Too Much Between the Ears

I have tried and abandoned six or seven short write-ups for this blog over the last week as I am torn in so many different directions.

Things which befuddle me:

1. Congress using extra constitutional means to grant voting rights to DC. I am no constitutional scholar, but seems to the constitution has a few words about this process. Perhaps congress should consult the history books and research how it was done for Hawaii.
2. The $410B Omnibus spending bill includes language that will dis-establish the charter schools in the District of Columbia. No where else is the failing monopoly of state education more clearly in focus: therefore, no better location to snuff out it's successes.
3. The Obama Afganistan "surge". That is right the Obama Afganistan surge. Since the media failed to mention it, the President signed an executive order last week DOUBLING the number of troops on the ground by ordering another 17,000 to that dusty place. If I recall, the friends of the President cat-called Mr. Bush for his surge in Iraq. I must have missed MoveOn.org criticism of Obama on his troop surge.
4. The apparent failure of capitalism. WTF is going on? How deep is this recession. Was reading the Posner blog and he says that we are in a depression based on a simple formula: depression = recession + bad gov't policy. We seem to have each in large measure.
5. My attempt at taking operational control of a hotel and restaurant failed last week. We were rated #2 out of four proposals. A guy that owns two large hotels in Ocean City, MD got the gig - shouldn't be surprised. We did manage to scrape together $100k - but that was too little and too late. The winner was much more nimble than we were.
6. Economic Nationalism. A recent edition of the Economist featured a zombie like hand extending from the grave with a banner, "the return of economic nationalism." You'd think we'd learned these lessons before. THANK GOD the "buy American" terms from the 2009 Porkimulus were largely removed.
7. Deficit reduction. The President says that he will reduce the deficit by 50% by 2013. Go ahead. Try and say that without smiling or laughing out loud. Dare you!
8. Do the teachers unions work for the Democrats or do the Democrats work for the teacher's union? I need someone to explain that one to me.
9. The benefits of being "moderately immoderate." Enjoyed a fantastic meal this past Saturday. Martini, bottle of wine, espresso, glass of port (in that order) wedged around oysters, sea bass and chocolate souffle. Should I feel guilty dining so well when 7.2% of my fellow Americans are now unemployed? I think not. If I had stayed home the restaurant would not have had my business and my waiter would not have had my tip. Sort of makes you wonder why the President shamed an auto maker (i forget which one) out of buying a new corporate jet: I guess those jet construction JOBS DON'T COUNT as stimulus. Only federal money is stimulating.

Bottom line: A lot to think about and I am having a rough time sorting it all out. Maybe I need one more martini.