THE ENTERPRISE--SOME THINGS TO THINK HARD ABOUT…AND UNDERSTAND

 

 

WHY IS THE STOCK MARKET SO HIGH IF THE ECONOMY ISN'T DOING VERY WELL?

It turns out that the economy is not doing well, but it is doing better than most of the other developed economies in the world. Thus money looking for a place to be invested comes to the good old USA. Bonds are no longer so safe.  China's growth has slowed. Brazil's has stopped.  India is flailing about, neither growing nor booming more economically attractive. Europe is in recession or close to it. Double digit unemployment is common over there.  And they work about 2 weeks a year less than people in the USA. Well run companies are staffed by management who quickly learns to "play be the rules in effect," and make money where they can and if that happens to be outside the USA, leave it there so it doesn't get double taxed when it is brought back to the US. Since it is over there, it gets invested over there. 

 

IF THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS SO LOW, WHY ARE WAGES GOING UP MORE?

Because all of the measures of unemployment are so flawed, so distorted and so misleading that we would be better off without them. I could take this whole edition and regale you with all the flaws in what the BLS uses to calculate its unemployment numbers. The problem is that people who have jobs are unwilling to take a risk of long them by either demanding more money (which competition being what it is--intense--employers will refuse), or look or go elsewhere and discover that job is less secure, or risk being replaced by temps, or in some areas illegal immigrants. Thus wage increases crawl along at about a 2% increase per year…about the same as the growth rate of the economy over Obama's 6 years.

 

WHAT CAN COMPANIES DO TO BE MORE SUCCESSFUL?

The basic formula has never changed.  Serve customers superbly.  Offer them great value for their money. Deliver quality products and services. Innovate with new and batter solution to nagging problems and find opportunities that no one has noticed. (Who knew you need an iPad? Or a phone the size of a folded newspaper? Or web enabled everything, from starting your car to controlling your lights and HVAC at home.)

 

How to do this? Hire better people. Get rid of losers, because they drag everyone else down. Pay the good ones a bit more (and the best even more) and treat them a lot better than other employers. Get them excited about what they do by getting them involved in the plans about what to do. Nothing like a little ownership--literal or figurative--to energize employees. Praise them when they do well, criticize them constructively when they don't, and don't forget to say Thank You more often than you need to. Listen to them when they try to tell you what's working, what's not, and what to do about that. They know. No need to hire a high priced consultant to listen to them and then tell you what they said.

 

Make sure they all know where the money they help make is going, and that some of it finds its way into their pockets. Explain where the rest goes: to shareholders, to pay down debt, to buy new equipment or facilities, or to keep in a  "rainy day fund" called retained earnings, for the times when things don't go so well, and a safety net is necessary. Communicate with everyone, often, honestly and in more ways than you do now. Top executives may communicate the same things so many times, they get tired of doing it, but each audience only hears it once.  Finally, "Walk your talk" and tell the truth, even when it's ugly. You owe it to them.

 

WONDER WHY OUR GOVERNMENT IS A MESS. CONSIDER THE "BOSS" AT THE TOP, AND HIS VERACITY!

Someone did this because they thought it was ironic, funny or newsworthy. What really is—is sad, tragic and inexcusable. And by the way, I bet the lists for these earlier presidents would be longer if they endured the 24/7/365 always on news cycles with video camera phone in everyone's hands.  Obama is just the best (worst) liar in recent years, and it's mostly because he doesn't know what to do or how to do it, so he has to distort the facts to avoid taking the blame for that.  Too bad so many poor Americans voted for him (twice!)

 

WHAT WILL THE NEW GOP CONTROLLED CONGRESS BE ABLE TO GET DONE?

Not as much as you might hope since the guy in the White House still has his brand new VETO pen, and his EXECUTIVE ACTIONS. The best thing this Congress could do is to act like mature grown ups who realize that nobody gets their way, all the way, all the time. The key is in working together for the good of the country, dealing with the big issues, and challenging the president to veto well-thought out, (hopefully even bi-partisan) new legislation. 

 

HERE'S S STARTER TOP ELEVEN LIST TO WORK ON:

 

1. JOB CREATION--LOWER REGULATIONS; FOCUS JOB TRAINING & EDUCATION TO PUT PEOPLE TO WORK
2. IMMIGRATION--A MEASURED APPROACH, "EARNED AMNESTY," A SECURE, REGISTERED IDENTIFICATION CARD
3. TAX REFORM--SIMPLIFY, CLOSE SPECIAL-INTEREST LOOPHOLES, LOWER RATES, ESPECIALLY ON CAPITAL GAINS 
4. FOREIGN POLICY--REGAIN US RESPECT IN THE WORLD; THWART TERRORIST/ROGUE COUNTRIES
5. FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY (IN SPENDING)--IF NEED TO UNEXPECTEDLY SPEND MORE, CUT SOMEWHERE ELSE
6. CHANGE WELFARE TO WORKFARE--IN FACT, NOT IN TALK—NO CHECK WITHOUT DOING "SOMETHING" FOR IT
7. ENTITLEMENTS--CHIP AWAY AT THEM, START WITH FRAUD AND WASTE; USE SIMPLE INDEXING FOR AGE AND COLA
8. EDUCATION--FOCUS ON RESULTS, & EMPLOYABILITY; REWARD GOOD TEACHERS AND REPLACE BAD ONES--FAST
9. ENERGY--COMPLETE US ENERGY INDEPENDENCE FROM OUR ENEMIES…THEN WORK ON ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
10. HEALTH CARE--MODIFY THE ACA, CARVE OUT THE GOOD FROM THE BAD, DEFUND THE BAD
11. REVERSE THE LAWS THAT CREATED AGENCIES THAT WERE UNACCOUNTABLE TO CONGRESS FOR SPENDING:
1. THE CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU, 
2. THE INDEPENDENT PAYMENT ADVISORY BOARD.

