Not Lookin Good For America

but what’s obvious is that the current administration isn’t handling it very well

Really? Since February 2010, companies have added 2.6 million jobs and Moody’s just published a report that says another 1.2 million jobs are expected to be added in the private sector in 2012. The market is soaring, spending has been cut while holding tax levels at ridiculously low levels.

Another tidbit…for the first time in a decade the Fed Gov’t has less than a $1T deficit…but wait…if you factor in the automatic $1.2T in cuts that is mandated because the SuperCommittee couldn’t come up with a plan…that’s right…The Fed could actually come out ahead and run a surplus for the first time since the Clinton Administration. You won’t be hearing THAT on FoxNews.

All of this after a disastrous job by the Bush administration who basically raided the US Treasury and gave it to their rich friends.

I’d say that given the circumstances, the Obama Administration is doing a great job. Not that you’d ever hear that reported in the Main Stream Media.

Since February 2010, companies have added 2.6 million jobs and Moody’s just published a report that says another 1.2 million jobs are expected to be added in the private sector

I gotta be the voice of dissent here… in a nation of 300 million, 2 million isn’t a whole lot and having to wait another year to get another million is ridiculous… also, what kind of jobs are they? Minimum wage jobs that pay you just enough to be 5 dollars short for everything, aren’t worth bragging about.

Also the social programs are still gettinmg fucked in the ass! Schools are still criminally under funded, fire fighters and cops are still under funded. Government employees are still laid off and being forced to take furlow days… list goes on

The market is soaring, spending has been cut while holding tax levels at ridiculously low levels.

I suppose any kind of growth is impressive under these circumstances but really it sounds like campaign talk.

Another tidbit…for the first time in a decade the Fed Gov’t has less than a $1T deficit…but wait…if you factor in the automatic $1.2T in cuts that is mandated because the SuperCommittee couldn’t come up with a plan…that’s right…The Fed could actually come out ahead and run a surplus for the first time since the Clinton Administration. You won’t be hearing THAT on FoxNews.

What does this mean for the average american? Easier to get a loan for small businesses? More government grants? Schools gonna finally get funded?

All of this after a disastrous job by the Bush administration who basically raided the US Treasury and gave it to their rich friends.

I agree with this assesment of bush

I’d say that given the circumstances, the Obama Administration is doing a great job. Not that you’d ever hear that reported in the Main Stream Media.

The problem is that no one can feel it yet so the main straim media isn’t forced to face it.
Late,
grmpysmrf

Perhaps I only saw hitchens at his worst… cause frankly I wasn’t ever impressed with his appearances.

Although the title of his book is awesome… god is not great… I think this was the interview where he got abusive on the daily show…
Maybe I’ll check out some of those links you posted
Late,
grmpysmrf

god is not great…

listened to it on audio…very good stuff!

You know, grumpy, I like you. But I respectfully disagree with most of your slice and dice replies…not because of your political stance…but because most of what you post is merely opinion and conjecture.

That’s why everyone is entitled to an opinion and it’s also why we must accept the opinion of others. Because opinions really don’t mean much anyway. So really, what’s the harm.

It’s Ok to form a loose opinion now and then based on some fact or facts, but dissecting every post you disagree with using only opinions is well, not very flattering and certainly not charming.

Please excuse my language. I’ve been reading a lot of Oscar Wilde lately.

Yikes… and out come the claws. I was just asking for a little clarification. 2 million jobs is a nation of 300 million isn’t really a whole bunch to be proud of… I’m not sure why my post set you off but sorry about that.
Late,
grmpysmrf

I have no idea where it was referenced and don’t have a “Conservative” or “Liberal” dog in this fight. But going strictly off the numbers . . .

Actually, considering 300 Million is the population of the US and, of that population, perhaps a third are actually part of the core work force (of age, willing, and able) 2 Million Jobs is pretty significant.

I don’t remember what our national average is currently - but if it was 10%, we’re talking about a 20% decrease in unemployment. And while it may not mean much to everyone, it certainly means a lot to the 2 million that got job.

