Stock Market and Political Commentary

No Cash for Suckers Program Update

The government called it the "Cash for Clunkers" program.

I called it the "No Cash for Suckers" program in a previous commentary because of the following:

    a.  Dealers were not being reimbursed for the sales through the program after months of waiting despite being promised they would be paid in 15 days (another example of government efficiency), and

    b.  I predicted the cost per vehicle would be astronomical because sales would drop off after the program ended thereby leaving only a small increase in the total number of sales at a cost of another 3 billion dollars of debt for the taxpayers in America.

Now the evidence is in and this is exactly what happened.  Edmunds estimates it cost taxpayers about $24,000 per car... and this doesn't count the destruction of many perfectly fine used cars, lost time through massive paperwork, etc.

So the average price of these cars purchased was probably around $20,000 or less, but through the efficiency of government which they desperately want to demonstrate through a government run health care system, the taxpayers now owe $24,000 and the consumer owes $20,000 and the person who wants to buy a used car gets to pay a higher price too because those assets were destroyed under this brilliant government program.  What a deal!

They should have implemented my "Hay for Homes" program too since they liked this program so much.  See the details at:  Hay for Homes Program

Edmunds article: 

J. Cogburn

Idiots are Amusing but Expensive

Idiots are amusing, but they can also be expensive when they are in control of government.  They are extremely expensive to your liberty and to your pocketbook.

They want to control what you eat..... how you heat and cool your house.... what car you drive.... and of course the ultimate control they want is to control your health care.  That way you have no real say in anything.  You see, they know what's best for you and are certain you are too dumb to take care of yourself and your family.

These people are arch enemies of freedom and capitalism.  If you don't believe it, just look at what is happening to this country now.  We are moving farther and farther from freedom and prosperity into absolute insanity and tyranny.  If this Airhead Obama gets his way on everything he wants a 10% unemployment rate will look like boom times in the future.

As an example, here is a guy in England who is just as nutty as the liberals here in the US.  Let's see what he says, shall we?

"Lord Stern, the author of the influential 2006 Stern Review on the cost of tackling global warming, said that a successful deal at the Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December would lead to soaring costs for meat and other foods that generate large quantities of greenhouse gases."

Also notice how the pea brains of these idiots always work the same.... they are always wanting to "redistribute the wealth" by force of government.  In other words, they know what's best for this planet and human kind.  So what if you worked out some money through hard work and ingenuity.  They think the world's poor should have it and by God they will take it from you if you keep voting these lunatics into power.

"Lord Stern, a former chief economist of the World Bank and now I. G. Patel Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics, warned that British taxpayers would need to contribute about £3 billion a year by 2015 to help poor countries to cope with the inevitable impact of climate change."

You may have seen Obama's similar plan regarding energy costs.  He said:

Jul 4, 2009 ... Barack Obama: "Under my plan of a cap and trade system, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket."

See the Airhead in his own words if you can stomach it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlTxGHn4sH4

You think the economy is rough now?  Let them pass government health care, cap and trade, and all this other horse manure they've loaded up to steal your prosperity and your liberty.... then you will really find out how that elections have consequences.

See the rest of this article quoting the British idiot at:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article6891362.ece

J. Cogburn

The Plan In Action

Did you know there are millions of people who have a plan for your life?

Well they do, and they are called liberals.  Now let's see how their plans actually work.

First, they drum up phony fears about generating electricity through nuclear power.  Next, they fight all efforts to get our own energy through drilling off shore, drilling on shore, drilling in Alaska, etc.  Instead they talk about putting up windmills that are ugly, expensive, and produce zero power when the wind is not blowing.

Then presto!  It is finally time for them to begin controlling your life directly.  

California appears poised to be first to ban power-guzzling big-screen TVs

But don't worry because it is for a good cause.  In exchange for giving up your freedom to watch the type of TV that you want you get the following:

"The payoff could be big for TV owners, said Ken Rider, a commission staff engineer. Average first-year savings from reduced electricity use would be an estimated $30 per set and $912 million statewide, he said."

Yes that's right..... you get to save $30 a year.   What a deal!

