It is only the beginning ...

Obamanation, Day 2 ...

Can you smell the fear? It's pervasive. It's clingy and sticky. It's everywhere.

I live in West Texas. Our economy has been booming, despite the hell the rest of the country is going through. Drilling gas wells and oil wells has kept our cost of living high, but the pay is good. I have sat and counted myself lucky that we, for the moment, have been spared. Even up to the presidential election, the feeling around here has been guardedly positive.

Today, out of the blue, a company that employs more than 400 people, and makes materials that are in demand everywhere on the planet, announced its closure. By the end of the first quarter of 2009, the Flint Hills plant, in Odessa, Texas, will be no more.

I work for a small company that provides critical parts and supplies for the Flint Hills plant. They are one of our biggest local accounts. There are many, many little companies that support places like Flint Hills and other plants in the area. Most of them aren't 'corporations.' They don't have the tax shelters and high-dollar accountants, but they are vital to our little piece if the United States.

Every. Single. One.

It was completely unexpected.

Maybe ...

Today is Day 2 of the Obama-nation. Take it however you like.


Okay, let's get something out of the way, first. There are people that are died-in-the-wool racists. I'm not one of them. I do not care what color, size, shape, sexual preference, attractiveness level or brand of cigarette a person smokes (or even if they smoke at all). Hell, I don't even care what they smoke. They live their lives, just like I live mine. Their choices are theirs.

I don't care if Obama is black.

I.

Don't.

Care.


Everyone I know. Everyone! Is scared to death of what that man may do. He has a monster machine at his right hand. The Triumvirate. Obama, Pelosi, and Reid. Add to that the likelihood that Obama will get to name at least two Supreme Court justices. The math is frightening. With enough power, I think this man will try to rewrite the Constitution. I hope I am wrong, but I'm not.

Back to the point. Every single customer I saw today was ... well ... scared.

Small businesses in my part of the country are getting ready to batten down their hatches, or cap their wells, or whatever ... you choose your metaphor.

They're worried and scared and anxious.

Their taxes are going to skyrocket.

Many of them are over the artificial 'cap' that has been placed. Two Hundred Fifty Thousand dollars (using the most generous of the arbitrary 'wealth' meters).

A sole-proprietorship or partnership or family business might pull in that kind of income, but most of that is reinvested in the business, to grow it and nurture it, bringing prosperity and jobs to the surrounding community.

Soon all that will change. The cutbacks and layoffs will soon begin. Oil companies will stop exploring. Drilling companies will stack their drilling rigs, one-by-one, then in groups. Total shutdown of the 'Oilfield' industry has been know to take less than three months.

Our economy, which directly and indirectly, relies on the oilfield to function.

But, there are a few places that don't rely on the oilfield to be prosperous, because their products aren't completely oilfield related.

Like the Flint Hills plant.

The point is, Mr. Obama isn't even in office yet, and his plans for redistribution of wealth, tax and spend, and socialist agenda are already starting to have their effects. His 'wealth' meter fits almost every successful small business in this country, which will force them to do what is necessary to survive. Cutting costs and lay-off of employees is the result. Jobs will be scarce and any worker can be replaced because people need jobs, and will take less pay, rather than no pay at all.

Like I said, Obamanation, Day 2.