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| Name: |
water_watcher
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| Subject: |
After over 100 years
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Date:
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9/14/2011 7:07:06 AM
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a district in NY that has been solidly democratic by a margin of 3:1 and has never elected a republican, in the special election last evening to replace Weaner, went to the GOP by a fairly wide margin.
Look for the dems and Obama to play it down. Why face reality, they haven't for the first 3 years.
They can not even decide if the jobs bill is all or nothing and Obama will veto, or if Obama will support pieces of the bill that congress is willing to pass. Each day they say something different.
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| Name: |
MrHodja
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| Subject: |
After over 100 years
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Date:
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9/14/2011 7:25:03 AM (updated 9/14/2011 7:26:08 AM)
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As heavily Jewish as that district is said to be, Obama's policies with regard to Israel are turning around to bite him big time. Without the Jewish vote he can not win Florida next year, and probably New York.
He may learn that the laws of physics apply to politics as well. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction....
One of the basic tenets of world order is balance of power. Without Israel there is none in the middle east and indeed the Muslim radicals can turn their entire attention and resources to Western Europe and the US. It is in our vital national interest to maintain a strong Israel as a counterbalance to an increasingly bold set of radicals in that part of the world. The neophyte at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue seems to not understand that, and if he does, things are far worse for us than most of us realize.
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| Name: |
Talullahhound
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| Subject: |
After over 100 years
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Date:
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9/14/2011 9:09:19 AM
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I'm aware of a number of reasons that we might not wish to support Israel as strongly as we have in the past, but the fact remains that we give them $1.8B a year (Camp David accords). Given the strong Israeli lobby in the US, it is political suicide not to realize that support for Israel is a given.
My take on the election in NY was that the Dem candidate was very weak. But, I don't think it is surprising that they would elect a Republican -- people are very, very unhappy with the state of things and they are sending a message.
I personally don't think Obama has a chance to be re-elected in 2012; however, I wonder what the sentiment will be when a Republican takes over the WH and things don't get better?
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| Name: |
water_watcher
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| Subject: |
After over 100 years
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Date:
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9/14/2011 10:36:47 AM
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Thats a big if ...
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| Name: |
Barneget
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| Subject: |
After over 100 years
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Date:
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9/14/2011 12:31:23 PM
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Things, like the economy, get better by themselves. There may have been some valid reasons for some components of TARP, but there is absolutely NO reason to follow up with Dodd Frank. There may have been some sound reasoning with aspects of the stimulus, but absolutely NO reason for the stipulations. Quantative Easing 1 and 2 may have been grounded in theory, but the practical consequences, unforseen or otherwise, have been disasterous. The current administration, and the commisars, have engaged in sustained push/pull with free enterprise. Bank lending restrictions, threats of tax increases, regulatory over reach by multiple agencies, future employee expense based on laws passed but not read, along with the bill forwarded to Congress Monday that identifies the unemployed as yet another special classification that cannot be discriminated against in hiring, individually put a damper on private sector hiring, yet collectively, cause strategic changes in business expansion dynamics. The next administration, hopefully in place 20Jan2013, would serve the citizenry well by suspending EVERY REGULATION issued since Jan 2009, while simutaneously working to repeal zerocare and DoddFrank. The economy must be free to complete the full cycle which includes washout and recovery. This administrations attempts to minimze the washout, while encouraging continued illegal immigration, has produced a minimzed recovery, and for that, we each suffer far more, far longer, than was necessary.
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| Name: |
Talullahhound
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| Subject: |
After over 100 years
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Date:
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9/14/2011 2:11:12 PM
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If you know what should be done, then maybe you should run for office.
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| Name: |
Barneget
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| Subject: |
After over 100 years
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Date:
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9/14/2011 3:37:59 PM
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That thought has crossed my mind but my participation in the wpp forbids it.
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| Name: |
water_watcher
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| Subject: |
After over 100 years
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Date:
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9/14/2011 5:05:21 PM
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Being in business ... I agree with what you said. The problem is less that 10% of this administration has ever been in the private sector (lowest of any administration) and do not have a clue, and refuse to listen to what all the regulation, and we know what is best attitude has done. Simply put, it has frozen business from hiring and growth.
