A response to Hodge

(I originally was writing a comment on the blog of a friend down in GA, but decided to make a post out of it for posterity (if it lasts that long) and to get my opinion out there a little more....)


I am right there with you on the whole screwed up situation with these bailouts and how the money (that probably shouldn't have been paid) is being used by the pimps receiving it.

(I am referring to reports of bonuses, dividends, and acquisitions being made with bailout money instead of loans (to consumers, etc.)

Everyone talks about how letting all these companies fail will kill the economy and put us into recession.. (the autos, of course, being the big ones in question right now)... while I know it isn't this simple, I have several opinions on it...

1. Things were over-inflated.. we need recession (or call it correction) to some degree...
2. We are already in recession... (the doom is no longer impending)

and most importantly (in my opinion)

3. We, the people, are not going to let the economy totally go to shit. We need to eat. We need to ride bikes, drive cars, use the internet to get information, etc... When it comes down to it, we still have to live; so even if the economy is not so huge and not to ruled by corporations and such, we as a race will do what we have to do to survive and build an economy that serves our needs. People who are willing and able to work and be responsible for themselves and their lives will do what it takes to make sure that life goes on....

Recession may be scary for people with more at stake financially than me, and I never lived through the Great Depression, but I think most can agree that a lot of people need waking up, and that does include the people who happen to be in control of this sinking ship..... And keep in mind that many of the smaller pieces of that sinking ship can and will float on their own... but the ship needs to fall apart for that to happen.

Election

It will come as no surprise to either of my readers that I am pleased with the results of yesterday's election. I am a little disappointed with the results posted by this state I live in (Tennessee), but that was not unexpected... and at least Nashville represented.

I am a person who tends to like change because it opens up my life to new things and new experiences. That is one reason I voted for Obama. Another reason is that I was never convinced that 4 years of McCain would be much different than the last 4 years. And Palin.... that's a whole other bag of worms....

President Obama will certainly have a mess on his hands when he steps up, and I am not expecting any quick or miraculous changes, but I do feel some hope for some positive changes and stability in the future. The biggest hope that this gives me, though, is for an improved quality of leader in the future. Hopefully this is a sign that the old guard... a good-ol-boy Washington insider dominated political system... is at least weakening. I am not naive enough to think this is revolution or a complete change of direction for America, but I believe it is a great start.

It is nice to, for the first time in a while, be proud to be a US citizen. Kudos to all the others responsible for this great occasion.

Bailout

So the (attempted) financial bailout is old news by now... but now some of the add-ons are finally being revealed... one of those is a new tax credit/subsidy for riding a bike to work... this article summarizes it. I am still looking for more details.... but found it interesting. I am not a fan of the bailout. And I am definitely not a fan of all the add-ons that bog down the lawmaking system, but at least there was a good guy taking advantage of the system this time instead of someone like Palin securing money for a bridge.. that goes no where... that never gets built... thus dispersing the money to her friends...

Underwater

Having read this article about "homeowners" whose houses are worth less than they owe on them, I wonder if they can really call them homeowners... since they technically only own the rights to live in and continue paying for "their" homes. They, in fact, only own what is inside, and not the home itself... at all...

Not to be morbid or anything... I think I am making out pretty well. I rent, so I know that I don't own the structure I live in, and I am not paying a premium to be there. That may all change soon, though. I need a larger place, and with all of these "homeowners" losing or walking away from their "underwater" houses, there is no abundance of affordable rentals out there.... in fact, finding a desirable place to live for an affordable price is quite difficult these days...

Happy Halloween!!!

On that note, I wonder if Sarah Palin will be dressing up as Tina Fey tonight? She could pull it off and Tina Fey seems pretty smart... and people like her.

Vote

I suggest you get out there and make your choice heard. Otherwise this could happen to you...



Some people are voting economy, or environment, or democratic, or republican... I am voting intelligence (for a minimum level of, that is).