Friday, October 24, 2008

Predictions

Fears of the worst recession in anyone under 80 years of age's memory may be erased by a flood of money unleashed by the world's governments, sovereign wealth and private bottom-feeding funds. Unfortunately it may sit in vaults for six months while the world grinds to a halt.

But when it starts to recover what will the US have to exchange to pay for a National debt approaching 100% of GDP?

Financial services, nope not any more.

Healthcare - too expensive and falling behind the rest of the world's. Joe the plumber can't afford to float this $1.5T segment of our GDP anymore. Biotech - increasing competition in Europe, India and China
Green & alternative energy - maybe, but the recession may push the priorities for "tomorrow's" solutions down again. Nanotech, software, computing and Internet technology. - Yep, but

We also need to spend on infrastructure - estimates of $1.5T on roads, bridges, trains, power grid and that doesn't count education. No-child-left-behind has lowered the HS graduation rates below those of a generation ago. Throw in the long term costs of the Cheney-Bush wars, medicare, social security and the outlook is grim.

The long term view is that the world may be moving closer to real cooperation on global problems, and the US of A exports solutions better than any civilization to date.

Sunday, October 19, 2008

The Death of Karl Rove mud-slinging

Colin Powell's endorsement of Obama for President should be a wake up call for the right. Is the Republican party "narrowing" to use Mr Powell's term - or is the Karl Rove style of "forget that man's good deeds, focus on the d**k he s**ked" political tactics finally run it's course.

McCain's 2000 campaign was sunk by a shameless Rove tactic in the primary vs. Bush. And now the same tactics are backfiring for McCain vs. Obama. To borrow a phrase, McCain hated Bush when the country loved Bush and he loves Bush when the country hates Bush.

McCain should be dissecting tax strategy not trying to make people worry about whether Obama sat on the same sofa as Ayers. At this point it is unlikely that Palin will ever spend a night at the "Admiral House" as VP of the USA. But she will most certainly return to TV as the host of her show - an Alaska version of "The Great White North" perhaps?