08-04-2011, 01:34 PM | #21 | |
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How Soon, I actually agree with you. From my perspective, we Americans have a very strange relationship with our values and our economics and our political system. And we have wonkie ideas about accounting too. |
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08-04-2011, 01:55 PM | #22 | |||
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The reason we are making a big deal out of the right and left is that these are meaningful distinctions. Having a right-leaning government or a left-leaning government makes a world of difference! It's the difference between public schools and libraries (favored by left-leaning government) or a gutted public education system and no public libraries (favored by right-leaning government). Quote:
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Cheers Aj
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08-04-2011, 02:25 PM | #23 |
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At this point, I am much more unsettled with how the US Congress is behaving than what upsets me about Obama (although, most likely I will support his re-election- just have to see who the GOP candidate ends up being). I'm registered as "decline to state," which in California, is "Independent."
Frankly, I was amazed that the GOP didn't want to even consider the initial debt-ceiling proposal that Obama said he was willing to support ($3 of cuts to every $1 of revenue via reform of tax loopholes). Although, I support social programs and the health care reform bill, we do need to pay down our debt. At this point, who and how we ended up with it, doesn't matter to me. Both major parties contributed to the mess the US is in. There are some things that I bet I would be called conservative about- others, liberal or even progressive. Sometimes I feel like as I age, I am just more of a political moderate. Don't know. It pissed me off that Obama did not support the Simpson-Bowles comission findings last year. The fact is, some cuts in entitlement programs do have to be made- and can be without direct hits to beneficiaries. I support "means-testing" for example. There are many, many very, very wealthy retirees that do not need the level of benefits they now receive. I was angry when Obama allowed the Bush tax credits to be extended and I don't want this to happen again. Yet, reform of the tax code (big time reform) is needed. My main frustration right now is how much power a fringe group (the Tea Party) weilded during the debt-ceiling debate and Obama caving in on revenue. My guess is that he realized that the House TP members really are ignorant about what the extent a default would have caused. Yet, I think he should have invoked the 14th Amendment although we all know that he would have faced a legal fiasco and calls for impeachment via the GOP. BUT- the numbers to actually pull impeachment off are not there and I think his doing so would have gone a long way in establishing his leadership qualities during a crisis. Hell, he already is vulnerable in terms of re-election. Honestly, I believe the GOP (the whole party) just wants our economy to tank more- even to the point of an actual depression so that a Republican is elected in 2012. This is what bothers me the most. This is just plain sick and evil because this is not just about Obama failing- it is about millions of us losing everything. The only way I see as a way for real change in the US political system that can bring what is good and fair in democracy is public funding (only) of elections- federal, state, local- every election held in the US. Now, the chances of this happening anytime soon is pretty damn slim! The "Citizens United" Supreme Court decision cemented the class divisions that decide who will hold office in the US. |
08-04-2011, 03:02 PM | #24 | |
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What better way to win the next election than to make certain that the economy is in the tank? Quite honestly, this reminds me a lot--a LOT--of end-stage Weimar Germany. At the end-game, the right-wing in Germany (the Nazis, the Conservatives and the Junkers) simply made the Reichstag non-functional. The idea was to make the nation unstable so that the German people would vote for anyone who would bring about stability. Doesn't that sound familiar? Cheers Aj
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08-04-2011, 04:34 PM | #25 |
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Yep AJ; Then hardcore nationalism and then complete industrialization for the purpose of war...I don't think it will be as bad as Germany, but the focus will be more on waging war.
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08-04-2011, 04:53 PM | #26 |
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http://www.randirhodes.com/pages/rrn...rticle=8909602
and http://www.randirhodes.com/pages/rrn...rticle=8914378 Very interesting pieces about how Obama fucked over the Republicans with the Debt Ceiling Bill that he negotiated and signed.....it seems the Tea Party crazy fucks lost big time in this deal.....
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08-04-2011, 05:07 PM | #27 | |
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08-04-2011, 07:13 PM | #28 |
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Did you read the articles?
