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..There's a little Samuel Pepys in all of us..

Thursday, November 06, 2008

So..
It's to be Barack for the next four years..with the American people, in record numbers showing up to exercise their franchise.. and giving the Democrats a President..the House..and the Senate.
Okay.
Now while there has been little concrete said about the plan Barack and his advisers have been working on to give 'Joe the plumber' back his livelihood.. but what has been said..with the oft-repeated line 'let's get back to a buy American attitude'.. would suggest this new Presidency is planning import tariffs, which will be used, ostensibly, to turn American manufacturing green..and competitive in nature with that which can be bought abroad..
But there is always a quid pro quo..
America, if it imposes tariffs on imports from say.. China.. can expect similar moves from the Chinese government.. restricting American growth into their ever increasing market..
And Barack seems to have indicated that his real focus in going to change as far as Middle Eastern foreign policy is concerned.. Removing troops from Iraq.. and bolstering their presence in Afghanistan. To take the 'War on Terror' to where Barack and his people see as it's root.. and to prioritise the capture of Osama bin Laden himself..
Stirring words..
But what of the instability the removal of a significant number of troops from Iraq will cause.. Will the major military presence in that country while some civil order is restored be left to the British..?
Something to ponder.. Will we be left to clean up what was an American war, while maintaining our own troop level in Afghanistan..

But.. the world rejoices at Baraks victory.. and expects much of this man..
There will certainly be a honeymoon period wherein some of the programs to help small business are quickly put into place and monies distributed through what will be more receptive banks..
But the facts are.. unemployment is on the rise in the US.. as it is around the world..
Consumer confidence is close to an all time low.. the High Streets are expecting a lean Christmas this year.. with one major clothing chain already forecasting their January figures will be significantly down over last year..
The housing market's usually a good indicator of the state of the general economy.. and there are fewer housing starts this last quarter than there has been in over 30 years..
While there is still a need for housing.. neither the man on the street nor Councils are prepared.. or in most cases, unable.. to finance major projects..
Interest rates are expected to fall again later today.. with the expectation of a half point drop to set the new rate at 4%.. But, the markets expect this, and it will have less impact than the new unemployment figures..
So Barack.. you have to put the American back in American.. so as prospers the United States.. so prospers the rest of us..
For now.. at least..

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