In the summer of 1786, Dr. Benjamin Franklin -nailed it- when he stated the following:

"In these sentiments, sir, I agree to this Constitution with all its faults; if they are such; because I think a general government necessary for us, and there is no form of government but what may be a blessing to the people if well administered; and I believe, further, that this is likely to be well administered for a course of years, and can only end in despotism, as other forms have done before it, when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic government, being incapable of any other." - Franklin's to the delegates at Philadelphia (1787)

Contact: mrarbitrage@tableofwisdom.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

January 13, 2010

The Rabid Dog Bites Google

By MrArbitrage

Much is being made of the standoff between Google and China.  It is encouraging to see that at least at face value, a company has decided to take some kind of ethical stand against China. The rest of this country, especially the US government has long been prostituting itself for the sake of short-term financial gain. This willful ignorance about the evil of this communist regime is a disgrace that will long stain our country and may ultimately lead to our financial demise.

What we are seeing in our policy toward China, giving MFN and permanent normal trading relations status to these barbarians is just a glaring history lesson in the making. The only problem is that the only thing we learn from history is that we –never- learn from history.

In each bubble after the tech bubble of the 90’s we say to ourselves “How did we not LEARN from the last bubble. How did we miss the signs?” During those bubbles I gave advance warning (Select the “MyTrack Record” tab here at www.TableOfWisdom.com) as there were obvious warning signs preceding the debacles. For example, during the real estate bubble it was obvious that credit was far too loose. People were getting mortgages without income verification or even JOBS for that matter.

When hearing these ridiculous stories about anyone and everyone being able to get mortgages – even several mortgages – people should have asked themselves the question of “what happened to generally accepted underwriting standards?” and “if it is this easy to create prosperity for all, why haven’t banks been doing this for decades?” It kind of begs the question doesn’t it? Did people really think that today’s underwriters by lending hundreds of thousands of dollars to anyone with a pulse had discovered something that never occurred to the bankers of centuries past?

What was amazing was how we went from the strict underwriting principles to virtually zero underwriting principles in such a short time period. It happens because people have a propensity to get caught up in their emotions and their greed regardless of how educated or supposedly “sophisticated” they may be. There is something about the madness of crowds that gives people a false sense of security as long as the majority opinion is on their side – and it makes them do astoundingly destructive things, over and over and over again.

What does this have to do with a story on Google’s ultimatum and their potentially exiting China? I have been harping on this China foolishness for years, going back to Clinton, Bush through Obama. I have enlarged upon all of the reasons why getting in bed with a Communist country is a bad idea and somewhat analogous to a legitimate accountant knowingly taking a mafia “Don” as a client. It is extremely short-sighted and will likely end badly, even deadly.

Just as the coming real estate/banking debacle should have been obvious through the glaring abandonment of basic, historical underwriting standards, so too should the coming China debacle be obvious by anyone who remembers the caution exercised by previous generations toward communists.

I am 39 years old but I clearly remember the days when the leaders of most multinational corporations would not invest serious capital in communist countries like China because before the changing of the guard in corporate America, people like my grandfather understood the risks of committing serious money to building infrastructure within a country run by a communist dictatorship and never would have been reckless enough to do so. Executives at US corporations today have severely breached their fiduciary responsibility to shareholders by risking billions of dollars of shareholder equity into a precarious situation like China.

These irresponsible corporate leaders have just like the bankers, fallen for the irresistible temptation of quick and easy riches without thought or regard to the potential consequences should we at some time find ourselves in a hostile relationship with China.

Ask yourself the question WHY. WHY would China still want to suppress citizens from being able to “Google” PRO-DEMOCRACY materials? What are they afraid of? Haven’t we changed the worldview of the Communist regime now that we have “traded them into prosperity”? That’s what our elected swindlers told us would happen if we gave the MFN and Permanent Normal Trading Relationship. Of course my tongue is firmly ensconced in my cheek. Communist dictators don’t change because you inject capital into their financially desperate government in the name of “growth”. They are sucking foreign dupe money by the trillions to do what their own economic system could NOT do without suckers like us. Without us, their regimes would implode like the Soviet regime. They were smart to con us by dangling a billion potential customers to green corporate executives who would in turn hire lobbyists to sell out our national security and sovereignty in order to keep the requisite EPS growth.

The bottom line is that nothing has fundamentally changed with the people in which prior generations would never dare invest serious money. The risks are the same. It’s the impetuous children of those retired executives who took the reigns of these companies and our government who have changed. As far as investing in Chinese companies, I wrote copiously here about the coming scandal in the accounting at Chinese companies. You think our companies are bad! If these people have no compunction about selling you toys with poison paint to give to your toddlers or selling you poisoned dry wall for a quick profit – does that pump you full of confidence in their accounting methodology?

The credulous say that China has too much at stake to slight the United States but China is hedging to such a degree that any losses they may suffer by cutting us off would be more than offset by the profits on their commodities. The regimes loosening of the reigns on its citizens is not just brilliant strategy, it was the –only- strategy that could have kept them in power. The alternative would have been to become like the Soviets.

I applaud Google for taking a stand against China’s human rights violations even though the cynic in me wonders why they were ok with it in 2006 when they entered China under the same odious terms.  Nevertheless, in the –long- run, they would be better off not investing in China. China is fools gold. As with all bubbles, I don’t expect my warnings to make the least bit of difference. It’s always “different this time”. It’s always a “new paradigm”. You think you saw damage to our economy in 2008, wait until you see the stock prices of multinationals that have to write down TRILLIONS in collective assets lost when the Communist regime shows itself as the rabid dog it is.

I don’t think this column will be showing up on Google China or Baidu.

Contact: mrarbitrage@tableofwisdom.com

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
November 20, 2009

What's Next for Oprah? -and - WHY are we consumed by meaningless Speculation?

by MrArbitrage

Just a day after Oprah Winfrey announcing that she will be ending her talk show,  we are already being overloaded by columns and news reports speculating on “Oprah's next move".  I think she’s going to enjoy the attention from this PR stunt immensely. I can see it spinning out of control already and I’m not looking forward to listening to the speculation propounded ad nauseam by media pundits over the coming months. It’s on par to be bigger and more vexing than “who shot JR?”.

Some, like Jon Friedman of Marketwatch.com are speculating that she may run for President.  To that theory, a Marketwatch reader commented “OPRAH will NEVER be president!!! AT BEST, she will be a senator Or a chief of Staff for someone and even THAT is pushing it!!   You can say that Jon & Kate plus 8 have the same chance at it as she does.”

Under the old rules, I would have to wholeheartedly agree with that comment.  But we have to realize that many of the indoctrinated ingrates who make up this voting generation - elected not only a political novice - but one about whose past we know very little except that which he chose to tell us in his own books – without any verification or fact checking by the media sycophants.

This misplaced and clueless youth, those age 30 and under, 4 out of 5 which voted for Obama - voted for a mystery man whose most influential friends and allies are raving lunatics like Reverend Wright, homegrown, American terrorists like Bill Ayers along with the other avowed Marxists who make up his cabinet and “Czar” appointments.

As I wrote at OurHussein.com on February 3, 2009 – “it is as though we are watching a “B” quality horror film unfold before our eyes. I say “B” rated because the plot is so obvious from the foreshadowing. IF it were a film, the viewers would watch with disdain because to accept the notion that the characters would be credulous enough to fall for this nonsense would require an excessive suspension of disbelief by the viewers. For instance, when in human history has it ever brought a positive outcome when any nation surrendered all rational thinking for a charismatic individual, so able to persuade and to charm millions of people to the point of emotional intoxication?

How many times in human history has such a person been given the highest position of political power? We've seen what has resulted when it happened in other countries throughout history; how has that usually ended? The more frightening question is - when has this ever happened in the most powerful nation of the world? 

Of the 300 million Americans, what are the odds that voters in the United States of America would elect a President about whom they know very little, who would have difficulty obtaining security clearance in many classified areas of government as a civilian and who happened to have the middle name of HUSSEIN – the name of one of the most infamous Arab dictators of the 20th century, the very one we just REMOVED and who was executed for crimes against humanity?

I am no statistician but the odds of this guy coming out of nowhere and being elected President - at this time especially - must be incalculable – unless it were written in the script. If this were a “B” movie, I would have to say that this was a bad rendition of the Manchurian Candidate and that the people in this country are -begging- for destruction. If it was “written in the script” - this must be a horror film about a nation of narcissistic fools who have tempted God one too many times, a nation of people who have been given over to a depraved mind and are being allowed to destroy themselves.”

That is the danger of a masterful orator like Obama. Throughout his campaign and inauguration he tried to equate himself to the venerable President Lincoln but there are many critical differences:  Lincoln in his first inaugural address emphasized the sanctity of human life as the key difference between opposing sides.  Lincoln said “Intelligence, patriotism, Christianity, and a firm reliance on Him who has never yet forsaken this favored land are still competent to adjust in the best way all our present difficulty.”  President Lincoln appealed directly to the Almighty God, Jesus Christ and to the “better Angels of our nature”. 

President Obama is actually the Anti-Lincoln in that he, just like the slave traders of old and the muslim slave traders in the Sudan, believes a human being CAN be the property of another human being, giving a women the right to destroy a life simply because she believes the baby is her “property”.  Barack Obama, unlike Lincoln has stated that we are NOT a Christian nation.  Directly opposed to the fundamental beliefs that made Lincoln great, Barack Hussein Obama is doing everything he can to DIVIDE and DESTROY the union .  Unlike Lincoln's inspiring speeches, the casuistry and rhetoric of Barack Obama actually appeals to the fallen Angels of our Nature.

Back to the contention regarding a potential “Oprah presidency”; if this were 15 years ago, I would have been much more comfortable making the statement that certain people, including Oprah would “never be elected president”. But unfortunately, with this generation of ignorant, brainwashed narcissists who couldn’t even tell you who the Vice President of the United States is, it seems we are looking down the barrel of a loaded gun. These kids, as a result of bad parenting and public inculcation have been easily convinced that their plight in this blessed nation is akin to that of the early 20th century Bolsheviks. Hence, anything is possible.  The axioms of old cannot be counted upon any longer.

