Delusion's Blog

A beautiful day in America and once again we have another section of the economy in dire need of a helping hand from the government. Not from we the people, of course, since we are not quite 'up to speed' to understand the 'depth of devastation' the American automobile industry is facing should nothing be done.

Like junkies, these companies (and specifically the individuals in charge of them) continue to ask for more and more help, saying this fix will do the trick, that this will be the last time. And the government (not us, remember) holds hearings to show the CSPAN cameras and the media they are 'listening' and will 'take action'. As with the banks and the mortgage markets, the automakers in the Midwest face dire consequences without help.

Really? They have been in control of their own destiny since their inceptions. They have had countless opportunites to sieze upon new technologies in energy and manufacturing to give us that often-talked of 100mpg car. And yet, they (as most junkies) have been resistant to change. Even now, even if they get this bailout (which they will, don't kid yourself), they will not be held accountable since the government never holds anyone accountable. They simply print more money, throw it at the problem, then move on to gay marriage or some other 'important' issue.

And yes, like dealers, the government needs the auto makers to appear on Capitol hill with hat in hand to prove they, as with all Americans, need the government in their lives: to direct, distribute, and of course, dominate. If this were any other nation on this planet, we would hear cries on socialism (well, we hear it now of course), communism, and every other -ism. Yet this is America, and so we hear only the words 'bailout' (not handout, of course) and helping hand.

I have been and always will be against any bailout for anything for the simple fact the government has shown a dramatic lack of understanding of what happens when you give begging hands money: they always ask for more . . .

Congratulations to Mr. Obama for being elected the 44th president of our United States. He has talked the talk to obviously great effect.

Now it's time to walk the walk. We can hope.

Another great day for America as we have two days before we elect (or annoint) another president. Mr. Obama has momentum (and the numbers) on his side, yet McCain seems to still be there.

It's going to boil down to not the applicants, but the ideology: Right or Left, Conservative or Liberal.

And yet I wonder. Will it really matter? Can the new president actually effect change? Probably not. His power is limited, although if Obama is elected he will have a rubber-stamp Congress to work with. The fact that Obama, Reid and Pelosi will be running this country has conservatives frothing at the mouth, and perhaps for good reason. Both Reid and Pelosi are so out of touch (well, all of them are, right?) it's a wonder they are still in office. 

And still, what will really change? The middle-class will probably get a stimulus package, then within a year or two their taxes will be raised which will erase any gains made. The rich will pay the price, as always happens in a Democratic administration, yet they will still find ways (loopholes, which Congress strangely will keep open) to hold onto their money. And the poor will remain poor since even they realize (though they hate to admit it) the key to the American dream is hard work.

If McCain wins, will there be more tax cuts for the rich and more corporate bailouts which will 'stimulate' the economy, and the middle class will once again be ignored, as will the poor.

Regardless, whomever is elected the class system in this country will remain intact: the rich will stay rich, the middle class will be shafted, the poor will stay poor. It has been this way for generations, and no ideology has ever put food on the table.

I was interested in this race for the longest time. Now, however, I realize in the end it really doesn't matter as the end result  will be the same. We the people deserve better, we keep saying. And yet we keep things the same.

As the saying goes, the more things change the more they remain the same.

"Spread the wealth."

Just the above sentence makes my skin crawl. No, it's not socialism. It is anti-productive, though. Not just counterproductive. Those with are ordered to give to those without.

But not all of those with. Those in government are, as always, exempt. Those with tax-shelters overseas and loopholes in their tax codes are exempt. So . . . so this spreading of the wealth will basically lower those in the middle class to the level of the upper-lower class. That's right, it's lowering the bar. Those of you for Obama will no doubt disagree and find some way to bring Bush (as always) or McCain into this, which is fine as that's to be expected. But think just about Obama and what he wants to do to us . . . er, I mean for us. Think it, though.

Really think about it.

Then think about this old saying:

"Any government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always count on the support of Paul"

Mr. Obama is a better politician than Mr. McCain.

Which speaks volumes . . .

Almost every expert on television and in the media has written the campaign of McCain/Palin off. Of course, we don't really believe this or the polls, right? Right. Hard to believe polls when we really don't know who is polling (what their political agenda is) and what their ultimate goal happens to be. Also, we the people don't really do polls very well: we tend to say what we think the pollster wants to hear as opposed to how we really think. 

And yet, everyone has written McCain off and the current mantra is the electoral map, which is apparently tilting in Obama's favor. This electoral map is very interesting in that the Democrats have both coasts of this country and the upper Midwest (Illinois, Michigan). The Republicans have the most of America, in land area, and yet they are still behind.

The drumbeat of defeat is so loud, there are now stories about how some Republicans will stay home (what's the point, they say). Many people laugh and scoff at these 'experts', and yet these same people subconsciously believe these polls and experts. They laugh at the media, yet somehow something happens and the American electorate believes everything they are told. Some grudgingly, yet the belief is there.

McCain can win this election if he talks of the issues and stays on point. A bad plan for the economy is better than no plan (as the current Congress is finding out as they have been magically 'forgiven' for this bailout fiasco), and although McCain's plan has several holes, we the people like someone who sticks to his guns.  It is really that simple. He is up against a very eloquent speaker with a razor-thin resume who would not have a chance if McCain had stayed the maverick, stuck with the issues, and didn't throw so many stones. Instead, McCain has to play catch-up with himself and remember he is the maverick, he is the original perveyor of change, and he is the one who is supposed to be the honorable one.

Objectively, they both have their good qualities. Also, they both have major faults. Yet this election, as in the past couple, will be decided not by the people but by the media and talking heads. Oh sure, we'll vote. Yet will our votes be our own or will they be what we are told to vote? Hopefully the honor in this election will be ours and we will vote as we see fit.

Mr. Obama and Mr. McCain are getting into the final stretches of their campaigns, and I really believe they are only going through the motions. The winner of this election has already been pre-determined.

I'm not talking about any media bias, since this bias is two-fold and as such cancels itself out: print journalists and bloggers seem to be more liberal, where conservatives own talk radio.

I'm also not talking about the issues, since once again this is a two-sided coin which cancels itself out: Mr. Obama is vague (at best) and Mr. McCain seems to be all over the place.

I am talking about that which we are not supposed to be talking about, and that is race. John Lewis, who surprisingly is still in Congress, threw down a gauntlet about the McCain rallies being similar in tone to those of George Wallace. Of course his comments were picked up by the media, and of course he has not apologized. Not really. In addition, the NAACP is slated to start a string of lawsuits to prevent voter fraud, which is really to enable fraud by throwing out Voter ID and registration guidelines.

McCain cannot combat this. No one can combat this without being labeled racist. This is not something Mr. Obama envisioned, I am certain. I am also certain he would rather win on merit than on anything else.

Almost certain.

McCain, for all of his faults, is no racist. And yet, this election is boiling down to a black man and a white man. Forget everything else, if you can, since I feel race is going to play a bigger part than either camp would have believed. And if race does play a part, McCain has no chance.

This is nice, don't you think?

According to the AP, "Days after it got a federal bailout, American International Group Inc. spent $440,000 on a posh California retreat for its executives, complete with spa treatments, banquets and golf outings, according to lawmakers investigating the company's meltdown."

And who says your government doesn't have your best interest in mind? Whomever voted for this monster should be run out of town, correct? I cannot believe we, the American people (who knew something like this would happen), are being fleeced yet again.

Both candidates, and all in Congress who voted for these handouts, should not be "representing" us. Let's stop pretending and vote them out. If there is no choice at the ballot box, make a choice: write in a candidate. Any candidate.