This is just another example of how liberals know much more about how you should live your life than you do.  Imagine, if left to your own devices you would be watching one of these big screen high definition TV's that are really nice to watch, especially for sports and nature programs, and wasting $30 per year.  

Fortunately the liberals are going to put a stop to all this wasteful spending... and believe me,  they know about wasteful spending.  Next stop on the complete government control tour;  health care.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-bigtvs14-2009oct14,0,4908205.story

J. Cogburn

New and Important Development

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Judge Confirms Eligibility Trial to Proceed

I just received a call from Orly Taitz, my attorney in the case seeking proof of Obama's eligibility for the Office of President of the United States. Judge Carter has release a statement declaring that the dates he set for the hearing and trial on the eligibility issue are confirmed, and it will move forward as scheduled. Apparently he was not swayed by the Obama lawyer's arguments.

Could it be that a judge will have backbone enough to actually uphold the Constitution and demand Obama produce a certified copy of his birth certificate?  If so there will be one of two questions Obama needs to answer...

1.  Since your birth certificate says you were born in Hawaii, why did you spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on lawyers to keep from showing a certified birth certificate that you could have produced for $15 if in fact you were legal?  (Since his father was not a US citizen he actually cannot meet the natural born citizen clause in the Constitution anyway but they will ignore that and declare victory if his actual birth certificate shows he was born in Hawaii).

2.  Why did you commit the biggest fraud in American history? 

3. Will you be willing to grant interviews while you are serving your well deserved prison term?

4. Will you have William Ayers write another book for you about your sorry life that lists you

as the author?

These are important questions if we are to take the law seriously in this country.

If not we are now officially a banana republic and this will become more apparent as time goes on.

http://loyaltoliberty.blogspot.com/

J. Cogburn

Did Ayers Write Obama's Books?

As suspected the Airhead can't write either..... if they could incorporate a TelePrompTer someway perhaps he could.

 As you recall, during the campaign a guy who does forensics on writings and books said Obama's books were almost certainly written by Ayers.  But he did say that analyzing Obama's writings were difficult because there is almost nothing to be found.

Even when he was the so called leader of the Harvard Law Review he only wrote one paper that they could find and confirm was his.  And what was the subject?  Abortion of course.

But let's give the man his due.  We have determined he is very good at the following:

a.  Taking trips on Air Force One

b.  Avoiding the Oval Office almost completely

c.  Reading from a TelePrompTer when it is working

d.  Rushing things that don't need to be rushed

e.  Procrastinating on things that are urgent

f.  Apologizing for America 

g.  Wrecking the economy

h.  Skyrocketing the deficit

i.  Skyrocketing the unemployment rate

j.  Making himself the laughing stock for other world leaders

k.  Making promises he can't or won't keep

l.  Telling bold face lies about important issues

m.  Pointing to an image on the internet as proof of his claim to be a natural born citizen

n.  Blaming Bush for everything negative and taking credit for anything positive

o.  Redistributing wealth from those who earn it to those who don't

Even Saturday Night Live is now portraying the guy as a zero as some people are waking up to this fact.  However it is too late.  The damage he is doing will be deep and long lasting.

 Ayers admits writing Dreams - http://www.americanthinker.com/2009/10/ayers_admits_writing_dreams_1.html

American Thinker

J. Cogburn

A 25 Minute Joke

Those of us who understand guys like Obama were not surprised when General Mcchrystal, the Commander in Afghanistan who was handpicked for the job earlier this year, revealed on 60 Minutes that he has spoken to our "Commander in Chief" exactly one time in 70 days.  Others who originally thought Obama was actually a leader are now having second thoughts.

Well Obama knew he had been exposed and this revelation was damaging so what did he do today?  He invited the General to meet with him on Air Force One for...... drum roll please..... 25 minutes!

Yes our young King is a cool guy and a quick study isn't he?  Imagine, the General sent a report last month saying the war is going badly and we may lose this thing if additional troops are not sent soon.  And yet Obama is able to wait for over a month and then meet with General Mcchrystal for a mere 25 minutes to grasp the whole situation.  Pretty impressive, don't you think?

That is unless he is actually an arrogant airhead who knows absolutely nothing about leadership and is willing to let the clock tick while our young military members are being killed.... his spokesman says they are going to "study" this for a few more weeks.  Yes, I guess he didn't realize this war thing would be so important when he was running for office and apparently still doesn't.

