Usa Thread

[Steve]

HH, you had me cracking up! I won't sleep...lol. Its gonna be tough for Romney. I would say Bush was in a worse position than Obama was for re-election perhaps and he won. Although, the economy at the time was what killed the elder Bush in '92.

 

Romney may run a campaign, assuming he gets the nomination of just not trying to make waves. He seems to be taking a different stance than he did in '08. Republicans may shoot themselves with too much rhetoric and say or do something stupid.

 

I'm not excited about Romney personally. Paul and Huntsman are the only two candidates I could see myself voting for from what I know of each. Although, admittedly, I don't know a lot about Huntsman. I will say this though. I'm very, very proud of the country. If Romney gets the nod for nomination, a Mormon could be president and a generation ago that was impossible. The country has seriously considered a Mormon, woman, Black and a Jew for either President or VP. We've grown up a lot in this country. I think there will be a gay candidate in our lifetimes. He won't be a queeny one though is my guess. More than likely Republican. I always thought that if the country had a black President he'd have to be Republican. Powell for example but the election surprised me.

[Steve]

http://news.yahoo.com/iran-sentences-2-american-men-8-years-jail-133532047.html

 

Two American men arrested more than two years ago while hiking along the Iraq-Iran border have been sentenced to eight years in prison on charges that include espionage, state TV reported Saturday, a sharp blow to hopes their release was imminent.

 

WTF were they do hiking in that area? I don't know much about the case but the fact they were hiking there doesn't get much sympathy with me. I would have to think they were spies were I Iran and couldn't blame them. Any American in their right mind wouldn't be along that border unless they were spying is my thinking. 8 years may be a bit too much but frankly, if they were just hiking, then that blatant amount of stupidity gets little sympathy from me.

[Steve]

While I still believe the Republicans are right about cutting spending. I can't buy all of the platform. When I say spending, I mean wasteful spending. I probably will disagree with most Republicans on cuts in Defense. I think we can make fairly sizable cuts without hurting our security. There's a ton of waste there.

 

I also disagree with lowering gas prices by drilling in the Gulf and other places where there are loads of oil. No, I've not gone Al Gore green but I would like to see us move farther away from an oil based econonmy not go further into one. I'd like to see a concerted move to vehicles away from the standard car engine to hybrids and electric. Economic incentives not forced. I don't believe in forcing. Carrot not stick. Natural gas is another thing I'd like to see get used more as well. Its clean for one. LA has the largest fleet of city busses that runs on it from what I remembered the city bragging about a long time ago (maybe its changed). Anyway, I'd like to see all American city bus systems move in that direction with incentives.

 

As I said before, I'd like to see us amoritize the cost of electric cars and hybrids as a tax write off for the public to get us drive more as well as incentives for electric car refueling kiosks. I have a feeling once the private sector sees a genuine effort being made to it, we will find new ways of improving the batteries, etc.

 

I think spending on infrastructure is a must. Repairing, retrofitting and new projects. Its needed and provide jobs.

 

Now, maybe the Republicans on this forum can explain this but I used to feel that you needed to cut corporate taxes, regs, the usual stuff we hear. My understanding is that corporations aren't spending because taxes are too high and regs are too stringent. Its just plain old fear of the present and future economy. People simple aren't buying things. I've heard banks are sitting on well over a trillion of cash and not giving loans. They can get a guaranteed rate of return on long term treasuries since the cost of cash pretty much cost them nothing. Why not get 2.5% return gauranteed than risk a loan that won't get much more?

 

Do I have it wrong? I know there are some onerous regulations in some niches here and there but overall its not whats keeping companies from hiring. So, I'm not sure cutting their taxes will make them hire or spend. It seems it'll just be pocketed. Companies will tell us their taxes are too high just like any one else would. So, when companies are saying its too high, have they ever said its fair? Even when it was cut under Republican administrations? Maybe they have but I've never heard it.

 

Anyway, infrastructure spending seems to me the only big thing to do bring manufaturing and other blue collar jobs back to America. The Republicans in Congress are against it though. Why? Also, are the conservatives on here against it? If you are, fair enough but I want to know why? Because it won't work? Its too big government? I can understand that, I was that way for a while myself.