As for the question of “what will Oprah do next”?  How about we cut this off at the pass and save ourselves from the demeaning, meaningless speculation? Let’s stop being insipid, resist the temptation and focus on the important things such as the treason being committed against the United States of America by our elected scoundrels.

Contact: MrArbitrage@tableofwisdom.com

------------------------------------------------------------------------

October 13, 2009

Snowe basks in the headlines of her Treachery

by MrArbitrage

The Senate panel approved the "health-care overhaul" and Olympia Snowe to no surprise "joined Democrats for a key vote on Obama's top domestic priority” reads today’s headline (at Marketwatch.com)
 
Snowe like a typical “moderate“ tried to distance herself from it just enough so that she can have something on record to point to after her negligence leads to our demise.  The most egregious of her statements I found came after she verbalized that the bill is not what she would have liked “…but when history calls, history calls, and I happen to think that the consequences of inaction dictate the urgency of Congress to demonstrate its capacity to solve the monumental issues of our time." – Olympia Snowe

This may be harsh to say but things have come to a head and I’m not holding back.  Senator Snowe is a disgrace to the GOP and a disgrace to our nation. Just because “history calls” doesn’t mean you have to sell out the future of this country. Neville Chamberlain heard history calling. Benedict Arnold, a far more distinguished American than Snowe heard history calling. We wish you were either hot or cold but because thou art lukewarm, the new GOP will indeed spue thee out of our mouths. Snowe is the lowest form of pettifogging politician. At least the liberal stands for something. The likes of Olympia Snowe, Susan Collins & Arlen Spector are deserving of shame and infamy because they live for the attention and adulation their so-called “moderate” views afford them – to the detriment of their country. 

When Benedict Arnold left for asylum in England, he thought he would be regarded a hero but the reality was that the Brittish rightfully had disdain for him because despite his efforts for their cause - they knew he wasn't one of them - nor was he any longer an American.  He didn't act because he believed in either cause.  His cause was his own self-serving calculation combined with some resentment due to his ego being bruised.  He was simply a traitor who was worthy of disdain.  I see a noteworthy parallel somewhere in here.

This will continue to send gold higher as smart money sees the inevitable bankruptcy of this nation brought on by the prodigality of these elected scoundrels and the volatility of the Commander-in-Chief on foreign policy. It may indeed be the proverbial perfect storm as the reality sets in that the dope smoking, narcissistic juveniles of Woodstock and their protégés are running all three branches of government. The official downgrade of US debt may soon be forthcoming (if there be any efficacy to the independent ratings companies) and the only way to pay for this albatross will be monetizing the debt by historic proportions.

States run by statesmen who familiarize themselves with Federalist 28 and see the parallels between our elected conspirators and the hypothetical federal “usurpers” alluded to by Hamilton may take heed to the remedies of the latter genius and make things quite interesting in the coming years. Jefferson warned that “if a nation wants to be ignorant and free – wants what never was and never will be.”

Far worse than a nation of ignorance is a nation indoctrinated to such an extent that they are willing to trade their birthright for a bowl of rancid stew.

As I have often written over the past year, it is painful to write the name Snowe or any of these elected imbeciles in the same paragraph as a genius like Alexander Hamilton or any of our founders for that matter. It really is like putting a silk hat on a pig.

Contact: MrArbitrage@TableOfWisdom.com 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

June 9, 2009

FDIC is calling the Kettle Black
by MrArbitrage

In a column at www.Marketwatch.com - David Weidner compares FDIC's Sheila Bair to Donald Trump.  As weidner put it, Bair is "stepping where the government's other banking regulators refuse to go: the executive suite."

Weidner continued "Bair's attack has been mostly good news for those interested in seeing a stable, if not sexy, banking system. By threatening the things most precious to bank executives -- their pay and jobs --."

Bair and the FDIC? This is definitely a case of the emperor having no clothes if there ever was one.

What gives the FDIC moral authority to judge the banks? They have been collecting premiums from the banks all of these decades yet only have about 1% in reserves to back the assets they insure. FDIC had to go to Treasury twice already, borrowing tens of billions to pay off the few banks that have heretofore gone under!  In fact, if I were a BETTING man (I'm not), I would put my money on the conjecture that this organization probably has more scandal permeating the organizational layers than any of these banks.  How about an audit of the FDIC?
 

Why hasn't President Soros or his underboss Hussein replaced the FDIC's Chairwomen yet? The only thing that makes the FDIC superior to AIG is that they are not held accountable and this pretend insurance corporation knows it can go to the tax payer "debt monetization" program to it's heart's content.

This is all a farce and it is disturbing to read someone like Weidner, who writes for Marketwatch and The Wall Street Journal - spinning this absurdity as a GOOD THING.

I am not saying the banks shouldn't be regulated.  I am saying that the notion of the FDIC "fixing" the problem is ridiculous.  Few people know how flimsy this organization is.  They have had SERIOUS financial problems already.  If a substantial number of financial institutions failed - the amount of money the government would have to print to make good on this dubious "insurance company" would render our currency useless.

Few people realise that TECHNICALLY, the FDIC could take a hundred + years to pay off the holders of CD's and other FDIC "insured" products if it were to become necessary.  If anyone wanted to do a little homework by goiug to the FDIC website (in the FAQ section), they would see in writing that the FDIC only has to make good on paying back consumers in a "reasonable" amount of time.  Of course "reasonable" is undefined.  What is REASONABLE after a global financial meltdown?

contact: mrarbitrage@tableofwisdom.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

April 22, 2009

The Man Who Knew too Much?
by MrArbitrage

Above: David Kellerman

I know the economy is tough and there are thousands of charities out there vying for your support.  I don't want to badger you so I'll make this short.  Please help stop "SSS" (Sudden Suicide Syndrome).   SSS is going to become an epidemic among people who know too much about powerful elected scoundrels.

Pictured above is David Kellermann, who up until yesterday was the acting Chief Financial Officer of Freddie Mac.  Kellermann was found dead at his home Wednesday morning in an apparent "suicide", according to published reports.  I'll bet that nobody was more surprised to learn of Mr. Kellerman's suicide than Mr. Kellermann.

He doesn't look like the suicide type and reported descriptions of him confirm this impression.  I think that begs the question of whether he might have "caught" the disease. 

I'm surprised disgraced Governor Blagojevich hasn't been overcome by SSS yet because he shows many of the symptoms of SSS.  He could become very dangerous if he comes to the point where he feels he will be convicted and has "nothing to lose" by bringing other dirty politicians with him. I'll bet he knows a great deal.  If they get him incarcerated, just temporarily he will probably contract the disease as well.

Contact: mrarbitrage@tableofwisdom.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

March 31, 2009

Longing for Isolationism; to Hell with Globalism
by MrArbitrage

The G20 are coming and that means more global America bashing.  

I sure do miss the America of my childhood.  As I look at the pictures of the euro-socialists attacking our country, I wish that we had leaders who were not treasonous scoundrels who hate this country and openly admit they want to “reshape it”. 

I wish I could find comfort knowing that we had a government that was interested in performing its fiduciary duty of PROTECTING our constitution and the values expatiated by our founding fathers. 

In some ways I wish I could be oblivious to the fact that the enemies of freedom and the American way have already penetrated the highest office in our land and infiltrated our Congress and Judiciary.  

I long for the days of Mayberry, the America in the old “Country Time” commercials with white picket fences, sun filtering through the leaves of the oak trees while the little boy drinks lemonade with that Wilford Brimley looking grandpa.

The problem is that these men are "journalists".  They were there because of their professions in what can only be a dubious agenda at best.  In my perception, it taints them in their official capacity.  Going forward, when they are dealing with Obama whether it be a case of scandal or commentary on important policy, that secret meeting will linger in the minds of many. 

Should they recuse themselves in such situations for the sake of objectivity?  Yes, they are opinion writers but who is to say their personal opinions have not been skewed?

This reminds me of a movie from 2000 called "Almost Famous".  It was film about an aspiring journalist, a high-school boy who is given the chance to write a story for Rolling Stone Magazine about an up-and-coming 60's rock band as he accompanies it on their concert tour. 

"Lester Bangs" of Rolling Stone played by Philip Seymour Hoffman gave the boy "William Miller" some important advice before Miller went on tour with the band "Stillwater".  He said "you CANNOT make friends with the rock stars. That's what's important. If you're a rock journalist - first, you will never get paid much. But you will get free records from the record company. And they'll buy you drinks, you'll meet girls, they'll try to fly you places for free, offer you drugs... I know. It sounds great. But they are not your friends.  These are people who want you to write sanctimonious stories about the genius of the rock stars, and they will ruin rock and roll and strangle everything we love about it."

It is not a stretch to make this comparison as Obama is often compared to a "rock star".  Of course Miller was seduced by the band leader "Russell Hammond" and learned a hard lesson in this "coming of age" film.

In the end Lester Bangs exclaimed "Aw, man. You made friends with them. See, friendship is the booze they feed you. They want you to get drunk on feeling like you belong...they make you feel cool, and hey, I met you. You are not cool."

William Miller was supposed to be a rock journalist.  Although the characters were ficticious, it seems to be an axiom that a true journalist has no business mixing business with pleasure when the pleasure to be had is with the very people they are supposed to be objectively covering. 

In this case, the stakes are much higher than the integrity of rock & roll reporting.

Contact: mrarbitrage@tableofwisdom.com
--------------------------------------------------------------

January 13, 2009

Lessons Learned - or Not
by MrArbitrage

I heard on the news yesterday that the porn industry led by Larry Flint is seeking a “bailout” because free porn on the Internet is undermining their revenue.  My initial reaction is that this is just Flint using his own absurdity to expose the absurdity of the bailout.  That seems obvious but the sad thing is that I wouldn’t put it past this group in government to give them the money.

This is all a sign of the times.  I can see posterity talking about our hedonism the way our current study of history points to that which precipitated the fall of Rome.

