So the veto of the gas tax didn’t result in the 35W bridge collapse?

My esteemed overlord hates to say “I told you so.”

Allow me.

Mitch told you so.

Number 1:  When the engineers finally release their report about what actually caused the 35W Bridge Collapse, a lot of regional lefties – Elwyn Tinklenberg, Rep. Alice Hausman, Nick Coleman and others among them – are going to owe the Governor, Lt. Gov/Transportation Commissioner Molnau, the Taxpayers’ League and the “hold the line on taxes” crowd – a lot of apologies for a lot of defamation.

Number 2: None of them will actually give those apologies.

Nick Coleman’s article of August 2nd is no longer linkable. But here are excerpts of Nick’s rabid blather at the time from Roosh Five:

The death bridge was “structurally deficient,” we now learn, and had a rating of just 50 percent, the threshold for replacement. But no one appears to have erred on the side of public safety. The errors were all the other way.

There isn’t any bigger metaphor for a society in trouble than a bridge falling, its concrete lanes pointing brokenly at the sky, its crumpled cars pointing down at the deep waters where people disappeared.

Nick Coleman: Drama Queen. Hack Journalist. Dead Wrong.

Only this isn’t a metaphor.

But when you have a tragedy on this scale, it isn’t just concrete and steel that has failed us.

In a word, it was avoidable.

For half a dozen years, the motto of state government and particularly that of Gov. Tim Pawlenty has been No New Taxes. It’s been popular with a lot of voters and it has mostly prevailed. So much so that Pawlenty vetoed a 5-cent gas tax increase – the first in 20 years – last spring and millions were lost that might have gone to road repair. And yes, it would have fallen even if the gas tax had gone through, because we are years behind a dangerous curve when it comes to the replacement of infrastructure that everyone but wingnuts in coonskin caps agree is one of the basic duties of government.

I’m not just pointing fingers at Pawlenty. The outrage here is not partisan. It is general.

At the federal level, the parsimony is worse, and so is the negligence. A trillion spent in Iraq, while schools crumble, there aren’t enough cops on the street and bridges decay while our leaders cross their fingers and ignore the rising chances of disaster.

I-35W bridge was doomed from the start

Investigators will say the blame lies with designers who erred in calculating the size of key gusset plates, sources say.

Original designers of the Interstate 35W bridge in Minneapolis likely neglected to calculate the size of key gusset plates that eventually failed, a human mistake that culminated 40 years later when 13 people died after the span collapsed, federal safety investigators have found.

They also have determined that corrosion of certain gusset plates, extreme heat and shifting piers did not contribute to the bridge’s collapse on Aug. 1, 2007, according to sources with direct knowledge of the probe.

Elwyn Tinklenberg, Rep. Alice Hausman, Nick Coleman will undoubtedly not be reachable for comment. Mr. Coleman’s resume can probably be found on Monster.com.

Its not just Joe the Plumber that will be hurt by higher taxes and will stop hiring and spending and start firing and scrimping.

It’s “Fred Ex” too. Big business, employing the rest of America that doesn’t work for Uncle Sam, is and will do much the same.

There are few better people to ask about our current economic precipice than Mr. Smith — or, as some people call him, “Fred Ex.” His company has $38 billion in sales, employs four football stadiums full of workers, owns 300 jet airplanes, and tens of thousands of trucks and vehicles. FedEx moves an incomprehensible seven million packages each day to every corner of the globe.

Broken Record: “Middle Class” Americans won’t care about lower taxes or a stimuless check in their hand if they have lost their job or are concerned they may.

Washington Is the Problem

“Look, our capital budget as we went into this year was about $3 billion. We went out to Boeing in July for our board meeting to see the new triple seven, [the Boeing 777] which we have bought. If we had a lower corporate tax rate with the ability to expense capital expenditures, guess what? We’d buy more triple sevens. We absolutely have to cut the corporate tax. Our current tax rate is about 38%. Even Germany has a 25% rate.”

Buying more Boeing 777’s, an American product; made in America by Americans, would mean more good-paying “Middle Class” American jobs. This is but one example. There are thousands of employers, large and small that face the same challenges, brought on by Washington’s corruption, mismanagement and liberal agendas.

Fiscal conservatives understand this. Liberals like Obama and his posse will ramrod their social engineering designs without regard for what damage it will do to the economy, hurting the very constituents they claim to work for.

