The best part of an Obama administration is the never-ending stream pseudo-intellectual terms coined to shroud their ridiculous ideas in the cloak of credibility. The newest one is "Economic Patriotism." This one should win some sort of prize.
If I didn't know the source, I might think that economic patriotism meant acting in a way to drive the best possible economic outcomes. Fostering optimal growth, low unemployment, prosperity for all those willing and able to work for it. That sounds like economic patriotism to me. I think we should all drink to "economic patriotism"...as long as we are drinking Kentucky bourbon and not Russian Vodka.
However, president Obama and his team aren't all that interested in economic growth, low unemployment, and prosperity for all and they have 5+ years of economic results to prove it. When President Obama suggests that Americans support economic patriotism, he means that corporations should pay more taxes than required by law. Why would they do that? It doesn't seem very economically patriotic to me. Why does making 95 cents a share for my stockholders, when I could have made 97 cents, make me economically patriotic? If I am following the tax code, which by the way the Obama administration had two years of unfettered opportunity to write, why would I pay more taxes than required? The answer is I wouldn't and companies aren't, so the president is trying to shame them into paying more into wasteful government coffers by declaring that firms using the tax code to their advantage are being economically unpatriotic. It is delicious irony that the administration that has no shame is using it to alter the behavior of corporations that actually create jobs, wealth, and prosperity.
One a personal note...after the Obama tax increases kicked in last year and I had to write a big stinking check to those scalawags at the IRS, I didn't feel all that fucking patriotic.
Economic patriotism is a charade straight from the faculty lounge and not the faculty lounge of the business school. A corporation that does not use the tax code and all the other rules of the road set by Washington to its advantage in the marketplace isn't a corporation very long...it's a bankruptcy filing and a class action law suit. The most impressive part of this latest missive from the president is that he can say it with a straight face and all the indignation of a guy who just got bumped from first class to coach.
CEO's must have a good laugh behind closed doors when the president gets on his high horse and declaratively lectures us on things that he doesn't understand and that make no sense outside the Obama circle of sycophants. I wonder if Vladimir Putin spits Stolichnaya through his nose laughing when he reads the shit Obama dreams-up.
Monday, July 28, 2014
Thursday, July 24, 2014
Trey Gowdy - "You 'da Man!"
It's no secret that there aren't many heroes serving in an elected or appointed capacity in Washington, DC. I am a big fan of term limits and think that throwing the bums out is almost always a good idea. Serving (and I use that term in its most generous interpretation) in the congress was never intended to be a career. Yet many come and few leave until they have had their fill...literally, filling their bank accounts and their egos with cash and perks the rest of the nation rarely knows.
As is always the case, there are exceptions to the rule. I think Trey Gowdy might be an exception to the aforementioned rules. I am impressed with his intellect, with his tenacity, and with his forthrightness. He strikes me as a person who gets things done, who doesn't suffer fools lightly, and who places doing the right thing over the politics of Washington.
He has been impressive in his public statements and in hearings about the terrorist travesty in Benghazi and he has been a singular ray of clarity in hearings with career bureaucrat John Koskinen when probing the abject scandal of the IRS turning on citizens based on their political point of view. Gowdy doesn't tolerate the usual Washington tap dance of dodging and obfuscation when asking direct questions. Gowdy expects straight answers and when he doesn't get them he probes deeper until he gets the information requested or forces his questionee into a position of providing obvious falsehoods and misdirection. Gowdy is good. He is very smart. I believe he is up there doing the people's work, not the party's work.
The leftwing media (which is most of the media) is starting to realize that Gowdy is a force on the Hill and have begun their attacks. Gowdy is everything they detest. He is from South Carolina. He didn't go to a swanky prep school or college in the northeast. He got is law degree from an SEC school not an Ivy League school. He is not "one of them", not in the club of sophisticates who revel in the chatter of the theoretical in the faculty lounge.
I hope Trey Gowdy is as good as he appears to be. I hope his star rises on the national stage because we need smart, motivated leaders who are not afraid to break glass and who know how to get things done. His real test will come when the republicans screw up (and we know they will). Will Gowdy be as tough and as relentless digging for the truth when the target has as "R" by their name or was appointed by a republican president? A lot of potentially great leaders have been tripped up by the party line. I hope Trey Gowdy doesn't join that club, but rather starts another, where leaders have the courage to do what is right, party ramifications be damned.
As is always the case, there are exceptions to the rule. I think Trey Gowdy might be an exception to the aforementioned rules. I am impressed with his intellect, with his tenacity, and with his forthrightness. He strikes me as a person who gets things done, who doesn't suffer fools lightly, and who places doing the right thing over the politics of Washington.
He has been impressive in his public statements and in hearings about the terrorist travesty in Benghazi and he has been a singular ray of clarity in hearings with career bureaucrat John Koskinen when probing the abject scandal of the IRS turning on citizens based on their political point of view. Gowdy doesn't tolerate the usual Washington tap dance of dodging and obfuscation when asking direct questions. Gowdy expects straight answers and when he doesn't get them he probes deeper until he gets the information requested or forces his questionee into a position of providing obvious falsehoods and misdirection. Gowdy is good. He is very smart. I believe he is up there doing the people's work, not the party's work.
