JohnAdamsUncensored

What would I say about who's getting elected?

The next President of the United States will be John McCain.  Why?  Because Senator Clinton is a woman with baggage (about 220 lbs of Bubba) and Senator Obama is an African American with no experience running anything.  If you think otherwise you are thinking wishfully.  This election will be an extension of History and will not make History. 

Let’s face it, America hasn’t changed that much since the 1790’s when I was President.  In the 1790’s White men had all the power.  In the 1790’s Religion was a big deal.  In the 1790’s we worried about our security as a Country.  In the 1790’s, the rich largely determined who ruled.  In the 1790’s we were struggling to establish our own economy.  In the 1790’s we worried about our security as a Country.  In the 1790’s, the rich largely determined who ruled.  In the 1790’s we were obsessed with free enterprise and lower taxes. 

When I was elected in 1796 I beat Thomas Jefferson.  I won because Jefferson was a too liberal, a Franco-phile and a bit of a nancy-boy.  He was far better with the pen than with the tongue.  He did get elected as my Vice-president and eventually became President when he toned down the liberal pablum.  He never did get over his fondness of the French, an afflication that stuck with him throughtout his life.   

So, if I were to run today against Hillary or Barach, I would win in a romp.  I believe McCain will win in a close race because he is male, caucasian, christian, and a military guy that doesn’t like taxes.  I am not saying he SHOULD win, I am saying he WILL win.  If you are not a McCain supporter, take some comfort in knowing that he is likely to be a 1 term president.  Either the war in iraq or his age will rule him out of 2 terms.  A President that presied over a war ages 3 years to one so McCain will effectively be 84 at the end of his term.  He could be the first President to wear Kevlar diapers. 

What would I say about a Recession?

There has been a plethora of speculation concerning the prospect of a Recession.  The press has characterized a Recession as JAWS lurking in the water ready to strike the vulnerable swimmer.  Recessions don’t strike, they are labeled after the fact based on definitions prescribed by economists i.e. 2 quarters of no economic growth.  The term Recession is similar to the term “Hot”- both are relative and ephemeral.  Some thought Martha Washington was hot.  I was not among them.   

 Rather than debating whether we are in a Recession, why not debate whether we are building a healthy base for our economy ?  Focusing on the “Big R” is counter-productive.  It tricks us into short term fixes such as flooding the market with freshly printed money and bailing out idiots that have over-spent or under-saved.  The United States is fixated with “making the quarter” and not suffering from slow growth.  Slow growth is not suffering.  Being shot or fighting cancer is suffering.  Slow growth is OK if you adapt your spending and restrain from junk debt and leveraged buy-outs.  Back when I lived we saved and spent only what we had to spend to live.  The current practice in America is live to spend. 

The main issue is being undermined by the short term facination with Recession.  Why not call it “Respiration” instead where the economy takes a breath.  The main issue is not the dreaded slow growth.  The issue is how we will compete in the World Economy over the next decade and beyond.  How we will stop the Euro from turning the Dollar into a Quarter.  Or, how we will stop Asia from overtaking us as the most powerful economy in the world.  These are not quick fixes and they are not driven by Recession.  The Recession is the Bogey Man.  The polititians and press love to use the Bogey man to scare the People and manipulate the Public opinion.  Forget the “R” word and let’s focus on the “F” word- the Future.

What would I say?

The New Empire, Google, has introduced it’s App Engine program to the public.  Their approach to introducing App Engine has been employed successfully for generations.  You make the product readily available and virtually free, then you turn the customer into a crack whore.  In this case, a web crack whore.  Of course. like a good web crack whore you must allow your pimp (let’s call him Googie Bear) access to your code.   Googie Bear may also want to own part of you if you show promise.  I’m not sure what happens if Googie Bear decides that you should get closer and you say “no”.  You may have grown somewhat dependent on Googie Bear so saying “no” may be tough and pimp slaps can leave a mark.  In my day we would either pay a bit more for independence or strap on a Colonial rubber to be safe.  The choice is yours.  Your are free thanks largely to me. 

What would I say?

There is a song entitled- “Breaking up is hard to do”.  Apparently it is getting easier.  One need only cast a glance at IAC, Motorola, and AOL/Time Warner to argue the contrary.  Breaking up may be hard but it may also be the “go to” strategy for underperforming businesses.  When we broke free from the British Empire, our motivation was freedom- freedom from taxes and having to do what the King dictated.  The King did not want to see his Empire diminished.  He fought us to keep his Empire intact.  Lots of good men died.  Not me of course, I did the Presidential thing and stayed well away from the actual fighting.  So why are these American Kings content to send their Empires to the proverbial “chop shop?”  Why is the Monarch of IAC,  Barry Diller breaking up his Empire?  The answer is simple- when your back is against the wall and the barbarians are at the gates you create a major diversion.  We did this during the War when GW hoodwinked the British at Valley Forge by attacking at High Tea.  Engaging in a break-up, particularly when you can blame it on someone like Carl Ican, is a great way to extend your reign and keep the shareholders at bay.  Breaking up is only hard to do when you get stuck with the part that with small pox.  I can’t wait to see what happens to the mobile unit at Motorola, AOL when Time Warner takes it off the teet or Expedia when it is lopped off of IAC.  I predict more of the businesses-ectomies as other Empires create their own diversions.  Ironically, there will also be acquisitions and consolidations, witness Microsoft/Yahoo, as the rich empires pick off those that are struggling.  Binging and purging is the way of Kings.  

What would I say?

I have watched with interest how the former Empire, Microsoft, has conducted it’s imperialist assault on the wounded Yahoo estate.  It seems ego has replaced reason and the battle is evolving.  The latest tactic on the part of the Empire hails from China and is over 1000 years old.  In this Chinese form of negotiation, the pursuing side tells the pursued that the offer will be reduced over time if the pursued does not accept.  This tactic is quite effective during times of recession, expected recession, possible recession or when the pursued has no alternatives but to slowly sink into a tar pit.  I can tell you that the pressure from this tactic is intense.  If the board of Yahoo fails to accept the higher offer, the shareholders could go Bunker Hill on their ass.  This will be fetching theater.  

What would I say?

It seems that there has been a hoax perpetrated against the people.  The new Empire, Google that is, has admitted to a head fake in the recent FCC auction of 700 Mhz Spectrum.  The result was Verizon and AT&T paying $ Billions for waterfront property that is open to the public.  Now the Empire can offer mobile applications on top of the spectrum purchased by the former monopolies.  Well done Empire.  You enriched the Governement at the expense of Verizon and AT&T shareholders (by th way, this is you if you own a mutual fund or have a retirement plan).  This is tantamount to driving up taxes.  At least the taxes are going to our government and can be used for worthwhile endeavors.  How about spending the money on domestic education and job creation.  Either that or the current administration could by a shiite load of bombs.