THANKSGIVING THANKS

Thanksgiving 2009 is a sadder year than most for many Americans. With the U.S. and most of the world in a deep recession, with high unemployment, with over 100,000 Americans still in "harms way" in battles in Iraq and Afghanistan, I believe it is more important than ever to step back and give thanks for our many blessings.
We should be grateful for the fact that Americans have more freedoms than almost any other place on the planet. We have the right to protest. We have the right to criticize our government. We have the right to elect our political leaders, and to vote out any politician that we are unhappy with. We have the ability to force politicians to better represent us by being vocal in our support or opposition of any policy.
Only in America, where we have free and democratic elections, do our citizens have the right to vote, and yet, in most elections, less than half of the eligible voters exercise that right. Here in Nassau County, NY, they are still counting the last of the votes in our County Supervisor race, and after over 240,000 votes have been counted, there is only a 160 vote difference. Now, when you consider that less than half the eligible voters actually voted, we can clearly say that whoever wins certainly has no mandate. But, we should be thankful that we have the rights!
Only in America, can I or anyone else, have the right to publish a blog, and as long as nothing illegal, libelous or slanderous is said, not worry about the legal ramifications! Only in America, can a former unknown become "famous" from a TV competition although finishing second, and then perform a controversial act on television that forced ABC to decide to cancel his morning GMA appearance, only to have CBS decide to have him on BOTH their morning, as well as their late night Letterman shows.
Only in America can we dwell on the negatives of the economy, and at the same time have Tiffany announce both revenues and earnings that far exceeded expectations.
Only in America, can we talk about the difficulty this year in keeping food pantries stocked sufficiently to feed the many feeling the pinch from the economy, and at the same time have Black Friday Christmas sales promotions all over the media.
Only in America can we talk about health care, yet have various solutions discussed that only address parts of the problem, while in some cases not considering the ramifications of some of the "solutions."
Only in America can we talk about justice for all, yet the justice that the wealthy, middle class, and poor enjoy is certainly often NOT the same justice!
Yet, with all its faults, we are lucky to be living in America. Here we can complain, we can argue, we can be charitable. Americans are amongst the most charitable people in the world, and in times of distress, have a long history of coming through. On this Thanksgiving holiday, we should all give thanks that we live in the U.S.

DOLLAR DOWN,METALS&OIL UP-WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

As of this morning, the US dollar fell to its lowest level since August 2008, while metals (led by gold and copper) keep moving up in price, and the price of crude oil has nudged upward once again. What is the meaning?
If you listen or read what the "professionals" say, you will probably be more confused than ever. The same company earnings report, for example, can be interpreted or "spun" in many ways. So here's my take. The weakness of the dollar indicates that the world community is becoming increasingly alarmed at the every growing US deficit, and seeing no end in sight. The real concern here is that commodities will stop using the US dollar as the benchmark for pricing, but will switch to another system. Since the US imports more than it exports, it means that consumers will find imported items more and more expensive. While this may benefit a few corporations, overall it is bad for both consumers and consumer confidence.
A bigger concern for most Americans is the creeping upward price of crude oil. Increased energy prices has the potential to cause a new round of inflation to be piled on top of our existing recession. The increasing US deficit exacerbates all other efforts to control or maintain a healthy economy.
The joblessness issue is the issue that should be "PRIORITY #1" because to improve the economy, the American public must have their confidence restored. Every effort must be made to retrain out of work individuals to get good employment, give incentives to businesses to hire, and re-create a "comfort" level. Old thinking, cliches, throwing good money after bad, bailout after bailout of greedy companies does not help with the joblessness crisis.And it is a crisis when the official unemployment rate is about 9.8%, and the estimated true joblessness rate is about 18-20%.
Why are metals going and commodities going up in price? Simple- to offset weakening dollar, concerns about US economy, and fear of upcoming inflation. We have to urge our elected officials to stop giving speeches, and start taking some real, well thought-out action!
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