In Cramer I (Still) Trust

Say what you want about the actual interview, but Jim Cramer had a lot of balls to step on the set of the today show.  Jon Stewart was a complete bully for the entire interview.  It is evident that he and other who criticize Jim have never watched the show.

Does Cramer make stock picks?  Absolutely.  Does he jump up and down and talk to CEOs?  Sure.  

But he also warns you to do your homework and not blindly follow his advice.  The main point of the show is to teach people how to research individual stocks and sectors.  He gives a good overview of market sentiment, but at no time does he even say that he knows all.  He gets things wrong all the time, and admits it when he does.

Cramer has also done a lot of help level the playing field for the individual investor, and he is by no means a conservative shill:

• He is a strong proponent of re-instating the uptick rule
• He has blasted the SEC countless times for not enforcing existing laws that are there to prevent abuses of the system
• He's criticized the past two Treasury Secretaries, under both Obama and Bush

If you enjoy having a financial planner that you pay manage your portfolio, go ahead and use them.  But if you want to get into money management yourself, I strongly recommend that you read some of Cramer's books, where he delves into personal finance issues in an accessible way, without talking down to you.

Boo-yah.