Word Is Sasha and Malia Aren't Speaking to the WH Press Secretary After He Mentions Raising Justin's Taxes Next Year....
There's a saying - watch what you say, because you NEVER know who you're going to offend... This week's boo-boo (aside from both Presidential candidates) came from White House Press Secretary and James Spader clone Jay Carney, who apparently forgot that you don't mention the president's friends when talking about taxes and millionaires...
It occurred at Friday's WH Press Corps daily briefing. Carney was going on his usual line to continue the Bush Tax Cuts, except for those making over $250,000 a year. As usual, he mentioned various rich people who can afford paying more taxes, including Mitt Romney and Barack Obama, along with a very strange addition - teen heartthrob Justin Bieber. Carney, who used to work for Joe Biden, seems to have inherited his old boss' penchant for not thinking on his feet..
You see, Bieber is a not-so-secret crush of Sasha and Malia Obama. He's even met a few times with the President. Oh, and we forgot another thing..... Bieber is CANADIAN!!! We're not even positive he pays taxes in America, though we suspect he does. Still, of all the people in the world to name, Bieber is certainly an odd choice.... Nice going, Skippy. It did make us wonder one thing: while we're discussing millionaires and billionaires, did anyone else notice we don't hear about Warren Buffett or his secretary anymore???
However, we will give kudos to Carney on on point. To finish, he was asked to comment on Mitt Romney's rough first day in London, but he refused. It's an unwritten rule that you don't comment on candidates while they are overseas, and Carney kept it, but that wasn't good enough for the White House reporter. About four times, she badgered Carney for a comment, stating that it applied to the campaign, and he owed it to them to comment. Carney stood his ground, leaving the reporter without her red meat. Think that there aren't reporters covering the White House that don't have their own agendas? Think again....
.
This Quarter's Pathetic GDP Numbers Are Making Obama Wince...
This week, we got more confirmation of what we already knew.... The economy is grinding to a halt. The Commerce Department gave it's quarterly estimates for Gross Domestic Product (GDP). It basically is a value of all goods and services produced in the United States - and it grew at an annual rate of a meager 1.5%... Clearly, Americans aren't getting out of this weak economy.
Like we often say, all of these things are related, and neither camp seems to grasp HOW to fix an economic downturn. Republicans think priming the pump from the top down 'job creators' start recovery. Meanwhile, Democrats are more correct that middle class consumption is what fuels growth - but they falsely think that government spending is what will kickstart it. Add to that the BS claim that continuing the Bush Tax Cuts for 98% of Americans is a TAX CUT! Wrong - not raising taxes is not the same as cutting taxes. It's doing nothing. Only in DC can you say you did nothing, and claim you did something positive...
Again, the slowing GDP is a sure sign that job creation will soon fizzle out to almost nothing, and certainly not enough to sustain a recovery. We need to create 125,000 jobs a month to keep up with population growth. That correlates generally to a 3.0% growth in GDP. Common sense would dictate then that we could expect the upcoming job creation numbers to continue in the 60,000 per month range. In short, there are less resources and jobs available for more people - and that translates into either a rise in the unemployment rate, or a continuation of jobseekers leaving the market. In any scenario, it's not good - unless you're Mitt Romney.
Though the electoral map hasn't shown it yet, another three months of this bad news cannot be good for Barack Obama in November. If he wants to create a long-term recovery, he needs to create a long-term tax plan that business can read and react to. Right now, it's a quagmire, like a bowl of pea soup.. Some businesses would hire, but there is no clear plan from DC. Without it, American Business will stand pat until all the mess of 2013 plays out, and they can see what the landscape with Taxmageddon and Obamacare is like. That means we are in for a stalled economy until at least 2014. It's going to be a long year and a half...
.
Since Congress has effectively taken off even before they take a five-week vacation, the cartoonists had little/nothing to speak of in DC. Sometimes, that's a good thing.. The less they work, the less damage they do! Last week's top story in Colorado spilled over a bit into this week, as both presidential camps stopped airing negative ads out of respect for the Aurora victims. Of course, by Monday, it was back to business..
Outside of politics, there was plenty to talk about. We didn't know The Muppets worked with Chick-Fil-A, but not anymore. So far, the 'Eat Mor Chikin' cows are still working for them...It's funny how people seemed stunned that a company that is closed on Sunday to allow it's employees to attend church is socially conservative... We'll see you there on August 1st...
And we pause a moment to remember Sally Ride.. Her being the first woman in space was a big deal back in 1983, and we remember it well... It's another case where today's young girls who have all the options open to them have a hero to look up to for breaking that barrier down....
Lastly, congrats to North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un on his recent marriage... You can't blame his wife - we wouldn't be advertising the fact we married an ugly tyrant either.. Where do we send the gifts?
.
For a little while here, we've been wondering - along with a lot of political insiders - why Mitt Romney has been pretty quiet during the recent barrage of attack ads from the Obama camp. After much contemplation, we seemed to have gotten confirmation that we were right: it's Summertime, and no one is listening, so why bother? Yessiree, like a tree falling in the woods, if no one is there to hear it, it didn't really happen.
We ran across an article from Real Clear Politics' Robert Tracinski, and it pretty much confirms what we thought: Team Obama needs to try and label Romney now, while Romney cools his heels until next month... Then, Mitt kicks it into overdrive for what looms to be his best month yet.
