When I'm out running, I like to listen to conservative talk radio. Don't ask me why. I can't explain it. Something about it just intrigues me. I particularly like to listen to Michael Savage. I don't agree with one thing that the guy says, but he is entertaining to listen to. That being said, I've noticed a recent trend in talk radio marketing. Lots of "wealth management", "debt solutions", and "buy gold now" companies are employing a new advertising tactic: Obama-bashing.
One of my favorite commercials is for Coin Trader, Inc. The company is based in Metairie, LA and "[offers] precious metals and rare U.S. coin investment guidance and coin & currency portfolio planning" - whatever that means. Currently this company is offering a FREE SPECIAL REPORT! called "Is your portfolio Obama proof?" They say that it's "the report the Feds don't want you to see," but I doubt that the Fed gives a rat's ass:
A wave of unprecedented government growth and spending has descended on America. The Obama administration is unleashing a wave of new government programs and expenditures which will result in government intrusions into our financial and personal lives and unimaginable debt inflicted on our children.
Yeeeeah, we need to protect our portfolios because Obama has definitely wrecked our economy. I mean, besides that whole 52-week stock market high that we hit yesterday. Or, you know, that whole 3.5% growth in the GDP thing. [Note: unemployment continues to rise, but will start to sink early next year according to several sources. As I've said repeatedly, unemployment is a lagging indicator]. Also, why should we be concerned about the debt "inflicted on our children"? I thought that deficits don't matter?
Another company trying to profit off of anti-Obama sentiment is "Debt Free Stimulus". However, the company's attempt to pander to the right is grossly ironic because while lambasting the "Obama government" for shoring up banks with federal funds (aka "bailing out the banks" or "bailing out Wall Street"), the ads tell conservative listeners that "now it's [their] turn to get a piece of the action," meaning that they can get a slice of the stimulus pie to pay off their personal debt. Yes, the same companies and far right radio hosts that scream about socialism are now encouraging their listeners to take part in a little wealth redistribution.
As it turns out, Debt Free Stimulus (which, ironically, has been marketed as "the stimulus that is guaranteed to work") is a complete sham because the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (aka the "stimulus"), does not dole out money to private individuals to specifically help them pay off credit card debt. As numerous people have pointed out, that's just plain false.
Lastly, who could forget the way that gun dealers were rolling in the dough earlier this year when their sales were up nearly 17 percent? That was, of course, because of Obama's stated belief that guns are inherently bad and should be confiscated. Oh wait... he never said anything like that. But hey, the NRA says he did, so we should believe that lie. Facts be damned. Better stock up on those AK-47s while we still can! A 60 Minutes report from July of this year examines the fear driving the gun boom:
"We’re being told all the time that, ‘Oh, boy. The economy could just collapse. And we could fall into chaos.’ Well, chaos is a good reason to be able to protect yourself," Van Cleave said.
"And this is what are in people’s minds and driving them into these shows and gun stores?" Stahl asked.
"It’s a form of insurance policy," Van Cleave said. "You could imagine if we truly had a collapse of the economy and it was hard to find food, those that did manage to hang onto food might find themselves in a precarious position."
But the bigger reason for this gun rush is best summed up by one gun show commercial: "Buy! Sell! Trade up and cash in! Celebrate the Second Amendment and get your guns while you still can!" [emphasis added]
The report goes on to astutely observe that, "'While you still can' is code for 'Barack Obama wants to take your guns away and re-impose the ban on assault weapons.'"
To tell you the truth, I kind of feel sorry for these companies. While they may be seeing a bump in business now, what are they going to do when the economy begins it's recovery in earnest? When it becomes even more obvious that Obama has better things to do than try to do away with the Second Amendment, how will they be able to scare people into buying guns and stocking up on ammo? If the economy really takes off, why would anyone want to "Obama-proof" their stocks and convert their "wealth into gold"?
The bottom line is that these businesses understand that fear is a powerful motivator. Of course there is nothing wrong with turning a profit, but I would hope that could be accomplished without exploiting the delusions of the ill-informed.
Cross-posted at To Move a Nation