Introducing Fred Longcoor
March 2, 2009 by Craig Bieber
Filed under Politics
I introduced Fred Longcoor to the world in my novel, Saylor’s Triangle. Comments from Fred’s
unpublished Book on Life were used as relative points at the completion of each of the twenty-nine chapters in Saylor’s Triangle. His wit, wisdom, and common sense grasp of the ironies and foibles of the life around us perfectly complimented the twists and turns of my book.
With overwhelming feedback from readers who want to hear more from Fred, I decided to create a forum for him to comment about today’s world. Since Alaska is truly at the “Top of the World,” the title gives a sense of Fred’s ability to overview the world and make comments.
Fred is a pretty salty guy, so I have edited his language from what it is in Saylor’s Triangle. He also tends to be brutally honest. His unedited comments will be featured on the SaylorsTriangle.com and CraigBieber.com websites and blogs on an ongoing basis.
Fred Longcoor – From the Top of the World
Fred says: “Obamination?”
This is all just too bizarre to ignore. If it looks like creeping socialism, and it sounds like creeping socialism, it probably is creeping socialism.
I’m trying. Even though I thought Barack Obama was a silver-tongued messiah, with little substance to back up his hypnotic words, I am tying to support the fact that he is the President of the United States. It is very early yet, but me and my buddies just can’t get our heads around the things that are happening now. If you understand them, maybe you can answer the following questions:
- Do you know that government will become an unprecedented 31% of the U.S. economy with the Obama programs that have been initiated and proposed? I’m not sure that even includes the $410 billion spending bill from out of nowhere that the Dems are trying to ram through congress right now.
- “Stand back, ‘cause I don’t know how big this thing is going to get.” – Fred Longcoor (from Saylor’s Triangle). Can you wrap yourself around a $787 billion Economic Stimulus Package that comes on the heels of the $350 billion in TARP money that is gone without anybody knowing for sure where it went? Do you think that a pork-loaded…excuse me, earmark-loaded, package with things in it like $650 million for digital television converter box coupons is the proper way to stimulate the economy? Is that $650 million spend acceptable to you because you are comforted by the fact that the Obama led congress made the all important move of changing the date for the conversion to digital television signals from February to June?
- Here’s a goat-roping in the making. Do you know that much of the Stimulus money will be spent at the discretion of state governors and city mayors? Can you imagine the chaos that will create?
- And then, there is the $75 billion (or possibly up to $275 billion) Housing Plan. How do you feel about the fact that you have built a life of financial responsibility and worked your butt off to provide for your future, and now you will have to sit back and watch the government (with a lot of support from your tax dollars) bail out the fools and the freeloaders who couldn’t manage their own lives? Who says there aren’t any free rides?
- My buddies and I apparently don’t understand the concept of bi-partisanship. Is it significant to you that only three Republicans supported the Economic Stimulus Package?
- All my money’s in a sock right now, but have you noticed how the financial markets have reacted to the new programs? Stocks have recently plummeted to eleven year lows, and our country is going to have to count on financing from China, who recently enacted an
economic stimulus plan that actually works.Time Magazine says of the top twenty-five people responsible for the current economic crisis, Bill Clinton is number thirteen, and George Bush is number fourteen! Second on the list is Phil Gramm, who, under Bill Clinton, pushed through the repeal of the Glass-Steagall act, which is widely blamed for opening the door to all those shady credit swaps.
- Nancy Pelosi, Barney Frank, and Harry Reid? Not Obama’s fault, but this sad comedy team as a major part of the face of the Democratic Party is just too much for me to take. Stay tuned for what Nancy’s hairdresser has to say. There is no real question here, just wonderment.
- Bill Richardson, Rob Blagojevich, Tim Geithner, Judd Gregg, and Tom Daschle? Can you say, “Rookie mistakes?”
- Is there anybody out there other than me who would like to know what would have happened if the government had stayed out of this economic crisis?
* * * * *
- Let’s see, some big financial institutions would have failed, bringing rise to many of the eight thousand smaller, strong, non-corrupt and successful financial institutions. Some big financial institutions that have already received billions of dollars from the government are probably going to fail anyway.
- Lots of people who signed silly loans would have lost their homes. They would have had to rent for a while as they rebuilt their financial reserves. Eventually, they would be able to buy one of the millions of available and reasonably priced homes that would be on the market. Kind of sounds like the good old days.
- Millions of people would have lost their jobs – millions are losing their jobs anyway. The money dedicated to TARP and the Economic Stimulus Package could have gone to un-employment payments and then it would have found it’s way into the economy.
- GM and Chrysler would have had to file for bankruptcy protection. Maybe they would figure out that instead of producing dozens of car models that nobody can identify, that offering a few quality built models would actually help them compete with the foreign auto makers. Maybe they would learn that making Jeeps look like Hummers, and Hummers look like Jeeps makes no sense. Most importantly, maybe the UAW would learn that an old fashioned work ethic on the assembly line at a fair cost would also help the US automakers compete with the foreign automakers. Maybe the Big Three could bring their $70+ an hour labor cost in the U.S. in line with Toyota, Nissan, and Honda’s $48 an hour labor cost in the U.S. Maybe they could also get rid of the UAW’s ridiculous and expensive Jobs Bank; several of my buddies, and a couple women I know, would love to have one of those $31 an hour jobs that pay you for not working.