Two big problems for a challenger is being labeled by the incumbent, and not ever looking Presidential. Obama overcame both of those in 2008 - the second one with his trip to Europe. As far as labeling, Romney seems to be in good shape.. After two weeks of endless attacks that even inferred he might have committed a felony, Obama is still stuck in a statistical dead heat at 47%. Not a good sign. Meanwhile, Romney is about to go on a month-long juggetnaut of good press...
It all starts next week, when he will attend the London Olympics - something he knows a little bit about. Obama can stop by and look important, but Romney's actually organized one of these, so it's hard to get any bad press from that. He continues his tour around Europe, which will lead right into making his VP pick. Lastly, comes the GOP Convention in Tampa before Labor Day kicks in.... Not a bad run, is it.
Of course, there are lots of variables to this... Just like Obama's ads, all of this could slide under the radar of voters obsessed with Back to School and one last vacation before Summer ends. Then what? There's a good chance that Romney's campaign could fall flat the same as Obama's try did. Add to that Obama has the last go around with the Democratic convention, so if Romney is still stuck in a dead heat after the GOP convention, he's in a lot of trouble once Obama riles up America with another of his hopeful missives... Not everyone's gonna buy it like 2008, but many will.
The big problem for Romney is not the nationwide vote - it's the Electoral College, which determines the winner. A 2-3 point swing will not win him the election. RCP has Obama with 250 votes in the bag, to Romney's 181. He needs to capture all the swing states, and maybe one or two not in play now. Florida, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Wisconsin ALL have to turn, and somehow snatching Michigan wouldn't hurt... Still, it all has to start somewhere - and Romney is banking on it beginning next week. If it doesn't, he is in a lot of trouble. Start your clocks............... NOW!
.
The House Decides It Needs to 'Go-Go' On a Five-Week Break....
In case you ever wondered why people run for Congress, you have another explanation... Easy work hours. Five day work weeks? Nope. Most are three - if they actually attend hearings. Usually they're just hanging out in the office. And if you want to talk vacation time, you can't beat Congress... Two weeks a year? Hell, they have that beat in August alone - by TWICE that....
Yes, in the ultimate example of shoving insult to injury in the face of taxpayers, Congress - which already has spent most of 2012 doing nothing - is making it official... They're going on a five-week break starting August 3rd! Yes, the rigors of filibustering and spewing party-line talking points DOES take it's toll..
Of course, they won't be hanging on the Pavilion, or going to an exotic island somewhere or the London Olympics - at least not the whole time. Their main focus will be raising money and getting re-elected. They'll bullshit you into believing they've saved a billion jobs and really done something, so you'll vote them back in... Then it all starts over again in January. It doesn't get much better when they return after Labor Day... In the final five months of 2012, Congress will be in session a total or 42 days - barely more than 8 days a month! In that limited time, they need to address about $494 Billion in impending tax hikes, in addition to tons of other issues that they haven't taken on yet.
No, you shouldn't be insulted or angry at DC for doing nothing at $174,000 a year.. After all, they do this every year - and you keep re-electing them every two years, because we NEED them in that spot eight years from now, when they finally get a committee spot. See, it's all your fault anyway....
Our apologies to P-Luv for stealing one of his longtime themes.
.
And then there are week's like this, where one story tops all of them... We've been a bit quiet on Friday's tragedy in Colorado - partly because we've been busy with other things that we'll talk about soon, so we haven't read all the details. But partly also because when these things occur, the same old argument ensues, and neither group seems to ever ackowledge, much less listen, to the other side. It must be nice to be so closed-minded...
The main problem is that we have two groups who are both part right and part wrong... Yes, almost all gun owners are responsible, normal people. Then, we have cities and towns that have problems with gun crimes, and need to find ways to address them. Things like these happen, and it's always a single, twisted stressed out nutjob who goes nuts and rehashes the argument over again. Second Amendment rights are important, but do people need automatic weapons for protection and hunting? No. Of course, gun laws generally restrict access to lawful gun owners only.. Is there a perfect solution? Nope... if there was, we'd have done it by now.
Of course, we did have politics still... With nothing else to do, we're left waiting for Romney's choice for Vice-President. Outsourcing might not be a bad idea.. Hmmmm...... VP Merkel? We could do worse.
Lastly, with the Boy Scouts not allowing Gays - but still keeping the fruity uniforms - we give you this cartoon, straight outta 'Queer Eye For the Straight Guy'.... Looks like they're staying slacker, and bypassing the Metrosexual Look.
.
Mitt Romney May Have Condi Rice On His Wishlist, But She Ain't Coming
Perhaps the most intruiging news of the week was the Drudge Report's story that former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was a leading candidate for Mitt Romney's VP spot.... While there are a lot of positives, and it sure would shake things up a bit, we have a pretty solid statement to say about it - it AIN'T happening!
This is the down season right now.... The primaries are done, and it's Summertime. Most of us, meaning normal people - not junkies like you or me - are taking the Summer off from politics. That forces us to try and find something big to talk about. Unfortunately, that leads us to prognosticating upcoming events, like the Romney Veepstakes. Drudge Report's story on the Rice frontrunner status could be true, but our guess it's more of a wishlist - if anything at all.
