Thanks Dave. I appreciate the sentiment. Our firm has about 4,000 home office employees and about another 5,500 or so advisors, traders, and analysts. I'm the Sr. Analyst for the CEO and CAO of our independent contractor division and we have assets of over 120 billion ourselves. Believe me, politics is not just a passing interest. Most of the Sr. and Executive Staff and Managment are knee deep in it because we know what the actual impact of policies, taxation, and regulation have on the economy... it's what we do.
As much as I know, there's a ton that I don't, and it's that part the concerns me the most. With McCain you know what you got. With Hiillary, you would've known what you got. With Obama, I think there's either a disconnect, an absence, or an arrogrance firmly nestled as the driving force behind him.
Geraldine Ferraro made the comment that he got where he was because he's black. Even as a very liberal Democrat, she was villified for that and forced out of her role in the Clinton campaign. He's not where he is simply because he's black, because he's also a fantastic orator when he has the speech had been well rehearsed. He has a charisma that is undeniable and he's an intelligent, albeit shrewd individual that knows how to succeed. The fact of the matter though is that no other person would have gotten the exposure, and the blind support of the media culture the way he has. It's like everyone has been blinded by his aura. The sad truth is, if he was just some well spoken white guy, a year into his first congressional term, he would've been dismissed a long time ago had he ventured into such an endeavor. But just the thought, the idea, that you this well spoken, intelligent and ariculate African American could be President, captured the world. I'm proud of that on one hand, but sad that it even matters on the other.
When it comes to issues like the bailout, who was really responsible, and the political games that were played out for the mere purpose of being able to point a finger later or take credit at some other time, we have to be educated on the facts and know what's going on. Our livlihood depends on it. It's not a game or luxury for us. Technically, my firm is now the largest investment bank in the country. That would have been funny to suggest just a month or so ago. That's how serious things are out there.