some money stored away to get into the market." As soon as it starts rising, BUY LIKE MAD!
As for my retirement funds, I'll take a partial hit, but I have a sizeable percentage of it in the loss-proof G Fund, so I'll be okay. I also get savings bonds through payroll deduction, and those can't lose value either.
I don't like Barrack Osama
. I don't like John McPalin
.
Is there a third candidate that
will actually do something for this country?
Not really.
As otherwise observed, Bob Barr is only about half Libertarian; he still holds to many GOP credos. Interestingly, the guy who got Barr to switch allegiances and 'sign on' as a Libertarian now refuses to support him, for a few reasons, one of which appears to be mostly semantic.
On a personal and purely selfish level, I'm hoping Barr doesn't win because he's the trial lawyer for a friend of mine, IF his case ever goes to trial, and being POTUS might affect his trial schedule.
As for the Green Party candidate, Cynthia McKinney.....well, the only good news there is, at least her fumbling attempt to remain in the public eye got her the hell out of Georgia.
Oh, and while we are on the subject of the economy and politics ...
Bills I Believe Should Be Introduced:
* It should be made illegal for US corporations over a certain size to outsource work overseas (or at least put a cap on it ... say no more than 30 or 40% can be outsources outside of the US). - This would keep jobs in the US and bring us one step closer to helping us stabilize our economy. We need to stop sending work out of this country. I don't care if you can pay 6 telemarketers in India to work for what it would cost to employ one person here in the US. The people and the economy of this country need those job here, not for you to abandon them so that you can give yourself and your board of directors buddies extra bonuses this quarter.
Hey, how bout a better idea that doesn't involve government control (which I abhor):
Let's do what Ireland did!
Ireland recently made history by slashing their corporate tax rates. Their national economy, which had been sputtering along like most of Europe's, took off like a rocket and is now the envy of Europe, with corporations bringing their assets, money and jobs to Ireland.
It's simple: the harder a government makes it for business to DO business, the more you can wave their money and those jobs goodbye. The US has one of the highest corporate tax rates in the industrialized world...is it any wonder that companies are less inclined to do business here?
This is one of the problems I have with Obama: when you plan to penalize companies or small businesses for achieving by raising their tax rates, as he does, not only do you make it harder for them to employ people or keep the economy running, you also say to achievers "Congratulations! You've done well! But as a matter of fairness, we will now take more of your capital and give it to others who are failures."
Remember that 80% of new jobs in this country originate with small businesses.....yet these entrepreneurs are the very people that Obama's tax hikes will hurt the most.
Why the hell should ANYONE strive to achieve in this country when the government will simply take more of your success away from you? It's self-defeating. You cannot tax yourself into prosperity; it didn't work for Ancient Rome, and it hasn't worked since.
When asked why he favors increasing taxes on the "rich", Joe Biden actually said "It's only fair."
To his credit, he
does know that when taxes are reduced, as they were in 2001, the revenue into the government actually increases, due to more economy activity fostered by the cuts. When you increase taxes, the incoming revenue declines. So for Biden, it's not a question of improving the country or growing the economy, it's a matter of buying votes.
Gosh, thanks, Joe. Two cheers for ya.
And this is supposed to be the 'change' that Obama keeps promising? It's just business as usual in Washington. :zombie:
uke: When a "feminazi" wants a female president, we don't want one who is a conservative PSYCHO who is anti pro-choice just because she wants more babies to eat. She's a murderer and a radical evangelical who wants to SENSOR BOOKS on ANY sign of evolution and tried to put teaching creationism in schools!!!!! I can't even BEGIN on how much this woman is a freakin' nut case! Please, please, please do not be deceived on what she looks like on television, do some research on her literal history (politically and even before that).
Here's hoping those vintage star wars toys will still be worth something and if they are people actually will have money to buy them.