Yes, there are some compelling reasons Condi Rice would boost Mitt Romney's campaign, among them:
Name Recognition
Added Buzz to a Dull Campaign
Help from weak demographic areas
Strengthening Romney's weak Foreign Policy
It'd be a lot of fun to see Condi Rice's name in the Number two slot.. Some are even working on the duo.... like this one. But, the fact is Condi Rice is a pipedream.... She's not running for VP. Added to that is there are some negatives as well. If you haven't been thinking about them, we'll give you a few just off the top of our head here.
What States Will She Pull?
Rice was born in Alabama, but that's already in Romney's bag. Where else does she help Romney? Nowhere. She's more of a national figure, so regional or actual states she will assist are up for dispute.
Do We Really Want to Bring Up Dubya This Year?
She was Bush 43's Nationla Security Advisor, then his Secretary of State, when Colin Powell had enough of dealing with Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld. Bringing Rice back into the fold recalls what killed us in 2008 - the Dubya Years. We need to move forward in 2012. We see a slew of attack ads shwoign Rice and GW Bush all over the airwaves...
No Economic Experience
Do you need some policy reasons for not adding Rice as Veep? We have a couple. She has no economic experience, and in this year of 'It's the Economy, Stupid', she brings nothing to the table to help Romney - or the economy.
She's Pro-Choice
We saw in 2008 what having a VP candidate that disagrees with you on Abortion can do internally to a campaign. Romney is Pro-Life, and the base sure is. Rice is not, and that could cause problems for him... Unless of course, Romney flipped a bit on that. We could live with it, because we don't care much about social issues, but the base doesn't..
It's WAAAAAYYY Better Outside of DC
Of all the reasons, this is the biggest by far... Condileezza Rice is having an absolute blast since she left in 2009. She works in thinktanks, writes books, does speaking engagements and was the object of Moammar Qaddafi's affection for years! Compare that to the mess and crappy weather in DC, and it's no choice. Yeah, you could try to make her feel guilty by talking about duty to country, but Rice has an easy answer to that - I already gave at the office. Twice.... Cut her some slack.
That leads us to our basic conclusion: If she doesn't want to do the job, she will do a crappy job of it, so let her off the hook. Enough with the demographic data and surveys..... Just find a solid if not spectacular choice, and move on. Condi Rice would get a lot of chatter, but it isn't gonna happen....
.
Perhaps the best thing about when Congress goes away for vacation is that the cartoons seem to be funnier.... That, and we can be sure that nothing else will be wrecked, unlike when they're in session. It kinda frees them up to look all over, rather than just DC, for intreresting fodder. The first big recent event was the House passing a bill to end Obamacare for the 33rd time. Yeah, it's all political, but hopefully this will be the last time in this term they bother with it - the Serenity Prayer would be good advice right now...
![]()
The other big deal - just from the other end - was Barack Obama pushing to continue the Bush Tax cut, which isn't a cut, just avoiding a hike - except to those making over $250,000 per year. It's a tough sell when even Chuck Schumer is against it, because in New York, 250k isn't a lot of money... The bigger problem is there is still no LONG TERM tax policy. Argue over Middle Class cuts, job creators or both, but until they make the picture clearer for more than 12 months at a time, nothing will work - especially raising taxes on anyone. We need to spend less.....
This week's WTF moment was the US Olympic Committee's acceptance of Ralph Lauren's making the team's uniforms in China... Nevermind that, we want to know what the hell is up with those fruity berets???? Harry Reid was right, but he needs to jump in the fiery trash can with them!
The saddest news was the Freeh Report on the Sandusky scandal at Penn State.... It's sad, but no surprise, that Joe Paterno knew what was going on, and he made some bad decisions in the attempt to protect his friend. The Nittany Lion football program is wounded, but likely not mortally... They might be battling Indiana and Northwestern for the cellar in the Big Ten for now, but they'll bounce back eventually...
.
OK, it's been about a week since the news broke that I would be running for Florence County's State Executive Committee position. Honestly, we weren't expecting much positive to come of it, but we've really been pleasantly surprised by the good reviews of my doing so. Yeah, we would expect Earl Capps to endorse me, but even I wasn't sure he would recommend my running. I don't run for the sake of running. Getting beaten 25-0 or having 4% of a primary vote isn't my idea of fun. So, the question needs to be asked - why run? It's easy: at this point in time, I am the best combination of qualifications and attitude for this job.
The term is only filling out the eight months of Julian Young's term, but right now, the relationship between the FCGOP and many other counties in the state is pretty ugly. While I don't blame the FCGOP for the SEI mess, it was apparent to anyone looking at it objectively that they purposely disregarded the SC Supreme Court's ruling, and allowed candidates on the ballot that they shouldn't have. Not that I don't sympathize with why they did, but law is law - and when this happened, another 45 or so candidates came off the ballot. Many counties blame them for this. I don't, but it is what it is..
For this short eight month period, the FCGOP needs to bridge the gulf between themselves and the other counties. Putting one of their own in the EC spot will not do it. They need to take this opportunity to tell everyone 'OK, we get it' - whether they feel it's right or not. We know Tommy Phillips is qualified, but they would never pick him, so I put my hat in the ring once I saw that no one with better qualifications than me would.. Maybe they do hate me. Honestly, I don't know why. All I can say is that I've never suggested they need to go, and despite all the lies they have told others about me, it hasn't let me feel the same ill will. They have strengths, and like me, weaknesses. If I had a dollar for everytime I've heard 'You're not at all like the FCGOP says you are' this year, I'd be pretty well off...
