Can you imagine the first time he's asked a question about one of the ten principles [other than NO TAX INCREASES]? I can. Stunned silence, followed by days of what-McCain-meant-to-say ass cover.

And how will the media treat it? Like McCain's the Oracle of Delphi, come down to allow us to drink wisdom from his loins. Now that he's essentially irrelevant, the DC media can return to its comfortable position fluffing McCain as the Last Honest Man. McCain's "plan" will allow the media to treat him as a counter-weight to Obama, even if he's not one in reality. Then they'll all go to his ranch, eat hot dogs and ride the tire swing.

Too little too late. I'm afraid John McCain is making himself out to be a sore loser, also a whiner, for someone who knows nothing about economics he really should not be ridiculing the president's economic plan.

he doesn't really understand economic policy -- really need to pursue a project like this?

Sure... tell us what you find in about ten years. That's what it takes for a senator to get a grasp of economics from square one if he works really hard.

Please send annual progress reports.

Assignment 1: A thesis on John Maynard Keynes. Why you disagree, your alternatives, and a proposal of a pilot program to be hosted by the Red state of your choice. (Governor signature required.)

Marc Buse, asked an outside adviser for help with a "ten principles" program that the senator could use as a "definitive" platform.

I wonder if they came up with the number ten because it represents the etching capacity of two stone tablets.

Principle #1: Get all mavericky with the economy in there

It occurs to me that if you are truly formulating a list of heartfelt principles, things that absolutely "must be done" to save our economy, then you aren't going to be able to shoehorn it into EXACTLY "ten principles." There might be four, or seven, or eighteen.

However, if you're just looking to make a big scene and attract even more attention from your adoring media, then sure, go with ten!

Why isn't he flying aboard Bud 1 to Juneau to help St Sarah, whose budget appears to be DOA at the legislature? And, John, love, Alaska Amber is ever sooo much better than Bud. Try the one with the seaplane on the label, as well. St Sarah needs you, John.

Steve is absolutely right, the order of things here, i.e. the run for the presidency first and then the compilation of economic principles is an implicit acknowledgement of McCain's absolute lack of competence in this area.

What boggles the mind though is not only how McCain’s office approached this, but that McCain is already the second prominent Republican (after Boehner) to try and solicit economic advice via email. What this suggests is that not only is the GOP leadership devoid of economic competence, they don’t even know who to turn to among academics or private sector experts.

There is however also one possibly positive aspect: Phil Gramm seems to be out as economic advisor. Maybe even some of the Republicans realize what an absolute disaster the financial policy principles of that guy have been.

it's obvious: newt gringrich is the only hope for the future of the republican party.

gawd! i am sooo happy this morning...

Done:

1. short-term profit and maximum aggregation of capital are our only goals
2. no other goal or collective action can supercede 1. e.g. No Taxes.
3. any criticism of 1. makes you a "socialist"
4. maximize productivity by cutting vacations and working weekends
5. cut social security and medicare
6. substantially increase defense spending
7. marry your mistress (if she's wealthy)
8. steal
9. lie
10. covet

A complete economic platform for John McCrap:

Since Ronald Reagan was our president, we have had 28 years of continuous prosperity. Now that the socialist Obama is president, our economy has fallen apart. As a republican, I understand that it is not entirely Obama’s fault. The foundations for the economy failing were set during the Clinton presidency.

What are the causes of our economic collapse?

The primary cause of our economic collapse is the economic policies of Obama. History shows us that Obama’s economics are like that of Franklin ‘commie’ Roosevelt and everyone knows that Roosevelt’s economic policies are what caused the Great Depression. Similarly, Obama’s economic policies are what have caused this Recession.

The collapse of the housing market is one of the secondary problems with our economy. It is obviously a conspiracy by the liberal press and the democrats to place any blame upon the New York financial system. Everyone knows that it is the unfettered borrowing by poor people that is the main cause of this problem. A secondary cause is that families making $40-$100K a year have gotten mortgages that are way too big for their finances. If these working families had not been so greedy and if banks had not been forced to load money to blacks and latinos, we would not have this crisis.

Now, we have a ‘credit crisis’ that is causing problems for the economy. Obviously, this was caused by the Clinton administration and by forcing banks to loan money to low income people who were not credit worthy.

Additionally, we have a major debt crisis for our country. Everyone knows that the foundations for this were set in the Clinton administration and have been compounded by the Obama administration. During their years in office, the Bush administration was unable to stop the democrats in Congress from their irresponsible spending habits.

What are the solutions to our economic collapse?

With the short term inability to impeach Obama for his reckless socialism, we need to quickly implement programs that we know work to address our economic crisis.

1) Use proven spending programs to stimulate the economy:
a. Everyone knows that the defense industries are major employers in our country.
b. A major increase in defense spending will provide jobs for good Americans.