I heard someone from the administration respond to a question as to why they would not allow companies to bring dollars earned in other back in to the US tax free to invest? Why do we force them to keep the money in other countries and grow their economies, or pay a second tax, if we want more US jobs.
The response was ... they may not invest, they may just pay more in dividends. While that is probably false ... even if it did happen, guess what, those dividends would be taxed and spent or invested in the US ... so it is still better for the than leaving in another country.
The fact is ... this administration believe the government should control and approve everything .... they do not believe in free enterprise ... they hate wealth, since wealth is power and they only want the government to have power. The hate businesses and why they are such strong supporters of unions ... which just drives more jobs overseas and less tax revenue.
Obama was a C student, has no experience, built an administration of like minded no bodies and uses class warfare to play to his base.
The guy has to go and we need true change and a move back to capitalism and free enterprise to save this country and grow jobs. We don't need the ranks of poverty growing any more ... we need to put people back to work and create the incentives for free enterprise to do it ... not government.
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| Name: |
Barneget
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| Subject: |
Dim says "you don't deserve to keep your money.."
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Date:
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9/14/2011 10:17:46 PM
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Updated 9/14/11 9:51 a.m.
Posted 9/14/11 8:22 a.m.
WLS Radio’s John Dempsey Reports
CHICAGO (WLS) - A lot of reaction Wednesday morning to Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky's interview with Don Wade and Roma.
Schakowsky said that Americans don't deserve to keep all of their money because we need taxes to support our government.
“I’ll put it this way. You don’t deserve to keep all of it and it’s not a question of deserving because what government is, is those things that we decide to do together. And there are many things that we decide to do together like have our national security. Like have police and fire. What about the people that work at the National Institute of Health who are looking for a cure for cancer,” Schakowsky said.
Schakowsky also says one reason the 2009 stimulus bill did not succeed was because it was not large enough.
Schakowsky also admitted there are questions about the Obama administration's connection to the now bankrupt Solyndra solar panel company.
The administration approved nearly $528 million in federal loans to the company, before Solyndra filed for bankruptcy.
Schakowsky sits on the House Energy and Commerce Committee Investigations and Oversight Panel, which is holding hearings Wednesday into the matter. She said she and other Democrats want answers.
"You know, it certainly doesn't sound good. The Democrats are not going to shrink from actually, you know, from any kind of full investigation of that. If there is a problem we're certainly going to support the efforts to get to the bottom of this," Schakowsky said.
Schakowsky did say that even though public money was involved, the Solyndra controversy does not compare to the damage the Enron energy scandal inflicted on the U.S. economy.
Also in the interview, Schakowsky talked about the victory of Republican Bob Turner, in the Tuesday special election to replace ex-Congressman Anthony Weiner. Turner, who is Catholic, won in a district that is heavily Democratic and heavily Jewish, defeating an Orthodox Jewish Democrat.
Schakowsky, who is Jewish, denounced former New York Mayor Ed Koch, for getting involved in the race and criticizing President Obama's record on Israel.
"I thought it was really shameful in talking about Barack Obama as not good on Israel. He has provided more security for the state of Israel than any other president," Schakowsky said.
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| Name: |
Talullahhound
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| Subject: |
After over 100 years
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Date:
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9/14/2011 11:17:37 PM
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You know WW, you have been saying the same stuff now for 3 years. It's like a broken record with you. As they used to say on Seinfeld, "yada, yada, yada".
Why don't you get off this Administration's back? Yeah, things suck, and they are going to continue to suck. Obama is probably not going to get re-elected and I know that you will be gloating about that. But, I can' wait to hear what you have to say when one of a very poor field of Republican candidates win, and things don't get any better right away, if they do at all. Because I've been listening very carefully, I have yet to hear any of the current field have any real solutions. Just a lot of talk and sniping each other.
