Well matters are pretty settled in Minnesota as the Supreme court has ruled for Al Franken.  What a bad joke this is

http://www.startribune.com/

Coleman has conceded and Pawlenty is signing the certificate so more bad news on the doorstep.   I am too tired to relive the Franken/Coleman saga as of right now.  I will do an point by point post on this outcome later. 

On a more local front after hours of hurry and wait I was selected late on Monday to sit on a jury.  By law and the Judge’s instructions that’s about all I can say.  I had hours of pointless waiting on Monday.  Today there was more pointless waiting and a quick trial.  Tommorrow we sit in judgement. 

Comments??

I thought this day would never come.  I report for Jury Duty today.  I will be one of 300 or so folks in this week’s jury pool.  Its a short week-Friday is a county holiday (3rd of July)- so nothing much should be going on this week.

 Tennessee has eliminated nearly every exemption or reason to be left out of Jury selection.  So you pretty much gotta serve but usually only a week and you get a 10 year exemption before you can be called again.

The selection of your time for jury service is a prelude of how medicine would be allocated under Obamacare.  Some 4000 citizens of Shelby county (Memphis) are called downtown to the convention center.  We hear 20 minutes of uesless spiel and then we stand in line to see what week we are assigned.

There are roughly 13 weeks in question so if you have a vacation scheduled or a work project due that week you can try to avoid service that week.  For the most part you just stand and line get the luck of the draw.  If you happen to be in line when your vacation week is being handed out you can go to the line and wait for another week.   

I have been through jury duty once before (about 12 years ago) so the routine is pretty set.  There will be one hour spiel, with a few pointless questions and then waiting.  Most likely nothing will happen today and we will be dismissed at noon.  For all this I get $11 and out of that money I have to pay for parking, gas and food.  Thankfully I have a library book so that part is cheap.

Good Morning

The world is not exactly at peace but it seems to be quiet.

Comments?

UPDATE (9:28am by Dave W): A little humor I saw yesterday down in Annapolis.

I was just as surprised when Obama posed for the photo too….

Here’s a man bites dog story.  The American Association of Retired People is cutting retirement benefits for its employees.  Story is here

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/27/your-money/401ks-and-similar-plans/27money.html?ref=your-money

So AARP is eliminating its 401K match for the next 9 months.  While this move may make business sense for the AARP it certainly makes my point about America reducing expectations about a standard of living.  This is action by AARP justs seconds my point about America facing a future of “diminished expectations”.  America has tried to borrow itself into wealth and as we recover this debt hangover we will feel some pain. 

I think as America deleverages and gets off the borrowing wagon we will see reduced economic growth.  AARP’s action on 401K matches is just an indication that even this powerful and successful non-profit has less money coming in.  At some point you have to put on the brakes. 

Ponder this point if you work for a company that eliminates a 401K.  How do you make up for that lost 401K match?  To recoup that lost 401K match you have to save more money.  You have to spend less or you face a reduced lifestyle in retirement. 

Many employees still work for a company with a defined Pension plan say like GM.  Oops those companies are fewer and fewer these days.  Its up to us to save and that savings will be a brake on consumer spending. 

My Saturday Sermon is over.

I had a nice dinner with old friends.  It was a great time.  Thanks to Tommy Boy for a link to the votes on the House climate change bill

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2009/roll477.xml

The GOP 8 were mostly moderates from the NE or CA.  The democrats who voted NO were mostly from either rural areas or coal/gas/oil producing areas.  A few blue collar manufacturing democrats voted No.  Only severe arm twisting got this turkey passed. 

On the GOP side perhaps only Snowe and Collins might lean for this bill.  Specter might have but he has already gone over to the democratic side. 

 On the Democratic side many rural and energy producing Democratic senators will be hard pressed to vote for  Cap and Trade. 

Here’s my rundown

PA  Specter/Casey-  American’s #dirty coal state (anthacrite coal) is big around Scranton-Wilkes Barre area.  This bill really hurts a dying industry.

WV/VA  -Byrd, Rockafeller, Warner and Webb.  The democrats from the VA house from coal country voted yes and those from WV voted No.  Senators may breakdown that way. 

IND-Evan Bayh-  Two local congressman from blue collar and coal areas voted No in Ind.  Will Bayh?

LA-  Landrieu-  This bill is a killer to the oil industry.

 AR- Lincoln and Pyror-This state only has modest coal/oil interests  yet rural interets (lots of polluters in AR-paper mills-rice processors) kept Congressman Berry & Ross on the No side.  This bill is a job killer in AR

CO-Udall- Bennett-CO is a huge coal & energy state-Salazar voted No.  Bennett will face huge pressures as this bill will hurt rural interests too

ND-SD-Dorgan-Johnson-Conrad are full of hot gas and their states are very rural with lots of coal & oil & natural gas.  Both democrats from these states voted “No”

MT- Tester and Baucus also are in rural areas and have coal mines in the state.

AK-Begich-This state is certainly the most rural and may have the most coal of any state.

I know I dwelt on the rural aspect and some may be confused by this.  Rural Americans already in some cases pay a little more for power as they are spread out.  They are almost certain to pay more for power in order to be “green”. 

I might add that farmers are really concerned about this green movement tax as they are big energy users up and down the food chain.  From farm to grainhouse to processor to food manufacturer.

 Look at the rural democrats and you can see who are worried about this bill.  You will also see other democrats with lots of rural folks in their states looking for special concessions.