Archive for February, 2009

What The Stimulus Package will really Do

Wednesday, February 25th, 2009

Hi friends,

I swore to  myself that I would stop with the economic and political  commentary.It is too depressing.

That I would do my lessons and critiques using parables to make my points, sort of a Aesops Fable approach.This enables me to smile into my depression.

Looking at the political and economic mess that we have is a great new format for a diet. The ” Political Mess Makes me Loose my Appetite” diet. It really works.

Pay attention to what is going on in the world of economics and the political directions that we are being dragged  into, and  it is difficult to keep down your lunch. Weight loss is a very expensive  side benefit.

Let me get back to the subject. I have been keeping my mouth shut. Trying to give the President  a chance, but I have to say someting.

Am I the only one who hears the play on words. The duplicity in the way this is being presented? I just don’t get it.

Obama keeps talking about this stimulus plan to save the economy.

Last night in the speech to Congress he listed 3 major stimulus directions he wants to attack  to rescue our economy. They revolve around Alternate Energy, Education, and Health care.

The stated goal of the stimulus package is to “create OR save 3 million jobs.”

Lets examine that statement. “Create or save.”  When you “stimulate” the implication is that we are creating new jobs. The reality is , the $ billions  and $ billions being sent to the states will do primarily one thing. Maintain the Status quo.

The states are in huge budget deficits mainly revolving around salaries for teachers , government workers, various other civil servant , union members, and medicaid expense.

The  stimulus payments will go to pay all of the above, and to eliminate some of the pressure to cut expenses and salaried overhead. That is the ” save  3 million jobs”. Maintain the status quo.

The  create part of that statement is a little more elusive.

Infrastructure projects will reemploy Unionized $50 or $60 an hour construction workers.

The education part of the stimulus is largely covered by the above payments to the state to maintain status quo with teacher payroll.

O K maybe I’m simplifying a little bit. There is sure to be new programs and projects, but much will be dissipated in salary payments to existing  educators.

The new energy part of the stimulus is great if you own or work in a wind turbine factory.I don’t.

Health care is a major buzz subject with the Liberal politicians. Hillary screwed our medical system up big time in the mid 90’s, lets see how badly they can destroy the system now. My advice to you all is DON’T GET SICK, DON’T GROW OLD, or get your passport in order, medical treatment will be better in India and Israel., than it will be here .

What will the stimulus package do for you and me?. Not Much!!!

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Fat Louie, the Duck, Buys a New Home,a Parable about Risk and Responsibility

Thursday, February 19th, 2009

Fat Louie was a  fluffy white duck

He lived in an area east of Atlanta, known as Snapfinger Woods, which was comprised of Snapfinger Woods Estates, a converted rustic style apartment complex, and a man made pond known as Snapfinger Woods Lake.

Fat Louie had spent the first years of his life happily swimming and splashing in the pond. He was the biggest and fastest of the small flock of ducks, and soon became head duck .

The human residents of Snapfinger Woods took great joy in feeding Louie and his companions.  They would throw bread, cake, and other foods into the lake, and watch with glee as the ducks raced to be the first to reach the food.

Being the biggest and fastest, Louie usually got most of the food. He would eat, and eat,and eat some more.

One morning, Louie woke up with a constant throbbing pain in his right foot. He had developed the gout as a result of all the rich human foods which he was consuming.

The other ducks quickly rejected Louie as being defective, and a danger to the rest of the flock. They chased him out of the water, forcing him to waddle around on dry land.

Louie became Fat Louie, and most days he could be found waddling around the apartment complex ,limping on his bad foot.

Feeling sorry for the “poor” duck, the human residents showered Louie with  an array of rich human foods, which made the gout worse.

He was forced to sneak quick splashes in the water, hobbling in and out accompanied by  a great deal of squawking and quacking as the rest of the birds rushed to eject him from the pond.

That Spring was unusually rainy, and the small pond gradually overflowed its banks, The water ran down a slight incline, soon filling  a nearby  gully, and forming a tiny secondary pond.

” It is time for me to get my own home” Fat Louie thought to himself as he surveyed the newly formed mini pond.” I have some duck credits saved up. I think I’ll go to the Greater Atlanta Duck Association (GADA) to apply for Duck ownership to the new pond,’Louie’s Little Lake’, as he had already secretly named it.