I'm one of those Americans that is tired of the political landscape in DC. It's left me in a very bad mood.
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| Name: |
Barneget
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| Subject: |
Yada yada yada...
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Date:
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9/14/2011 11:46:00 PM (updated 9/15/2011 12:07:55 AM)
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Recovery from a business cycle is contingent on the amount of time it takes the market to purge itself of malinvestments, which will once again reconcile the fundamentals (revenue, costs, capital, etc.) and market behavior. Interference in the market delays the business cycle recovery. The extensive level of interference by this possibly criminal administration has without any doubt caused an unabridged RECOVERY FAILURE. Water watcher has been on the money for the last three years.
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| Name: |
Talullahhound
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| Subject: |
Yada yada yada...
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Date:
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9/15/2011 8:06:31 AM
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While I appreciate the simplicity of your explanation, I think it is a bit more complicated than that.
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| Name: |
water_watcher
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| Subject: |
Yada yada yada...
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Date:
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9/15/2011 7:08:00 PM
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Maybe yes, maybe no.
To your comment Hound ... most of us predicted the results we got .... for no other reason that it has been bad policy. I am willing to give credit when it is due, and I have. But sadly there has not been a lot to give.
I disagree things will not change and quickly if the GOP wins the WH and takes over the senate. We will get quick and rapid change in the right direction that will move the economy forward.
I know you voted for Bush but did not like him. But you need to admit that he also took over a bad economy with the collapse of the tech bubble and stock market, then 9/11 hit. He did what was necessary and got the economy moving and unemployment down to below 5%. You and I know the financial crisis was by no means his fault as O likes to say. If anything it was the liberal policies that led to it.
The problem has been is this administration had a socialist agenda and did not give a hoot about the economy or unemployment ... just more spending, bigger government, and class warfare to fulfill his socialist dream. It all blew up when he thought the economy would just come back and he would look like a hero ... but it was HIS policies that prevented the economy from recovering.
End of story. You can agree or not ... but rather than just disagree, you explain how you see it.
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| Name: |
Talullahhound
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| Subject: |
Yada yada yada...
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Date:
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9/16/2011 12:11:01 AM
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First of all, I don't find Bush blameless. Yes, he did live through the blow up of the tech bubble, but his administration failed to put the breaks on the housing market and the excesses of Wall Street. They simply were not paying attention, despite what we had seen on the tech bubble. And then there was Iraq. I won't belabor that point, because I've said a number of times what I thought about that. But the fact remains that wars cost money. BTW, if 9/11 hadn't happened, I think GWB might have been a one termer too.
I think that Obama has partially inherited the bad economy; but I also think that he has pretended that it wasn't that serious. It is THE issue and should have been the top priority and all the other stuff should have been put on hold. I think he will pay for his inattention. I'll be the first to say that I'm extremely disappointed in Obama. He's behaving like a Washington Wonk, not a leader. He dismisses his critics, but he should be paying attention to what is being said.
Unfortunately, I think sacrifices are going to be required. I'm afraid I belong to the group that thinks we need cuts, tax increases and entitlement reforms. We need to be very aggressive for the next 5 years. Sacrifices will be required by the government, by businesses and by the American people. But, I think cuts, increases and reforms need to be done in a thoughtful manner, because I can tell you that the way these things usually get implemented is in some salami slice manner that has nothing to do with reality. There are people that legitimately need government assistance and I am one of those people that think we,as a society, have a moral obligation to provide for our most needy citizens. People are going to be unhappy --- and the next President is likely going to suffer for it too.
The problems of this country right now will not be solved by a single political party. I do not believe that things are going to change much under a Republican unless they can find a way to silence the fringes of both parties and find a way to work together.
What is going on in Washington right now is much more dangerous than it appears, and I believe it has the potential to shake the very foundations of our government. Don't forget that during our most successful periods, at the end of the day, the parties would eventually work together. Compromise and respect is the lifeblood of a successful government.
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| Name: |
buzzbuster
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| Subject: |
Yada yada yada...
