Senator McCain Announces...

Governor Sarah Palin!

An excellent choice from the eyes of conservatives. One reason being because she is a she. Another because she is young.

The problem that will be brought up is that he did it only because she is a she. Of course those who say this will only be saying it because they are angry that their candidate choose differently.

I think Gov. Palin will be a great asset to the McCain campaign. She is the first woman since Geraldine Ferraro to be nominated to a vice-presidential role.

You cannot see it but I am smiling. As I have said, this will be a fun election. The problem is that through the fun many are missing the seriousness of the decision that has to be made in November, and that decision has to be made in two months.

I think the stakes are too high and I am still unsatisfied with the same talking points from Democrats and Republicans. I really would like to hear three or four true changes from our two candidates. Something that will help them standout. Something like:

• "Bye, Bye IRS and hello FairTax"
• "Bye, Bye NEA (National Educational Administration), hello vouchers"
  
• How about, "Let's hear it for the Picken's Plan"
• or maybe, "Let's cut federal spending and really strengthen the dollar!"

I just am not hearing that. I do not hear how they are going to fix social security or medicare or immigration. We are on a downhill slope headed towards a brick wall, and no one wants to stand out and push the brake. The unfortunate thing about answers is that someone always resists change.

Their problem is they need to read Visioneering: God's Blueprint for Developing and Maintaining Vision by Andy Stanley. At least it would be a start.

The Congress Does What?

President Bush has a 30% approval rating. That is definitely a failing grade, but I am not here to break that down. I want to show another number that does not get enough press - the approval rating of the Democratically led Congress. It is only 17%!

That means that 8 out of every 10 people disapprove of the Nancy Pelosi legislature. If people really want change, shouldn't that change take place in Congress? Is leaving the current crew of 435 in office a smart idea? Will their approval grow just because they are given another two or more years?

Real change will not come from the money-hungry, power-centered leaders of Congress. Congress needs to change. We need leaders in Congress who can cut spending, stop taking holidays when the U.S. needs them, and can come to terms on changing our tax system.

• As long as our government over-spends and refuses to cut spending and then prints more money, our dollar and buying power will decrease. Our economy will continue to suffer (no matter how many times a president says it is strong).

• As long as our economy is suffering. we will have difficult times when oil prices increase. As Kiyosaki so keenly says, "As oil prices go up, wealth goes down." Start with drill here and drill now, add Picken's plan to the mix, and start making changes.

• As long as our tax system is as convoluted as it is, corporations will continue to move out of country taking valuable jobs with them.

If you want to make a real difference this election period, vote for Congressional change.

The Fun of Campaigning Begins

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Senator Obama Chooses...

It is down to the final hours for Senator Obama. He has made his choice and for some reason he has to drag it out. Why? It keeps his name in the media.

This is one of the most brilliant marketing ploys I have seen. I am watching Fox News as I type and 90% of the coverage is about Obama. Larry King is also covering Obama.

Everyone is talking about this announcement. Talk about viral marketing (oops that's for my other blog).

The consensus is that he has chosen Senator Biden, an accomplished and experienced Senator. This does a couple of things in my opinion:

• It gives Senator Obama experience on the ticket
• It gives him an attack dog (respectfully)

Senator Biden is a tenacious campaigner (though he did not come close to drawing attention to himself in the democratic primary race - probably due to the media's love of Senator Clinton). We will see how much of a difference he makes. Of course then again, in 2007 Biden did say he would turn the VP position down, he supposedly has said yes - wait and see as the Saturday text messages come out.

As for Senator McCain, with Biden chosen, then this is the best time to choose Senator Hutchinson from Texas. Senator Obama has dissed the female vote by not choosing Senator Clinton. John McCain could jump at this chance. I have blogged about this before - and now even Dick Morris is saying it!

But I do have to say something about the distinguished gentlewoman from Texas. I have it on good authority that she is more interested in running as governor in Texas (though she would not say no to the VP slot).

The Jeopardy tune is playing! So what is the answer?
Or are we watching:

Have a great weekend.

Russia Tries The World's Patience

Big talk continues to pour out of Russia as they threaten Poland with a nuclear strike, defy the withdrawal treaty, and continue to restrict the freedom of the Russian people.

The withdrawal seems to be more a farce than anything. How do you make it look as though you are pulling out when in all actuality you are not? Thin the troops, seize new areas, and move things around.

NATO, however, has become non-committal in its stance against Russia. Some say this due to their dependence on Russian natural resources. There's that natural resource problem again.

Now, Georgia's government is not an innocent party in this deal.. They have been overzealous in their response to freedoms. But have they done so much that it warrants an invasion? As I learn more, I still say no. Why has Russia acted with such aggression as is punishing a wayward child? I still believe it is Putin's overall plan to regain Russian dominance in the area - and he needs Georgia's natural resources to keep it up.

Here is a news story on the current Russian manipulation of its own news:

Battling Inflation

What would happen if we had an economic stimulus plan that helped to

• decrease interest rates
• and to free up capital normally spent on tax compliance?

A major problem that has occurred with the housing debacle was created by fluctuating interest rates that sent a lot of home owners packing because they could not afford the raised mortgage payment.

Interest rates can drive inflation if not monitored correctly. I am not an expert, but from what I do understand, inflation is due to bad borrowing and bad economic practices. Also, if I may deduce, interest helps to pull excess money out of circulation thereby creating a pseudo increase in the value of the dollar which helps to stabilize inflated pricing by creating more demand for money.

Raise the rates too high and the economy becomes sluggish making it harder to afford some products and services. Lower rates too much and inflation begins to rage. It is an indefinite balancing act.

Much of this is caused by the overspending of the federal government. The government (executive and legislative) has for the last eight years spend more than any previous administration. They have spent so much that in order to cover our spending our government has turned to foreign countries to back our borrowing. Now we have a situation that proves why we need a an amendment of some kind that forces Congress to balance the budget and pay off our debt.

Our government has decided that the best practice to fighting our money problems is to print more money (money that is not backed by any physical value - like gold). Printing more money decreases the value of the dollar and again you battle inflation because a deflated dollar means you need more dollars to buy a product.

So what is the answer?

Why not adjust the interest rate for growth (that means lower it). Then balance the federal budget and provide for immediate repaying of all outstanding federal debt! Then pass a balanced budget amendment. Then replace the current tax code with the FairTax because it is the only tax code that can promise the two issues I mentioned at the beginning of this blog.

Okay this is my opinion, what's yours? And yes, as I stated, I am not an expert so if you understand inflation better than me then by all means correct me.

Oh and look at this: The FairTax and economic growth or A Macroeconomic Analysis of the FairTax Proposal (Arduin, Laffer & Moore Econometrics)