Drexel Duck, chief real estate liaison between GADA and the general duck population, was a small grey duck. His down was carefully groomed, and his crown was fluffed to give him the appearance of additional height.

He gave Louie a disinterested stare.” So you want to purchase a residence.. From your application, this is a new construction, Unoccupied?”

Louie quacked “yes”.

” I also see that you have a  10% downe payment” He continued. ” and you want to apply for a Fowl loan for the balance.”

Again Fat Louie nodded his agreement.

Drexel paused for a moment.” I will give you a government acceptance voucher. You will have to pay a small fee and a 10 % gratuity for my trouble,” he held out his wing waiting to recieve his “payment”.

Realizing the way that government worked, Fat Louie slipped him a fat envelope.

Drexel glanced inside, seemed satisfied, then continued.” Take this voucher and go to the Greater Atlanta Fowl Realty Authority(GAFRA) They have mortgage money available for disadvantaged  low income fowl.

Fat Louie put down a deposit of 10% and was able to borrow the 90% at 6% interest on a 10 year mortgage.

Louie’s Little Lake belonged to Fat Louie. He quickly settled in, building a soft moss nest on the far end, near the wild grass which Fat Louie loved  so much.

Fat Louie had been on human, public dole so long that he forgot how to feed himself.So, every morning he would hobble over to the  apartment complex, hopeing to catch the big humans before work, and the smaller humans before school.

He would eat until he was ready to burst, then when all the humans were gone, he would return to his new home in the suburbs.

The following Spring into Summer, the rains stopped, and a drought soon developed. The heat of the summer sun caused many of the lakes and streams in the greater Atlanta area to dry up. Water levels fell , and Fat Louie’s new home gradually returned to its previous rocky  dry gully.

Fat Louie went to GAFRA, asking for help. ” My home  has dried up. I can’t live there any more. What should I do?”

Earl Grey, the loan officer in charge of GAFRA looked down his beak at Fat Louie.” What do you want me to do? Pay your mortgage .”

Earl Grey was a very large grey goose. He had stopped off in Atanta during a migration several years ago, and had found it much easier to stay and feed off the locals that it would be to continue the endless flying. Back and forth, north then south then north again.

” Haven’t you heard about our new leader?”Asked Earl Grey.” The ADDOP elected a grey goose as flock leader for the first time in history. The word is share the wealth. We are all brothers under the feathers.

“But my home is worth less than the money I owe. “Complaine Louie.”Why should I have to pay ?”

“Did we force you to purchase this property?Asked Earl Grey.

“Listen,” said Fat Louie. It is my right as a citizen of the common flock to get assistance from the American Democratic Duck  Open Party  .(ADDOP)

“Sorry, ” Replied Earl Grey, ” Due to the prolonged drought, we have allowed our brother birds, including Geese, Swans, and migratory flocks from across the border, to share our lakes and ponds. If you need assistance, get in line with the Illegal arrivals.”

” Quack, quack, o.k.”said Fat Louie.” In order to help my fellow ducks, I will also help the other birds, even though they don’t help us, or work for the common good.”

” That’s the spirit,” encouraged Earl Grey

As a good citizen of Duck, Fat Louie continued to pay his mortgage. The drought and the recession among humans caused many of the humans to move away. The Complex and Snapfinger Woods Lake became somewhat rundown, and more humans moved away.

With the humans leaving the easy food became more scarce, and Fat Louie was now sharing his wealth with  thousands of illegan birds from Mexico.

The good news is that Fat Louie lost weight due to scarcity.

His gout went away.

He met a pretty Daisy Duck, and  what happened next  is a story for another day.

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Fat Louie, a Duck With Gout, a Parable about Fowl Health Care

Monday, February 16th, 2009

Louie was an old fat fluffy white duck.

He lived in a small private lake east of Atlanta. The lake was man made as an amenity for a small  condominium community of two story rustic wooden apartments, known as Snapfinger Woods Estates.

The Lake was appropriately named Snapfinger Woods Lake.

At one time, when Louie was younger, he was the head duck of the small flock which claimed Snapfinger Lake as their year round private residence.

During the Spring, the flock consisted of  12 – 14 adults, and would expand to 18 – 20 by the end of  Summer.As the young left during the Fall and Winter, the flock would settle back to the core members, looking to Louie for leadership and content with the easy life of  a controlled environment.

