I’m in my thirties. I’m in it for the long term. The current stock market has me more worried about job prospects than the value of my stock portfolio. I’m confident that the market will rebound again and fall again and rebound again and so forth over the next thirty years.
Yes, I was one of the silent majority that supported the idea of my retirement being transferred out of US Treasury bonds and into markets such as Dow Jones or NASDAQ. There were two things that kept me from speaking up and supporting the idea.
First, I did not trust the administration to develop and implement a fair system that would put my interests first. I can only imagine the lobbying efforts put forth to make sure any plan would, if nothing else, line the pockets for the lobbyist’s clients.
Second, during the discussion (Feb-Mar 2007), the Dow Jones was hovering between 10,500 and 11,000. The NASDAQ hovered around 2000. A mass purchase of stocks violated that cardinal rule that all participants follow in any marketplace: buy low and sell high.
Yes, this is a third rail issue for those who have a vested interest in the status quo. This letter has no relevance to those older than let’s say, sixty. I would expect openness to the transition would trend with age. In other words, the younger you are, the more you are comfortable with investing your future with the market, the older, less so.
And who is in the middle? President-elect Obama.
Being perfectly in the middle allows Obama to set the fulcrum by personally setting the example. I’m sure you can find a brilliant mind or two to advise on the proper mix that would set a healthy example. I just want a healthy example.
A plan for everything
Anonymous 3 weeks 8 hours 22 min 48 sec ago
An effective plan to bail out America
1. I believe that the most effective way to bail out America and improve our economy is not by giving stimulus checks, but by giving stimulus vouchers and gift certificates to be used for specific places at specific times. Vouchers for food and gift certificates for retailers etc….
2. Make it mandatory for athletes, entertainers, and corporate businesses that are earning at least a million a year to donate at least ten thousand dollars to a fund called the second chance mortgage bail out plan. The money from the fund will be used for families that have had foreclosures and families that are in danger of foreclosures. These people will be giving checks specifically to pay their mortgage up to six months to the banks they owe. This will give the home owners six months to save at least four thousand dollars to buy themselves another six months. These families will be obligated to save that four thousand dollars, then that will be their second chance. This plan will help the banks and the people to buy themselves time as the economy rebuilds itself.
3. As for global warming we should make it mandatory for car owners to never leave their vehicles running, specifically officers and truck drivers, who seem to burn the most gas.
4. To help solve and prevent wild fires in America, install medal sprinkler systems in the forest and woods of the places that are most affected and endangered. To make this all possible, water towers must be built in those areas and sprinkler systems will only be put in certain areas of the forest and woods, thus creating jobs.
5. To help with the waste problem that we have, we should hire and train people to be called dumpster divers. Theses people will be in charge of retrieving recyclable items that never made it to the recycling plant. Also, create recycling trucks for wood materials.
6. As for the war; Leave that country with food and supplies
For a year or two and Benlaten will come out and show himself.
Vengeance is Gods, but we can and should bring him to justice.
7. Put the Ten Commandments back in the schools. If anyone doesn’t believe in God then they don’t have to look the posting. Better the children see it and know as a reminder to do right,
then to do wrong and have an excuse .
8. Bridges and roads can be fixed faster with cheep labor from
from nonviolent, trained, prison and jail inmates with only two
years or less to serve on their sentence. As payment and compensation, they should be given one dollar an hour and good meals.
9. To lower the aids rate, the government should mandate the issuance of Condoms in prisons. It’s entirely to many prison
Inmates that are contracting aids in prison, then getting out
and giving it to women.
These ideas should also create many job’s, but we should also
try and keep American businesses in America.
Thank you for your time and consideration. Lets rescue our
land, then we can help others. Thank you and God bless you
all.
Sincerely Yours
Karmise Zaire
OBAMA JUST LOST MY SUPPORT - HE BLEW IT
Anonymous 3 weeks 10 hours 31 min 57 sec ago
As of today, December 18th, 2008 - YOU HAVE L-O-S-T MY SUPPORT...during your presidency, and should you decide to run again. WHY? I am...or rather I should say WAS one of your gay supporters. I marched for you, and said "Yes We Can: many a time...and I was SO proud AGAIN to be an American - part of a country that despites its past mistreatment of Blacks, would come in 2008 to elect a Black as President. Well, I wish you would RESPECT GAYS AS MUCH AS YOU DO THE COLOR OF YOUR OWN SKIN...that is to say: your "Yes We Can" has shown itself to be lamentably SKIN DEEP. In selecting "spiritual" people to speak at you inauguration, you decided to have a "big tent" (ya right..) and include someone like Rick Warren - who likens supporting gay marriage to supporting bestiality, incest, polygamy, marriage with a child...and a host of other ignorant unaccepting points of view. My partner of 16 years works VERY hard for his money, and he touchingly and generously took out a pen and wrote you a very big check...he changed my mind and convinced me that MARCHING actually DOES do some good sometimes...I retreat in discouragement sometimes - and he convinced me that something is changing in this country right now...this Presidential election is AMAZING - like nothing in our lifetime!!! I believed him...and so did much of the entire gay community...think about just HOW MUCH MONEY WE GAVE YOU...and now you S-L-A-P us in the face with Rick Warren. Why didn't you pick someone who SUPPORTED BLACK SLAVERY to round out your "big tent"....I suppose that would have gone just a little too far, now wouldn't it have. I respect you no more...you're just another politician who wanted to get elected. I should have known. At 46 years of age, I shouldn't have been so naive. Well, live and learn. (A gay marching band in the inauguration doesn't quite placate my soul, and I am insulted that you think that including one would have - you piss me off). You WILL NOT get my vote next go around. My email address is kwerderman@yahoo.com...STOP SENDING ME THOSE STUPID EMAILS that try to keep me invigorated with Obama plates, coffee coaster, foot warmers...the emails from David Plouffe asking me to "stay tuned". I am tuning you out now. REMOVE ME FROM YOUR LIST OF SUPPORTERS and REMOVE ME FROM YOUR LIST OR NEXT TIME POTENTIAL SUPPORTERS. Enough. Happy politicking.