U.S. Automotive Bailout

Enough already!

The automotive industry should not expect a bailout package.

The American taxpayer is already on the hook for over $700 billion dollars in the current financial market meltdown. How much more can a man bear? The automotive industry should have foreseen their problems with soaring gasoline prices throughout the country. Demand for the vehicles that they were making started to dwindle yet they did nothing to improve their business model except bury their heads in the sand.

We have to step up our pressure on Congress to let them know that the US treasury cannot become the lender of last resort for failed business models. Congress approved $15 billion in bailout to the airline industry post September 11. This was money guaranteed to an industry where only a handful of players, Southwest and Continental to name two, had cash on hand to survive the downturn and passenger fear of flying prior to the terrorist acts. All the while not one dime was spent bailing out all of the dot com business failures in 2000 and 2001. I would have loved to see Web Van survive.

Should the auto industry be allowed to enter bankruptcy? Probably would be the best answer. For at least as an entity in bankruptcy they can continue to operate as a debtor in possession and restructure debt and contracts to allow for a stronger company post bankruptcy. Yeah, the shareholders of these organizations would lose out but the investors knew that going in. Buying stocks is a risky business and not all investments are good investments.

Who else would lose? The unions most certainly would stand to lose. Contracts could become void or re-negotiated to make for a more favorable business climate. Waste would be eliminated throughout but innovation would be increased. There would be the human toll of possible loss jobs.

Should retailers such as Linens n Things, Circuit City, Mervyns, and Tweeter ask for a bailout because of their inability to survive in a competitive yet challenging economy? Sure why not, these companies are no less important as the U.S. automakers. Should we bail this industry out we send another signal to all other industries that if you cannot succeed then the taxpayer has your back. This has to stop and has to stop now. .

Instead of interfering with the market forces, Congress must find a way for the automotive industry to fast track themselves through the bankruptcy and reorganization procedures.

What about Honda, BMW and Toyota? They too operate in the US. Yet they are not lining up to get their check. Hmmmmm, I wonder why?

We Now Return You To Your Regularily Scheduled Program...

...already in progress.
Congratulations President-elect Obama! A historic election from the word go. Who thought that an upstart Black Senator from Illinois would unseat the more powerful "Clintonistas" for the Democratic party nomination? Who thought this same Senator would then beat out a more seasoned American Naval Aviation hero to become the nations first Black President.

Gone are the attack ads. Gone are the mind numbing lies and deceits. This has been a very trying election year. And guess what we do it all again all too soon. If this election taught us one thing; it is that there is no amount of money and energy that will be used to obtain the White House. Barack Obama proved that he could get millions excited to vote as well as upset the establishment to raise hundreds of millions of dollars to finance his campaign. Buying air time for a round the clock channel on Dish Network. Buying 30 minutes of air time on most major networks during prime time. Shoot we could have probably fixed this little financial mess we have if we would just let Barack turn his fundraising team on the American people.

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Barack Obama raised over $639 million dollars and spent $573 million in pursuit for the highest office in the land. Of that he has $66 million dollars on hand with only $2 million dollars of debt. I got four words: Spread The Wealth Around. Let's level the playing field and float me a personal bailout Mr. President-elect! And in all fairness (Obama speak) John McCain has $67 million left over as of October 28th.

I will miss all of the ads that were a part of my Saturday and Sunday football rituals. This past Sunday was especially trying as at almost every break in play there was "Do You Want More of The Same" or "Even Joe Biden Does Not Believe In Barack Obama." Now that this is over; the ad agencies can focus their attention on creating some very entertaining beer commercials. I only wish the campaign ads were more like these.



...already in progress! Wow isn't this a great country?!

You Can Vote However You Like

In the midst of the current election cycle there have been many angry words and actions bantered about. But we fail to remember one thing and that regardless of who the winners are we are still Americans and we are still friends. So the next time you think your friend is a sell out for not supporting Barack Obama or the next time you hear someone denigrating John McCain, just remember that we are all Americans and we live in the best country on the planet. Many countries would not even allow their citizens to have opposing views with regards to politics.

These kids are not old enough to vote yet they sing a song for Americans.

Mama, There Go That Man Again!

This guy has a lot to say and he knows how to say it and keep you entertained.

An Ignorant Voter Is A Dangerous Voter

For years Blacks have fought for the privilege to vote. Yet as far as we have come we have let the battle for equality and inclusion in the political process be destroyed because we have not educated our children to think and seek knowledge. I was listening to a radio show recently where radio shock jock, Howard Stern side kick Sal, did an on the street interview with three potential “voters” in next week’s presidential elections. These voters all said that they supported Barack Obama. Nothing wrong with that except when Sal flipped the script and asked questions that were part of the McCain platform yet he attributed them to Obama is where their ignorance shows.

I cannot fault one Black American for voting for Barack Obama because he is Black, as this is a historic feat in a country where men that looked like Barack were for decades treated less than human. Now, he can very well be the President of this country. But I can fault people for not having a stance in the political process and not understanding what the candidate stands for. Jim Crow laws to prevent us from voting were a mechanism created by Southern Democrats. Yet when I hear these three “voters” in Harlem not know that Sarah Palin is running with McCain not Obama. That leaving the troops in Iraq to finish their job is a McCain platform then we should erase these “voters” from the rolls. They are not alone in their ignorance. People have been led around for years by political parties by using race baiting, class warfare and ignorance of the issues to get them to vote for their candidate.

I can't make this stuff up so take a listen.