The Day President Obama and Vice President Biden and the Democrats of the House and Senate returned hope to our country. It is the beginning of our recovery. I proud of our President and our Congress and proud of our collective will.
I thank everyone. I thank President Obama for 'being there' for us and I thank my fellow citizens for making this day a reality.
The USA isn't back yet, but, it is on its way !
It would seem "Wall Street" didn't share our 'moment.' So. (click here) I think Forbes got it right. There is no confidence in the Bush Bailout. The numbers on the DOW was nearly that of the low after September 11, 2001.
"...In Europe, the FTSE 100 index of British shares closed down 100.62 points, or 2.4 percent, at 4,034.13, while Germany's DAX was 150.04 points, or 3.4 percent, lower at 4,216.60. The CAC-40 in France fell 86.99 points, or 2.9 percent, to 2,875.23.
In the U.S., investors returned from their long weekend in downbeat mood. The Dow Jones industrial average tumbled 261.65 points, or 3.3 percent, to 7,588.76, while the broader Standard & Poor's 500 index slid 31.43 points, or 3.8 percent, to 795.41. Both hit fresh lows for the year to date...."
In other words, "We been here before."
Heck, we been here before in a lot of ways. Where is Osama bin Laden?
Why do I get the feeling that Wall Street doesn't have any answers? Huh? I think the American people have the right answer and it was signed into law today.
I thought this article had a different insight. It would seem all that European expansion of the DOW hasn't added much to it.
Component Changes Made to Dow Jones Select Dividend Indexes (click here)
...Stolt-Nielsen S.A. and Valeo S.A. are being removed due to the cancellation of their dividend payments....
Cancelling dividend payments. Well, now there is an idea. Of course, that sorta disqualifies a company from THE BIG BOARD, but, it keeps it in business, if you get my drift?
Then we heard from Detroit. That was a bittersweet. Chrysler and GM have to downsize their operations to stay in business. Ouch. But, with 'viability' we at least know where we stand and we still have automakers in the USA. And. The jobs they will continue to need American Labor for will be secure.
Secure.
Imagine that, Americans working at SECURE American jobs. Things are looking better already. I guess we'll have to wait to see the details and I am anxious to hear from the labor unions as to their HONEST opinion. Whether organized labor favors 'bailout' over bankruptcy. Pensions and health benefits and all that.
Granholm, Dingell, others react to auto plans (click here)
BY TODD SPANGLER AND OTHER FREE PRESS STAFF
February 17, 2009
...“Ultimately, I believe we will see a domestic auto industry that is financially viable that keeps thousands of employees on the job in state-of-the-art engineering, design, manufacturing, sales, and other positions in our state and throughout the world,” the governor said....
There is no doubt there have been many bad decisions made by CEOs of these industries and those on Wall Street. Otherwise, all this would not have occurred.
I don't see that the USA was ever supposed to be 'set into decline' to benefit other global partneres.
There isn't anything wrong with trading as a means to improving the economies of other countries, but, Wall Street got greedy and overlooked the 'mother' of their opportunities. The companies that became multinational entities started right here. It isn't a matter of 'how to expoit' a nation for profit, it is about a viable economy built with 'good values' and 'FAIR' profits. Somewhere along the way, Wall Street lost its values, its 'American' values and sought to make a 'buck' rather than a 'profit.'
I don't know if there is hope for the 'markets' these days. They are so corrupted by poor decision making that it may be hopeless for many. I know it is hopeless for some still, even after adjustment after adjustment after adjustment.
China has a populous that needs an expansive economy. It needs to put its nation to work to produce products for its own people. The same is true of India. Those cheap wages will have to come up to match those that would have to be paid in the USA, IF our global partners are going to sustain their economies.
Currently, Secretary of State Clinton is in Asia. Evidently, in Japan, it has taken three years to find a willing partner to sign an agreement to move USA Marines from Okinawa (click here) to Guam. Go figure. What the heck are we still doing in Japan? I think China will breath a sigh of relief when 'our presence' isn't so imposing and it will make 'trade talks' a whole lot more friendlier. I mean Hillary is moving mountains over there.
Clinton Calls for Coordinated Action To Improve Global Economy (click here)
Tuesday, Feb 17, 2009 @09:49am CST
(Tokyo) -- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says the worldwide economic downturn demands a coordinated global response.
She made the statement after meeting with top Japanese officials and inviting Japan's prime minister to meet with President Obama in Washington next week.
Japan is wrestling with its worst recession in a generation.
On another front, Clinton and Japan's foreign minister signed an agreement related to the U.S.-Japanese defense alliance.
It calls for the transfer of eight-thousand Marines from Japan's southern island of Okinawa to the U.S. island territory of Guam in the northern Pacific Ocean.
