Lately I feel as if what I'm hearing from our leaders is nothing but a series of pithy sounding words and phrases, strung together in an attempt to sound more knowledgeable than they are.
What's new, right?
We are facing the world pandemic of Swine Flu which is destined to be extraordinarily serious, there is a new strain of the AIDS virus, and the pneumonic plague (which kills in 24 hours) has resurrected itself in a small town in China.
However, today everything goes on as it always has. Hillary Clinton has declared that we're "committed" to Africa's future. Yeah, we should be committed all right: Africa has little to offer us (except new versions of AIDS) but we are bound and determined to lavish attention on them. Why? It's not simply because Obama's relatives reside in Africa, because this sort of stupidity took root in the Bush administration.
The big news is the debate over the "successful" Cash for Clunkers program. How successful is it? It depends on who you ask.
There are some very good reasons why Cash for Clunkers is detrimental to our society, but even so, I am not going to stand on principle. If it's around when I'm ready to take advantage of it, I'll do so. But throughout this debate all I hear is a great deal of waffling without openly addressing the true concerns that arise from this program. Instead, the real issues are discussed in print by the people who cannot make the decisions for us.
How about a little attention to the genuinely serious issues, guys? I think we're going to need it. Right now we're looking at worsening economic conditions, potentially serious plagues that will or can find their way here combined with a lack of decent health coverage, and a rising sense of hysteria among the jobless.
But obstreperous juju masticus is key, while finagling the snitterbawls in August. I believe that we are perspicacious when we say that it is all purely scatalogical.
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Um, lavishing attention on a Continent of a billion people, why would that be in any way wrong? They are a Continent full of poverty, political unrest and humanitarian crisis. Are those not reason enough to want to help them become a stable and even prosperous region in the world?
We in the West are certainly good at taking advantage of their gold and diamonds, and lets not forget when the Colonial powers divided up Africa like it was a pizza.
I commend any individual or government that places the value of human life at a premium.
Scott, Is other human life worth the price of our own? If we don't focus on the problems within our own country, we do not deserve to have the superpower status that we had (have?). We need to clean our own house before we clean anyone else's.
As for us "taking advantage" of their gold and diamonds, puhleeze. It's not as if we're pirates, riding in and taking what we want.
And as for Colonial powers: Let the British take the heat on that one.
I don't agree with this post, but Scott talking about the value of human life is laughable. That guy doesn't even respect the people around him.
The colonial powers also included Spain, France, Portugal, and even the USA. We sure used to live that slave labor.
Africa is all about a HUGE market. people are still in mud huts over there. Ill bet that someone living in a mud hut would demand more drywall than say you. You already have drywall. And windows. And an indoor toilet.
So to the indoor toilet makers - you are useless. Unless your existing one explodes, you are not going to get a new one.
But Africa - well there are a couple hundred million - even a billion - possible customers! All they need is money to buy one.
And that is just one product among many.
So yea, we have to be "committed" to emerging and potential markets.
As for the cash for clunkers program, I think it is having a net positive effect. I bet if your job was selling cars you would like it. If your job was changing the oil in new cars (new car owners are more likely to not skip out on scheduled maintenance, as the service package is usually sold with the car) you would like it. If you work in an auto factory you may like it. And so on.
The steel will be recycled here. So if you are in the scrap business - you know you have work.
The recycled steel will be somewhat cheap, seeing as how the raw material is subsidized. So if you want something built - guess what!
Does it need to go on forever? No. Is it a horrible idea for right now? Probably not. The money will not come from new spending either - it will come from money already set aside for the auto industry. I do not think the money should be pissed away, but if it will help move inventory I do not really see a down side to that. Inventory turnover means positive cash flow, positive cash flow is good for all business.
"But obstreperous juju masticus is key, while finagling the snitterbawls in August. I believe that we are perspicacious when we say that it is all purely scatalogical." Fuck You.
Although I hate everything about Cash for Clunkers, I would certainly take advantage of it if I could. I paid all that money in taxes so why shouldn't I get something back. But alas, I don't qualify because all my cars for the last thirty years have been too fuel efficient to qualify. Who knew I was screwing myself out of $4500? Because I made economical decisions, I am being penalized for everyone else buying fuel drains. Besides screwing me, they are also screwing all the charitable organizations that rely on clunkers to give out to the poor since $4500 is more than the tax write-off. Finally to top it all off, people are taking paid off cars, trading them in for a $4500 down payment on a car they probably can't afford and now have payments that must be made in a bad economy. I would wish that they choke on the payments but I don't because I know I would just get saddled with bailing them out too!
I'd like to see a program that pays a like chunk of money towards converting clunkers to electric. It'd be a good "green" use of resources, and would do more for cleaning up the environment than upping gas mileage a couple of points. Hell, they wouldnt even have to hand out money; how about a tax credit and some sort of program to arrange finanacing for anyone who wants to do it? There are more than enough Corollas, Escorts, Caravans, etc out there for mass producing of parts, and it'd be a great opportunity for local/small businesses.
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