Check the bottom listing in the Investor’s Business Editorials Daily Tracking Poll…”Displays Flag”

HT John H

There are a lot of movies whose sequels should not have been made. The first installment sucked bad enough.

The pay-as-you-go Social Security system is another such performance for which a sequel would be inadvisable to say the least.

A lot of Conservatives are concerned that a Democratic Trifecta may lead to a level of catastrophic creativity not seen since The New Deal.

Unfortunately, we don’t even have to wait for the election to see some of the most obtuse products of this alliance.

If you have a 401(k) or equivalent retirement plan, you’ve probably been watching nervously the past few weeks as your nest egg has shrunken owing to the current turmoil in the markets.

Well, it could be worse. But don’t take heart, for what we mean is it could get worse. The market turmoil has some politicians on Capitol Hill eyeing the end of the 401(k) as we know it.

We have a Social Security system that is currently running on fumes, backed by a trust fund containing a treasure trove of I.O.U.s.

We have a generation of taxpayers that hold little hope of ever recouping their contributions, many (most?) of which aren’t saving enough to make up for it. What is the solution?

Take away the tax benefits of saving into a 401k including the incentive the employer has to match contributions.

In exchange for what?

Another Social Security benefit. Guaranteed by whom?

The U.S. Government.

The same government that has pissed away $10,000,000,000,000 (and counting).

What would the money be invested in?

Special “Government Bonds” that would pay inflation plus three percent. Forfeit a bouquet of shares in a carefully arranged and assorted arrangement of global enterprises that have averaged between 8 and 12 percent per year over periods of time that easily fit twice within the average career span. Trade them for a share of the magnificent crater that forty years of tax-once, spend-thrice government corruption and mismanagement has left for us and the next twenty generations.

Sounds swell.

I’ll take my chances with the stock market, thank you.

Democrats think Americans are too stupid to save for retirement. The sad thing is, they might be right. Most don’t save enough. We know that.

As usual, the Democrats think it’s the government’s job to confiscate the hard-earned assets of the self-reliant, the prudent, and the hard-working and dole it out to the spendthrifts, the lazy, the leeches who can’t or won’t do anything for themselves…but vote.

John McCain today:

“Spending, the conduct of the war in Iraq for years, growth in the size of government, larger than any time since the Great Society, laying a $10 trillion debt on future generations of America, owing $500 billion to China, obviously, failure to both enforce and modernize the [financial] regulatory agencies that were designed for the 1930s and certainly not for the 21st century, failure to address the issue of climate change seriously,” McCain told the Washington Times when asked to name his criticisms of the current president.

“Those are just some of them”

He’s hanging an awful lot solely around President Bush’s neck. (I’m pretty sure GWB didn’t cause Global Warming)

Nonetheless I think that’s what you call a Maverick.

Agree or not, I dare Barack Obama to do this. Even Once. Stand on principle. Challenge his party leaders.

He couldn’t even do this with Bill Ayers, Tony Rezko or Rev. Wright.

You can’t vote “Present” as President. But apparently you can exhibit an astounding lack of accomplishments and leadership and be a candidate for President.

Do you think Obama would ever veto anything? Do you think he’ll temper the designs on socialism that Reid and Pelosi have in mind (or will it be his idea?)?

Would he be Congress’ lapdog?

“Ruff!”

But these guys are. And Nobel Prize winners too:

We are equally concerned with his proposals to increase tax rates on labor income and investment. His dividend and capital gains tax increases would reduce investment and cut into the savings of millions of Americans. His proposals to increase income and payroll tax rates would discourage the formation and expansion of small businesses and reduce employment and take-home pay, as would his mandates on firms to provide expensive health insurance.

After hearing such economic criticism of his proposals, Barack Obama has apparently suggested to some people that he might postpone his tax increases, perhaps to 2010. But it is a mistake to think that postponing such tax increases would prevent their harmful effect on the economy today. The prospect of such tax rate increases in 2010 is already a drag on the economy. Businesses considering whether to hire workers today and expand their operations have time horizons longer than a year or two, so the prospect of higher taxes starting in 2009 or 2010 reduces hiring and investment in 2008.

That’s right. The very prospect of raising taxes is already causing pain for Americans as their employers tighten their expenditures and defer hiring, spending and investment.

…and ends with L-O-S-T.

Barack Obama declared last week that his economic plan begins with “one word that’s on everyone’s mind and it’s spelled J-O-B-S.” This raises the stubborn question that Senator Obama has never satisfactorily answered: How do you create more jobs when you want to levy higher tax rates on the small business owners who are the nation’s primary employers? (emphasis mine)

The answer is “you don’t.” Don’t believe it?

How about a word from an expert. A Democrat at that (emphasis mine).

Democratic Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus of Montana. Here is what Mr. Baucus wrote in a joint press release with Iowa Republican Charles Grassley on August 20, 2001, when they supported the income tax rate cuts that Mr. Obama wants to repeal:

“. . . when the new tax relief law is fully phased in, entrepreneurs and small businesses — owners of sole proprietorships, partnerships, S corporations, and farms — will receive 80 percent of the tax relief associated with reducing the top income tax rates of 36 percent to 33 percent and 39.6 percent to 35 percent.”

Then they continued with a useful economics tutorial:

“Experts agree that lower taxes increase a business’ cash flow, which helps with liquidity constraints during an economic slowdown and could increase the demand for investment and labor.”

Twelve Senate Democrats voted for those same tax cuts. And just to be clear on one point: An increase in “the demand for investment and labor” translates into an increase in J-O-B-S. So if lowering these tax rates creates jobs, then it stands to reason that raising these taxes will mean fewer jobs. From 2003 to 2007 with the lower tax rates in place, the U.S. economy added eight million jobs, or about 125,000 per month. The Small Business Administration says small business wrote the paychecks for up to 80% of new jobs in 2005, for example.

Apparently there are thirteen Democrats that know what is good for the economy.

Sadly, Barack Obama doesn’t happen to be one of them.

Tax “cuts” for people that don’t pay taxes in the first place coupled with tax increases for those that already bear most of the burden is a tax hike, net/net.

Tax increases of any sort for anyone is a bad idea right now and will further undermine an economy that is about to get a lot worse, with or without Obama’s “help.” Don’t believe it? Does history offer a clue?

In 1932, Democrat Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected president as the nation was heading into a severe recession. The stock market had crashed in 1929, the world’s economy was slowing down, and all economic indicators in the U.S. showed signs of trouble.

The new president’s response was to restructure the economy with the New Deal — an expansion of the role of government once unimaginable in America. We now know that FDR’s policies likely prolonged the Great Depression because the economy never fully recovered in the 1930s, and actually got worse in the latter half of the decade. And we know that FDR got away with it (winning election four times) by blaming his predecessor, Herbert Hoover, for crashing the economy in the first place.

Change the names, and what is about to happen doesn’t seem so far fetched. Eight more years of hearing about the failed policies of the Bush administration, who pushed the same ineffective stimuless button that Pelosi is proposing. Obama and his Liberal Flunkies have blamed George Bush for everything so far, why stop now?

MSN Money today, or at least two of their columnists, attributed the 413-point gain (4.6%) on the Dow today to Ben Bernanke’s endorsement of a potential Pelosi stimulus package.

The Democrats are also taking Bernanake’s words out of context to promote their “stimulus” plan, essentially a plan to further mortgage the future to generate welfare checks.

Stocks soared today as higher oil prices set off a big rally in energy stocks and as Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke endorsed the idea of a second economic stimulus package from Congress.

This based on an out-of-context snippet of Bernanke testimony today…

“With the economy likely to be weak for several quarters, and with some risk of a protracted slowdown, consideration of a fiscal package by the Congress at this juncture seems appropriate”

“Consideration” is not an endorsement. Unless of course you are a liberal looking for corroboration of your failed economic policies.

Here are excerpts from the full transcript in context (emphasis mine):

I understand that the Congress is evaluating the desirability of a second fiscal package.  Any fiscal action inevitably involves tradeoffs, not only among current needs and objectives but also–because commitments of resources today can burden future generations and constrain future policy options–between the present and the future.  Such tradeoffs inevitably involve value judgments that can properly be made only by our elected officials.  Moreover, with the outlook exceptionally uncertain, the optimal timing, scale, and composition of any fiscal package are unclear.  All that being said, with the economy likely to be weak for several quarters, and with some risk of a protracted slowdown, consideration of a fiscal package by the Congress at this juncture seems appropriate.

