The YOU SCARE ME Letter

I received this letter in an email from an acquaintance who suggested that I pass it on. It speaks for itself.

AN OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT OBAMA

By Lou Pritchett

Dear President Obama:

You are the thirteenth President under whom I have lived and unlike any of the others, you truly scare me.

You scare me because after months of exposure, I know nothing about you.

You scare me because I do not know how you paid for your expensive Ivy League education and your upscale lifestyle and housing with no visible signs of support.

You scare me because you did not spend the formative years of youth growing up in America and culturally you are not an American.

You scare me because you have never run a company or met a payroll.

You scare me because you have never had military experience, thus don't understand it at its core.

You scare me because you lack humility and 'class', always blaming others.

You scare me because for over half your life you have aligned yourself with radical extremists who hate America and you refuse to publicly denounce these radicals who wish to see America fail.

You scare me because you are a cheerleader for the 'blame America' crowd and deliver this message abroad.

You scare me because you want to change America to a European style country where the government sector dominates instead of the private sector.

You scare me because you want to replace our health care system with a government controlled one.

You scare me because you prefer 'wind mills' to responsibly capitalizing on our own vast oil, coal and shale reserves.

You scare me because you want to kill the American capitalist goose that lays the golden egg which provides the highest standard of living in the world.

You scare me because you have begun to use 'extortion' tactics against certain banks and corporations.

You scare me because your own political party shrinks from challenging you on your wild and irresponsible spending proposals.

You scare me because you will not openly listen to or even consider opposing points of view from intelligent people.

You scare me because you falsely believe that you are both omnipotent and omniscient.

You scare me because the media gives you a free pass on everything you do.

You scare me because you demonize and want to silence the Limbaughs, Hannitys, O'Relllys and Becks who offer opposing, conservative points of view.

You scare me because you prefer controlling over governing.

Finally, you scare me because if you serve a second term I will probably not feel safe in writing a similar letter in 8 years.



Lou Pritchett



Note: Lou Pritchett is a former vice president of Procter & Gamble whose career at that company spanned 36 years before his retirement in 1989, and he is the author of the 1995 business book, Stop Paddling & Start Rocking the Boat. Mr. Pritchett confirmed that he was indeed the author of the much-circulated "open letter." “I did write the 'you scare me' letter. I sent it to the NY Times but they never acknowledged or published it. However, it hit the internet and according to the ‘experts’ has had over 500,000 hits

The New "New Deal"

With only days remaining until BHO, becomes the Supreme Leader of the "Free" world, he has unveiled his own version of a stimulus package designed to spend our way out of trouble. In a major economic speech at George Mason University on Thursday, he made it clear government is the only white knight out there to save the day.

But at this particular moment, only government can provide the short-term boost necessary to lift us from a recession this deep and severe. Only government can break the cycle that is crippling our economy...

The more than $775 Billion package will be loaded with options including tax cuts to appease the Republicans, green jobs that would have 75% of federal buildings and 2 million American homes (where will John Q public get the money to bring his home into compliance????) magically retrofitted or rebuilt to be environmentally friendly (remember ETHANOL?) , and "shovel ready" infrastructure projects that have mayors and governors getting in line with their hands out for money for museums, water parks and sporting venues (PORK).

This stimulus package will likely only be the FIRST of the Democratic Bailouts, and the cost that has been touted publicly is at the lower end of the estimate to allow it to G--R--O--W as it passes through the legislative process (or leave room for future salvos "if at first you don't suceed...."). This is drawing flack from Obama's own party. Tom Harken has voiced the need for more spending and less tax cuts. Harry Reid has said that he "doesn't work for Barack Obama" (RIIIIIGHT!) Outcries have also been heard from the likes of Barney Frank (king of the subprime mortgages), Carl Levin (socialist) and John Kerry (self-aggrandizing snob who has to weigh in on everything lest he lapse into deserved obscurity). Don't be fooled, however, this flack is needed to give the public perception of disharmony so that when a package is finally formulated, it will be looked at as a truly bipartisan package in a true Kumbaya moment with all credit to the Messiah.

