Fool Me Again

To paraphrase a familiar adage:

"fool me once, shame on you;

...fool me twice - shame on ME...

... fool me over and over and over again and you may just be ready for a seat in congress"

I don't know about you but when I read the news these days... I just get a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Two big headliners today ... Our president said he would sign the new budget despite an estimated 8000+ earmarks - or "pet" projects: spending attached to a bill specifically to garner votes from select constituents or gain favor in some other way. . . and despite a campaign pledge to do otherwise. That along with the "no lobbyist in my administration" pledge, makes two broken pledges in the first 100 days.

The second story, the stock market tanked again. Lowest Dow since 1997. And who is to blame? Well the conventional wisdom is that the blame belongs to AIG. I contend that AIG is not to blame.

AIG was the recipient of a fourth bail out. . . this time its for $30 billion. The first bail out came last September. Let's see, I think that's about the time congress and even the former president was telling us that something had to be done...

had to be done right then! ... it couldn't wait until the weekend... why the world would end!!!

Of course the fact that we survived that dreaded weekend without that Giant Leap into the quagmire of Socialism - meant nothing . . . they just picked up the mantra again on Monday... it has to be done now! (remember that?).

So now this former world's largest insurer posts a world record loss of $61.7 billion ... and the stock market tanks.

And conventional wisdom says it's AIG's fault.

Would someone PLEASE look just a little deeper?

Who is it that keeps throwing good money after bad... this time to the tune of $30 Billion?

And whose money are they throwing into this abyss?

And how did they get that money?

The answers to these burning questions are:

It's congress and this president that keeps doing the same thing over and over again and hoping for different results. . . they think they are shielded from ridicule because the country seems to believe this is George W. Bush's failed economy. . .

It's your money and mine that they keep throwing away- these so-called guardians of the public trust - it is the money of Americans that are still working.

And how did they get the money? Did they ask you for it? Did they seek permission to invest your money?

If you are like me, they took it from you... with the threat of imprisonment - took it before you ever even got to touch it.

Remember last year when congressional leaders started using this double-speak about Americans "investing" in these failing companies they were bailing out? I remember some ridiculous talk about how we might even receive returns on our "investments".

I'm no stock trader. But I do know that when a stock's price goes from $49.50 per share to fifty-one cents per share . . . that's probably not a very promising investment.

No thank you, Senator, I can do better with my money stuffing it in a mattress.

AIG is a perfect example of what happens when the government tries to "help".

Remember "Baby Huey" of cartoon fame... the fat duck that would come bounding on the scene where all the little ducks were playing and break all the playground equipment?

Government programs are huge, out of control, they leave destruction in their path .... look at the welfare state, look at public education. . . nothing corrupts like a give away program.

Since at least the 1930's it has been tried incrementally - but over and over... the New Deal...the Great Society.... Hope and Change ... different names but the same old ruse...

"We can do better with your money..."

"You can't trust people with their money... they are greedy, they will try and make more..."

"You can't trust people to help out their neighbors.... they may not help everybody... may be intolerant"

"you can't trust fathers to provide for their families ... "

"you can't trust families to make the right decisions about educating their children..."

"you can't trust the churches... you can't trust people..."

"trust us instead..."

Oh please, fool me again. . .

Sources: Fox News.com "AIG Posts Record Loss, U.S. Pumps $30 B More" http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/03/02/pumps-b-aig-insurer-posts-biggest-loss/

Fox News.com, "Obama Will Sign Spending Bill Despite Earmarks" http://www.foxnews.com/politics/first100days/2009/03/01/budget-chief-obama-sign-spending/