It is sad to say - but even at this point most Americans STILL DON'T get it. 
We are shaking our fists blaming everybody but ourselves for the debacle in which we find ourselves. To be sure, Government and Wall have done wrong; however, the blind cannot see that they are nothing but a SAMPLE taken from a base, morally bankrupt society.   Expect good government?  You cannot squeeze virtue from vice. 

We have been the enablers of ignoble representation.  I recall watching the Democrat leaders cheer as the Vice President of the United States, Al Gore, declared his disdain on the White House lawn - for those who were outraged by the perjury and obstruction of justice perpetrated by the Commander in Chief.  Al Gore introduced this charlatan as the best President in the history of The United States of America.

By way of the camera lens, Bill Clinton looked the entire nation in the eye and wagged his finger at us as he lied to our faces.  What did the country do?  The media and their left winged party made excuses for him, attempting to palliate his violation of his oath.  They said you can “compartmentalize.”  That was the buzzword with which they inculcated us.  They said it didn’t matter if our elected leaders are scoundrels in their private lives and assured us that it wouldn’t translate to scandalous behavior in their official leadership roles. 

If there be any merit to this line of thinking, logic would conclude that this conclusion applies to the corporate world as well.  Well well – does anyone see any justice being rendered here?  It is as though God Himself has taught us a lesson the way a mortal parent might allow his child to make a mistake in order to teach the child an important life lesson. 

The question is, will these children humble themselves?  Will they say “I was wrong and I’ve learned a valuable lesson”?  Or will they be the obstinate child shaking their fists at truth while blaming everyone else?    

This isn’t just applicable to America but to those whom much is given, much is required.  It's growing up time around the world and the fact that we, like 6 billion juveniles are still unwilling to take responsibility serves as a portent of things to come - much more pain.

UPDATE: 1-14-2009

The nomination of Tim Geithner is an unmitigated outrage and it ties in with this column from yesterday.  The justification for Geithner  is another example of in your face, elitist “do as I say – not as I do” and proves that we have learned NOTHING from our mistakes from the past.  Consequently – this is also an early indicator that our pain has only begun.  What effrontery it takes to appoint this scoundrel and not expect outrage.  I guess I don’t have to pay self employment tax until it suits me.  If I had only known.  

Oh, Obama is going to "bring us all together" it's going to be "a new kind of politics". Good Lord; is this a joke? He hasn't even taken office yet! 

My developing theory is that Obama’s delusion about himself being like President Lincoln has compelled him to do everything he can to push us into disunion so he can have his own equivalent "civil war".  He is really stirring the pot.  New kind of politics - yes!

For my take on Obama's Lincoln Complex, read my November 17, 2008 column:

"We knew Abraham Lincoln; Abe Lincoln was the father of our Party; President Elect Obama, you're no Abraham Lincoln" at www.BlackJFK.com 

mrarbitrage@tableofwisdom.com

-------------------------------------------------------
December 10, 2008

The New Debtor's Prison: Turning Subprime Mortgages to Investment Grade  
by MrArbitrage

The Treasury Department has a plan to limit forclosures by employing Fannie Mae to offer mortgages with rates as low as 4.5% to homeowners facing forclosure.  

The Federal government can buy these mortgages and renegotiate the payment plans with homeowners in such a way that it will lower their payments to a point where people can afford to make them.  However, there is one problem:  According to a recent column by Brian Sullivan of Fox Business News -The watchword in housing is becoming "re-default".  Mr. Sullivan quoted the Comptroller of the Currency John C. Duganhas who indicated that new data shows more than half of loans modified in the first quarter of 2008 fell delinquent within six months and after three months, nearly 36 percent of the borrowers had re-defaulted by being more than 30 days past due. After six months, the rate was nearly 53 percent, and after eight months, 58 percent.”

Those are some staggering numbers to say the least.  During the election campaign season, all we heard about were the evil financial institutions a/k/a “predatory lenders” as though they were our only problem.  As I wrote in my Sept 17th column “It’s the Morality Stupid” – we will get nowhere if people do not stop blaming others and start taking responsibility for their own part in this mess.  Throughout their campaigns, politicians have encouraged this scapegoating and refuse to tell people what they need to hear, which would be something to the effect of “America –it’s growing up time”.  They do not dare call millions of people “predatory borrowers”.  A good spanking is sometimes just what we need but our prodigals in Washington are guilty of the same sins and are "enablers" at best.

The MrArbitrage mortgage bailout plan would be similar to the Treasury plan in that I advocate drastically cutting mortgage payments by allowing people to restructure their mortgages, lowering the interest rates and perhaps add an extra 5-10 years to the duration of the mortgages if necessary.  The only problem is that most Americans habitually live beyond our means.  So if we rescue them now – the results have shown that in a few short months –many FURTHER extend their financial obligations even with their new found cash flow.  The bottom line is that it isn’t fair to the tax payer to make them buy all these mortgages when 50% or more of them will prove “toxic” even after being restructured.

Given the unprecedented circumstances of our economy and our penchant for blaming our problems on everyone but ourselves, a viable bailout would require innovative motivators and deterrants to make these mortgages investment grade.

I do believe there is a way that Congress could actually buy back these mortgages and make a positive return despite the possibility that 50% of them may be issued to deadbeats. 

BRING BACK DEBTORS PRISON. 
When reading about the common practice of throwing people into debtors prison during the 18^th century, I always thought it was counter productive in the long run.  Although the thought of possibly having to go to jail could be a good deterrent to prevent people from accumulating debt in the first place, once people were there – they couldn’t work anymore to pay off their debt so the loaner might get their pound of flesh but financially they were getting the shaft.

Thanks to the wonders of modern technology, we can have the ability to promulgate such a policy while eliminating the cons of debtors prison.  We have a form of “rehabilitation” known as “house arrest” in which the participant is fitted with a high tech ankle bracelet that uses a GPS system to monitor the whereabouts of the individual wearing it and will alert the authorities if that person leaves their property.  It can only be removed by the authorities and it is always turned on.   This means that it would not require paying people to guard all of those on house arrest.  When someone leaves the property, the alarm will go off and the proof would be conclusive.  They can have a "three strikes and you're out" policy where if the participant violates the rules by leaving 3 times - then they would be required to serve time in an actual jail for a week or so before going back to their homes.  Most people would avoid that.

Now, I know this concept will raise some eyebrows but the key to this is that  ENTERING the agreement would be completely voluntary - in exchange for the reworking of the mortgage at the lower rate and payment. Once the agreement is in place and the mortgage revised, the - TERMS - of the agreement would no longer be voluntary including temporary house arrest upon default.

If you want to obtain a sweet rate of 4.5% on your mortgage, lower your payments and save your home despite your lack of credit worthiness, the tax-payers will give it to you – if – you agree to the terms.

You get the low rate and lower payments. 

 A little elaboration on what "house arrest" means:

• You go to work; then you go straight home. 
• If you lost your job, you can go on job interviews.
• If you can’t find the job you want because those available are “beneath you”, you may want to humble yourself for a while and wait those tables because the more you fall behind on your payments, the longer you will be on house arrest.  You may want to temporarily work TWO jobs if one doesn’t pay enough. 

This way we are temporarily taking away distractions that would entice debtors to go further into debt with their new found cash flow.  It essentially puts a significant part of their social life on pause until they pay their obligations and they may be a little embarressed for being on house arrest.  In many cases, people in this country NEED to be embarrassed.  I know there are recluses who might find house arrest appealing but the majority of us are not J.D. Salinger. 99% of us would not like it after a month.  It is one thing to hide away in your home -at will- and quite another not to have a choice.

Societal Benefits
This form of debtors prison would actually have some societal benefits as it would not take parents away from their family and there would be much less physical danger to the participant than putting them into a cell with Bubba where they could possibly have a Ned Beatty moment.  This method worked for Martha Stewert; in fact, she could even design the ancle braclets.

Benefit to Housing Prices?
This could not only quell the enormous spike in forclosures, it could even be an impetus for home buying if the terms would be offered to future home purchases as a part of a stimulus package from the Treasury; an investment of Social Security Funds into personal/privatized accounts and by state pension funds.  People need to know there are consequences involved beyond a low credit score.  Implement this plan and The key would be the enforcement of "debtors prison" because the days of credit based upon honor went out the door with the 10 commandments.

Currently, the prodigals in Congress take the incoming Social Security money and “invest” it in Treasuries, earning a lousy 3% or so, while they go out and spend the proceeds on programs that have no return on investment beyond a notional benefit to society.

With this program, they could actually hold the mortgages in lieu of Treasuries, put them in a “lock box” then bundle and resell some of them to institutions.  At this point I would feel more comfortable buying a debtors prison backed mortgage than a security supported by a questionable rating from S&P or Moodys. 

CONCLUSION
I didn’t put forward my thesis out of disdain for anyone.  The new debtor's prison is not for the sake of punishment of anyone.  It is for protection of tax-payers to make sure they are paid back.  Unfortunately, the honoring of oaths and covenants is a concept foreign to enough Americans that the system is imploding as our founders warned it would. My suggestion is one that may unfortunately be necessary to preserve the concept of credit going forward.

Because of the moral decay in our society, the future is one in which posterity will talk in disbelief how once upon a time, “they used to be able to make loans to people based upon someone’s honor!”.   There is no longer any such thing as stigma or dishonor when it comes to bankruptcy or foreclosure.  My plan looks at the reality that credit for many will not be sustainable if merely backed by a notion of honor and the "golden rule".  I assess the moral state and replace it with credit backed by the debtor’s instinct to continue with their narcissism. Knowing that if they default - they will deprive themselves of the pleasurable activities for which they live, they will move the debt installments to the top of their priority list.

I don't LIKE my conclusion and strive to do everything I can to affect change in that regard.  However, putting on the investor/business person's hat, I recognize that these home owners have negative equity and I would not feel comfortable buying this paper without the home owner having some serious "skin in the game".  Offering credit to this society with our "new morality", determined by  "whatever works" for each individual is not a good idea.

