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[GhaleonEB]

Do we have some good news at the very least? Reading this thread is depressing at times.

Nope.

 

[Bulbo Urethral Baggins]

I like Mitt's fiery response to the White House's dismissal of the jobless numbers:

"Today's abysmal jobs report confirms what we all know - that President Obama has failed to get this economy moving again. Just this week, President Obama's closest White House adviser said that 'unemployment rates or even monthly jobs numbers' do not matter to the average American.

"If David Plouffe were working for me, I would fire him and then he could experience firsthand the pain of unemployment. His comments are an insult to the more than 20 million people who are out of work, underemployed or who have simply stopped looking for jobs. With their cavalier attitude about the economy, the White House has turned the audacity of hope into the audacity of indifference."

 

[Cyan]

Here's my plan:

-Cut taxes, especially on the wealthy aka "job creators."
-Raise spending, especially on "shovel-ready" jobs like HSR.
-Lower the debt ceiling, meaning the debt and the deficit go down.
-Fund NASA for some Mars shit, legalize drugs, and illegalize the BCS.
-Profit.

Vote for me!

 

[Bulbo Urethral Baggins]

Here's my plan:

-Cut taxes, especially on the wealthy aka "job creators."
-Raise spending, especially on "shovel-ready" jobs like HSR.
-Lower the debt ceiling, meaning the debt and the deficit go down.
-Fund NASA for some Mars shit, legalize drugs, and illegalize the BCS.
-Profit.

Vote for me!

I'm switching my vote from jamesinclair to Cyan

 

[Patrick Klepek]

David Plouffe smh.

 

[Baraka in the White House]

I like Mitt's fiery response to the White House's dismissal of the jobless numbers:

Yeah but fuck Mitt too, he's pulling the exact same shit Republicans did pre-2011 to take back the House. Let me guess, Mittens plans to put a laser-like focus on job creation in 2012, but only after he signs a federal ban on gay marriages, dissolves all public unions and declares every Friday as national Thank Reagan for Inventing America day.

Oh, and tax cuts for the rich. Gotta help out the job creators, after all.

 

[Jackson50]

According to Honduras' Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the deposition of former president Zelaya in 2009 was indeed a coup. Additionally, Zelaya was found culpable for ignoring the Supreme Court's ruling. This was one of the earlier international crises that confronted President Obama. I thought his response was adequate. He displayed a commitment to multilateralism and respected the rule of law. Moreover, he (thankfully) did not heed the advice of those who wanted to legitimize the coup and Micheletti's regime.

I'm fine with the other numbers. Sometimes I feel like ADP is just throwing darts at a boards. At times they get reasonably close and other times they are really, really off the mark. Their June numbers, of course, is the latter.

I understand. And if it were used outside the context of the other data, it could be highly misleading. Otherwise, if it is utilized in conjunction with other indicators, I think it is useful. And it confirmed other indicators displaying expansive economic conditions.

 

[PantherLotus]

Do we have some good news at the very least? Reading this thread is depressing at times.

Actually, yes. As bad as it is, THIS is the competition:

 

[ToxicAdam]

Pretty disappointed in Obama using the 'uncertainty' card to blame on the stagnant jobs market.
But he's in full campaign mode now, so it shouldn't be a surprise.

 

[jamesinclair]

The suggestion that the Greek/Irish debt crises were caused by a lack of state oil production... come on, now.

If time was unlimited, and data flowed like a chocolate river, Id throw up a regression for you. But alas, it is not.

 

[PantherLotus]

^Chocolate rivers are actually pretty viscous.

Pretty disappointed in Obama using the 'uncertainty' card to blame on the stagnant jobs market.
But he's in full campaign mode now, so it shouldn't be a surprise.

Meh, what do you expect? Lowering taxes hasn't worked and spending a lot hasn't worked. In either case proponents will say we haven't done enough.

Now's the hard part.

 

[mckmas8808]

Its time to elect a new president that will take the actions necessary to get this economy moving.

-Return to the tax rates of the 80s
-Use the new income to buy up the most profitable companies. Apple. Google. Oil. Apple has a market cap of 330.92B. 200B buys you all you need, and thats just a couple of months of Pentagon money.
-Instead of directing massive profits (after R&D allocation) to the pockets of a few privileged wealthy, direct profit directly into infrastructure and education investment
-Enjoy millions of new jobs and monies.

So you want to get rid of the Congress too?

 

[jamesinclair]

Looks the the republican lazer-like focus on jobs continue.

