Congratulations to all Americans!

[antiquark]

2006 -- liberals take over Congress. Hang on, it's a rough ride after that.

Do you really believe your own bull***t?

Do you actually believe that Democrats caused a global meltdown within a year getting a majority in congress? What could they have done in that time, passed a budget, and maybe a couple of laws. Hardly enough to destroy the world economy. And why didn't the genius Bush see through their nefarious plan and veto their bills?

No, the Republicans had a president AND a congressional majority in charge from 2000-2006. Is it not possible that they caused the meltdown?

Also, those charts are disingenous and misleading. Some can be explained by the Great Recession, and some can be explained (trivially) by the concept of "the rich get richer, the poor get poorer."

 

[ully]

This isn't about healthcare at all, or insurance, its about taking what has been worked for and earned by hardworking folk and giving it to the many who are the lazy and freeloaders.

 

[parsec1]

Were you in Norway at all?

What is a MAWC..?

I was (as far as I can remember) in contact with British units three or four times. A unit I can't remember the name of at 'Winter Express' (1969?). Then no 3 Para at Gudbrandsdalen (they were ill prepared for winter war, back then) and no 42 Commando at Mjølfjell, who were quite good skiers. I also held a course/presentation for British officers at Fleishers Hotel, Voss. Must have been 1970 too.

Military skiing is something far less spectacular than what you see on TV from the Winter Olymics and so on. It is about how to go skiing with a heavy equipment, being towed after snowmobiles, prepare the skis for different snow conditions - and so on. It was quite popular to be allowed to do these courses. The British gave us booze which they had flagrantly smuggled into the country. So, we were richly rewarded.

Mountain and artic warfare cadre.
Most Royal Marine Commandos rotate through basic artic survival.
My 'preference' was for the 'warmer climes' of South East Asia.
All Royal Marines have 'Hollow legs' as do many Norwegians, thank God.
Flagrantly dissregarding petty rules to reward their friends and allies is part of the Royal Marine 'Ethos'.
Best Regards

 

[Olsen]

I disagree. The US system is a hodge-podge mess. It's neither public nor private. Even the new bill is neither. It's much worse than what we have now.

Changing nothing would have been better...

US health care is out of this world expensive and inefficient. It swallows 16% of USA's (huge) GDP. But covers only a fraction of the US population. Why would pres. Obama risk his political future by trying to rectify this? Because, if it is not done 1)you can't compete with other nations and 2) stop the unjust misery of millions of uncovered Americans.

Compared, the excellent French public health care systems - possibly the best in the world, 'costs' only 11,5% of the French GDP, but covers 'everybody' in France. The public health care systems of the 'socialistic' Scandinavian countries costs only between 9,5% to 8,2%. And covers 'everybody'. Even illegal immigrants. That's far - far less than half the cost of the US system.

The 'old' US system? It had to be reformed.

 

[splitimageview]

Sorry, but this is not true.

1)
It really does not matter if the government spends the money or a private citizen does it. It will circulate regardless. The money creates no more 'growth' regardless who spends it. .

Olsen, I think you are misunderstanding what I said. I'm not talking about spending, I'm talking about tax revenues.

Lower tax rates result in higher tax revenue; i.e., dollars the government takes in from taxation. It's shown in the graph above, "Federal Revenues Rising."

 

[splitimageview]

US health care is out of this world expensive and inefficient. It swallows 16% of USA's (huge) GDP. But covers only a fraction of the US population. Why would pres. Obama risk his political future by trying to rectify this? Because, if it is not done 1)you can't compete with other nations and 2) stop the unjust misery of millions of uncovered Americans.

That's the entire point: the Obama plan will NOT insure everyone, even 9 years from now. I posted this before.

The CBO estimate is 24 million uninsured as of 2019. WITH THE BILL.

 

[remphoto]

Ah, France a nation the USA should emulate. That's a joke on which to end the day. Time to go to bed. Good night.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

This isn't about healthcare at all, or insurance, its about taking what has been worked for and earned by hardworking folk and giving it to the many who are the lazy and freeloaders.

Bulllllllllshiiiiiit

I've seen too many 'hardworking folk' in dire poverty because most jobs no longer pay livable wages. Most people who make a lot of money are people like my father, who sat on his ass and drank coffee all day (by his own admission) and got paid more than 80% of the American people earn to do so. I grew up with money. I saw how i was earned, not just by my dad but by a lot of others my family associated with. Most of them got jobs because of who they knew, they made way more than they were worth, and the real work was done by the poor earning $7 an hour.