Tom Phillips and I both have promised the same thing: we will only serve the eight months, while taking prospective successors around to ensure the fences will be mended by 2013. It's what's needed right now, but certain members of the leadership seem to think the only ones with any skills are them...
The control of literally all things in the FCGOP is concentrated within about 4-5 people. It's frustrating to hear from some of the members of the FCGOP leadership complain how hard they work for nothing, but yet they refuse to include others in assisting. Here's a great example: when I renewed my membership, the application listed about a dozen things we would be willing to get involved in. I checked off poll watcher - one of the most needed spots - and no one ever called. Apparently, I'm not even qualified for that in their minds. Why? Because I'm their worst nightmare - a guy who manages to point out when they make mistakes everytime they screw up, and be right on every occasion. And I was one of five people who voted for Tommy Phillips in 2009 under a sense of loyalty. It was 104-5, and they still hold a grudge over it..
Not everyone is a fan of The Four Horsemen, but we're pretty darned good at what we do. Each of us have different skills, and while we don't love everyone (especially Tom), we generally manage to work with anyone we have to. If those in the FCGOP weren't on a 'With Us or Against Us' kick, they'd have more support... The takeover was actually pretty beautiful - a group looking to include those who wanted back in the party. What happened? They're all gone. Given weeks ahead to prepare for Monday's meeting, only 14 of the 39 EC members showed.... Stunning. The bird has certainly turned. Bill Pickle did his best to keep it positive, but the attitude of a couple of the elected party leaders was embarrassing. Some of the members have questions - 'Just Trust Us' isn't always good enough.
Nothing against Elijah Jones, but he is two months into the 7th District Chairman gig - which encompasses eight counties in the FIRST election for that seat - and he wants to handle the EC job as well.. Why? I don't know, but I remember him saying how exhausted he was doing the Chairman duties and trying to work at the same time. Maybe he's recovered, but there is a far more worrisome reason he shouldn't have both jobs at the same time...
Yes, there are county chairs who have statewide offices, as well as District jobs. But, there is a particular problem of being District Chair and Executive Committeeman together. District Chair is a speaking only position, but being both lends confusion at the EC meetings... At what point are you speaking as District Chair, and when are you speaking as EC? Are you exclusively Chair until you get to vote as EC? It puts too much power into one person, and there is the unavoidable fact that whatever you are doing at the EC meeting , you CAN'T do both at the same time. Therefore, for the entire duration of any meetings, you are abandoning one job or the other. It's a fact...
No, there is no rule that states you can't be both. However, it's probably because no one fathomed the thought that one person would feel that they are the only person who can or should do both jobs... There are plenty of talented people out there. I just happen to be one of them. I didn't talk anyone into not running... I fact, I asked one to stay in, so the possibility of a friendly race might exist. But that's gone. I'm sorry, but Tommy Phillips' or my political resume - along with what it needed at this moment - trounces the need to let anyone from the FCGOP leadership to hold this position right now. They have enough work to do....
The Executive Committeeman is much like the consigliere in a Mafia family. He/She is the conscience of the party who sits back, watches intently, and when a sage-like voice of reason needs to pipe up to steer the party back for it's own good, he does it. They might look at me as a negative force, but they have misjudged me from Day One, when I prevented them from bumrushing the county convention. I made them do it fairly... It was for the better of the party - it was honest. That's what I do. I get things in the open, let them be discussed fairly and honestly, and when it's over, I move on - without keeping score. It's why I have a good reputation in SC politics. No pretense, no bullshit - just honesty and respect. Maybe they don't respect me, but that's their problem. Most do, and that's why I might surprise a few people on the 23rd - or whenever they can scrounge up the committee again.
If you know anyone in the Florence GOP, try to make them see the light - that I'm doing this for the right reason, and we will ALL be better off for it. It might still not work, but it's worth a try...
.
Welcome to another Sunday morning, and our usual weekend lineup! With the Congress on Independence Day vacation, nothing happened in DC, so the cartoonists had little politically. But they made the best of it, because we have four toons for you today. Our top pick is this one, which combines the recent SCOTUS ruling on Obamacare, but looks at it from a baseball perspective. It's not easy being the umpire, is it?
Speaking of not easy, this July 4th, it was probably not the easiest task to explain to kids about freedoms - but at least he can teach his kid about time management. Get ready for the most jaded generation ever...
Even science can't get away from politics either these days... We have no idea what a 'God Particle' is, but we doubt it has anything to do with religion. You never know though....
If you were looking for something totally apolitical, here is your nugget..... Mission Impossible - that pretty damned cold!
.
Ahh, It Looks So Nice... That Pretty Blue Train Zipping Right Past the Palm Trees - But You Just Paid $3.2 Billion For This Waste of a Project...
Whenever we think of California, we think of the line form that song
'They took Paradise and put up a parking lot'... For all of the beautiful weather and landscape, people have managed to run that state into the ground - and they're all set to do it again.. This time, with the mirage that building high speed rail will save them. Ignorance truly is bliss, but it's expensive - VERY expensive.....