The more important flack issue, to me, is the lack of flack from the Republican legislators. The likes of Leader Boehner ("I am excited to see the tax cuts" OMG you are falling for it from the outset!), Mitch McConnell and Tom Coburn (Obama has been "straight up" with them). I recall a Department Chairman that I once worked under who was notorious for having consensus building meetings with his faculty, allowing everyone to vent their feelings. He listened intently and then did whatever he wanted to do in the first place. When called to account for what he did, he always said, "You can't say that I didn't ask you." I fear that this is how Obama will govern....Beware the smooth wordsmithing and cool demeanor.

From February 2008 until February 2009 when Obama hopes to have crafted his own Bailout package we have been throwing money at the economy with reckless abandon and blame that falls on both sides of the aisle. Since February, 2008 we have spent $168B on the Bush stimulus package, $200B on the Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae bailout, $122.8 B for AIG (poor babies), $700B for the TARP mortgage and banking bailout (with $17.4B carved out for the auto industry and by extension the autoworkers union) and not to be undone, the biggest effort to date......>$775B in the yet to be drafted Obama plan for a GRAND TOTAL of >$1.9TRILLION (sorry there are too many zeroes to reckon with!) that will have been spent on bailing out varied and sundry things. With more pigs lining up at the trough in hope of catching some of the money to be thrown around.

Nancy Pelosi has proposed a deadline of President's day in February for getting this package crafted, drafted and sent to the new President for signature and enactment. She has also boldly stated that if there is no package by this time there will be NO RECESS!! I guess she has no Spring book tour this year....or did she learn her lesson from the #dontgo whipping she took in August 2008?????

Today on Meet the Depressed, David Gregory had a relatively one-sided round table discussion on the bailout. There were some very telling comments coming from former House Majority Whip Rep. David Bonoir who is a member of the Obama economic transition team. When asked about how to deal with the Bush tax cuts, he totally avoided that question. He did, however, say that we

"have to get hold of this inequality in wages and economy." He went on to say that in the past 20 years the top 10% of the wage earners took 90% of the income gains and this is "skewed the wrong way."

When asked where we need to end up, Bonoir indicated that we

"need to give people the opportunity to bargain collectively at the table. At 7% unionization in this country, you are not going to get the dispersion you need." He added, "We were successful in this country after the Second World War. The most profitable time for this country were the three decades after World War II because unionization was at 35%......The Employee Freedom of Choice Act ( think Card Check) is an important part of legislation supported by President-Elect Obama and Biden, Congress and 60% of the American people...This will help to share in the benefits and bounties of the country."

Later in the show, Bonoir predicted that the Stimulus package will pass and it would probably pass even without Republican support.

Come on Republicans, grow a pair and stand up for what WE believe in. Get vocal and EXPLAIN why the government can't fix this.

I close with a quote that many of you will agree with, but the source may be surprising.

We live in a time of transition, an uneasy era which is likely to endure.....During the period we may be tempted to abandon some of the time-honored principles and commitments which have been proven during the difficult times of past generations. We must never yield to this temptation. Our American values are not luxuries, but necessities - not the salt in our bread, but the bread itself.

Jimmy Carter, in his farewell address.

The Night Before The Election

Hat tip today goes to my 87 year old mother who sent this along to me for my enjoyment. (By the way, Mr. Obama, this came through Florida by way of several octagenarians, so don't think that those on fixed incomes are going your way!) I am passing it along to you all as I think we all need a bit of truth laced with humor right now.