The human residents of Snapfinger Woods Apartments would regularly feed Louie and his flock. Children loved to throw bread and cake crumbs into the lake, laughing with glee as Louie and his companions raced to be the first to reach and consume the morsels.

Louie being the lead duck, was the strongest and fastest swimmer of the flock.

When the humans threw food into the lake, Louie was always the first to get there, and invariably, he would eat and eat and eat. Only when he was stuffed would the rest of the flock get a chance at the bread , cake, and other delicacies offered.

Louie loved to show off how fast he could swim.

As the seasons passed, Louie found himself growing older and fatter. He was consuming increasingly large quantities of human food, and his once sleek muscular body began to expand, turning to duck flab.

One morning Louie woke from a deep sleep, his right foot pulsing with a dull throb. He tried to ignore the pain, quacking loudly to let his human providers know  that he was awake and hungry.

He moved his webbed feet, as ducks do, to begin swimming, while flapping his wings for speed and stability.

The pain in his foot intensified to a steady throb, and Louie was forced to stop trying to swim.

The other drakes, noticing Louie’s plight, began quacking and swimming  in circles. When the humans threw food, they quickly chased after the breakfast, leaving Louie sitting dead in the water.

One human began throwing bread towards Louie  , attempting to help him get a chance at some food.

He slowly and painfully paddled towards the bread, but the other ducks seeing his movement, turned and headed towards the floating food.

First one  and then another of the young males bumped into Louie, roughly shoving him out of the way.

“Quack, Quack, you’re damaged. ” They shouted,” You get no food. Only healthy ducks get to stay with the flock.”

” Why?” croaked Louie, feeling hungry and somewhat frightened. ” I’m lead duck.”

” Not anymore,” They quacked in unison,” Damaged ducks can not be part of the flock, Haven’t you ever heard of Charles Darwin, or Survival of the fittest?  ”

Sadly, for the first time in his life, Louie felt alienated and alone.He had become a victim of his position of lead duck, He had been too good and too competitive. He had always  been first to get fed, earning human applause and rewards for being the best and the fastest.

Sadly, now, his reward for being  more successful and competitive  was a very painful case of the gout.

The other ducks had always resented his success.

Louie was forced to leave the pond which he had ruled for most of his life.

Louie was faced with the most humiliating punishment possible  for being a successful duck. He was banished from the flock and forced to live on land, painfully waddling along the edge of the lake, his gout swollen right foot, a symbol of his fall from mediocrity.

He went to the next flock meeting of the Greater Atlanta Duck Association(GADA) to ask for help.

A large Gander, with a very long neck and narrow  limpid brown eyes looked  down his beak at the obviosly uncomfortable Louie, balancing unsteadily on his good leg.

“Stand still and lower your eyes when addressing  GADA. ” He huffed with disdain. ” We have very limited resources to cure injured ducks, especially older fat ducks such as yourself.”

He paused, looking very annoyed that Louie had had the nerve to ask the council for a cure, “We find you too old. The cure will be too expensive and must be saved  for more worthy younger members of the flock. Henceforth you will be known as Fat Louie, and will be forced to live out the rest of your days on land, so as not to contaminate or hinder the rest of the masses.”

Fat Louie lived for several more seasons, largely at the largess of the human residents of Snapfinger Woods Apartments. His wealth and position was spread among the others in his pond.

Once again the system had worked. The good of the many superceded the good of the individual. 

When the humans took pity on Fat Louie and continued to feed him on land, many of them lost interest in the ducks still in the pond and ceased feeding them.

A human recession helped to bankrupt Snapfinger Estates, and  the complex was sold to a developer who drained the pond and built a small office building and parking lot where the pond had been.

Fat Louie continued to live on dry land and the secretaries took pity on the fat duck with the bad right foot, and continued to feed him cakes and cookies, until his death from escalated cholesterol several summers later.

Moral of the Story: Sometimes being the best and the fastest gets you promoted to your own exclusive club.

                                           And sometimes it’s a pain in the  . a..  foot.

Posted in Current Events, just life, New Articles, parable, Quality of Life, The moral of the story | 18 Comments »

The Press Conference that Wasn’t

Tuesday, February 10th, 2009

Monday night, 2/9/09, President Obama held what was billed as his first press conference.

It never happened.

Instead I saw a series of softball questions and an opportunity for the President to make a series of 8-10 minute prepared mini speeches. Each carefully orchestrated, with content and inflection  and presented to the American People as impromptu thoughts.