[Steve]

The one thing that Obama was said to be weak in and was used against him repeatedly in the primaries and general election was his foreign policy experience. While I do think that having travled outside the country to some extent and knowing the general hot issue situations globally is smart, all candidates have foreign policy advisors and no one (except Palin...haha) considers high office without doing some research. Also, while in the office, even Presidents with loads of prior experience in foreign policy rely heavily on experts and advisors. Finally, a lot of it is common sense and right and wrong. Politics play into and you may have to take a position poltically that nudges your moral compass but by and large its common sense.

 

Obama has done a pretty good job in it. At least better than the warnings. I'll give him that. He seems to have done better foreign policy wise than domestically which goes counter than the thinking at the time of his election. We should be supporting the rebels in Lybia. We should have wanted Mubarak out. The rebels will remember those who helped or supported them in all likelihood. He's also been fair about Israel.

 

My personal opinion is that it may be time to cut Pakistan off but we do run the risk of them selling sensitive information like nuke related stuff for hard cash. India is the future frankly anyway.

[Steve]

Okay, someone explain to me why Republicans would be opposed to having any type of tax cut expire? I don't want to think its only the rich and companies 'who produce jobs' should get tax cuts.

 

http://news.yahoo.com/gop-may-ok-tax-increase-obama-hopes-block-124016578.html

 

The tax break extension they oppose is sought by President Barack Obama. Unlike proposed changes in the income tax, this policy helps the 46 percent of all Americans who owe no federal income taxes but who pay a "payroll tax" on practically every dime they earn.

 

There are other differences as well, and Republicans say their stand is consistent with their goal of long-term tax policies that will spur employment and lend greater certainty to the economy.

[kamui]

Okay, someone explain to me why Republicans would be opposed to having any type of tax cut expire? I don't want to think its only the rich and companies 'who produce jobs' should get tax cuts.

 

Don't worry Steve, it's all good!

 

 

[Flashermac]

PRINCETON, NJ -- President Barack Obama is closely matched against each of four possible Republican opponents when registered voters are asked whom they would support if the 2012 presidential election were held today. Mitt Romney leads Obama by two percentage points, 48% to 46%, Rick Perry and Obama are tied at 47%, and Obama edges out Ron Paul and Michele Bachmann by two and four points, respectively.

 

 

My link

[kamui]

PRINCETON, NJ -- President Barack Obama is closely matched against each of four possible Republican opponents when registered voters are asked whom they would support if the 2012 presidential election were held today. Mitt Romney leads Obama by two percentage points, 48% to 46%, Rick Perry and Obama are tied at 47%, and Obama edges out Ron Paul and Michele Bachmann by two and four points, respectively.

 

 

My link

 

The GOP elite is very unhappy about the conservative presidential candidates:

It’s a tough time to be a conservative intellectual.

From The Weekly Standard to The Wall Street Journal, on the pages of policy periodicals and opinion sections, the egghead right’s longing for a presidential candidate of ideas — first Mitch Daniels, then Paul Ryan — has been endless, intense and unrequited.

 

Profoundly dissatisfied with the current field, that dull ache may only grow more acute after Ryan’s decision Monday to take himself out of the running.

 

The problem, in shorthand: To many conservative elites, Rick Perry is a dope, Michele Bachmann is a joke and Mitt Romney is a fraud.

 

They don’t publicly express their judgments in such harsh terms, but the low regard is obvious: The Journal’s editorial board, the bible of conservative intellectual orthodoxy,pretty much excommunicated Romney from the movement in May for his health care sins. Then, last week, the editorial board suggested that Bachmann and Perry couldn’t be elected, and that “now would be the time†for “someone still off the field to step up.â€

 

more: http://www.politico....0811/61882.html

[Flashermac]

So now is the time for Steve to make his move. Steve for President! He'd be a lot more fun than the rest of the candidates anyway.

[Hugh_Hoy]

The problem, in shorthand: To many conservative elites, Rick Perry is a dope, Michele Bachmann is a joke and Mitt Romney is a fraud.

 

Call them what you like, they all seem to be poised to kick Obama's ass out of office next year.

 

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/obama-virtually-tied-election-match-ups-romney-perry-151926037.html

 

HH