Michael's Blog   The opinions posted here from time to time are entirely my own, unless otherwise noted  -- Michael Novotny  (Want to respond? Use our new bulletin board on our visitor page or send e-mail to: Michael@ArrowpointRealty.com) January 19th, 2008  In the 2007 year end issue of our Arizona Sunlands newsletter, I made comments relating to how leaders in the real estate industry and profession have turned into "cheerleaders," claiming that things are not as bad in the housing market as "the media" is reporting. In fact, more and more economists are now saying we are in a recession or about to enter one and the real estate market is going to take several years to improve.  Read the articles from the Republic posted on our Economic News You Can Use page. January 17, 2008  We are in the throes of the Presidential Primaries right now, and the dynamics are fascinating. The two leading Democratic candidates are a white female and former First Lady, and a black Senator, each one claiming that race or gender should not be an issue, yet each of them taking the frequent and all-too-typical cheap political shot at one another as evidence that politicians are still willing to try to appeal to the lowest common denominator in the American electorate for votes. On the Republican side, things are just as interesting. After years of catering to the extreme religious right and making religion a major issue in American politics, we now hear discussions about the validity of the Mormon faith and whether the religous fudamentalists would support a Mormon candidate.  Aren't Conservatives supposed to be pledged to a strict interpretation of the US Constitution which reads that there should be no religious test for public office?  Of course there is also the problem in the "party of family values," with candidates such as Senator McCain who has been married twice, and Rudy Guiliani who I believe has been married three times -- once to a cousin, as well as the stories of Rudy's "girlfriend" doing sleepovers with him in the Mayor's residence while Mayor of New York, even while he was still legally married.  But the biggest problem facing the Republicans is how they can be candidates for "change,:" without strongly disavowing the policies and politcs of the past 7+ years of a Republicn Bush Administration? One of the biggest issues of the current campaign season, and certainly of the upcoming Presidential Election, will be Health Care. Too many Americans, particularly children, have no coverage, even as the costs of medical care and medicine is going through the roof. Increasingly, people from both sides of the political aisle are realizing government is going to have to get more involved. The big joke to hear a politician say "Americans don't want the government involved in their health care." Why isn't anyone asking "Senator," or "Cogressman," or "Governor, WHO provides YOU with YOUR healthcare? Isn't it the government?"