It is about darn time that the USA 'HONOR' its 'One China Policy' without the mainland wondering 'which China the USA is talking out of both sides of its mouth' this time. I mean, why did the Chinese ever yet Bush in the country? I don't know that Cheney was ever there. I know Paulson treated China as his home away from home. Does he own a home over there? Wasn't with one of 'those mortgages' was it?
Pentagon Welcomes Resumption of US-China Military Dialogue (click here)
By Julia Ritchey
Washington
18 February 2009
...The Pentagon says it will be the first policy dialogue between the People's Liberation Army and the U.S. Defense Department under President Barack Obama. China ended all military exchanges and discussions during the Bush administration to protest the U.S. arms sale last October to Taiwan. China maintains that Taiwan is part of its territory....
It looks like Cheney was there once. I heard they were going to pull his passport after that, too. Kritoff knows all about that issue, huh? It figures Dickey was interested in the nuclear stuff. What a jerk that man was.
Cheney to Visit Japan, China and South Korea in April (click here)
By ERIC SCHMITT
Published: March 25, 2004
Vice President Dick Cheney plans to visit China, Japan and South Korea next month to discuss North Korea's nuclear arms program, operations in Iraq and trade policy, Bush administration officials said Wednesday. It will be only his third overseas trip since taking office three years ago....
So, is Kristoff over there with Hillary? Let's see? Nah. He's still stuck in Cambodia. I guess he still hasn't 'gotten it right' with China yet.
Girls For Sale (click here)
By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF
Published: January 17, 2004
One thinks of slavery as an evil confined to musty sepia photographs. But there are 21st-century versions of slaves as well, girls like Srey Neth....
Russia isn't Hillary's agenda this trip. Putin is in Davos. Hillary is meeting with the Russian Foreign Minister in March. Russia is finding ways of cutting costs for the Olympics. I wonder what kind of 'advertising' support they are getting.
Clinton to meet Russian FM in March: Solana (click here)
4 days ago
WASHINGTON (AFP) — US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is due to meet her Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in early March in Geneva, the EU's foreign policy chief Javier Solana said Friday.
"The sixth of March, the secretary of state meets with the Russians in Geneva," Solana told reporters while in Washington for talks with US leaders.
Clinton is due to attend a NATO meeting in Brussels on March 5, and "Lavrov and the secretary may meet around that time in Geneva," Solana said.
The US State Department, which usually does not announce the secretary's travel plans until the last minute for security reasons, did not confirm the meeting, but efforts to organize a meeting were underway....
Lower Construction Costs Cut Olympic Bill by 15% (click here)
18 February 2009
By Maria Antonova / The Moscow Times
Government spending on venues for the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi has dropped 15 percent on cheaper construction costs, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak said Tuesday.Kozak had earlier predicted that expenses would fall by 10 to 15 percent because of sharp drops in the prices of certain materials, such as cement.Budgetary constraints have called into question the state's ability to fund the projects and has stepped up the pressure to attract private investors, who have started showing interest after a plan was developed outlining the long-term use of the venues....
Updated at 5:04 a.m., Saturday, January 31, 2009
Olympics: Sochi organizers sign $260m deal for 2014 Winter Games (click here)
By NATALIYA VASILYEVAAssociated Press
SOCHI, Russia — Organizers for the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi signed a domestic sponsorship deal worth $260 million Saturday, the largest of its kind in Olympic history, as Russia sought to quell concerns about its ability to fund the event....
I think Russia needs to open opportunity to more advertizers. Coke is still a very viable company. Always has been.
Coke (click here) - the five year and extended graph shows a company that appeals to people and sustains.
Russia might get a few 'PETA' demonstrators, but, McDonalds is doing better than ever. You know that Monopoly Game becomes an investment after a while.
McDonald's Loves Your Recession (click here)
Stephanie Dahle, 02.17.09, 04:00 PM EST
The Forbes.com Investor Team says McDonald's is the pick of the fast food litter.
At a time when recession-weary Americans are cutting back, McDonalds is holding onto its consumers and showing growth--the fast food chain is trading at $55.77--up from the $13.45 it was at just six years ago. Their global same-stores sales were up 7.1% in January, and their stock is up 1% in the last year, while paying a $0.50 dividend. So, it's not just empty calories....
JC Penney (click here) is hanging on to its 'baseline.' Can still get the kids pictures done for Holiday gifts.
I heard that 'Day Spas' are doing a great business. Imagine that. It would seem as though Day Spas are considered an economic indulgence rather than all these fancy long 'flight' trips to far away places. Pretty cool.
Well, so much for rambling on and on.
