Bringing It Home

It’s awfuly slow going now days, especially for those unfortunates whose income is linked to discretionary products - picture frames, vacation homes, new plants all come to mind.

We’ve highlighted just why this recovery is so retarded. Few argue with us. And most don’t care, figuring it’s out of their hands; or more likely, figuring they fouled up big time at the voting booth and no sense dwelling on that little mistake. OK, forgive them Lord. Now what?

Let’s see what we can all agree on. We all know that the Kennedy and Reagan recoveries were rapid. Since both these guys lowered taxes and then stepped aside, it’s reasonable to assume that had something to do with it. If anything else had something to do with it, we haven’t heard.

OK, and Reagan’s recession was a tad more severe than this one. But presto, we were up and away. We can all agree on that. What about this time? Why the frustration?

In several past blogs we have explained the discrepancy. So have others. Let’s consider some, these from the front lines.

Few would argue that Jeff Immelt, chairman and CEO of GE is 1) an eccentric, or 2) stupid or 3) partisan. Immelt said the following, “Business did not like the US president and the president did not like business,” this from a recent Heritage report.

Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg said, “By reaching into virtually every sector of economic life, government is injecting uncertainty into the marketplace and making it harder to raise capital and create new businesses.”

And then from the left's Washington Post, a columnist asked business leaders what in the world is wrong. Here is what he got back: “Business leaders told Zakaria that it comes down to economic uncertainty surrounding new laws, regulations and taxes; the expansion of federal agencies' authority; and the unknown implications of Obamacare, financial reform and cap-and-trade.”

Now friends, if you’re willing to make the obvious trade off, fine. That is, you voted for a statist with the most partisan voting record of any other individual in the Senate. Any fool knew that and so did you. You knew exactly who you were voting for. Now, your nursery business is in the tank. But you’re an up front guy, not a hypocrite; that’s how you are doing your bit for a better America. You’re no more just talkin the talk like most of your kind here in Marin. You’re walkin the walk. And with your own money.

Robert Craven