So, Mrs. McCain’s brokerage house has some intelligent investments, so what? Lots of people are going to make lots of money, that’s why A-B sold to Inbev. How is this a story?

More interesting to know than how much President McCain’s wife earned from a wise stock investment would be how much Senator Obama earned from his dealings with Tony Rezko.

Hmmmm. Apparently jealousy is starting to rear its ugly head because, duh, investors will soon be realizing nice stock profits. The thing is, even we working folks had an opportunity to invest some of our money in a company such as A-B.

Here’s a little story about Johnny and Ralphie. Maybe you know them too; I sure do:

In a 3-year period Johnny invested in a 50-inch Flat Screen TV for $2,500, a fancy new $500 cell phone with 1,000 minutes per month (at $99 per month for 3 years = $3,600+$500 =$4,100), a leased Hummer for 3 years at $599 per month (total lease cost of $21,564), and weekly trips to the local gambling boat at an average cost of $40 per week (40×52x3=$6,240). At the end of the 3 years Johnny cried because he had no money. So he asked his brother for a loan this month to pay his rent which was, imagine that, overdue. Amazing how quickly we working folks can blow through $34,000 on expensive toys and entertainment in a 3-year span.

On the other hand, Johnny’s brother Ralphie, during the same 3 years, lived frugally and invested $1,000 per month and bought stock in A-B. He thought about buying a new car, but, since his 8 year-old, paid for, mid-sized sedan still ran just fine, he just said “no.” When the sale of A-B to In-Bev was announced recently, although stunned and saddened, Ralphie at least took comfort in knowning that he had invested $36,000 in A-B stock and that he would realize a tidy profit for his efforts. And he didn’t miss not having a Flat Screen or a Hummer.

While maybe Ralphie’s profit amount won’t set the world on fire, it shows the difference in whining about someone else’s good fortune, and not trying to improve one’s own fortune.

Whatever happened to personal responsibililty and making wise choices?

Oh, I forgot, Johnny was FORCED to buy all of those depreciating assets; oh, sorry, I meant “toys.”

It’s not that Mrs. McCain is getting MORE rich, it’s that when BushMcCain’s former wife took care of his kids while a POW, and after she was seriously injured in a car accident, Slick Johnny BushMcCain walked, married an heiress and ran for Congress (now for President)!

How’s that for family values, yappers!

Hmmmm, Sounds as though Tim might have one of those expensive Hummer leases…

Tim,

I think you need to get your facts straight. Carol McCain was seriously injured while Sen. McCain was a POW. When he was released from captivity, they were reunited and remained married for 6 years, before the marriage broke up–something Sen. McCain has taken the blame for (when was the last time you heard a politican do that?).

You want to pass judgement on their marriage, go right ahead. You want to try to figure out how 5 years apart (after only two years of marriage), twin horrible injuries, torture, twin excrutiating bouts of physical therapy, and the end of Sen. McCain’s naval career impacted their marriage, you peer into that crystal ball and come up with whatever judgemental crap you want to.

Given the fact that the first Mrs. McCain and all the children from that marriage (two of whom Sen. McCain adopted from her first marriage) support Sen. McCain when there would be ample time and reason for bad blood to spill all over the front pages (for reference, see the Giulianis), is reason enough for me to not be too judgemental about McCain’s family life.

“Slick Johnny BushMcCain walked, married an heiress and ran for Congress” is false, partisan junk.

Hey Tim, if marital infidelity indelibly taints a President, please explain how Presidents FDR, Kennedy, and Clinton will be remembered as great leaders and not filthy philanderers. [long period of silence] Yeah, I didn’t think you’d have an answer for that one.

Right Joe, we know how Repubs hate to bring up the family lives of politicians.
Impeachment, anyone?

Niptuks first post captures the problem in this country quite well. He forgot about Johnny’s $300,000 house with an adjustable rate, interest only mortgage that he is now having trouble keeping up with the payments and now wants the government to help him. He also forgot to mention that despite the purchases of high priced toys, Johnny is also one of the many uninsured in this country who feels TV’s and cell phones are more important purchases.

As has become the norm in this country, Ralphie will be called upon as being stingy when he wants to keep his own money, and will inevitably have to bail out the Johnnys through higher taxes on his income and investment returns.

If Hillary or Terry McAualiffe(sp) can make huge profits on short term, shady investments, I wouldn’t expect Tim Hogan or any others to find fault with Cindy McCain’s investment success.