Usa Thread

[kamui]

Kamui...we finally agree on something politically ! (I think the world is, indeed, coming to an end. 55555555) The country was quite polarized politically even before Barry was elected. His platform was one which included non-partisanship, working together, blah blah blah. (As Steve noted above, he campaigned extolling those things which he had almost no chance to accomplish.)

 

Almost immediately, Obama took on issues which clashed significantly with the oppositon. Instead of focusing on the economy and jobs (which he knows little about), he focused on stuff like "don't ask, don't tell", telling our enemies when we will be running up the white flag, doubling GWB's deficit in only 2 years, and literally pushing health care legislation down the public's throat. These were all issues that significantly polarized the parties, instead of promoting "cooperation". It was only natural that his opposition would dig in it's heels and give him the finger, as he had done to it so publicly. The November 2010 elections has shown that a good portion of independents have abandoned Barry; I suspect even more will join the opposition. Over 70% of the country thinks the country is headed in the wrong direction. Just today, two former Demoncratic polsters/advisors have written in major newspapers that Obama should not seek a second term, as did Johnson. He is just too polarizing and challenges the opposition to deny him what he wants. They are NOT going to give it to him.

 

A change in the WH will be good, I hope. A lot of folks hoped that 4 years ago and they were wrong. New leadership in that position is the only thing that will get the bus back on the road. Four more years of Obama demonizing 1% of the population as the reason he can't effectively govern is pathetic.

 

HH

 

Why do you think a change in the White House will change much? The current GOP candidates are as incompetent as an politician can be. While this doesn't seem to matter on state level (see Rick Perry), it would have severe consequences if one of the current GOP loonies would become president. You can say about Obama what you want, he actually knows what he is talking about, while McCain, Perry, Bachman, e.g. seem to have failed in high school latest.

 

I am sure the 1% are feeling really terrible at the moment. GWB and the other GOP players kissed their asses for many, many years and now this: people demand that they pay as much tax as the middle class does. I guess the 1.000 USD psycho therapy sessions in N.Y. are booked out for months.

[Steve]

I don't think America can accomplish much with only 2 parties. I think a 3rd party has to emerge to force some things. Maybe a 3rd party will only make things worse. Its possible but if a true 3rd party could emerge that was NOT bought by the special interest it may reverse some things.

 

The root of everything is that both parties are given marching orders by special interests. Some have been 'Stockholm'd' to the point where they see the wants as the special interest as ideology.

 

So much of the bills that go through the Congress is written by special interest groups for the Congresspersons to argue on their behalf and they are given talking points.

 

Obama made a huge mistake initally for not concentrating on what the country needed at the time. A President who was going to concentrate on improving the economy and creating jobs. The Health Care bill could have waited. It should have waited. The Republicans didn't help. Why should they? The unwritten rule is who ever is in the White House gets the credit or the blame so why help unless there is some way they can get part or all of the credit?

 

The said truth as I see it (and I hope and pray I am completely wrong) is that pretty much nothing will save us. Two significant things happened this decade that should have given us a kick in the ass to get our house in order and do some things right: 9/11 and '08 Prime Mortgage/Financial Crisis. Our response (from our leadership) has been almost treasonous. We used 9/11 to enter wars and take away civil liberties. We used the financial crisis to save those that caused it and left the ones most hurt by it to suffer. In both cases very powerful institutions benefited greatly.

[Steve]

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/21/opinion/how-china-can-defeat-america.html?_r=4&pagewanted=all

 

How China Can Defeat America

[Hugh_Hoy]

If you are saying that Newt and Romney are "loonies" and that Obama knows what he's talking about, there's some Florida land I've got on sale with your name on it. In a series of debates, Newt would absolutely chew Obama up and spit him out. Newt is sooooooooo much more knowledgeable about domestic and foreign affairs than Obama that it isn't even funny. BTW, it has been said that if you took ALL of the earnings (rather than just tax the earnings) of the top 1%, it would only be enough to run the government for 16 days. I guess that would satisfy Obama no end: Discourage people from advancing themselves, investing in businesses, and be successful...perhaps the forerunner of a collective social/economic model. (Pol Pot tried to do that.)

