Due to a snafu (don't ask), my shoulder surgery was rescheduled for today. So here I am, forced to comment on the twin terrors of the coronavirus threat and the economic meltdown which the disease is causing.
The Dow Jones average closed down over 2000 points yesterday, erasing Cheetolini's major claim to re-election. Despite his chaotic leadership style, the stock market has continued to rise at about the same rate as it has through much of its 11 year rally. Lately, some investors have said stocks were over valued and due for a correction, but tRump has hectored everyone from the Federal Reserve to multiple government agencies to promote policies which continue the sugar high. Thanks to Covid 19, the inevitable correction will probably show the way to a recession in the middle of the presidential campaign. Some have already suggested if support for the president* and republicans in Congress craters, there will be calls for the election to be delayed!
Meanwhile, the human toll of the coronavirus and the government's completely inadequate response is the real story. Governors are stepping up in the vacuum of tRump's inability to lead and are now the frontlines of the fight. As more testing is done, the full scope of the epidemic is likely to bring calls for a nationwide shutdown such as the one instituted by Italy. Let's hope it doesn't come to that.
Tuesday, March 10, 2020
Monday, March 9, 2020
Things are getting real
For any American invested in the stock market either directly or through a retirement plan, today will probably not be a good day to check the market. As I write this, European markets are down more than 6% and the futures markets here are set to open 5% below Friday's close. Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic financial markets around the world have lost 9 trillion dollars of value.
Meanwhile, oil prices have plunged 30% as the Saudis and the Russians battle for a diminished share of lagging demand. As all this happens, our dear leader is in Palm Beach playing golf. The mind boggles. As one pundit put it, he wouldn't be surprised if many in corporate America suddenly decide we are in a constitutional crisis! Kids in cages and semi-treasonous actions in Ukraine didn't move them, but losing the one thing for which they were willing to put up with our cretinous president, the stock market rally, will probably revive calls for tRump's ouster.
On a personal note, I will be undergoing shoulder surgery later today and will be unable to ply a keyboard for a week to 10 days, so for the precious few who follow my maunderings, I promise I will be back!
Meanwhile, oil prices have plunged 30% as the Saudis and the Russians battle for a diminished share of lagging demand. As all this happens, our dear leader is in Palm Beach playing golf. The mind boggles. As one pundit put it, he wouldn't be surprised if many in corporate America suddenly decide we are in a constitutional crisis! Kids in cages and semi-treasonous actions in Ukraine didn't move them, but losing the one thing for which they were willing to put up with our cretinous president, the stock market rally, will probably revive calls for tRump's ouster.
On a personal note, I will be undergoing shoulder surgery later today and will be unable to ply a keyboard for a week to 10 days, so for the precious few who follow my maunderings, I promise I will be back!
Friday, March 6, 2020
She coulda been a contender
Elizabeth Warren gave a valedictory on Rachel Maddow's show last night and it was a joy and yet painful to watch. That an omnicompetent woman was willing and able to serve her country in its highest office gives me hope we will see a female president in my lifetime. That Warren will be denied the opportunity mostly because she presented a no nonsense, well qualified resume' which put her male counterparts is a testament to the patriarchy which America continues to validate.
From a young nephew comes perhaps the least offensive critique. He claims she was a shrill, unlikable woman who waved her finger in your face. I'm sure millions of other men felt the same response to the person with a plan for everything. What is even more heartbreaking is the millions of non college educated women who will seemingly settle for a doddering pol from the old school because they somehow feel Warren didn't connect with them. I have news for you, ladies, I want the smartest person in the room as my leader.
Her voice broke a little as she remembered all the little girls she told that running for president is "what girls do". Now those girls will have to wait another 4 years for the possibility.
Maybe, as one pundit opined, we need someone who projects a little less perfection. We have elected many men over the years who were a hot mess in one way or another. Perhaps if she had been a little less prepared the American public could have empathized with the Senator Professor a bit more. I think it is more complicated than that, but I feel we passed on a chance to right the sinking ship which is the American experiment. I hope we survive the next 4 years.
From a young nephew comes perhaps the least offensive critique. He claims she was a shrill, unlikable woman who waved her finger in your face. I'm sure millions of other men felt the same response to the person with a plan for everything. What is even more heartbreaking is the millions of non college educated women who will seemingly settle for a doddering pol from the old school because they somehow feel Warren didn't connect with them. I have news for you, ladies, I want the smartest person in the room as my leader.
Her voice broke a little as she remembered all the little girls she told that running for president is "what girls do". Now those girls will have to wait another 4 years for the possibility.
Maybe, as one pundit opined, we need someone who projects a little less perfection. We have elected many men over the years who were a hot mess in one way or another. Perhaps if she had been a little less prepared the American public could have empathized with the Senator Professor a bit more. I think it is more complicated than that, but I feel we passed on a chance to right the sinking ship which is the American experiment. I hope we survive the next 4 years.