The leftwing media (which is most of the media) is starting to realize that Gowdy is a force on the Hill and have begun their attacks. Gowdy is everything they detest. He is from South Carolina. He didn't go to a swanky prep school or college in the northeast. He got is law degree from an SEC school not an Ivy League school. He is not "one of them", not in the club of sophisticates who revel in the chatter of the theoretical in the faculty lounge.
I hope Trey Gowdy is as good as he appears to be. I hope his star rises on the national stage because we need smart, motivated leaders who are not afraid to break glass and who know how to get things done. His real test will come when the republicans screw up (and we know they will). Will Gowdy be as tough and as relentless digging for the truth when the target has as "R" by their name or was appointed by a republican president? A lot of potentially great leaders have been tripped up by the party line. I hope Trey Gowdy doesn't join that club, but rather starts another, where leaders have the courage to do what is right, party ramifications be damned.
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
What Does the Truth Look Like?
There is not much bi-partisan agreement in Washington and beyond these days. However, I think there is a topic that would unify democrats, republicans, and libertarians. The unifier for all Americans is a thirst for the truth, to have their leaders shoot straight with them, and treat them like adults, not mindless minions blindly following drivel that passes for news.
Ask a question, any question...and see what you get. maddening blather intended to deflect and obfuscate. All parties are guilty of this and all do it more now than ever. One of a thousand examples over the past month:
Q: "Is the southern border secure?"
A: "There are more resources now on the southern boarder than ever before..."
Sorry, but the level of resources on the southern border wasn't the question...the question was is the border secure? I don care if we have 10 border patrol officers on the border or 10 million, are they getting the job done and is the border secure? The answer, BTW, is an obvious "No".
Why can't our leaders just tell us that the border is not secure or that its security is not up to levels required for national security and the well being of those trying to cross illegally and here is our plan to secure the border which we will have done on this date? That's how things work outside of the beltway, in the real world where results, not effort, are what matter.
There are multiple examples of this garbage on a daily basis coming from both democrats and republicans. I believe that a party could gain a significant advantage with the American public, building trust and winning votes as a result, by leveling with us. Tell us the truth. We don't expect perfection in performance, but we do expect honesty and forthrightness in communications. We can't get it these days from anyone in government. Maybe this is why the time might be right for a guy like Chris Christy. I think everyone is clear where they stand with double C. I may not agree or like his commentary, but I would vote for him for having the courage to speak the truth.
Ask a question, any question...and see what you get. maddening blather intended to deflect and obfuscate. All parties are guilty of this and all do it more now than ever. One of a thousand examples over the past month:
Q: "Is the southern border secure?"
A: "There are more resources now on the southern boarder than ever before..."
Sorry, but the level of resources on the southern border wasn't the question...the question was is the border secure? I don care if we have 10 border patrol officers on the border or 10 million, are they getting the job done and is the border secure? The answer, BTW, is an obvious "No".
Why can't our leaders just tell us that the border is not secure or that its security is not up to levels required for national security and the well being of those trying to cross illegally and here is our plan to secure the border which we will have done on this date? That's how things work outside of the beltway, in the real world where results, not effort, are what matter.
There are multiple examples of this garbage on a daily basis coming from both democrats and republicans. I believe that a party could gain a significant advantage with the American public, building trust and winning votes as a result, by leveling with us. Tell us the truth. We don't expect perfection in performance, but we do expect honesty and forthrightness in communications. We can't get it these days from anyone in government. Maybe this is why the time might be right for a guy like Chris Christy. I think everyone is clear where they stand with double C. I may not agree or like his commentary, but I would vote for him for having the courage to speak the truth.
Monday, July 21, 2014
Long on Shortcomings
It is painfully clear after almost 6 years that President Obama is long on shortcomings.
Before we sell him short however, let's recognize his strengths. He is good at obfuscation. He is good at dividing America for political gain. He is good at blaming others when things go wrong. He is good at making promises he cannot keep and ultimatums he cannot enforce.
However, stating this in the most generous terms possible, where Obama does not shine is leadership. If he were as good at leadership as he is at making snarky comments about Americans with whom he disagrees, he would have an immigration deal, the Obamacare rollout would not have been an epic failure, the border would not be a humanitarian disaster, and the VA would not be such a mess.
People trust good leaders. Good leaders earn trust through sustained performance over time. Ask yourself one question... would you trust team Obama to lead the roll out your next big project or negotiate your next big deal? I wouldn't either, and neither would anyone else, hence the problem.
Before we sell him short however, let's recognize his strengths. He is good at obfuscation. He is good at dividing America for political gain. He is good at blaming others when things go wrong. He is good at making promises he cannot keep and ultimatums he cannot enforce.
However, stating this in the most generous terms possible, where Obama does not shine is leadership. If he were as good at leadership as he is at making snarky comments about Americans with whom he disagrees, he would have an immigration deal, the Obamacare rollout would not have been an epic failure, the border would not be a humanitarian disaster, and the VA would not be such a mess.
People trust good leaders. Good leaders earn trust through sustained performance over time. Ask yourself one question... would you trust team Obama to lead the roll out your next big project or negotiate your next big deal? I wouldn't either, and neither would anyone else, hence the problem.
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