Should the Congress choose to undertake fiscal action, certain design principles may be helpful.  To best achieve its goals, any fiscal package should be structured so that its peak effects on aggregate spending and economic activity are felt when they are most needed, namely, during the period in which economic activity would otherwise be expected to be weak.  Any fiscal package should be well-targeted, in the sense of attempting to maximize the beneficial effects on spending and activity per dollar of increased federal expenditure or lost revenue; at the same time, it should go without saying that the Congress must be vigilant in ensuring that any allocated funds are used effectively and responsibly.  Any program should be designed, to the extent possible, to limit longer-term effects on the federal government’s structural budget deficit.

Finally, in the ideal case, a fiscal package would not only boost overall spending and economic activity but would also be aimed at redressing specific factors that have the potential to extend or deepen the economic slowdown.  As I discussed earlier, the extraordinary tightening in credit conditions has played a central role in the slowdown thus far and could be an important factor delaying the recovery.  If the Congress proceeds with a fiscal package, it should consider including measures to help improve access to credit by consumers, homebuyers, businesses, and other borrowers.  Such actions might be particularly effective at promoting economic growth and job creation.

He’s not ruling it out, but it’s not an endorsement of Liberal welfare stimulus checks. He warns of any plan’s detrimental impact on our future (read national debt), and seems more concerned with job growth (read tax cuts) and less so on putting cash in consumer’s hands (liberal stimulus packages).

…and yes, I am well aware of the fact that the last (also failed) stimulus package was pressed into service by a liberal by the name of George W. Bush.

So why did the last one fail? The same reason the next one will. The same reason Obama’s Marxist “spread the wealth around” policies will fail.

Because our economy is hyper-sensitized to job growth and job security. Right now small businesses are freezing new hires and new expenditures until they see who occupies the Oval Office, what happens in the credit markets, and what is in store for tax and fiscal policy.

As a result, consumers are deferring discretionary purchases; especially big-ticket items manufactured in America. Putting a few hundred dollars in their pockets won’t assuage the insecurity they feel about their jobs and cash flow for the foreseeable future.

Bernanke is convinced that the goverment needs to do something to loosen frozen credit markets and stimulate job growth. Hence the relevance of Joe the Plumber of late. Americans are realizing what a hero Joe and other small business owners are in times like these. They create jobs. Right now they need to be incented, not penalized for doing so.

Barack Obama’s policies play into the worst fears of those who hold in their power the ability to grow our economy. I suspect that has a lot to do with the tightening of the race for the White House.

Question is…is there still time enough for the American people to realize which of the two candidates is most likely to take actions, based on their records, that will address the challenges our economy faces?

PS: So why did the stock market go up today? Because there were more buyers than sellers.

Lame.

A brief behind the scenes sketch and a stint on Weekend Update where she watches while Amy Pollock does a Palin rap.

Plus the musical guest? Who is Adele?

Josh Brolin. Not funny.

If you missed it you didn’t miss it.

I could have been sleeping.

Mitch and Ed are talking about despondent conservatives on the radio on my credenza as I type. Many of us have resigned ourselves to the fact that we are likely to have a Democratic President, House and Senate and may even have lost filibuster protection in Congress. In a sick example of double jeopardy, Al Franken could be the last building block of a Liberal Supermajority.

The huns are at the wall. Soon, no one; nothing may stand between hard-working, self-reliant folks and those that think we are a people of the government, by the government, for the government, and not the other way around as Abraham Lincoln set forth in his Gettysburg Address.

Though we doubt most Americans realize it, this would be one of the most profound political and ideological shifts in U.S. history. Liberals would dominate the entire government in a way they haven’t since 1965, or 1933. In other words, the election would mark the restoration of the activist government that fell out of public favor in the 1970s.

Why do you suppose that happened? Because those were very bad times. America’s economy at its near worst. You’d think that there are enough of us around to remember how bad things were back then, but as they say, history tends to repeat itself; humans being humans after all.

As for being a despondent conservative, I have found my optimism wavering to say the least but at the same time I have given much thought, especially as a financial advisor, as to how this translates into pragmatic action and counsel.

Assuming the worst, what does it mean for the average American? What should we do? How can we prepare?

Sorry Senator Biden, but you are so very wrong, again. Sadly, for the foreseeable future, it will actually be “patriotic” to save more and spend less.

Obama’s “tax cut”, characterized more accurately as a wealth redistribution scheme by analysts with a little more economic acumen than “That One,” will essentially be taking capital from those that have historically known what to do with it and giving it to those that historically have not.