Contact: MrArbitrage@tableofwisdom.com
-------------------------------------------------------

October 20, 2008
What about Colin Powell?  Nice Guy but No Loss   
by MrArbitrage

General Powell was one of those Republicans “in name only”.  He seems like a quality person and he's done some great things for charity but his position on critical issues such as abortion are not harmonious with the Republican Party.  Back in the 1990’s, during the time when his name was constantly floated as a potential Republican Presidential candidate by the MEDIA, there was a great deal of opposition to that prospect within the party.  The reason was because he is essentially a liberal. 

The funny thing is that Powell was much like John McCain.  He was often given plaudits by the media because he more often leaned to the left.  Powell seemed to be regarded as somewhat of a maverick as well.  They were both “mavericks” in the sense that they would go against their party, not from the standpoint of being more conservative but rather they were usually taking the liberal siide.  Make no mistake about it; if Powell had run in the GOP primary, he may well have been the nominee for the same reason John McCain is – because the conservative vote was split between Huckabee, Romney and Thompson.  This resulted in the GOP ironically getting the nominee that we least wanted.

My larger point is – make no mistake – if Powell was the GOP presidential candidate today, we would be hearing about how Collin Powell “has changed” and that he is no longer who he was.  We would be hearing that he is “a shill for George W. Bush…”

How dare I, a life-long Republican make such remarks about John McCain when he is our candidate?

I am disillusioned by what has happened to our party. 

I am disillusioned when I hear the Republican presidential nominee call for the US Government to buy up hundreds of billions of dollars worth of mortgages to bail out people who bought homes they couldn’t afford.

I am disillusioned when I see our candidate boast about how he led the charge in advancing legislation to fight “climate change”.  This is a bunch of crap that both parties are forcing down our collective throats and regardless of who wins, we are being hoodwinked.  I’m no prophet but anyone with a modicum of discernment can sense that nothing good is going to come from this historic idiocy.  The sudden outpouring of this junk science in the end is about subordinating the United States of America to the authority of euro-socialists.

I’m disillusioned when I hear our candidate defend federal funding of stem cell research during the debates.  I know that he didn’t specifically say “embryonic”– but it is a fact that he has been outspoken in his support for FEDERAL FUNDING of embryonic stem cell research and he even signed a letter urging President Bush to EXPAND it.  The moral justifications for expanding it were absolutely appalling.    

Read “Expand embryonic stem cell research.”

http://www.ontheissues.org/Social/John_McCain_Abortion.htm  

Am I voting for John McCain?  Yes I am. 

It amazes me to see how millions of Americans can be so cavalier about supporting the nominee of the Democrat party simply as a verdict against the guy who happens to be the President during the time everything hits the fan.  This is especially true when considering that what actually hit the fan was a direct byproduct of our culture’s refusal to live within our means.  But nobody wants to hear about personal responsibility, God forbid.  Blame it on CAPITALISM.  Blame “the rich” for your problems.  Blame the Government for not giving you more.

I fear that in the end we have become a nation of losers, spoiled brats who were raised to believe that everyone owes you something.  The messiah is here to tickle your ears.  He will promise you Utopia.  He will give you free health care, free daycare, free college tuition and he will even come and tuck you in at night.

I just want to say “wake up you morons!”  OK, I guess I’ll never be a presidential speech writer.  Haven’t you seen the original version of “The Manchurian Candidate?”  This guy is the “Iranian Candidate”.  There’s not much difference when you consider that the communist countries are in collusion with Iran anyway.  They have the same primary objective – destroy America. 

Does anyone see the incredible irony that we are supporting a guy who has less experience than any major party nominee in American history while his middle name happens to be the same as the brutal dictator we just ousted a few years ago?

Well there must be a reason, some special circumstances as to why Americans would want to give control of our government to someone so unknown, with so little experience, and with such a lack of accomplishments.  He must be a shining example of extraordinary moral superiority, right?  Well, he wrote about his cocaine usage.  We know that he has a relationship with a home grown terrorist who killed Americans while bombing government buildings.  We know that his Pastor of 20 years is a deranged maniac who calls for God to “damn America.”  We know he was at his friend Louis Farrakahn’s million man march and we’ve seen video footage of Farrakahn telling those at his mosque that the Obama is the “messiah”.  Maybe I’m being petty; nobody’s perfect I suppose.

You cannot make this stuff up.  Half of this country is ready to elect the “Iranian Candidate” because they are too irresponsible to take care of themselves or because they haven’t yet been given everything they want by their government.  You don't hear too many politicians pandering to the people with that pitch, do you?  I bet that would be poular with the masses "grow up people". 

Voting for Obama at a time where left winged activists are already in control of the House and Senate is an absolute poison pill.  It is like taking a sledge hammer and bashing in your own skull so that the pain in your hand will go away.  Code Pink will be running our government and our lives.

So, here’s my campaign bumper sticker:  “Vote John McCain he may suck as a candidate, but he’s no communist.”

 
Contact: mrarbitrage@tableofwisdom.com

'width' is a duplicate attribute name. Line 1, position 36.

------------------------------------------------------- 

October 13, 2008
Remember Jim Traficant?
by MrArbitrage

The FBI and the IRS prosecuted Ohio Congressman Jim Traficant for supposedly abusing his office by accepting money from businesses in his little congressional district in Youngstown, OH (and for allowing some of his staffers to help paint his barn). Now Traficant has been rotting in a federal prison for several years and he didn't even manage to bring down the entire nation's banking system – costing tax-payers trillions of dollars.

What Traficant supposedly did was small-time compared to the actions of Senator Chris Dodd who is Chairman of the banking committee and was instrumental in pushing Fannie & Freddie deeply into the sub-prime market. The most powerful man on the Banking Committee clearly took bribes from Countrywide which was pushing to make a fortune by selling more crap to Fannie and Freddie. It's not difficult to connect the dots. Receiving benefits from a corporation that would not be given to any other customer is the same thing as being given compensation. It is abuse of his office and claiming ignorance of the law does not exculpate one of a crime.

Where is the FBI? They were the there for Congressman Jim Traficant. The IRS was also involved with Traficant's prosecution.  Why are they not going after Congressman Charles Rangel who is obviously guilty of tax evasion?  I guess Traficant, like Rangel should have just pleaded ignorance of the laws he helped legislate instead of "not guilty". 

I want every one of these charlatans who took such bribes and those who cheat on their taxes indicted -RIGHT NOW- by the same zealous people who prosecuted Traficant – or I want to see Jim Traficant immediately released from federal prison – with an apology.

Congressman Traficant became only the second congressman to be "expelled" by the House since the Civil War.   Of course Traficant wasn't popular at all with his fellow Democrats as he usually sided with the conservatives. 

It would be very interesting to hear from Congressman Traficant and how he feels about this double standard.  Perhaps Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity could get an interview with Trafficant from Prison.

Informative reading: 

Under oath. *** Former Countrywide Financial loan officer Robert Feinberg said Mr. Dodd knowingly saved thousands of dollars on his refinancing of two properties in 2003 as part of a special program the California mortgage company had for the influential. He also said he has internal company documents that prove Mr. Dodd knew he was getting preferential treatment as a friend of Angelo Mozilo, Countrywide's then-CEO.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122360116724221681.html?mod=djemEditorialPage

Contact: mrarbitrage@tableofwisdom.com

October 9, 2008

No Bailout for Sodom
by MrArbitrage

The headlines read: "SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- You've got to give California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger credit for being the first to stick his hand out. Even before the vote on the $700 billion bailout bill last week, the wily Terminator of fiscal discipline had a letter on the desk of Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson making the case for a $7 billion loan to keep the nation's most populous state running past October..."

I am outraged by the impertinence of Schwarzenegger and his state to come forward expecting my tax dollars to pay for the consequences of their extravagance. They are a textbook case in the tragic consequences of leftism and they should wither on the vine so they may be a shining example of what the Democrats have in store for the entire country when they control all 3 branches of government.

The leftists of this state, for all of their crying about the "environment" have made fortunes as Hollywood dumps their toxic waste into our culture. The ramifications of their toxic waste are far more measurable than the dubious claims of "An Inconvenient Truth.

The inconvenient truth is that for decades this state has given the proverbial "bird" to the vast majority of Americans, our values and our faith. They have wasted their money on left winged programs encouraging such things as illegal immigration. Still lingering in my mind are the recent images, tens of thousands of militants at "gay pride" parades marching through the streets of San Francisco dressed up as our Savior Jesus Christ as they  mocked everything that is sacred to "fly over country".

Now you dare ask me for my money? I thought "gay marriage" was supposed to save California from destitution? Listening to the glowing reports by ABC, NBC & CBS led me to believe that this celebration of sodomy was going to single handedly balance California’s budget as homosexuals travers the United States to get "married", no?

Is California "too big to fail?" In my estimation, this albatross is too odious NOT to fail. There is plenty of wealth there already. If they want a bailout, they need to go to the Hollywood elitists and make them practice what they have preached. The fortunes of Steven Spielberg, Rob Reiner and David Geffen alone can balance California’s budget. It’s time for California to "take" the "excess profits" from their own citizens. What about the "fairness" doctrine leftists have been ramming down our throats this election season? Let’s see how eager Spielberg and Reiner are to be plundered to support the causes to which they are owing.

That’s the beauty of federalism. There is healthy competition between the states; so if a state governs poorly, there are 49 others from which to choose. I know there are some very good people living there and those good people can vote with their feet.  Eventually they will.

By the disgraceful way this state is run, they may deserve to be the first state to be forced OUT the union, "forced secession" if you will. Nobody will be stuck there if they go bust. The only thing that may be stuck there with a little luck is Hollywood and that my fellow Americans would be a good thing. For Hollywood to be plundered by the state treasury into extinction would be the best thing that happened to this country in the past 100 years.

You want to really spark some outrage the likes of which we have not seen since 1861 – go ahead – make our day; force decent Americans to bailout Sodom.
 
