Burning Down the House - Mortage Crisis Explained in 10 Minutes

Watch this video. It may explain a few things about how we arrived at this crisis.

You might want to pause it a few times to take notes and verify some of the quotes and examine the charts more closely than the fast-paced video allows.

That's Birmingham, England, Guys

Obama's tragic flaw may very well be hubris. His pseudo-Greco Roman columns, his "we are the ones we've been waiting for" speeches, his short-lived Prepresidential seal, etc. etc. etc.

His presidential seal is being struck even as we have 6 more weeks until the election. Maybe his favorite song is "Wishing Will Make it So".

Rank and file union members and business people in the US should note that the Obama team selected a British firm to produce the tokens of his imminent presidency. Good choice, Barack.

John McCain, can you do something with this? Please? Poke a little fun at Caesar Obamus. Let American workers know where Obama likes to shop.

Where's the Music?

"Uncharacteristically low turnout for Barack Obama rally in Green Bay, Wisc.
McCain/Palin drew 4,000 more supporters at same venue a week ago."

Maybe he didn't have a rock show beforehand.

Poor Obama

Poor Obama. He no sooner wins officially the Democrat presidential nomination and shuts the door on his female opponent once and for all when another politician in skirts pops up threatening to rain on his parade.

He probably thought he had it made, and maybe he still does. But you have to admit that the game has changed a bit in the last four days.

Who would have thought that the Republican party would be the one to boast a female on the ticket in 2008? It was Hillary's year, after all. But who would have thought that she would have lost it - we can argue about the combination of occurrences that doomed her chances - in early days?

The MSM is showing its hand, although a bit carefully at the moment. We will see how they continue to pursue their nearly unanimous quest to elect a Democrat to the White House and what tactics they will use to smear McCain's choice for Vice President.

What? (1) She's not an "authentic" woman. That's the term they used to criticize any and all black Republican candidates or appointees. Gov. Palin can point to her five children to prove she's authentic in that regard. (2) She's too prolific. I expect this from all the greenies. Just think how much consumerism her brood will exude. (3) She's too pretty, and a beauty queen to boot. They're just jealous.

Let's wait and see what they pull out of their hats.

Very interesting...Also, an Elephant in the Room

It was interesting and somewhat amusing to hear that former 2004 Presidential candidate and senator John Kerry came out yesterday, January 10, 2008, to lend his support to Senator Barack Obama. Since Kerry's been flying under the radar for the past year or so, it remains to be seen how much his backing will help (or hurt!) Sen. Obama.

What was amusing and caused tongues to wag was the fact that Kerry's endorsement was somewhat of a slap in the face to his erstwhile running mate, John Edwards. It was no surprise to anyone that Kerry didn't endorse Sen. Hillary Clinton. There was no love lost there. As with Al Gore's 2000 campaign, the Clinton's paid not much more than lip service to Kerry's effort to become President. There was even talk that the last thing Sen. Clinton wanted was for Kerry to win in 2004, thus possibly postponing her own candidacy until 2012.




One elephant in the room (strange figure of speech when discussing Democrats) is Al Gore, Nobel Peace Prize winner, Oscar winner, Savior of the World. He has declined to endorse anyone so far. He could be enormously influential if and when he decides to support either Hillary or Barack Obama. (I see Edwards down for the count.) I'm certain he is weighing his options. I would imagine he has a better chance of a juicy plum job with a President Obama, than with a President Clinton. You just know she will have a great position in mind for her husband. Can you say Supreme Court justice?

Clueless in Iowa

From Lex:

"The more he talks, the more painfully obvious it is that he's clueless."

From George Will:

"Sen. Barack Obama recently told some Iowa farmers that prices of their crops are not high enough, considering what grocers are charging for other stuff: "Anybody gone into Whole Foods lately and see what they charge for arugula?" Living near the University of Chicago, Obama has perhaps experienced this outrage, but Iowans, who have no Whole Foods stores, might remember 1987, when Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis urged Iowa farmers to diversify by raising endive. Said a farmer to a Boston reporter, "Your governor scared me just a hair."

From Sloan:

"Arugula? Will all the Iowa farmers go out and plant arugula next Spring? Cows like grass and corn. Do they like arugula? What would their milk or beef taste like? Not to mention that if very many farmers start growing arugula, what happens to the price? Economics must not have been his strong suit. Jeesh!"

Next we'll see him with an army helmet peeking out of a gun turret.

Hillary Barack Ticket?

Had a discussion with my neighbor yesterday about the possibilty of a Hillary and Barack ticket for '08 presidential election. He said he didn't think Hillary would go for it, but Barack might if he were to get the nod for the top spot.

I don't think that's posible for '08, Barack in the #1 position, that is. He's too new, too much a shooting star that has already reached it's peak and now is going to cruise more or less downward for a while. Remember how infatuated Hollywood was, with all its fundraisers and spouting about Obama this and Obama that. Well, now the King has spoken. Bill Clinton and his cronies must have had a good long talk with Spielberg and made him an offer he couldn't refuse because now he proclaims his supports for Mrs. Clinton. Well, well. What a surprise.

Now that Hillary can be assured of the best and brightest Hollywood has to offer for her campaign ads (the Soprano's knock-off last week was a toe in the water) Obama had better be scrambling for some pros to help him along.

I think that the Top Democrats would be afraid to scare off some of the more conservative Democrat voters with a ticket headed by a woman and having a black man for the Veep position. Obama would have nothing to lose and everything to gain by adding Hillary as his Veep candidate.

What do you think?