It's been a while since I have made an entry to this blog. It's not because I've been too busy, but more that my schedule has keep me hopping and before I know it the day is gone.
Since my last post we have a new President, Barack Obama. The country has finally rejected the "Debt and Death" Party and has placed the Democrats in charge. Now it's up to the Dems to make good on the citizens trust and lead this nation back to economic recovery, restoring our image throughout the world and ending the war started by George W. Bush and his friends in the defence establishment. I am hopeful the Dems will deliver, but only time will tell.
On the home front, we have our 12th grandchild, born on January 21 at 3:30 a.m. Our newest grandson has been named Jonah Helaman Blackwell. I believe that in high school, if his friends find out his middle name, his buddies will call him either girleyman or horneyman or worse. But, that's many years from now and if I should live as long to see him enter high school and graduate, we'll know for sure if this predition is accuarte. I hope not.
Today the US House is voting on a $825 billion economic stimulus package. The members of the "Debt and Death" party are wanted tax cuts...nothing new there, but since this country has turned them out of office in the November election, I guess even as losers they must be true to the rich people and investment bankers who help keep the ones still in office, in office.
In Deschutes County our unemployment rate is at an all time high of over 11%, businesses are closing right and left and the housing market has dropped 47% since May of 2007. On the national front, lay offs are happening in almost every industry, the auto makers are bankrupted and lending is almost nonexistent. Thank you Mr. Bush!
My hopes and paryers are with our new President and the new leaders we elected last November who serve at the local, county, state and national levels. We as citizens must do our part, but the "big picture" is up to our elected leaders to solve. It's up to us to shop locally, do what we can to help turn this economy around and give our elected leaders our thoughts and concerns as they work to turn this country around.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Sunday, November 9, 2008
John Lisher
On Friday, I received a sad call from an old friend. Juleen Lisher called to let me know that her husband, my old friend, had died on Election Day. It seems his last words were, "Did Obama win the election?"
In my last visit to Santa Cruz, where John and Juleen lived and operated one of my favorite stores, Artisans Gallery, John and I were able to visit. We talked chamber stuff, politics, what was new to me and his failing health.
After our visit I told Diane that I was afraid this would be the last time I would see this great man alive. Sad to say, my feelings were right. Juleen told me that I was one of the last of his old friends to visit him and shortly after our visit this October, his health took a further turn for the worse and his 76 years of life came to an end less than three weeks later.
John was not only a friend, he was a mentor as well. For knowing him I know I am a better man. He got me involved in the chamber business and I was able to follow him at the Santa Cruz Chamber after he had to step down from having a heart attack. Due to John I got involved in my first visioning community effort, Vision Santa Cruz. This experience led to being the second President of Shared Vision, Inc in Albuquerque New Mexico and Vision 2030 in Bend Oregon. His encouragement led me to be the President and CEO of three chambers: Santa Cruz, Tracy and Bend Oregon.
John, you will be missed and my love and respect for you will continue long after your passing. John was truly one of the "Good Guys" and for having known him we who can count him as a friend are much better for it.
I will miss you John as I know that so many others feel as I do. God bless and keep you and thanks for being my friend and mentor. You have made the lives of those you have touched so much better. Thank you!
In my last visit to Santa Cruz, where John and Juleen lived and operated one of my favorite stores, Artisans Gallery, John and I were able to visit. We talked chamber stuff, politics, what was new to me and his failing health.
After our visit I told Diane that I was afraid this would be the last time I would see this great man alive. Sad to say, my feelings were right. Juleen told me that I was one of the last of his old friends to visit him and shortly after our visit this October, his health took a further turn for the worse and his 76 years of life came to an end less than three weeks later.
John was not only a friend, he was a mentor as well. For knowing him I know I am a better man. He got me involved in the chamber business and I was able to follow him at the Santa Cruz Chamber after he had to step down from having a heart attack. Due to John I got involved in my first visioning community effort, Vision Santa Cruz. This experience led to being the second President of Shared Vision, Inc in Albuquerque New Mexico and Vision 2030 in Bend Oregon. His encouragement led me to be the President and CEO of three chambers: Santa Cruz, Tracy and Bend Oregon.
John, you will be missed and my love and respect for you will continue long after your passing. John was truly one of the "Good Guys" and for having known him we who can count him as a friend are much better for it.
I will miss you John as I know that so many others feel as I do. God bless and keep you and thanks for being my friend and mentor. You have made the lives of those you have touched so much better. Thank you!