Contact: mrarbitrage@tableofwisdom.com

----------------------------------------------
September 30, 2008

Dirty, Nasty Money?
by MrArbitrage

I proponded my own proposal on how this debacle could be handled without "bailing out" anyone who ran these companies into the ground.  It can be read by clicking the "MrArbitrage on Markets" tab.  Some have expressed objection to it but I can assure you that mine was propounded with the assumption that there would definitely be some kind of package and my proposal would not benefit any Wall Street firm.  I tip my hat to those who exersized their rights as Americans and put the heat on Congress.

My perception is that the media seem to be the one's who are supporting this "bailout".  For example, a typical headline reads: “ Stocks recover a hefty chunk of Monday's sell-off on hopes that a congressional plan to shore up the U.S. financial system will pass." - Marketwatch

Talk about propaganda; did these guys speak with every buyer out there to verify this?

That's not reporting, that's the conjecture of a media that have for whatever reason been the biggest proponent of the bailout.

Why not say that the stocks and the dollar rallied because the rest of the world saw that Americans, thanks to our federalist system, have a measure of control over our representatives and were able to prevent them from promulgating a system that would have been higly inflationary and destructive to their currency?   Whereas, euro-socialists have no such control over the prodigality of their rulers; hence, despite the fashionabilty of verbally trashing the USA, when the world seeks to hold a currency as a safe-haven, the greenback will be king.

That's not because of the sagacity of our elected juveniles but rather the supremacy of our constitution, checks and balances and deliberately inefficient government, our surest protection - God Bless it.

The Internet is a great threat to the plans of Washington power brokers because of the speed at which opposition now reaches “critical mass”. Analysis travels to the constituents at light speed. From the time Pelosi announced that the plan was available at the Senate’s website, it was dissected into pieces within the hour and a consensus was reached overnight by THE PEOPLE. Without regard to the once powerful media trying to inculcate the virtues of the plan, by Monday morning the House phone lines and email boxes were flooded with outraged citizens demanding that the bill be stopped.

If this had happened 15 years ago, before Speaker Gingrich’s rise and before the widespread usage of the Internet, the bill might have been rammed through in the dark of night.

That's why communist countries like China have been so careful to regulate the Internet and why we need to be careful to keep this crew in Washington restrained.

I get this feeling that there is a pattern here.  I get a feeling that there is something nefarious being perpetrated akin to buying up long positions in oil and then having supposedly objective “analysts” pump an extraordinary amount of fear into the markets, arbitrarily calling for $200 per barrel.

Government of Goldman Sachs, by Goldman Sachs and for Goldman Sachs?   Former Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin –Goldman Sachs partner, Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson – Goldman Sachs partner, Former Senator and now Governor John Corzine –  Goldman Sachs. These are a few high profile names but there have been many - deeply entrenched. Buffet isn’t buying a distressed company. 

Coincidence?  Perhaps but I wouldn't say the "appearance of impropriety" is being avoided here. 

It looks to me like Buffet is buying into a company most likely to reap a harvest of assets at arbitrage prices after the crapola gets filtered out by the tax payers and he’s buying into an elite a company about to consolidate many banks for pennies on the dollar with the help of deliberately fomented fear.

There is honest money out there to be made but I get a feeling in my bowels that this is nasty, dirty money.
Contact: mrarbitrage@tableofwisdom.com

------------------------------------------------------------------

September 11, 2008

Who's the true Elmer Gantry?
by MrArbitrage
 

The left wing are attacking Sarah Palin for her Christian beliefs while having investigators inquire as to whether she had ever been seen speaking in “tongues” (a reference to a gift of the Spirit originally manifested during Pentecost). 

I never thought I’d see the day in AMERICA when a major party would nominate a presidential candidate by the name of Barack Hussein Obama, an associate of terrorists and radicals like Louis Farrakhan and member of a “Church” where the Pastor publicly prays for God to “damn America” while the congregation essentially “high fives” him.

It is astounding how proponents – especially given the circumstances - would think it advantageous to attack an American, Christian women running for VP - for (possibly) practicing a biblical, Christian manner of praying as though there is some scandal in that.
These liberals have had the audacity to equate the Republican Vice Presidential candidate to Elmer Gantry while their own VP candidate is on stage telling the lame to rise up from their wheel chairs.

If you don’t believe it, watch the video – then tell me which VP candidate looks like the true Elmer Gantry.  

 'width' is a duplicate attribute name. Line 1, position 36.

I would like to be a fly on the wall at the Obama campaign as they must be dieing to find a way to reverse their selection of VP candidates.

Joe Biden is too high profile to worry about being wrapped up in a rug and dropped off at some park without a return ticket.  Remember - Hillary would be the almost certain successor to Biden.   

Between the Clinton's and Obama’s resources, I wonder how many millions of dollars it would be worth for Biden to have a sudden epiphany and abruptly resign from the ticket for “the good of the country”?  It might be unprecedented but given the times and the avarice for power of the people involved, I wouldn’t at all be surprised to see Biden “drop out” if this keeps up.   Contact: mrarbitrage@tableofwisdom.com

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

September 3, 2008

Palin "Controversy" is Rancorous Media Nonsense
by MrArbitrage

Like many, I am tired of the underhanded tactics of the media regarding Governor Sarah Palin.  On the front page of Marketwatch today, a typical headline read “Palin problems could interrupt McCain momentum".  

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/palin-problems-mount-effects-may/story.aspx?guid=%7B708A325F%2D4977%2D426A%2D8931%2D89CF9E87CBF0%7D

Contact: MrArbitrage@tableofwisdom.com  

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

August 22, 2008
Please don't Rock our Vote; Sometimes less is More
by MrArbitrage

I was reading a column at Marketwatch.com about how the late conventions for the two major parties may "change the political landscape". There was a question posed as to whether the Republicans will get the upper hand and a "bigger bounce" with a September meeting. Rhodes Cook, a political newsletter publisher was quoted as saying that "Having the last word is an advantage". On the other hand, Karlyn Bowman, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute was quoted as saying "My gut feeling is a lot of people are going to be barbecuing". She also indicated that post convention bounces do not tend to last, which I think has merit.

My "gut feeling" is that anyone who is so obtuse that they don't yet know what the issues are and where each candidate stands on them - should not even bother to vote in November. I mean, if you are really that disconnected, what kind of judgment are you bringing to the table as a voter? YES, it is your precious RIGHT to vote but accompanying that right should be an obligation to have a clue.

I overhear people in the office trying to solicit votes for Obama amongst their co-workers. These people are easy prey. They are intelligent but totally clueless about politics to the point where they will ask the Obama proselytizer "what are the choices again?" one lady said "I’m voting for Hillary".

I really don’t see the benefit to America of trying to coax such people to go to the polls. They can do more harm than good. It’s sad that so few people in this country vote but the answer isn’t to "get out the vote". The answer is to make people care enough to pay attention and want to learn about the issues and candidates by their own volition. If they cared, they wouldn’t have to be coddled and begged to vote.

This reminds me of a prime example of what can happen when people try to beef up the numbers of voter participation for the sake of quantity. 

During the infamous 2000 election debacle, I was running for the Florida House from Palm Beach County of all areas. On election day, I spent the entire 12 hour day campaigning outside of the busiest
polling station within my district (my wife went to the second busiest).

^{The Democrats had a well organized operation. There is a special home for the mentally handicapped near that polling place and I watched them drive an entire bus full of mentally retarded people to vote. Here in Florida, they can take people in and "assist" them while they vote (with the approval of the voter), so it is not so difficult for them to go to the hospital, register someone to vote (who doesn’t understand what voting is), take them to the polling location and then walk them up to the voting booth while coaching them on what to do.}

That’s pretty much what they did. This was one of the polling locations that everyone heard about on the national news because it had the most invalid punch cards due to "dangling chads", etc. These people were crying about how bad that punch card system was. They vilified Theresa LePore, the DEMOCRAT Supervisor of Elections who had spent her career in that office and did an EXCELLENT job at it. Ms. LePore was the sacrificial victim of a rabid party that couldn’t get past the fact that George W. Bush won the election. They destroyed this women’s reputation and career on the grounds that she had designed a ballot that they "couldn’t understand". However, I was there the whole day - and I didn’t see one person from the media at that polling station to watch these Democrats escort bus loads of mentally retarded people to vote. In retrospect, I wish I had gone to the media with this observation for the sake of Theresa LePore; but that wouldn’t have stopped these cannibals from destroying her because she was the central figure to blame in their entire victimization scheme.

The Democrats certainly "rocked the vote" that year (to borrow the phrase from MTV). My conclusion is that everyone who wants to vote SHOULD vote but when it becomes a contest to see who can round up the most bodies to the polling place, that’s when we start to have problems.

I don’t believe that people should have to "pass a test" before voting (as I have heard some propose) but I think instead of trying to "rock the vote" we should have a campaign themed "If you don’t know who is running by now, please don’t do your country any favors - stay home on November 4th".

Contact: mrarbitrage@tableofwisdom.com    

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
August 18, 2008
Does Obama's Rhetoric pass Scriptural Test?
by Mrarbitrage      

<sup>I wanted to write a column before the Saddleback forum regarding my skeptical concerns and to point out exactly what predictable tactics Obama would use.  I had higher priorities as the forum took place on my son's birthday - so instead here is my post forum critique.

Warren prefaced his question to Obama by saying “I know it’s a complicated issue,” giving subtle credence to the notion that there may exist a gray area.  Abortion is NOT a complicated issue.  It is only complicated for those who reject the absolutes that God has given us.  It’s a “complicated issue” for the atheist and those who embrace Darwinism because to them it is all relative. 

Obama asserted that he is a Christian so for Warren not to hold him accountable on the issue –as a Christian - is a serious mistake in my estimation.  What truly disturbs me is this fanciful notion that abortion can be “one of many issues” as though a candidate’s stance on the issue is akin to picking a favorite charity that he's going to adopt as his cause.   
This forum was a historic opportunity as the two Presidential front runners sat before one of the most prominent pastors of our time while the entire nation observed. 

