Ok, so back to interest rates and the economy. What will change? Nothing. Congress and the Senate will refuse to make any hard choices regarding government spending, and push the Federal Reserve to continue to buy US Treasuries, print money and keep interest rates low. So, if you are reading this and have not looked into refi nancing, please call me as rates continue to stay near historic lows. Th e good news about America is that its people have always been resilient and have found a way to distinguish ourselves from the world and create a better future.

1. deanvlamis
MARKET NEWS
2936 W. Belmont Avenue Chicago 60618
773.612.2666 | dean@perlmortgage.com
www.deanvlamis.com
Do I go negative; pound my opponents great impersonator, Rich Little. What if
for their lack of proper lunch room and I impersonated the school principal? I
playground etiquette whether true or was gonna kill!
not? Do I drag the campaign in the gut-
ter and claim that on countless occasions
that it had been suggested that my oppo-
nents were seen walking on the grass and
even worse, being disruptive line leaders?
Should I promise to increase spending,
The year was 1975; it was late in my 4th lower the cost of milk, and promise to
grade year at John Diemer Elementary fully staff the school store to shorten
in Overland Park, Kansas. I was taking lines; demand longer time for recess? “It’s all in the delivery.”
a bit of a chance in Middle America. There were so many choices. So what
The son of immigrant parents who ac- did I do? I decided to abandon the neg- As I was going through my speech, you
tually spoke with sharp Greek accents. ative ads, ignore the issues and take the know the boring part about my char-
I fit the mold, very dark, sharp features humorous route. If I could make them acter, my dedication and my how tall I
of a typical Greek boy. We stood out laugh, lighten the mood up as I was con- was, I couldn’t help but crack a smile as
in this town and with my real name of vinced that I could secure the nine and I was approaching my punch line…”I
Constantine children in my class would under vote. promise to get the student body two
erupt with laughter whenever a substi- days off a week of school (pause for af-
tute teacher would come in and read off I frantically worked on my posters try- fect) Saturday and Sunday!
the class list and mangle the pronunci- ing to come up with catch phrases that
ation of my name. Oh how I dreaded would stick and the electorate would Silence.
these days and eventually would learn remember. But it would all come down
to approach the teacher before class and to my speech, which would give me a I froze, pleading inside my head, oh
kindly request of him or her to please chance to get in front of the whole stu- please laugh, please, please laugh.
call me “Dean.” Sure I was welcomed, dent body, make them laugh, and seal
treated well, fairly, but because of who the election! “…Saturday and Sunday.”
we were we always stood out. Yes, I repeated the punch line.
So for me to run for Vice President of Nothing.
the Student Council in 4th grade for
the 5th grade year was seen as a stretch. I went right into my impression of the
I was a well-liked, athletic, a good stu- principal who was standing just a few
dent and the tallest in the 4th grade. So feet away. This did get everyone’s atten-
I had that going for me. One of the stu- tion; only the whole assembly was look-
“Learning from the legends.”
dents I was running against was my best ing at him, staring at me and clearly
friend, Mike Seligson. So I could kiss I was a nervous wreck building up to wondering how many days I had left in
the Jewish vote good bye. So what were this. I had practiced over and over again this school.
my strong points? What could I sell the delivering my punch lines and even
student body to convince them that a stayed up late to watch Johnny Carson Needless to say, I did not win the election.
vote for the kid with the funny talking and the comedians he would have on to Some could say it was my campaign; I still
parents was a vote for their future? I see how they delivered their lines. I need- maintain to this day that it had more to
had nothing to lose. I could go for the ed to master the timing of the delivery. do with my ethnic background and that
Greek vote right? In Kansas? Great, that Yes, I was prepared, evenings watching Kansas was just not ready for a Greek Vice
would be one vote, my younger sister legends like Don Rickles and Buddy President. (Even though Spiro Agnew was
and even that vote wasn’t a sure thing. Hackett. I was even encouraged by the Vice President at the time.)
