You know it’s a sad day when an American President begs a Russian president for permission to wait on missile defense negotiations.
…and what’s worse, when the Russian president condescends to pass that request on to the Russian prime minister, Vladimir Putin.
Shocking and outrageous. Since when did an American president — leader of the free world and head of the American republic — ever ask permission to do the right thing on behalf of his country?
The answer to this question is an immediate no. The POTUS couldn’t do it in 2008; the POTUS couldn’t do it in 2012 (at least to an immediate effect).
Republicans this morning are gleefully sharing how the Democrats are more hypocritical than the right, because whereas only 18% of Republicans changed their minds from ’08 to ’12, a full 40% of Democrats changed their minds from ’08 to ’12 — ostensibly because the man in the White House changed.
Now obviously, the POTUS has very little to do with oil production. The reason why oil prices are through the roof is because 2 billion people in Asia with roaring economies growing at 10% a year are emerging into the middle class. A further 1 billion people are on the cusp of doing likewise. Guess what they want? Cars. Trucks. Equipment. The list goes on…
This isn’t Obama’s fault, but rather a macro-level good ol’ fashioned supply and demand problem.
Of course, did Democrats suddenly realize this in say, 2009? I leave the reader to your own conclusions on that matter… so yes, the point being made in Republican circles does have some degree of merit.
Consider this before we all go running off the cliff though — Obama does have the ability to pursue through policy alternative means of energy production. America has 300 years of proven coal reserves in the ground as of today. America has proven oil and gas reserves that we refuse to tap. The blocking of the Keystone XL pipeline is a mindnumbing move designed to prop up an artificial economy in green energy — a technology that despite the resources being thrown at it, from a physical sense, simply isn’t producing results.
Perhaps — and I’m just throwing this out there — Democrats are more forgiving to a POTUS willing to seek alternative means of energy production? No matter how wasteful they really are at the end of the day (and especially if one views monetary units in terms of energy conversion — we simply aren’t getting any bang for our buck).
So for the short and mid-term, America could certainly use a bit less politics and a lot more common sense when it comes to cheap energy. For the long term, the federal government should either (1) pursue effective mid-range and long-range solutions for energy production using existing resources that complement clean and powerful energy solutions such as hydrogen cells, fusion, or clean coal, or (2) simply allow the free market to innovate a solution.
A $74 trillion worldwide economy will certainly find solutions much faster (and more efficiently) than a $3.8 trillion United States government.
I love listening to George Allen talk about energy policy — absolutely spot on when it comes to drilling domestic oil, using coal, etc.
Seems like the glut of new homes on the market has finally come down to within 6-months inventory, a metric that indicates the glut of homes on the market has finally — FINALLY — come back to within some degree of normalcy.
The inventory of completed homes for sale was at 54,000 units in February. The combined total of completed and under construction is at the lowest level since this series started.
The last graph shows sales NSA (monthly sales, not seasonally adjusted annual rate).
In February 2012 (red column), 25 thousand new homes were sold (NSA). Last year only 22 thousand homes were sold in February (although 2012 is a leap year). This was the second weakest February since this data has been tracked – the third weakest was February 2010 with 27 thousand homes sold. The high for February was 109 thousand in 2005.
So what does this mean for the economy? A couple of things.
First, the market has bottomed out once again in the aftermath of the mortgage tax credit repeal, probably one of the more poorly thought out decisions of the Obama administration in terms of raw policy.
Second, as the market picks up steam, whether you are looking at a new home in charlotte nc or Beverly Hills CA, the demand for new homes will improve, — a metric that impacts over two dozen key American manufacturing sectors. If you’re already wanting a new home to settle down in, you might want to see all things Realty Richmond Hill. Those living in the Charlotte area of North Carolina will be happy to hear this news of increased demand for new homes; Saussy Burbank will be able to fulfill some of this demand in the Charlotte neighborhoods in which they are constructing their homes.
The bottom line? The recovery cometh (and right soon) provided that energy prices or a Euro collapse doesn’t spray Roundup on some very firm green shoots. The only additional caveat? 3% GDP growth will more than likely be the “new normal” for a few years until the American consumer finally pays down their credit card debt. Once that happens in late 2013… the inflationary pressures of two rounds of qualitative easing could pose a significant threat to the economy.
As always… fear the boom, not the bust.
