crude oil goes up as the dollar drops On Fri, Jul 3, 2009 at 7:07 PM, Travis <[email protected]> wrote:
> My cigarette taxes went up to a buck a pack. and I have seen nothing but > price increases at the grocery store since jan too. > > > On Fri, Jul 3, 2009 at 12:44 PM, Frederick The Moderate < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> >> What more taxes? The only effect I've seen from his presidency on >> taxes has been a decrease. Which piece of legislation that >> specifically raises taxes, did I miss? >> More government & regulation? Well, I saw a LOT more government under >> Bush but very little oversight on Corporate America. I know the GOP is >> for LESS government because they demanded the elimination of funds for >> the following from the stimulus bill: FTC (because we have no need to >> worry about dangerous products coming from China), FDA (because we >> have no need to worry about tainted veggies etc...), SEC (ironic, >> isn't it?), INS (weren't they the ones concerned about border >> security?), Homeland Security (do I even need to say it) and more. >> Personally, I have changed my mind with the times and believe there IS >> a time for more government & regulation. >> And what solutions did the GOP offer? Hmmm. "Let's do what's worked so >> well for the last 8 years!". Yeah, that went over like a lead >> balloon... >> >> On Jul 3, 9:50 am, RichardForbes <[email protected]> wrote: >> > Obama has defined change as: >> > >> > More Spending >> > More Taxes >> > More Regulation >> > More Government >> > >> > To me, that is just more of the same, but even MORE. >> > >> > He may be a nice guy, but his solutions suck. >> > >> > On Jul 3, 10:18 am, Frederick The Moderate >> > >> > >> > >> > <[email protected]> wrote: >> > > I've come to realize that I have been very critical of our president >> > > lately. There are certainly things he is doing that I don't like. But >> > > I don't want to become like the armchair quarterbacks who think his >> > > job is easy or lacking complexity. He was handed about the worst mess >> > > I could imagine. The legacy of the single worst president of my >> > > lifetime was his to inherit. So what has he done with it? >> > > 1. Open-mindedness and inclusiveness. Regardless of the BS the >> > > ConservaRepubs try to peddle, Obama has made more efforts at inclusion >> > > in a few months than Bush did in 8 years. The same with being open- >> > > minded. Bush had a very simple formula for anyone disagreeing with >> > > him: you're fired. Give him intel I he didn't want to hear about Iraq? >> > > You're fired. More full generals and director level intelligence >> > > officers were canned under Bush, than under any president in American >> > > history. And so it went. So while the Republicans make sure to reject >> > > every offer to work together, Independents and Moderates do notice >> > > he's tried. And yes, there are things he said he would do that, >> > > regardless of their childish tantrums, he is going to do. Welcome to >> > > the Dems world of a few years ago. >> > > 2. Transparency. Okay, he isn't as strong on this as anticipated. But >> > > we remember the Bush press conferences. First, the disgruntled Ari >> > > Fleischer whom you could see, was frustrated every time the 3 minute >> > > mark was hit and he started the "I can't comment further" routine and >> > > refused to answer questions. Then came the disgruntled Scott McClellan >> > > who did the same. Tony Snow gave up an honest job for the same >> > > disaster. The only one who came out of that mess, remaining faithful, >> > > was Dana Perino. >> > > Whereas Robert Gibbs stays and answers question and (often difficult) >> > > question. Big difference. And yes, I know the neocon ultra-rights will >> > > blast this one but in comparison to Bush, the contract is obvious. >> > > 3. Iraq. As above, he was open-minded and instead of a hard and fast >> > > withdrawl date, has done so on a time-table suggested by those with >> > > feet ont he ground. In the meantime, we're getting out. And only 6 >> > > years too late... >> > > 4. Health Care Reform. Depending on the (non-NY Post, WND or >> > > UltraNeCon Monthly) poll, between two thirds and three fourths of the >> > > country want this. The rest claim that twenty five percent of the >> > > country is "the majority". He has been open-minded to suggestions and >> > > is taking steps to keep his promise. Good. >> > > 5. Economy. He inherited a mess. Only the most brainwashed extremist >> > > could believe that Obama caused all the problems we have BEFORE he got >> > > into office. THE CMBS caused mortgage crisis, the Iraq debacle, >> > > unemployment etc... were all in place before he was elected. So badly, >> > > the GOP