Yep, yesterday, the California legislature - which has a budget deficit in the $40 Billion range - authorized the first leg of their high speed rail project from San Francisco to Los Angeles and Las Vegas eventually. They OK'd the sale of $4.5 billion in bonds (aka debt) of which $2.6 will go towards the building of the first leg of the line between the metropolises of Madera and Bakersfield. The remaining $1.9 Billion will be used to improve regional rail lines (aka, more realistic rail usage) across the state. The rush was on for Cali, because they now became eligible for an additional $3.2 billion in Federal funds, thanks mostly to other fiscally responsible states, like Florida, Ohio and Wisconsin, turning down federal money. California doesn't think that way...
No, the Golden State is a bastion of Democratic, Keynesian economic thought, where the government is the engine that stokes the fire - the straw that stirs the drink. While we are all for public works projects, the smart use of them is the key, and High Speed Rail is a huge miss... It's used a lot in Europe and Japan - where reliable vehicles are as rare as unannoying American tourists. They use mass transit more, because they do not live in their cars, and are more centric in where they live and work. Getting between cities by car is tough...
California doesn't have that problem. There are plenty of highways to travel by, and rail is slower than flying and takes much longer - even high speed rail. If you're expecting to hop on a train at the Golden Gate Bridge, get right on and end up on Sunset Boulevard, think again. The main Los Angeles are station is in Victorville - and hour away. Getting high speed rail to travel through downtown LA is impossible... So, you have to drive outside of town, get on the train, then travel, end up at the other station, get off - then either take a cab or rent a car into town. That is unless you happen to have business in Victorville.
And in that hassle is the main beef with High Speed Rail: it's not functional or useful enough to merit the expense - and it's your money they're wasting. The money they will waste on what will eventually be a $68 Billion project - $3.2 billion - could be used to repair every single unsafe bridge and road in South Carolina. Unfortunately, it's not a project that you can name after your local Congressman. Think about all the airports, new roads and bridges to nowhere that are a waste of your tax money. But, it makes for a great photo op, and it gives the mirage that your are changing things. Too bad it's for the worse......
High Speed Rail is that theory on Steroids... Yes, people will be hired to build this - just like the Pyramids and the Eiffel Tower. Actually, slaves made the Pyramids, but we digress... Our question is how many people worked at the Pyramids afterwards? More importantly, how many people used or paid to use them after? We rest our case... California just blew $3.2 billion of your money - and it's just the start. That's how liberals do it - spending your way out of the hole, and it'll all be fine. But when the governemnt cash dries up, who's there to support it? Not the private sector, and there won't be enough riders to maintain it. It's shiny and new now, but we can see 15-20 years down the road when it's a relic - a $68 Billion relic.
.
This one is from our buddy Matt D., who contributed the original FB pic from a wet floor sign! If you choose to eat only healthy foods and veggies, you have our blessing. However, we like meat.... A lot. And nothing answers this billboard's question more correctly than the nine word answer here. Bacon - YUMMMMMM... Dog meat? Ehh, not so much.
.
We're not big fans of bashing corporations, but sometimes they flat-out deserve it... To be completely honest, we own a life insurance policy through an AIG subsidiary, and have for 11 years - well before they decided to insure nearly every credit default swap deal in the world in 2008. During the great bailout that year, AIG received about $180 billion in assistance. They were the one who those that spoke of 'Too Big to Fail' were talking about... They may be too big to fail, but they're apparently small enough to sue the government.
According to a Fox News article, AIG is suing the IRS for $30 million, or about 2 days interest on the wad of cash they got in 2008. Why? It seems that AIG discovered they overpaid on their taxes - in 1991 - and with interest, they would like restitution. Yeah, there are statutes of limitations on these things, and AIG found out that theirs in the case were about to run out. Yes, their balls are made of brass...
Our opinion on taxes - especially if you're a major conglomerate - is that you have certified public accountants working on your taxes, and you're supposed to be the financial wizards here. If you eff up you taxes, that's your problem. If you wait 21 years to complain about it, that's even worse. If you were a major player responsible as anyone for the largest financial collapse EVER, in the amount approximately 6000 TIMES worse than the amount you're complaining about, pack your shit up and go home...
.
With Only 80,000 New Jobs Created,The Traffic Jam For Improved Employment Is Still Bumper to Bumper As Far As We Can See...
Alright, the new job numbers for June are in.... and although they weren't as bad as we warned they could be, they were still pretty disappointing. Some estimates were that we could have added upwards of 170,000 jobs, to which we ask 'WTF were you thinking?'... As usual, it ended up in the middle. Of course, the possibility that those numbers will be adjusted down are distinct. It happens a lot.
First, a point of personal privilege... I commented on this on a Facebook page yesterday, relative to a couple points I made from my post before it came out. I think some guy who is a retired IBM'er spent about an hour to comment on how forecasters plan well ahead, not month to month relative numbers. Here is my response: Uhh, I commented while at work, so the time to fully comment on all I know about how decisions like this are made is impossible, and quite arrogant. I don't have the time to explain all I know, and it's kind of talking down to others to comment that way. In short, you didn't tell me anything I didn't already know - go back to the golf course and enjoy your retirement!