For years we have watched as the same question that Warren asked has been put to candidates by non-Christian debate moderators.  We have listened with vexation as the pro-abortion candidates answer the question with the same specious answer Obama gave about how he “wants to reduce the number of abortions and make them rare”.  On every occasion the pro-abortionists are given a free pass by the moderators on the SIMPLE question of WHY they would want to do that. 

Pastor Warren could have broken new ground had he just asked the simple question of WHY - why would you want to make them rare if abortion is not a wrong?  That is the question that no secular moderator ever asks for fear of bringing “religion” into the debate.  Most “journalists” do not want to go beyond the surface because the way to truly address the issue of abortion is to challenge their justifications from a perspective of moral absolutes rooted in Natural and Divine Law. 
The fact is that Obama would have to admit that abortion is murder if he were pressed to explain why it is a “complicated issue”, why he thinks it should be “reduced” and why a women needs to carefully weigh “her decision” with family members, councilors, etc. 

THIS forum was the best opportunity for the nation to witness a textbook case of an abortion proponent attempting to publicly reconcile the irreconcilable positions of abortion advocacy while simultaneously claiming to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.  We heard him make the argument but the end result was no different than the result of any other forum.  The argument could have been unraveled by Warren in a way the nation has never seen - but the follow up questions were never posed.        

After hearing the media claiming on many occasions that Obama is "making inroads" with evangelicals, it has become a cause for concern to me.  If a church is willing to cede that one can be a Christian while promulgating a policy of murder on other human beings, that is a church in a state of apostasy, the kind against which the Apostle Paul warned.  I'm sorry but you cannot “make up for it” by having an admirable stance on other issues like mitigating AIDS in Africa.  I am tired of watching people try to get this inconvenient debate out of the way and move on to the next topic as though one can offset the brutality of their position if he or she is more humane in their stance on other issues. 

I am not saying that Pastor Warren is embracing the notion that an abortion proponent like Obama is a legitimate choice for Christians to consider if he is attractive on other issues.  No, I'm not saying that BUT I am concerned that he is giving that impression based upon his apparent lack of desire to put Obama on the hot seat with any substantive follow-up regarding that issue.  Sometimes it isn't so much what you say - but what you DON'T say. 
When standing before God on judgment day - there will be no “let's agree to disagree” and moving on in the way so many of our leaders are willing to do.  It is true that “we are all sinners” and “nobody’s perfect”; however, it is one thing to “slip” and to commit a sin and another for Barack Obama to take a calculated position of infanticide for which he has no compunction. 

This isn’t a moment of weakness for which he will repent the next day.  If this man has a “god” besides himself, his god seems to have more in common with the Ammonite "god" whose name was Molech.  Worship of Molech included people burning their own children to death in fire, often by placing them in the arms of a hollow metal idol that had been heated very hot with a fire burning inside.  This is an egregious case of pandering by a man who knows that he needs to deceive a significant number of Christians – in order to win the presidency.   Obama knows he will not convince a majority of the Christian votes.  In such close elections as we have had in the past decade, all he needs is to shave off a higher percentage of the usual number of Christians in order for him to win.

Now let's move on to an argument that Senator Obama and others of his persuasion tend to put forward in an attempt to give an appearance of Christian sympathies: 

One of the angles involved the same form of casuistry used by every liberal Democrat who has tried to offset their violation of humanity.

He quoted the scripture verse from Matthew 25, "Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”  This is a beautiful scripture verse that we can all unite around.  The problem is that the liberals have been twisting it in order to dupe people into supporting their Marxist policies. 

The Bible is clear on the sin of stealing.  Ronald Reagan boldly called the “Former Soviet Union” - The “evil empire” - for a reason.  That reason is because Communism is a system of coercion that steals God given rights, property and subjugates the human race.  The same world-view that communists use to justify their encroachments on liberty and property is the same as the world-view of the current Democrat Party.  In the interest of time, we will have to accept that as a postulate as I am not aiming to make this into a book at this time. 

In Matthew 25, Jesus was addressing his disciples, those who were following him then as well as those who would follow him as His disciples for millenniums to come.  He said as Senator Obama quoted Him that “as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”  He was NOT speaking to the government.   What merit or what sacrifice is there on the part of a follower of Christ in taking someone else’s belongings and giving it to the poor?  Jesus wasn’t trying to inspire a bunch of pseudo-Robin Hoods and it wasn’t a commission based upon the amount of assets to be divvied by the state - but rather a state of the heart as in the case of the widow’s mite. 

In His parable of The Good Samaritan, did Christ say that the Samaritan went and lobbied Cesar for a universal health care program to pick up the tab for the man found in the ditch?  Did he tell the innkeeper that he would return to check upon the injured man to see if he could sign him up for public assistance?  No, he took the burden upon himself with his own resources on his own initiative.

That is why I take issue with the American socialists who point the finger at those of us who have been giving our tithes and offerings our entire lives as we believe that our money is God’s money and that He entrusted us with it to be good stewards.  If it were not for these prodigals who steal our money and waste it on programs that actually accomplish the opposite of their purported intentions, we would be giving even more of it to charities that are far more effectual and deserving.  

Where they go wrong is they are quite generous in giving away other people's money but it is not the right nor the responsibility of the federal government to run these social engineering programs any more than it is the responsibility of my homeowners association.  I don't understand why people are so willing to afford them the ability to carry out such plunder. 

What would these people do if the President of their condo association came to them one day and said "your neighbor three floors down just ran up his credit cards last month and now his car is going to be re-possessed because he cannot make the payments.  We're going to have to increase your association dues for the next year so we can pay down his credit cards and his rent for a few months.  Oh, and just be on notice, we might be paying for his HMO soon; we'll let you know." 

It's obvious what they would do; they would be outraged that someone would have the "audacity" - to even suggest that they had the right to FORCE you to pay for such a scam.  It would be entirely different if they came to you and said "we're taking donations for Joe Blow down the street" but that is not what these prodigals are suggesting. 

It is actually more the right of your homeowners association to pull this type of stunt than it is your central government!   At least you can MOVE if you don't like the way your homeowners association runs their government.  They are not a monopoly.

I would love to be able to give more than my 10% to the poor and needy through LEGITIMATE organizations as well as personally.  It is noteworthy that a study recently concluded that Republicans give far more to charity than Democrats.  That is not surprising when considering that most “evangelical” Christians are members of the Republican Party and tend to tithe as well as going into all the world on missions trips.  This is  more significant than a “Charitable Remainder Trust”, which is a tax strategy where rich people like Bill Gates and Warren Buffet can pledge their assets to charity before they are dead - so they can receive large tax deductions while they are alive - and still living off of the dividends of those same gifts.

In conclusion, it is completely disingenuous for someone to claim the title of Christian while not only giving approbation to the slaughter of innocent human beings but promulgating it into law and taking $300 million tax-payer dollars of Christians each year and funding the leading abortifier in the country, Planned Parenthood. 

We raise our children to sing that “Jesus loves the little children” as the Bible is very clear about how much He truly loves them.  I would like to have heard Pastor Warren ask Senator Obama for his interpretation of what Jesus meant when He said that it would be better to “tie a millstone around your neck, and be cast into the sea, than to offend one of these little ones.”  Does Obama not think that the children might be offended by the procedure euphemistically referred to as “dilation and extraction” – where the mother gives birth to 90% the child, then has the “Doctor” drive a spike into the back of his or her head?  How about asking him the question, "Senator Obama, why were you one of the few people who stood in opposition to this act of barbarism?"

There are many churches throughout this country whose congregations are jumping up and down acting spiritual but are ignoring the Spirit that God gave them - in order that they may have their ears tickled.  It appears that Senator Obama is more than happy to oblige them by contorting scripture to serve his political ambitions.  It is time to put his rhetoric to the test.</sup>

<sup>Contact: MrArbitrage@tableofwisdom.com

--------------------------------------------
August 8, 2008

Mitt Romney:  The Republican's Slick Willie?
by MrArbitrage

Think Mitt Romney would be a good VP candidate?  Watch the following video and see the man who probably dropped President Reagan's name more times last winter than Nancy Reagan did in a life time.  That would be understandable if it were not for the passion with which Romney denounced Reagan when he was running against Kennedy for the Senate in 1994.

He's pro-life this year?  He sure sounds sincere - but watch how passionately he boasts about his PRO-abortion stance.  How could you tell which time he was telling the truth?

Perhaps he should be an Oscar nominee - but McCain's nominee?  He would be about as much an asset to the campaign right now as Donald Rumsfeld.  (I love Rumsfeld but I don't think he would bring more votes to McCain.)

This is a "conservative"?  Watch and decide for your self.
'width' is a duplicate attribute name. Line 1, position 36.</sup>

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aug 4, 2008

Obama's Energy Plan:  Diabolical or the epitome of Economic Ignorance?
by MrArbitrage
  

“Obama suggests tapping oil reserve to cut prices” reads the headline today.

This leads me to believe that Obama is either suffering from economic retardation or that perhaps he is “The Iranian Candidate” - with a plot similar to the “Manchurian Candidate.”

If A.  If it's a case of economic retardation, he just doesn’t realize that when the government “releases” from the strategic oil reserves, any positive effect cancels itself out because they have to replace the oil released, the new buying from which drives up the prices again.

If B.   He’s the “Iranian Candidate”.  Obama just might be in collusion with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad  because in order not to cancel out any “positive effect” – he plans not to replace the oil in the strategic reserves – making us more vulnerable to the capricious whims of the middle eastern nations like Iran.
Either way, it's pretty scary.  It is nothing short of amazing how this  candidate has been able to dupe so many people into believing he is a different kind of politician. I read his painfully prosaic book and could tell right away this was just another ambitious pettifogger.

He seems like a charming guy; maybe that is all people want in a President. People get the kind of government they deserve and judging from the latest generation of indoctrinated college grads - their audacity doesn't leave me with much hope.

An Obama apologist replied to my column by writing: ”I think it is great to finally see someone smart enough to change his mind when issues dictate a change.  " Like driving in traffic and your lane stops while all other lanes are moving. You don't "stay the course", you change lanes and move on. " 

That statement is indicative of the degree of submission into which Obama disciples are willing to go.  Actually, from my experience I've found that as soon as you change lanes, the one to which you shifted becomes the next lane to stop. I think that's because all of the other drivers see what you see at the same time as you do and like sheep, they do the same.

