Black Friday was Actually a Bright Spot

Well we survived it. Black Friday is now a distant memory. It was shockingly colored by two seriously disturbing events, but people still shopped in large numbers. There were enough "numbers" that a Wal-Mart employee was trampled to death. There was also a gun battle at a Toys-R-Us. So it's hard to challenge that people weren't passionate this year about the season. Fortunately, most places were just normally busy with frantic, but law abiding shoppers.

However, with all of the good news that shopping was a little better than last year, there was also the bad news. You see, there was one significant change from previous years. Reporters were hard-pressed to explain the phenomenon, but eagerly reported this serious threat to our economy. It turns out that people were indeed shopping at a very brisk pace, but they were only shopping for others... they weren't buying for themselves!

Oh, my gosh. The world is coming to an end. I can't believe that it has come to this. People are setting aside personal needs to think of others during this Christmas season? Well, it was fun while it lasted.

I know, it's over the top tongue-in-cheek stuff there... I couldn't help myself. I don't know about you, but for me, it's sort of natural to think of others at Christmas time. It's the season to be jolly and to live in a way that reminds us of Jesus Christ... whose birth we actually celebrate at this time of year. We should be shedding the "what's in it for me" attitude and doing our best to put someone else first... and for many people, to put someone else first for a change. For example, Blagojevich, the now disenfranchised Governor of Illinois, apparently didn't know what time of year it was as he tried to enrich himself by selling an appointment for senator. Unreal.

Well, enough said. The times are what they are. Money is tight. The economy struggles from day to day. Jobs are more scarce. Companies are closing their doors. It is what it is. Still, I actually find it refreshing that people, even in these tough times, are thinking of others instead of themselves while Christmas shopping. As one born in a lowly manger, Jesus Christ, in His poverty, gave all that He had to others. It somehow seems fitting that American's are shopping... and not for themselves.

Good Luck, Mr. Brit

So, I'm watching the news tonight for a few minutes (I get most of my news on the Internet), and the anchor dangles a carrot. A story is coming about a guy who says he will live for a year without spending a dime. I was interested enough to check back often until the story was reported. It finally came.

It was about a man living in England, a Brit, who had some degree in economics. He was fed up enough with the financial crisis that he was going to show his displeasure with the way things are by checking out of the system for 12 months. You heard me... 12 months.

How would he do it? He would trade his talents and skills for food and other needed items. Instead of a vehicle he'd ride a bike with a small trailer attached to carry possessions. Pretty interesting, though nothing terribly new. This idea has been tried before. Check out of man-made society and into the perfectly created earth. I do wish him well. As a basicguy, a simpler life is very appealing.

However, his last comment was the one that really caught my attention. When asked about capitalism, his profound reply was, "Capitalism is flawed." Wow. Now that is something I'd never considered. Really? Flawed, huh? Well, duh. Of course its flawed! Every man-made financial system is flawed. Name any financial system that has ever existed, and flaws can be revealed. Why is that? It's simple. Financial systems are flawed because people are flawed.

So, Mr. Brit, I do wish you well in your personal rebellion against the way things are in our financial world. With all of its weaknesses, capitalism has the power and energy to resolve massive financial challenges. There has never been anything quite so effective in eradicating poverty and building extensive civilized infrastructures. But sadly it engenders greed and other debilitating characteristics. Yet, even though I'm just a basicguy, Mr. Brit, I can see the day when you get burned by some person who doesn't quite live up to an agreement you made for your services. I hope it doesn't come to that... but all man-made financial systems are flawed... because people are flawed. Good luck, Mr. Brit.

Maintining a Lifestyle or Getting a Life

It's interesting to hear all the reports about how Americans aren't flying or buying or traveling like they used to. Reporters are fretting about it. So are business owners. So is Wall Street. Why all the head-scratching?

The government bailout may allow Wall Street executives, Corporate officers, and Bankers to maintain their unrealistic and expensive lifestyles, but no one else. Most normal Americans no what it means to live within their means. They know when there are financial challenges, it is more important to get a life than to maintain a lifestyle. They may not be able to afford a certain lifestyle, but they can afford a life. And the miracle? No one else has to bail them out so they can maintain some selfish lifestyle.