Actually, considering 300 Million is the population of the US and, of that population, perhaps a third are actually part of the core work force (of age, willing, and able) 2 Million Jobs is pretty significant.

yeah but one of the things I was scolded for included what type of jobs they are minimum wage is nothing to brag about. and of that 2 million jobs how many of them are seasonal jobs?
I wouldn’t call these questions “opinions” but who knows I’ve been told I’ve been wrong before.

I don’t remember what our national average is currently - but if it was 10%, we’re talking about a 20% decrease in unemployment

from a 10% unemployment rate when obama took office… we are down to 8.6. Before Xmas season hit it was 9.0…
Late,
grmpysmrf

Yikes… and out come the claws. I was just asking for a little clarification. 2 million jobs is a nation of 300 million isn’t really a whole bunch to be proud of… I’m not sure why my post set you off but sorry about that.
Late,
grmpysmrf

Really? I used words like ‘respectfully’ and ‘not flattering’ and ‘not charming’…I thought I was being very polite.

BTW…2 million jobs per year over what could hopefully turn out to be an 8 year stint as Prez adds up to 16 million jobs. Not quite Clintonian…but way better than anyone else.

davelybob: Step it up? Fucking really dude? So what, like you want me to go link to equally biased articles to what you put up but that only spat out opinions and blatant non-truths just for Ron Pauls favor? Fuck that! If your ass is too lazy to just check up on his shit than it’s your loss.

Also, yeah I listen to Ministry and tons of other bands that share similar views. Does that mean that I have to bow down and choke on their sacks and mold my views to theirs? I believe you should be able to appreciate art even if sometimes you don’t agree with it. If you can’t do that than man you must miss out on a fuck load.

Smrf: I’m not in the business of trying to change the minds. In fact I respect the fact that you are staunch in your beliefs but do I believe in changing the basic premise of the country? No. I’m only defending my stance that i don’t think all the programs are beneficial. FEMA is trash! Everyone can agree on that and food stamps get exchanged for drugs all the time. It’s admirable to try and help fellow humans. But when it’s as corrupt as it is, fuck that. This place will only turn into a third world country as long as big corporations continue to outsource, people continue to be under educated and resort to being dependent on the government.

Like i said there are special cases and in a lot of ways the proper channel to handle such things is to have decisions made on a state level. This is one of the reasons it’s so important to be aggressively active in local politics.

With your whole civil right point, that mostly looks like your lack of trust in your fellow americans. If you really think that modern times are not any different than those of the forties than that shows a real lack of confidence in your neighbors, friends and family members.

And simple and plain liberal bias is two words that are equally broken down. Liberal, as in liberal interpretation of the constitution and bias, as in not being able to see things equally. Fox is guilty of being on the opposite side of this spectrum.

Wow. Way to sidestep the whole issue of whether you can substantiate your claims or explain how and why the views you espouse would actually rectify any of the problems we are discussing. Got news for ya, homey- righteous indignation does not a convincing argument make.

FEMA is trash! Everyone can agree on that and food stamps get exchanged for drugs all the time.

Sorry, don’t agree on that. Ask the people who live in Joplin, Missouri if they want FEMA abolished. And yeah, you’re right, fuck the 99% of food stamp recipients who actually need help getting enough food.

This place will only turn into a third world country as long as big corporations continue to outsource, people continue to be under educated and resort to being dependent on the government.

And? Not one Ron Paul supporter has been able to give me a single coherent summation of how his policies would correct this. You can tell me what he wants to do, but you can’t tell me how that’s supposed to fix ANYTHING.

If you really think that modern times are not any different than those of the forties than that shows a real lack of confidence in your neighbors, friends and family members.

…says the man who doesn’t trust his neighbors, friends and family members with food stamps. Hypocrite much?

And of course, social justice left up to state’s rights is totally the way to go. Just ask Emmett Till.

And don’t even get me started on “liberal bias”. You want to whine to me about “the war on christmas” too?

Smrf: I’m not in the business of trying to change the minds.

why does everyone think I’m in that business?

In fact I respect the fact that you are staunch in your beliefs

Well, thanks. Opinions aren’t worth having if they’re half assed.

but do I believe in changing the basic premise of the country?

I don’t think that’s what I advocate? is it?

No. I’m only defending my stance that i don’t think all the programs are beneficial.