A real leader would be meeting through teleconferences and in person with his top military staff, to include General Mcchrystal, on at least a weekly basis and probably more often than that in a situation like this until a decision is made on the General's request for more troops.

Instead we got a 25 Minute Joke from Obama today all done to blunt criticism that he is not meeting with the key military leader on a regular basis when the war is going in the tank.  And by the way, don't give me any nonsense about hiding behind the skirt of his Secretary of Defense citing "chain of command".  This is an excuse from a man who knows nothing about the military or war and is trying to avoid it even though his position description says he is in charge of the military.

General Mcchrystal I've got some advice for you.  Tell this airhead you are a busy man who is trying to keep our young soldiers from being killed and the war from being lost.  

Explain to him in no uncertain times you have no time for photo ops or other butt saving exercises on his part.  And he must understand that you are not about to take long trips out of theatre for 25 minute meetings..... or as I call it a 25 Minute Joke.

Tell him that when he is serious about being briefed on what is going on there you will be happy to give him that briefing.  If you don't consider this to be reasonable or satisfactory you need to get someone else for the position.

In fact, I would demand a minimum of one meeting a week through teleconference that is at least one hour long with both him and the Secretary of Defense present.  Tell him if he doesn't have that much time or interest in what is going on here he needs to get a replacement.

You may be fired and probably will be because arrogant people don't take criticism or frank talk very well.  But better that than to allow this to continue while our soldiers lives and the outcome of this war are in the balance.

J. Cogburn

Why Wait Until 2010?

Are the people really serious and mad as hell about what Congress is up to these days?  I'm afraid not.  Let me explain.

Tea parties are nice.

Pink slips sent to Congress indicating they will get one for real in 2010 if they vote for government health care, cap and trade, or more government spending are nice too.

Is this serious action?  No.  Well then, if this is not serious action, what is?

Earlier this year when all this foolishness started the citizens should have put together all the elements needed for a recall election in every district in America.  It should have been made clear that if these guys vote for government health care, cap and trade, or if they continue voting on bills the Congress or the people have not even had a chance to read there will be a recall election; we the people are not waiting until 2010 to throw out the trash.... you will be fired on the spot just like in the real world!

Citizens would make sure the recall preparation is very public and very concrete; everything would be in place to start the recall.... then the clear warning would be made; you vote the wrong way on any of these things and we will push the button to have you recalled this year, not in 2010.

When you see this type of thing you know the people are serious.... at this point the people only think they are serious, and we'll see if that even holds in 2010.

Now why is this country beyond bankrupt?  Because the politicians in Washington found out that the people will not enforce the limitations placed on them by the Constitution.  That being the case, they can spend money they don't have in unlimited quantities and spend it in any way they please.  This is what breeds corruption, pure and simple.

See a good example at:

http://www.businessandmedia.org/commentary/2009/20090930111103.aspx

You see this is why the birth certificate issue is so important. If a politician can simply point to

an imageon the internet that is not even a birth certificate as proof of where he was born

and get away with itthen he knows he will do whatever he pleases on everything else....

and so far he has!

J. Cogburn

The Articles are Shouting Liar

Recently in a national speech to a Joint Session of Congress Obama said:

"But thanks to the bold and decisive action we have taken since January, I can stand here with confidence and say that we have pulled this economy back from the brink."

But what do the articles say?

U.S. job seekers exceed openings by record ratio

Despite signs that the economy has resumed growing, unemployed Americans now confront a job market that is bleaker than ever in the current recession, and employment prospects are still getting worse.

Job seekers now outnumber openings six to one, the worst ratio since the government began tracking open positions in 2000. According to the Labor Department’s latest numbers, from July, only 2.4 million full-time permanent jobs were open, with 14.5 million people officially unemployed.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33041366/ns/business-the_new_york_times

The dead end kids

The unemployment rate for young Americans has exploded to 52.2 percent -- a post-World War II high, according to the Labor Dept. -- meaning millions of Americans are staring at the likelihood that their lifetime earning potential will be diminished and, combined with the predicted slow economic recovery, their transition into productive members of society could be put on hold for an extended period of time.

