Hope

I'm sitting here listening to CNBC, this morning earnings are being reported for the second quarter of the year. Companies report their earnings to shareholders and the public, to give a barometer of how the stocks did that quarter and how they predict the future will look. What I like about the stock market is it is a crystal ball of what's going to be happening in the future. I wish the general public in America were forced to watch earnings reports, if they did the world would be so less stressed about Obama and his administration.

Over the last six months I've been paying attention to Wall Street and the Obama Administration, they have to be able to work together or this recession is not going to have a good outcome. A couple of times over these six months, I thought the Rethugs were going to 'Jimmy Carter', Obama. I always thought, how could this happen with someone like Rahm Emanuel as your right hand man, no offense but he is one of those 'super dynamic' Jews. The man can play hardball or softball, whatever way you want it and the Rethugs know it. Between Emanuel and Joe Biden- a man who's been in Washington since I was born. These two know how to unclog the machine and make things happen.

From what I've seen over the last week, companies on the Dow Jones (which covers about 12,000 securities in a number of markets) have been faring well, most companies have been reporting decent earnings. This is because most companies have been getting healthy 'fiscally' while laying off massive amounts of employees. When you do these things, they make a company lean and ready for the future, with future being the key word here. If any sort of strong to moderate recovery occurs, there is going to be a hiring bonanza. I would bet smart companies are already cherry picking through resumes trying to hire the best and brightest before other companies snap these people up.

All of this is percolating and just 20% of the stimulus has been allocated. The President and Mr Emanuel are timing the stimulus money allocation for the 2010 midterm elections-genius. If they are right, 70 to 80% of the stimulus will be allocated before the 2010 midterm congressional elections, if this happens the Democrats will be golden for re-election.

Already this morning Republican doom-sayers have been out trying to talk down the good news coming from Wall Street. The facts are the facts though. People need understand that Wall Street doesn't bet on 'now' they bet on what's going to happen in the 'future'. One example-Caterpillar the heavy machinery maker is up 10% this morning, on better than expected earnings, All of this and the stimulus hasn't really even took effect yet. It's not 'now' people, it's the 'future'.

Garden Tip: Slant cuts when pruning. Prune about a quarter inch above a bud on an angled. This lets water slide off the wound you've made pruning and makes it less likely that water with fungi will pool on the tip of the wound causing disease.