THE ENTERPRISE--THINGS ARE NOT ALWAYS AS THEY SEEM--OR LOOK--OR ARE REPORTED

FIRST SOME HEADLINES AND QUICK TOPIC HITS

• India following China as a huge polluter. India’s air near cities like Delhi is so foul it’s “toxic!” —breathing the air is equivalent to smoking two packs of cigarettes per day!
• Crop burning is one of India’s biggest pollution sources. People will be dying from this, as they have been in China (who’s trying to clean up polluted air and water.)
• CVS will try next day delivery in some cities. The fast delivery surge in all businesses continues to grow.
• Newell (who owns Rubbermaid and just bought Jarden) had a really bad quarter (Back to School sales down) and forecasts a weak year. Stock plummeted.
• Tax “reform” of some kind is coming, but to pass Congress, the bills will be full of compromises, reducing the potential benefits (and limiting the deficit impact.)
• Special Counsel Mueller will continue digging and squeezing people to implicate others. He and his heavily Democratic loaded staff will find every bit of dirt they can.
• Unfortunately, they ignore the largest illegal behavior—the Clintons, backed by Obama. When does he look into that? NEVER!
• The Hollywood Harassment scandal will take down many iconic personalities. Most are guilty but in widely varying degrees. A huge problem for its “image” and in reality.
• Digging back 20-40 years, with reports from “groping” victims has a “bandwagon effect.” Most are likely true; but some claims are opportunistic (or exaggerated).
• Washington “Groupthink” is still a huge problem. So much of the NY-DC corridor is of one, narrow mind, the “Heartland” is of others, and the WC, still different ones.
• MBAs are coming under pressure—too expensive, and not worth the cost in many cases—the problem is education that doesn’t reflect the real world of business.
• There’s a new Shingles shot coming out. Get it, especially if you are over age 60. 
• Propaganda works when the mass of mainstream media blasts it everywhere: “Tax cuts favor the Wealthy” —of course that’s who pays more than half of all taxes.
• Romney was right: 47% of people pay NO taxes (except FICA & SS). New tax plan might change that but not much up or down.
• Beware: headlines exaggerate or lie to get readers attention. I find a couple every week where the headline distorts (or lies about) what the article below it says.
• The CFPB (Consumer Financial Protection Board) Richard Cordray’s fiefdom reports to no one; has huge power; and needs to be reined in—fast.
• Google is Alphabet; Coach is Tapestry; United Health is Optum; etc. You need a scorecard to figure out who’s who. Lose brand equity; gain anonymity. Good or bad?
• The Japanese (Kobe Steel Ltd.) made a bunch of bad metal, which went into cars, planes and more. How bad? Nobody knows for sure. Failed the test specs. Hmmm?

 

TRUMP—A PERSONAL MESS 

Everyone marvels at how President Trump’s approval rating lingers at 40% or less. He’s a mess with his reactive, emotional, poorly considered Tweets, and his tendency to use extreme statements to position the acceptance later of more measured objectives and policies. He is as far from the prototypical President as imaginable. This is a man who was elected when the “casting call” candidate who would have been far different (Mitt Romney) lost to Barack Obama—largely because he was too nice and respectful to continue in the second and third debates the dominating performance of the first debate. He made Obama look like the inept pretender he was in Debate 1, then Romney backed off (helped by the biased moderators) and deferred; went soft and respectful in Debates 2 & 3. That’s what lost him the election. How would Romney conducted himself as president?  Nothing like Trump—you can bet on that. Will Trump change much or at all? Don’t count on it. By age 71, as Popeye would say, “I yam who I yam.” But he will learn—some cases—better ways to do things. But not enough people saw the good in Romney, until later when they yearned for the rebel, the change agent in Trump.

