What if Jim Dandy Shrugs?

Jim Dandy to the Rescue
Jim Dandy to the Rescue
Jim Dandy to the Rescue
Go Jim Dandy! Go Jim Dandy!

- Black Oak Arkansas

“The American Century is over”, we’ve been told. “China and India are the future.” Russia is resurgent. The European Union will dominate.

Yet…

Every time there is a major crisis in the world…be it military, humanitarian or economic…everyone waits to see what America will do.

Saddam Hussein’s Iraq invades Kuwait? What will America do? Putin’s Russia invades South Ossetia and then Georgia? The French President goes into action, but who cares? It’s about what America will do. Is there a huge tsunami? It is former American Presidents who globe trot raising funds for the survivors.

And when the world economic markets were all tanking…it wasn’t until the US Secretary of the Treasury announced a massive bailout that the slide was halted…not just on Wall Street, but in Russia, Hong Kong, London, Paris and Singapore…

In all of these crises, often caused by world leaders and governments, there is one cavalry that always has to come to the rescue – the American Taxpayer – Jim Dandy. Jim Dandy has to pay for the troops, (some of whom are his own kids) who secure the Middle East. Jim Dandy has to pay for disaster relief (how many countries have chipped in to help us pay to rebuild New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina? Or South Texas after Hurricane Ike?).

And now Jim Dandy has to not only bail out Wall Street Financiers and sub prime mortgage borrowers who should have know those homes were overpriced, but also smug European functionaries, Russian oligarchs, and Communist Chinese Army Generals who own factories.

In 1957 Ayn Rand’s published her classic novel Atlas Shrugged (there may be an Atlas Shrugged film in the works.). The premise was that tired of all of the abuse they take from society, the world’s entrepreneurs decide to withdraw from society. With out their drive and creativity, society crumbles. This is the image that inspires the title, Atlas, the Giant of Greek Mythology who holds the world on his shoulders, decides to shrug – and the world tumbles.

Today, Jim Dandy, the American Taxpayer is Atlas. How many more times will Jim Dandy come to the rescue – before he shrugs? It seems to me that with each of these crises that day comes closer. And then what?

And there are scenarios on the horizon. Iran is continuing to acquire nuclear weapons and verbally demonize Israel. North Korea has restarted their nuclear program. Pakistan is a potential mess.

Who believes that Al Qaeda or other terrorist groups will not try to test the next American President who ever that may be? Won’t the Chinese and Putin test the new administration as well?

Hedge funds have been marketing derivatives in other realms than just Real Estate. When will those houses of cards come down?

Those in power in Washington and across the globe need to pay attention to Jim Dandy. His patience is wearing thin. Jim Dandy may decide to not come to the rescue. Jim Dandy may just – GO!