Countrywide Rides Again

 Or How You Can Massively Destroy Wealth and Profit Twice

Now anyone who knows me for long realizes that I am a bit of a strange creature. I believe that games ought to be played by rules that are fair to all participants. I believe the world works better when markets reward good behavior and punish those who cheat and lie to win. In short, during a long time in the entrepreneurial world of blood guts and glory I have always liked it when the good guys win.

In a Burst of Glory -- Part II

 Or How Federal Reserve Bankers End Their Glory Days --

This is the scene after the calamity. The Roaches are still around, aren't they cute in their little coats with tails? Some tiny mammals will probably live on, Oh! There's a shrew and her whole brood of investment bankers. A few big fish and; oh yes there are a couple of former chairmen of the Fed in that listing old yacht and a few of their crony's.


In a Burst of Glory --Part I

Or How Federal Reserve Bankers End Their Glory Days

After working so many long years at the Federal Reserve. Preserving nothing, conserving nothing, and really, reserving nothing for later what does a former Fed Chief deserve? If you are talking about Alan Greenspan the whole world of journalism knows. They are sprinkling a little gasoline on the fire that is consuming Alan's undeserved reputation for fiscal probity and wisdom.

Bridging the Gap

Or How Class Warfare Never Ended

The growing gap between rich and poor in the most prosperous nation on earth, is under attack. Now my Uncle taught me never to bring just a knife to a gunfight. He was very careful to never say anything about that to me in front of my mother. But he quietly taught me how to shoot and take care of a gun before I was ten years old. His gun catalogs and magazines were worse than porn in my mother's eyes. I loved them.

Its the Psychology of Stupid

Or How We Know That Nothing Will Help Until People Change Their Minds

No doubt about it, we are in a recession heading for a depression and no one can fix it unless we all work together. I have a dire secret for you. I never listen to talk radio anymore. Even the oldie but moldy Rock station is boring. I now have to turn on classical music to get a small lift. Today they were playing the Requiem Mass. I grimaced for a moment and then I thought,”How Appropriate!

A Policy of Meanness Without Meaning

Or How the Politics of Governors Will Destroy Republican Chances in 2010


“We don't want no new filthy stinking taxes sullying our pristine reputations?” “We are so absolute about maintaining the smallest level of taxation on the wealthy in the world that we have lost all political sense?” Or maybe just, “We think most of you are just as mean spirited as we are and that benefits us politically, too bad if you're broke.”

What is Important is too Easily Obscured

Or How You Can Spin Out While Trying to Turn the Corner

Lying, without qualms about any repercussions, is a real art form today. Of course we call it spin but my mother and her whole generation were not so easy to fool. They knew a lie when they heard one. They heard, “Prosperity is just around the corner,” from Herbert Hoover, the George W Bush of their time. Now, according to some Nouveau Right economists, Hoover was a sadly misunderstood genius.

Not Just a Capital Idea

Or Why Participatory Democracy Matters More Than Capitalism

Our government is not based on Capitalism! We did not pick Capitalism when we bought into Democracy and a Republic. That choice is a not necessarily a natural outgrowth of the meaning we derive from our faith in this system of government. It is sometimes useful economically but not nearly as important as the Democratic Republic itself.

Wretched Excess Without Excuse

Or How the Right Have Finally Found Their Principles

Peel back the layers of the onion and when you get to the heart of Republican Principles, a word and phrase we have heard ad nauseum, they are soft and squishy. While peeling an onion that had sat in the drawer too long that analogy attacked me and held me down until I agreed to put it on paper. Now that poor pathetic rotten onion is being blamed in my analogy; blamed for all of the hate and bitterness, calumny and meanness of spirit the voices of the right are heaping on the rest of us.

Party Time is Not Next

Or How to Lose Trust While Eating The Taxpayers Lunch

It is always amazing how tone deaf executives can be while they are pursuing their perks. Writing million dollar checks for entertainment seems to have become just like buying lunch at the local watering hole. What part about restraint while people lining up for food stamps and unemployment checks were they not taught in Kindergarten? Didn't they read the memo? One hand in the public till and the other passing out largess to your top producers and clients is over for the nonce.