This week, their transportation budget proposes eliminating around 70,000 jobs, in the new york area alone.

http://blog.tstc.org/2011/07/08/house-gops-transportation-bill-offers-new-direction-backwards/

Scroll down to the delicious job-cutting charts.

So you want to get rid of the Congress too?

Where did you get that from?

 

[PhoenixDark]

I don't recognize this Obama. Between his "bumps in the road" comment and David Plouffe ridiculously stupid comment, it's like I'm watching a rerun of the McCain 08 campaign.

 

[ToxicAdam]

Looks the the republican lazer-like focus on jobs continue.


Where did you get that from?

You have a problem with this?

The House bill aligns transportation spending with the amount of gas tax revenues collected by the Highway Trust Fund, at $35-42 billion/year adding up to $230 billion over 6 years, which is a 34% cut from current federal transportation funding levels.

If you want more spending, all you have to do is propose more gas taxes. Easy.

 

[mckmas8808]

I like Mitt's fiery response to the White House's dismissal of the jobless numbers:

Mitt knows what Plouffe was saying. What Mitt said did was try to mix up Plouffe's point. What David was saying is that people aren't going to solely look at the unemployment number and go "okay I'm going to vote for such and such" based completely on the GDP and unemployment number.

What they are going to do is think about how they "feel" the economy is doing and who's better to lead it. It's basically what America did in 1984 when they re-elected President Reagan even though unemployment was at 7.5%

 

[mckmas8808]

Where did you get that from?

Because you talk as if a President can do all that stuff by him or herself without the authorization of the Congress.

You'd need at least 63 DEMs in the Senate and 250 DEMs in the House in order to do that stuff that you listed.

 

[PantherLotus]

I don't recognize this Obama. Between his "bumps in the road" comment and David Plouffe ridiculously stupid comment, it's like I'm watching a rerun of the McCain 08 campaign.

What do you want?

It's come to this. I want to know what else we would have him do. We can go back in time to an imaginary congress and pass an astronomically higher stimulus bill, or we can go back in time and deliver a better anti tea-party message an hope we don't get a House full of idiots, or ...

I dunno. Your criticisms of him are reading more and more like you have no idea why you're upset. And I get that. I don't know why either. It's the long, slow realization that Obama can't stop the inevitable 2nd Depression (and our true fear, world war III).

 

[jamesinclair]

You have a problem with this?

If you want more spending, all you have to do is propose more gas taxes. Easy.

I agree. The fact that it hasnt been raised in 20 years is criminal. Every day that the atx tax isnt raised, a congressman should go to jail for theft.

Because you talk as if a President can do all that stuff by him or herself without the authorization of the Congress.

You'd need at least 63 DEMs in the Senate and 250 DEMs in the House in order to do that stuff that you listed.

How so? If a president (Bush) can executive order 1 trillion dollars in war spending, then he can executive order his way into nationalizing everything.

Let congress bicker about abortion.

 

[mckmas8808]

How so? If a president (Bush) can executive order 1 trillion dollars in war spending, then he can executive order his way into nationalizing everything.

Let congress bicker about abortion.

But Bush didn't executive order a $1 trillion dollar war. What are you talking about? Why do so many DEMs these days act as if Bush was some dictator like figure that did whatever he wanted?

 

[TacticalFox88]

What do you want?

It's come to this. I want to know what else we would have him do. We can go back in time to an imaginary congress and pass an astronomically higher stimulus bill, or we can go back in time and deliver a better anti tea-party message an hope we don't get a House full of idiots, or ...

I dunno. Your criticisms of him are reading more and more like you have no idea why you're upset. And I get that. I don't know why either. It's the long, slow realization that Obama can't stop the inevitable 2nd Depression (and our true fear, world war III).

I know you're joking, but MAN did that make me lol.

 

[SolKane]

Looks the the republican lazer-like focus on jobs continue.

This week, their transportation budget proposes eliminating around 70,000 jobs, in the new york area alone.

http://blog.tstc.org/2011/07/08/house-gops-transportation-bill-offers-new-direction-backwards/

Scroll down to the delicious job-cutting charts.

haha, oh man, they want to cut 650k jobs? Good luck with that!

If you want more spending, all you have to do is propose more gas taxes. Easy.

And fix the 80/20 funding split.

 

[Bulbo Urethral Baggins]

Mitt knows what Plouffe was saying. What Mitt said did was try to mix up Plouffe's point. What David was saying is that people aren't going to solely look at the unemployment number and go "okay I'm going to vote for such and such" based completely on the GDP and unemployment number.