It's too bad our federal government hasn't chosen to learn from "we the people"... you know, the normal Joes and Plain Janes. I guess it's been way too long since our elected leaders had a real life instead of their false Washington lifestyle. Besides, there is nothing wrong with driving over to Grandma's house instead of the Cayman Islands for a change. I know I'm just a basic guy, but it seems to me that there is far more life in "getting a life" than in maintaining some false "lifestyle."

America's New Day May Be Too New

Well, a lot has happened since I last posted any thoughts. America has chosen an historic direction by voting into office Barrack Obama. He will become the first African-American to so serve. This truly is a new day for America. I just hope that this "new day" isn't too new.

Obama and his cadre of leaders are claiming a mandate from the American people for significant change. Why is it that whenever people win presidential elections they claim some mandate? Now, it is true, some have won by a landslide. In that case, a mandate can be claimed. But most win by a few percentage points. So, can one claim a mandate from just half the people? Not me.

One percentage caught my eye and told me a lot about what happened. In general, the percentage of Republicans and Democrats who vote in a presidential election is pretty even--37 to 38%. However, in this election there was an obvious difference. Democrats maintained their average, while the Republicans dropped by an amazing 7% to 8% points. Now this fact may not have changed result of this years election. But it is telling. It helps reveal that McCain never did garner the needed support of his party.

Change was inevitable for two reasons. First, how do you stand in the way of history? We have witnessed history in the making. In some ways, it's a remarkable time to live for we have come so far as a country. It's a journey we needed to make. Whether now or with this man, is the right time and person, I'm not convinced. Time will tell. Second, Republicans shot themselves in the foot. They betrayed their base support through their own pride and corruption. Who knows how long it will take to repair the damage and rebuild the trust.

In the meantime, with a Republican party as damaged goods, who will be in a position to act as a check and balance to a Democratic Party claiming a mandate? Government size and spending has already ballooned under Republicans, so what will happen as spend-happy Democrats seize even more control? I shudder to think.

Who knows, maybe Obama will come to his senses as he is absorbed in his "new day." I know, dream on, Basicguy.

McCain Shows his Age... Needs Hearing Aides

I don't know about you, but I've been doing a lot of head scratching lately. Being a conservative, and watching the recent financial fiasco, I'm left to wonder: just who is John McCain listening to? Now, I've noticed that older folk get a little hard of hearing. I watched it happen to my Dad and even now, at my relatively young age, I'm noticing the beginnings of it. But is everyone on McCain's staff the same age?

Watching President Bush, his administration, and the mainstream media (MSM) over the past week or so, I've concluded that they were all on the same page. There is only one solution for our failing economy and wall street woes: a bailout at tax payers expense. Oddly enough there was no discussion of a Plan A or B, let alone a Plan C. There's just one possible answer for this predicament: do the $700 billion dollar bailout or life as we know it ends. For some reason McCain heard that option, he supported it.

However, reading a conservative magazine and a couple of conservative blogs, and listening occasionally to conservative talk radio, it became apparent that there were plenty of other options to the proposed bailout. One option was to drop the capital gains tax for two years and flood the market with an enormous amount of cash. The experts did say that the market needed and infusion of cash, so that probably would have worked... without using tax payers money.

Why didn't this idea gain any traction? Well, the MSM didn't report it on TV or print it in newspapers. I'm assuming they didn't report it because of the continual feud between the MSM and conservative thinkers. So, an idea that might have solved our financial crisis without forcing the nation to take a socialistic step, is sadly lost to us.

Now, here's the most disappointing thing to me. John McCain courted conservatives saying he had our back. He hinted at this position by selecting Sarah Palin, which did satisfy a lot of us conservatives who really had no one to rally around until then. All that is fine and dandy, but with recent actions by the McCain camp leaves conservatives wondering: just who is John McCain listening to? Well, it's pretty obvious that he's not listening to conservatives. He simply supported the bailout plan discussed by the MSM. He supported President Bush's administration, even though most American's opposed it.

So what do we learn from all of this? McCain is an avowed moderate. He doesn't, and never has, seriously considered conservative thinking. His solutions are the same as those conjured up by big government intelligensia. It's sad really. He was given a gift... a real opportunity to offer something new and different... to take a stand as a "straight talker"... show a dynamically creative way to solve our financial crisis... and to set him apart from Obama's camp and Washington. But instead he obviously listened to the MSM and ended up exposing his age. McCain is hard of hearing, especially when it comes to listening to solutions offered by conservative thinkers.

