They’re having trouble reconciling the two bills, because 1) there is no helpful input from the Republicans (who still define “leadership” in terms of Bush, Cheney, and Palin), and 2) the Democrats are such an impotent embarrassment to our Party that even a lifelong liberal member such as myself is sickened by them.
The simple solution is this: Baseball Arbitration (also known as Pendulum Arbitration).
Here’s how it would work: the reconciliation committee sets a deadline for its work. If there is no resolution by the deadline, the two existing plans–the House Plan and the Senate Plan–are submitted to…someone…who then picks one of the two plans. One or the other. Whichever this Someone feels is the better plan.
And that will be our new Health Care Law.
Who should the final arbiter be? I don’t care. Let the Republicans be the arbiter. That would be fine with me, and would give them some input. If they refuse to do so (based on their “principles”), I don’t care who makes the decision–Clarence Thomas? Samuel Alito? The President? Rush Limbaugh? A coin flip? Me?–it really doesn’t matter.
Because thus far, the Democrats are showing poor leadership in the aftermath of having passed two “workable” health care plans, followed by nothing but head-scratching and nose-picking while they try and resolve the “differences”. There appears to be a good chance that they’ll just “give up”, when Baseball Arbitration would get something done that would benefit the country.
Would passage of one or another of these plans–as the Republicans fear–be the end of civilization as we know it? Guess what: Probably not. Why not? Because we have elections every couple of years. The Dems will lose seats in the next one (as they deserve), and any parts of the new law which turn out to be horrible can be fixed by the new, wiser, and more-Republicany next Congress. Go get ‘em New Guys and Gals! I wish you the best.
But in the meantime, let’s get something done. Baseball Arbitration would be preferable to…nothing.
This time around, I had two stocks show up on my screener that were so crazy-looking, that–well, I have to get them both.
Which I’m fine with. I’ll get “half portions” of each one. I like the fact that each one adds to my diversification, since I’ve never bought anything like them before. First up is Lincoln Educational Services, Inc. (LINC), which does post-secondary education services in New Jersey. How can you miss with that?
And after a hard day of schooling on the “Jersey Shore”, what do the Guidos and Guidettes (not trying to be offensive here, paisons, I’m just going with the Jersey theme today) need to replenish their energy? How about a few shares of American Italian Pasta, Co. (AIPC)? Yum! Deliciously profitable, I am hoping.
Am I getting silly with my picks? People probably thought so with my China Automotive (CAAS) and it has just about quadrupled since June. (And as a matter of fact, I may be selling that one tomorrow to fund these latest Jersey-oriented purchases–P.S.: I’m lying, AIPC is based in Kansas City, Missouri). I’ve recommended, bought and sold licorice maker M&F Worldwide (MFW) here twice now, and I’ve stopped counting how much money I’ve made off of that one. Kaching!
They do something or other in the electronics industry.
Still not finding much that gets me excited in the market these days–although it has ended up being a good year after all, with a 39% return over the course of the year compared to Dow’s 20% and S&P500’s 28%.
Matter of fact, ever since I have gotten back into the market in January, 2001, (after pulling out to celebrate Y2K) I have beaten the S&P500 each and every year, as follows:
I have been in the Marketocracy 100 for 52 months in a row now (42 months in their Top Ten), and have an “unrecognized” (so far) Energy Fund there which has performed even better.
This month I’m going with (unenthusiastically, as has been my pattern of late) another Chinese company–salt-maker (?!) Gulf Resources (GFRE).
As a matter of fact, I’m selling off some more of my one and only other Chinese investment, Chinese Automotive Systems, Inc. (CAAS), to raise the funds to purchase “Mr. Salty”. You might recall that I recommended Chinese Automotive Systems here back on June 22, and it is flirting with having quadrupled since then.
Again, I’m not thrilled with this company and won’t be betting the farm on it. I know next-to-nothing about the Chinese economy, and am definitely going to tread softly.
This story pops up in our local paper from time to time. It’s weird enough that it finally made it to the WALL STREET JOURNAL:
LAS VEGAS — During a year-long gambling binge at the Caesars Palace and Rio casinos in 2007, Terrance Watanabe managed to lose nearly $127 million.
The run is believed to be one of the biggest losing streaks by an individual in Las Vegas history. It devoured much of Mr. Watanabe’s personal fortune, he says, which he built up over more than two decades running his family’s party-favor import business in Omaha, Neb. It also benefitted the two casinos’ parent company, Harrah’s Entertainment Inc., which derived about 5.6% of its Las Vegas gambling revenue from Mr. Watanabe that year.
Today, Mr. Watanabe and Harrah’s are fighting over another issue: whether the casino company bears some of the responsibility for his losses.
In a civil suit filed in Clark County District Court last month, Mr. Watanabe, 52 years old, says casino staff routinely plied him with liquor and pain medication as part of a systematic plan to keep him gambling.
Nevada’s Gaming Control Board has opened a separate investigation into whether Harrah’s violated gambling regulations, based on allegations made by Mr. Watanabe….[Rest of story]
Once again–and this is happening all too often–I’m not finding any one stock that I’m particularly thrilled with, so I’ll give you a couple that I’m “half-thrilled” with so that you can diversify. First up, Credit Acceptance Corp (CACC), and second up, Fairfax Financial Holdings (FFH). These are both pretty big companies in the financial sector (that cursed financial sector!), and I have nothing to backup my selections other than that they showed up on my screen.
I’m feeling smug lately, because my China Automotive Systems (CAAS) has tripled for me since recommended here on June 22. As I indicated in that post, I was taking a fairly large position in that, so yes–I’m lighting my cigars with hundred dollar bills this week.
Will these two stocks do as well? (Quick answer: Almost certainly not!)
So the House has passed a health care bill.