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Date:
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9/16/2011 2:50:15 AM
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I must say whoever gets the Presidency needs to undo everything the current person in the office has put in place and stop blaming everyone else for his incompetency. The government has no business being in the auto business, the banking business, the health business, the energy ripoff business, ect.! I must say I do not want my Kids, Grandkids and Greatgrandkids paying for somthing we are or will benefit from and they won't. If the government and I mean both Dems and Republicans both kept thier grubby hands out of SS we would have plenty. It was not for special projects for special interest! I must say that I really believe all these green projects are doing nothing but hurting this country and causing many people to lose their jobs. Does anyone think the rest of the world cares about the EPA? They just laugh at us. Have you ever noticed when the tree huggers picket a power plant for example, say 10 people show up and they all come in seperate cars to complain about pollution, something is wrong with that picture!! It's time we got somone who really has the experience and the nohow to run this country and listen to the people. Nuff said for now, had to vent.
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| Name: |
water_watcher
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| Subject: |
Hound - rely, a bit long winded
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Date:
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9/16/2011 6:22:55 AM
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We are not that far apart. I agree with 90 plus percent of what you said and the other 10% I am open minded and could be convinced to change my view.
I have found your posts interesting ... the many times have a very liberal tone and slant, but what you lay out what you will say is needed, is very much in line with a much more conservative point of view ... at least fiscally.
You may be right that Bush would have been a 1 termer without 9/11 ... we will never know. We will probably never agree on Iraq. The rationale was solid based on intelligence it seems even Clinton relied upon and other countries and some WMP's were found ... I am still not convinced there are not more or were not more that were moved out. But one thing is for sure the world is better with the change in Iraq ... yes it cost a lot of money. I would agree we can not be the worlds baby sitter. The positive from Iraq is the chnages we are seeing in the rest of the Arab world ...that was part of the plan and hope. It is uneasy to see as it goes through the transition, but overtime, the more freedom that can result and dictators out, the world will be safer. To me, that was worth the money spent in Iraq.
You are right Obama had his focus in the wrong place ... he made this bed based on his choices ... if he was successful I would have been surprised, but given him credit. But he wasn't, so now he needs to go and the country can not risk giving him 4 more years. It could be disasterous and we may never recover. He just doesn't get it. And you are right, he does not listen and just wants to fight with his critics.
This jobs bill is turning in to a big joke ... it was obviously political and not real ... it is mostly more of what failed. If he truely cared he would have sat down with congress and hammered out a bill, rather than his approach ... and it would have been done long ago. Did he just realize we have a job problem? This situation with the solar company could get very ugly and much worse than Watergate since it wasted $528 million of tax payer money on one company that had ties to one of Obama's big doners. And who in their right mind would provide that kind of money and being 3rd or fourth on the default list. If it was really to create green jobs, whay not loan $10 million to 52 companies or $25 million to 20 companies .... why all to one company. Now 1,100 more people are unemployed and we have nothing to show for it.
Lastly, I agree that we need spending cuts and entitlement reform .... where i would differ on taxes is we need a reform to our tax system to support business growth in this country and job creation, we need to change the personal system to broaden the based. The reform needs to generate more tax revenue ... but we do not need higher taxes. I know you are enjoying retirementment now (good for you and I look forward to it in about 5 years - at 60) ... but it makes me sick to look at how much comes out in taxes each pay period. I do fall in to the Obama "rich" category ... but I can tell you I do not feel rich at all and worked hard to get to where I am, and it does bother me where I hear that I do not pay my fair share and Obama wants even more.
BTW ... good morning. I am up enjoying my coffee, then back out to work so the 51% that pay no taxes do not have to ...
One last thing on entitlement reform ... why does our government reward baby factories with more and more financial assistance. There should be a cap, after two children you get no more. Also, if society is providing assistance, there needs to be some giving back to society in return through mandatory community service, etc to continue to keep getting assistance. That encourages work and getting them off the government subsidies. Lastly, if you are not in this country "legally" you qualify for no benefits whatsoever. What over country can you be in illegally that you would not be in jail, let alone enjoying benefits of tax paying citizens? It is crazy.