2) Control the deficit by implementing fiscal responsibility at the federal level:
a. A freeze on federal spending other than defense should be done immediately.
b. Reductions in federal social welfare programs of at least 10% should occur.
c. Unemployment benefits should be the provenance of the states and should not be federally funded.
d. Eliminate ‘pork’ in the federal spending.

3) Stimulate investment in the economy:
a. Reduce corporate tax rates.
b. Eliminate the death tax.
c. As the economy is driven by investors:
- Eliminate taxation of investment income.
- Reduce the marginal tax rate of those making more than $1M a year to zero.

4) Reduce the federal deficit:
a. Marginal tax rates for non-investment income should be doubled for those making under $1M a year.
b. As social security is a major cause of the deficit:
- Increase payroll taxes
- Decrease the cap on collection to $100K per year
- Increase social security retirement ages to 72 ½
- Decrease benefits for current & future retirees by 25%

5) Eliminate the mortgage crisis:
a. Foreclose on all the low income deadbeats who the government forced banks to loan money to.
- Forbid federal funds being used to assist these deadbeats.
b. Form a fund to provide financial support to the banks that the deadbeats and democrats have bankrupted.
- As they are the cause of this problem, fund this program by a 10% income tax surcharge on those making less than $100K a year.

6) Address health care costs (even though it is irresponsible to say that these costs are part of the economic problems):
a. Eliminate federal funding for health care.
b. Eliminate federal mandates for health care.
c. Eliminate federal oversight of the health care insurance industry.
d. Eliminate federal oversight of the health care industry.
e. Eliminate federal oversight of the pharmacology industry.
f. Eliminate tax deductibility for business expenditures for insurance coverage of employees.

Look for "reduce or eliminate capital gains taxes" in McCain's "bold plan" even though the CG tax cut is the biggest fraud and mere donor-reward program in the political business. Most CGs are from trading and flipping, not real productive investment (only first time capitalization should get a break.) But ReRushlickins love to push this quakery, especially pretend "new thinkers" like Gingrich who is actually just the worst cynical and dishonest repackager.

7. marry your mistress (if she's wealthy. If she also owns her own beer factory, then dump current wife ASAP, regardless of her health, past devotion, or number of your children she bore)

Fixed it for ya

1. Require that all 10 Principles be carven in stone, creating Good Jobs for Joe the (non-union) Stonemason.

2. Mandate (under threat of filibuster) that the Carven Principles be placed in a prominent place for all to see, like, um, the Rotunda.

7. Sell fringe states like Arizona, South Carolina, and Alaska back to respectively, Mexico, the Taliban, and Russia to raise money for the Real States.

Is America great or what? Where else, could one sell off a few houses and buy some principles, selected by others?

Sorry, but I'm still stunned by the media attention this clown continues to get. The last senator to lose a presidential campaign--another John--got no media coverage for months after his loss.

How I wish the media would treat McCain the way they treated Kerry.

The old McCain: self-centered jerk.
The new McCain: bitter, self-centered jerk.

After all his years as a US Senator, he needs outside help to come up with 10 principles? And he wants to model it on a 15 year old stunt?
Pathetic.

Raivo Pommer
raimo1@hot.ee

HEDGE-FOND

Die Kapitalabflüsse gestalteten sich in der Branche in Europa und den Vereinigten Staaten allerdings sehr unterschiedlich: Während amerikanische Hedge-Fonds in großem Umfang juristische Sperren nutzten, die eine sofortige Rückzahlung von Anlagegeld an die Kunden beschränkten oder hinauszögerten (Gates), ist dies bei europäischen Hedge-Fonds weniger üblich. Auch gibt es in Europa mehr Dachfonds, in die Privatinvestoren investieren. Diese hatten die erste Kündigungswelle bei Hedge-Fonds im Herbst 2008 ausgelöst. Die Kapitalabflüsse aus Hedge-Fonds waren daher in der zweiten Jahreshälfte vor allem in Europa relativ hoch. Die Mittel europäischer Hedge-Fonds schrumpften nach Einschätzung von Morgan Stanley um 25 bis 30 Prozent.

In den Vereinigten Staaten beliefen sich die Mittelabflüsse zunächst „nur“ auf 15 bis 20 Prozent. Dies erklärt, warum der weltweite Verband der Hedge-Fonds, die Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA), kürzlich bekanntgab, dass das Anlagekapital der 1200 bei der AIMA registrierten Mitglieder jetzt zum Großteil von institutionellen Investoren gehalten werde und nicht mehr von vermögenden Einzelpersonen, wie dies früher der Fall gewesen war.

Is principles really the right word for something you pay a consultant to tell you?

Norm Coleman says its not too late to redo last year's presidential election.

I can't tell. Is Sad Old Vet joking? Sure reads like a blueprint for disaster.

Gigolo John, still ambitious after all these years.

I hope he gives Joe the Plumber credit for his intellectual contributions to the project. I'd hate to see McLame lose his credibility because he plagerized.