It's much like buying stocks. When you see a stock "performing well" and buy it, it's usually too late. It's a losing strategy. If you really believed in the original position that you sold out of in order to chase performance, you wouldn't have so easily changed your conviction.

Obama's flip-flops lead me to believe that he is destitute of any fixed principals. It's about ambition.

Contact: mrarbitrage@tableofwisdom.com
------------------------------------------------------
August 1, 2008

If the race becomes about race
by MrArbitrage

If they continue to lose momentum, I wouldn’t be surprised if Obama’s (unofficial) campaign were to stage incidents with “racist protesters”.

If they should occur, they will probably be like the incidents with those “protesters” who actually demonstrate at the funerals of our soldiers who died while serving our country.  These impostors protest the soldiers while holding signs with messages like “God hates fags”.  Besides the fact that protesting at a fallen soldier’s funeral is a disgraceful act in itself, the invective on their signs and their rhetoric is so shockingly over the top that you know something isn’t what it appears. 

It seems likely that these are actually liberals of the Code Pink ilk, posing as “Christians” - in the way they want an ambivalent public to view Christians.  Perhaps not ironically, while they are proclaiming “God hates fags,” I suspect that some of them are actually homosexuals themselves, because the homosexual agenda benefits from public sympathy when the public is duped into seeing these protesters as authentic.  This creates a knee-jerk reaction, a backlash against anyone who publicly embraces or tries to defend traditional values and morality.  You could call it the sympathy factor.

Similarly orchestrated protests might actually benefit Obama if he were to be seen as a victim of racism – but the key is for him NOT to PLAY the victim.  He cannot afford to be seen as an Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson and as he has already been doing successfully – he needs to appear as someone above those theatrics. 

Obama has demonstrated he has the tools and the skills to play the role.  He has the stature and the sonorous voice of Dennis Haysbert, the actor who played the part of President Palmer on Fox’s 24.  To the casual observers of politics who make up a large block of voters, he is fitting the mold and may to them be the embodiment of what they expect in our “first black President”.  I believe that is the sole reason why he has so much support from millions of people who know nothing about him.  They feel they know him because they've "seen the movie" and he reminds them of James Earl Jones.   

As long as he refrains from personally playing the race card and instead let’s the media do his bidding – Obama will not be tarnished by the perception that he is "playing the race card".  Staged demonstrations of the racist variety could help the left to dilute the importance of policy issues at hand.  That of course would be a welcomed distraction for the Obama campaign.  We are not a country of racists; therefore, if they can turn this election into a referendum on racism in the minds of the average voter, it could be all the more difficult for McCain to maintain traction.  If such demonstrations do take place, I would expect them to take place at a highly visible, highly publicized event like perhaps in Denver, at the convention when Obama gives his acceptance speech. 

Talk about irony, as I just ran my spell check on Microsoft Outlook, every time it scanned the name Obama, Outlook didn’t recognize the name and suggested – “Osama”.  Try it yourself if you don’t believe me.

^{Contact: mrarbitrage@tableofwisdom.com
----------------------------------------------------------------}

^{'width' is a duplicate attribute name. Line 1, position 36.}

<sup>July 30, 2008

Our Tax Dollars hard at Work
by MrArbitrage

The House yesterday apologized to black Americans, more than 140 years after slavery was abolished, for the "fundamental injustice, cruelty, brutality and inhumanity of slavery and Jim Crow" segregation.

The resolution was sponsored by Rep.Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), a white Jew who represents a majority-black district in Memphis. Cohen actually tried to join the Congressional Black Caucus this year - but it didn’t work out.  (Evidently, you have to be black to join the Congressional Black Caucus.)

I’m glad to see that Congress is hard at work during these challenging times.  Don’t get me wrong; I would rather see our elected idiots working on superficial “projects” like this, than to see them promulgating their latest socialist schemes.

I’m just curious, how do you apologize for something you didn’t do?  Is it my place to apologize to a victim of a crime if I had nothing to do with the crime?

If our government is a government “by the people” – than we are the government.  So these 120 Representatives who supported this claptrap are saying that you and I are culpable for slavery, even if our forefathers immigrated to the US in the 20th century.

Since Congressmen are now in the business of apologizing for wrongs they were not around to commit, I would like to demand a formal apology from Congress for the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798.  I guess it is just as much their responsibility.    
mrarbitrage@tableofwisdom.com

'width' is a duplicate attribute name. Line 1, position 36.</sup> 

 ^{--------------------------------------------------}  

<sup>7-29-2008

McClellan's 15 minutes are almost up
by MrArbitrage

The McClellan nonsense is being revived thanks to his accusation about Fox News supposedly taking "talking points" from the White House. I never found enough credence in the "story" to bother writing about it until now.

I almost feel sorry for Scott McClellan.  Absurd is the notion that he defected out of some sense of altruism.  If he was genuinely concerned about this country, a patriot would have come out immediately and blown the whistle about the alleged wrong doings, not wait a year to make millions of dollars by writing a book about it. 

His fate will be like that of General Benedict Arnold.  General Arnold managed to evade prosecution in the US for his treason but any notion that he would live his life in Brittan as a hero was a delusion.
The fact is that by switching sides and selling out his country, he lived out the rest of his life being scorned by both sides.  He may feel like he is now some kind of hero because of the pseudo-adulation being given to him by the left-winged media.  What is pitiful is that he doesn’t realize that he is receiving this temporary reverence as they find him useful in their continual efforts to undermine the Bush administration.  He is a useful tool now but he will be viewed with contempt by those same people, just as Arnold was later viewed with contempt by those on the side to which he defected.  
Nobody respects a traitor and they are eventually deemed useless to all sides because “if he did it once (to them) he can do it again (to us)”.  Who would trust him?  He better milk this book for all it’s worth because he will realize that he has destroyed any future career in politics and if he thinks these new “friends” of his in the media or any publishers are going to take interest in any future books of his - on any other subject matter - he is going to be quite disappointed.</sup>

<sup>---------------------------------------------------------------------- 
July 22, 2008
Hurricanes in relation to current Oil Price
by MrArbitrage

Today’s Marketwatch headlines read: “Crude oil and other energy futures fell Tuesday as worries eased that Tropical Storm Dolly would damage major oil and gas facilities in the Gulf of Mexico.”

It is a wonder how news agencies can actually report on these hurricanes and relate them to crude prices as though they should potentially cause a further spike in oil prices.  This demonstrates a penchant for melodrama. It is much easier to over-simplify the relationship and create a scare by acting as though this hurricane should have a legitimate impact on crude.  There certainly should be an impact and there was. 

They seem oblivious to the fact that the current price of crude ALREADY has just about every story conceivable – baked into the price. This is exactly how the Internet/Tech bubble gathered momentum. You had these companies like AOL, YHOO, AMZN trading at $200 BILLION dollar market caps and all they had to do to get there was to come out with these ridiculous press releases day after day – and the media ate it up along with a credulous public. Oh, the days of the “positive press release,” when guys like Steve Case and Jess Bezos built fortunes without even having to turn a profit. Their product was their stock as they cashed in billions upon billions in options at the expense of their shareholders. It was a simple equation, 1 positive press release = 3% stock increase, while 1 negative news story = 1% stock price decline. It got to the point where it was like taking candy from a baby. If anyone dared to report anything negative about Amazon, Amazon would come out with a release like “BREAKING NEWS: Amazon announces they are to offer kitchen appliances…” It was hilarious because it didn’t matter WHAT the product was, they could have announced their entry into the Chia Pet market or “Soap on a Roap” idustry. Whatever the new market announced, it was worth a 2-3% daily price increase in stock! They couldn’t have gotten to such “critical mass” without their willing accomplices in the media who fed those schemes.

My purpose for dredging up the old Internet bubble is to demonstrate that the analysis of some in the media can be so inept that they fail to mention that the price of crude already has “the worst hurricane season on record” baked into the price at least 2-3 times over. It also has Nigerian pipelines obliterated and an Israeli attack on Iran at least twice baked in over the past month. It may even have Hugo Chavez invading Columbia. The only scenario that isn’t baked in is perhaps a nuclear war – but that might actually lower crude prices as there would be less people left to consume it. (OK, I admit that I'm using a little hyperbole.)  The equation for the oil bubble is pretty much the same as the old Internet bubble. The only difference is the the profiteers who are fomenting the bubble.

I’m seeing the executives at the leading refiners as more benign in the case of this bubble. Many of them have been saying that oil is “over-valued,” a sign that their spread has narrowed. The real manipulation seems to be coming from Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley. Their analysts who were pumping the market with arbitrary, unjustifiable price targets of $200 per barrel while oil was about $100 per barrel seem to be quieting down as of the past couple weeks. Could it be that they have closed out their long positions or is it that they are getting nervous due to the increased scrutiny?

As I wrote in my previous column at TableofWisdom.com, such manipulation should be treated as a crime against humanity, as it has led to rioting, starvation and even increased foreclosures. Even if next week oil were to settle back down to the $60 per barrel price it SHOULD BE and the crisis were to end – Goldman and Morgan should be investigated and held accountable. If it is found that these firms or any of their subsidiaries were LONG OIL during the time their analysts were making these outlandish predictions and price targets – they should be prosecuted to the same degree as one who commits treason against their country, treason, defined as “the betrayal of a trust or confidence; breach of faith; treachery. Yes, if it is so, they have indeed committed treason against their country but if so, they have also committed treason against the human race. IF they have done this LEGALLY by loophole, which I suspect, i.e. trading the commodities in the less regulated, over seas markets – while pumping the price up here via their analysts – then Congress better get off their rear-ends, put that housing/bank bailout on HOLD - and close that commodities loop hole TODAY.