Job creation, investment, and growth will give way to an insignificant blip in consumer spending, mostly on imported goods, and visits to the casino. A drop in consumer spending and job growth will create a cyclical effect that will magnify the effects, even the perceived future effects of a more burdensome government.

You see when you run a business, every dollar you spend is a dollar not spent or invested somewhere else. It’s called opportunity cost. If the government increases its burden on consumers and employers, those dollars have to come from somewhere.

Even the prospect of higher taxes and slowed economic growth will be cause for pause among business owners and consumers. It’s happening already, which is why many believe we have been in a recession for some time now.

And in fact, I have some advice for you: make adjustments now, before you are forced too. Look at your finances with an eye for necessity. Discretionary spending should be closely scrutinized to maximize its value to you and your family or business.

Build a financial buffer of safety around you and your family as the taxman is coming and he doesn’t care what damage he does to your employer. He will simply be doing the bidding of Obama and his liberal economic pinheads.

The verdict isn’t in yet, but your financial advisor may also start to advise you to move your portfolios into allocations slightly more conservative than they have been in the past as financial analysts may determine the higher potential returns earned by investors in exchange for taking more risk (versus risk-free investments) may be reduced for the foreseeable future.

Assuming that a recession has already begun, and the liberal powers that be are likely to make exactly the wrong moves, a recession could extend itself into a depression – essentially the term for a very long recession.

Cash will be King.

And much to the surprise of the liberals that will have caused it, the rich will get even richer as assets will return to their rightful owners as the wealthy scoop up many and varied bargains in equities and real estate discarded by those who have become under or unemployed.

So don’t wait for the effects of an Obama administration and an activist liberal congress to trickle down to your financial situation. Prepare yourself now.

And perils I will surely suffer as I begin a year long swim in this soup of fecal frivolity as I serve in full farce as Mayor of the Minnesota Organization of Blogs.

I submit willingly to any and all chicanery commensurate with this lowly office.

To that end, I hereby recognize those that paired my nickname with a female personal hygiene product as I had not previously sampled this delightful couplet. I am forever in your debt for this grand discovery.

I thank those that voted for me, especially those who leveraged their vote by proxy. Your corruption is equaled only by my gratitude.

To my opponent, I honor her for her good sportiness and recognize her patriotism in the face of pandemic liberalism.

And I will remind you my MOBster brethren, that the enemy is not within.

Above all, I would like to thank Mitch “Capo Di Tutti Bloggi” Berg as without his gracious and unprecedented invitation to sully his brand with my musings, not more than a few of you would even know who I am.

But now as I stand on high, lifted by your very will to this lofty throne, I am in receipt of confirmation of a notion I have heretofore kept in confidence to my bosom.

That I am truly better than all of you.

A little awkward, but also funny.

“…and I got my middle name from somebody who obviously didn’t think I would run for President.”

“…my middle name…it’s actually Steve.”

HT Troy

“I can’t wish my opponent luck; but I do wish him well.”

John McCain is funnier than you might imagine, and also a class act.

If I were Joe the plumber I would like to think I’d have answered Obama’s queries a little differently.

I would have bristled at the audacity of his condescension as he stood there and told me that had I had a tax break from the government I could have built my business faster;  as if I needed the government to help me get where I’ve gotten. On my own, thank you very much.

And maybe those firemen and nurses and teachers would have been better off too with that middle class tax cut; but they aren’t building a business. They provide valuable services and exhibit bravery in the face of danger (I’m talking about teachers too);  we need them for sure. But they work for the government. They don’t create jobs. They don’t buy capital goods. They won’t pull us out of this economic crisis.

By the way, I would have asked him why so many of the people he hangs out with hate America so much?

If I were Joe, I would have asked Barack Obama how he can give tax cuts to 95% of Americans when 40% don’t even pay income taxes?

I would ask him why I should believe that a man that has consistently voted for more taxes and more spending would change his stance now? Does he think Joe’s stupid?

I would have asked him what he knows about building anything. What risks, save experimenting with drugs, has he taken in his life?

I would have asked Obama if he could be patient. Cut my taxes and I will grow faster, hire more people, invest in my business, buy more equipment and ultimately my success would create way more tax revenue for Obama and his pet projects.

