America's Kamal Haasan

We all know, at least Tamil speaking people, how the famous movie actor Kamal Haasan speaks. No one would understand what he says. There is a feeling he himself does not understand what he says when he speaks. 

I thought no one can beat him or even come close to confusing the audience from his speech.

I found one from our own Besant Nagar, Chennai. This person can equal or even beat Kamal Haasan in confusing the audience. Please listen below.

Kamala's Oration

Kamala Harris made a fantastic oration a short while ago. The assembled Democratic crowd stood up and gave a big ovation. She gave a rousing speech. 

Kamala said how her mother said don’t complain about anything but do something about it.

As a President, I will create an opportunity economy. An Opportunity economy where everyone has a chance to compete and a chance to succeed. 

I will bring together: - Labor and workers, - Small business owners and entrepreneurs, - And American companies. 

We will: - Provide access to capital for small business owners, entrepreneurs, and founders. - We will end America's housing shortage. 

And protect Social Security and Medicare. 

So many other promises to mention including how she would tackle the border issue. 

While I was watching her speech, I was drinking scotch. After she finished her speech, I stood up and applauded for a minute. 

Then I sat down. Had another round of scotch. Now I started to think clearly. 

Kamala’s speech sounded as if she is the opposition party and trying to unseat a Republican President. 

In USA, President and Vice President is a single package. They are elected together. Not separately. I was thinking Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are running the country for the past 3.5 years and will be in power till noon on Monday, January 20, 2025. Why can’t they implement all these promises now? 

Why can’t you create an economic opportunity now? What is stopping you? 

Why don’t you bring labor and workers and small business owners together now? What is stopping you? 

Why don’t end America’s housing shortage now? What is stopping you? 

Why don’t you tackle the border issue now? What is stopping you? 

Will you accept your Biden/Harris Administration past 3.5 years is a failure and will try to do a better job if elected in November?

Have to stop here now. My son is asking me to join him at the dinner table.

Kamala Harris - Economic Agenda

Vice President Kamala Harris laid out an ambitious economic agenda for her presidential campaign last Friday. I would like to write about 2 main points. 

$25,000 towards down payment for purchase of home by a first-time buyer to tackle affordable housing crisis. Kamala says it will help more than 4 million people. No details about how this will work. (No idea if this is only for US citizens OR for tax paying non-citizens like H1B people also,)  It has both supporters and critics. Alexander Gorlin, the famous author on affordable housing likes this idea. But some economists feel this plan would just further inflate the real estate market, put the U.S. further into a financial deficit, and ultimately be another reason for the government to increase taxes.

Federal ban on price gouging on food and groceries. She said this is the reason for higher prices now and inflation. Kamala wants to introduce Price Control Plan to stop “price gouging”. 

A Harvard Economist Jason Furman who worked for President Obama said: “This is not sensible policy, and I think the biggest hope is that it ends up being a lot of rhetoric and no reality. There’s no upside here, and there is some downside.” 

Price controls are government-mandated minimum or maximum prices set for specific goods and services. If this is implemented, supply and demand will no longer determine prices or profit levels. Price controls can lead to problems such as shortages, rationing, inferior product quality, and illegal markets. 

Richard Nixon, a Republican President, in 1971, introduced wage and price control.  It ended in utter failure and people paid the price

Price controls by the Government are established only in Communist and Socialist countries. Not in the free world. (While writing this I am thinking of Kamala Harris’s dad Dr. Donald Harris, a professor at Stanford University. He was a Marxist Economist.) 

No tax on tips and child tax credit are borrowed from the Republican Party.

A Drive Thru Surprise

One bright morning, I was excited to get my favorite breakfast from McDonald's. As I drove into the drive-thru line, ready to wait patiently for my turn, something unexpected happened. 

A car zoomed in from the side and cut in front of me, bypassing the line entirely. I felt a surge of frustration and wanted to get out of my car to ask her to wait her turn, but then I remembered stories about road rage and how things can sometimes get out of hand. I took a deep breath and decided to stay quiet, choosing to focus on my own breakfast instead. 

