I, like probably anyone who might happen on to this site, am spending a lot of time thinking about the financial “crisis” we (America) find ourselves in. I’m saying this kind of tongue in cheek because many people, including myself, have seen this coming for quite some time. It has not been a matter of if, but only a matter of when. About three weeks ago I listened to one of the so-called republican experts on “trickle down economics” talking on the radio as I was heading to work. He was justifying the huge deficit and saying we could handle a deficit twice the size of the present one and he was saying that John Mccain’s proposal to further reduce taxes and reduce government regulation would “stimulate” the economy. Well, in a sense, I think he was correct – only he was thinking it would stimulate things in a positive direction.

Well, now we are in a situation where the entire banking system could fail – I’ve read that even money market accounts that people invested in as “safe” investments are in danger of failing. The thing that is most amazing to me is that there are people still supporting Mccain – mainly, at least the ones around me, because of Sarah Palin. In my mind her lack of experience and knowledge (and possibly intelligence) is a bigger drawback today than when people first started to question whether or not she was “ready” to be president. Mccain, for his part has clearly demonstrated that he’s not ready. Every day I look for the newest flip-flop but lately it has gotten even worse than that.

Mccain has shown off his quick temper and his penchant for making rash decisions in many of his comments and choices of late. For two days he ranted against the head of the SEC saying “I would fire him” first, until he found out the president can’t fire him, and changed that the next day to “I would ask for his resignation.” His claim that the chairman works at the pleasure of the president was not accurate and Mccain just gave another example that in the 26 years he’s been in Washington he’s been a slow learner. Today he said he was “suspending” his campaign and going back to Washington to “fix” the problem – as if the people in Washington who’ve been working on this for the last 5 days or so won’t be able to get anything done unless Mccain is there. I believe we’ll hear a few choice comments from other lawmakers who’ve actually been in Washington this year about the presumptiveness of that statement from someone who hasn’t even submitted a vote for over 6 months. Additionally, it will be interesting if Mccain fails to show for the first debate because he’s “fixing” the problem.

Additionally, while Mccain is trying to blame the “mess” on Senator Obama because Obama supposedly received campaign contributions from Fannie Mae – one of the large mortgage companies rescued by the Fed, Mccain’s own campaign manager has been receiving 15,000 dollars per month for the last three years from Freddie Mac – the other large mortgage company bailed out by the Fed, money that presumably was for nothing, although it totals over half a million dollars which is a lot to pay for nothing. And when you find out that Rick Davis, Mccain’s campaign manager, was paid almost two million dollars in the preceding few years as a lobbyist for Freddie Mac, money that was intended to get them access to Mccain, well, if that doesn’t get you thinking about the meaning of the word hypocrit, I don’t know what will. Supposedly, Mccain – the man who claims that he is the champion of the fight against special interests, despite the fact that the top seven “advisors” on his staff are major Washington lobbyists and Phil Gramm, his financial advisor, led the fight to end the depression era regulation of the banks in this country – a move widely considered to be the catalyst to the present crisis – was going to “fire” anyone on his campaign who was actively lobbying but now is forgiving of Davis because he is on leave from his firm – so supposedly the money is just going into a trust for him to spend after the conclusion of the election.

This is all beyond incredible to me. I live in an area that is dominated by republicans, and they seem to be doing the same thing that President Bush is doing – turning off the TV and pretending that nothing is happening. They refuse to repent and admit that they made a terrible mistake in supporting Bush. It’s almost like if our country becomes another Mexico that it’s just God’s will, or this is the end times. I say no matter what “times” it is, we have an obligation to our children and grandchildren to be good stewards of what we have been blessed with in this nation. The idea that it’s OK to look the other way while people are stealing, killing, torturing, and undermining the very fabric of this great nation – our constitution – is unthinkable to me. As a coworker of mine and I agreed today it is “We the people” and we (her and I) feel guilty by the decisions of these criminal leaders because they represent us. It is very difficult to sit here and watch people destroy our standing in the world, our economy, our military, our moral authority, right before our eyes and not feel a sense of national unity in “throwing the bums out.”

Please understand that I’m not a big fan of the democrats. They clearly should have had the guts to impeach Bush and Cheney long ago – if for nothing more than to make a clear statement that their actions are completely unacceptable. I don’t have a large amount of confidence that they will instill a sense of moral authority after the coming election should they prevail (and they certainly should) – but the best message would be a united vote against the republicans and then a clear message to the democrats (and any republicans left) that things are going to be different. Lying is not OK. Stealing is not OK. Accepting huge amounts of money from lobbyists or corporations is not OK. They should have to collect their money in small amounts from individual people. The budget will be balanced, even if I have to pay more for that. The thought that our best young men and women have been giving their lives and/or limbs for their nation in Iraq and Afganistan and the entire cost has been borrowed is unacceptable. We should all be asked to sacrifice to solve this problem. Business as usual should no longer be an option.

The people need to take back control of this country and the corporations that don’t want to participate with honor should go with Cheney’s company, Halliburton, which chose to move to Dubai instead of face regulatory overstight regarding the huge amounts of money they pilfered from our economy on the no-bid contracts in Iraq for services that, in many cases, were never performed. We will find replacements for the companies that don’t want to put their employees and their honor ahead of their shareholders. This obsession with the bottom line at the expense of the very people that make this country great should be a thing of the past. The only way that will happen, in my view considering the present state of things, is if the republicans get voted into history and democrats get the message that they’ll be next if they can’t perform as the people intend for them to perform. We definitely need two parties, it’s just that I’ve listened to “I’m going to cut taxes and balance the budget” for thirty years – it didn’t make sense when I first heard it – it doesn’t make sense now – and now we are “paying the piper.”

I have respect for Senator Obama, I’ve read his book, I’ve read many of his speeches, I’ve admired that he is apparently a genuine husband and father, I respect that he is extemely intelligent, and I really respect that he chose a lifetime of service when the other option was getting rich quick as a Wall Street lawyer. However, he has to know that he has my vote, but I will be just as vocal an opponent if he gets into the White House and demonstrates that his words are nothing but hot air. I believe he has the right ideas for tackling the huge problems the next president will inherit (Mccain has no ideas as far as I can see other than firing someone he couldn’t fire if he was in the office) and he has also shown me a level of energy during this long grueling campaign that will be a requirement if he is to have any chance of success. The next president will not be able to spend close to fifty percent of his time on vacation. The next term of the office of the president will have a profound effect on this country, one way or the other, for the next several decades. There you have it, a quick thought on the economic crisis! :o)

Oh yes, one more thing, for what it’s worth – to me the bailout of Wall Street is like asking the fox to rebuild the chicken house and expect there to still be chickens when he’s done. I prefer to tough it out and No bailout!!! unless the money goes to the homeowners who are facing foreclosure.