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In these difficult times, the government is unreliable because they are a political beastie and constantly have their thumb on the scale because of their unholy desire to be re-elected and to divert public scrutiny.

Be skeptical of EVERYTHING.

If you fudge the numbers and you want them — desperately want them — to prove an unprovable or unfounded thesis, the heights of deception to which you are prepared to go are literally limitless.

BRC
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I agree more with you than you do with yourself.

Getting out of the way may be the battle cry that is so desperately needed.

Even when the gov’t gets something right — JOBS Act — they muck it up by not writing the Rules in a timely manner and allowing the staff to inject their own prejudices.

If I were President I would call the SEC in: “Fellows, you’ve got 3 weeks to publish the JOBS Act Rules or you are fired. Everybody understand? Get out of my office.”

BRC

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2013/02/07/are-we-in-the-end-times-of-trust-in-government/?hpid=z2

It quotes a recent Pew Research Center Study. Key chart shows decline — for no apparent “big” reason since 2001:

Oh, and HBD, too!

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Damn good question. I guess one thing is buying local.

The political issue as it relates to the SBA is a perfect example of tone deafness by the Administration.

Why are they so tone deaf?

Not listening and no experience in that arena.

BRC
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How can we aid our most important employers, small businesses?

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There is a bunch of work that can be done to create entry level, craftsman level and even mundane jobs. First you really have to want to do just that.

Today the entire Clan DC is lost in the weeds on immigration and guns. Nobody is talking about jobs and the economy.

The SBA runs out of money — guaranties — in the first 90 days of each new FY. Then they shut down until the next year.

Fully fund the SBA. It is a loan guaranty program and therefore really does not cost real money in the short term.

Identify the 25% top SBA lenders based on 10-year historic default rate and slap them with a big checkbook (guaranty book, really).

The jobs will multiply like rabbits. This portfolio of cumulative bets is incredibly diverse and safe.

If we don’t do some things like this, the current level of unemployment will become the new norm and that will be fatal.

BRC
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I saw the article on the woman in Mississippi for whom the numbers worked out exactly as you noted. That is nuts. Nuts.

Big Red Rule: flies, floats, fornicates — rent it.

BRC
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