- Maybe, with all of this going on, a “sleeping giant with a golden hammer,” a strong sense of loyalty to our country, and a real understanding of the issues would begin to stir. The Baby Boomers have made this the wealthiest generation in history. Maybe, with a generational sense that we need to work and fight for what is best for the country, the $33 trillion dollars of wealth that they have accumulated would begin to flow into the economy! That’s “trillion” - with a T!
- And this is a huge stretch – but maybe we would begin to react to the fact that we can’t continue to spend billions of dollars taking care of illegal aliens and people who have made a career out of accepting handouts from the government for doing nothing!.
America is a place where all things are possible. All things of significance are draped in responsibility, tempered by circumstance, and measured by performance.
There are millions of voters who found their way to the voting booths last November – many for the first time – and they are now waiting for the payout. I don’t know what the unidentified foreigners who put millions of dollars into the campaign for change are waiting for, but they may be getting it. The malleable millions who wore their cloaks of righteous indignation to the polls need to throw them aside and take a hard look at where we are heading.
I may be the first one to say this, but is it possible that we may not be witnessing the end of the Republican Party, but the beginning of the end of the Democratic Party?
“There’s a smell in the air, and it isn’t sweet. There’s a cloud in the sky, and it isn’t bringing rain. There’s a stir in my soul, and it isn’t soulful…and there’s a fear in my gut that we have created a regret.” - Fred Longcoor (from Saylor’s Triangle).
Fred has hit the nail on the head. I have stated that Pelosi and Harry Reid will bring Obama down!
I am still pulling for Obama to be successfull but I truly believe he has surrounded himself with former Clinton advisors and add to that Pelosi, Reid, Frank and Dodd who are going to advise him down a path of destruction. It is already happening and very evident.
Fred, you do not look anything like I thought you would look like. I had the idea that you would have much more hair than Craig, both on the top of your head and face. And yes, you may be right, but I am still optimistic for what Obama is trying to do. Time will tell.
Palin/Limbaugh or Limbaugh/Palin? Gosh it’s gonna be so hard to decide. I think I’ll stay registered Republican so I can join in the fun.
I wonder how many of us really do feel this way about the upcoming fiasco. I, too, hope prayerfully that I am wrong. I will wait and see but at this point, I am very disappointed.
It seems like I’ve heard this story before, back in grade school if I recall. Let’s see,……What was the name of that story…..That’s right!
It’s “Obama Hood and His Band of Merry Congressmen” They steal from hard working middle class and give it to the lazy, I want a handout, sit on my ass and bail me out do nuthin’ folks. And riddle me this joker; What good is a tax break if you aren’t paying taxes in the first place??? All of this just makes me want to puke.
Come on Fred, quit holding back and tell us how you really feel and stop worrying about hurting somebody’s feelings. Craig, you ought to be ashamed for asking Fred to keep things civil. I read Saylor’s Triangle and I know it’s fiction but, Fred’s comments were the only thing that had an ounce of truth to them that one could apply to everyday living. Fred Longcoor may be the very voice of change we’ve been waiting for since January 20th 2009.
Yeah, I’m mad as hell about what my wife and I have left after 40 years of smart financial choices and a house that I spent 20+ years paying for with out one late fee. It really gripes my ass that my stock investments are in the tank, my 401K has lost so much, it’s now a 101K and Social Security will be nothing more than pocket “Change” (there’s that word again) when I need it most! Silly me, I should have known that just because one pays into a program for 40+ years it doesn’t necessarily mean you are entitled to any of it.. It becomes part of the hand out, duh’ It’s a shoulda, woulda, coulda world and had this babyboomer known what was in store for this hard working, tax paying, financially responsible baby boomer, I shoulda sat, if I only woulda sat, I coulda sat on my ass and let the “Obamination take care of it all. If I had only known…..
and if you “Far Leftys” really want an eye opening experience, google – Community Reinvestment Act and see whos the blame for that one!
I’m done venting now, carry on.
So, Randy, let me get this straight. Reganomics; reduced taxes on the top 1% and deregulated everything. Trickle-down, didn’t, and deregulation led to the recent market chaos, which slammed my investments also. So, you put the blame on Obama, in office for a month. You might want to work on your basic logic. Obama can’t be responsible for the pseudo-conservative policies of the last 20 some years. And if the “Obamination” and “Far Leftys” mud slinging is the best you can do, hang it up.
No, it’s not the best I can do. However, I will refain from getting into a pissing match in this forum with people that, no matter what, will never admit that this country, with it’s current lack of separation of the executive and legislative powers (which is the reason why the writers of the constitution formed the three branches of government in the first place) is headed a path of long term financial and moral destruction.
And as far as the Obmination and Far Lefty comment goes………you seem a little sensitive to that remark…Did I step on a nerve???