 

But you're ignoring your general thesis regarding polarization of the American public upon which I agreed.

 

HH

[kamui]

How to make friends with the biggest investor in Alabama.

 

By the way Mercedes intends to invest 2 billion USD in Alamba in 2014 - if Alamba is able to keep the German managers out of jail until then...

 

Police arrest visting Mercedes executive under Alabama immigration law

 

Published: Friday, November 18, 2011, 7:25 PM

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama -- A German manager with Mercedes-Benz is free after being arrested for not having a driver's license with him under Alabama's new law targeting illegal immigrants, police said Friday.

 

Tuscaloosa Police Chief Steven Anderson told The Associated Press an officer stopped a rental vehicle for not having a tag Wednesday night and asked the driver for his license. The man only had a German identification card, so he was arrested and taken to police headquarters, Anderson said.

 

The 46-year-old executive was charged with violating the immigration law for not having proper identification, but he was released after an associate retrieved his passport, visa and German driver's license from the hotel where he was staying, Anderson said.

 

It wasn't immediately known how long the man was in custody or the status of his court case.

 

The law -- parts of which were put on hold amid legal challenges -- requires that police check citizenship status during traffic stops and take anyone who doesn't have proper identification to a magistrate. Anderson said that's what was done, but someone in the same situation wouldn't have been arrested before the law took effect.

 

"If it were not for the immigration law, a person without a license in their possession wouldn't be arrested like this," he said. Previously, drivers who lacked licenses received a ticket and a court summons, according to Anderson.

 

Mercedes-Benz spokeswoman Felyicia Jerald said the man is from Germany and was visiting Alabama on business. The company's first U.S. assembly plant is located just east of Tuscaloosa.

 

"This was an unfortunate situation, but the incident was resolved when our colleague ... was able to provide his driver's license and other documents to Tuscaloosa police," Jerald said.

 

http://blog.al.com/b...g_mercedes.html

[kamui]

double post

[kamui]

If you are saying that Newt and Romney are "loonies" and that Obama knows what he's talking about, there's some Florida land I've got on sale with your name on it. In a series of debates, Newt would absolutely chew Obama up and spit him out. Newt is sooooooooo much more knowledgeable about domestic and foreign affairs than Obama that it isn't even funny. BTW, it has been said that if you took ALL of the earnings (rather than just tax the earnings) of the top 1%, it would only be enough to run the government for 16 days. I guess that would satisfy Obama no end: Discourage people from advancing themselves, investing in businesses, and be successful...perhaps the forerunner of a collective social/economic model. (Pol Pot tried to do that.)

 

But you're ignoring your general thesis regarding polarization of the American public upon which I agreed.

 

HH

 

Yeah, Newt, the one who started f@cking upcoming wife 2, while still being married to wife 1. He asked wife 1 for divorce while she was in hospital recovering of cancer. Next he left wife 2 with whom he was still married for wife 3. While being married with wife 2 and f@cking upcoming wife 3 (of course a House staffer and 23 years younger) Newt lead the impeachment of Bill Clinton because the Monica L. scandal.

 

The Newt who received 300.000 USD from Fannie (or was it Freddie) for advice he gave as an historian for ca. 1 hr. a week? I guess that was the best paid job a historian ever had. Too bad that I did study history for just one year - I could have beene a rich man by now.

 

I guess that's the candidate who represents the GOP's values best.

[Bangkoktraveler]

Yeah, Newt, the one who started f@cking upcoming wife 2, while still being married to wife 1. He asked wife 1 for divorce while she was in hospital recovering of cancer. Next he left wife 2 with whom he was still married for wife 3. While being married with wife 2 and f@cking upcoming wife 3 (of course a House staffer and 23 years younger) Newt lead the impeachment of Bill Clinton because the Monica L. scandal.

