Consider this rant and feel free to point out where I'm dum and stoopid [sic].
I'm always amused at folks who use the "But he'll raise taxes!" excuse for bashing a political candidate. I'm certain Obama will raise taxes, but McCain has no other option as well. He can say he won't. He can dance a Hopi "No new taxes" dance, pray to the moon god and yell that the Democrats are and always will be the "tax and spend" party. But no one can stop the bleeding of the American economy without raising taxes and stopping the "borrow and spend" habits of the Bush Administration. Neither candidate, especially McCain, has come to grips with the fact that the United States Government continues to borrow (in the form of treasury bonds and certificates) money primarily from China to spend on an unpopular war and buy oil from Canada, the Arab Emirates, and any other country willing to hold the USA hostage for a $140 barrel of oil, thus throwing any potential for economic prosperity away just as if Curious George and Darth Cheney were heating the White House by burning logs made of $1,000,000 bills.
Yes, there is ample evidence that global warming is more than just a Power Point Presentation cobbled together by Al Gore. Ignore it at your peril. But I've yet to hear anyone address the more immediate issue that the US economy is on the verge of collapse. I have businesses in Europe, South America, and the Great Silver State of Nevada (pronounced Nebada, if you have a bad cold). When I return to the USA in late October to vote early and often in person, I will also be turning off the lights and dissolving my 'Mericuhn business. For those of you who are not small business owners (under 5 million bucks a year?), you are probably unaware of how difficult it is to turn coin in the USA with a business entity that offers real, valuable and needed services (as opposed to the services offered by, say . . . E Entertainment News). And if you are at the mercy of working for a small business, you most likely have noticed that down-sizing is the mantra of the moment.
I hate to do it, but I'm selling short and pulling up stakes. This is especially hard for me because my employees in Nevada are excellent workers, above average in intelligence and business skills, and they have become very good friends. They asked and I agreed to entertain selling them the business. However, after they ran the numbers they realized that it would not be possible for them to save the company. They were also amazed that I hadn't shut down operations two years ago. The US economy is just not in a position to support it at this time or any time within the foreseeable future. However, my other two offices, one in Spain and the other in Argentina, are thriving and they provide the same services as my Nevada office. I find this especially remarkable primarily because in Argentina I have to turn a profit in Argentine Pesos (3.10 Pesos to one U$SDollar in an economy that is suffering 12% (or higher, depending who you listen to) inflation. Back in the days that 1 Argentine Peso equaled 1 US dollar, it was still difficult to manage a financially successful business. When the Argentine economy collapsed big time in 2001, it wiped out the country's entire middle class. Sadly, that's what I foresee happening in the USA regardless whether Obama or McCain becomes President. I'm also very confident that Palin's fabulous resume as a "successful" small business owner will not be of any value.
Although I live as an expat, I still am a member of my Nevada community's Chamber of Commerce (Elko, Nevada) and since January 1st, 2008, twenty-five (and still counting) small businesses have closed. There's lots of empty office space these days. And Elko County is one of the few places in the USA the continuing home mortgage crisis has not made a dent. In fact, housing is on the rise in that corner of the wild and woolly west. However, the entire economy in that area is reliant upon the mining industry. And for those of you who need to buy a clue, the mining companies digging out all of the natural resources in Nevada are foreign-owned. Dutch, Spanish, Australian, and Canadian interests own the majority of mining claims doled out by the US Department of the Interior while all of you weren't looking. Yet, somehow this does not seem to bother those of you fretting over the imagined threat of an African American possibly becoming president or some old fart with a MILF as a running mate supposedly coming to your emotional rescue.
Doesn't matter, folks. The country is going down. That is, unless you'll get off your high horses and learn to accept the responsibility that WE ALL WILL HAVE TO BEGIN PAYING HIGHER TAXES to begin stabilizing the economy in order to even minimally rectify 22 out of the last 30 years of bad government. Remember my neo-con friends, you can only blame Clinton for 8 years of bad management. Reagan and the Bush Boyze bear more years of responsibility for the current economic situation than a man who was impeached for lying about getting a hummer in the Oval Office.
But I'm certain very few of you are or will pay attention to the real issues of keeping the USA solvent, economically sound, and therefore more secure from the desperate yahoos around the world who hate us and are Hell bent on blowing us up. No, the evangelical neo cons hold the Republicans hostage because, certainly, the most important thing is that God be present at all levels of Government. It's much more important that the next President have a burning testimony of Christ than the skills and knowledge to be an effective leader of the country. This kowtowing to the reborn sweet spirits is yet another symptom of what clueless tools we've all become.
If any of you have viable plans on how to avoid seeing the middle class in the USA disappear, I'm all ears (and not just a big penis). Seriously boys and girls, we're all in for a world of hurt unless we grow up and face the economic reality that is the real threat to us all. (Me less than most of you, because I'm spread over several economies, one of which is NOT dependent upon what happens in the USA.)
In preparation for the collapse, I suggest everyone hone their gardening skills, rototill your lawns, and watch as many back episodes of The Victory Garden as possible.
Oh, and by the way, I'm one of those currently enjoying the fabulous tax breaks Bush and his ilk have showered upon the 1%-2% of 'Mericuhns. Trust me, I wouldn't go hungry if I had to pay more taxes on both the State as well as Federal level.
Chau.