Oh, and by the way, I can hang “it” up but, you won’t like looking at “it” whenever the wind is blowing in from the right to left.
I’ve been thinking about this Randy. How, exactly, do you expect name calling to forward the dialogue necessary to move America forward?
I agree with you about your separation of the executive and legislative branches argument. We had that for way too long under the Bush Administration, and The President’s misguided war-making, AND lack of courage with the veto pen, got us into this financial mess, not a President in office for a very short time. How about some constructive ideas?
Oh, and your adding “moral destruction” to your comment; was that aimed at the core of the Neo-Cons, the Evangelicals? Barry Goldwater, half Jewish and my first political hero, a true conservative, is turning over in his grave.
I need to point out something to you Bob, before we get caught up in sparring with each other on a topic that neither one of us is going to convince the other one what is best for this country. That point is, the name calling you mentioned was orignally started by Fred Longcoor. It was his “Obamination” comment, followed by his nine points of interest and six bullit points that began my tirade in the first place. Yet, you never once mentioned anything about Fred’s viewpoints. Why is that?
I also see that you are on the writer’s staff for this website, great, the more the merrier, I suppose but, whenever JOO asks for objective opinions from their readers, I would suggest that the commentators especially the writer’s staff, be careful how you respond (attack) the opinions of your readers. This is a small site (I think) and I enjoy it very much however, it’s not the only place to voice my opinions online and I’m pretty sure JOO wouldn’t miss me if I bailed out but, that’s OK, the feeling is mutual.
Politics, religion and sexual oritation has, and always will be a touchy subject with the American far right and far left population I, for one, have thick skin so anything you say in a response to my comments can/will roll off me like water on a duck’s back. However, the next opinion poster may not be as fortunate as I am.
On the moral comment that I made; that was in reference to the non-working, but, very capable, population (left or right) who sit on thier butts with their hands out waiting for that trillion dollar (that’s trillion with a T) stimulus money to miraculously end up in their hands. That being said, if the American worker finds it more rewarding to stand in the welfare line waiting for his handout instead of standing in the “help wanted” line, that would be a path of moral destruction. I guess I could have chosen a better word like “work ethics” instead of moral but, at the time of my post, that was not my frame of mind.
And before you defend the unemployed, I too have been layed off before during a crappy economy. For three months I collected my weekly (no, that’s weakly) check but,I never once stop looking for a opportunity to get back on my feet. And as my original post stated, I never paid a late fee on my modeste $2K+ a month mortage, even while I was unemployed.
Cheers!
Peace Randy. I’ll take your comments to heart and not let my penchant for what I consider to be wry (biting?) humor get out of hand.
We do indeed come from different places. However I am not a leftie by most definitions:
I have always been a capitalist, working only for myself for the past 30 years. When times were tough I didn’t have unemployment to fall back on. I qualified for food stamps a few times and refused to take them, prefering to garden, fish and hunt instead. In better times, I paid the maximum social security tax for years. I have seen how real capitalism works among the middle-class and the poor around the world. I know that my blessings come from both hard work, and the good fortune to be born with the brains and drive necessary to achieve. I don’t take credit for my good fortune, it was a gift.
Also, my wife and I live, by choice not necessity, on not much more than your “modest” mortgage payment. We are indeed very different, and thus see the world through different lenses. We should all walk a mile in another’s shoes now and then, and we’d make more progress toward our mutual goal of a strong AND compassionate America.
I just found this website but I think there is a lot of cool stuff here. But I don’t understand this Fred Longcoor. Is he a real person? Is he writing this article or is Craig Beiber? I showed this article to my wife and she came up with the same thought that I did and that was that this article sounds a lot like it was written by someone that only watches fox news.
How can you blame Obama for Rob Blogovich? And you are blaming Obama for only three Republicans voting for the bailout bill? He wined and dined them and even let them rewrite some of the parts of the bill – he did everything accept kiss there butts – and they still didn’t vote for the bill and you want to blame him? I can understand some disagreement with Obama and the Dems, but the Repbublicans are just being obstinate and acting like children who say if I can’t make the rules I don’t want to play and I will just take my toys (votes) and go home and sulk.
I like this website but I just wish someone would use common sense and be fair some time and give Obama a chance.
Sebastian- The title of this site is Just One Opinion, and Fred has his opinion. I also know for a fact that he never watches Fox News. Half of the people in this country agree with Fred, and the other half agree with you. That has created a chasm in this country that may never be bridged, and that is unfortunate. Fred also stated that he is trying to support the fact that Barack Obama is the president, but there are questions to be answered.
To the people of the world who have never had the privilege to meet Fred Longcoor;
Fred Longcoor is not a person who would use his position at the top of the world to look down on anybody. Instead, the American public should use his position (wit) at the top of the world, as a place to look up to him. Because, let’s face it, Washington is just not far enough on top of it to get the best perspective of what is really going on in America today. Haven’t you ever heard the saying, “Everthing looks different from the top”? Well, so does America.
And Fred, it’s OK if you do watch Fox News, because it’s the only media outlet that reports the news in a fair and balanced format.