I would have agreed with Obama: I’m not voting for him, but not because of his skin color. So don’t call me a racist. Joe isn’t going to vote for Obama because he doesn’t get it – despite Obama’s America-hating elitist wife’s pleading to the contrary.

You see America was founded by Joe the Plumber. Guys like Joe are the true pioneers. He’s a self-starter. Joe creates something from nothing. He scratches a business plan on the back of a pink sheet he got from his last employer, asks his wife to make sacrifices, support and believe in him. Joe claws his way to some semblance of success. He creates jobs and buys American trucks and hardware. He is the self-reliant, hard-working risk taker. Joe owns two guns. One to hunt with. One to defend his family with. Joe is what is left of the American backbone.

Joe is as proud as he is concerned that his business pays not only his mortgage and car payments, but also those of his employees and their families. His biggest monthly bill is his company’s health insurance plan and judging by how much government has f*cked up just about everything else they’ve put their hands on, the last thing he wants government to do is get involved there. In fact, he would just as soon give his employees the ability to shop and choose their own health insurance provider. He’d give them a raise if they did.

Joe doesn’t want a handout. He doesn’t want a floor beneath him because he doesn’t want a ceiling above him. He doesn’t want to be penalized for working hard, following the rules and realizing the American dream. He’d just as soon you leave him alone and stay out of his way.

And for his success what does Barack Obama offer him?

Deep down Barack doesn’t want to celebrate his success. Barack can’t identify with a guy like Joe. Barack colors him “wealthy” and wants to take from him and give to those that can’t or won’t do what Joe has done.

Taking from the rich and giving to the poor has left us a bankrupt nation. In the interest of “fairness”, Barack Obama and his liberal cronies want now to take from the almost-rich and give to the almost-poor. It is time-tested formula for national failure. It is exactly the wrong course for America in a time when we need leaders for which more spending and more taxes isn’t the answer to every single issue that faces our nation.

But of late, Joe has become outnumbered. The pendulum has swung from the ranks of the self-reliant individual that values hard work, saving, accountability, investment, financial freedom and wealth creation; The American Dream is dying a slow death by asphyxiation.

Swelling are the ranks of those that have given up on those values; including far too many Republicans.

We now suffer a majority of Americans that see government as some disassociated entity that sends them a check without regard for where it came from. Life is too tough. Government is the answer. We have a right to a home and a comfortable life and we shouldn’t have to work so hard to have it. These are the people that think Joe just got lucky. And maybe he did – it’s the kind of luck that comes from working hard. They don’t see the sleepless nights; the seven-day work weeks; the fear of failure.

Welcome to the Entitlement Society. Where no one suffers and no one rises above. Where the goal is to game the system, and the Democrats will show you how. They will tell you you’re pissed and rightfully so: vote for me.

The Democrats are leading the charge and are ignorant to risks their policies pose to the financial survival of our nation. The takers have stormed the castle of the givers and have breached the outer wall, flooding the courtyard chanting Change, Hope and “Obama! Obama! Obama!”

We all need Joe. We need Joe desperately right now. But Joe may become an endangered species. Obama wants to put Joe on the ropes because Joe doesn’t vote for guys like Obama.

…and when we have no more Joe’s, our nation ceases to exist.

cockamamie: ridiculous, pointless, or nonsensical: full of wild schemes and cockamamie ideas.

…as in John McCain on Joe Biden’s “…cockamamie idea of dividing Iraq into three countries…” for me was the highlight of last night’s debate. Not because the statement was truly relevant in times like these nor because it was debate time well spent. Rather, it was a glimmer that John McCain was finally going to go after Barack Obama on the issues that matter to conservatives.

Last night’s debate was certainly John McCain’s best effort, repleat with gritted teeth and his nervous ticks, criticizing Obama for his affinity for government spending and earmarks, a broken promise on campaign financing, his relationship with domestic terrorist Bill Ayers and finally delivering the one-liners that McCain supporters have been waiting for like “I am not George Bush.”

The crowd at the AM1280 The Patriot event at Trocadero’s had many opportunities to stand in applause…and as many to shout at the screen in disagreement or disappointment when opportunities were fully grasped…or totally missed.

Missed were opportunities to talk extensively about effective strategies for growing our economy out of the current malaise, and hitting Obama harder for his far-left liberal record on a litany of issues (that should be) relevant to the American voter.