Nevertheless, I believe that the current pullback in oil is only temporary. Just like in all previous bubbles, the people who are long are like rebellious teenagers. They are going to do what they are going to do.   I believe that regardless of fundamentals, between the ignorant speculators and manipulative swindlers who feed this frenzy, they are bound and determined to take this Ponzi to $200. Then and only then would I go short oil in some fashion. No matter how right you are about the fundamental valuations, as Cato, the great Roman patriot once said "There must certainly be a vast Fund of Stupidity in Human Nature, else Men would not be caught as they are, a thousand times over, by the same Snare, and while they yet remember their past Misfortunes, go on to court and encourage the Causes to which they were owing, and which will again produce them." The moral is - Never get in the way of stupidity.


----------------------------------------------------  ----------------------------------------------------</sup> 

<sup>July 11, 2008

What the Candidates SHOULD be saying about the Energy Crisis
by MrArbitrage

At a time of financial crises that happens to coincide with a presidential election year, the traditional stratagem for anyone who wants to win the presidency is to BLAME the incumbent president (if they are the candidate of the opposing party) or to distance themselves from him (if the candidate is of the same party).</sup>

^{The arguments that place the blame on the incumbent president have become so prosaic that even the most uneducated voter should be skeptical of them by now.  If a candidate on either side wants to be avant-garde, they will focus their rhetoric on the Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. After all, he is the single individual with the most power to do something to assuage this debacle.}

^{Bernanke has made a choice.}

^{He has chosen the monetary policy that has fostered each of the past three bubbles since the Internet/Technology bubble of the 1990’s.  Before each bubble, the Federal Reserve lowered interest rates to unnatural, post WWII rates, spawning an inordinate amount of leverage in the stock, real estate and now the commodities bubble.  Not only did the Federal Reserve create a prodigious amount of ersatz money to ferment the bubble, these rates added to it by creating a “flight to poor-quality” from conservative, elderly investors who could no longer survive on the income of their traditional CD’s and highly rated bonds; hence, we have even more money looking for sufficient returns in more speculative vehicles including commodities.} 

^{After each of the past bubbles, when the Federal Reserve became aware of the inflationary consequences of their actions, they raised interest rates, subsequently ending the Internet/Technology and Real Estate bubbles.  We are at that stage again as Bernanke knows that inflation is out of control and he knows that this commodities bubble IS the inflation.  He is now in the uncomfortable position having to choose which side he is going to hurt.}

^{He can raise interest rates and bring this commodities bubble to a halt.  This would be like a massive and immediate, across the board tax-cut for the rich and poor.  It would stop an enormous amount of money from going over seas and put it right back into our pockets and in turn, our economy.}

^{However, he knows it would have implications on the housing market and cause many additional foreclosures as people who have the adjustable rate mortgages would see their payments go even higher.  Not only would this cause more losses and write-downs by the lenders, it would increase their cost of borrowing, which goes without saying.}

^{With the previous bubbles, the people who got hurt were limited to the people who decided to walk into the casino and play.  If you were an investor during the stock market bubble, you could avoid the popular delusions and outrageously priced stocks by investing in “value” or not buy stocks at all.  Consumers were not hurt by the stock prices of companies they patronized.}

^{Similarly, consumers who didn’t want to by houses for absurd prices could choose to rent instead.}

^{If you look at the chart of Fed policy on interest rates over the past 12 years and lay the chart over the past history of bubbles, the empirical evidence shows that each bubble began at the trough of interest rates, ended near the peak of interest rates and the new bubble began each time as the Fed quickly lowered them to “save” the economy from recession.} 

^{The final bubble in which we now find ourselves is no respecter of persons and it is taking no prisoners.  Whether or not an individual or company chose to get leveraged with the real estate bubble, they are being decimated by the current Federal Reserve’s bailout of real estate speculators and those who recklessly lent them money.}

^{People are going to get hurt no matter which poison the Fed chooses so the ugly question comes down to which faction deserves the relief, the speculators or the all encompassing group of consumers who buy food and fuel?  I for one did not speculate in the housing bubble and I do not appreciate having to get plundered with hyper-inflation so the Fed can bail out a bunch of prodigals.}

^{As there is no easy fix, the focus should not be so much on how to get out of an economic downturn without being scathed because there will not likely be an easy way.  Instead the focus should be on the fact that the current monetary policy is causing a great deal of pain to a large group of consumers who did not as a group cause the debacle while the group that did cause it through greed and fiscal irresponsibility is being bailed out to the detriment of the former.}

^{The bottom line is that the President of the United States has little power to fix the problem.  The candidate who wants to demonstrate some understanding and sophistication will take a new stance on the campaign trail of “calling out” Chairman Bernanke to increase interest rates to mitigate this speculative fervor and perhaps call for his replacement if he will not yield.  I would also recommend they call for additional tax-cutting, spending cuts and a dramatic suspension of foreign aid until this crisis subsides.}

^{-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------} 

 <sup>June 18, 2008
Meet the Press: John Stossel is the Man for the Job
by MrArbitrage

Reading John Friedman's column today at marketwatch.com - regarding potential replacements for the late Tim Russert of Meet the Press, I</sup>

<sup>I agree with what seems to be the common consensus about Chris Matthews not being the right choice to replace the late Tim Russert.  

I used to enjoy watching Matthews during the time of the Clinton impeachment but since then, he has become more blatantly partisan than ever.  His syndicated Sunday morning show is like an infomercial and he doesn’t even bother to put one token conservative on his liberal think-tank he calls a “panel”.  I also think his skills are diminishing as he no longer makes an effort to modulate his voice.  His nightly show is like one hour of incessant screaming with a few commercials in between to break the monotony.  If they were going to consider Matthews the job, they might as well also consider Billy Mays, pitchman for Oxy-Clean, Mighty Putty and the Samurai Shark knife sharpener.  At least Billy Mays is much more affable and has arguably brought something useful to our lives.</sup>

^{John Stossel would be an interesting choice.  As a well known Libertarian, I believe he would clearly be the most objective of any choice thus far propounded.}

^{He is a “no holds barred” type of journalist.  He would not shy away from confronting ANY politician, liberal or conservative.  No matter what your political affiliation might be, you will sometimes love him and sometimes despise him but at least he wouldn’t be a partisan activist like the other choices.}

^{Stossel doesn’t come from a “talking head” background but he does know government and is bright enough to transition into the role.  He’s a Princeton grad, professional journalist and has 19 Emmy awards to his credit.}

^{It is time to think out of the box and remove the recycled, usual suspects from consideration.  The executives of GE/NBC have a fiduciary responsibility to  shareholders to pick the best person for the job and not to use this network as a tool for their own personal political agenda.  Their boss is not the DNC.  It is time to make these people accountable to their bosses, the SHAREHOLDERS.  If they want to put their own personal political agenda ahead of profitability, especially in times like these, than the DNC needs to start a private equity firm and take the company PRIVATE.}

 ^{----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6-13-08 10:54PM
Earlier today I posted a link to my previous article (below this one) at Marketwatch.com. I must have ruffled the feathers of left winged activist Jon Friedman “Senior columnist” at Marketwatch, because within an hour of my posting he pumped out this ill-timed column entitled “David Gregory should now host 'Meet the Press'... Chris Matthews definitely should not get the job.”http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/david-gregory-should-helm-meet/story.aspx?guid=%7BC74EF50A%2D052C%2D4E5B%2DBE04%2D85F6F7B641CE%7D}

My article opened by saying “Speculation will soon abound as to who will take his place” but I certainly didn't expect it to abound that quickly. I wasn't saying that they SHOULD start speculating on this subject now. I thought that they would at least wait until after the autopsy. My Lord!

Nevertheless, I know how it gets to these liberals when they want their way and I imagine that he was probably licking his chops at the thought of so odious a lefty as  Gregory getting the job. That's the way they like it. God forbid they replace Mr. Russert with someone that conservative viewers might be able to enjoy as much as they did watching Russert. Such is the degree of enmity in this new left winged party. It's the same issue regarding their political nominees. In Governor Bill Richardson they actually had a candidate who seems to be a genuinely decent human being, was the most qualified and wasn't a flaming Marxist who would force half the country into a perpetual state of melancholly if he actually won. To no surprise, they didn't give him a chance.

I don't need to add more to my comments below regarding David Gregory other than there is just something about that guy that REALLY doesn't seem right.

The first time I ever saw him he reminded me of the Solieri, Mozart's disturbing nemesis from the 1984 film Amadeus. 

I just cannot put my finger on it.  The usual smirk makes me picture him as the kid in junior high who would try to win accolades from his friends by making snide remarks about others.

Now he basically does the same thing on a larger playground and his activist colleagues are their to "back him up".

- MrArbitrage

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/nbcs-tim-russert-dies-58/story.aspx?guid=%7BD70257EB%2D0EA5%2D454F%2DBAE9%2DD2C556EB09C2%7D (Link to where I originally posted article below at Marketwatch)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

6-13-2008 4:26PM

Tim Russert:
I didn't like his political slant but I loved his show; he seemed like a genuinely good man and was very good at what he did. 

Speculation will soon abound as to - who will take his place?.

I just hope NBC has sense enough not to alienate those of us conservatives who watched Meet the Press - by replacing him with liberal activist, David Gregory.  Gregory is far too pompous and I for one would be unable to watch the show under such circumstance;  he is simply not palatable.

 I also hope they have sense enough not to consider that silver-haired cretin that used to be a sportscaster and now spends weeknights on MSNBC.  Keith Olbermann is basically a cheap imitation of Stephen Colbert.  Olbermann is not a likely candidate because he doesn't come across as someone acute enough to actually handle a live debate with politicians. 

John Tess would probably be better suited than that guy.  Olberman will probably stick to political comedy.  

They should shock the world and replace him with George Will.  Yeah, that might happen!

MrArbitrage

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
John McCain's strange Town Hall
6-13-08  John McCain carried himself well in last night's "Town Hall" meeting but at times it got a little weird.  It seemed like McCain was trying to be all things to all people and his comments on speculation may be a cause for concern.  For more on that, watch my video below.

'width' is a duplicate attribute name. Line 1, position 36.