As you've no doubt read by now, Mitt Romeny called it quits yesterday in a speech before the Conservative Political Action Conference (the same group that later booed McCain when he mentioned immigration reform).  I'll be interested to see what his exit does to McCain's positioning for the balance of his nomination run.

Romney positioned his leaving as necessary both for party unity (read: a Republican win in November brought about by McCain's ability to immediately start pounding the Dem's instead of his brother conservatives) and to ensure that we stay in the "war on terror."

To quote:  "Frankly, in this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaing be a part of aiding a surrender to terror."  Translation: A vote for either Democratic candidate is a vote for terrorists.

Sheesh.  If McCain latches onto this line of thinking rather than addressing substantive issues for the balance of his campaign, then I won't need to read any further on his positions.  Such brainless pandering and fear mongering is worthy of our current (P)resident.  I'd hate to see it continue with the next President.

On another political note, Congress passed a bill aimed at nipping the fast-approaching recession in the bud.  Unfortunately, the bill relies on tax rebates and business tax incentives to stimulate the economy.  Why unfortunate?  Because even the Congressional Budget Office agrees that the best way (fastest and most return for investment) to stimulate the economy is to provide more and longer lasting benefits to those at the bottom of the economic run.  If you increase food stamps, they'll be spent immediately.  If you extend unemployment benefits, that money will immediately go back into the economy.

If you give tax breaks to businesses, it takes a long time to kick in and produces a much smaller return (27 cents worth of growth for dollar spent) than unemployment benefits ($1.64 per dollar spent). 

Too bad politics and the need for a quick fix trumped economics.  The Dem's may hold congress but they don't have enough votes to force the issue.

Last, but not at all least, a website to share with you that I got through my friend, Bob Clarke.  Sometimes the news we don't hear is the news we most need to hear.  Check it out here.

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