I think that is morally repugnant, and as a historian it frightens me because no society as wealthy as ours that has repressed its common folk so viciously has survived long. Having a fancy car when I was 16 and having a brand new Mamiya 645 and a brand new Nikon F4 as a teen was cool, but in retrospect, it didn't bring me a great deal of happiness because all my family cared about was money and appearances, not my sister and I. I think our society would be much more civil if there was less greed and more community.

Or we could just hire more cops and imprison more of the poor so the respectable 'hard working' coffee drinkers don't have to look at them. We have 2.5 MILLION citizens in prison now and the cost of keeping them there is more then it would cost to give them a livable income in society outside the jail walls. So you're going to have to care for the poor one way or the other, whether you like it or not, so you might as well just shut up and accept it.

Just sayin' !!!

 

[splitimageview]

Do you really believe your own bull***t?

Do you actually believe that Democrats caused a global meltdown within a year getting a majority in congress?

Dude, you need to read the posts. The roots of the meltdown go all the way back into the late 70s with the Community Reinvestment act.

A full history of this thru the 90s and 2000s deserves an entirely different thread.

That said: yes, I meant what I said, hang on, it's a rough ride. We are experiencing turbulence and the pilot has turned on fasten seat belt sign.

 

[splitimageview]

Well, that's kinda the point of why Obama is taking the risk. It helps keep your party in power when you get all the lazy/freeloader vote. 🙂

 

[Olsen]

Mountain and artic warfare cadre.
Most Royal Marine Commandos rotate through basic artic survival.
My 'preference' was for the 'warmer climes' of South East Asia.
All Royal Marines have 'Hollow legs' as do many Norwegians, thank God.
Flagrantly dissregarding petty rules to reward their friends and allies is part of the Royal Marine 'Ethos'.
Best Regards

Mountain and Artic Warfare Cadre. That was indeed what it was called, but I think that came a little later, or? 'Winter War and Reconnaissance', does that ring any bell? No. 42 Commando also had something they called 'Reconnaissance Leader Troop', that were also used as 'obs' for the artillery and the airforce.

I did similar 'obs' service in the Norwegian Army. Together with Laps who shot reindeeres when the whenever a chance popped up and prepared these beautiful dinners under the most primitive circumstances. Nice service.

I went to a local dance together with a flock of no 3 Para in Gudbrandsdalen in my youth. You don't mess with a para, some of the local thugs had to learn. Even if the para is only 5 ft tall.... And Scottish.

 

[remphoto]

Your example is not extreme compared to other US CEO salaries.

But that a company turns over 4 billion US$ does not justify a salary of 3,5 million $. That's my opinion. With all respect for the CEO's importance, but I am sure that there is also thousand other employees of this company that deserves a good salary. The more the CEO gets the less there is for the others. What's for sure; CEO salaries don't crate growth.

Do this CEO get a stock option on top of this?

The report I read did not mntion stock options but if there are they are not in the money. But so what if he has them, he only benefits if the shareholders do. As to 3 million, I'll bet there are folks on rff making that kind of money. We have entrepreneurs in our small town that do and earn very dollar. They also employ many people. Nothing for which to be ashamed. Something for achievers to aspire to.

 

[antiquark]

A full history of this thru the 90s and 2000s deserves an entirely different thread.

And let me guess what that hypothetical thread would conclude: that the Republicans had nothing to do with this recession, or any other recession.

 

[Olsen]

And let me guess what that hypothetical thread would conclude: that the Republicans had nothing to do with this recession, or any other recession.

Ha, ha, ha!

 

[parsec1]

Mountain and Artic Warfare Cadre. That was indeed what it was called, but I think that came a little later, or? 'Winter War and Reconnaissance', does that ring any bell? No. 42 Commando also had something they called 'Reconnaissance Leader Troop', that were also used as 'obs' for the artillery and the airforce.

I did similar 'obs' service in the Norwegian Army. Together with Laps who shot reindeeres when the whenever a chance popped up and prepared these beautiful dinners under the most primitive circumstances. Nice service.

I went to a local dance together with a flock of no 3 Para in Gudbrandsdalen in my youth. You don't mess with a para, some of the local thugs had to learn. Even if the para is only 5 ft tall.... And Scottish.

Ah yes the 5ft Glaswegian unarmed (or Armed) combat instructor,I knew him and the discomfort well ....LOL.
Reconnaissance leader troop became 'forward spotters' and most of those evolved into'special forces' ie Firstly Special Boat Section then Special Boat Squadron ,Special Boat Service and now 'amalgamated' into UK 'Special Forces' but still very much retaining a seperate identity.
As for the 'Paras' I have yet to find one that can speak......still there's plenty of time............................

