Will reality ever phase Cobra owners? (economic crisis)

[redss454]

The media is a bunch of Fear Mongers, they prey on the fears of people.
Yes it will bounce back,and then grow even higher then last year.
I hope.
as for the hobby.
My cobra kit was delivered on Sunday.
My garage extension is being built as I write this.we had to make room for the cobra build and not leave the chevelle out side.
My business phone has slowed the last 3 weeks.
But what the hell we only go around this life once,
I agree with those that go for a quick ride to Blow the dust off the cars and clear your head at the same time.I have never gotten out of the chevelle without a big grin on my face.So it can only get better when the cobra is done. Jim

[Nantucket427]

545 PEOPLE
By Charlie Reese (Charlie Reese is a former columnist of the Orlando Sentinel Newspaper.)


Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.

Have you ever wondered why, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, WHY do we have deficits?

Have you ever wondered why, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, WHY do we have inflation and high taxes?

You and I don't propose a federal budget. The president does.

You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does.

You and I don't write the tax code, Congress does.

You and I don't set fiscal policy, Congress does.

You and I don't control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank does.

One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one president, and nine Supreme Court justices. 545 human beings out of the 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.

I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered, but private, central bank.

I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman, or a president to do one cotton-picking thing. I don't care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash. The politician has the power to accept or reject it. No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator's responsibility to determine how he votes.

Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party.

What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of a Speaker, who stood up and criticized the President for creating deficits. The president can only propose a budget. He cannot force the Congress to accept it.

The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving appropriations and taxes. Who is the speaker of the House? She is the leader of the majority party. She and fellow House members, not the president, can approve any budget they want. If the president vetoes it, they can pass it over his veto if they agree to.

It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million can not replace 545 people who stand convicted -- by present facts -- of incompetence and irresponsibility. I can't think of a single domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people. When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise the power of the federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they want to exist.

If the tax code is unfair, it's because they want it unfair.

If the budget is in the red, it's because they want it in the red.

If the Army & Marines are in IRAQ, it's because they want them in IRAQ.

If they do not receive social security but are on an elite retirement plan not available to the people, it's because they want it that way.
There are no insoluble government problems.

Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from whom they can take this power. Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exists disembodied mystical forces like 'the economy,' 'inflation,' or 'politics' that prevent them from doing what they take an oath to do.

Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible. They, and they alone, have the power.

They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees.

We should vote all of them out of office and clean up their mess!

[bdeutsch]

Trying to distinguish hype from reality at the moment is interesting particularly given continued volatility of the stock market and related impact on 401k and other instruments created to fund your retirement years.

I think that in general, we can expect to see a number of specialty car manufacturers crash and burn in 2009; combination of lowered demand and difficulty in obtaining credit at reasonable rates. How/if that impacts the Club Cobra community is hard to determine.

In regards to Cobra market and prices, flat at best, likely to continue to fall through next year. At the end of the day, demand for these cars is elastic. It is not clear though where biggest hits will be...meaning the two $$ ends (high-low) of the spectrum. Only thought to add here is that if you do not need to sell now, don't.

Not an economist, so no particular credentials that give me any insight into any of this. All disagreements welcome.

[GTA]

I guess you can say I'm one of the few who's effected by all this.June I lost my job of 24 years. Here in Michigan jobs are hard to come by.I'm still one of the lucky ones. I had the feeling it would start turnning bad, so I payed my house off,built my car over a three period and payed cash for everything I bought. So I owe no one anything, and I have some savings.I will be leaving Michigan soon for a job out of state.If I'm lucky next summer I will be cruiseing the deep south with my cobra.Maybe it will turn out for the good.Roger

[bdeutsch]

First, sorry to hear about your job. We have offices in Michigan; work with most of the auto vertical and understand what you are saying about the economy.

I think at the end of the discussion, whether it is by virtue of house values, retirement accounts or other, there will be few of us who will not be touched in one way or another.

Suspect it is just going to be a question of how bad the damage for each of us as individuals.

Bob

[Bobcat]

I can`t say I say this coming .... but I felt something was going to happen , just not this drastic .... and I`m afraid this is just the beginning . I just heard on the news that the Italian Prime Minister suggested that all world financial markets be closed until a World plan can be implemented as this can`t be handled on a Country by Country basis .... really unsettling . If anyone has the time , read Ayn Rand`s Atlas Shrugged .... 1100 pages .
Having said this , my Cobra was paid for when I got it ... as is my Galaxie , and I still drive it on weekends ( when I can get 93 octane gas ) as it relaxes me ... and I`m continuing my Cobra build . I own my house and other vehicles and have zero debt .... other than what I spend on a day by day basis . It really pi$$e$ me off that I did everything "right" , put two children through College , saved for retirement ( retired now ) and now have to bale out those who didn`t .
Yes , this is starting to affect me , but only marginally at this time . I can only hope that those of you who are working will be able to continue and not get hurt too badly .

[rbray]

well said BobCat.

My wife and I have always saved. We bought less house than we could afford so we could pay off the mortgage early. No look at what we get to do with our savings ... pay for the irresponsible people that make less money that we do and live in nicer houses!!!!!!
I'm a republican, but for the life of me I can't understand why McCain wants bail out home owners that are in over their heads. The republican party used to stand for less government and individual responsibility.
We will get through this when we find another leader like Ronald Reagan. Pulling ones self up by the boot straps is not a kind or gentle thing, but it is what built this country.

Sorry for the rant

[kayakjack]

My wife and I have no debt. Own our house, cars, everything free and clear. I still have my job. We have always lived below our means. I like that.

I am approaching retirement. My 401ks have taken a good hit, but they are still OK.

I'm angry at all of the parties whose actions caused this problem. My money will now go to bail them out. The people on wall street. The politicians. The people who bought things on credit they can not afford. The banks and Fannie and Freddie.

That said, two years into Superformance ownership - one of the best decisions I ever made. I bought used at a good price so I don't think I would take a hit even if I sold now - which I will not!!

I don't get to drive it much, but it is the best therapy when I do. No radio, no airconditioner, no windows, no power steering. Just Cobra.

I think show offs with their bling consumption is going be looked down upon. I didn't buy the Cobra to show off. I bought it for me.

I hope times get better soon.

Jack