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Thread: 2012 Elections - Page 226







Post#5626 at 01-11-2012 02:05 PM by James50 [at Atlanta, GA US joined Feb 2010 #posts 3,605]
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Quote Originally Posted by playwrite View Post
Always? Really? Credit has never been cheaper, where is the bubble?
Lot of energy at OWS was from student loans that could not be paid back.

And don't forget the obvious bond bubble we are in as well.

James50
Last edited by James50; 01-11-2012 at 02:16 PM.
The whole modern world has divided itself into Conservatives and Progressives. The business of Progressives is to go on making mistakes. The business of the Conservatives is to prevent the mistakes from being corrected. - G.K. Chesterton







Post#5627 at 01-11-2012 02:08 PM by Deb C [at joined Aug 2004 #posts 6,099]
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Quote Originally Posted by ASB65 View Post
On another note concerning extremes for the youth. The other day my son came home from school all in huff. Apparently they are studying political parties in his history class and the kids were given a quiz to figure out where they fell on the political spectrum. My son was mad because he was the only one in his class that fell in the category of "extreme democrat". He said most of the kids fell into the category of extreme Republicans, with a few in the moderate areas up and down the spectrum.

I said to him. "I don't understand what you are so mad about. You have said yourself you are socialist and that's pretty extreme. You are much more extreme than I am." My husband's comment to him was, "Well, if you don't like be considered "extreme", then maybe you should stop having such extreme views."
Takes a lot of courage to have extreme views. I would guess that most positive changes in the history of our existence, came from those who dissented from what is considered main stream. Even Einstein was considered an extremist. So I would say that your son is an upstanding young man that could add something very crucial to the evolution of human kind.
"The only Good America is a Just America." .... pbrower2a







Post#5628 at 01-11-2012 02:27 PM by ASB65 [at Texas joined Mar 2010 #posts 5,892]
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Quote Originally Posted by Deb C View Post
Takes a lot of courage to have extreme views. I would guess that most positive changes in the history of our existence, came from those who dissented from what is considered main stream. Even Einstein was considered an extremist. So I would say that your son is an upstanding young man that could add something very crucial to the evolution of human kind.
That's kind along the lines of what I told him...That he believes what he believes and should stand by his feelings and not be ashamed or embarrassed by them. That there is nothing wrong with being an individual, even if it does put him outside of box. Personally, I have no problem with people having extreme views even if they are in opposition to mine, as long as that person respects my right to my opinion and feelings too. (Well, to a degree. I do have problem with Nazis or suicide boomers from Al Qaeda.) But generally, people who are to the far left or far right don't really bother me providing they are respectful. We all have a right to our own views.

And I think most people generally do want is best for our country, even if we disagree on how to get there or what "the best situation" is. Basically, I think the most of the average citizen's hearts are in the right place in this country regardless of what political party or ideology they support. It's the actual elected officials that I don't trust. Because I think most them become corrupted and power hungry once they get in office.







Post#5629 at 01-11-2012 02:37 PM by pbrower2a [at "Michigrim" joined May 2005 #posts 15,014]
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Quote Originally Posted by The Wonkette View Post
No. He's got a son in the Senate so he doesn't want the GOP to hate him as a spoiler. He wants a major prime time speaking slot at the GOP convention and to influence the party platform.

The person I could see running third party is Huntsman. Anyone remember John Anderson running in 1980?
I voted for him. Jimmy Carter had done little to earn another vote from me (good person, lousy President), and I couldn't stand Ronald Reagan (who I knew was going to win anyway).

PPP has suggested that former Governor Gary Johnson of New Mexico, if running as a Libertarian, would take more votes from a Republican nominee than from President Obama:

Quote Originally Posted by Public Policy Polling
North Carolina Survey Results

Q1 Do you approve or disapprove of President
Barack Obama’s job performance?
Approve .................................................. ........ 47%
Disapprove........................................ .............. 49%
Not sure .................................................. ........ 4%

Q10 If the candidates for President this year were
Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Mitt
Romney, who would you vote for?
Barack Obama............................................. ... 46%
Mitt Romney............................................ ........ 45%
Undecided......................................... .............. 9%

Q11 If the candidates for President this year were
Democrat Barack Obama, Republican Mitt
Romney, and Libertarian Gary Johnson, who
would you vote for?
Barack Obama............................................. ... 45%
Mitt Romney............................................ ........ 41%
Gary Johnson ................................................. 8%
Undecided......................................... .............. 7%
http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/p..._NC_011012.pdf

This is in a state that the Republican nominee absolutely must win in 2012.

