Kiner's Korner: The Week From Hell

If there was a week from hell, this was it. The old saying that if anything can go wrong it will, applies so well to this past week. I hold myself out to be a pretty optimistic guy whose glass is always half full (and not half empty). This week was different. Let's take a journey through "Dante's Inferno" and you be the judge.

A lack of leadership got the American people a compromise on the debt ceiling. The government was warned by three credit rating agencies that unless a satisfactory outcome was reached, that the United States risked a downgrade on our debt. Standard & Poor's, true to their word, downgraded U.S. debt from AAA to AA+. The American people have had a front row seat to one of the biggest embarrassments ever. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner lashed out at S&P and accused them of faulty math. Maybe he's right, but the fact remains that our debt remains unsustainable. I'm reminded of a metaphor of a baseball coach whose team loses a game on a bad call by the umpire. The coach would surely tell his team that the call can go both ways and that the team was simply beaten. That's it and let's just move on. Secretary Geithner, on the other hand, rather than accepting that call and then move on to the next game (a budget that will restore our AAA rating), wastes his time blaming the S&P for the bad call. Mr. Geithner, the taxpayers want action and not excuses.

And talking of leadership, let's not forget Mr. Obama. Perhaps he needs a little more "mojo". Perhaps he needs to look at former President Bill Clinton, who had the guts to stand up to a recalcitrant Congress in 1993 and then did what was best for America. Alan Greenspan, Chairman of the Federal Reserve, advised Mr. Clinton, that though raising taxes would be unpopular, this was what was good for the country. Whether you agree or disagree with this advice, Mr. Clinton did the unpopular thing, stood up to a stubborn Congress, and heeded Mr. Greenspan's advice. Taxes were raised on the wealthiest 1.2% of the population, while cutting taxes for over 15 million families. Spending restraints were put into place.  A period of unparalleled economic growth and huge gains in the stock market followed. My point is simple - Mr. Clinton led. There was no compromise (capitulation). Perhaps Mr. Obama and our other leaders need to take a page from Bill Clinton's game book. Do what is good for the majority of the people and don't worry about short term election results.

We notice poor Governor Rick Perry (R-Texas and presidential aspirant) filling less than half of Reliant Stadium in Houston for a prayer event that he sponsored. Except for evangelical Christians, no other religious group was represented. The only other Governor to attend was Sam Brownback of Kansas (though all 49 governors were invited). Rick Perry's two pastors from Austin were invited and they did not attend. Sorry Governor Perry - a bad week for you as well!

And finally, the worst disaster of all: Thirty American servicemen were killed in Afghanistan. Twenty-two of the dead were Navy Seals including members of Seal Team 6. Eight Afghans also lost their lives. To the wives, mothers, and fathers, sons and daughters of these brave men, we all, as Americans, express our grief.

So, this was the week that was: We have the Stock Market at new lows. We have a down grade in our debt, and we once again look with shock at the lack of leadership in Washington. Rick Perry could not consider this a good week. And of course, the most tragic event of all was the loss of our thirty servicemen. And to wrap up a horrible week, I'm in a cast for eight weeks with a broken bone in my foot.