If you like this President and agree with his policies, he is very impressive.

If you like this President, but oppose his policies, he is a VERY dangerous foe. He is well spoken knowledgeable, makes a good presentation, and according to some reports He can walk on water.

His grasp of the facts is very much tempered by his view of politics and history, and he presents just enough truth to capture the average intellect. It is only when you concentrate on the content instead of the innuendo, that his slant becomes obvious.

Yes, the last 8 years of economic policy ended in disaster. However, despite 9/11 and the dot com recession, we experienced a decade of economic prosperity.

Placing blame on the Republicans  is justified, but leaving out the Democratic attempts at social engineering, legislating that everyone regardless of financial liquidity, deserves to own a house, was the ultimate clog that blew up our financial system.

If you can’t afford it you shouldn’t be extended credit to buy it.

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Senators Collins, Snowe, and Spectre thank you for lasting a whole 10 days

Tuesday, February 10th, 2009

Republican U S Senators Collins, Snowe and Specter, you do us proud.

You managed to last a whole 10 days before giving up your ” Conservative” ideals.

President Obama has conned you, and you make it easy.

The Liberals have passed a massive ultra left wing spending entitlement bill under the guise of an economic stimulus package. The urgency of a crashing economy has been trumpeted with  hidden glee.

 All the promises made during Obama’s campaign will be fulfilled in one easy bill under the guise of helping the Country.

Now you three wonderful Senators have given the radical left the illusion of a partisan bill due to your defection.

When the doomed bill fails  to stimulate anything except more greed, as it is sure to do, Obama can say,” at least we tried, and we did it on a bipartisan basis. ”

Next year you can vote for more pork in the “Stimulus II”

The third year hopefully you will be voted out by real conservative candidates in you Republican Primaries, and these new Senators can vote against the Stimulus III pork.

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Don’t Read the Fine Print Stupid, Just Pass the Stimulus Bill

Monday, February 9th, 2009

     Our leader keeps making the case for passing his stimulus bill in the most dire way possible.
    

      Don’t wait! The World is on the brink of Catastrophy. The sky is falling.
    

      The worst ” economic disaster since the Great Depression>”
     

      Don’t take the time to read this massive stimulation bill, the economy is in free fall over the side of the cliff.
     

      Pork Barrel? Entitlements? Nonsense. Our President told us before the election that he stood for a clear transparent government, for the first time in our history. We gotta believe him. He wouldn’t lie to us and break his promise.
    

       ” We can’t afford to wait” He said.” Trust me”  ”

      We can’t waste time postureing and bicker ing and resorting  to partisan positions.”

     The fact that this is 75% Pork maybe 10% stimulus, and possibly15% future stimulation( 2-3 years down the road) should not deter us from embracing this massive fraudulent bill.

    This bill is destined to become the largest redistribution of tax money in the history of the world.

     Federal tax dollars and newly printed $ hundreds of billions will go from the Treasury to the states in the form of bailout money.
The states will use this money to fund union pension plans, keep union workers and state employees working, and to fund certain infrastructure projects also with a heavily unionized labor force.

      No new wealth will be creeated.
   

      No reduction in State and local government.

      No reduction in bloated labor contracts.

      The same old game. The same old tired act.

      The only change will be several million municipal, state and local employees will be obligated to vote Democratic in order to keep their jobs.

      The Unions will be repayed for their Democratic party loyalty and monetary support.

      The private sector will continue to die a rapid death.

      Here come the shortages.

      Here continues a long drawn out recession, rapidly evolving into a Depression by passing an intentionally non stimulative stimulus plan.

      Nice job Obama.

      Way to go Congress.

     I can’t wait for the next elections. This is getting old after only 3-4 weeks.

      One again we are disappointed by leadership with an agenda at odds with the American publics best interests.

      Business as usual.

     The names have been changed to protect the guilty.

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Wally Woodchuck Gets Stimulated by an Economic Stimulus Package

Monday, February 9th, 2009
Wally Woodchuck gets stimulated by an” Economic Stimulus Package”

 

a parable

About Fiscal Irresponsibility

by

Charlie Champion

 

Wally Woodchuck was full of himself.  He was cool, he knew it and anyone who didn’t recognize his coolness was very uncool.