Interesting book review from someone who believes the local food movement is really more about middle class arrogance than security:
Through their purchases, these consumers are consciously seeking to affirm and demarcate themselves from the rest of society. Those who purchase ethically believe that they are more ethical than those who don’t. The chapter in The Table Comes First where Gopnik tries to eat only locally sourced food – bashing a few tenets of those who promote a locavore’s life – is a particular treat with regard to this.
Now obviously, the British are entirely class conscious folks… and no, I’m not sure the hamburger “slaughtered lovingly” as written in this review is any different than the Angus cow slaughtered routinely and sold for three times the amount of what you’d buy at a supermarket.
…but is it arrogance? Is it narcissism?
I can’t deny that there’s an element of this in the local foods movement. For my own sake, it is more about putting the land I have to good use, supplementing my own table with what I can grow on my own land, and teaching my children that food doesn’t come from a McDonald’s or a plastic bag.
Is there a certain self-respect in that? Probably. Does it mean I’m better than everyone else? Not hardly… gardeners are probably the first to encourage fellow gardeners in varieties of seeds, methods of growing and planting, and above all else sharing what they know. Gardeners can be some of the most humble, selfless individuals you’d ever want to meet — especially if there’s varieties of seed to trade.
Artisans might be another matter, and when artistry meets food, that’s a different story. Then again… that’s called marketing. Isn’t that what some of us are running from anyhow?
Great reading this morning from City Journal:
It’s indisputable that the Anglosphere no longer enjoys the overwhelming global dominance that it once had. What was once a globe-spanning empire is now best understood as a union of language, culture, and shared values. Yet what declinists overlook is that despite its current economic problems, the Anglosphere’s fundamental assets—economic, political, demographic, and cultural—are likely to drive its continued global leadership. The Anglosphere future is brighter than commonly believed.
Read it all. Or skim it for some pretty powerful graphs demonstrating the combined power of the Anglosphere plus India.
The ghost of the British Empire haunts us still, for better or worse.
Beyond shocked to read and see that Andrew Breitbart passed away at age 43 this morning.
Truly, a massive loss to conservative media.
Because you wanted to see someone sort out the Virginia Democrats on their obstructionism, right?
Epic.
This speech from Del. Hugo is absolutely outstanding. That the Senate Democrats, for purely political reasons, refuse to craft a budget so they can acquire political power on committees? DISGUSTING.
Localities everywhere depend on the state budget — teachers, firefighters, and deputies all depend on Richmond executing their responsibilities… and this once again demonstrates the fixation on power Virginia Democrats have.
Not principle, just power…
From this morning’s The Hill:
“I’m planning on winning here in Michigan and also in Arizona,” Romney said Monday on Fox News — one of a half-dozen media appearances he scheduled in addition to three campaign stops. “Obviously, that will be huge for us if we’re able to do, particularly having come from so far behind here in Michigan.”
Umm… Governor? You should’t be behind in Michigan in the first place.
…and when God talks to you, it’s called schizophrenia:
In Jerusalem, God seems to be particularly chatty around Easter, Passover, and Christmas—the peak seasons for the syndrome. It affects an estimated 50 to 100 tourists each year, the overwhelming majority of whom are evangelical Christians. Some of these cases simply involve tourists becoming momentarily overwhelmed by the religious history of the Holy City, finding themselves discombobulated after an afternoon at the Wailing Wall or experiencing a tsunami of obsessive thoughts after walking the Stations of the Cross. But more severe cases can lead otherwise normal housewives from Dallas or healthy tool-and-die manufacturers from Toledo to hear the voices of angels or fashion the bedsheets of their hotel rooms into makeshift togas and disappear into the Old City babbling prophecy.
Lichtenberg estimates that, in two decades at Herzog, the number of false prophets and self-appointed redeemers he has treated is in the low three figures. In other words, if and when the true Messiah does return (or show up for the first time, depending on what you believe), Lichtenberg is in an ideal spot to be the guy who greets Him.
Wonder where the ideal spot to meet the Antichrist would be?
Articles such as these make the think of the Beatitudes… “blessed are the poor” and so forth. Reminds you that the Messiah, when He came the first time, did so in a manger in the most extreme poverty.
Those who want to find Jesus are best served looking among the poor, the meek, the hungry, the sick and infirm, and those who seek peace.
