Your Mom and I visited Grasshopper No.5 last weekend. She is a gracious host. We got to zoom around Minneapolis in the red Mini-Cooper. Yes, you can get three people in her car. The Mini comes with a "shoe-horn" accessory allowing you to stuff more than 2 people into the vehicle. I will never complain about my car manufactured by the Bavarian Motor Works being too small again. In fact, my car is spacious and very comfortable for four people. My car is huge!
I see that Mercury Marine has reached an impasse in negotiating a new employment agreement with their union. Either directly or indirectly, 5,000 jobs in Fond du Lac are at stake. If the union ratifies the new proposal, the company stays in Fond du Lac. If the proposal is turned down, all operations will be moved to Oklahoma. There is an ugly economic reality playing out here where nobody really wins. Wisconsin doesn't need to lose any more jobs.
I watched "Seabiscuit" last night. I was struck by the economic times that prevailed as Seabiscuit became a symbal of hope for all the "down trodden" and victims of the depression. Soup kitchens were common. Tent cities existed for the homeless. Public works programs were promoted to keep some people employed. Banks closed and people lost all their savings. It took10 years and a World War to change things. Seabiscuit with a huge heart took on big black War Admiral and won a stunning victory. The little guy won.
The financial tsunami of the last few years has produced another recession of major proportions. The practices of lending institutions has forced major forclosure actions, government intervention and unemployment rates approaching 10%. There is a whole lot of unemployment that isn't even counted anymore. Banks having FDIC insurance has made this recession less severe.
We need a hero similar Seabiscuit to root for. It doesn't have to be a horse. It could be some other animal or even a person. We Americans are a resilient group. We will unite behind a new symbol with heart. Maybe Favre will lead the "purple people eaters" to two victories over the green and gold and finish the season with a Super Bowl ring. I'm not sure that will unite a nation but it will kindle the emotions of a lot of people in Wisconsin and Minnesota. Maybe there are many Favres out there.
Where oh where art thou, oh mighty hero?
Love,
Dad