Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Shake your booty! What, no booty left?

"This is by far the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression" Nouriel Roubini
"A total collapse of the US financial system, while not inevitable, is a contingency which should now be planned for." Martin Hutchinson, Prudent Bear
David Seaton's News Links
There is a lot of talk these days about the role of humor in American politics; whether or not a candidate is a suitable butt for jokes,
whether or not they can "laugh at themselves" and so on and so on. Whether or not humor is "appropriate".

The American national pastime of navel gazing aside, whoever the next president of the United States is, he should, without delay, get fitted out for an getup like the fellow in the photo is wearing... make up and all. Because that is going to be the role of the next POTUS on the world stage in the foreseeable future.

Losing two wars is something the world can chalk off to youthful folly, people seem ready to forgive and forget
unprovoked invasions and the deaths and torture of hundreds of thousands of human beings; but destroying the livelihood of millions of people around the world though ideologically driven, financial frivolity is a little harder to swallow. They are going to resent it.

Whatever the world looks like in 2012, it's going to look as different from today as the world looked after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

If I were the next president of the US, I would try to inspire the people with a ringing speech.
My fellow Americans (pause): This is the time (pause, with meaningful gaze into the middle distance) This is the time (pause) for the American people... (pause) to dig deep into the wellsprings and treasures of our popular culture (long pause) to dig deep into our roots (pause), in order to find the strength and the inspiration to carry us through the difficult days to come.

My fellow Americans, Try this on for size.
(marine band strikes up, POTUS sings in a pleasing baritone):
Once I lived the life
of a millionaire
Spending my money
Oh I didn't care
Taking my friends out
For a mighty good time
Buyin' high priced liquor
Champagne and wine

Oh but just as soon

As my money got low
I couldn't find nobody
And I had no place to go

In my pockets, not one penny

And as for my friends,

Man, I hadn't any
So, if I ever get my hands
On a dollar again
I'm gonna hold on to it
Till that big eagle grins
Cause it's mighty strange,

Without a doubt


Nobody wants you

When you're down and out

"Nobody wants you when you're down and out" - Jimmie Cox
DS

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

http://www.thedailyshow.com/

Scroll down to Obama cartoon...should cheer you up.

Anonymous said...

They used to tell me I was building a dream, and so I followed the mob,
When there was earth to plow, or guns to bear, I was always there right on the job.
They used to tell me I was building a dream, with peace and glory ahead,
Why should I be standing in line, just waiting for bread?

Once I built a railroad, I made it run, made it race against time.
Once I built a railroad; now it's done. Brother, can you spare a dime?
Once I built a tower, up to the sun, brick, and rivet, and lime;
Once I built a tower, now it's done. Brother, can you spare a dime?

todgermanica said...

Yea, sure, Bush and gang get the blame, but isn't capitalism always boom or bust? It works for a while, but how can my CD guarantee me 3% interest, while nature guarantees me nothing? Nature always bats last.

todgermanica said...

Bush and the gang get the blame, but isn't industrial capitalism always boom and bust? How can, in the long run, my CD provide me 5% interest while nature guarantees me nothing? Great post.

Anonymous said...

Whoa, Tod has some inflationary investment going on there.
We need more humor these days, David.
Thanks.