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Yes We Can
Victory on November 4th. The American people have elected Barack Obama the 44th President of the United States of America. We the people chose hope over fear, peace over war, opportunity over favoritism and a willingness to be responsible for our own actions. I am so proud to have been an early Obama supporter and that hours of walking precincts and talking to anyone who would listen that this man is worth their vote, their support, their money in support of his campaign. I am more hopeful tonight than I have been over the past eight years under George W. Bush. And I thank God that we do not have to put up with four more years of George W. Bush II, John "I supported Bush 90% of the time" McCain. God bless the United States of America. Our new President is going to need all the help possible to dig us out of the mess the past eight years under Republican rule have left us. It's truly a new day for the USA!
Monday, November 3, 2008
Day Before Election Day
Tomorrow is Nov 4, 2008, Election Day. I am a 100% supporter for Obama and hope and pray he is elected our 44th President. When I think of what it is to be Presidential, I was pleased to see a survey by Parade Magazine that listed the following qualities and how McCain and Obama ranked on presidential qualities. Here they are:
Quality McCain Obama
Courage to stay strong 49% 51%
Learns from errors 50% 50%
Willingness to change 34% 66%
Understanding people's concerns 36% 64%
Strong moral compass 40% 60%
A gift to inspiring others 31% 69%
So, it looks like the readers of Parade, who are more likely to be Conservative and educated, feel Obama is more presidential. I agree.
No matter who wins this election, the fact is that this person will inherit more problems that any president in modern times. An economy in decline, two wars - one we should have never got involved in, a world that sees America as part of the problem and not part of the solution and corruption that is unprecedented in DC. A lot of work to do and it will take years to solve. God bless the USA...we need His help badly.
Quality McCain Obama
Courage to stay strong 49% 51%
Learns from errors 50% 50%
Willingness to change 34% 66%
Understanding people's concerns 36% 64%
Strong moral compass 40% 60%
A gift to inspiring others 31% 69%
So, it looks like the readers of Parade, who are more likely to be Conservative and educated, feel Obama is more presidential. I agree.
No matter who wins this election, the fact is that this person will inherit more problems that any president in modern times. An economy in decline, two wars - one we should have never got involved in, a world that sees America as part of the problem and not part of the solution and corruption that is unprecedented in DC. A lot of work to do and it will take years to solve. God bless the USA...we need His help badly.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Election 2008
Last night Diane and I did something historical, we voted for the first black man for President of the United States. with 14 days to go before Nov 4, the polls all show Obama with between a 9 and 11 point lead over McBush (McCain). It is my daily prayer that the good Lord does not give us another 4 years under Republican rule. In just the past two weeks this country has had a financial meltdown, with folks like myself losing over 2 trillion dollars in 401K savings. We're bogged down in two wars costing us over $10 billion a month with no end in sight. The de-regulation of the financial services and insurance industries, le by Phil Gramm in the last days of the Reagan administration (1999) only took about 19 years to unravel our entire financial world, with a Republican (Socalist) led bailout of some $700 trillion dollars.
John McBush has stooped to a new low in campaigning. His and Sarah Palin's daily attacks on Obama with lies and half truths which even past Republican campaigns never stooped as low. John McBush is running scared, telling lies and with God's will be heavily defeated by close of business on Nov 4.
I am proud to say that I voted for Obama, that I believe him to be an honorable man with the best interests of this country in mind. Unlike John McBush who is so consumed with being President (knowing it's his last chance at 72 to run for President) that he has said and done anything and everything, if it is true or not, to be elected. We have had Presidents like John McBush before...namely George W. Bush, our current disgrace of an American President.
It's time for a change and not one that moves us from one Republican dictator to another, but a new President who believes in the best of this country. One who believes in economic development over war. One who is committeed to a "Green Economy" and not one based in selling arms to anyone with the money to pay for them. One who wants the middle-class to succeed, not some "trickle down" philosophy that hopes the folks in the middle and at the bottom will somehow get some benefit from the rich getting richer.
Yes, it's time for a real change and Barak Obama is the right man, at the right time, for the right cause. God bless this planet and may America once again be a leader in peace and not a puppet of the super rich and powerful. I encourage all Americans to vote for their future by voting for Barak Obama.
John McBush has stooped to a new low in campaigning. His and Sarah Palin's daily attacks on Obama with lies and half truths which even past Republican campaigns never stooped as low. John McBush is running scared, telling lies and with God's will be heavily defeated by close of business on Nov 4.
I am proud to say that I voted for Obama, that I believe him to be an honorable man with the best interests of this country in mind. Unlike John McBush who is so consumed with being President (knowing it's his last chance at 72 to run for President) that he has said and done anything and everything, if it is true or not, to be elected. We have had Presidents like John McBush before...namely George W. Bush, our current disgrace of an American President.
It's time for a change and not one that moves us from one Republican dictator to another, but a new President who believes in the best of this country. One who believes in economic development over war. One who is committeed to a "Green Economy" and not one based in selling arms to anyone with the money to pay for them. One who wants the middle-class to succeed, not some "trickle down" philosophy that hopes the folks in the middle and at the bottom will somehow get some benefit from the rich getting richer.