 

TRUMP—MAKING REAL PROGRESS REVERSING OBAMA’S NATIONAL MESS

The media will never cover how Trump is getting his work done, in spite of “shooting himself in the foot” over and over, alienating those he needs as allies in Congress, and generally acting like a TV reality show start and real estate wheeler-dealer who stumbled into the White House. BUT…he’s reversed most of Obama’s worse executive orders, placed a solid Justice Gorsuch on the SCOTUS, chopped through a thicket of regulations, enabling business and energy to surge and grow. He’s pressured companies to stay in the US, and enticed more to come here and employ Americans. He’s sent stiff messages to Syria and ISIS and the Taliban about his “red lines” actually meaning something. He tried to repeal Obamacare, but was abandoned by selfish, provincial, politicians in the Senate—many of whom are either going to retire (run away) or get beaten in 2018. It’s never good to fight in public about matters that should be private, but Trump does it. He’s pruning Obama’s nanny state, causing Americans to actually consider going back to work again. Wow. What an original idea.

Download Jay Ambrose: Antics aside Trump is fixing Obama damage

ITS ABOUT TIME:  THE IRS AND FBI FINALLY ADMITTED BAD BEHAVIOR

Download Trump DOJ settles lawsuits over Tea Party targeting by Obama IRS | Fox News

Download The FBI’s Political Meddling page 1

IMMIGRATION REFORM HAS BEEN PUSHED TO THE  BACK BURNER

But there is a sound solution—in fact it make so much sense and is so popular, the politicians in DC will talk it and debate it and politicize it to death—and never pass it—unless “We the people” insist on it—by our calls, letters and yes, votes.  Read about it (there’s much more online.)

Download National Review Online | Print

THEN THERE’S THE "FUSION COLLUSION"—AND THE DNC’S ROLE

If we were ever to get to the bottom of actual collusion in the course of the 2016 election, it would be that of the Democrats with the Fusion GPS smear outfit. Kim Strassel's Wall Street Journal column updates the story of the appearance of two Fusion GPS principals before the House Intelligence Committee. In "The case of Fusion GPS," I noted the intention of company witnesses to claim the  Read MORE Here: http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2017/10/the-fusion-collusion.php 

THAT’S WAY TOO MUCH READING; HOW ABOUT A FEW MORE SHORT TAKES

• Electric cars are all in the news. Charging stations will be needed all over. BUT—How about hardening the Electric Power Grid against sunspots or EMPs?
• Welfare overhaul is underway, starting with reining in runaway SNAP (food stamps) and trying to stop illicit disability doctors.
• Regulations need to be trimmed, that’s for sure, but filling new jobs in the Trump administration has be horribly slowed by Dems dirty tricks in Congress.
• Filling judge spots in the courts is critical; so is restaffing the agencies like the NLRB (Labor) and EPA (Environment) ...plus many others in the “Deep State”
• A new thing in home buying…finding an equity partner to take on part of the down payment, in return for a sizable share of future appreciation—watch for it.
• Gridlock is running off some of the better members of Congress. They are tired of not getting much done, but taking the heat for recalcitrant colleagues selfish wants.
• Apartments and condos popping up everywhere, but streets and facilities will be strained by the population density—people and cars. Who’s doing what on that?
• Beware of Bitcoin. It’s not for the amateur or faint of heart.
• The stock market is up because part of the economy is doing great—in fact a lot of it—(and natural disasters, cause new spending to recover—a shame, but true).
• What’s not up: Old style retailing. It must reinvent itself or it will be gone. Malls are becoming versatile real estate but not for stores.
• Jobs are being created..new tech jobs especially…in robotics, cybertech, and so forth. (A whole edition could be done on Cyber-everything…)
• Who says older workers can’t learn new tech—put down your smartphone, TV remote/streaming, iPad, stop using ATMs, self-checkout, etc., and go find a job.
• Health care will change—it must. And good advice will be needed—especially for older folks—and younger folks. Who will  offer it?
• Taxes will change—and hopefully get simpler—for everyone. Maybe the tax preparers and help advise on health care choices.

 

OK—time to Stop.

IF YOU READ THIS FAR, YOU ARE TRULY HUNGRY FOR INFO THAT IS NOT “FAKE NEWS.”

STAY WELL…AND BE PATIENT AND TOLERANT…CHANGE IS COMING.

JOHN

 

THANKS TO ALL WHO BOUGHT “HANDS UP”… Here are what a few people who have read it say about Hands Up! 

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