I’ve recently had an epiphany. This vision of mine with both save the American economy and also public education. All public school teachers should be graded on a scale of 1-10. If a teacher is underperforming and ranks under a 7, this teacher would face the guillotine. This would promote an increase in educational standards for teachers. Also, this could save the economy. New guillotine manufacturers would pop up across America. Imagine the stimulation! In fact, this could save General Motors. Just think. All of those cars that aren’t selling could be melted down and repurposed as guillotines. Perfect.
A Note to President Obama
Mr. President,
Congratulations on your historic victory. January 20th, 2009, will be a day long remembered in the history of our nation. Today I would like to expound on two issues that have come up since your inauguration. First and foremost is the economic situation today. Secondly, I would like to mention the automotive industry. These issues must be dealt with if America is to remain a capitalist superpower during the next decade.
I do not wish to cast blame for the economic bind that America finds itself in today. Pointing fingers is useful only for wasting time while the problem escalates. Instead, we should focus getting out of our quagmire, and all accept responsibility. The recession cannot be blamed on any one person or entity. It was the fault of lenders that landed American families in homes that they could not afford. It was the fault of Americans for accepting preposterous loans that they must surely know they could not afford. It was the fault of our government for allowing lenders to land Americans in homes they can’t afford. I think that your office knows this as well as I do. Now, it’s affecting everyone.
One must applaud your efforts on Capitol Hill to fix this situation. It is apparent that you truly believe that America is worth fighting for, as I do. But now I must ask: Is spending money the way to fix this? Where does this money come from? As an American of seventeen short years of age, I was once considered to be a part of the bright future of America. Now my generation must carry over a trillion dollars of new debt. This money cannot just appear out of the sky. You talk of cutting the national debt in half. Ridiculous! How can it go away if we keep on pulling money out of nowhere? I do not want your generation’s debt. Paying for America’s debt that was established before I could even vote is not an attractive prospect. Furthermore, what right does Congress have to spend money that I will have to be held accountable for? At seventeen, I did not vote for them! I’ve talked with many colleagues about this subject and we all agree: My generation should not be responsible for your generation’s misdeeds. See, sometimes you have to take the fall. You can’t always shirk responsibility off to others. Take ownership of these many mistakes! Make a fresh start. Some might say that it is impossible to do that with economics. Some would also say that it is impossible to save money if you have to spend money. Still others would say that money doesn’t just come out of thin air, and that printing money has no positive effect on the value of that money (just ask Post-WWII Germany). So please. Be very thoughtful in the process of signing away trillions of dollars for the sake of helping America.
The automotive industry is very near and dear to my heart. Besides flying, driving is perhaps one of the most exhilarating experiences on Earth. Until recently, American automobile manufacturers have not created exhilarating products. Sure, there have been a few notables. The Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Corvette come to mind. In the past two years however, American manufacturers have begun to release truly compelling material, without government intervention. The second generation Cadillac CTS, introduced in 2008, is truly a fantastic machine. It competes with such German marques as the BMW 3-series and the Mercedes-Benz C-class. The 2008 Chevy Malibu absolutely shames the Toyota Camry in terms of comfort, quality of materials, and price. After all, it was the 2008 North American Car of the Year. And the Camry hasn’t been. You, Mr. President, of all people, should know that America makes competitive cars. It’s a well known fact that you owned a Chrysler 300C while you were a Senator. The Chrysler 300C has received more awards than any automobile in history in its year of introduction. And now the government has come in and decided that a committee should decide the future of the American automobile manufacturer. A committee of the same people who let greed and corruption run rampant and send America into the slums of recession. Instead, I suggest that the manufacturers be allowed to run on their own. Do not set gas mileage standards. That prohibits the creation of the cars that form America’s heart and soul. No enthusiast would purchase a four-cylinder hybrid Mustang. The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid has the highest gas mileage rating of any mid-sized sedan and was created without a government watchdog. I have great faith in the American auto manufacturer and wish the government did as well.
In the end, all I ask is that you remain in touch with the future of America. Don’t think about making it just through the next fiscal year, but remain vigilant with an eye on the next century. Make this government not only work, but last. Only then can America remain a force to be reckoned with in the world economy.
Sincerely yours,
Mitchell Scott
Early Review of No Line on the Horizon
It’s no secret that U2 is my favorite band of all time. If you’re looking for an unbiased review, this isn’t it. With that being said, their newest album, No Line on the Horizon is excellent. All U2 albums have always had a very recognizable sound. It’s hard to describe in words, but it’s apparent when you’re listening to a U2 album of any era. With the album How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb this sound changed slightly. It took on what can best be described as a true pop-rock sound. It was, to be honest, a little awkward. No Line on the Horizon refines this sound while honoring the classic U2 themes. It works fairly well. However, this album probably won’t create the bang that the group’s most famous album, Joshua Tree did. But that’s okay, it doesn’t need to. This album works well to continue a strong tradition of heartfelt anthems.
On the Economy
The popular media has recently been abuzz with news of the deep recession that America and the Western world seems to find itself in. It is incredibly easy to find oneself caught up on one side of two extremes. The first group of people seem to think that the recession is temporary. How could something so strong seemingly become so weak overnight? The other side sees the opposite end of the spectrum. This group believes that the recession is the most serious issue that we’ve faced as a civilized people in many years.
I agree with both sides. Think of the economy as a boat. Right now the economy has been hit by a cold iceberg. While over the last year we’ve seen signs of the ship starting to sink, it has become clear now that the ship is well on its way to becoming submerged. There are ways to save sinking ships. First you have to take off all the extra baggage. Extravagent spending, both on a government and corporate and personal level, must halt. The American Dream has gotten us into a bit of a bind. This also includes mass printing of money. The second step is absolutely essential, perhaps more so than the first step. There must be a strong tugboat to pull the damaged boat into port. The government is trying to do that currently. It’s good that they have shown initiative to fix the broken economy. While I don’t think it’s normally in the government’s place to do so, when Wall Street affects Main Street, it’s time for a big helping hand. The final step, which I am not ready to discuss yet, is sending the repaired ship out to sea again.
On the American Automotive Industry
While many Americans consider the U.S. automotive industry to have taken the last few years off in terms of quality and design, it’s hard for me to agree. Look at the results of the 2009 North American Auto Show at Detroit. These cars are overdue, but they represent a change of attitude in Detroit. Take a look at the next generation Ford Taurus. The current car is competent. It performs well and smoothly and is spacious and comfortable. Unfortunetly, in the current economoic climate, that doesn’t sell cars. You have to go above and beyond (percieved) performance and quality. Ford is doing that with the next generation Taurus. Just look at it. The Toyota Avalon looks absolutely dowdy in comparison. Ford has made another interior (the first being that of the Flex’s) that should worry Volkswagen. These are the sort of products that Americans will buy. Just one idea: change the name. Call it the Mondeo.
