Is That The Pendulum I See Starting To Move?

Could it be the pendulum, that seemed to be moving so far to left that it appeared doubtful it could ever come back, is now actually beginning to drift back a little?

Let's look at four events from just this week.

One, Scott Brown - in the midst of overwhelming odds and precedence and an all-out campaign lead by the President - prevails and wins the US Senate seat in Massachusetts.

Two, the insurmountable 60 vote block of Democratic votes in the Senate is now reduced by one and is no longer impenetrable.

Three, Southers withdrew his application to be confirmed as TSA Director. This has not received much play, but it is another great signal that the people's voice is being heard.

Four, the Health Care bill as we have known it seems unpassable.

Just when it was beginning to look bleak for small businesses and the collective voice of America, the pendulum does seem seem to be coming back our way - and all within a week's time.

Wonder what next week will bring.

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For more information on my coaching and educational programs and services, visit my website stevehoffacker.com or go to my other blog homesalesinsights.com for additional sales tips, insights, and commentary. You can also listen to my free podcast messages at Steve Hoffacker's Happenings.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2010. All Rights Reserved.

14 comments • Steve Hoffacker - Real Estate Sales & Marketing Consulting and Strategies • January 22 2010 08:54AM

Our Government Is A Great Enabler

We are co-dependent on our government - and they love it this way. Every day they think of more ways to enable us.

Cash for Clunkers to help us buy a car that we may not want or need or be able to afford, the Housing Tax credit to help us buy homes (although it really doesn't - it just makes people feel better about doing it), Medicare and Medicaid as well as the proposed Health Care reform to make us look to the government for our physical well being and medical treatment, Cap and Trade to penalize us for using too much energy and make us feel better about it, the Payment Csar to tell companies how much they can pay executives, government motors to come to the aid of auto companies and large financial concerns to take ownership of them, and so much more.

Our government loves it when we look to them for our basic needs. In fact, they are a great enabler. We gladly go along. We are co-dependent.

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For more information on my coaching and educational programs and services, visit my website stevehoffacker.com or go to my other blog homesalesinsights.com for additional sales tips, insights, and commentary. You can also listen to my free podcast messages at Steve Hoffacker's Happenings.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2009. All Rights Reserved.

24 comments • Steve Hoffacker - Real Estate Sales & Marketing Consulting and Strategies • August 25 2009 09:33PM

Small Businesses Are Being Targeted

All of us who run or work for a small business - and I think that's probably all of us - have a bullseye on our back - placed there by the White House.

Virtually everyday, there is a new attack we learn about.

In no particular order, Cap and Trade, Consumer Protection Financing Agency, 30+ csars in charge of everything imaginable (with more surely on the way), takeovers, bailouts, TARP, Stimulus, and health care all tax and regulate the small businesses, reward labor unions, and make it increasingly difficult for entrepreneurs and small businesses to compete against the government.

No one ever gave the government this authority - they just took it. And we are continuing to allow it.

Today, the White House flexed its muscle again - as the majority owner of government motors (didn't we see this coming?). Congress finally feels that GM and Chysler (at the urging of the White House) were a little over-reaching in closing so many dealerships and creating more unnecessary layoffs and impacting local economies. So Congress wants to let some of the 2,600 GM dealerships and 789 Chysler dealerships axed by the takeover remain in business. The White House says no and is fighting Congress on this.

Letting the White House own an auto company was never a good idea.

Between the takeovers, the taxation, the mandates, the universal health care, the taxation, the regulation, and the taxation, small businesses are being targeted for elimination. Then, without the buffer of small businesses, the people will be taxed directly and will owe everything they have to the government. This is socialism - or worse.

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For more information on my coaching and educational programs and services, visit my website stevehoffacker.com or go to my other blog homesalesinsights.com for additional sales tips, insights, and commentary. You can also listen to my free podcast messages at Steve Hoffacker's Happenings.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2009. All Rights Reserved.

18 comments • Steve Hoffacker - Real Estate Sales & Marketing Consulting and Strategies • July 16 2009 12:50PM

Wake Up People, Stop Cap And Trade Or It Will Stop Us

Regardless of where you stand on energy use, climate change, alternative energy, or similar matters, the cap and trade bill that squeaked by in the House is set to ruin our livelihoods if it passes the Senate. It must be stopped.

There are provisions in this behemoth bill (over 1,300 pages, looking more like an almanac than a piece of sensible legislation) that apply to Freddie and Fannie and create green banking centers that undoubtedly will impact our businesses.

But here's three to chew on:

(1) federalization of the residential building codes, based on conformance to those currently in place in California - regardless of regional differences, consumer preferences, and States' rights;

(2) all new buildings must have electrical capabilities to allow for electric cars to to be recharged;

(3) before any home in America can be sold or resold, a federal inspection must be conducted on the energy efficiency of that home (including doors, windows, etc.) and a federal rating assigned to it - not sure who pays for this, but presumably it's the seller.

There are so many more onerous provisions to this bill. It must be stopped. It only passed the House 219-212, with 8 Republicans voting for it (the difference in passage right there). It faces opposition in the Senate, but that's not good enough. We must all voice our disapproval - if just for the 3 reasons I mentioned above.

The real estate business as we know it is at risk.

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For more information on my coaching and educational programs and services, visit my website stevehoffacker.com or go to my other blog homesalesinsights.com for additional sales tips, insights, and commentary. You can also listen to my free podcast messages at Steve Hoffacker's Happenings.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2009. All Rights Reserved.

240 comments • Steve Hoffacker - Real Estate Sales & Marketing Consulting and Strategies • June 29 2009 11:09PM