Finally, it was my turn to order. I pulled up to the microphone and placed my usual breakfast order. After that, I moved to the first window to pick up my food. The smell of freshly cooked breakfast made me even more excited, and I couldn’t wait to dig in. 

When I reached the second window to pay, the cashier girl smiled at me and said, "You don't need to pay for your order. The lady in the car ahead of you paid for it." I was stunned. I glanced back, but the car that had cut in line was already gone. 

I drove away with my breakfast, feeling a bit confused but mostly touched. It was a nice reminder that there are some truly kind people out there, even if they might be in a hurry or facing an emergency. The unexpected gesture made my morning even brighter, and I decided to pass on the kindness in my own way someday.

PS: This is not a fiction.  True Story.  One more time this type of situation happened.  Going to San Francisco, at the Bay Bridge Toll Plaza, the toll collector told me the car driver ahead of me  has paid for my toll charge also.

Ugly American

2024 Olympics – Basketball Final – Gold Medal Game – Team USA vs France. The great Victor Wembanyama was playing for France. Our own hero – Steph Curry of San Francisco Golden State Warriors was playing for team USA. He was instrumental in USA beating France 98 to 87 and USA winning the Gold Medal. 

And now the game ended. Steph Curry’s wife and kids and Curry’s mother were leaving the stadium. They were blocked to cross the street by the French Police. They do not speak French. The French police do not speak English. 

A passerby who was standing there, who can speak French and English, volunteered to translate. He told the Curry family they have blocked the crossing because the French President Emmanuel Macron who attended the USA-France Basketball Final was leaving and therefore had to block the roads so his convoy can go through freely.  The Curry family demanded they cross the road to their parked car.  But the French police were polite but firm and did not allow them to cross till the motorcade of the French President crosses the place.

But we Americans do not care. Now Ugly Americans come into the picture. Here are the comments in the American papers. Just like comments in the Indian press when things do not go the Indian way.

The French police are angry that USA beat France. (The French police were in the street and they do not even know the score) 

The French police are angry at Steph Curry because he was responsible for France’s loss and therefore, they are punishing Curry’s mother, wife, and kids. (The French Police do not even know who these people are in the street.) 

One San Franciscan wrote: Don’t they know Steph Curry is our hero and how dare they stop his family from crossing the street. 

I love Steph Curry.  This sounds like they were acting entitled.

Give me a break.

PS: A personal experience with French Police.  Long time ago, my wife and I were visiting Paris.  My brother was working and staying there in a fancy apartment. We stayed with him for a few days.  An important minister in the French Government was also staying in that apartment.  Therefore, there were a few police officers at the entrance to the apartment at all times.  When my wife and I were leaving to go back to USA, there was difficulty in putting our suitcases in the taxi.  The guarding French Police helped and made sure we had a smooth ride to the airport.

Walz is Veep Candidate

Kamala Harris has selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her Vice-Presidential Candidate. She was considering 6 people including Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. 

There is generally a good opinion about Governor Walz. Here are some details. 

He is 60 years old and Governor of Minnesota. 

He is a war veteran having served in the Army National Guard.  He was a teacher for some years and coached the high school basketball team which won state championship. 

He was elected to the US Congress (Parliament) from 2006 to 2019, when he was elected Governor of Minnesota.  

One thing I like about him is that as a Governor he introduced free mid-day meals to school kids throughout the State. (Reminded me of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Kamaraj who introduced free mid-day meals to school kids in the 1950s.) 

One criticism is that he is extreme left leaning. 

Harris and Walz jointly appeared this evening in Philadelphia and spoke to their supporters. Before that, Governor John Shapiro (who did not get the Veep nomination) gave a rousing speech. I was thinking this guy should have been picked as Veep by Kamala Harris. If he were to contest in 2028, I would seriously consider voting for him. 

After thought. Trump should have picked Tulsi Gabbard as his Vice Presidential candidate. She has all the qualifications. She was a Congresswoman, served in the Army as Lt. Colonel and saw action in Iraq, well liked by many in the Democratic Party (the opposition party).

'Cackling' Kamala Gets the Nomination

 'Cackling' Kamala Harris gets the Democratic Party Presidential Nomination to contest in 2024.