I think the majority of the programs are beneficial and really have to stand with davely in that I think it sucks that you would punish the 90% for the sake of 10% (if it’s even that many)

FEMA is trash! Everyone can agree on that

i think it would more accurate to say FEMA was irresponsible but then again that goes with leadership. when W appoints “hekuvva job brownie” to run the program when his previous job was show horse judge or some such similar bullshit is ridiculous.

Yeah FEMA was horrid but I don’t think Katrina is representative of the whole program

and food stamps get exchanged for drugs all the time.

I would argue that’s it’s not the norm

It’s admirable to try and help fellow humans. But when it’s as corrupt as it is, fuck that.

I guess this is where I’m an optimist, for me it would make since to stop the criminal usage rather than make the majority suffer for the sake of a few. what your suggesting is equal to curing cancer by shooting the patient in the head. yeah the cancer is gone and didn’t kill the patient but the patient is dead none the less.

This place will only turn into a third world country as long as big corporations continue to outsource, people continue to be under educated and resort to being dependent on the government.

I don’t entirely agree. yes I agree that this place will third world out as long as companies continue to outsource (but Ron Paul is for complete deregulation, No? which would speed that process up.)and people continue to pride themselves on their ignorance BUT people being dependent on the Government is the only consequence of the above actions. It’s not a factor it’s a result.

This is one of the reasons it’s so important to be aggressively active in local politics.

no truer words have been spoken.

With your whole civil right point, that mostly looks like your lack of trust in your fellow americans.

Yes I distrust Fellow americans, the system is set up that way, how can you trust greed and hyper competition?

If you really think that modern times are not any different than those of the forties than that shows a real lack of confidence in your neighbors, friends and family members.

No doubt, sad times we live in isn’t it.
Late,
grmpysmrf

davelybob: Step it up? Fucking really dude? So what, like you want me to go link to equally biased articles to what you put up but that only spat out opinions and blatant non-truths just for Ron Pauls favor?

How do you know that’s what in those articles? You implied you weren’t going to bother looking at them because one of them was from (GASP!) Salon. So you can’t be bothered to read up on conflicting points of view OR to support the point of view you are putting forth? What an amazing conversationalist! It’s so nice talking to you! Thank you for this engaging dialogue!

Fuck that! If your ass is too lazy to just check up on his shit than it’s your loss.

You obviously have no idea who you are speaking to. I’m a skeptic, fella. I apply the scientific method to everyday life and all areas of inquiry and base decisions on the best evidence available. Sometimes our study of a subject is unfortunately incomplete- for instance a highly complex system such as global weather patterns or, yes, global economics are still beyond our grasp to fully model and understand with confidence.

However, as a skeptic I also know that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, and that the person making a claim is the one whom the burden of proof lies with. I’m not making any claims here. You (and a whole lot of other people) are claiming Ron Paul has the answer to everything, yet when I ask you to elucidate on how what you are saying makes sense and enumerate the concerns I have that would need to be addressed to convince me, you get offended and spew out a bunch of butthurt talking points and logical fallacies. I’m just trying to give you pointers to speak your mind more clearly, so people might take you a little more seriously, since this is something you seem to be frustrated with- but I gotta ask- are we talking about Ron Paul here or me? I was trying to talk to you about Ron Paul. You wanna turn me into a straw man to divert attention from your baseless bloviating, you can blow it out your o-ring, buddy.

Also, yeah I listen to Ministry and tons of other bands that share similar views. Does that mean that I have to bow down and choke on their sacks and mold my views to theirs? I believe you should be able to appreciate art even if sometimes you don’t agree with it. If you can’t do that than man you must miss out on a fuck load.

I’m starting to really wonder about your reading comprehension. I don’t know what you THINK you were rebutting here, but none of that is anywhere near where I was going. Oh, and you snuck in another cheap shot straw man attack on me. You couldn’t see me if you wanted to, junior.

Smrf: I’m not in the business of trying to change the minds.

Good, because I wouldn’t hire you.

In fact I respect the fact that you are staunch in your beliefs but do I believe in changing the basic premise of the country? No. I’m only defending my stance

Except you’re not- you want us to defend your stance for you, otherwise you’d supply me with the sources you are arguing from, but I digress, do please go on…

that i don’t think all the programs are beneficial. FEMA is trash!

