"What's Going On ... What's Happening Brother"

Marvin Gaye released this song in 1971 and it is worth listening to. Just Google the song title and you can watch and listen to Marvin sing. It was calming to hear the nine minute version tonight after watching the last Obama/McCain Debate. Considering recent events the song title is very appropriate. However; I would change the wording to "What the Hell is Going On / Just What the Hell is Happening".

The daily events play out like a poorly written mini series. We have President Bush doing his imitation of a ground hog as he steps outside the safety of The White House to tell us the sky is not falling and then quickly run back inside lest he get hit on the head. Yesterday, the stock market was up over 700 points and today it was down over 700. Anderson Cooper continues to identify the Culprits responsible for the Collapse and we have been treated each night to these culprits explaining their innocence or justifying their mega million salaries and bonuses. Watching these crooks is enough to gag a maggot.

In his inaugural Address in 1961 John Kennedy stated, "Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country." How things have changed. Wall Street Executives and Bank Officials have followed instead the Gordon Gekko business model in that "Greed is Good". Their problem is now our problem and must be fixed with our money not their money. We have a rogues gallery of characters offering and explaining the latest version of the bail out/recovery plan. The problem is that for most middle class Americans we are still not sure exactly who or what is being bailed out. Home buyers can not buy, home sellers can not sell, 401K's are tanking, and cost for the basics is climbing.

The candidates' answer to this mess is to buy our vote. Both Obama and McCain are offering how they would implement the federal bail out plan and what additional perks Americans would receive if one or the other is elected. We are being tempted with Medical Premium help, college tuition assistance, reduced capital gains tax, reduced 401 early withdraw penalty, foreclosure moratorium, and much more. We don't have to ask what our country will do for us -- they are telling us. All we have to do is vote.

Virgil in the Aeneid wrote "Do not trust the horse, Trojans. Whatever it is, I fear the Greeks even when they bear gifts." Of course many of us know the story. The Trojans accepted the gift not knowing that Greek soldiers where hidden inside the huge horse. Under cover of night the Greek soldiers exited the horse and opened the gates of Troy to the Greek Army. Troy was defeated.

We must be wary of the candidates, all politicians, anyone connected with the U.S.Treasury and the Federal Reserve and of course anyone speaking for the current administration. Even bearing gifts these characters are not to be trusted. The gifts being offered come with a price tag. We have been spending money lavishly, foolishly,and carelessly both domestically and on misguided foreign ventures for too long. The result is that we are billions, if not trillions, in debt. Maybe it is time to ask what all of us we can do for our country. And the first group that should respond to this question are those who have profited the most. Wall Street and Bank Executives are you listening?

What's going on ... What has happened here? Who can we trust?