Alms for the poor, Alms for the poor

At the moment every manufacturer and financial organization is going cap in hand to their respective governments asking for a handout. Just some greenbacks to keep the wolves from the door.

What criteria should we use when dispensing this emergency funding?

I'm thinking really of the big North American auto manufacturers who are crying out for help. If they don't get the funds they ask for, the earth will collapse upon itself and we will lose all civilization as we know it. But why should we give money if you are making a product that consumers don't want? Why should we give you money when your workers all have sweet heart packages in regards to pay and pensions? An article in a magazine recently stated that over $1500 is added on to the cost of North American cars just so the companies can cover the workers sweet heart deals. By way of a contrast - Asian cars have simply about $350 added into the cost of the car to cover wages , pensions etc...

So you're building large gas guzzling behemoths in an age of high oil prices, for a consumer who is focusing on quality of product and overall fuel economy. You're over paying your workers to the point where they are hurting your company. Is it entirely possible that the people running these companies don't have a clue how to run a business? And if they can't run a business - which their current situation clearly indicates, why would we give them more money?

I know that there are lots of other businesses and industries that rely on the auto manufacturers to survive, but that is no reason to bail them out. If the product they are selling is substandard to the competition, and not focusing on consumers needs why bail them out? Economic Darwinism - survival of the fittest.

If the North American companies go down - there will be some tough times true, but we will come out the other side stronger and more stable, because the resulting business will have good management and good products. They have been forced to adapt to survive. There is a reason we don't see any dinosaurs around. North America car manufactures need to change their way of doing business or they will go the way of the Triceratops.

Trampling worker to death on Black Friday

What does it say about our society that we will trample someone to death just so we can take advantage of a sale? I'm referring of course to the overnight stock clerk who had the misfortune on Black Friday of opening the doors at the Walmart in Valley Stream NY.

There are several layers to this tragedy as I see it. The first and most obvious one, is the simple fact that supposedly law abiding citizens felt the need to put others at risk for a store sale. I don't care how good the sale is - it in no way justifies taking a life. Whoever said "Money is the root of all evil" Is not wrong at all. It is the same unseen driving force that makes superpowers impose their rule over small oil rich countries and "Joe Plumbers" trample people to death. The value of a human life to our fellow citizens is less then the cost of a Plasma TV. That very mindset is concerning.

The second layer of this tragedy is as follows; The US is in the onset of a depression, factories are closing down, people are losing their houses - watch the US news and you will be convinced that this will be the end of civilization as we know it in no time at all. I doubt that the US is going the way of the Wooly Mammoth anytime soon, but its' citizens are so ignorant of their "impending doom" that they continue to spend their way to the poor house. Soon people wont be able to afford a house to put the 52 inch Plasma TV in. The road to hell is not paved in good intentions, rather the road to hell is paved with credit card slips and 0% financing offers.

Either the TV is lying , and we know that is likely not the case, or the sheeple are blissfully ignorant and continue to walk to the gallows with their sweaty hands clutching their high tech purchases. Ahh America.

Bla Bla Obama

So the peons have stopped celebrating the recent appointment of their chosen one - Barack Obama. Part of me feels sorry for them. Do they not realize that their situation is not likely to change with Obama in the White House? The real power in the government is not the President or the Senate but big business and the lobbyists. The President is just a puppet that is paraded out to make speeches that benefit big business and big money.

If you wanted to run for any office, one of the requirements that is needed is deep pockets. This money will come from supporters and big businesses who know you will push their mandate if you get elected. Big business does not like any new age radical thinkers but rather the old tried and true candidates that supports - big business. They support their own.

Black people seem to think that with Obama being a "brotha" things will change for them. Alas I fear nothing will change. Obama comes from a privileged background - see the above comment regarding the necessity of deep pockets when running for government. With these deep pockets and privileged existence comes a lack of understanding for the "common man" , an inability to relate to the family that relies on food stamps to live. Having money allows you to distance yourself from the vast sea of unwashed masses.

The situation in the US is grim with the two wars draining their coffers dry, the credit fiasco and corporate bailout all putting more strain on the current financial resources of Uncle Sam. These situations have not changed, and will not go away with the out pouring of "feel good" sentiments that are present after Obama was elected. Barack has a tough row to hoe - millions of his brotha's are expecting access to the promised land now - but the shuttle bus to the promised land currently is not accepting American money....

So say hello to the new boss - Barack Obama - same as the old boss

USA - Superpower on the ropes

So if we digest the tripe that the US government is dispensing about the current financial crisis we would think all is well...Not so fast Charlie.
I'm not an economist by any means, but I do understand one simple principal - if you are spending more then you are making - you will go broke. End of story - simple really. Let's look at a few factors that are effecting the US Economy.

WAR - yes being at war tends to make lots of money for the companies producing armaments and high powered laser guided bombs, but does the government make any money from war? Take a look at the Cost of War page that outlines the amount of monies being spent, and how that monies could be applied to areas of national interest. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are draining Uncle Sam's coffers with no end in sight.

The American ideal is that anyone can have anything they desire. Sounds reasonable enough. But how does the "average American" pay for everything they desire when their company just moved to Mexico, and their bank just went under from giving out too many bad loans? Where before the almighty credit card was the answer - throw it on my plastic - now that too is not a viable solution. Minimum payments have to be made on credit cards - and how do you pay the minimum when your company just moved to Mexico and their bank just went under from giving out too many bad loans? Do you see a pattern here?

I'm in Canada so I'm looking at this from a different perspective then Americans . But we as Canadians have our lips latched tightly onto Uncle Sam's teat for us not to be effected by this current economic "downturn". If we look at history there has never been a country or civilization that has been able to stay a Superpower forever. Look at what happened to the Romans - seems in modern society we feel that we are immune to the pitfalls that happened previously in history. We're too smart for that to happen to us. Well look out your front window because it is happening right now. The changing of the guard.
When a superpower starts to fail so to, does the consumers confidence. Maybe we need to start another war to distract the sheeple? Hmm Iran is on the agenda maybe we'll just move it up a notch or two.....

The Emperor has no clothes.....