What they are going to do is think about how they "feel" the economy is doing and who's better to lead it. It's basically what America did in 1984 when they re-elected President Reagan even though unemployment was at 7.5%

Sure, but it was a really stupid thing for Plouffe to say. He has to know it would be used against him. And Carney has even made it worse by basically repeating it.
Of course the Republicans are going to jump on it. What politician wouldn't?
Plouffe also appeared to be accusing voters of only looking after their own self interests. Are we really so selfish? Would I vote for Obama if unemployment is at 25% as long as "I" have a job?

"People won’t vote based on the unemployment rate; they’re going to vote based on: 'How do I feel about my own situation?"-Plouffe
Such a politically stupid statement.

 

[mckmas8808]

Sure, but it was a really stupid thing for Plouffe to say. He has to know it would be used against him. And Carney has even made it worse by basically repeating it.
Of course the Republicans are going to jump on it. What politician wouldn't?
Plouffe also appeared to be accusing voters of only looking after their own self interests. Are we really so selfish? Would I vote for Obama if unemployment is at 25% as long as "I" have a job?

"People won’t vote based on the unemployment rate; they’re going to vote based on: 'How do I feel about my own situation?"-Plouffe
Such a politically stupid statement.

Yeah sometimes saying the truth is not the best politics to use. And yes voters are selfish and have always looked after their self interest.

But again I do agree that Plouffe shouldn't have said it. People don't want to hear that kind of stuff, even though it's true and we all know it.

 

[Kosmo]

Sure, but it was a really stupid thing for Plouffe to say. He has to know it would be used against him. And Carney has even made it worse by basically repeating it.
Of course the Republicans are going to jump on it. What politician wouldn't?
Plouffe also appeared to be accusing voters of only looking after their own self interests. Are we really so selfish? Would I vote for Obama if unemployment is at 25% as long as "I" have a job?

"People won’t vote based on the unemployment rate; they’re going to vote based on: 'How do I feel about my own situation?"-Plouffe
Such a politically stupid statement.

Hey, just bumps in the road.

 

[TacticalFox88]

Yeah sometimes saying the truth is not the best politics to use. And yes voters are selfish and have always looked after their self interest.

But again I do agree that Plouffe shouldn't have said it. People don't want to hear that kind of stuff, even though it's true and we all know it.

I never got that mentality. People don't enjoy being lied to, but they want the politicians to tell them what they want to hear and not the cold reality of the situation? What kind of bullshit logic is that?

 

[jamesinclair]

But Bush didn't executive order a $1 trillion dollar war. What are you talking about? Why do so many DEMs these days act as if Bush was some dictator like figure that did whatever he wanted?

Executive order buying apple. Let congress authorize where the money comes from once the transaction is done, just like Iraq.

 

[eznark]

but i thought they wanted to kill the filibuster?

http://thehill.com/blogs/on-the-mon...bama-on-debt-deal?tmpl=component&print=1&page

jamesinclair shouldn't have given his account info to SomeDude

 

[jamesinclair]

So you know that transportation proposal that intends to do more harm to this country than a nazi invasion would have?

Check out the cover.

 

[ToxicAdam]

What the fuck.

 

[Bulbo Urethral Baggins]

So you know that transportation proposal that intends to do more harm to this country than a nazi invasion would have?

Check out the cover.

Wow. Nice find. But that's not real is it?

 

[threenote]

President Obama has consistently marginalized his own base and if he caves in again, I'm just not voting for him in 2012. I am liberal, but I will not hesitate to vote for a Republican who has balls: although I have yet to find a GOP candidate who is sane (Huntsman, maybe?).

 

[ToxicAdam]

How is Romney not sane?

 

[worldrunover]

I never got that mentality. People don't enjoy being lied to, but they want the politicians to tell them what they want to hear and not the cold reality of the situation? What kind of bullshit logic is that?

You mean human logic? "Don't lie, just give me the harsh truth in the rosiest and most non-threatening way possible." Seems pretty standard to me.

Also; I wouldn't mind seeing Plouffe hit the bricks. Obama needs some new blood.

 

[threenote]

How is Romney not sane?

He's sane. I just don't like anything about him so I will never consider to vote him. He has no backbone.

 

[worldrunover]

How is Romney not sane?