Thursday, March 5, 2020
More in Sorrow than anger
The blog's title is my takeaway from last night's interview on MSNBC's "The Rachel Maddow Show". Rachel gave Bernie Sanders every opportunity to put a good spin on what was a devastating Super Tuesday. Bernie lost Minnesota, Virginia and even liberal Massachusetts to a warmed over ancient pol whose only claim to fame was the good fortune of being picked as Obama's running mate.
Naturally, Sanders wanted to push the conspiracy narrative. Besides being opposed by corporations in general and specifically Big Pharma and the Fossil Fuel industry, Bernie is now opposed by the "Democratic Establishment". Fine, says Rachel, but what about the huge turnouts of young people you promised would power your campaign?
Maddow then went on to present the data, which showed less young voter turnout in virtually every primary state. The biggest increase was suburbanites and they overwhelmingly supported Biden. Sanders reply was we'll do better in the general election. Sorry Bernie, that's not going to cut it. At one point, Rachel virtually pleaded with Sanders to somehow validate his theories of increased turnout or at least tell her how he was going to turn things around in upcoming primary states. Again, "We're going to do better" was the reply.
As I have stated many times before, Elizabeth Warren is my first choice in this election, but if she is not on the ballot when New York votes, I will vote for Bernie. I just hope this interview was a wake up call for the cranky senator from Vermont. It seems his schtick works well in Vermont, but unless he can motivate the huge pool of millennials and Gen Z to come out and support his vision of America's future, the slogan for 2020 won't be "Feel the Bern", but , "Any Blue will Do".
I know I'm going to take some heat from Sanders fans who read this blog (I'm looking at you, Neil), but Bernie needs to drop the conspiracy theories and get out the huge pool of potential supporters who want Medicare for All, etc., but are thus far not motivated enough to vote for the avatar of these policies. Let's hope he got the message.
Naturally, Sanders wanted to push the conspiracy narrative. Besides being opposed by corporations in general and specifically Big Pharma and the Fossil Fuel industry, Bernie is now opposed by the "Democratic Establishment". Fine, says Rachel, but what about the huge turnouts of young people you promised would power your campaign?
Maddow then went on to present the data, which showed less young voter turnout in virtually every primary state. The biggest increase was suburbanites and they overwhelmingly supported Biden. Sanders reply was we'll do better in the general election. Sorry Bernie, that's not going to cut it. At one point, Rachel virtually pleaded with Sanders to somehow validate his theories of increased turnout or at least tell her how he was going to turn things around in upcoming primary states. Again, "We're going to do better" was the reply.
As I have stated many times before, Elizabeth Warren is my first choice in this election, but if she is not on the ballot when New York votes, I will vote for Bernie. I just hope this interview was a wake up call for the cranky senator from Vermont. It seems his schtick works well in Vermont, but unless he can motivate the huge pool of millennials and Gen Z to come out and support his vision of America's future, the slogan for 2020 won't be "Feel the Bern", but , "Any Blue will Do".
I know I'm going to take some heat from Sanders fans who read this blog (I'm looking at you, Neil), but Bernie needs to drop the conspiracy theories and get out the huge pool of potential supporters who want Medicare for All, etc., but are thus far not motivated enough to vote for the avatar of these policies. Let's hope he got the message.
Wednesday, March 4, 2020
Same as it always was
After last night's carnage, it looks like we'll be treated to a two man cage match between 2 white septuagenarians for the right to challenge Cheetolini this fall. Some rumors have Bloomberg suspending his campaign in light of his abysmal showing in most Super Tuesday states and the hands down best candidate in the field, Elizabeth Warren will probably have to drop out also. She was unable to win her home state of Massachusetts.
Bernie and his revolution mostly flamed out last night. He was unable to produce the surge of new voters which if these supposedly hungry young people had actually showed up would have powered him to victory in places like Texas. I guess being lectured by a grumpy old white man wasn't enough to motivate them. Instead, we are faced with the increasingly likely possibility that we will have to hold our noses and vote for a doddering old pol whose main and probably only qualification for the office he seeks is 8 years as Obama's sidekick. I doubt the 44th president is particularly happy with this outcome. Thanks Obama!
Bernie and his revolution mostly flamed out last night. He was unable to produce the surge of new voters which if these supposedly hungry young people had actually showed up would have powered him to victory in places like Texas. I guess being lectured by a grumpy old white man wasn't enough to motivate them. Instead, we are faced with the increasingly likely possibility that we will have to hold our noses and vote for a doddering old pol whose main and probably only qualification for the office he seeks is 8 years as Obama's sidekick. I doubt the 44th president is particularly happy with this outcome. Thanks Obama!
