Elections, Buffet & the railroads and the legacy of Amelia Earheart
By Mark Monchek − November 04, 2009
One year after the most historic and engaged election since JFK we return to a lackluster, low-turnout midterm election. Now we are disenchanted with big government and therefore incumbents. The newly elected, mostly Republican challengers want less government and lower taxes… plus lower deficits and more services. Sorry but there is no money in the till. California tried this tactic and they’re near bankrupt.
Makes me want to unhook from the grid. With Obama backing Jon Corzine and Hamad Karzai it takes the air out of the inspiration I took from him.
On the other hand… there is some awesome inspiration coming from some unexpected places…
Warren Buffet finally opened up on what has really driven him all these year… papa wouldn’t buy him the toy train he longed for. So he saved up the 32 billion he needed, scrapping the thousands together over the years. Why is this so great now? Railroads are much cleaner and greener than trucks. They a throwback to our industrial past, the best part of it. And it means the Oracle of Omaha believes we will be needing those trains to move good around the country.
And who would have dreamed that one of the Big 3 automakers would post a 1 billion dollar profit in the 3rd Quarter… yes ladies and gentlemen that is a “b” as in billion. And they were the only one that did not take the bailout cash. It’s incredible: the notion that an American car manufacturer can be innovative and responsive. Maybe we will have something that actually is a recovery before my lifetime AARP membership expires.
Last but not least, an homage to Amelia Earheart, an extraordinary women entrepreneur who made a far bigger contribtion to modern aviation than most of us ever understood. Go see Amelia, the biopic by Indian filmmaker Mira Nair. It is a much better film than the NY times gives it credit for. You may leave being inspired to follow your passion off the grid.
