Smart Financial Advice

ICH BIN . . .

Thorsten Kril: ‘I did watch Obama’s speech, and what strikes me most about it is the lack of ego. The speech was so in tune with today’s world, and it wasn’t about him at all. Over the last few weeks this guy has totally won me over. I never thought I’d switch sides, but Obama will be so great for our country.’

Dan: ‘Come on Andy, even though this is your little fiefdom try to use common sense. How many of the European crowds who turned out for Obama vote in our elections? If I were a foreign national, I’d be for Obama, too.’

☞ Not sure I see Dan’s point. Mine was just that much of the world yearns for an American leader who can make them proud to be our friend again. And having much of the world like and admire us again would be good for business, good for our national security, and good for our ability to help lead the world through the challenging decades ahead.

SMART ECONOMIC ADVISORS

So we know at least one of Senator McCain’s key economic advisors – former Senator all-Enron-roads-lead-to Phil Gramm (who recently said the squeeze Americans feel is psychological and that we’re whiners). This was the guy whom McCain, admittedly weak on economic matters, most heavily relied on to structure his economic plan.

Who are Obama’s top economic advisors?

Obama was the full hour with Tom Brokaw on Meet the Press yesterday, and mentioned that he’d be meeting with his economic advisory team today. This team includes former Fed Chairman Paul Volcker, a personal hero of mine; the most highly respected businessman in the world, Warren Buffett; former Treasury Secretaries Robert Rubin and Larry Summers; Google CEO Eric Schmidt; and former Labor Secretary Robert Reich.

These are exactly the right kinds of people to be listening to. And how great to have the prospect of a president who listens. And who – unlike his opponent – knows how to get on the Internet. Not that the next President will lack for tech support. Just that it would be nice if a leader for the 21st century were computer literate.

SMARTEST FINANCIAL ADVICE EVER?

Here‘s the best money advice these 40 people – ranging from mutual fund managers to Dilbert’s creator Scott Adams – ever got. Some of the nuggets underwhelm, but I love this one, about avoiding debt, pretty much disagree with this one (‘Don’t Save Too Much’), live by this one (minimize your transaction costs), said ‘ouch’ to this one, and actually made it all the way through to this last one, the brilliance of which I can only barely begin to describe.

Tomorrow: Take Four and a Half Minutes to Watch the Pickens Plan