candidate had suspend his campaign to help save the country! >> > > What did that candidate offer to fix all this? "The economy will fix >> > > itself". Okey dokey. That's why Bush sent everyone $600 (can you say >> > > really stupid!?!?). I was skeptical of Obama's plan at first but guess >> > > what? Within 6 weeks, that extra $50 - $150 in month in people's >> > > paychecks, started to get spent. The Dow had 28 straight days of gains >> > > (I love that GOPers use the dow for blame when it's down and discount >> > > it as meaningless when up) and housing sales have now gone up two >> > > months in a row. NOTHING was going to make everything all better >> > > within a few months and obviously, certain sectors were going to >> > > remain weak but regardless of what people say, there are definite >> > > signs of "moderate improvement". And that's all he promised. Frankly, >> > > I'm surprised it happened this quickly. >> > > 6. Taxes. For all their cute little tea parties, we Moderates have >> > > noticed something: There ARE no tax increases. The ONLY thing Obama >> > > has done with taxes is lower them. Well, at least they get to gather >> > > and have group hugs or whatever. >> > > 7. Oversight. I used to believe that ONLY "less government" was a good >> > > thing. Then I moved to Houston. Enron. Hard-working, middle-class >> > > Republicans were screwed out of everything they'd ever saved for their >> > > retirement. These weren't Madoff victims. Bush wanted Paulson to not >> > > only have supreme power over the hundred of billions of bailouts he >> > > approved, he wanted Paulson to be immune to oversight from Congress or >> > > the Supreme Court! Unreal. Obama has approved bailouts (which I don't >> > > like) but he hasn't done a Bush and just handed the money over without >> > > conditions. Is this telling the private sector what to do? Well, >> > > before Conservs whine, they might want to consider that these >> > > companies don't HAVE to take the money! Frankly, I don't think they >> > > should get it but I'm glad that Obama is not just "Bushing" this and >> > > handing it over without so much as a "Hey, wouldja mind making a loan >> > > or two?". >> > > 8. International Relations. I was so tired of having a blithering >> > > idiot represent our country to the world! Remember the massage of >> > > Merkel?!?!? Every country in the world took a negative view of us >> > > because of our choice of leaders. American businesses suffered for it. >> > > Diplomacy consisted of two things: Threaten or Sanction. Not exactly >> > > Dale Carnegie. Within a few months of Obama taking office, Americans >> > > are already safer. I'm not talking about those who hide in the little >> > > hovels and never go anywhere. I'm talking about those of us who >> > > actually get out of the house and the country, once in a while. We're >> > > no longer hated. >> > > 9. Security. I was in the intelligence service. When your country is >> > > viewed as evil, it is almost impossible to develop a reliable network >> > > of assets. No one wants to help the bad guys and worse, everyone wants >> > > to assist in hurting them. Bush / Cheney turned us into "the bad guys" >> > > in the eyes of everyone on the planet except maybe Sarah Palin and >> > > those who actually believe she didn't take the money. They made it >> > > easy to recruit against us and impossible for our agencies to recruit >> > > for us. With a few visits, a speech in Cairo and the end of >> > > (ineffective) torture at Git-mo, Obama has reveresed that. >> > > Impressive. >> > >> > > So okay, I don't like that the bailouts were ever allowed by Bush and >> > > I don't like that Obama continued them. I don't like the Cap & Trade >> > > bill. I'm disappointed that he won't do something about "Don't ask, >> > > don't tell". I don't like the idea that Congress won't commit to give >> > > a week to review the Healthcare bill. I don't like that he won't allow >> > > drilling in ANWAR or off our coast. I think Afghanistan is a mistake >> > > (but at least it's where the Taliban is). I could go on but the point >> > > is, I'm not some sheeple that blindly believes everything the guy does >> > > is gospel. Just like I'm not some sheeple who thinks everything Rush >> > > Limbaugh says, either. But considering the absolute disaster he >> > > inherited, I think Obama is doing about as well as could be expected >> > > so far. And the GOP has no solution and nothing to offer but >> > > criticism. They are not going to gain Moderates & Indies with that.- >> Hide quoted text - >> > >> > - Show quoted text - >> >> -- >> *~@):~{> >> >> >> >> --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more. -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