Tuesday, March 3, 2020
24 hours later
So, in an abrupt move which must have shaken their supporters, both Mayor Pete and Amy Klobuchar have suspended their presidential campaigns and thrown their support to Joe Biden. Biden also garnered the endorsement of another killer B, Beto O'Rourke. All three newly minted supporters appeared at a rally in Dallas in anticipation of Super Tuesday.
As I opined yesterday, Biden is a creaky old democratic pol who has been chasing the dream of being president for 30 years. If not for the reflected glory of Barack Obama, he would have faded into retirement years ago. However, the potent association with the 44th president inspired black South Carolinians to overlook many of the racist policies Biden has backed over the years and give him a resounding victory in their primary. This caused the party establishment to evidently persuade Buttegieg and Klobuchar to abandon their campaigns and unite against the specter of a Bernie Sanders candidacy.
Just like that, we are down to 4 candidates and after today's voter input who knows? As H L Mencken is credited with saying, "You'll never go broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public". I think we are about to test that assertion.
As I opined yesterday, Biden is a creaky old democratic pol who has been chasing the dream of being president for 30 years. If not for the reflected glory of Barack Obama, he would have faded into retirement years ago. However, the potent association with the 44th president inspired black South Carolinians to overlook many of the racist policies Biden has backed over the years and give him a resounding victory in their primary. This caused the party establishment to evidently persuade Buttegieg and Klobuchar to abandon their campaigns and unite against the specter of a Bernie Sanders candidacy.
Just like that, we are down to 4 candidates and after today's voter input who knows? As H L Mencken is credited with saying, "You'll never go broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public". I think we are about to test that assertion.
Monday, March 2, 2020
This is it?
I was going to write about the dawning of meteorological spring here in the North Country where it still looks a lot like spring and how I planted the first seeds of the new season. But then I reflected on the evolving political situation and felt I needed to use the space for commentary on that situation.
Mayor Pete and Tom Steyer have dropped out of the presidential race and somehow we have gotten down to a couple of capable women who are hanging on by their fingernails and 3 old white dudes. Despite the fact we have barely started to count actual votes in the nomination process, the media has decided we need to focus on 3 men who will shortly celebrate 8 decades of life on this earth.
Bernie has pretty much proven that as far as base popularity, he is the tRump of the left with a fanatical base of about 30% of the electorate. So far he has not been able to muster the huge numbers of young voters he claims are out there and willing to vote for "revolution". In fact the voters who showed up in the South Carolina primary were overwhelmingly older voters who clearly preferred Joe Biden.
Biden to me is a scary proposition. Never the sharpest tool in the shed, he seems to be getting more delusional as this race goes on. Unfortunately, in the age of tRump, delusional thinking and pathological lying are no longer disqualifying traits in a president, so the media can continue to pump Biden unless/until he does something really horrifying.
The last of the killer Bees, Mike Bloomberg will continue his personal jihad against the unwashed masses for as long as his well paid campaign staffers continue to fluff his massive ego. This includes declaring an independent run for the presidency if Sanders is nominated by the Dems. Imagine Ross Perot on Steroids.
Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar are both vastly preferable to the old white dudes, but the media has decided a woman can't win against Cheetolini and they are being showered with 'if only they were white men" type stories. I think against a normal republican in a normal year they would be running far more strongly.
So, this is where we are.
Mayor Pete and Tom Steyer have dropped out of the presidential race and somehow we have gotten down to a couple of capable women who are hanging on by their fingernails and 3 old white dudes. Despite the fact we have barely started to count actual votes in the nomination process, the media has decided we need to focus on 3 men who will shortly celebrate 8 decades of life on this earth.
Bernie has pretty much proven that as far as base popularity, he is the tRump of the left with a fanatical base of about 30% of the electorate. So far he has not been able to muster the huge numbers of young voters he claims are out there and willing to vote for "revolution". In fact the voters who showed up in the South Carolina primary were overwhelmingly older voters who clearly preferred Joe Biden.
Biden to me is a scary proposition. Never the sharpest tool in the shed, he seems to be getting more delusional as this race goes on. Unfortunately, in the age of tRump, delusional thinking and pathological lying are no longer disqualifying traits in a president, so the media can continue to pump Biden unless/until he does something really horrifying.
The last of the killer Bees, Mike Bloomberg will continue his personal jihad against the unwashed masses for as long as his well paid campaign staffers continue to fluff his massive ego. This includes declaring an independent run for the presidency if Sanders is nominated by the Dems. Imagine Ross Perot on Steroids.
Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar are both vastly preferable to the old white dudes, but the media has decided a woman can't win against Cheetolini and they are being showered with 'if only they were white men" type stories. I think against a normal republican in a normal year they would be running far more strongly.
So, this is where we are.
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