Congressional Incompetence Makes Me ASHAMED to be an American

• Across the board spending cuts with no analysis of what should be cut as wasteful versus what spending is functional.
• Democrat intransigence on meaningful spending cuts and entitlement reforms.
• Republican intransigence on refusing to close tax breaks for private-jet owners, et. al.

Now, I'm not a fan of Oklahoma in general, but Tom Coburn's Senate testimony today was extremely lucid, on-point, and for the first time from a politician - honest.  Even John Kerry seemed to recognize as such, and almost seemed like he was ready to come to terms like a leader, rather than the self-serving politician he is.

This should have been hammered out months ago.  Then as the deadline approached, weeks ago; then days ago.  Now, there's not enough time to cut wasteful spending; the only cuts that can be made are across the board, which is extremely inefficient and ineffective. 

Had I known that my countrymen were so obtuse, I would have bought silver, gold, bullets and a bunker rather than my SLV puts.  Here's a bit from Marco Rubio, since I couldn't find Tom Coburn's.

Stomach-turning Index-level, part 2

Apparently, I should have kept negative my bet on STD.  Wow.  wow. 

Stomach-turning Index-level

The PSFI Index also accounts for the unrealized loss on the SLV puts.I had a chance to exit my STD position at near-breakeven, but in my reticence to accept a loss, I made it much worse.  Greece will default/restructure, but the can has been kicked for now.
Sold STD Sept. '11 Puts, strike @ $10, for .3 - total loss of 58%.
Luckily, I did not have all my eggs in one basket.  But I do now.  As the summer goes on, I think U.S. economic activity will pick back up while the rest of the world slows down a little from all the tightening their CB's are doing.  Oil price levels are going to hurt the economy and Obama's chances of re-election, and he knows it; hence the release of oil from the SPR to attempt to reduce oil prices [failure].  Add that to inflation and core likely to remain elevated/increase, and I think the Fed will change something to signal tightening - if not end the reinvestment program - at the next FOMC meeting. 
Averaging the price paid for my SLV Oct. '11 Puts, strike $23 is at .5