[HAKUNA]

As somebody already pointed out, the only natural born citizens are the so called
"red indians", everybody is just a descendent of some immigrant

[ChicagoTrader]

As a Chicagoan and concerned voter who resolutely supported McCain, I frankly doubt Obama is any less corrupt than other members of the Chicago democratic machine. The governor was under arrest only one week ago. For review, Obama got his opponent knocked off the ballot to get to the IL state senate, opposed a Republican for the US senate tainted by sexual scandal, and finally ran against an unpopular political party just after a stock market crash. Yes he has "luck" and the praising media on his side as well as an increasingly stupid electorate.

In my view, all this hope and change stuff is naive folly. Obama is no more "hope and change" than was Jimmy Carter, the last time we were foisted upon with this drivel.
The rest of the world doesn't understand precinct politics. I went to undergrad with the governor, I know how important paying off city officials can be in this town to even get one's garbage collected. This is a one party state and has been for a long time.

The United States should be renamed "The 50 Precincts of Greater Chicago". It will be run exactly the same way. And the fawning press will praise it to no end. If anybody thinks ethnic politics are any different for blacks or any other ethnic groupthan for the Irish, Italians, etc., they are living in a dream world. Obama is no different than Daley. My predicition is that Obama will make Bush look like a "reasoned" president. Hold on to your wallets and get ready to move your trading accounts offshore, the NFA/CFTC and SEC merger is coming as is 50% margin. "Chicago ain't ready for reform", said Paddy Bauler, alderman. Neither is the United States, which seems to be hungrier for media shaded corruption.

[OAC]

Originally Posted by ChicagoTrader »

". Hold on to your wallets and get ready to move your trading accounts offshore, the NFA/CFTC and SEC merger is coming as is 50% margin.

I am not taking sides here, but 50% margin on futures ? That sounds like something only Sara Palin would say.

[ChicagoTrader]

Originally Posted by OAC »

I am not taking sides here, but 50% margin on futures ? That sounds like something only Sara Palin would say.

Sorry that you missed my exaggerating to make a point.

Actually SEC/CFTC merger has been frequently proposed, always by democrats. Also 50% margin has been at times discussed, especially after the crash of 1987 and the huge congressional outcry concerning "programmed trading". Futures were referred to as "fake securities"
by members of congress.

Probably the only thing that has prevented a meger has been the very strong futures exchange lobby. Given Obama's critical view on free markets and now given the relative ease with which markets can be "lost" to other regions, but particularly now with computer platform trading and the huge variety of new products, increasing futures regulation will enhance the probability that margins will be increased and traders will choose to trade elsewhere.

Were not Obama, Barney Frank, etc. pushing for greater regulation of the CDS's, mortgages, "streamlining" the CFTC and SEC (sounds like merger to me)
and the discussion of how markets "don't work" only recently? (when in fact it was the interruption of the free market that caused the problems in the first place). And specifically the CDS market can't be "controlled" because the Fed does not set Libor, for starters

Given much tighter regulation of the futures and forex markets and the disappearence of the "Chinese Wall", the hiking of margins on these products is not so far fetched. We are to be saddled with a democratic administration, house and senate. And, I strongly distrust the idea that members of congress actually have an understanding of securities, derivatives, futures, swaps, options, etc. in the first place.