Say no to the golden handout, Washington

I’m getting nervous here. The brain-iacs in Washington are still trying to increase U.S. taxpayer debt by $700 billion. Yes, billion with a B!!

If that doesn’t scare you, I don’t know what will. In at least the past 20 years this country has had its economic ups and downs. So it occurs to me that through recent history if our government couldn’t control the thieves who run corporations into the ground, how can we believe government can get it right this time!

We can’t believe them and we shouldn’t! It would be far better if our elected officials kept their mouths shut this week, let the market do what the market needs to do. Focus on putting in place stringent laws that prevent any more corporations from such gross mismanagement.

There’s an old adage: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Most of us know from personal experience that proves to be true.

It is proving to be true now for all those lenders and corporations who thought they could bend the rules to facilitate increased revenues and bigger bonuses for the execs…and never get caught! Ever heard of Ying and Yang? Cause and effect? Action, reaction?

I believe the $700 billion payout has a “too good to be true” feel to it as well. It gives me a stomachache when I think about it, and from my experience, I know that stomachache is my instinct – which is usually right – telling me something is no good.

We need a paradigm shift in the U.S. economy. People need to stop looking for the quick buck. Homebuilders need to stop building brand new homes that people can’t afford, and instead pursue a new business line rehabbing pre-existing homes. Not mansions – homes! That first-time homebuyers and working class families can afford.

Creditors must stop giving money to bad risks. Thankfully it sounds like the skid brakes have come on this week in that regard. Each American citizen has to take responsibility and establish good credit. It takes work, discipline and denial. None of which 21st century Americans are fond of!

Take ownership for yourself, average American. Take responsibility for your mistakes and thievery, corporate executive. Stop the scare tactics elected officials, and take time to create a permanent fix, not a band-aid.

Lipstick?

I am not the biggest fan of Barack Obama…it’s unlikely I will vote for him. But I’m not really a fan of John McCain either. And as I wrote in another post, I truly hope none of us will vote solely on the basis of gender, color or age. Let’s just vote for who we believe will do the best job.

That said, I can hardly believe the latest brouhaha over Barack’s “lipstick” comment. I absolutely do not believe he intended anything by it, toward Sarah Palin (or any other woman).

I think it was one of those times – we’ve all had them! – where somebody says something (Gov. Palin mentioned lipstick), it sticks in your head and soon pops out of your mouth. No malice implied or planned. Simple human nature.

It may not show orignal thinking on Sen. Obama’s part, but I truly do not believe he was being derogatory toward Gov. Palin.

Fill in the blanks

At last we know who both presidential candidates picked for VP. I’m not sure what to make of either one, but at least now all the cards are on the table.

For the obvious reason, I like Gov. Palin. She’s a she…like me. But I never want to be the sort of person who makes a pick based on gender, color, religion, etc. I want to choose the best leader.

Until about 10:58 a.m. ET Friday, I (and probably many other Americans) could not have told you who Alaska’s governor was, so I am reluctant to readily embrace McCain’s choice. All I’ve heard to date is she’a ”hockey mom” with a journalism degree who hunts, has five children and has been governor for two years. Still nothing substantive on which I can cast a vote for U.S. president.

Biden on the other hand has name recognition. But I have a feeling if this was a private sector deal and Obama had just been hired as CEO, while Biden only got a VP position, Biden would never last. He would be bitter because he didn’t picked as CEO while this young climber with little experience was running the show. That rarely works in business and I don’t see it working well in government. Government has its own unique and often bizarre operating rules, but at its core, the systems – and the people – function much the same as on the private side.

As I see it, both sides now owe us some solid answers. I want Palin to tell us what she accomplished for Alaska and its people. I want Obama to tell us, without script in hand, what he will accomplish for America and its people.

I want all four to answer tough questions with real answers. No buzzwords, no PR spin, no marketing fluff. Be real. Prove why you should be allowed the privilege of leading this great nation for four years. And do it soon, please–the clock is ticking quickly away to Nov. 4.

(Oh by the way, stay out of the Gulf Coast. You’re not president yet, either one of you. Go on with the Republican convention, get on with a campaign that tell us what you will do for America and how you will do it. Let President Bush and his administration deal with the Gustav crisis.)

If not now, when?

Less than three months to the presidential election, and still neither McCain nor Obama have picked their veeps. What’s up with that?

I realize the VP really doesn’t do much…unless something happens to the pres. Then we have a problem. We better hope the pres made a solid choice–picked someone who is capable of running the country.

For me, particularly in this 2008 race, the VP pick will influence my vote. Neither candidate impresses me much. I feel like my vote will be for the lesser of two evils. Not a comforting feeling in today’s crazy world.

I want a strong president, who is a visionary leader. Not just an eloquent speaker or someone with military experience. I want substance, in the P/VP package.

This election scares me because the next four years could bring a whole new wave of problems. But maybe, just maybe, with the right vice president, I will feel more confident in one of these candidates.

So gentlemen, make a decision today and share it with your fellow Americans!

McLellan’s book insults Americans’ intelligence

It’s hard for me to take Scott McLellan’s allegations seriously. This is the guy who worked for President Bush #2 for six years. SIX YEARS! But now, two years and one fat publisher’s paycheck later, McLellan suddenly finds principles. Gimme a break! Surely you take the American public for a bunch of idiots, Scott.

If any of those things you allege were true and really mattered to you in principle, you would have left the White House after one year. Ahhh, but then you probably wouldn’t have gotten that publishing deal. Or at the very least, the book would be on the fiction list.

According to Wikipedia, his entire career has been in politics. In that world, particularly at that level, McLellan could have walked away from the White House and right into some other prominent position. Like many others have done, he no doubt could have moved into the private sector and tripled his salary overnight.

Wait, I guess he has done that with this book deal, hasn’t he? I’m not saying what he wrote is or is not true – how would I know?

But I cannot buy it as truth from him when he stayed in the situation he claims to find so awful for six years. If any of what you wrote is true, Scott, you are equally at fault as anyone you point your finger at in the book.

Please don’t vote for an -ism

In this volatile presidential election race, I hope we will all vote for the most qualified candidate. We may each define “qualified” differently, but in 2008 in the United States of America, I truly hope that “qualified” has nothing to do with color, age or gender. If it does – if it still does – then this country has not advanced. Our collective mindset will really be no further ahead than it was decades ago…maybe even centuries ago.

I’m not going to suggest who anyone should vote for, but please don’t cast your vote for someone just because that person is black – or not. Is female – or not. Is young – or not.

Longevity

Can you name all the democratic presidential wannabes that jumped in when the 2008 presidential race started way back in 1998? Okay, okay…it didn’t start 10 years ago, but it sure feels like it’s been going on forever!

My point is that the political pundits, the media and the candidates carry on about some of the smallest things during their fight to win the nomination and the presidencey. Yet most of it is quickly forgotten, like the early hopefuls’ names.

In my daily life so much of what they waste time on is irrelevant and unimportant. Instead of arguing about whether or not to debate again, how about some reality-based solutions to the expense of being a middle class or lower class family in 2008? Help us find jobs. Help us put food on the table. Help us own – and keep – homes.

Those are the things that matter, aren’t they? Not how many debates or how many candidates. Even after the final election, few of us will remember all the sordid details. How about acting and thinking presidentially now, to demonstrate to American citizens why you truly deserve the opportunity to lead our country and impact our individual lives?