Hmmm... well somebody better raise that or we'll run out of money to pay bonuses.

If I know my government math (and I think that I do), a government bonus payout of $70 million, taxed at 50%, will yield an increase in government revenue of $35 million.

Brilliant!

Have we saved the country yet?

Pardon me, sir.  It seems there is a knothole in the cedar of your shorts.

Thanks, Rob.  These well-tailored Sevens are worth every penny.

But if I may break from bragging about my pants...

It seems to me that the interplay here (in a nod to ~Paules #11) is really an act of cutting down the rough conservative diamond into what will ultimately become a valuable gem.  And that perhaps one day that gem will be passed to a Reagan-like figure who will lead a new conservative revolution.

It feels to me like this could be happening.  That this potential exists in Ricochet.  

But do you sense, in your gut or in your experience, that this is happening?

Irritating conservatives makes him appear independent minded.

He won't do a darn thing the rest of the way... except campaign.

But he's the best untrustworthy liar we got!

Rubio is your next President.

His position on immigration reform does not matter.

He seems nice  That's what matters.

If this occurs to such a degree that it kills "the small town" then it would be safe to say the country is dying.

I don't know.  Perhaps to some degree.  But small towns are for people who prefer to live local.  The work comes, people set up shop, and "Everything we need is right here."

Suburbs are for people who are attracted to both the quiet life of the small town and the excitement of the big city and are content settling for neither.

I would guess most small towns are born for one of these 2 reasons - it is near a valuable resource and/or is home to a successful business.  And when that resource is no longer valuable and/or that business is no longer successful that small town will die.

But somewhere there will be another valuable resource and another successful business that will give birth to another small town.  And those who move there will be of the ambitious sort and the less ambitious will remain in the old town.

And in time the collection of old dead towns will outnumber newborn towns and leave us with the mistaken impression that small towns are dying.

I have a feeling that when a small town dies it just gets reborn someplace else.  It isn't that "small towns" are dying.  It's that particular small towns are dying.

Nah... these are blue haired ladies of a different sort.

Does this mean we now know who was "In The Chair" when Barack Obama wasn't?

Can't save the country without first having a nutritious and delicious breakfast.

$100 says Rob eats Chai Tea steel cut oatmeal with mixed berries when he's slummin' it.