Yes, the economy is still sputtering along, and nowhere near the rate of creation needed to spur recovery and affect unemployment in a positive way.. We're stuck still at 8.2%, which is bad news for Barack Obama - he's still .1% up from April... Some say that number will fall despite the lack of jobs , due to the dropping of millions from unemployment payrolls who have exhausted their benefits. We're not sure about that. People not drawing benefits are still included in the numbers - as long as they are still seeking work. If they give up, then they don't count - but few actually give up...
Still, the environment to discourage people is there... The road to employment is a lot like highway traffic - everyone is moving along on the available lanes. If the lanes available (jobs in demand) is enough for the cars driving on it (worker supply), then traffic moves along smoothly. However, close one or two of the lanes (layoffs), and a massive traffic jam ensues. Some get stuck in the wrong lane (underemployment), some get cut off (too much competition) - and some just get off the road altogether. This is a terrible time for high school, college students and recent grads. The gigs they usually get are being taken by adults who have to do something to make money. Survival of the neediest...
If 80,000 jobs a month continue to be the norm - about 40,000 less than is needed just to keep up with population growth - the traffic jam will only get worse. That closed lane needs to be freed up. Tax policy needs to be simplified, and set on a long term path so businesses can actually make long-term plans. The final decision on Obamacare might assist in that as well, but we don't think American Business has a real grasp on the actual costs involved, so we have our doubts. DC hasn't shown a willingness to do that, so we don't see any improvement in the job market at least until 2013 - or later. Washington is the construction crew that has the lane closed, and Tony is sitting in the truck, munching on a donut right now - all while the cones blocking the lane are firmly in place...
.
Here at SC6, we like to show you the dumber side of politics, by showing you the little ridiculous things that no one else seems to notice... We heard this on POTUS Radio today, and we HAD to find a clip. Today, Barack Obama was in Maumee, Ohio - it's pronounced MAW-mee, like a guy with a thick Boston accent mentioning his mother.
This won't take long at all, so don't worry that the video clip is 27 minutes long. Obama gets introduced to his 'Betting on America' stop, and while most attendees give the usual 'whoo-hoo' , someone is doing the Xena Warrior Princess 'Ay-ya-da-da-da-da !!!' thing.... Check it out. You won't need to listen for more than a minute.
Unreal.. She started at about 40 seconds, and finally gave out at 2 minutes.... Even Lucy Lawless can only do it for ten seconds! Our guess was the President was silently hoping someone would choke that nutjob.. Obama's followers have always been considered rabid - but this one might actually need a shot for it!
.
Betting on America ??? Why do we see Obama dressed like James Bond in Monte Carlo, with Michelle in one of her rented Badgley Mishcka dresses at his side, mouthing 'Always Bet on Red - Red, White and Blue , that is'... Like we said - it's Summertime. They're still trying out slogans. Hey, at least it's better than 'Forward'....
.
It's not easy being Eric Fehrnstrom, one of Mitt Romney's campaign spokesmen. You remember Eric - 'Mr. Etch a Sketch'????? Yes, THAT guy. He made the big mistake of any spokesperson.... he was honest. The Etch a Sketch comment was completely true - all campaigns adjust to the center to attract middle of the road voters. It was a bit refreshing, but the problem was he spoke too soon.....
No, you don't talk about the general election until the primaries are done offically, even if it seems all but over. Well, he is at it again this week - but for the very opposite reason. With the Obamacare decision in, the comparisons between it and Romneycare in Massatooshits are inevitable. Romney is in a tough spot, and his team is having a really hard time answering the really big question - what is the difference between the two?
Truth is, there isn't much - and he needs to acknowledge it. If I were on Team Romney, I would go with this tack: Yes, Obama copied Romneycare. Yes, it is a tax, and so was mine. However, I know as much about implementing this as much as anyone, and I can see in hindsight that my plan for Healthcare is not implementable nationally... Changes need to be made to cut costs. Simple as that.......
They're not going that route, and Fehrnstrom's leading the charge. While everyone now acknowledges that the fines are a Tax, Fehrstrom was all over the place, saying that Romneycare is NOT a tax. It's pretty easy - anything you have to pay to the governemnt is a TAX... Being honest and ending this part of the argument would be the smart thing to do, but Fehrnstrom seems to be spooked from 'Etch a Sketch'-gate.
It's easy... There are times to be completely honest, and there are times when you hold off being completely truthful. Fehrnstrom's getting it all backwards, but since Romney is saying the same bullshit, it's a gameplan. Whose plan it is, we don't know, but it's a bad idea. They find it out in September, when the assaults on TV about all this come out every 30 seconds ....
.
How Many Times Do We Have to F**king Explain This??? Rodents Can't Play Guitar Because They Don't Have Opposable Thumbs !!!!!
What do you do when your business hinges on kids wanting to go there against their parents will, even at the expense of making them eat inedible pizza? Common sense would dictate - we don't know - that maybe you make better pizza.. Not to the wizards at Chuck E. Cheese. Their theory is that the only problem is the wrapper that holds that crap is not palatable enough.. That is, as long as the kids think it's cool to be there, who cares what the food tastes like? And the easiest way to fix that is to update Chuck E. Cheese himself!
