I believe in change.
I do not believe in politics as usual.
Horse trading behind closed doors isn’t change.
Has Scott Brown’s election defied the norm that all politics are local?
Yup.
Does Scott Brown’s victory represent change?
Jury hasn’t even been seated. However, I suspect it may actually be the first green chute to all of this change business.
I can honestly say that I was pleased with the results. Not because I am in alignment with his Republican cohorts, but because voters sent a message – not just locally, but nationally.
Now I openly profess that I voted for Obama despite the Neo-Con rhetoric bombarding me at home. In my short few months living back home in Texas, my father has almost convinced me that our President’s name isn’t Barack Hussein Obama, but God Damn Obama. While he hasn’t quite branded me with the cast iron “liberal” prod on my backside, he has broadly casts his brush to paint me with the same blue color – “you and your liberal friends” … needless to say, perhaps I put a smile on my father’s face after admitting Brown’s victory was a good thing.
I think I am more in alignment with the 51% of Massachusetts voters who identify with the Independent political affiliation … they are still in Massachusetts, let’s not kid ourselves – perhaps they’re not blue – maybe light blue.
I’m happy with the results because I want change. I buy that health care reform is a priority, but the option(s) presented by Congress today represent neither change nor reform. Again health care reform is important. I personally agree it’s a priority, yet under our current economic turmoil, is it job number one?
No.
In this morning’s Dallas Morning News I read an interesting article that may share a common theme with Scott Brown’s victory defying the politics is local norm – maybe all real estate is NOT local. While it doesn’t come as any surprise to all of us – except perhaps Congress – jobs do play a fairly significant role in driving the housing market. In fact, when people are employed, they tend to purchase homes.
Fascinating.
According to the article “Jobless Held Back by Homes”, those who are unemployed and seeking employment elsewhere are unable to sell their homes because they simply can’t afford to cover the mortgages on their homes. People’s ability and mobility are being significantly impacted. Perhaps the most dramatic prediction in the article was that the stagnant workforce may raise the long-term trend for unemployment by one percentage point and lower economic growth 0.3% a year through 2012.
In fact, the lack of mobility has already contributed to as much as 1.5% points higher in terms of the jobless rate, clocking in at around 10%. 15% in Michigan alone.
That’s over 1M people.
That’s a lot of houses.
I think maybe Scott Brown might want to talk a lot more about jobs, maybe health care second?
Just one more thought – I’m glad Scott Brown drives American. A Chevy Colorado I believe.
Mr. President – next time, you may not want to endorse the candidate, but you should at the very least endorse the truck.
It’s American.
It’s a Chevy.
You own the company.
Er… we own the company. Next time I want to buy GM stock, I’ll call my broker, not the US Treasury.
Brian Brady says:
Scott Brown drives a GMC Canyon, otherwise you’re dead-on.
Sorry to hear of your discontent with your choice in 2008. Now you know how I felt in 2005.
January 21, 2010 — 5:47 pm
Teri Lussier says:
>those who are unemployed and seeking employment elsewhere are unable to sell their homes because they simply can’t afford to cover the mortgages on their homes. People’s ability and mobility are being significantly impacted. Perhaps the most dramatic prediction in the article was that the stagnant workforce may raise the long-term trend for unemployment by one percentage point and lower economic growth 0.3% a year through 2012.
My partner and I are about to jump into the deep end of the short sale pool, god help us, because this is a very big problem. If we can’t move these homes and get people out of here, the double whammy of unemployment, foreclosures, abandonded housing stock, already a huge problem in this area, will turn so ugly so quickly, and without any sign of repair. There is a tipping point, my city might be there as we speak, that will make recovery impossible. And I’m not one to use the word impossible. It’s frightening.
January 23, 2010 — 8:24 am
Thomas Hall says:
@Brian – thanks for the clarification re: the Canyon versus the Colorado – but maybe that simply further underscores GM’s failures – too many vehicles for not enough buyers?
@Teri – I hope all goes well with the sale – thanks for sharing your comments. I unfortunately believe that this is a problem that simply will not be going away any time soon.
January 28, 2010 — 11:11 am