I don't really think it will truly affect the economy all that much....good or bad. Congress now MUST deal with jobs. We need another much bigger stimulus to continue re-building the infrastructure of this country. I'm thinking Tennessee Valley Authority or Hoover Dam or all the Army Corps of Engineer projects kind of things. It will create tens of thousands jobs and the economy will take off again. We also need to create new revenue besides the Bush tax cuts which sunset out at the end of 2012. Close the checkbook on corporate welfare, raise taxes on those making more than a million bucks a year. Leave the frigging middle and working class alone.
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08-04-2011, 07:27 PM | #29 | |
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08-04-2011, 07:36 PM | #30 |
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Some major work on the infrastructure would be good all the way around...creates jobs, enhances safety, speeds transit....and how about upgrading some schools and libraries and rural hospitals while we're at it? These are things that I would support my tax dollars going for...and would do a lot of good for all of us for years to come.
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08-04-2011, 08:27 PM | #31 |
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I need a new car. Can we do another cash for clunkers thing? |
08-04-2011, 08:39 PM | #32 |
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Oh I agree but make it based on rust factor instead of mpg..
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08-05-2011, 11:47 AM | #33 | |
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Cheers Aj
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08-05-2011, 11:50 AM | #34 |
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As sad as this may sound I am so happy to be going to work Canada right now, I am so tired of worrying about what the government will or will not do with our future, I understand I am still affected but being away from all of it sure is a nice break.
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08-05-2011, 06:51 PM | #35 | |
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Standard and Poor's downgraded the US credit rating
This from Bloomberg News website:
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08-05-2011, 08:49 PM | #36 |
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Interesting article atomic. Thanks for sharing it. To me, it points out so many flaws in how we have and are disregarding basic accounting principles and defying basic market logistics yet somehow the mess still functions. It astounds me. It also makes me wonder what dastardly deeds are keeping this titantic afloat and when the right iceberg will come along to seal its fate. On the brighter side, mortgage rates dropped again. Am pleased to have locked in a nifty low rate for my refinancing today. And, I always thank those who came before me who taught some very valuable lessons: 1. always pay yourself first - i.e. savings before bills, bills before play 2. always keep a stash of actual cash in a safety deposit box 3. at all times, live within your means 4. credit cards are for emergencies only 5. never fully trust bankers, politicians, or lawyers |
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08-05-2011, 08:58 PM | #37 |
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According to the Maddow show, the Administration is pushing back hard against S&P claiming their figures are off by trillions of dollars. In other words a math error. So the very people that we gave trillions of dollars to for a bail out and who created the problem, are now saying that we don't pay our bills.
There is a total lack of trust for any of the financial marketeers who received any monies in the TARP.
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08-05-2011, 09:49 PM | #38 |
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S & P is the only rating agency of the 3 that downgraded the US.
just remember all this come Nov 2012 and vote for Obama and give him a majority in the House and 60 Senators so we can get on with the business of the people and restoring the economy.
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08-05-2011, 10:24 PM | #39 |
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If we taxed Exxon and the top one or two percent of the wealthy at normal rates for a developed nation, our deficit would disappear. We don't need to cut anything. We are still a phenomenally wealthy nation. Our gdp is one fourth of the entire wealth generated on the planet. We have the money. We don't have the will to demand that the richest pay their share.
A flat tax is regressive, so i have never supported it. But damn, now it would be a good thing. It would solve this problem in about a second. This is not a REAL problem. We are not out of money. We are not poor. The question is how badly are we going to damage our country and the global economy before we face the inevitable. |
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08-05-2011, 10:32 PM | #40 |
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Just like the last time the government gave a tax holiday, business ran out of the country, they are talking about a tax on business of 5%. That in and of itself will have business run in, take the tax, and run right back out taking jobs and money with them to offshore. It didn't work the first time, and we are still paying for that in lost jobs, and it won't work again, but bless their pea picken' hearts the GOP tea traitors are trying to do it again.
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