Alas, all Barrack needed to do was not lay an egg. As such, it was probably not the breakthrough McCain needed to sway the lion’s share of the undecideds he needs let alone dislodging any Obama supporters. Obama was calm, cool and never appeared defensive as he lied through his teeth to the American people.

So as a souvenir, I leave you…”Cockamamie”.

I studied at the U of M’s School of Professional Journalism (“The J-School”) and even though it was not that long ago, industry practices appear to have changed a great deal since then (not to mention my career as a Financial Advisor having nothing to do with Journalism).

Lost is the notion that a journalist is a professional at least in the sense that a professional follows a creed; adheres to some standard of excellence; observes a code of ethics. Nowadays, objectivity is for sissies. Everything is an editorial.

Journalistic “talent” is more apt to refer to a Journalist’s visage or breast size than more cerebral aptitudes.

A reversal of sorts has emerged. Conclusions are crafted, research is conducted and the story is written to substantiate it. Political events are reverse engineered. Newspapers didn’t use have agendas…or at least were a lot better at concealing it.

And the printed journal is suffering for it.

This morning on Sirius 144 The Patriot I heard Bill Bennett read The Journalists Creed.

The Journalist’s Creed was written by the first dean of the Missouri School of Journalism, Walter Williams. One century later, his declaration remains one of the clearest statements of the principles, values and standards of journalists throughout the world. The plaque bearing the creed is located on the main stairway to the second floor of Neff Hall.

It is engraved in bronze; surviving now only in spirit. The bronze’s worth now measured by its weight – not the import it conveys.

They were heady days…when a journalist could be counted on for the facts. Nothing more/nothing less. News was news. Opinion was relegated to the Editorial Page.

Great reward found the investigative reporter that uncovered a truth unknown but of great weight; and it was never served until it was corroborated; confirmed. If anything, the press showed too much restraint in the interest of the greater good. JFK’s affairs weren’t in the news – it wasn’t good for America.

In the interest of The Republic, in-depth coverage and vetting could be expected to be conducted on both party’s candidate. Not just the one, usually a conservative, that the paper wasn’t endorsing – a bastardization of the institution in and of itself.

Case in point: More time and effort has been invested on the part of the media to determine the the maternity of Sarah Palin’s granddaughter than Barack Obama’s associations with admitted domestic terrorists, anti-American ideologues, or the prime instigators of our current financial crisis, Raines and Frank, both either allies or advisers to Barack Obama.

And the voter is suffering for it.

Newspapers have been dying a slow death for many years now. Soon the printed page will be a thing of the past.

As for the state of Journalism? The Blogosphere has emerged as an agent for change and frictionless expression. Objectivity, and even truth are left for the reader to discern and evaluate. Feedback and commentary is real time. The Blog is the modern day version of the pamphlet of Ben Franklin’s time; published with a nom de plume, not unlike the millions of blogs across the globe.

And objectivity in the blogosphere? It’s for sissies here as well.

As for the creed? Read it and weep.

I believe in the profession of journalism.

I believe that the public journal is a public trust; that all connected with it are, to the full measure of their responsibility, trustees for the public; that acceptance of a lesser service than the public service is betrayal of this trust.

I believe that clear thinking and clear statement, accuracy and fairness are fundamental to good journalism.

I believe that a journalist should write only what he holds in his heart to be true.

I believe that suppression of the news, for any consideration other than the welfare of society, is indefensible.

I believe that no one should write as a journalist what he would not say as a gentleman; that bribery by one’s own pocketbook is as much to be avoided as bribery by the pocketbook of another; that individual responsibility may not be escaped by pleading another’s instructions or another’s dividends.

I believe that advertising, news and editorial columns should alike serve the best interests of readers; that a single standard of helpful truth and cleanness should prevail for all; that the supreme test of good journalism is the measure of its public service.

I believe that the journalism which succeeds best — and best deserves success — fears God and honors Man; is stoutly independent, unmoved by pride of opinion or greed of power, constructive, tolerant but never careless, self-controlled, patient, always respectful of its readers but always unafraid, is quickly indignant at injustice; is unswayed by the appeal of privilege or the clamor of the mob; seeks to give every man a chance and, as far as law and honest wage and recognition of human brotherhood can make it so, an equal chance; is profoundly patriotic while sincerely promoting international good will and cementing world-comradeship; is a journalism of humanity, of and for today’s world.

Those were heady days.

I will miss the many and several Almost Championship Seasons of my childhood.

