The Ship of State

Notes of Concern…..
….Jack Blair


THE SHIP OF STATE

There is a new Captain at the helm for the 44th time in the history of the ship.

He now steers the vessel out to the rough seas. Each captain has brought different experience to the assignment and some have steered the ship onto the rocks and others have provided the passengers with calm sailing.

As the ship set sail on January 20th record numbers of people stood on the shore and cheered the vessel, her captain and crew, and extended best wishes for a great cruise.

We shall not see the vessel in port again for a minimum of four years or possibly a maximum of eight.

During that period of time unexpected weather will be encountered, storms will toss the ship, and dangers will be faced.

God bless this ship and all who sail on her.




As Americans continue to watch the crumbling of our financial institutions we realize the bears on Wall Street are in charge. I have included in my column today a photo of one of the bears holding the doors closed so the bulls cannot get in. the fact that this bear was blue and had snow on his back is a pictorial comment on the brisk and unfriendly winds that blow across our land today.



A second visual, one of athletic men trying to climb a very steep wall, could be seen as a depiction of all the intellect and talent brought to the table where decisions on our economy are made. All this brain power has failed to save us from our current situation.

The bottom line is that none of these knows what to do. Everything that is being tried is guesswork.

We must hope that we get lucky as the economic roulette wheel continues to turn and no one really knows where the little ball will finally land.

We must all hope it lands on black rather than red.