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WHAT'S UNDER CONTROL?NOTHING AT ALL EXCEPT CREATING MESSES AND SCANDALS

 

 

 

FROM A CORRESPONDENT:

 

Famous Presidential Lies Contest:

LBJ:

• We were attacked (in the Gulf of Tonkin)

 

Nixon:

• I am not a crook

 

GHW Bush:

• Read my lips - No New Taxes

 

Clinton:

• I did not have sex with that woman... Miss Lewinsky

 

GW Bush:

• Iraq has weapons of mass destruction

 

Obama:

• I will have the most transparent administration in history. 
• The stimulus will fund shovel-ready jobs. 
• I am focused like a laser on creating jobs. 
• The IRS is not targeting anyone. 
• It was a spontaneous riot about a movie. 
• I will put an end to the type of politics that "breeds division, conflict and cynicism". 
• You didn't build that! 
• I will restore trust in Government. 
• The Cambridge cops acted stupidly. 
• The public will have 5 days to look at every bill that lands on my desk 
• It's not my red line - it is the world's red line. 
• Whistle blowers will be protected in my administration. 
• We got back every dime we used to rescue the banks and auto companies, with interest. 
• I am not spying on American citizens. 
• Obama Care will be good for America. 
• You can keep your family doctor. 
• Premiums will be lowered by $2500. 
• If you like it, you can keep your current healthcare plan. 
• It's just like shopping at Amazon. 
• I knew nothing about "Fast and Furious" gunrunning to Mexican drug cartels. 
• I knew nothing about IRS targeting conservative groups. 
• I knew nothing about what happened in Benghazi. 
• I have never known my uncle from Kenya who is in the country illegally and that was arrested and told to leave the country over 20 years ago. 
• And, I have never lived with that uncle.  He finally admitted (12-05-2013) that he DID know his uncle and that he DID live with him. 
• If elected I promise not to renew the Patriot Act. 
• If elected I will end the war in Iraq and Afghanistan within the 1st 9 months of my term. 
• I will close Guantanamo within the first 6 months of my term. 
• I will bridge the gap between black and white and between America and other countries.

And the biggest one of all:

• "I, Barrack Hussein Obama, pledge to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of America."

 

I believe we have a winner

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FROM A CORRESPONDENT:

 

A Country Founded by Geniuses but Run by Idiots
(SOURCE UNKNOWN--Not Jeff Foxworthy which was the attribution sent to me.)

If plastic water bottles are okay, but plastic bags are banned, — you might live in a nation (state) that was founded by geniuses but is run by idiots WE DO LIVE IN SUCH A DUMB COUNTRY!!

If you can get arrested for hunting or fishing without a license, but not for entering and remaining in the country illegally — you might live in a nation that was founded by geniuses but is run by idiots.
 
If you have to get your parents’ permission to go on a field trip or to take an aspirin in school, but not to get an abortion — you might live in a nation that was founded by geniuses but is run by idiots.

If you MUST show your identification to board an airplane, cash a check, buy liquor, or check out a library book and rent a video, but not to vote for who runs the government — you might live in a nation that was founded by geniuses but is run by idiots.

If the government wants to prevent stable, law-abiding citizens from owning gun magazines that hold more than ten rounds, but gives twenty F-16 fighter jets to the crazy new leaders in Egypt — you might live in a nation that was founded by geniuses but is run by idiots.

If, in the nation’s largest city, you can buy two 16-ounce sodas, but not one 24-ounce soda, because 24-ounces of a sugary drink might make you fat — you might live in a nation that was founded by geniuses but is run by idiots.

If an 80-year-old woman who is confined to a wheelchair or a three-year-old girl can be strip-searched by the TSA at the airport, but a woman in a burka or a hijab is only subject to having her neck and head searched — you might live in a nation that was founded by geniuses but is run by idiots.

If your government believes that the best way to eradicate trillions of dollars of debt is to spend trillions more — you might live in a nation that was founded by geniuses but is run by idiots.

If a seven-year-old boy can be thrown out of school for saying his teacher is “cute” but hosting a sexual exploration or diversity class in grade school is perfectly acceptable — you might live in a nation that was founded by geniuses but is run by idiots.

If hard work and success are met with higher taxes and more government regulation and intrusion while not working is rewarded with Food Stamps, WIC checks, Medicaid benefits, subsidized housing, and free cell phones — you might live in a nation that was founded by geniuses but is run by idiots.

If you pay your mortgage faithfully, denying yourself the newest big-screen TV, while your neighbor buys iPhones, time shares, a wall-sized do-it-all plasma screen TV and new cars, and the government forgives his debt when he defaults on his mortgage — you might live in a nation that was founded by geniuses but is run by idiots.

If being stripped of your Constitutional right to defend yourself makes you more “safe” according to the government — you might live in a nation that was founded by geniuses but is run by idiots.

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OK…THAT'S ENOUGH FOR ONE EDITION

HAPPY BELATED THANKSGIVING TO ALL…

 

JOHN

 

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John Mariotti

Go see my latest articles and commentary at http://www.brennerbrief.com/author/johnmariotti/ and at 

http://mariotti.blogs.com/my_weblog/ and http://www.mariotti.net 

 

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