This memory has stuck with me all these years and it's one I can never forget. Sophomore year in high school had just started, so the morning of September 11th, 2001 was like any other. I never watched TV before school or anything, so I didn't know what was going on until about 7:15am or so after the first attack had happened I believe. I had just picked up P.O.D's new cd "Satelite" the night before (the album technically was released 9-11-01). I had listened to the CD all morning on the bus and as I entered school I went to the library prior to class starting like I always do. I saw the attack for the first time on television with the song "Youth of the Nation" playing on my headphones. I will always remember this moment in my life, watching the most catastrophic event of my lifetime unfold while listening to a song that means so much to me.
The entire album was just about the only thing that got me through that day. I don't personally know anyone who died in the attacks and I was thousands of miles away that day, but it still impacted my life. The unjust human suffering of 9-11-01 is something I cannot forget in my lifetime.
To this day, we don't know why these attacks took place. Some claim government conspiracy and rightfully so, the evidence is there. Regardless, this is the truth I know. Thousands lost their lives, millions watched in terror not knowing what was to come. We made it through as a country, but the attacks planted a seed of doubt in all of our minds that we are vulnerable despite our strength as a nation.
9-11-01
WE WILL NOT FORGET. _________________
Quote:
5/15/2008 Note to readers:
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Palin is a fascinating phenom and make no mistake, she has become enemy #1 among the radical wing of the liberal feminist crowd who are enraged at the thought a conservative "hockey mom" mother rising up the ranks as an example of breaking the glass ceiling of American politics.
It will be interesting to see how this relative newcomer stands up over the course of the next couple months to the anti-Palin campaign that is being thrown against her.
The Obama camp was initially shaken by the turn in polling following the Republican Convention. They appear to be back on message though, and focusing fully on battling McCain and using the current economic challenges as the smack stick to do so.
And always lurking behind the scenes lies the Clinton machine. Bill is still furious at Obama's empty accusation of racism against him. Hillary remains outraged at certain power players within her own party selling her out to the Obama mania that gripped the country last year.
Can the Republicans continue to ride the wave of the Palin phenom for another six weeks? Can the Obama campaign re-establish itself as the opportunity for real change? Will Joe Biden keep asking people in wheelchairs to stand up? Has Obama's ball skills diminished due to all the campaigning? Will McCain buy another house? Will Palin's husband snap Obama's neck like a skinny twig if he doesn't lay off the little lady?
Does anyone know which of the 4 versions of the Bush Doctrine Charlie Gibson was referencing?
Slo who is to blame for the big economy mess mostly? Is it the democrats or the republicans?
Simply put, both.
The current economic difficulties have been a long time coming. That is the nature of a free market system - there will be periodic shakeouts. The current downturn has been ongoing in earnest for nearly a year now. It appears we are nearing the end of the down cycle. This will be followed by a period of moderate improvement for 3-6 months, then look for the economy to begin a strong upturn. 2010 should prove a good year.
As for specific blame...well, much of the housing bubble was created by far too loose lending practices. People who should never have been given mortgage loans were given them. Some of these loans were predatory in nature and doomed to fail. These loans were bundled up in packages worth hundreds of millions and sold again and again to other institutions. The short term gain was great - these institutions were making big bucks. Ah, but starting about 28 months ago, the failure rates started spiking. In 2007 things were getting critical. Losses mounted and a significat and widespread financial train wreck appeared unavoidable.
Fannie and Freddie account for nearly 80% of all mortgage assets in the country - about 5 TRILLION. Much of the blame must lay at their feet. These entities have been government supported for decades. They have been controlled primarily by Democrat operatives - both past and present. Numbers of Republicans have benefited from Fannie/Freddie "benefits" too though. This created an environment where oversight was difficult. Congress issued a non-official tone of "hands off" Fannie and Freddie. To his great credit, John McCain did attempt to introduce legislation in 2005 to increase regulation of these two mortage giants. His efforts were thwarted. Both political sides are at fault for that.
At any rate, what we are left with most recently are the struggles of AIG. This institution must not be allowed to fail. Yes, I am advocating government intervention. The impacts of an AIG failure at this particular time would throw the American economy, and the world economy, into a tailspin that would take years to work out of. It would be the single greatest threat to entering a period of economic Depression - not Recesssion, since WWII - many times worse than the S&L crisis of the late 1980's and early 1990's. I am normally not in favor of government intervention in such matters, but AIG is the exception.
If AIG does not find firmer ground, we are in very serious trouble.
Thankfully, I see steps are already being taken by the FED and Treasury to head off this disaster. The next 48 hours will prove critical.
Slo who is to blame for the big economy mess mostly? Is it the democrats or the republicans?
Simply put, both.
The current economic difficulties have been a long time coming. That is the nature of a free market system - there will be periodic shakeouts. The current downturn has been ongoing in earnest for nearly a year now. It appears we are nearing the end of the down cycle. This will be followed by a period of moderate improvement for 3-6 months, then look for the economy to begin a strong upturn. 2010 should prove a good year.
As for specific blame...well, much of the housing bubble was created by far too loose lending practices. People who should never have been given mortgage loans were given them. Some of these loans were predatory in nature and doomed to fail. These loans were bundled up in packages worth hundreds of millions and sold again and again to other institutions. The short term gain was great - these institutions were making big bucks. Ah, but starting about 28 months ago, the failure rates started spiking. In 2007 things were getting critical. Losses mounted and a significat and widespread financial train wreck appeared unavoidable.
Fannie and Freddie account for nearly 80% of all mortgage assets in the country - about 5 TRILLION. Much of the blame must lay at their feet. These entities have been government supported for decades. They have been controlled primarily by Democrat operatives - both past and present. Numbers of Republicans have benefited from Fannie/Freddie "benefits" too though. This created an environment where oversight was difficult. Congress issued a non-official tone of "hands off" Fannie and Freddie. To his great credit, John McCain did attempt to introduce legislation in 2005 to increase regulation of these two mortage giants. His efforts were thwarted. Both political sides are at fault for that.
At any rate, what we are left with most recently are the struggles of AIG. This institution must not be allowed to fail. Yes, I am advocating government intervention. The impacts of an AIG failure at this particular time would throw the American economy, and the world economy, into a tailspin that would take years to work out of. It would be the single greatest threat to entering a period of economic Depression - not Recesssion, since WWII - many times worse than the S&L crisis of the late 1980's and early 1990's. I am normally not in favor of government intervention in such matters, but AIG is the exception.
If AIG does not find firmer ground, we are in very serious trouble.
Thankfully, I see steps are already being taken by the FED and Treasury to head off this disaster. The next 48 hours will prove critical.
Stay tuned...
So are we out of the woods or what? I am watching the news reports and things are just plain crazy. America is going down down down.
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