Political Equinox

Last week Republican Governor Mitch Daniels proposed privatizing the state lottery to pay for his proposed Hoosier College Promise scholarship program. The program offers Indiana residents two years free tution at Ivy Tech Community College or $6,000 to attend another college. Of course, we can’t afford to give this offer to everyone so the program will only be available to those who earn less than $60,000. Sounds great, right?

I’m all for helping people who are on the lower rung of the economic spectrum get ahead and become highly successful individuals (not saying success is measured by an income lesser or greater than $60,000, but I think you get my point). However, Daniels program of privatizing the lottery to pay for …

Tags: educational savings, financial, governor mitch daniels, hoosier, ivy tech community college, Middle Class, money, promise scholarship, republican, republican governor, scholarship program, state lottery, tution

As the world continues to creep closer and closer to ultimate globalization, international finance continues to become a chief concern among those interested in preserving the economic independence present in the current world.

Currently, hedge funds are regarded by many Americans as the largest investment vehicle that has the power to overwhelm markets with large trades. Nevertheless, these hedge funds will soon look like child’s play when the world catches a grasp of the new financial holding vehicle, the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF). SWF’s are like hedge funds on steroids, rolling in at nearly twice the size in equity value.

These funds haven’t made much news in the US other than a couple of articles in the financial news and few hearings …

Tags: America, china, economy, elections, finance, financial, globalization international finance, hedge funds, international monetary fund, IRS, senate banking committee, treasury bills, world equity

Dear Mayor Henry:

In 2009, Fort Wayne will recieve a windfall of $40 million from the City Light Lease fund. As promised in your campaign, the public will be consulted. I ask that you don’t spend a dime of that money.

Let’s say we spend that money on another huge project all at once, if that project flops we’re out the money and the reserve that could have been hundreds of millions in the future.

If invested at a conservative rate of 8% (not even close to the markets average of 12%), that money will generate a return of over $3,000,000 - so lets be conservative and use half of that to provide city services. We’ll add money to the pot and Fort …

Tags: City Light Lease Fund, finance, financial, fort wayne, IRS, money, spending, Tom Henry

I’ve decided that I can’t keep bashing the Democrat’s Universal (Socialized - you can call it whatever you like, but it is what it is) Healthcare Plan without offering up a solution of my own. Now let me start by saying that I’m open to changing this plan. In fact, I’m all for scrapping the entire plan or at least large parts of it. But this the best solution I’ve been able to come up with that continues on with the free market American way (controlled with a standardized plan, mind that) and maintains the high-quality of healthcare in this country.

I’m come up with a plan that mixed the current system with some of the elements I feel are the …

Tags: America, controller general, david walker, Democrats, financial, health insurance, healthcare, healthcare costs, IRS, medicare, ny times, social security, socialized medicine, Universal Healthcare

For the Democrats, Super Tuesday was a bag of mixed nuts.

One would have assumed that with the exit of John Edwards his supporters would shift one way or another. One would have assumed that since what seemed like every state was up for grabs, one of the two remaining candidates would take charge and become the presumptive nominee. One would even assume that if one candidate won major states over the other candidate that candidate would be finished.

Welp, if one assumed all or even any of that, one would assume wrong.

The fact was that Hillary won the biggies – New York, California and even some of the upsetties (doesn’t work as well) - namely Massachusetts and New Jersey. …

Tags: candidate, Democrats, financial, John Edwards, money, obama, republican, strategy