 

The Newt who received 300.000 USD from Fannie (or was it Freddie) for advice he gave as an historian for ca. 1 hr. a week? I guess that was the best paid job a historian ever had. Too bad that I did study history for just one year - I could have beene a rich man by now.

 

I guess that's the candidate who represents the GOP's values best.

 

 

I guess Newt has the best qualifications - from a Republican viewpoint.

[Bangkoktraveler]

Neither party can address the issues nor formulate a plan.

 

Sad.

[Steve]

Why do you think a change in the White House will change much?

Exactly. I would have no problem changing my vote from Obama if Paul was the candidate. I know he's not everyon'es cup of tea so I'll offer Gary Johnson. Read about him. 2 term governor or New Mexico where Democrats are 2-1 over Republicans. He balanced their budget, he wants to legalize pot. He's pro choice. He's as honest as they come, self made mulit-millionaire, NOT bought off by the special interest. Its one of the reasons he's NOT a favorite of the Republican heirarchy since they're all bought off. Huntsman is reasonable as well.

 

Romney has NO concrete plan other than the conservative mantra and even that is said in broad strokes. I swore off the Republican party in '08 and I see no evidence that they will even do what they say. Reagan ended with a deficit and we became a debtor nation for the first time under Reagan but he's hailed as the greatest president in history. Bush gave us the deficit as well. They preach one thing, get in office and do another. Deficits and overspending is fine as long as we're fighting wars that profit the military/industrial complex and big oil. Its so much utter and complete BS and I'm angry at myself for not seeing it all earlier.

 

The Dems are no prize. I'm aware of that. I'm officially independent but will go with a Dem over a Republican in almost all cases these days.

 

As for Perry, let me tell you about Texas. I heard this once and its accurate. A Texan Democrat is more conservative than a New York Republican. Its so true. I recall Bush saying he worked with Dems while a governor. The whole state is right of center and any Dem who wants statewide office has to be at a minimum right down the middle.

 

All I hear from conservatives is what Obama is doing wrong and I don't hear what their man will do. Republicans are masters of public opinion. Gotta give them that. What will Romney actually do?

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/07/us/politics/07romney.html?pagewanted=all

 

"repealing President Obama’s health care law, cutting the corporate tax rate, placing sanctions on China as a currency manipulator and immediately reducing taxes on savings and investment by the middle class.."

 

also..

 

"...his economic plan is a classic Republican blueprint that relies on tax cuts and reduced regulation — not stimulus — to jump-start the economy"

 

and

 

"..he promised to immediately cut the corporate income tax rate, currently topping out at 35 percent, to 25 percent."

 

 

This is BS. Cutting taxes will make rich companies richer. In the article economists state that there has never been proven historically that it creates jobs. I've said ad nauseum on this thread that its NOT high taxes that are stopping companies from hiring, its no faith in the short and long term future of the economy as a whole.

 

As for sanctions of China? WTF?!! Insane. Reducing regulations is needed in some areas. However, if we can go by Repubican history its to let companies do all kinds of shit. For instance, ability to drill for oil in the Gulf waters as well as build a pipeline through the middle of the country, regs to make it easier to drill for coal, oil , shale oil and depending on how 'green' you are, its not a great idea. We need to LESS dependent on oil NOT more.

 

None of his plans involve infrastructure and that makes Obama's idea infinitely better than Romney's. Infrastructure spending amongst other things is a no brainer. It ticks off all the boxes. It creates American jobs for American companies, working class and middle class jobs, the REAL people who jump start the economy because they have to buy the groceries, cars, household appliances, houses, etc. that companies need. Also, its needed. There are so many tunnels, bridges and the like that are in desparate need of repair but infrastructure spending is also high tech needs as well so there are jobs for technical, white collar folks as well