Now for a state that President Obama really has to win (New Mexico):

Quote Originally Posted by Public Policy Polling
Q11 If the candidates for President next year were
Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Mitt
Romney, who would you vote for?
Barack Obama............................................. ... 53%
Mitt Romney............................................ ........ 38%
Undecided......................................... .............. 9%

Q14 If the candidates for President next year were
Democrat Barack Obama, Republican Mitt
Romney, and Gary Johnson running as a
Libertarian, who would you vote for?
Barack Obama............................................. ... 44%
Mitt Romney............................................ ........ 27%
Gary Johnson ................................................. 23%
Undecided......................................... .............. 6%
http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/m...xico.html#more
The greatest evil is not now done in those sordid "dens of crime" (or) even in concentration camps and labour camps. In those we see its final result. But it is conceived and ordered... in clean, carpeted, warmed and well-lighted offices, by (those) who do not need to raise their voices. Hence, naturally enough, my symbol for Hell is something like the bureaucracy of a police state or the office of a thoroughly nasty business concern."


― C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters







Post#5630 at 01-11-2012 02:41 PM by Justin '77 [at Meh. joined Sep 2001 #posts 12,182]
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Quote Originally Posted by playwrite View Post
Always? Really? Credit has never been cheaper, where is the bubble?
Indeed! If you can't show the ultimate effect right the instant that the cause is implemented, it means there is no causality!!

Inertia? Capacitors? Spring-damper systems?

No such thing!!
"Qu'est-ce que c'est que cela, la loi ? On peut donc être dehors. Je ne comprends pas. Quant à moi, suis-je dans la loi ? suis-je hors la loi ? Je n'en sais rien. Mourir de faim, est-ce être dans la loi ?" -- Tellmarch

"Человек не может снять с себя ответственности за свои поступки." - L. Tolstoy

"[it]
is no doubt obvious, the cult of the experts is both self-serving, for those who propound it, and fraudulent." - Noam Chomsky







Post#5631 at 01-11-2012 02:49 PM by Odin [at Moorhead, MN, USA joined Sep 2006 #posts 14,442]
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Quote Originally Posted by James50 View Post
Yea, and high home prices drives the mortgage market.

Cheap credit always leads to bubbles.

James50
I need to agree with James, here.

This is exactly why I don't like credit cards, it creates a situation where momentary impulsiveness can cause one to buy things one can't afford, despite one's best intentions to not do so. It's kind of like trying to not overeat when there is junk food in the house, I try to keep junk food out of my cupboard lest I be tempted to gorge on it.
To recommend thrift to the poor is both grotesque and insulting. It is like advising a man who is starving to eat less.

-Oscar Wilde, The Soul of Man under Socialism







Post#5632 at 01-11-2012 02:54 PM by pbrower2a [at "Michigrim" joined May 2005 #posts 15,014]
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Quote Originally Posted by ASB65 View Post
On another note concerning extremes for the youth. The other day my son came home from school all in huff. Apparently they are studying political parties in his history class and the kids were given a quiz to figure out where they fell on the political spectrum. My son was mad because he was the only one in his class that fell in the category of "extreme democrat". He said most of the kids fell into the category of extreme Republicans, with a few in the moderate areas up and down the spectrum.

I said to him. "I don't understand what you are so mad about. You have said yourself you are socialist and that's pretty extreme. You are much more extreme than I am." My husband's comment to him was, "Well, if you don't like be considered "extreme", then maybe you should stop having such extreme views."
Rejection of the "Divine Right of Kings", abolition of slavery, votes for women, workers' right to form unions and strike, and the repeal of Jim Crow practice all used to be "extreme" views. Even homosexual marriage used to be unthinkable -- and it is becoming more acceptable.

This country may become a Scandinavian-style social democracy by the end of this 4T as the result of peaceful change and political process -- or that of perhaps the choice of Russian, Indian, Chinese, and Brazilian General Staffs in the wake of American defeat in World War III .