Yep, Chuck E. isn't hip enough.. So, they've decided to Disney-ise him: make him look more like one of the Chipmunks, slap on a surf-dick shirt, and have him straddle a Gibson Les Paul Jr.. With three fingers, we can only assume all he'll be able to play is Black Sabbath. Still, we suppose it IS an upgrade....
Seriously, look at this pathetic piece of shit..... His tongue's hanging out, he's got a 'C' cap on, like you're expecting him to yell 'Franks and Beans!! Franks and Beans!!' like Warren from There's Something About Mary .... Tell us that you can't picture Adam Sandler voicing this thing?? Worst of all, he appears intoxicated. We saw this look once before: we were nine, and at my Cousin Donna's wedding, her dad (who was divorced) brought his best friend as a guest to the reception... Two hours later, he was blown out - and he decked his buddy near the dance floor....
Of course, it's more likely that Chuck E. would get decked - by anyone in the place. Luckily for us, we have never even set foot in a Chuck E. Cheese... That's perhaps the best thing about not having kids - you get to avoid places like this, but we've heard it's torture for adults!
Will it all work for Chuck E. Cheese Inc.? We doubt it. It didn't work for Mr. Peanut when he dropped the cane and the monicle (what were they thinking?), and we'd expect the same. The only way they could become cool is if they changed the mascot and renamed it Chuck D. Cheese - then again, even Public Enemy is over the hill....
.
Thank God, We Won't Be Spending $600 a Night to Have Our Vacation Ruined With Secret Service Blocking Off Everything !!
Call it an Election Year Optic decision.... As we know, the Obama's like to take vacations. Whereas the Bushes always went back to Crawford or Kennebunkport, the Obamas - aka, The First Family without a home - usually went globetrotting or to Hawaii, where at least they know people. During Summer, Martha's Vineyard seemed to be their home away from home. Not this year....
Actually, there are a couple reasons why. Mainly, the Blue Heron House, where they spent the past three Summers, was recently sold - and the new owners have no intention of playing host to the First Family at a joint they paid millions and millions for... But also, summering on Martha's Vineyard is not exactly a way to look 'everyman' to voters. Even Mitt Romney is staying away from two of his four houses until Election Day....
This comes as good news for regulars and residents of the island. It's all of four or five miles long, so when the Obamas came to town - along with the Secret Service blocking off everything and anything near them - it was like you were paying for being imprisoned for three weeks. While merchants were happy with the extra attention - namely reporters and gawkers coming on the ferry - most people were not happy with having them there every Summer. The point of being in the Hamptons or Martha's Vineyard is to relax and see nobody. Now they have that again...
So, the big question is where will they go now? Our guess was just mentioned.... We can't picture a better way to spend an election summer than a three week, non-stop fundraiser at P. Diddy's joint in the Hamptons!! Hey Michelle...... pass the Ciroc and the Courvoisier !!!!
.
Search All You Want, But The Numbers Aren't Looking Good For June...
It's the 4th of July.... and for most of us , that means cookouts, fireworks - and some hot assed weather! However, for the economic wonkish of us, we're looking forward to Friday... Why - because it's the weekend? Nope. Because it's two days closer to my birthday on Monday? Uhh, no... It's because Friday is the day we get the most important statistic related to November's presidential election - the unemployment numbers for June 2012! We knew you'd be excited..
No, the monthly tracking of whether the rate went up or down a tenth of a point, or stayed the same is of little consequence.. or is it? We've gone over the relationship between unemployment and electability a few times, so we'll skip it. However, we have a sneaking suspicion that this one will be more epic than the last few... For the first time in 21 months, we could have NEGATIVE job growth. We're not talking about people stopped looking for jobs, or not enough new jobs to keep up with population... We're talking about LESS jobs overall.
What makes us wonder this? A couple statistics. First, the trending down of created jobs for the past few months, down to a pretty low 69,000 last month - half of what the Labor Dept. predicted. If it's going the wrong way, it may very well continue that path, and other numbers back that up as well...
For starters, the new filers for unemployment are on the rise again. It is essentially the precursor to higher overall unemployment rates. Where they were averaging 340-350,000 per week, they have risen to 380-390,000 again. Add 40,000 new unemployed per week, and there's a good chance that 69,000 will drop. Also, generally June is not a good month unemployment-wise. In the past 20 years unemployment has dropped only 4 times, while it has risen 10 times and remained the same 6 times. In other words, there's an 80% chance that it will be the same or worse. Even when you take the actual created jobs, the June jobs created over the same time from May, 8 of the 20 years were worse.
But wait - there's more! June is the first month of Summer, when all students are doen with school - and looking for work during vacation. Many of them will not find work. Student unemployment is nearing 50%, mainly because of the weak economy, and the downflow of underemployment creeping into the jobs students usually get. When people look for work but can't find any, the labor pool rises - and unemployment goes up. Worst of all, the global slowdown has caused manufacturing production to drop for the first time in years - mainly from a decreased foreign demand.
Yes, all the signs are there, and those of us who care about WHY these things are occuring can't wait for Friday's numbers.. Seeing the unemployment rate tick up to 8.3% wouldn't surprise us. That is all most will look at, and get depressed or happy. However, it's the numbers inside that 8.whatever that really matter. If the actual number of employed drops, that will be catastrophic for Barack Obama. He has constantly talked up the 4 million jobs created over 26 months, but the problem is that they were created over the first 20 of those months. The ride is over, and we might well be dipping into another sputter economically - then the spin begins all over again.
