The economy is said to be in horrible shape. 

While it's never good to have near zero growth in an economy, we have to understand that recessions happen and they're good for an economy.  They release resources from the inefficient places they go in boom times and allow them to go to the most efficient places.

That said, our employment rate is 95% and most of that 5% is transitional or planned (retirement, leaving the workforce for school or parenting, etc.).

But the bad is not readily apparent.  It's actually the stimulus packages being proposed.

Politicians of both parties are falling all over themselves to offer more stimulus for the economy.  Heaven forbid we should not have boom times all the time.  Especially if we can just spend a few hundred billion more every few months to make it better (yes, it's an excellent point that Iraq has caused many times that to be spent.  No argument here, but does that justify another bad decision?). 

I would hate to be a politician and to be expected to create jobs.  They don't have the power to do that, only the free market can do that.  But try they will, because they've learned that looking like you don't care is the ultimate sin.  No one will come behind you for the day of reckoning for the overspend.  No one will try to match the jobs to the spending when this is all over.  And the ultimate for any politican is voting to send a check to every American during an election year.  Have you noticed that's when this always happens?

Maybe there's more to John McCain's railing against inefficient spending and his refusal to drink at the trough of earmarks than I had first thought.  Maybe that's the kind of leadership we need.  I'm still not excited about him, but he's looking pretty good at the moment.

Politics is never dull.  But it's often very, very bad.

sharp

Racist or Mysogynist?

Thanks to all the harshest liberal voices for taking a vacation from making those charges daily of Republicans and turning them on your fellow Democrats.

They're equally ludicrous, but at least now we all know what it feels like.

So which button should a Democrat push?  The "I'm a racist button" (with Geraldine Ferraro's picture on it) or the "I'm a misogynist" button, with Elton's sneer on it?

Good luck.  See you later this summer when you've turned your condemnation back on us.

sharp

I finally understand why I "cling" to religion (apparently like a dumb fool).  Why, I thought it was because I believed in Jesus.  All that study and all that time in prayer and service were just a facade.  It was all just my bitterness over losing my job.

It is a messy detail, I suppose, that I haven't lost my job.  But let's not get confused here.  Because so much more is explained by Mr. Obamas sermon on my problems.

You see, apparently I believe that we should control immigration because of that, too.  I always thought that any reasonable country had to control its borders, though this country desperately needs immigration.  But it must have just been because of my lost job.

And my beliefs about gay marriage and gay adoption must also have come from the same depth of fear over my job. 

I never knew.

All this time I've been nothing more than an emotionally-driven caveman who responds to outside stimili with bitterness and responds with mysogyny (thanks Elton) racism and Jesus.

At least it's good to know what Obama really thinks of us.

sharp

It's beautiful here today in the mountains of East Tennessee. It's just after 5:00 a.m. and the birds are singing and the air is crisp and clean.

I look forward to another trip to the West Coast soon and to the Gulf in June.  My son and I were in Washington, D.C. a few weeks ago and I am still moved by the stone chiseled words of greatness that we were immersed in for a few days.

This is an amazing place to live and I'm blessed to be able to see so much of it.

sharp

From the outside, it's hard to understand how the Democrats could be anything but giddy about the upcoming election.  But when I hear them say as much, they seem to be trying to convince themselves.  I hear the word "right?" after each sentence.

Such as, "it doesn't matter which one wins, Democrats like them both"  (right?)

"They'd both make great Presidents" (right?)

I don't know how to say it any better than that, but I think you'll understand.  The level of animosity has risen to outright hatred between the supporters of Obama and Hillary.

In the end, the winner won't be worrying first about capturing the all-important swing voters, they'll have to run left first to soothe the savage base. 

Meanwhile John McCain is looking statesmanlike and has occupied the independent middle for years.  It will be very difficult for whomever wins the nomination - unless the loser is #2 on the ticket.  I'm not sure that's even possible now.  But I'm wrong with striking consistency, so....

Bottom line: Politics is never dull.

sharp