Quick Hits

Cash for Clunkers: Is it any real surprise that the government screwed this up worse than we thought? Now, dealers who have errantly bet on the government program are dropping out by the dozens because they are owed hundreds of thousands of dollars that the feds are either slow to pay, or balking at paying because of technicalities. And just today, we hear the program is already in the red... Not surprising at all. We knew it was going to happen. Next up? What will they do when the organic auto sales for the next few months don't happen because they were all condensed into this month? This is what is wrong with government intervention. It is always shortsighted for political gain.

US to begin Off-shore Drilling: ...in BRAZIL. Yes, that's right. Brazil. Never mind that Cuba is bringing in foreign countries to drill within shooting distance of Key West, and that we are too damn stubborn to utilize our own resources here domestically... We are now giving Petrobras a $2 BILLION (yes, with a B) loan so they can advance their own off-shore drilling - and then sell that oil to us at market prices.

Can anyone at all tell me how this benefits: a) American consumers, b) our economy, c) our national security, and d) our presupposed shift to green technology? I think the administration wants to have their cake and eat it too. By doing this with Brazil, we expect to quietly keep oil flowing while placating the green movement with promises of wind and solar - and no drilling domestically. You know, so the deer and antelope can play.

Hope you'd Change: Rasmussen reports did an analysis of that uber-informed bloc of voters under age 30. You know the ones who thought Obama was hip and cool and helped put him in office based on his sound bite platform? Well, Micahel Barone slaps some sense into the "me" generation with a scathing analysis of just how much like every other politician before him the Chosen One is.

Interestingly enough, this has been going on for decades. Go back to the 60's. Young voters have traditionally voted based on little information and usually on non-substantive issues. 2008 was no different. But now we are stuck with their choice or 3 more years. What many of these voters fail to realize is that as they age, they begin to see the fruits of their labor and lean more moderate to conservative. If we could only get that message across much sooner in their coddled little lives.
_____