"This is by far the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression" Nouriel Roubini
"A total collapse of the US financial system, while not inevitable, is a contingency which should now be planned for." Martin Hutchinson, Prudent BearDavid Seaton's News Links
There is a lot of talk these days about the role of humor in American politics; whether or not a candidate is a suitable butt for jokes, whether or not they can "laugh at themselves" and so on and so on. Whether or not humor is "appropriate".
The American national pastime of navel gazing aside, whoever the next president of the United States is, he should, without delay, get fitted out for an getup like the fellow in the photo is wearing... make up and all. Because that is going to be the role of the next POTUS on the world stage in the foreseeable future.
Losing two wars is something the world can chalk off to youthful folly, people seem ready to forgive and forget unprovoked invasions and the deaths and torture of hundreds of thousands of human beings; but destroying the livelihood of millions of people around the world though ideologically driven, financial frivolity is a little harder to swallow. They are going to resent it.
Whatever the world looks like in 2012, it's going to look as different from today as the world looked after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
If I were the next president of the US, I would try to inspire the people with a ringing speech.
My fellow Americans (pause): This is the time (pause, with meaningful gaze into the middle distance) This is the time (pause) for the American people... (pause) to dig deep into the wellsprings and treasures of our popular culture (long pause) to dig deep into our roots (pause), in order to find the strength and the inspiration to carry us through the difficult days to come.(marine band strikes up, POTUS sings in a pleasing baritone):
My fellow Americans, Try this on for size.
Once I lived the lifeof a millionaire
Spending my moneyOh I didn't care
Taking my friends outFor a mighty good time
Buyin' high priced liquorChampagne and wine
Oh but just as soon
As my money got lowI couldn't find nobody
And I had no place to goSo, if I ever get my hands
In my pockets, not one penny
And as for my friends,
Man, I hadn't any
On a dollar againI'm gonna hold on to it
Till that big eagle grinsCause it's mighty strange,
Without a doubt
Nobody wants you
When you're down and out
"Nobody wants you when you're down and out" - Jimmie Cox
5 comments:
http://www.thedailyshow.com/
Scroll down to Obama cartoon...should cheer you up.
They used to tell me I was building a dream, and so I followed the mob,
When there was earth to plow, or guns to bear, I was always there right on the job.
They used to tell me I was building a dream, with peace and glory ahead,
Why should I be standing in line, just waiting for bread?
Once I built a railroad, I made it run, made it race against time.
Once I built a railroad; now it's done. Brother, can you spare a dime?
Once I built a tower, up to the sun, brick, and rivet, and lime;
Once I built a tower, now it's done. Brother, can you spare a dime?
Yea, sure, Bush and gang get the blame, but isn't capitalism always boom or bust? It works for a while, but how can my CD guarantee me 3% interest, while nature guarantees me nothing? Nature always bats last.
Bush and the gang get the blame, but isn't industrial capitalism always boom and bust? How can, in the long run, my CD provide me 5% interest while nature guarantees me nothing? Great post.
Whoa, Tod has some inflationary investment going on there.
We need more humor these days, David.
Thanks.
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