If you had any doubts about Wally’s specialness,  just ask him..” I’m Hip,  I’m Cool.  Lay it on me , baby,” he would reply, looking down his nose at such a plebeian question.

Several months ago, while surfing the City garbage dump; Wally had found a pair of discarded, Barbie doll sun glasses.  They were over-sized by woodchuck standards, but with the help of a length of salvaged wire, they were able to perch precipitously on the bridge of his nose.

Wally looked at his reflection in a pool of water, ” These glasses are the final touch.” He thought. ” I’m much too fine to do any woodchucking. That type of work is only for suckers and regular Woodchucks.. The other Woodchucks should feed me and take care of all my health and wealth needs.

After all, ” He continued,” I’ ve worked very hard at being too cool to work.  It’s much more fun to drink with my friends, chase after females in heat and get free food from public storage during the Winter.”

He ambled over to the local wood pile and leaned against a stump.

There was a group of 10 or 12 woodchucks busy at work, chucking the wood into ragged piles.

He noticed three of his buddies working as part of the group.

He snickered as Warren Woodchuck picked up a length of tree limb.” Hey Willie , look at sexy Wanda Woodchuck.” He pointed off to his right.

When Willie Woodchuck looked away, searching for Wanda, Warren chucked the branch he was holding, landing a glancing blow at the back of Willies head.

” Hey who did that?” Growled Willie, in mock anger. ” Who hit me in the head?” He looked around the work group, while reaching down to pick up a clod of mud.

As Willie straightened up, he threw the muddy clump aiming at Warren’s head.

Seeing the approaching mud ball, Warren ducked. The mud ball sailed over his head and hit group leader , Winston, smack in the snout.

The ensuing melee lasted far too long and left several members of the group nursing injuries, effectively ending any any additional work getting done.

Still chuckling, Wally went over to his friends.” Look at you guys! What a sight.”  He shook his head. ” You all certainly made a mess. All the wood that you chucked is gone, mashed in with the mud.”

Willie’s black nose glistened with moisture and a splatter of brown mud.  ” What do you think we should do, Wally?  The Union leaders and their supervisors will be angry that we ruined all this work. ” He rubbed his mouth. ” I chucked so much wood that my teeth hurt.”.

” Who are you kidding?” sneered Wally. “Your teeth hurt because Winston Woodchuck smacked you in the mouth for hitting him with that mud.”

Willie looked sheepish. ” Perhaps you are right.  So what do we do to fix this mess?”

” We go to the Union Hall and talk to Wingo.  He’s our representative to the Bosses. They can’t do anything without Wingo’s, O K ; you know that.”

Willie sighed . ” I forgot. Things have changed so much since the world economy crashed two years ago. Everything is so different. So easy.  They tell us what to do….when and how to do it. I get tax rebate checks even if I don’t work.”

Wally Woodchuck nodded in agreement. “As long as the Red Woodchuck’s United party remains in power, we can’t get fired. Our share of the Annual Spending Stimulus (A . S . S . ) pays for our food…takes care of our landlord… pays for our health care. We get a monthly stimulus payment. ” He looked at his friend,” and if we mess up at work, our union covers our ASS.”

Warren walked over and joined his friends. Reaching out , he patted Willie on the back.” Wally’s right,” he said, ” Let someone else clean up the mess. There are plenty of woodchuck’s wanting to work. Let them do it if they are so industrious.. hard work and responsibility are such old fashioned concepts. .”

” Right on baby,”  said cool Wally.  The sunlight bounced off his shades, rendering his eyes invisible. ” Pre-bailout is passe.  Give me my stimulus  and let me go play. Working is for squares. Let someone else do it.”

He thought about it for a moment, then smiled. ” Yes, that’s it,  let someone else do it.  Our new motto,  let someone else do it! ”

Warren and Willie picked up the chant. “Let someone else do it! ” they shouted in unison. ” Let someone else do it! ”

The Economic Rescue and Stimulus Package,(E.R.S.P.) had accomplished its goal.

Woodchuck ambition and innovation had been replaced by government employment. Everyone got a job. Working was optional.

Healthcare was available to every person in the Country and the quality was equally low and slow for all.

The standard of living was permanentally lowered, but no citizen was forced to work for their lowered standard.

And, of course, most important of all, THE RED WOODCHUCKS UNITED party( TRWU) was the benevolent orchestrator of our welfare, safety and what we can think from now on.

A very comforting thought.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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