'Twas the night before elections
And all through the town,
Tempers were flaring
Emotions all up and down!
I, in my bathrobe
With a cat in my lap
Had cut off the TV...
Tired of political crap.
When all of a sudden
There arose such a noise
I peered out of my window
Saw Obama and his boys.
They had come for my wallet
They wanted my pay
To give to the others
Who had not worked a day!
He snatched up my money
And quick as a wink
Jumped back on his bandwagon
As I gagged from the stink.
He then rallied his henchmen
Who were pulling his cart
I could tell they were out
To tear my country apart!
' On Fannie, on Freddie!
On Biden and Ayers!
On Acorn, On Pelosi!'
He screamed at the pairs!
They took off for his cause
And as he flew out of sight
I heard him laugh at the nation
Who wouldn't stand up and fight!
So I leave you to think
On this one final note-
IF YOU DON'T WANT SOCIALISM
GET OUT AND VOTE!!!!

See you at the polls tomorrow!

My Little Website is a Microcosm of the Economy

As a guilty pleasure I collect antiques and quirky collectibles. As most collectors know, one's collection can sometimes overrun your life and there comes a time when the collection needs to be thinned. As a result I have a booth at a local antique mall and I also have an online shop at Ruby Lane.com. I am an aucton and estate sale junkie and this is relaxation therapy for me. But when I come home with things that I love, I also have to have an outlet for the extra things that find their way into my home.

When I first started my online shop 5 years ago, my clientele was primarily domestic with only occasional international sales. As the years have passed, the frequency of international sales has gradually inched up, but in the early part of 2008, with $4 per gallon gas and a weakened dollar, I noticed that I was constantly running to the post office with international sales and my domestic sales were sliding downward. Overall my sales were the same, but the balance of international and domestic sales was changing.

Within the last 8 weeks, however, with both the foreign and US stock markets becoming volatile, I have noticed a decline in overall sales, both domestic and foreign. October was one of the worst months ever for my online shop. This mirrors the climate of uncertainty in our country right now and the tendency to pull back and not spend on anything that is not essential.

I hate to think that this will only worsen under an Obama presidency. As his threshold for a tax increase now looms at $120,000 and below and is probably falling, an increased tax burden as well as the price increases that will be passed on to the public by increased corporate taxation will only make it less likely that the public will be willing to spend money on frivilous or luxury purchases like antiques and collectibles.

While my online shop and antique mall booth are hobbies and not my livelihood, I hate to think that I may need to pull up stakes and quit because I am no longer making enough money to turn it back into my little business to purchase more inventory. If my little nickle and dime operation is hurting, think of the small mom and pop enterprises who will be choked out in such an economic climate. These individuals may employ a small number of other employees and if they fail, there are increased numbers of unemployed individuals looking for new jobs. In such a climate, larger companies are also constricting their rolls through attrition and not filling openings as they occur. This downward spiral of increasing prices, increasing unemployment, and increased taxes on everything imaginable cannot improve the economy and anyone, including BHO, who thinks otherwise is a fool.

What I would love to see is a flat tax with no loopholes. Each employed person or married couple would write a single check out to the government on April 15 or have it deducted from each paycheck...easy breezy and simple. Each wage earner would be able to keep more of their own income. People would have more expendable income and that would spur spending and productivity. If the corporate tax rate was lowered so that more of our companies would stay in the USA this would provide jobs for more Americans. If we invest in all kinds of alternate energy projects including nuclear, clean coal, drilling for natural gas and oil both offshore and in ANWAR, we can make ourselves energy independent and spur job creation in the field of green jobs. Why is this so hard to envision??? What candidate might be more likely to accomplish some of these objectives???

Neither of the present candidates is a perfect fit for my ideal, but one is closer by far and this is where I am putting my vote on Tuesday. I would rather work very hard but be able to disburse my money in ways that I deem appropriate, including my tithe and charitable giving, than to work hard only to see my money taken and "spread around" to people who don't work and feel entitled. In fact, if there is no incentive to be productive, and there is forced charity, why would I want to be productive at all??

Think twice people before you pull that lever on Tuesday, because your very life depends on it. BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR BECAUSE YOU JUST MIGHT GET IT.

A Child's Object Lesson in Wealth Redistribution

I think that this speaks for itself. Every child will be able to understand this little illustration and I wager that very few will buy into the share the candy idea.