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You have an interesting thesis about the economy being the second wave brewing out there.

What we have today is not what has classically termed a recession or a depression requiring an immediate infusion of $ 150 billion in cash to the citizenry.

It’s a rather blatant attempt for incumbents to claim they “did something” to save the evonmoy for their re-election campaigns this fall.

I don’t see how $ 150 billion is going to amount to anything other than a blip on the economy’s radar screen.

But the way this is being greenlighted with no holds barred makes one wonder what is really going on.

"But the way this is being greenlighted with no holds barred makes one wonder what is really going on."

Yeah, the timing and chumminess between the White House and Congress on this strikes me extraordinarily odd. You are correct that what we are experiencing is not what has been classically termed a recession or depression. That being the case, it leaves me believing the politicians are not reacting to current events, but possible future events, and the November elections top the card.

I may be way off track in my forecast, but I am positive about the present climate of camaraderie I am seeing between the Democrats and Republicans on economic matters. I am positive because the Democrats had the most to gain if the economy tanked during an election year. The Democrats were positioned to make huge gains if a deep recession or depression occurred.

If this assertion is true, then the efforts by Democrats and Republicans is not about party, but about some issue(s) they are quietly in agreement on. I believe the issue is amnesty for illegal aliens, and the two parties acting together to protect pro-amnesty politicians, and get a pro-amnesty candidate elected as president.

The elections of 2006 introduced a new element to the Democratic Party I believe the pro-amnesty forces want to nip in the bud. Those elections sent some strong Democratic opponents of illegal aliens to Washington, D.C. That may seem a minor blip on the radar screen, but that small blip played a crucial role in derailing amnesty last summer. That small blip could grow extensively if the economy sours. Huge Democratic gains could add to the number of opponents to amnesty.

Beyond economic factors such as layoffs that would come into play if the economy soured is one factor which Americans, be they Democrat or Republican, would not tolerate. Rising crime makes a great many citizens conservative quickly. Crime rises when economic calamity comes. The people the first turn to crime, and crime of the most physical sort to meet financial hardships are those on the lowest rungs of the economic ladder. Presently, the people on the lowest rung of that ladder are the illegal aliens.

If economic difficulties are allowed to worsen, crime will increase. Crime by illegal aliens would tear the bonds of party affiliation of citizens and make of them Americans first and foremost.

I have lived through much worse economic times in our nation than what the federal government is now reacting to. Never in those times did the federal government react as it is presently. It appears they are afraid of something, and trying desperately to forestall it until after the November elections.

Back to the proposed economic stimulus packages, the latest Senate version has included two segments of society that could easily sway elections. Senior citizens receiving Social Security are one segment. This is not surprising when one considers this age group is more likely to go to the polls. The other segment is the unemployed which could turn on incumbents in an instant if their personal well being worsens.

I've not looked yet, but I am curious how many pro-amnesty US Senators are up for reelection this year. Of interest too are how many Senate opponents of amnesty face a threat of losing their seats. We, me included, are so focused on the presidential primaries that we have yet to look at the bigger picture. The US Senate, where amnesty was derailed is the crucial part of that bigger picture. A pro-amnesty president can accomplish nothing without a pro-amnesty Senate. This we know.

I'll end by saying something bigger than an economic downturn is rumbling off the political coast. The two political parties controlling the government see it in the cards, and they are moving to stack the deck right now.