Labor Dept. statistics also show that the number of chronically unemployed -- those without a job for 27 weeks or more -- has also hit a post-WWII high.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/business/the_dead_end_kids_AnwaWNOGqsXMuIlGONNX1K

Let's face it.  Joe Wilson told Obama "You Lie" one time, but articles about the economy are shouting "Obama is a Liar" day after day.

Even though he is making a total mess of the economy and foreign policy Obama is undeterred from trying to control everything else too.  This is because he thinks he is a King with unlimited power instead of a President who is restrained by the Constitution.  So far it looks like he is right about this which gives him the one thing that he is right about so far.

Obama would curtail summer vacation

WASHINGTON – Students beware: The summer vacation you just enjoyed could be sharply curtailed if President Barack Obama gets his way.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090927/ap_on_re_us/us_more_school

J. Cogburn

Basketball or American Lives?

What does Obama believe is more important, a pickup game of basketball or our soldiers lives?

Well his actions tell us the answer.  Earlier this year he fired the commanding General in Afghanistan and replaced him with a General of his choice.

Almost a month ago the General provided his assessment; we need at least 40,000 more troops or we will lose this war.  In the meantime, it is a documented fact that these new Obama Rules of Engagement in Afghanistan are getting soldiers unnecessarily killed.  You see, things like giving Miranda Rights to the enemy on the battlefield is not a sane idea... it is idiotic and gets people killed.

Since "Commander in Chief" is actually the most important part of the President's duty you would guess that he has been meeting day and night with the top military Commanders and key congressional leaders to make a decision on this, correct?

No Obama has continued flying around the country day after day reading from the TelePrompTer on health care, an area that the Constitution in no way involves the President of the United States.

He gets on Letterman a month after the General provides his report and says "We need a strategy for Afghanistan".  Say what?  Well why do you not have a strategy?  And if you don't have one, why are you not working day and night to get one?  

This afternoon when he had some spare time between his laughable speech on global warming and his dangerous speeches coming this week to weaken our national defense was he meeting with the military brass on Afghanistan?  No.

Well what was he doing?  Playing basketball!  This guy could care less about the troops and he has shown it on multiple occasions.  This one is the most striking and serious.  Impeachment proceedings should begin tomorrow!!

"A refusal by President Obama to heed an urgent call for more troops in Afghanistan has opened an increasingly bitter divide between the American military and the White House and exposed confusion in US strategy."

"Senior military officials expressed their alarm over Mr Obama’s decision to spend weeks, and maybe months, considering the opinion of General Stanley McChrystal, the US commander in Afghanistan, who said last week that the war was likely to be lost without a rapid surge of additional troops."

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/Afghanistan/article6845147.ece

J. Cogburn

Debtors Revolt - Interesting Video

This lady is revolting against Bank of America and I'm cheering her on!

Even though I am a big believer in the free market, I also believe in a few common sense rules to govern our society too.  

I do not believe financial institutions in America should be able to charge more than 15% interest on anything at anytime.  If they can't make the loan for that then don't make the loan. If they can't issue a credit card for that then don't issue the credit card. The average person would be better off not getting a loan than getting one with a very high interest rate....guaranteed.

And what has this lady upset is something I've said long ago is simply immoral in my opinion.  Even though she has paid her credit card bill on time for years they suddenly decided to jack up her interest rate to 30%.  I don't care if they put it in the fine print; it should not be allowed!  

This is something that some of the democrats have been more interested in than Republicans, but that is OK with me.  I'm always interested in what is the right thing to do for our country and our citizens, not which party supports it.  But it just so happens that modern day democrats normally support things that take us further from the Constitution and Freedom so I oppose them most of the time.

Under the Constitution the Federal government actually has authority to be involved in Interstate Commerce.  They have abused this power terribly, and pretend that it gives them the right to regulate everything, but because of the nature of credit cards this I think would be a legitimate area for them to be involved in, especially if it was ensuring usury rates were not being charged to consumers.

See the Video

After you watch the video take a look at some background on how the credit card companies are sidestepping the usury laws at:

Article on Sidestepping Usury Laws

J. Cogburn