End Times

Since the time of FDR, maybe before, America has tried to develop a social contract to encourage the flow of resources back to the people. The idea was to develop an array of safety nets for those who were unable to fend for themselves, or who fell through the cracks of the free enterprise, capitalistic system. Prof Walter Russell Meade of Bard College writes at length on the subject, saying in part . . . the institutions,...

Pol*Crastinating

We’ve just learned the republicans caved again, granting Obama a 3-4mo reprieve before using the Debt Ceiling to shut down his government. I use the word reprieve advisedly opposed to delay, extend, dilly-dally, hoping they really mean to do it. Ever the optimists, we conservatives! Reprieve connotes guilty as charged, with temporary hold on punishment pending a last-minute reassessment of the situation. Look for...

Ziggurats

HIGH POTOMAC EMBANKMENTS, ROTUNDA TOPS PENNSYLVANIA ZIGGURAT First came the Fiscal Cliff along the Potomac, with talks stymied until the last minute. Republicans caved on almost every issue, eking out one meager concession: taxes would be hiked only on those making $400K+, not $250K. Obama dug in, called their bluff, threatened to make the country believe it was all their fault if we went off the cliff. He had been...

Disgusted 2% = Economic Malaise

I’m amazed Fed Chairman Bernanke can’t understand why the economy doesn’t take off, with interest rates so low? Why the stimulus or quantitative easings didn’t prod things along? I can’t understand people being ecstatic we avoided the fiscal cliff, thinking that would improve things? Three main drivers of budgetary success/failure are revenues, spending and level of economic activity. Revenues...

Two Gorilla Surprise!

We’re the board of directors at the zoo, and our original budget called for one(1) gorilla in the simian enclosure, along with all the other screeching apes, monkeys, chimps & baboons. Now we find ourselves with two unplanned 900lb gorillas who, along with the other primates, are eating us out of house and home! One faction suggests we seek out more efficient ways of buying provisions: increase the volume, use...