The legions of unemployed peasants will someday bring down our imperial president.
By Dan Kennedy
At this point the title ‘president’ seems so inadequate. Something grander and more glorious and imperial is needed. For want of any better idea, I’ve decided to use “The Great And Wonderful Ozbama.”
After all, just four months into his reign, he has waved his wizard’s wand over just about every aspect of American commerce, law and society. He’s taken over entire corporations, dictating to them everything from the firing and hiring of CEO’s to the make-up of their corporate boards – even to their ad budgets. State’s rights are antiquated, as Governor Schwarzenegger is discovering. The rule of law is now subordinate to His rule, as Chrysler bondholders and bankruptcy court judges are discovering.
Andthose are just previews of far more pervasive takeovers and acutedisregard for individuals’ rights to come. It’s the price to be paidfor the “progressive” agenda of the Ozbama.
There is, however, a trap door beneath his throne. The floor on which he poses may seem solid to him now. But …
Theunemployment statistics reported daily in mainstream media fail to tellthe whole story. In fact, they conceal the most important parts of it.Some states are already in double digits, at 10 percent, 12 percent andclimbing. But how does a 31 percent number strike you? According toHarper’s Index in Harper’s Magazine, as of March 2009, the percentageof men over 20 years of age who are unemployed is 31 percent. Chancesthat an American who has been unemployed since December of 2007 is aman: 4 in 5.
Aspolitically incorrect as it may be to say it, these stats suggest thatthe unemployment rate among primary breadwinners and family leaders ismuch higher than the 8 percent or 9 percent general number, and thatmeans that the cancerous, insidious weakness of this economy is alreadymuch farther advanced and of more dangerous extreme than understood bymost politicians, financial pundits, or media commentators.
Weare nearer a breaking point than most might imagine. I do not know whatthat breaking point number is; a third of men and a fifth of primarybreadwinners long unemployed? Half the men and a quarter of primarybreadwinners? Even worse? At some point, they – the masses of unemployed – will pull the switch that springs open the hidden trap door beneath the Ozbama’s throne.
Everything the Ozbama is doing to re-craft Americain His vision is worsening this unemployment number – not, as Heclaims, helping it. That’s because everything He is doing is inspiringa flight of investment capital, and destroying small business. Thetakeover of GM and Chrysler at the expense of well over 1,000dealerships and of bondholders and lenders who had paid for firstposition security now stripped from them destroys more jobs thanpreserving the shrunken manufacturers saves. It also warns investorsand lenders to avoid putting a penny of new money into anything Hemight decide to dictate to or confiscate as His own at any time in thefuture.
Thisis the pattern of His every act: save one job by destroying ten; spenda government printed dollar in a way that scares ten private dollarsinto hiding. For a time, His frenetic pace can conceal the destruction.For a time, He can bully frightened business leaders with his threats,demonizing and disregard for law, for a time He can buffalo theoh-so-compliant media with daily grand pronouncements and legerdemain.But He cannot stop the reality of primary breadwinner unemploymentclimbing; His own actions and mandates guarantee it.
Atthat breaking point, He will suddenly find the trap door opened beneathHis feet. His poll numbers will plummet, His adoring fans will gosilent, His media sycophants morph to critics, even His own party willdesert him. His presidency will be impotent, His dictatorial takeoverstalled and stymied.
This, ironically and sadly, is the hope we must believe in.
DanKennedy is a serial entrepreneur, adviser to business owners,sought-after speaker and author of 13 books. More information about Dancan be found at www.NoBSBooks.com, and a free collection of his business resources including newsletters and webinars at www.DanKennedy.com.