 

[Olsen]

Ah yes the 5ft Glaswegian unarmed (or Armed) combat instructor,I knew him and the discomfort well ....LOL.
Reconnaissance leader troop became 'forward spotters' and most of those evolved into'special forces' ie Firstly Special Boat Section then Special Boat Squadron ,Special Boat Service and now 'amalgamated' into UK 'Special Forces' but still very much retaining a seperate identity.
As for the 'Paras' I have yet to find one that can speak......still there's plenty of time............................

'Obs' service is today a totally different service.

With highly specialized training and equipment. And top secret. It wasn't in my time. Then it was far more trial and error, poor equipment and a lot of freezing. And hard training. We had to reach all the mountain and hilltops.

We gave (poor) target indications by coordinates on paper maps. With lots of misunderstandings. Today it is all computerized. The obs can 'serve' the pilot what obs sees on his FLIR screen by wireless. Or vise versa. Even the survival techniques are far more advanced than back then. One guy who is an ex. Norwegian Marine Special Force survival expert is this guy: http://www.ousland.no/

He has been an instructor in arctic/cold climate survival techniques for both the British and Americans - something far - far more advanced than my simple 'skiing instructions'. - But mine were worth a bottle of Scotch! Obviously!

 

[splitimageview]

And let me guess what that hypothetical thread would conclude: that the Republicans had nothing to do with this recession, or any other recession.

Heh, you don't read very well, do you. 😉

I have praised Bush for what he did right (cut taxes) and I have condemned him for what he did wrong (not rein in spending.)

I'm not following a party line.

What I do espouse is conservatism. Conservative principles work, it's what built the country.

Liberal principles DO NOT. And that's what the CRA was at its core...feel-good liberalism. Good intentions, no doubt.

All these are based on good intentions: social security, medicare, etc. But in America, they have proven to be utter failures.

No one can argue this fact. They are BANKRUPT. The CRA created the worst recession in 80 years! And yes, it was created by GOVERNMENT, not by private enterprise. Capitalism did not fail here.

The track record is pitiful, absolutely completely utterly pitiful. And yet you libs continue to want to model new entitlements on these failures.

It boggles the mind.

 

[antiquark]

What I do espouse is conservatism. Conservative principles work, it's what built the country.

Yes, slaves helped build the country, so did children in coal mines.

Liberal principles DO NOT.

You're right, we'd be better off if we still had slavery. Think of it... cheap labour, the CEO's would love it!

All these are based on good intentions: social security, medicare, etc. But in America, they have proven to be utter failures. No one can argue this fact. They are BANKRUPT.

Social security and medicare haven't failed yet. I'll believe it when pensioners vote, en masse, to repeal those programs. Politicians will raise taxes to save SS and Medicare, before they tell the pensioners to f--- off.

The CRA created the worst recession in 80 years! And yes, it was created by GOVERNMENT, not by private enterprise. Capitalism did not fail here.

Jimmy Carter caused the recession of 2007? Ohhh-kay...

The track record is pitiful, absolutely completely utterly pitiful. And yet you libs continue to want to model new entitlements on these failures.

No, the AMERICAN track record is (arguably) pitiful. Other countries do fine with liberal schemes.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Antiquark, you're wrong about slavery. Our American CEOs do not want it. Big business opposed slavery back in the 19th century. Why? Because slave owners have responsibilities toward their slaves. They have no choice but to feed, house, and clothe them, provide medical care, and all these things for the slaves' children too! Businesses today pay their workers so little that in most of the USA the basic bare minimum cost of living is 1/2 the wage paid and in some places where the cost of housing is higher, wages for most workers can be as little as 1/4 the cost of living! Without question, slavery would hurt the bottom line for businesses, even when you consider the substandard housing and clothes and low quality food that most slaveowners provided their slaves in the old south.

I find it disgusting that people in slavery are in many ways better off than supposedly free men today, while these right-wing SOBs shed crocodile tears about their so-called economic freedom being taken away when they're forced to act like civilized human beings who give a damn about their fellow man....like the Christians that so many of these hypocrites claim to be.

 

[antiquark]

right-wing SOBs shed crocodile tears about their so-called economic freedom being taken away when they're forced to act like civilized human beings who give a damn about their fellow man....like the Christians that so many of these hypocrites claim to be.

The concept of WWJD - "what would Jesus do" - is foreign to most right-wingers.

They think that the best way to help the poor is to screw the poor! Because, if you actually assist the poor, they'll get lazy and dependent. So the best plan is to screw the poor, for generation after generation if necessary. That's how you help them!