Unemployment & the Poor Housing Market: Mutual Solutions?

It's actually possible that unemployment and the poor housing market may be at least partial solutions for each other. Consider the fact that if you are unemployed, along with many others in your area, it is likely that you will have to go somewhere else to find a good job. If you go somewhere else, you will have to get a home there. When you look for that home, you will be helped by the facts that home prices are depressed and interest rates are low. In order to move, you will have to go through the ordeal of selling your existing home, but it is likely that you have more equity in your current home than the amount you will need for a downpayment on your new home. That means that you will have some remaining capital as you start your new job in your new location. Having cash resources will allow you to furnish and remodel your new home as desired. Spending that money to get your new house ready will contribute to improving the economy, which will create more jobs and make more people able to afford a new house. In every transaction, someone spends money to get something he or she wants, and the seller of that product or service gets cash to do the same thing later on. Spending circulates cash and builds up the economy. Spending only cash that you already own builds up the economy more slowly than spending other people's money through loans and credit cards, but it is a lot safer in times like these.

Would You Want to Be President of the United States?

My mother told me when I was a child that I could grow up to be President of the United States. I am continually grateful that she was wrong on that one. I can't think of a more burdensome or more thankless job, especially in this age when so many people of each party think that anyone who disagrees with their political views is evil.

As we approach the Iowa Caucus, the New Hampshire Primary, and the rest of the pending highly-accelerated primary season, ask yourself why all of the folks who are running for President are doing so...About the only reason that would attract me would be that by running and losing, I might gain some name recognition that would sell some books. Nothing sells books like celebrity!

Seriously, there are reasons for running for President. Some of them are listed below. Think about matching these reasons to the current candidates. It might be an educational and amusing exercise...

• I have all the money I could possibly want. Now it's time to try for power.
• I really want to make a difference, and I think I have the skills to do it.
• If I don't run for President, I'll be out of a job.
• The longer I run, the more books I sell.
• I have to convince people that there is such a thing as a liberal conservative.
• I have to convince people that there is such a thing as a conservative liberal.
• Nobody ever paid attention to me, but I have good ideas, and this is the way to get people to listen to them.
• The country needs someone with my long and varied experience.
• The country needs someone new like me, unencumbered by all that tedious experience.
• I represent the people of faith.
• I represent the faith of the people.
• I want to prove that I'm a delightful person.
• I want to prove that I'm an insightful person.
• I want to prove that I'm an inciteful person.
• If I don't run this year, I may never see another year when there is neither an incumbent President nor a Vice-President running.
• I want to be the first _____________ to be President.