Postponing The Inevitable

When you're sick, sometimes it helps to take your medicine. The Obama administration is avoiding economic medicine like it's the Plague. I hate the thought of higher taxes, but if (and only if) they're matched with spending cuts instead of increased spending I'm ready to take my medicine in order to begin the long march toward fixing America's sickly finances. It would help if the president and the Dems in congress would stop making things worse. Pumping borrowed money into every corporation within our borders would be okay if there was no such thing as debt. The problem is that the boost we're seeing in the housing market, the auto market, and soon the appliance market along with every other thing the president deems worthy of welfare, is still imaginary. It's not real economic growth. These companies can say their sales are up, but it's only because Obama's throwing borrowed money at every problem he sees. When that dries up, where's the economic stamina going to come from? We'll be left with slow or no growth buried under a mountain of debt that needs to be paid back with interest. I get trying to charge this month's bills if next month will be better, but that's a short-term fix - not a way of life. The kind of debt the president is racking up is like running to the bank and doing cash advances on your credit card and then saying you don't need to work because look at all the money!

The Republicans, or more specifically fiscal conservatives, are in trouble though, because of the racket liberals have going on now. The first person who says, "Elect me, because I'll do what it takes to fix our economy" may get elected because that sounds good, but as soon as he proposes tax increases he loses the votes of the Right. As soon as she proposes spending cuts, she loses the vote of the Left. So fiscal conservatives will get voted out and be replaced by liberals who stand up and say, "I'll keep the money flowing toward you, as long as you keep voting for me." It's hard for me to see how it'll get fixed. The government can't win the lottery and have all its money problems instantly solved. We need to have some common sense.

Go Vikes!

I love watching the Vikings kick butt, but if they need a new stadium (with or without retractable roof) in order to remain competitive, then all I can say is "Go where people have more money than we do." Here in Minnesota, we've hit a bit of a rough patch lately, people are losing their homes and jobs, and if the truth be told we don't have a billion tucked away for a stadium. So my advice is go to L.A. or wherever they're willing to pay for your stadium, and I'll hold down the fort here at my house where the beer is cheap, the seats are great (with replays and commentary!) and comfortable to boot. I'll still watch just like I always have, and I'll still root for ya, but I ain't got the kind of money you need. So go! Run free! If you decide to stay I'll be happier yet, but don't ask for money when we don't have it. Go, Vikes!