Transforming America: How long will it take? Sooner rather than Later.....

As further evidence that the transformation of America is still on-going, one should read the May 15, 2011 column of George Will.  The National Labor Relations Board [which is supposed to be independent] is continuing its assault upon Boeing and the State of South Carolina for having the audacity of wanting to build Dreamliners in a Right-to-Work state.  NLRB waited two years to attack Boeing and IS jeopardizing both jobs and BILLIONS invested in the State of South Carolina.  This is how BIG BROTHER is being imposed on citizens just to protect Unions vis-a-vis Business and state sovereignty.


It is suggested that one should read Rich Lowry's article entitled "President Obama's Program In Shambles:  Economy slip-sliding away" published May 1, 2011 to gather some background and appreciation for the opinions expressed here.

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THE TRANSFORMATION OF AMERICA

In my opinion, President Obama has stayed true to his convictions he espoused during the 2008 presidential campaign:  He appears engaged and motivated to pursue the transformation of America into a vision of George Sorros's New World Order. 

Obama's transformation agenda for America is:

1. to significantly reduce reliance on fossil fuels (by whatever means necessary)
   
2. to significantly increase employee Union power and influence
   
3. to significantly redistribute wealth to the poor (by whatever means necessary)
   
4. to reduce the long-term global influence of America financially, politically, and militarily

What methods Obama intends to use to complete his agenda:

• thru legislation (ObamaCare) (Dodd-Franks) (Cap-and-Trade)  - to increase entitlements - to put financial institutions under more federal control - to increase the cost of fossil fuels
  
• thru EPA regulations (federal register) - to prevent oil and gas companies from drilling - to prevent utility companies use of fossil fules - to increase the price of gasoline
  
• thru Federal Reserve: - to weaken the dollar - to encourage asset inflation -
  
• thru NLRB - empower unions and curb corporate management's ability to control employees and costs
  
• by demonizing Republicans (there is more to come if he is re-elected) to produce fear of any changes they suggest to social entitlements or financial controls of Wall Street - to produce class envy - to discredit any effort to alter his agenda as a racist attack
  
• by taking advantage of any opportunity to promote his agenda by using stealth, and obfuscation (Middle East unrest) (lack of immigration reforms)  
  
• President Obama took advantage of the financial crisis during the Great Recession to successfully put America on the path to hopefully complete his agenda
• Increase income taxes on the most productive people
  

Evidence of his intentions and motivations to complete agenda :

• the credentials and ideological background of his czars (communists, radicals, liberation theology, etc.)
  
• the credentials and ideological background of his political advisers and associates (communists, liberation theology, etc.)
  
• his public comments about redistribution-of-wealth during the last campaign
  
• his public support of cap-and-trade legislation (raising the cost of fossil fuels)
  
• his association with Bill Ayers and Van Jones and numerous other radicals  (he openly admits to seeking out radicals in college)
• his acknowledged emotional support of SEIU and reliance upon their organizational support
  
• his professorial arrogance (he knows and understands more than anyone else and thus he does not need to consult or listen to the peasants)
• his apparent inattention to any racial issues - why does he not?
  
• his willingness to blame America for the ills of the world - Cairo, Egypt speech
  
• his indirect, yet continuous, inter-connectivity with George Sorros and/or George Sorros funded organizations
• his apparent inattention and leadership of the consequences of the large federal debt and budget deficits
• lawsuits filed against any state daring to interfere with his agenda
• Obama has almost tripled the amount of our national debt and about doubled the amount being spent on entitlement programs since he was elected
• he never offers a olive-branch to the other side to negotiate in-good-faith
  

Consequences to American citizens if this agenda is allowed to be fully implemented: 

• reduction of wealth and prosperity
• reduction of America's global interests
  
• less long-term investment  
• employment stagnation
  
• economic class warfare
• reduction in the standard of living
• ethnic polarization - the balkanization of America!
• ally distrust
• permanent increase in the cost of fossil fuels
  
• more regulation of personal liberties, freedoms, and speech

Need Vs. Want

Advertising Blog

Exploring the idea of frugality, led me to think about another aspect of the new advertising mantra, need vs. want.

The new marketing wisdom dictates that we frame our advertising efforts in terms of “need.” “Want” is out. With gross sales down, the combined forces of the advertising world did some navel gazing and decided, merchandise isn’t moving, the consumer doesn’t want our stuff anymore.

And a collective chorus erupted, “Hallelujah, they’re only buying stuff they need. We shall sell need.”

Yeah, white papers have been written on this.

But none of them define the bugaboos, need or want.

Outside of trips to the grocery store while I was in college, bulk rice, or trips to the thrift store in the same period, something to cover my body, I cannot think of many purchases based on pure need. Yes, I have a house, but I certainly could survive in a smaller one. Yes, I have a car, actually a truck a big, but I could survive with a much smaller one, or none at all. A whole lot of the stuff I have cannot be justified on need. My flat screen, don’t need it. Stereo, MP3 player, don’t need it. Camera, don’t need it. Lawn and accompanying lawnmower and garden tools, don’t need it. Second set of dishes for holidays, don’t need it. Glasses, old jars would functionally do the trick. Closet full of clothes as opposed to a drawer full, don’t need them. Glass of wine in the evening, don’t need it. Vacation and dinner out, who are we kidding?

Listen, marketing is not, will not, and never will be about merely answering customers “needs.” That is a cop out on the part of marketers. It is our job to create “want,” pure and simple. Then to give customers a menu of product benefits, real and imagined, that allow them to justify that want and rationalize it as a need.

Don’t go all puritanical on me here. There is no biological need for music, art, or laughter. But life without them would be so Hobbesian.

Creating desire isn’t an evil trait of marketers. It is what we do. We add value to a product or service, above and beyond mere biological necessity. Selling need is like offering a thirsty man water, outside of the Sahara, a recipe for lousy market share and zero profit margin.

Let’s get back to basics. Advertising must add value above and beyond the inherent product. It must position the product as superior within its field, it must present benefits and value that surpass mere price point. Sure, there are some needs, for example, the customer needs a copier to conduct business, but why yours? Sure he needs lunch, why yours? Given a plethora of products that meet the customer’s need, it’s want that makes the sale.

Howard Henson & Associates, Inc.

Marketing - Public Relations - Grapic Design - Web Design - Printing - Laminating

Larry Henson, President In Business Since 1974 405-471-4888