"Bomb, bomb, bomb -- bomb, bomb Iran!" could be a catastrophic error for America as well as a war crime.
The greatest evil is not now done in those sordid "dens of crime" (or) even in concentration camps and labour camps. In those we see its final result. But it is conceived and ordered... in clean, carpeted, warmed and well-lighted offices, by (those) who do not need to raise their voices. Hence, naturally enough, my symbol for Hell is something like the bureaucracy of a police state or the office of a thoroughly nasty business concern."


― C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters







Post#5633 at 01-11-2012 03:12 PM by James50 [at Atlanta, GA US joined Feb 2010 #posts 3,605]
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Quote Originally Posted by ASB65 View Post
That he believes what he believes and should stand by his feelings and not be ashamed or embarrassed by them.
You might want to read up on the enneagram type 8 - the challenger and see if it fits. They can be difficult to be around, but they are the only ones who change the world.

James50
The whole modern world has divided itself into Conservatives and Progressives. The business of Progressives is to go on making mistakes. The business of the Conservatives is to prevent the mistakes from being corrected. - G.K. Chesterton







Post#5634 at 01-11-2012 03:48 PM by playwrite [at NYC joined Jul 2005 #posts 10,443]
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Quote Originally Posted by James50 View Post
Lot of energy at OWS was from student loans that could not be paid back.

And don't forget the obvious bond bubble we are in as well.

James50
I'm not sure what you mean by "bond bubble."

If you mean that low interest rates will cause low interest rates, then I can agree with you.

Not sure it provides any insight but I can agree that x = x. Or a rose by any name ....
"The Devil enters the prompter's box and the play is ready to start" - R. Service

“It’s not tax money. The banks have accounts with the Fed … so, to lend to a bank, we simply use the computer to mark up the size of the account that they have with the Fed. It’s much more akin to printing money.” - B.Bernanke


"Keep your filthy hands off my guns while I decide what you can & can't do with your uterus" - Sarah Silverman

If you meet a magic pony on the road, kill it. - Playwrite







Post#5635 at 01-11-2012 04:04 PM by playwrite [at NYC joined Jul 2005 #posts 10,443]
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It's a twofer!

Quote Originally Posted by Justin '77 View Post
Indeed! If you can't show the ultimate effect right the instant that the cause is implemented, it means there is no causality!!

Inertia? Capacitors? Spring-damper systems?

No such thing!!
You know, while your waiting, maybe you should put this little tune to memory -

She'll be coming 'round the mountain when she comes, (when she comes).
She'll be coming 'round the mountain when she comes, (when she comes).
She'll be coming 'round the mountain, she'll be coming 'round the mountain,
She'll be coming 'round the mountain when she comes, (when she comes).

The same structure is repeated with the following verses:

She'll be drivin' six white horses when she comes, etc.

Oh we'll all come out to meet her when she comes, etc.

She'll be wearing pink pajamas when she comes, etc.

We will kill the old red rooster when she comes, etc.

We'll be havin' chicken and dumplings when she comes, etc.

She will have to sleep with Grandma when she comes, etc.

We'll all be shoutin' "Halleluja" when she comes, etc.

She'll be comin' down a road that's five miles long, etc.
It would meet both your penchant for mythical hyperinflation and magical ponies (well, white horses, but what the heck. close enough).
"The Devil enters the prompter's box and the play is ready to start" - R. Service

“It’s not tax money. The banks have accounts with the Fed … so, to lend to a bank, we simply use the computer to mark up the size of the account that they have with the Fed. It’s much more akin to printing money.” - B.Bernanke


"Keep your filthy hands off my guns while I decide what you can & can't do with your uterus" - Sarah Silverman

If you meet a magic pony on the road, kill it. - Playwrite







Post#5636 at 01-11-2012 04:09 PM by Brian Beecher [at Downers Grove, IL joined Sep 2001 #posts 2,937]
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Quote Originally Posted by James50 View Post
You might want to read up on the enneagram type 8 - the challenger and see if it fits. They can be difficult to be around, but they are the only ones who change the world.

James50
Will have to read more about this. I know that numerology only takes in numbers 1 through 9 and that people can have a 1 year, a 2 year, etc. Need to check this enneagram thing out further before I can give an honest opinion







Post#5637 at 01-11-2012 04:16 PM by ASB65 [at Texas joined Mar 2010 #posts 5,892]
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Quote Originally Posted by James50 View Post
You might want to read up on the enneagram type 8 - the challenger and see if it fits. They can be difficult to be around, but they are the only ones who change the world.

James50
Well, that's very interesting. Thanks for the info. I do know that my son does have leadership qualities and I hear this from teachers or other adults he is involved with or works with. But he is still young. So it's hard to say exactly how his personality will develop when he reaches adulthood. The thing that most struck me when reading the description was how much that sounds like my husband. Maybe in this case, the acorn doesn't fall too far from the tree...Although, politically those two are on opposite sides of each other.







Post#5638 at 01-11-2012 04:21 PM by Rainbow the Mummy Hunter [at joined Jan 2012 #posts 1]
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Quote Originally Posted by playwrite View Post
I'm not sure what you mean by "bond bubble."

If you mean that low interest rates will cause low interest rates, then I can agree with you.

Not sure it provides any insight but I can agree that x = x. Or a rose by any name ....
Effectively what is happening at the moment is this. The Federal Reserve is printing trillions of dollars to loan to banks at close to 0% interest so that they can remain solvent. Likewise the Federal Reserve has also being buying up most of the U.S. debt (plurality not majority). The reason why we haven't seen inflation, is the money that is being printed and then loaned out is only replacing the money that dissapeared after the last bubble burst. It isn't cycling down because the collapse isn't done yet. There is no reason for Golman Sachs or any of the rest of them to invest in the future of an unsustainable economy the bottom hasn't fallen out of yet.

Italy will default. When it does the stress on the newly federalized Eurozone might bring down France as well. This puts even Germany and the UK in tenuous situations. If that happens all bets are off. Likewise, China's economy is only now beginning to feel the effects of their coming collapse. Things haven't even gotten bad in the U.S. yet. Make no mistakes about it, we are in a bubble. When this one bursts, the curtain will be pulled back, and people will see what happened. By then it will be too late.







Post#5639 at 01-11-2012 04:46 PM by Felix5 [at joined Jul 2011 #posts 2,793]
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Just trying to figure out your joke threshold. It sounds like it doesn't take much for someone to be a joke. Fair enough. Now I know how seriously to take your designations of the jokers in the future.
.....Newt Gingrich held the United States budget hostage in the mid 90s...

How is that "not much??"

All politicians are a joke is not very discriminating.
No, not all of them, but pretty much everyone on that sorry list you gave me.

Let's start with one on the democratic list, so you don't think I'm a "liberal, commie, socialist, anti christ!!@$"

Senator Dodd: In CT, this man is a huge joke due to his support of Countrywide, Freddie and Fannie Mac, and AIG. Maybe he really was just too stupid to know what was going on...but his support of these fraudulent establishments followed by convenient financial support for his campaigns is an interesting coincidence.

And that's just typical political corruption and questionable ethics which apparently plagues pretty much everyone in congress today. That's not even getting into whether this man is capable of leading my country. And even further whether I agree with his ideas regarding where he wants to take my country.
Last edited by Felix5; 01-11-2012 at 04:51 PM.







Post#5640 at 01-11-2012 04:50 PM by Deb C [at joined Aug 2004 #posts 6,099]
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It all boils down to this.

"The only Good America is a Just America." .... pbrower2a







Post#5641 at 01-11-2012 04:52 PM by Eric the Green [at San Jose CA joined Jul 2001 #posts 22,504]
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Quote Originally Posted by James50 View Post
Yea, and high home prices drives the mortgage market.
In part yes. It did not by-itself drive poorly-backed, sub-prime mortgages, or speculation with them in bundles, though it did make that speculation much more dangerous because of the huge amounts of money involved. And it made some people resort to mortgages they couldn't pay, because that was the only way to get a home-- which they thought would rise in value.
Cheap credit always leads to bubbles.

James50
Not necessarily. Sometimes, as with the prime rate today, it can be a way of stimulating the economy, when applied temporarily and at the right time.

Cheap credit has little to do with student loans. There is no cheap credit, and there is no bubble. The problem is the high cost of education. I think you made some good points about that before. But I think education is a good investment by taxpayers, and we ought to help support it.
Last edited by Eric the Green; 01-11-2012 at 04:55 PM.
"I close my eyes, and I can see a better day" -- Justin Bieber

Keep the spirit alive,

Eric A. Meece







Post#5642 at 01-11-2012 05:00 PM by Felix5 [at joined Jul 2011 #posts 2,793]
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Am I the only person who thinks Ron Paul is a total nut job? Mitt Romney has proven to be more sane than this man and he believes in magic underwear.







Post#5643 at 01-11-2012 05:04 PM by Eric the Green [at San Jose CA joined Jul 2001 #posts 22,504]
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Quote Originally Posted by James50 View Post
Last night, my 24 old college graduate son announced to me that he is for Ron Paul. He is an affable type, and I thought of as pretty much apolitical. He said Paul is the only candidate who does not pander and seems to have actual reasons for what he believes. Apparently he has been watching youtube videos of Paul's speeches and liked what he heard.

Is this a youth movement? I told him my biggest problem with Paul was wanting to return to the gold standard. When I asked about Obama and Romney, he said he could not see much difference - calling them Obmaney.

James50
Ron Paul is an interesting candidate. He will never be elected, nor would I support him, but he represents an alternative to the conventional politician. That is because of what your son said. He has certain ideas that are not only extreme, but wacko, like returning to the gold standard or abolishing the federal reserve. Listening to him in interviews sometimes, I think he recognizes that he could only go so far toward his ideals. He doesn't want to abolish social security, for example (at least not immediately), but wants to have an option to "opt out," which is what many government employees already have. His effort regarding the federal reserve in congress was to audit it and remove its secrecy, which seems fair to me. His opposition to government handouts also applies to corporations, which is a wise idea in many cases. Militarists are afraid he might leave the country defenseless, but I don't think not getting involved in wars leaves the country defenseless. To the extent that he and other libertarians advocate trickle-down economics, however (including pandering to the resentment of welfare), they are neither new nor interesting.

Some pundits were talking recently about the need for a Republican candidate to make a populist argument. Ron Paul, Having endorsed Occupy Wall Street, is the one Republican who could do that.
"I close my eyes, and I can see a better day" -- Justin Bieber

Keep the spirit alive,

Eric A. Meece







Post#5644 at 01-11-2012 05:12 PM by Eric the Green [at San Jose CA joined Jul 2001 #posts 22,504]
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Quote Originally Posted by Marx & Lennon View Post
From my perspective, he's just good enough to allow the rot to continue slowly, so it's less obvious it's happening. Is that good? Is a slow death (the boiling frog choice) better than an in-your-face crash and burn that everyone can agree needs to be fixed? I'm starting to think that it's worse. I can't vote to make it happen. I may not vote to prevent it.
Obama would do more of the right things if he felt the people at his back. He can't because America is too reactionary, and his opposition is too powerful. We Americans have no one to blame but ourselves for our mess, not the politicians we elected.
"I close my eyes, and I can see a better day" -- Justin Bieber

Keep the spirit alive,

Eric A. Meece







Post#5645 at 01-11-2012 05:16 PM by Eric the Green [at San Jose CA joined Jul 2001 #posts 22,504]
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Quote Originally Posted by The Wonkette View Post
No. He's got a son in the Senate so he doesn't want the GOP to hate him as a spoiler. He wants a major prime time speaking slot at the GOP convention and to influence the party platform.

The person I could see running third party is Huntsman. Anyone remember John Anderson running in 1980?
Huntsman is very little different from the other candidates in his party, except that he's less of a panderer to the extreme right. But his positions are thoroughly Republican. There's no reason he would not support his fellow moderate-conservative Mormon.

There will be a few less-known third party candidates; I don't see them going anywhere. A Paul-Kucinich ticket might be interesting. But it is a good point that Ron Paul might not do it because of where his son is, and it might be too late for him after the Republican convention to get nominated by the Libertarian Party, which has its eye on Gary Johnson.

