Morning Reads for Thursday, December 20

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Morning!  I’m in Nashville this week.  The multiple hours of windshield time allowed me to listen to an oldie, but goodie again: The Millionaire Next Door (9 lessons).  Undoubtedly, most of you have read it also.  If not, I highly recommend it to the GOP Book Club when determining new strategies for targeting voters.

A good portion of the book explains that most millionaires are first-generation i.e. they got ‘up and out’ with frugality and good planning.  Most are entrepreneurs; most appear blue collar.  Like most parents, first-generation millionaires want better for their kids – private schools, college, “economic outpatient care”.  A lot of times the parent’s drive to succeed is replaced with the child’s drive to appear successful – all hat, no cattle.  By the third generation, the accumulation of wealth is usually gone.

Mull on this idea as we determine our attitudes towards immigration:  America must maintain a constant inflow of immigrants in order to keep the same or rising number of millionaires.

Links to Morning Reads are below the fold.

Georgia

•  Boehner whipping Gingrey, Kingston and Broun on ‘Plan B’
• New state car tax law coming in March
• Georgia’s jobless rate falls to 8.5 percent in November — lowest level in nearly 4 years
• Ten Georgia college presidents lobby for gun control
• Oh good - Fulton jail will get working cell locks next year
• Georgia Fair Share delivers petition to Woodall’s office
• Job Opening: Downtown authority chief to step down
• Hall County worker furlough days canceled

Inter/national

• Today would’ve been Hillary’s testimony on Benghazi.  No need to post more articles about it, but Clinton said Monday in a letter to the committee that she would respond to the committee’s questions in January.
• State Dept security chief resigns after Benghazi
• Dec. 21, 2012: Fearful ‘end of world’ callers flood NASA
• US senators criticize ‘Zero Dark Thirty’ in letter
• Miss USA Olivia Culpo is crowned Miss Universe. First time since 1997.
• Well, s#it - CTA Passenger Attacked With Sock Filled With Human Feces
• Midwest hit by its first major snowstorm of season

Whatevs

• Un-hitching the middle class.  Sure, marriage will happen for me at some point, but Erick needs to chillax on his view of singles.
• Video: Santa/Mose Rap Off.  Snoop dressed up as Moses.  ”Smoking the burning bush.”  #justwrong
• 26 Moments That Restored Our Faith In Humanity This Year
• Before and After Meth Photos.  Hey – the conversation is uncomfortable, but you’re not doing right by your kids (or nieces/nephews) if you don’t have a conversation about the real consequences of “just trying it once to see what it’s like”.

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