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Ode to Healthcare

By Rick Walter

I was in the midst of researching some emerging market funds, specifically ETF funds that invest in China last week, but the healthcare ruckus kept dominating the headlines and distracting me. I really do not know what to make of it. There is so much confusing information being put out there. So far many of the claims are just over-the-top, gross exaggerations, but some of it is legitimate enough to make you pause and think for a moment. Well fine.

However, my greatest beef so far has not been with the idea itself of healthcare reform but the opposition tactics. If the opposition and dissenters- people who are personally against Obama and his policies want to be taken seriously, then they should attend these town hall meetings and wait their turn like everyone else to voice their concerns or they can write or visit their congressman's office. Congress.org got a great website where you can contact your congressman via email or letter. You know what, you actually get a response.

Instead, rowdy dissenters want to shout down the Congressional speakers at meetings, make belligerent, retarded claims and totally disrupt the meetings. They have basically hijacked the town hall meetings on healthcare. I wonder if its safe to say that we can classify these individuals that are allegedly backed by special interest groups as domestic political terrorist? Maybe that's to strong, but when do we say that these types of rowdy, dangerous, confrontational protests have crossed the line. However, this is not a political blog, but the tone and methods of protests I see developing is very unsettling.

Moving on to the gist of this blog which is to provide good investment information so that you make some money in the markets. I am projecting another one of those drip-drop weeks- up a few, down a few, nothing major. Companies are still reporting earnings that are not stellar, but expected. I was particularly impressed with Home Depot's 2nd quarter results; Home Depot's earnings, Before Provisions for Income Taxes, were only off by 11.3%. Now that's a well run company. We just experienced one of the sharpest, scariest recessions in my lifetime and the company's 2nd quarter earnings were only off by 11%. WOW-W!

I am still researching and looking for some good foreign or emerging market funds- particularly China focused, and hope to have a list of a few, potentially promising funds shortly.

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