The $ in the poo?............

Anent the suitability of Newt to be POTUS, the Economist did a league table of the potential Republican candidates. Their estimation of Newt was about the same – not enough brains and too much baggage. All other possibilities got a similar thraping to a greater or lesser degree, Romney being classed as smart but erratic and lacking in any clear set of principles. All in all, it made for rather depressing reading and invited the reaction ‘none of the above’.

Would it be unkind of me to suggest that they have an IQ of 180? Between them?

At this time it looks as if the Republican Presidential candidate is another of those known unknowns.

There are some financial commentators who see the ‘green shoots’ of economic recovery in the US. They appear to base this view on a small rise in retail sales, some growth in industrial production, a tiny fall in unemployment and stabilisation in the housing market. Are they clutching at straws?

The Federal debt is $14 trillion. I find it difficult to visualise that sum. If it was all in dollar bills how big would the pile be?

The annual interest is about $200 bn. There is the awful prospect of the US having to borrow just to pay the interest. Isn’t that what bankrupted New York some years ago? And isn’t that the basis of Ponzi schemes? Irwin ‘Alka’ Stelzer in the ST says that the debt is increasing by $4.5 billion every day.

Strewth!

Not reported in the print media is the release of the Pakistan spook Davis by acquittal under Sharia law. However, contrary to my prediction, the US did not pay a large sum in compensation to the family. Hilary says it is not true that $2 million was paid to get the guy back. Yeah, right. Of course, Hilary is perhaps disingenuous, the money having been paid by the Saudis to keep the US clean.