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Marilyn and I watched the Vice Presidential debates last night.  No real fireworks and no major stumbles, I would say both of them did slightly better than was expected.  Of course, more was expected of Biden than Palin, but then it could be argued that more should be expected of him.  He has way more debate experience and is much smarter.

I have had this opinion pretty much since she was announced and last night just confirmed it:  She is the epitomy of an average American.  She is the distillation of all those hockey (soccer) moms and Joe Sixpacks around the country.  I know dozens of women just like her.  I wouldn’t vote for a single one of them.

Average isn’t good enough to run a country.  I want smart people in charge.  She’s not that person.

All her “You are darn right”s and “You betcha”s belie a certain shallowness of thought that this country can’t afford.  Marilyn made the observation that it wouldn’t be all that surprising to get a note from Palin asking if you would vote for her.  Check yes or no.

Biden was good.  He met my expectations almost exactly  without any of the flubs he is quite capable of.

One of the things I find really interesting is the word clouds of the debate.  What’s up with “also” and “going” being her big words?

I was pondering the bailout bill today and realized that I have an inherent conflict of interest in the matter and therefore won’t be commenting much.

I think handing Wall Street (or anybody for that matter) $700 billion is just plain stupid.  Taking the risk out of financial markets removes the only downside to making stupid loans at historically low rates.  And it doesn’t do a single thing to stop the foreclosures that are wreaking havoc on our country.

That having been said, I am now in the market for a house.  The more foreclosures, the better for me and my family, as it increases the supply and lowers the price of the available houses.  A giddy and cash-flush financial market will mean low rates on new mortgages.  Win-win for me and mine.

For perhaps the first time in my life, what is good for America and middle-class Americans, at least in the short term, isn’t in my best interest.

So, to all the Congress critters out there, if you are gonna do something stupid, do something stupid for me.

I’m a little disappointed that John McCain decided to show up for the Presidential debate.  I was looking forward to watching Obama debate an empty chair.  I’m sure the chair would have just sat there, but it is better than watching McCain lie there.

If you think that officials should get a vote because of how much beer you could guzzle with them or because they have good “values”, you have got to read this.  It is quite the eye-opener.

I show this because I think that many people fall in love (or hate) with a word while forgetting what it actually means.  Republicans have fallen in love with the word “deregulate” without understanding what happens when you actually deregulate something.  By regulating commerce, you take out some of the volatility of a market.  Sure, you limit the number of outrageous gains that can be made in an unregulated environment, but you also get rid of the downswings that end in market crashes (and massive taxpayer bailouts).  Regulation is not a bad thing, per se.  Inept or incompetent regulation is bad, of course, but that’s why you should elect smart people to positions of oversight.  Regulation of industries and markets are not the problem. It’s the people who are too lazy, too stupid or too greedy to engage in the oversight properly that are the problem.

It would take a fool or a madman to argue that the regulations that require infant formula to be of a certain quality are bad.  Or that the regulations that removed lead from paint and gas are not needed.  Those are situations that volatility is unacceptable, it can’t be good one day and bad the next, because the bad makes people die. 

Taking the volatility out of the financial markets is comparable in my opinion.  Lives and livelihoods depend on stability in these markets.  If that means Joe Billionaire can’t get a 400 million dollar bonus, I can live with that.

Regulation is not a bad thing.  Stupid regulators are a bad thing.  Elect smart people and your problem is solved.

Has anyone else noticed that McCain sells himself as a maverick because he breaks with his party (presumably because they are wrong), but then encourages us to vote for his party?  Wouldn’t that just mean you are putting more people that need to be opposed into office?

After almost eight years, G. W. Bush has finally succeeded at doing something.  Check out this headline:

Bush says he’s working hard on economic turmoil

Well after 8 years of deregulation of the markets, he and his buddies have gotten the economic turmoil they’ve been working so hard for.

A major American political party just nominated a Black man to be its Presidential candidate.

Wow.  I can’t express how proud I am of the Democratic Party and America right now.  Way to go folks.

Historic times, I’m glad to witness them and be on the right side of them.

Jesse Helms died last night.  I think everyone that is glad to see a lying, bigoted scumbag gone from the face of the earth should shoot off fireworks in celebration of his passing today.

Good riddance, bad rubbish.

For all of those out there that don’t know the answers to all of the stupid Obama rumors: