From NRO Online
This amusing letter to the staff:
- Each of your pro-Kerry correspondents take pains to point out how poorly the country has fared under George W. Bush, and how those who support him (especially you...) are destroying the country. Let's see, last time I checked,
- 1)The stock market is at an all-time high, thus
- 2)Retirement accounts are at last recovering.
- 3)Unemployment is at a 25-year low,
- 4)Taxes are at 20-year lows,
- 5)Federal revenues are at all-time highs,
- 6)The Federal deficit is down almost 50%,
- 7)Real estate values have soared,
- 8)Inflation is at a 20-year low,
- 9)There have been no successful attacks since 9/11,
- 10)Al Queda is being taken apart, one body at a time.
- 11)U.S. and British Intelligence have thwarted a number of attacks.
- 12)The terrorists are flocking to Iraq to be killed, instead of boarding planes for this country.
- If any of your writers were as honest they dare you to be, they would admit that, if the president who had accomplished this in the face of such difficulty had a 'D' after his name instead of an 'R', they would be singing his praises to the heavens. But no, the country is falling apart. Only if a Democrat takes the White House will everything instantly be perfect again.
All in all, the country is actually doing better than anyone would expect in the middle of a war. But for some reason, we never hear about it.
And how about those oil prices?
- Oil prices briefly fell below $50 per barrel Thursday for the first time in 20 months, after the U.S. government reported larger-than-expected jumps in crude oil and gasoline inventories.
Oil has dropped 17 percent since the end of 2006 amid weeks of mild winter weather in the U.S. Northeast, a key consumer of heating fuels, and growing energy stockpiles. Stockpiles of gasoline and distillate fuels, like heating oil and diesel, also rose last week, the Energy Information Administration said.
posted by SCC at 12:01 AM
27 Comments:
I am a very conservative person. With that in mind, I disagree that the deficit is down 50%. As a conservative there should be no deficit. This president is spending money like a drunken sailor.
Reagan's biggest mistake after his tax cuts took effect was not trimming the budget. The social spending in this country is through the roof. All the talk of more government sponsored healthcare is ridiculous. We already spend more than 15% of GDP on healthcare. The next highest industrialized nation is below 11%. What would happen with national health---catastrophe.
If you are a conservative, stop spending the money and the whole deficit goes away. Also don't spew any BS about the cost of the war. The deficit is four times higher than the cost of the war.
Republicans rule, democrats drool...
Repbublicans tried for a balanced budget amendment. It did not pass. The Neo-Cons beleive in big Huge Gigantic Gov't. The Neo-Cons are Trotskyite Jacobins. They are Liberal refugees in sheeps clothing. Liars, non-patriot Israel Firsters. Sickening that you refer to NRO. They took hold with Reagan. They maintained a foothold with bush though Bush origianlly was a live and let live Rep. They now hide and step aside from the Iraq war...blaiming Bush. They are truly the enemy. The Neo-Con has as more in common witht the Communist/Socialist than the true Conservative. Read Edmund Burke ... not Sean Hannity ...goof.
Who is the idiot that posted in every thread of every blog that Matt Cline got robbed. Then went back to correct himself, while some other goof was crowing that Matt Cline works in "hiedta" (whatever that is. You people need to get a life.
SCC, You got the Brown Shirts& Jack Boots in the closet?
Boy, you sure do trump the party line, altho your claims are distorted& very misleading...
When Reality Becomes Too Much To Bear, Fantasize.
You don’t mind if I take a closer look at those “facts” do you SCC? Something seems to be missing that I can’t quite put my finger on. Hmmm. Oh yes, context!
“The stock market is at an all-time high”
Do you ever wonder what percentage of Americans play the stock market? It’s not much. A skyrocketing stock market is great if you’re among the top 20% of earners, but absolute nirvana if you’re among the top 10%. Any idea of how many American households can claim a net worth of at least 2 million dollars? A fraction of 1%.
You see most Americans are not sharing in the bounty. They’re barely making ends meet. Surely you’re aware that nothing makes a stock rise faster than layoffs. Better still if a corporation can transfer those jobs to Third World countries where little annoyances such as labor laws, environmental protections, and unions don’t have to be tolerated.
“Retirement accounts are at last recovering”
Really? Perhaps that contributor was unaware of the fact that pensions in this country are under siege. Defined Benefit Pension plans (DBPs) such as ours that pay a guaranteed benefit payment are steadily being converted to Defined Contribution Pension plans (DCPs) that provide no guaranteed benefit payment and traditionally pay out between one half to two thirds less than traditional DBPs. DCPs are of course the corporate preference since they relieve Big Business from any obligations to their workers.
I would highly advise those of you on the department to check out a link I provided on my site back on October 11, 2006 (Pension Fadeout). It’s to an article by labor expert Jack Rasmus in which he breaks down how this works [note: this is Daley’s wet-dream and he’s working day and night to make it real].
Oh wait a minute, he said “retirement accounts”! Silly me. That of course refers to those top 10% to 20% of earners for whom the stock market means something. For most Americans, US corporations are shedding jobs so fast that workers can’t build up enough credits for pension benefits anyway. My bad.
“Unemployment is at a 25 year low”
Have you examined WHAT jobs are being created? Certainly there is a net growth in low paying, low benefit jobs in the service sector, however, jobs in manufacturing, IT, and even textiles, are fleeing to the Third World. Do you want fries with that sir?
“Taxes are at 20 year lows”
Who’d a thunk it? A tax cut (for the rich) during a time of war (for Big Oil) in which the country spends somewhere in the neighborhood of 3 billion dollars per day (via foreign debt). Wow! I wonder whose going to pay for it all?
I’d push on into the other “facts” on the fantasy list but do so would put me in serious violation of the Too Long Coldtype Rule (TLCR). Besides, there’s always tomorrow.
Stay safe.
"Reagan's biggest mistake after his tax cuts took effect was not trimming the budget"
- 1/20/2007 05:16:19 AM
Oh yes, I'll get to you later.
COLDTYPE,
feel free to respond to my post 5:16 AM. You clearly will never be in business to hire people. You believe that government will save everyone. How Keynesian of you. Naturally you must employ hundreds of thousands in what business is that again? What wages do YOU pay? Who in the industrialized world spends as much on social programs as the US. Nobody. The US has the highest GDP of any nation by far.
The real problem is that people continue to have children when they cannot afford them. Post your address so they can come live with YOU and work in your business. Keep those people in the style that YOU think they deserve.
The stock market could have been an extremely big part of every American's financial future but the Democrats filibustered private saving accounts while those currently receiving DBP would not have been impacted.
This is a site for COPS. An overwhelming amount of which are not in that top 1%. Yet most are involved in the stock market. Most working two/three jobs to get where they want to be. The age is generally considered 42 for DBP vs DCP. The problem as seen with publicly funded pensions is that the employer contributes zero until you retire (source Il Gen Ass minutes NOV 06).
Try to make sense of "Viet-raq" Wasn't it Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid on World News Tonight April 06 stating how the troop levels should be increased. FACTS are not debatable.
Oh by the way coldtype how is it that DCP's relieve companies of any obligations to its workers. DCP defined contribution plan by the employer--employee can invest in stock market and make more of a return. Wouldn't this increase the amount of Americans reaping the benefit of the stock market? Where is your argument? Clearly not in the land of logical conclusions. If you need government to be your wet nurse--fine--just don't mandate it for me.
Coldtype, your 4th grade understanding of economics is overwhelming. What is your solution to failing pensions and the future of Social Security? Holding the government and "big business" to their obligations? Oh, so your solution is to have GM et al pay out until they're bankrupt and then we taxpayers foot the bill? And raise taxes on us super-rich investors 3 fold (I must be rich- I pay into deferred comp) to pay for Social Security for eternity? I have read your blog, and would suggest to others not to waste their time. Your pseudo-intellectual, self-important, bullshit drivel is good for about 10 seconds of laugh, and then it just makes me feel sad for you. Grow up. Read a book. Stroke your ego somewhere else, you make a poor excuse for a political or economic commentator. Retard.
as one conservative already pointed out...
reduced the deficit by 50%???
this is the yearly deficit that bush has created since he took over. the president before had a balanced budget. bush has never vetoed a spending bill! the national debt continues to rise since he has not balanced his budget since he took over. he has had republican control of congress to help him achieve a balanced budget, but failed miserably on this issue.
if he and all the other republicans were true conservatives they could have cut spending and started paying off the national debt. they are liars and thieves like all the rest. don't be so stupid to believe they give a rat's a** about those issues.
If you want to point out positive points of our president is should be balanced with the negative. Not many, including SCC do that because they choose sides. Both sides are pathetic in my eyes. Choose the lesser of two evils if you must, but don't be blindsided to the point where you don't see the positive and negative of both sides.
My biggest gripe with our current president is his treatment of the troops and veterans. I should disclose that i am from a military family. He cut veteran benefits. He paints a fuzzy picture of who gets combat pay in Iraq to save a buck. Of all the places to save money he chooses our troops and veterans.
Be safe everyone and don't be blinded by the BS.
Oil company's had record profits in 06 30 Billion during the year a friend who works for an accounting firm told me the oil company's had been spending and buying up real estate corp jets ect to minimize the profits. and you my friend have to fight for a 50 cent raise
I say cut and run! The cost of American lives in Iraq is to high. Contrary to what you might believe ssc we were misled. Iraq and the middle east in general hate Americans and will continue to Hate Americans, one American death is to much. Can you say brainwash.
Fighting them in Iraq is better than on American Soil
can we spend the same billions of dollars keeping them out of the us? do we have to fight them there with more casualties than we have ever had here!
How is this number for you MR I love Bush. We had 25 troops killed in bagdad over this weekend. Cut and run sounds good to me. Our people are dying for bs.
American soil? where is your coconut. You are a fool. Iraq was no threat to us soil.Cuba is 90 miles away you think they want freedom? We don't give a fuck about the Iraq people American lives for oil. SICKENING
Hey SupplySide. It looks like my response may have violated the TLCR. Hit the link to my site and read it there. I put Part I in the comments section of the "Barockstar" thread.
Iraq! 4 years ago most Americans were unable to find Iraq on a map. However now they need freedom, Bush pulled a black sheet over your head with this one. The American people will be paying the price when your great grand children are born. American lives for big business and oil. DOES THAT WORK FOR YOU?
The Democrates are now in charge of the house. Dick Chaney and the other oil tycoons have made their profits. The Republicans support big oil and tax breaks for the rich. We end up paying. Look at Globle warming, there again tax breaks for the biggest polution contributors. 20 years from now 40 species will of animals will be no more including polar bears.
This President made a decision to go to Iraq without an exit plan. Gas in Iraq only cost 4 cents a gallon. Who is paying for the war in Iraq. The American tax payers. Did our President forget about Osama Bin Laden and how come nobody knows here he is with all the technology, and spy capabilities this country has it's Bullshit!
The only President that has made any attempt to curb the national debt was President Clinton. During his time in office he did screw up, but the Country was thriving. The Jobs were good, the economy was at a fast pace, oil was near $1.10 gallon. Let's get back to the Running this country the right way it doesn't matter if the next President is Republican or Democrat. Just fix this country and protect the homeland and keep illegals and terrorist out. Time to go drink!
If we weren't over there fighting them, they would be free to come here to kill us. I can't believe the democrats are willing to risk our country just so they can regain power. I don't agree with everything Bush is doing, (open borders), but the democrats are playing politics with our safety and the stakes are much higher.
Hey genius! Who is coming over here? Do you really think that if you do then you have water on the brain along with no argument.
Memo to 1/22/2007 12:26:00 PM
One foot of snow in Tucson AZ.
Citrus crop in "SOUTHERN" California lost to frost.
How do you and your buddy Al "the whore" Gore explain that?
Is it possible to include you in that group of 40 species you have scheduled for extinction?
Blow me!!!!
Our people are dying for bs.
1/22/2007 12:40:38 AM
90 thousand americans die every year from hospital caused infections and mistakes....where is your outrage?? The biggest killer of americans 14 to 40 is car crashes....where is your outrage??
You are saving your outrage for our soldiers who are protecting American interests.....do you understand that you can not "support the troops" but not the war........the only way too support the troops is to support the war.............
Saying the deficit is down 50% without providing the context of the massive debt Bush incurred from almost the start of his occupancy of the White House is misleading. Under Clinton at least we had been almost out of debt until Bumbling Bush lied about WMD's and sunk us into debt and contracts with Haliburton.
Housing price soars? Lets read CURRENT papers please!
Retirement accounts are recovering from what again? Oh yeah! It was the big businesses ripping off their employees with pats on the back from the dems and reps. With no prosecution or worry from the current admin though which makes them culpable.
Dooms day clock is 5 min to midnight. See the future events coming together in the World. I hope we are ready in this country if a terroist attack happens on our soil.
"....the only way to support the troops is to support the war....."
-Mystery Man
Is that you good buddy? Welcome back if it is.
How do you equate support for a vicious imperial war, for which no volunteer army is suitable, with support for the troops? Imperial wars require the use of mercenary armies not volunteers. What's "good" about a policy of naked aggression that's guaranteed to produce the slaughter of hundreds of thousands (Ooops! TWSNBN) of Iraqis and tens of thousands of American cannon fodder?
Here's an idea. What if the US energy corporations were to peel off some their stupendous, record-breaking profits, and use it to organize a mercenary army to do its dirty work? What a massive savings that would be for the taxpayer?
This also has the added benefit of allowing some of those desk-warriors and chicken hawks out there the opportunity to earn some extra cash while satisfying their blood-lust.
There is, however, the outside chance of getting your ass blown away and never seeing a dime, but don't let that dissuade you. Nothing risked, nothing gained.
If, one the other hand, you insist that "we" have to see this thing through to the bitter end, well....you could enlist.
Good luck.
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