The Goat Pen

Derek Thompson wrote:When you hear commentators say, "the euro zone must begin to transition toward a fiscal union," what they are saying, in human-speak, is that the Europe needs to be more like the United States, with balanced budget laws for its individual members and seamless fiscal transfers from the rich countries to the poor, to protect the indigent, old, and sick, no matter where they reside.

The Germans call this sort of thing "a permanent bailout." We just call it "Missouri."

bluetick wrote:Well why not - guess who's taking credit for saving the auto industry?

http://news.yahoo.com/romney-taking-cre ... 25566.html

"If General Motors, Ford and Chrysler get the bailout that their chief executives asked for yesterday, you can kiss the American automotive industry goodbye," Romney wrote in a November 2008 opinion article in the New York Times. "It won't go overnight, but it's demise will be virtually guaranteed."

General Motors posted a record profit in 2011.

sardis wrote:

bluetick wrote:Well why not - guess who's taking credit for saving the auto industry?

http://news.yahoo.com/romney-taking-cre ... 25566.html

"If General Motors, Ford and Chrysler get the bailout that their chief executives asked for yesterday, you can kiss the American automotive industry goodbye," Romney wrote in a November 2008 opinion article in the New York Times. "It won't go overnight, but it's demise will be virtually guaranteed."

General Motors posted a record profit in 2011.

and yet share price has been down from the IPO when government invested...

innocentbystander wrote:

bluetick wrote:I mean, Al Gore can't really claim to have invented the internet - but at least he wasn't against the internet.

That Mitt...what a rascal. So he had his fingers crossed behind his back the whole time he was railing against the bailout.

Or maybe his money can get him some kind of historical "do-over."

What difference does it make Tick, you weren't voting for Mitt either way.

bluetick wrote:

innocentbystander wrote:What difference does it make Tick, you weren't voting for Mitt either way.

Not so, IB. Mitt has been my second choice all along, and may yet move up to number one (with a double dip recession or some kind of oprama scandal or who-knows-what).

bluetick wrote:And oh yeah. Willard Mitt Romney needs to stfu about kids hitting up their parents for a 20k loan in order to start a bidness.

"young people infused with the entrepreneul spirit" my ass

innocentbystander wrote:

Op Ed wrote:1) McCain would have cut taxes for the people who export jobs, to increase the deficit.

2) McCain would have had us in wars with Iran and Syria already.

I wish that President Clinton had taken us to war in Afghanistan in 1998 to wag the dog away from Monica. Then maybe 9-11 would have been avoided.

I don't give a FUCK if history would have taught us that President Clinton would have wound up being the worst President in history as a result of his un-provoked attack on Afghanistan. Ed when you and I are DEAD, and we stand in judgement before God, and he levels with us what was avoided by that letcherous pervert invading that pile of rocks in Asia inhabitted by uncivilized animals who grow opium and incest their own daughters, it will be proven THEN (when it is truly important) how wrong you and I were about Bill Clinton and how RIGHT he was.

We don't KNOW what McCain would have done with Syria if he was President. Lets assume he invades Syria for whatever reason. Maybe (just maybe) an invasion of Syria would have prevented some other dreadful event that now awaits us since Obama did NOT invade. As a Christian, I know that God gives us Free Will. He does not mess with that. We make of this world as we wish. I know that Islam is twisted and evil. I know the Syrian government is twisted and evil. I know that my government (regardless of which political party's man/woman sits in the White House) knows WAY MORE than you or I do about what is going on in the Middle East. We don't have to trust them Ed (I don't), but we do have to acknowledge that (come what may) the primary job of the Federal government it to protect us.

That's it. That is their first goal, security. NOT health care. NOT education. NOT welfare. NOT housing. NOT civil service jobs. And NOT their re-election. Security.

And McCain is a better man than President Obama on security. I'm sorry if you can't see that. And I don't like McCain (even though he is my Senator.) The man had to have his Admiral father pull strings to get him into Annapolis. No way was he bright enough to get in on his own merit, I don't buy it.

innocentbystander wrote:I can not even begin to tell you how wrong you are on your evaluation of Mitt Romney.

I have met Senator John McCain, several times. That is because I worked for an airline here in Arizona and as an officer of the company I had to go to several political events. I know the kind of man McCain is.

I've also met Willard Mitt Romney, twice now. I'm not going to get into what he and I talked about each time, but rest assured Ed, his motives are moral. This is a moral man. This is a successful, sane, highly intelligent, moral man, who wants to be President for the sole reason of making this country a better place for his 18 grand children. That's it, he wants to keep them safe. he is already rich and successful. Now he wants to give back and serve the country that he lived in, a country that has been so good to him. And he'll serve as our President for free. He will not take a paycheck. And he will lead with the primary motive of making this world a better place for my kids and your kids and his kids/grandkids.

A moral man Ed.

Hacksaw wrote:The notion that McCain definitely would have us at war in either Iran or Syria is utterly absurd.

Hacksaw wrote:Obama's foreign policy decisions have looked a lot like Bush's. McCain was called McSame by many during the last Prez election. He probably would NOT have been much different than Obama on that. But on the economy? My dog could have done a better job.

Hacksaw wrote:I think I've been pretty subdued in my criticism. I have actually tried to praise Obama when I've thought he did a good job. I've been a lot more fair than you guys were with Dubya.

Speaking of which, it is truly humorous to watch the same bunch who worked themselves into such epic tizzies over the poor job Bush was doing be so understanding and forgiving of our current President.

See...I even refer to him as OUR President. Hell, I am actually kind of fond of the guy. I bet he would be pretty cool to know as a person. But he is a walking disaster as a President.