Yes, it's time for a real change and Barak Obama is the right man, at the right time, for the right cause. God bless this planet and may America once again be a leader in peace and not a puppet of the super rich and powerful. I encourage all Americans to vote for their future by voting for Barak Obama.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
My Two Cents - No BAILOUT for the RICH
The $700 Billion Government Bailout – NO WAY!
In looking for solutions, the government must put the people first. Mortgage lenders, investment bankers and the brokerage community who require that their “profits be privatized” but now want to “socialize their risk” can’t have it both ways. They got us into this crisis by not asking whether the people they lent money to could repay. Now those who borrowed are facing the loss of their homes as market conditions have changed. Yes, the consumer has to take some blame in this crisis as do the realtors, but those who lent the money had the primary responsibility – can you repay the loan? Banks benefited from reselling the homeowner’s promise to pay to the investment bankers and brokerages houses, creating billions in profits.
Now the value of many of these homes has dropped beyond what the home buyer owes. What happens when the home buyers loses their houses? The banks end up with unoccupied houses and a mortgage that won’t be repaid – a lose lose for everyone. Let’s go back to basics.
Rather than a bail out of the investment bankers and brokerage houses, let’s protect the people and reset the economy based on the true market value of these properties, as they stand today. Congress should provide 5% fixed-rate 30 year loans for those “owner-occupied” homes, using today’s market value; therefore permitting people to stay in their homes and pay off their new loans. To help the banks, people could secure these new loans through the original lender they used to obtain their mortgage. There by, providing lenders with revenue, income from fees and other services which will help re-stabilize the banking and mortgage industry. If the house is worth less than the previous outstanding debt, let the private sector deduct the difference from their taxes. This will be far cheaper than the $700 billion blank check currently being considered. If the home owner defaults under the current $700 billion bail out scenario, the banks end up with homes they can’t unload, loans that will not be repaid, and our economy suffers even more.
By assisting taxpaying homeowners, the markets are stabilized and the banks make money. Moreover, the people who demand that their “profits remain privatized” and who now want their “debt socialized” will pay for the mistakes they made in their rush for a quick buck. Under the strategy of helping homeowners first, the mortgage holder benefits by receiving payments on properties which otherwise would be in foreclosure, we don’t end up with a ton of foreclosed homes in the marketplace and there’s no blank check to those who don’t deserve our trust. Yes, Congress must bail out the people, not the investment bankers and brokerage houses. It’s time for them to do the right thing for the people of this country.
In looking for solutions, the government must put the people first. Mortgage lenders, investment bankers and the brokerage community who require that their “profits be privatized” but now want to “socialize their risk” can’t have it both ways. They got us into this crisis by not asking whether the people they lent money to could repay. Now those who borrowed are facing the loss of their homes as market conditions have changed. Yes, the consumer has to take some blame in this crisis as do the realtors, but those who lent the money had the primary responsibility – can you repay the loan? Banks benefited from reselling the homeowner’s promise to pay to the investment bankers and brokerages houses, creating billions in profits.
Now the value of many of these homes has dropped beyond what the home buyer owes. What happens when the home buyers loses their houses? The banks end up with unoccupied houses and a mortgage that won’t be repaid – a lose lose for everyone. Let’s go back to basics.
Rather than a bail out of the investment bankers and brokerage houses, let’s protect the people and reset the economy based on the true market value of these properties, as they stand today. Congress should provide 5% fixed-rate 30 year loans for those “owner-occupied” homes, using today’s market value; therefore permitting people to stay in their homes and pay off their new loans. To help the banks, people could secure these new loans through the original lender they used to obtain their mortgage. There by, providing lenders with revenue, income from fees and other services which will help re-stabilize the banking and mortgage industry. If the house is worth less than the previous outstanding debt, let the private sector deduct the difference from their taxes. This will be far cheaper than the $700 billion blank check currently being considered. If the home owner defaults under the current $700 billion bail out scenario, the banks end up with homes they can’t unload, loans that will not be repaid, and our economy suffers even more.
By assisting taxpaying homeowners, the markets are stabilized and the banks make money. Moreover, the people who demand that their “profits remain privatized” and who now want their “debt socialized” will pay for the mistakes they made in their rush for a quick buck. Under the strategy of helping homeowners first, the mortgage holder benefits by receiving payments on properties which otherwise would be in foreclosure, we don’t end up with a ton of foreclosed homes in the marketplace and there’s no blank check to those who don’t deserve our trust. Yes, Congress must bail out the people, not the investment bankers and brokerage houses. It’s time for them to do the right thing for the people of this country.
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