…the antics in the endzone.

…and on the lake.

And we can do without any more outdoor stadiums with Global Cooling setting in. We will regret building the ones we already have once reality sets in.

We should not be held hostage by a team that can’t win the big one.

What do the Minnesota Vikings, Buffalo Bills, Florida Marlins, Tampa Bay Rays, New York Islanders and basketball’s New Orleans Hornets all have in common?

The 10 Sports Franchises Most Likely To Move

Go Twins!  -er I mean stay!

Step One…

Governments are “tackling the root of the problem,” said Christopher Wong, who helps manage about $25 billion in assets as investment manager at Aberdeen Asset Management Asia Ltd. in Singapore. “They’re putting confidence back into the market by not just adding liquidity but adding strength to the banks that serve main street.”

Step Two…

Dow Jumps 300 in the First Minute

It’s fun…while it lasts.

Dow Jones Up Over 900 Points.

Biggest Rally in 70 Years

Dow Jumps 938 Points after Historic Weekend

What does this mean?

It means something and nothing all at the same time.

One day does not a trend make.

But at least it doesn’t suck.

Stay tuned to Shot in the Dark for more of this detailed and inspiring analysis.

The Washington Post is already deconstructing the financial crisis, and looking for the upside. That being, we will learn our lesson and be better for it in the long run. It’s a pretty good forensic analysis but Fareed Zakaria got a couple things wrong…really wrong.

Since the 1980s, Americans have consumed more than they produced and have made up the difference by borrowing. Two decades of easy money and innovative financial products meant that virtually anyone could borrow any amount for any purpose. Household debt ballooned from $680 billion in 1974 to $14 trillion today. The average household has 13 credit cards, and 40 percent of these carry a balance, up from 6 percent in 1970.

This is all true, but I don’t know one person that has thirteen credit cards.

But the average American’s behavior was virtuous compared with government behavior. Every city, county and state has wanted to preserve its proliferating operations yet not raise taxes. How to square this circle? By borrowing, using ever more elaborate financial instruments.

True also. When do we get to the part however, where the two combined forces. Where government decided that home ownership, and getting a loan to make it so, was no longer the American dream? That in the interest of “fairness” it was a right; no matter what your income or credit history was.

If there is a lesson to be taken from this crisis, it’s an old rule:There is no free lunch. Now, debt is not a bad thing. Used responsibly, it is at the heart of modern capitalism. But hiding mountains of debt in complex instruments is an invitation to irresponsible behavior.

Okay, I’m still with you.

In the short term, governments must take on more debts and obligations to resolve the crisis. But that doesn’t mean we should stimulate the economy with more tax cuts, as some economists advocate. That would only keep the party going artificially. A far better stimulus would be to expedite major infrastructure and energy projects, which are investments, not consumption,and have a different effect on fiscal fortunes.

…as some economists advocate? Silly economists. Don’t listen to them. Keep the party going artificially? Like the longest and most robust period of economic prosperity ever in the history of America? That was a party? No. It was real and it was brought on by Ronald Reagan’s disdain for ever-larger government and economic growth spurred by tax relief.

…and let’s not forget…one benefit of Ronald Regan’s leadership: revenues to the federal government increased dramatically. Revenues that could be used to pay for those goverment functions that are necessary and practical; revenues that could be used to pay down our debt. Back then we had true fiscal leadership in the White House. It’s been a while.

A far better stimulus would be to expedite major infrastructure and energy projects, which are investments, not consumption, and have a different effect on fiscal fortunes.

Them’s some big words. I love it when a liberal calls government spending an “investment” and hides it among the big words – prose not unlike the financial derivative instruments he (rightfully) lambastes a few sentences ago.

The U.S. economy remains extremely dynamic. Even now, the most surprising data continue to be how resilient the economy has been through the recent shocks. That will not last if the panic persists, but the economy’s underlying virtues would help it recover quickly from a recession.

Underlying virtues..extremely dynamic..resilient? Sounds like our economy is fundamentally sound. You best be careful there…that sounds like you agree with John McCain. That could cost you your paycheck where you work.

The Fed, White House and congress are almost out of options. Pelosi’s proposed stimulus is more of the same and will only contribute to the length and depth of whatever course this crisis is bound to take. The only option – the only proven option – is to cut taxes and allow the free enterprise system – led by small business – to grow us out of this predicament.

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