Channeling Lincoln...

I was just having a conversation last night at a Lincoln Day Dinner, and the consensus at the table was that we understand the compound folks. If I had kids, I would be stocking up, and going into lock down.

At this dinner, the Pike County Historical Society had brought the American flag that Lincoln's Head was placed the night he was shot in Ford's Theater. It was moving and it made me reflect on what is happening now and how we should be thinking and approaching solutions.

What is unfortunate I think is that I think we may have missed how "hopeless" and "helpless" the electorate felt that they were just willing to try ANYTHING, and how utterly frustrated they were with being unable to change their situation on their own. On a Macro level we see evidence of that with the series of ineffective solutions to date from Congress, the Fed, etc.

I think that in man's recognition of mortality, survival instincts have kicked in, but in recent history, it has been rare that a person has had to "fight to the death". Think about it. The last global battle was WORLD WAR II!!! How long did it take for the world to recognize that there was problem? When the IPO, DOT BOMB happened, it was limited damage, because of the exposure was mainly with paper valuations. But it occurred after too many people tried to get rich quick without a sound business plan, and straying away from basic business fundamentals of quantifiable capital and demonstrative revenue. At the core of the current issue, is the same thing that happened with the tech, the capital was an "IDEA" that was not quantifiable. Whether the IDEA of Capital was a Mortgaged Back Security or the speculative new housing developments that folks were guessing that they would be able to quickly flip the house, the capital was not QUANTIFIABLE and the REVENUE was not Demonstrative....Money was made on the SALE not on the sustainability of the model. Folks were just guessing.

I remember when the Margin calls first started coming in...and I watched millions in my portfolio dwindle away... but we took our lumps and moved on. The challenge this time is that the folks just want to pass their problem to the next person. No one wants to take their lumps. I strongly believe that this mentality is steeped in the removal of discipline from several generations. Without a mechanism to reinforce PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR ONE'S ACTION, we are in effect, ineffective with handling, dealing or overcoming a challenge as an individual.

I mean just think...we have books on tape, so you don't have to read anymore, we have microwaves and TV dinners, so you don't have to know how to cook, PDA's so you don't have to memorize phone numbers and appointments. We have a country of PROJECT MANAGERS, with no practical life experiences, so they are just accepting whatever status report that comes in and updates them on what is happening to them. Any person that had a bit of practical experience could not in good conscience believe that there was NO REAL ESTATE BUBBLE. Price in relation to poor construction and too much supply? The salvage value of real property on new was like 5 years.

A culture of people who came to accept DISPOSABLE housing and no longer demanding DURABLE housing... Not understanding what happened to them, and not knowing how to resolve the issue, or power through the difficulty....

Well, here we are....

I suggest we do what we believe, pull up our bootstraps and wade through this Swamp of Bull$#it, Lead by example and POWER THROUGH. On the 200th anniversary of the birth of the man that pulled the United States of America Back together when Most saw no light at the end of the tunnel. Our Founder Abraham Lincoln would expect NO LESS!!!! It won't be easy or painless. THERE WILL BE CASUALTIES. BROTHER AGAINST BROTHER... We each have a little Lincoln inside of us. Channel that and put on the whole Armour of GOD. The truth and history is with us, go take an nap and get some rest... YOU WILL NEED IT IN THE BATTLE AHEAD!!!!