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2. Dean Vlamis | 773.612.2666 page 2
In late 1976 we moved to Chicago where I What do I mean? How impressive was it
finished off my 5th grade year. I started the that you would have that Bryan Ferry CD
6th grade year a virtual unknown, but things to show how enlightened and sensitive
were different in this more diverse commu- you were. Yes, you know which one I am
nity. For starters, we moved to Palos Hills, a talking about. When certain company
suburb with a large Greek community, so would be over, “Slave to Love” would be
I no longer stood out, and I could actually playing in the background with the lights
tell people my real name was Constantine. dimmed. (Note, I never did this and it
On top of that, the community itself was cannot be proven that I ever did). Yes you
more diverse than Kansas and the fact that know what I am talking about; like any-
my parents had accents was not a big deal at one actually listened to that CD when no
all. Things were going well for me. one was around. Let’s be honest here, it
Today’s politicians basically have done what I would have been better had you played
did back in 1976. Create a strategy to win an AC/DC, The Rolling Stones… ”Shoot
election rather than a strategy to govern. (Yes, to Thrill”, “Tumbling Dice”… But Bryan
I was way ahead of my time). In our day and Ferry, really ??? It was all about image.
age where what Kim Kardashian wears to a
party or who the Bachelorette picks for her
husband is more important than the econo-
my, taxes and government spending this can
come back and hurt us.
As a side note, some would claim this hap-
pened at Oak Ridge Elementary in 1977 and
In 6th grade I was the MVP of our unde- the failure of the Tootsie Roll sale campaign.
feated championship basketball team. More To reiterate; this was not my idea, and I sim-
importantly I had the lead in the school ply went along with this as it was the same
play, “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” If you campaign run the year before when I wasn’t
are familiar with this play you will know even at the school!!
that at some point I would have to parade
“No one listens to this.”
around the stage in my underwear. The play So with the American election past us what
was a smash hit and I was riding a huge did we learn? Well, really nothing new re- Did I really need to get my ear pierced on
wave. (Some would say that I peaked in 6th garding policy. But we did learn that both Spring Break in 1984 and then parade
grade but that is blatantly not true - I had candidates were responsible for the death of around my campus and my fraternity in a
some good days after this). innocent people, the loss of jobs and that nei- white sport coat? Yes, because the image at
ther one cares about the “middle man.” Now the time was everything; but really not im-
After all this, the school was holding elec- of course none of this is true, but American portant. Actually maybe that is not a good
tions for offices. Some politicians after such campaigns have become less about strategy example, as I really think I can still pull off
a tragic campaign as mine just a year and a for governing and more about a strategy to that look.
half before would pack it in. Not me, I was win an election and demonize the opponent
going to run for President. What did I do? Ok, so back to interest rates and the econ-
I gave the exact same speech I gave in Over- The bigger question in today’s America is omy. What will change? Nothing. Con-
land Park, Kansas and used the same cam- how the election will affect us and more gress and the Senate will refuse to make
paign poster ideas. This you must remem- importantly interest rates and the real es- any hard choices regarding government
ber was before the internet and any chance tate market. Can we tell by the campaign spending, and push the Federal Reserve
of me getting caught was null. what will happen or how things will affect to continue to buy US Treasuries, print
us? No, as the campaign was not about money and keep interest rates low. So, if
I won in a landslide; it wasn’t even close. ideas on either side. you are reading this and have not looked
Before my speech I was introduced as the into refinancing, please call me as rates
MVP and “The Emperor.” With that mo- Some would claim that by stating this that I continue to stay near historic lows.
mentum I had the 1st through 4th grade am repudiating my light hearted campaign I
vote secured. It was easy. ran thirty six years ago, however successful it The good news about America is that its
was. Well, maybe I am, maybe I feel a little people have always been resilient and have
What does this tell us about our elections? guilt at a trend that I may have started and it found a way to distinguish ourselves from
Well, perception is more important than re- is time for someone to stand up for what is the world and create a better future.
ality. I ran the same campaign to a different right. This should not be just in campaigns
demographic and crushed it. It was more but in all aspects of society and our every- Hopefully there are better days ahead for
important to the electorate at Oak Ridge day lives. Too often, image and perception all of us. Happy Holidays and thank you
Elementary that I was a basketball star and have become too important and the reality for your support!!
the lead in a play than anything else. that we must face is ignored.
www.deanvlamis.com | www.perlmortgage.co m