Ron Paul seems to have a bit of corrupting influence on Kucinich. His policies seem to have gotten more wacko and Paul-like.
"I close my eyes, and I can see a better day" -- Justin Bieber

Keep the spirit alive,

Eric A. Meece







Post#5646 at 01-11-2012 05:19 PM by Eric the Green [at San Jose CA joined Jul 2001 #posts 22,504]
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Quote Originally Posted by ASB65 View Post
On another note concerning extremes for the youth. The other day my son came home from school all in huff. Apparently they are studying political parties in his history class and the kids were given a quiz to figure out where they fell on the political spectrum. My son was mad because he was the only one in his class that fell in the category of "extreme democrat". He said most of the kids fell into the category of extreme Republicans, with a few in the moderate areas up and down the spectrum.

I said to him. "I don't understand what you are so mad about. You have said yourself you are socialist and that's pretty extreme. You are much more extreme than I am." My husband's comment to him was, "Well, if you don't like be considered "extreme", then maybe you should stop having such extreme views."
Your son is just extremely smart, and some of the other kids are extremely dumb.
"I close my eyes, and I can see a better day" -- Justin Bieber

Keep the spirit alive,

Eric A. Meece







Post#5647 at 01-11-2012 05:25 PM by Eric the Green [at San Jose CA joined Jul 2001 #posts 22,504]
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Quote Originally Posted by James50 View Post
Lot of energy at OWS was from student loans that could not be paid back.
Yes, because they could not afford the education that they need, not because of cheap credit (it's not cheap). And home prices are too high too.
And don't forget the obvious bond bubble we are in as well.

James50
Bonds seem a good stable investment to me.
"I close my eyes, and I can see a better day" -- Justin Bieber

Keep the spirit alive,

Eric A. Meece







Post#5648 at 01-11-2012 05:35 PM by Eric the Green [at San Jose CA joined Jul 2001 #posts 22,504]
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Quote Originally Posted by James50 View Post
You might want to read up on the enneagram type 8 - the challenger and see if it fits. They can be difficult to be around, but they are the only ones who change the world.

James50
Or more likely, Type Five

Good site. I'll add it to my list of links on my enneagram site
"I close my eyes, and I can see a better day" -- Justin Bieber

Keep the spirit alive,

Eric A. Meece







Post#5649 at 01-11-2012 05:38 PM by Marx & Lennon [at '47 cohort still lost in Falwelland joined Sep 2001 #posts 16,709]
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Quote Originally Posted by Eric the Green View Post
Obama would do more of the right things if he felt the people at his back. He can't because America is too reactionary, and his opposition is too powerful. We Americans have no one to blame but ourselves for our mess, not the politicians we elected.
He started with an Army, and now he has choir. If he had been doing the right things for the last 3 years, 2010 would have been avoided and we would have had real 3ecoomic and health reform. He had the numbers. Now, it's too late to make real hange. Anything that may occur in the next four years will be in the range of incrementally progressive to dramatically reactionary, with mildly reactionary being the most likely ... regardless of who gets chosen.

I see no potential for real positive change. We seem to be adrift, muchlike the Japanese were for their two decades of depression, except we've decided not to do anyhting to make hings even marginally better. If we could take-on the infrastructure challenges, even inadequately, there might be some redemption. Instead, we're poised to eliminate capital gains taxation on the assumption that we need more capital in the private sector.
Marx: Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies.
Lennon: You either get tired fighting for peace, or you die.







Post#5650 at 01-11-2012 05:41 PM by Deb C [at joined Aug 2004 #posts 6,099]
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Quote Originally Posted by Eric the Green View Post
Obama would do more of the right things if he felt the people at his back. He can't because America is too reactionary, and his opposition is too powerful. We Americans have no one to blame but ourselves for our mess, not the politicians we elected.
How many of us who supported Obama never held him accountable for the numerous campaign promises he broke or his even upholding many of the Bush policies? There appeared to be a fear of putting him in a bad light, so most just made excuses for his behaviors.

Your correct, we are partially responsible. As FDR used to say, "Make me do what I say I will do." And we didn't make Obama stand up for the people. No wonder he was so pliable to the robber barons that he surrounded himself with. sigh
"The only Good America is a Just America." .... pbrower2a
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