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| Name: |
Talullahhound
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| Subject: |
Hound - rely, a bit long winded
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Date:
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9/16/2011 8:19:30 AM
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I have no problem with tax cuts for businesses that create jobs. But, it has to be something concrete and not just another loop hole that is abused. I think it can be done. My sister has a small business and she assures me that she is struggling to pay her business taxes.
This morning I'm furious with Boehner for his "other planet" remarks and by telling the committee that tax increases are off the table. I think the committee, whose members were chosen by their parties should be allowed to come up with their recommendations. I mean, if we are just going to have both sides taking a hard line before the committee even finishes the job, what was the purpose of the committee?
It would be interesting in fact, to know if the Arab Spring was at all influenced by what happened in Iraq and to what extent. I'm still not convinced that Iraqis are better off for us having invaded their country, but what's done is done. I think the take away point from Iraq is what Colin Powell told Bush -- "you break it, you bought it" and that we better figure out where the long term money is coming from before we go.
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| Name: |
water_watcher
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| Subject: |
Hound - reply, a bit long winded
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Date:
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9/16/2011 11:52:59 AM (updated 9/16/2011 11:53:40 AM)
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That is why the committee was a dumb idea by both sides. What he was saying is that the GOP will refuse more taxes or increase ... but would accept tax reform that generates more revenue, but not new taxes or increases in current rates. I have to agree with that ... the objective is more revenue ...
But Obama and the dems said they would not accept any reduction to SS or medicare ... so where does that leave us ... smae place as before the committee was formed.
Personally, I do not want business tax incentives to create jobs .... business will add jobs if there is a need and demand. The key is what will create demand and more investment in this country .... lowering the rates to compete with other countries (main reason companies build plants in other countries - not just cost of labor), and allow companies to bring earning back to the US tax free will stimulate growth, demand and more employment. No special incentives to hire workers are needed. Foolish.
The sooner Obama gets that, the sooner jobs will be created and tax revenues will increase. Right now we incent companies to move jobs elsewhere. Our capitalist system makes companies want to maximize profits, so if other countries provide the incentive, they do it ... we need to compete and stop penalizing our corporations.
That is what I am refering to as tax reform ... corporations will invest, we don't always need the government doing that ... including this solar company ... if they created a tax break for venture capital dollars going in to green energy ... they would find the best opportunities to invest in to get a return. Why is Obama investing (and losing) tax payer dollars?
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| Name: |
Talullahhound
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| Subject: |
Hound - reply, a bit long winded
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Date:
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9/17/2011 5:53:32 PM
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I defer to your opinions about what businesses would do because I really don't know. I really wish that something had been done back when they first started moving the jobs offshore. Particularly the technology jobs.
I don't think you can take SS and Medicare off the table, but I don't think you can just eliminate those programs. It would create a panic among those who currently depend on those programs. I do think they need to do something about SS disability -- until recently, I had no idea how much of the SS dollars were going in that direction. I'm sorry to say, that I have a cousin who has collected SS disability since he was in his late 20's. While I'm not sure what his "disability" is, it certainly doesn't stop him from doing anything he wants, including hunting in the North country.
I don't think he is alone.
I think they need to re-evaluate SS. My father gets SS, although he has a generous pension. Not a lot -- I think it is about $500 based on his years in the Navy and jobs he held afterward until he found his career. But the point is, he doesn't need it. Yes, he paid in; but the bulk of his wage earning years was not in the SS system.
And although he has a good health insurance plan that he carried into retirement, he was forced into Medicare at 65. He's now 85. Medicare paid for his bypass surgery about 5 years ago. They would have paid for 21 days of in-patient rehab, had he elected to go.
It should be based on need.
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| Name: |
Talullahhound
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| Subject: |
Hound - reply, a bit long winded
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Date:
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9/17/2011 5:54:49 PM
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Oh yes, and the Committee? I agree. No point to it. If they are not to be empowered to actually enact the cuts, it's just another waste of time.
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