.
The Job is the Same, But It's a Different Game For Us, As We Take On Our Newest Job in Laurinburg .....
Perhaps our biggest reason for missing posts the last few days was this... After an extended break and waiting months to start job training - which eventually fell apart - we got a call from a headhunter in St. Louis about a job. Yes, we are returning to Service Advisorship, but it's in a slightly different industry - Farm Equipment. Yes, we got a job with Southeast Fram Equipment in Laurinburg, NC. Southeast owns six dealerships on the NC/SC border, of which Laurinburg is the flagship store....
It is going to be a challenge in many ways, first and foremost of which is financial... It's an 1hr 15 minute drive each way, so based on the gas used and depreciation on the car from mileage, it makes more sense to stay in a motel for now. So, there goes about $650 per month. It'd be nice to get an apartment, but it would cost more than that when you include utilities - and a security deposit. Add the current half of the mortgage, and our car payment, and we will not be clear much if any cash at first. However, I get to renegotiate after 90 days, and the car will be paid off in the Spring. In short, it's going to be a tight winter...
But, there are definite advantages as well. There is room for advancement, and I have some sweet benefits, like health insurance from Day One, a 100% match on my 401k to 6%, and a sizeable term life policy as well. More importantly, farm equipment is a slower paced environment. All my bosses are nice, and customers aren't nearly as high strung as in the car business. They're not demanding, and understand that fixing equipment takes a little time. Also, I get to learn the parts side of business as well, which I never had experienced, so I'll be strengthening my skills as well..
Of course, challenge number one is learning the farming business. They work totally different from cars, and there are dozens of types of machinery used - tractors, mowers, sprayers, and dozens of add-ons that go with it... There's a ton to learn, and it's going to take awhile. But, overall it appears to be a good opportunity, although spending the week in Laurinburg pales compared to being at home. The good part is I'll be done at 500pm each day - and bored - which should lead to plenty of available time to post. We'll see...
.
"The instrument by which [government] must act are either the AUTHORITY of the laws or FORCE. If the first be destroyed, the last must be substituted; and where this becomes the ordinary instrument of government there is an end to liberty!"
- Alexander Hamilton, 1794.
Happy 4th of July!! While we are late with our usual Sunday Founders Quote, it's appropriate that we do it on Independence Day.... It was on this day, that our founders - True Patriots, not just people with signs complaining about Obama - realized that the only way to become independent was to take it by force. We too prefer to do things legally, and respect the courts. But, sometimes you need to take other avenues as well..
Monique Alexander is something we'd like to have - legally, by force or any other means necessary.. Shoot off a Roman candle or two for her today!
.
This is easily the latest we've ever posted for our Sunday lineup.. We apologize for the delay. We lost power for most of the day, and was a bit under the weather earlier that day as well, after stepping on a fire ant mound while putting up signs for the Four Horsemen event the day before. Now, onto the toons....
Obviously, all eyes and pens were on the Supreme Court last week.. First, they ruled on Arizona's Immigration laws, which were for the most part wiped out. This toon assumes that all illegals might best keep a copy handy incase they do get pulled over anyway..
That however, was small potatoes compared to Thursday's megabomb on Obamacare. While we are a tad less worried personally, now that we have health insurance again, we wonder how lower middle class people who can't really pull off the $500-600 a month for it will deal... For this group, their idea was to drive to Canada, where nationalized health care has been around for a while. Of course, they don't waste trillions of dollars on pork and useless programs like we do, so paying for the big things is easier...
.
And to Conclude Our Week of Crappy Posts, We Offer Our Conspiracy Theory on Anderson Cooper and Tom Cruise...
Having a few minutes to think about Tom Cruise's impending divorce from Katie Holmes, suddenlt followed by Anderson Cooper's announcement that he is gay, we can only draw one conclusion - Coop's making a play for the Top Gun!
Do we have any proof of this? No. Is Tom Cruise even gay? We don't think so, although the whole couch jumping thing on Oprah made us wonder what the hell was going on with him.... Still, he's never gone the Hollywood 'I'll go gay in my next movie so I have a chance at an Oscar' route. That makes us wonder aloud if he's pulling a Cary Grant or Rock Hudson, and dozens of others in the old days of Hollywood. We doubt it, but it is funny.
Instead of TomKat , will we soon see it replaced by 'AnderTom Cruiper?' Hey, you never know....
.
Not that we've ever paid attention to it or not, but the big news today was Anderson Cooper came out of the closet to Andrew Sullivan.. Whoop dee doo - unless you're one of the millions of haus frau's who were hoping he'd jump through the TV screen and ask you to dump your fat, inattentive husband and marry him..
We used this picture in a post once before, and we knew right at that time that Cooper could be gay. He meets all the requirements for it here: black boots, perfectly faded jeans, come hither eyes, and the perfect fitting tee that shows just enough bicep to show he hits the gym ( nautilus, not free weights). Yes, he's a lithe, fit, well kept man - which is a dead giveaway - and exactly like us, minus the fitness. Now we know why everyone wonders if we're gay also..
.