Back this statement up. Explain what you’re going to do in the place of this program or how the need for this program will be mitigated- or just admit that you don’t care about the welfare of your common man.

Everyone can agree on that and food stamps get exchanged for drugs all the time.

Back this statement up. Explain what you’re going to do in the place of this program or how the need for this program will be mitigated- or just admit that you don’t care about the welfare of your common man.

It’s admirable to try and help fellow humans. But when it’s as corrupt as it is, fuck that.

Good, at least you admit it now. It was getting kind of tense there watching you rail about how badly you want to get rid of these corrupt programs that are .01% of the defense budget while pretending that you cared about people. But you’re right, taking care of the less fortunate is inconvenient and a hassle and we should just stop.

This place will only turn into a third world country as long as big corporations continue to outsource, people continue to be under educated and resort to being dependent on the government.

“So I’m going to go vote for the guy that will free the companies from all this oppressive government financial and environmental oversight and gut public education because that’s not what the constitution says the government should be doing!”

Like i said there are special cases and in a lot of ways the proper channel to handle such things is to have decisions made on a state level.

Well, Ron Paul can be President of Texas then. I hope he can beat Rick Perry in an arm wrestling match.

This is one of the reasons it’s so important to be aggressively active in local politics.

This is one of the reasons why local politicians don’t decide national policy.

(I kid, I kid… active involvement is totally admirable)

With your whole civil right point, that mostly looks like your lack of trust in your fellow americans. If you really think that modern times are not any different than those of the forties than that shows a real lack of confidence in your neighbors, friends and family members.

Oh, so civil rights aren’t still being violated today and don’t need protected? Everyone is equal now? Where the fuck have I been then?

And simple and plain liberal bias is two words that are equally broken down. Liberal, as in liberal interpretation of the constitution and bias, as in not being able to see things equally. Fox is guilty of being on the opposite side of this spectrum.

Liberal bias is a myth, homeskillet. The idea that the media should give both sides of every story the same weight is ridiculous. If anything, there is a conservative bias to the mainstream media, not because the media leans conservative, but because they are afraid of being seen to be “liberally biased” (thanks ARE due to Fox for that one) that they go out of their way to act like the shit conservatives are saying are perfectly normal, like when climate change or evolution denial are represented as “raging controversies” when the science on the matter is FUCKING SETTLED. The media outlets you view as liberally biased may just as easily be described as “truth biased” because they recognize that even though everybody has an opinion, doesn’t mean that that opinion holds water and deserves serious consideration in light of the overwhelming mountain of evidence against said opinion. Just watch, a liberal fucks up and does something stupid and gets caught, those very same outlets will totally rip into that liberal for doing something stupid and getting caught. They’re not FOR liberals, they’re just AGAINST stupid. And so am I.

And further illustrating my point, a lovely blog entry by an intelligent woman who also wonders why people are in love with this guy and go apeshit whenever anyone criticizes him, yet are willing to ignore all his bad points and never seem to actually give any reasoning or support for their arguments beyond shouting and name-calling.

http://ashleyfmiller.wordpress.com/2011/12/11/why-does-anyone-like-ron-paul/

This ABSOLUTELY mirrors my experience with Ron Paul supporters, and they certainly live up to expectations in the comments.

I’m a lot more ill-informed and shortsighted about politics than I wanna be, but I know enough to follow intuition and logic. More often than not, it involves not doing what everyone else is.

My friends are around that 18-25 demographic that really, really likes Ron Paul, and I’ve honestly given up trying to filter out the ones who are legitimately dedicated to their seemingly random modus operandi or are just in it for the “hipster-ness” of it all (this good friend of mine has inch-wide gauges, straight-edge tatoos, a ridiculous Jersey Shore haircut, and a friggin’ Ron Paul t-shirt).

I dunno, man. Shit’s pretty nuts. Bring back Washington and Franklin. That’s a kind of crazy American dream I can get behind.

When I was 18 I was bored so I decided to join the “grass roots movement” behind Ross Perot . . . . man, what a wild ride. I’ll have to tell these tales some time . . . . maybe in my book.

This thread needs some wisdom

“I Dream of Gerda” would be an amazing TV show.