Blackjack is the only statistically winnable game in Las Vegas. I say this conditionally for two reasons. First, people have won at other games. Second, it takes more than expert knowledge of the game. Even if you make the strategically right play on every hand, over the long haul, you will lose money. The key is knowing when to press your advantage.
A simple example is that when the dealer is showing a 5 or 6 he is odds on to bust, and it is in the player's best interest to get more money on the table if possible. The other thing to realize is that each hand played affects the next hand until the next shuffle. Each 2, or 5, or facecard dealt reduces the number of that card left in the shoe. Following the trends of the cards dealt, also known as counting, it can be determined whether a shoe statistically favors the house or the player.
Smart players press their advantage by increasing their bets in these situations. I believe that the Democrats are looking at a favorable shoe.
More below the fold.
Many people are happy the the Great Conciliator has reiterated his stance that the Debt Ceiling is not something to be negotiated over. However, in the aftermath of the shutdown debacle, even as Republican Leadership acknowledge that they must raise the Debt Ceiling, they are also demanding concessions from The President to do it. They say on the one hand that they must raise the Debt Ceiling, and on the other hand a clean bill won't pass.
Don't send them a clean bill. Attach the Unemployment Extension. As with Senator Warren's call to increase Social Security, and the minimum wage debate which has gone from The President's $9.00 to $10.10 an hour, the Democratic opening bid on every bill now takes one step to the left.
The next time Republicans talk about getting government out of the way, the response should be, government got out of the way and business poisoned the water for 300,000 West Virginians. Government got out of the way, and Investment Banks nearly broke the world economy.
Start calling the anemic recovery Boehner's Economy. After all, Congress has not passed any of a number of The President's proposals, and Boehner got "98%" of what he wanted in negotiations that gave us the Sequester.