I feel like Romney would be much like Obama as president; pretty moderate, doing politically expedient things when the need would arise. The opposition would despise him and his own base would hold their nose and go along with his all-too centrist policies.

The main difference is I don't think he's as smart as Obama, although I don't know how to quantify that in terms of any kind of results.

 

[threenote]

I feel like Romney would be much like Obama as president; pretty moderate, doing politically expedient things when the need would arise. The opposition would despise him and his own base would hold their nose and go along with his all-too centrist policies.

The main difference is I don't think he's as smart as Obama, although I don't know how to quantify that in terms of any kind of results.

I share the same sentiments. Romney flip-flops too much.

 

[Kosmo]

I wonder if Obama is still listening to Buffett:

http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2011/0...ampaign=Feed:+TheBigPicture+(The+Big+Picture)

“I could end the deficit in 5 minutes. You just pass a law that says that anytime there is a deficit of more than 3% of GDP all sitting members of congress are ineligible for reelection.”

Video at link.

 

[SolKane]

So you know that transportation proposal that intends to do more harm to this country than a nazi invasion would have?

Check out the cover.

Ah, beautiful, clean, pristine corporate toll roads!

 

[eznark]

How is Romney not sane?

Mitt Romney: Republican of choice for Democrats

He's like bizarro Bayh

 

[happyfunball]

Ah, beautiful, clean, pristine corporate toll roads!

But profit and free markets make everything better, just look at our prison systems!

 

[HylianTom]

So you know that transportation proposal that intends to do more harm to this country than a nazi invasion would have?

Check out the cover.

Ugh.. just what we need: more car infrastructure.

If anything, we're going to be driving less in the future. To spend what resources we have on more roads, more parking.. it's a bit asinine. But good luck finding a politician who'd be willing to admit this. "The American way of life is non-negotiable."

...

And I'm sticking with my old prediction: as no one person or party or policy has the power to address the predicaments we're now facing, we're going to see a series of one-term presidents. I'd love to be wrong and see Obama re-elected.

 

[Bulbo Urethral Baggins]

Mitt Romney: Republican of choice for Democrats

He's like bizarro Bayh

Mitt Romney: only viable Republican candidate.

 

[eznark]

Mitt Romney: only viable Republican candidate.

Sucks to suck. I prefer the candidate who is honest about his beliefs. If I were forced to choose between Romney and Obama I would choose Obama.

Thankfully they haven't taken away my right to write-in yet!.....I wonder how long that will last?

 

[Bulbo Urethral Baggins]

Ugh.. just what we need: more car infrastructure.

If anything, we're going to be driving less in the future. To spend what resources we have on more roads, more parking.. it's a bit asinine. But good luck finding a politician who'd be willing to admit this. "The American way of life is non-negotiable."

...

And I'm sticking with my old prediction: as no one person or party or policy has the power to address the predicaments we're now facing, we're going to see a series of one-term presidents. I'd love to be wrong and see Obama re-elected.

It's not so much that. It's WTF is it trying to convey? Roads are going everywhere and there's no clear direction. At least that's what it says to me.

 

[Bulbo Urethral Baggins]

Sucks to suck. I prefer the candidate who is honest about his beliefs. If I were forced to choose between Romney and Obama I would choose Obama.

Thankfully they haven't taken away my right to write-in yet!.....I wonder how long that will last?

You think Obama is more honest about his convictions? Maybe, but I think Obama is being dragged around and is surrendering his convictions. Romney hides his more- and has less to begin with.
The only good thing about Romney is that he doesn't have to worry about pleasing the loonies from the left or right. That's a lot of wasted energy.

 

[HylianTom]

It's not so much that. It's WTF is it trying to convey? Roads are going everywhere and there's no clear direction. At least that's what it says to me.

It looks like a typical highway spending proposal.

But yeah.. it definitely has that "Scarecrow from Oz" theme..

 

[Suikoguy]

Wow. Nice find. But that's not real is it?

Appears to be:
http://dc.streetsblog.org/2011/07/08/mica-the-focus-of-the-bill-is-on-the-national-highway-system/

 

[eznark]

You think Obama is more honest about his convictions? Maybe, but I think Obama is being dragged around and is surrendering his convictions. Romney hides his more- and has less to begin with.
The only good thing about Romney is that he doesn't have to worry about pleasing the loonies from the left or right. That's a lot of wasted energy.

Romney is a poll-fucker. I despise everything about him.

 

[Bulbo Urethral Baggins]

Romney is a poll-fucker. I despise everything about him.

Who's your guy?