Being a Basicguy and all, I'm probably not smart enough to comprehend McCain's greater plan. But I do know this, if McCain continues to be hard of hearing of conservative thought, conservatives will be hard of hearing of his... regardless of how many times he throws Governor Palin out there to satisfy them. It's not working. Unfortunately, McCain's aging hearing problem will guarantee a loss of more than hearing in November and carve a path for a disastrous Obama presidency.

McCain, where are your hearing aides?

An Endangered Species

John McCain has an excellent staff. Despite the odds, they cleverly maneuvered through Democratic Olympics and Obama's coronation with deftness and expertise. I'm impressed. And then to steal the thunder of the Mr. Obama's magical night by introducing Sarah Palin of Alaska as the Republican nominee for Vice President of the United States of America. Whether you like it or not, its tough to refute the brilliance of the move. As McCain kindly tendered to Obama on his special night, I say to McCain: well done.

I was feeling pretty good about things. It was that "gotcha" experience you always like to have. You know, the way you felt when you finally realized what was going on in The Sixth Sense? So it was very satisfying when McCain pulled Palin out of his hat. But pouring over the blogs on the heals of the announcement, I came across the naysayers. Many were belligerent and attacked with passion. Even another "mother" (like Palin), insisted that Palin was the wrong choice because she lacked experience and could never lead this country when (not if) McCain became incapacitated. I wonder if Pelosi had other reasons for this attack. Did she feel slighted by Obama? I personally think she likes being the most powerful woman in America and Palin is a threat to that status quo.

But there was one attack that caught my eye. A woman derided the Palin choice as politics as usual... an effort by the McCain camp to court Hillary voters. I'm sure that observation was accurate. But then she followed it with this quote: McCain will never get my vote because Palin is pro life... she does not believe in a woman's right to choose what to do with her own body. It was an especially panged comment considering that Palin gave birth to a down syndrome child in April. Palin's selfless and courageous decision dwarfs the hundreds and thousands of women who have selfishly and cowardly ended the life of a human being because a woman has a right to choose.

It is interesting that many of the same women, who cavalierly choose to end the life of a human embryo, march hand in hand for PETA, global warming, and endangered species. I find it shocking that it's safer to be born an owl than a human. I wonder if someone should put forth a bill in congress to add humans to the endangered species list. Maybe then unborn humans might have a better chance to breath earth's air, behold its fruited plains, and walk its amber cities. Now, I'm just a Basicguy, but that makes a lot of sense to me.

Obama: The Convenient Candidate

Now, don't get me wrong, I like things to be convenient just as much as any one else; the alarm clock next to the bed, a tall glass of ice water next to the easy chair, a Chick-fil-A down the street, or a laptop that connects to the internet in any room of the house. However, some conveniences are more one sided and are designed to deceive.

I've been watched the presidential contest for months now. Though I must admit, when my choice flamed out, I haven't been near as passionate, simply an interested observer. I have been amazed at the crowds that Obama commands at every stop and have wondered why. Now that time has passed and many things have been said, I can't help but conclude that Obama is the convenient candidate.

For example, Obama is conveniently black. Why claim to be an African-American when half of your DNA is white? Why not claim to be the other half? Or better yet, why not simply claim to be an American? The convenience here is to catch the historical wave. There is nothing new about saying you are an American running for president. But being the first black man to capture the White House is really saying something.

Obama is conveniently moderate. Now, being a conservative, I've noted the records of those who had thrown their hat into the presidential ring. Interestingly enough, Obama's record was the most liberal of all the candidates. He even bested Hillary Clinton... which is hard to do. But now, Obama claims centrist positions that he hasn't claimed in the past. One example is taking credit for backing a welfare bill in his home state of Illinois that he actually opposed as a state senator.

Obama is conveniently Christian. I know that he denies accusations about his Muslim past, but there are way too many reports about his life to excuse them. This is a Christian nation, for better or for worse. Better in my opinion. And would be more convenient for anyone running for president in a Christian nation to be an avowed Christian.

Now, as more news spreads throughout the blogosphere, be sure to pay attention. You may not hear much about these controversies on network news programs, but there will be plenty being blogged. Determine for yourself if Obama is for real or, like me, conveniently real.