LGP Political Discussion Thread

[GaryRissling]

Yes, Greenspan was a follower of Rand and a free market advocate. At some point, he either became so narcissistic that he believed he was the one great man who could actually command an economy,

Rand doesn't have much to offer that isn't narcissistic, so whether or not that turned out to be his big problem, Greenspan like any Rand devotee was certainly madly in love with himself.

What I get from Rand is a good illustration as to the origins and nature of wealth. The chief disconnect in our current economy is that, in reality, wealth is created by and is grown by entrepreneurs. In our current dystopia, wealth is created and owned by bankers working on a ledger. Or at least that is likely what Greenspan/Berneke/etc believe.

[Guinness]

In our current dystopia, wealth is created and owned by bankers working on a ledger. Or at least that is likely what Greenspan/Berneke/etc believe.

Greenspan, Bernanke and their lot believe that wealth can be printed into existence. They seek to avoid the truth that wealth (property) is the sum of your time and labor.

[Guinness]

For Greenspan to have ostensibly orchestrated this collapse and then turn around and blame it on the free market, I have to wonder how exactly he's going to benefit from this disaster.

Oh, that's how:

Now he works for hedge funds and big banks in NYC.

[doublem]

Now he works for hedge funds and big banks in NYC.

This happens to everyone. It's musical chairs. Working for these companies back to government.

[Guinness]

Now he works for hedge funds and big banks in NYC.

This happens to everyone. It's musical chairs. Working for these companies back to government.

Yeah. But it kind of explains why he abandoned his quote-unquote free market ideology.

[shafnutz05]

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washing ... are-c.html

Sarah Palin's approval rating is quickly catching up with that of Barack Obama's....never thought I would see that in a million years. I am torn on Sarah...as much as she gets smeared by the entire establishment, she seems like a genuine person. And she is a conservative babe. Although even I will admit, sometimes when she talks I can't stop thinking of Frances McDormand in Fargo

[Corvidae]

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washing ... are-c.html

Sarah Palin's approval rating is quickly catching up with that of Barack Obama's....never thought I would see that in a million years. I am torn on Sarah...as much as she gets smeared by the entire establishment, she seems like a genuine person. And she is a conservative babe. Although even I will admit, sometimes when she talks I can't stop thinking of Frances McDormand in Fargo

I think she seems genuinely stupid.

[shafnutz05]

I think she seems genuinely stupid.

Don't get me wrong...I hope she never gets nominated.

[Samsdog]

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washing ... are-c.html

Sarah Palin's approval rating is quickly catching up with that of Barack Obama's....never thought I would see that in a million years. I am torn on Sarah...as much as she gets smeared by the entire establishment, she seems like a genuine person. And she is a conservative babe. Although even I will admit, sometimes when she talks I can't stop thinking of Frances McDormand in Fargo

I think she seems genuinely stupid.

Woman is a walking Republican stereotype, which definitely isn't going to repair the party's tarnished image. Add in the fact that she'd be as big or bigger a train wreck as Bush was and she is probably the total opposite of what the party needs right now.

[shafnutz05]

Woman is a walking Republican stereotype, which definitely isn't going to repair the party's tarnished image. Add in the fact that she'd be as big or bigger a train wreck as Bush was and she is probably the total opposite of what the party needs right now.

which makes it all the more hilarious that her approval ratings are approaching those of Obama's

[shafnutz05]

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_ ... are_reform

Americans are now opposed to the passage of Obama/Pelosi/ReidCare by a margin of 56-38%. That's 18 points. On top of that, 43% of Americans are strongly opposed to the legislation, compared with 21% who are strongly in favor. Face it. The vast majority of Americans do not want this horror of a bill, and almost half the country is strongly opposed to it. So can we stop with this BS that a majority of Americans support this bill and they are just being drowned out by the minority wingnuts?

I said it before, and I'll say it again. Elections have serious, serious consequences. And when American voters handed the Democrats a supermajority in Congress, along with the White House, the handwriting was on the wall. I guess there's good news...independent voters are abandoning the Dems in droves. I believe somewhere around 63% of independents choose Republican now.

For crying out loud...Harry Reid deliberately inserted a $300 million payoff to Senator Mary Landrieu from Louisiana to purchase her vote. $300 million of your money used to persuade one politician into voting for this bill.

[shafnutz05]

lol...this is getting too funny. Apparently Asia was much less than impressed with the Boy Wonder. I have a feeling they slapped him around like a red headed stepchild.

[GaryRissling]

This SNL skit sums up US/China relations rather succinctly:

http://www.hulu.com/watch/110317/saturd ... s-p1-sr-i3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[shafnutz05]

haha I saw that skit yesterday....someone posted it on my Facebook. Classic. When SNL starts making fun of Obama's POLICIES, and not just his personality, you know it's bad

[GaryRissling]

Obama set to announce a troop surge of at least 25k for Afghanistan next week:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/w ... 929794.ece" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I have a question, though, regarding Afghanistan: from a national security perspective, I can't quite figure out what a "victory" in Afghanistan would actually look like. If we take Sec Hillary's word, victory is making sure Afghanistan is no longer a staging point for terrorists; yet, given that we are dealing with a narco-state and currently allied forces are paying the hostiles not to shoot at them, it would seem to me that this simple-to-understand goal would take decades and probably trillions of dollars to accomplish. But even assuming that this can be done, and we can afford to do it, what happens when the very transient terrorists move to destabilize nuclear-armed Pakistan (which is already happening)? This doesn't seem like a very good trade-off IMO. But let's say that we are able to contain Afghanistan and Pakistan - what are we going to do when the terrorists move to another 3rd-world country? Are we going to nation-build every 3rd world country to a point where they are no longer corrupt and are willing an able to police themselves for our national security? If I were a terrorist and was serious about bringing down the US, I'd play this cat-and-mouse game until the US went bankrupt - which really may not take very long.

[pittsoccer33]

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washing ... are-c.html

Sarah Palin's approval rating is quickly catching up with that of Barack Obama's....never thought I would see that in a million years. I am torn on Sarah...as much as she gets smeared by the entire establishment, she seems like a genuine person. And she is a conservative babe. Although even I will admit, sometimes when she talks I can't stop thinking of Frances McDormand in Fargo

I think she seems genuinely stupid.

Based on her record of accomplishments in Alaska or based on Tina Fey?

I could go over all the progress she made there in dealing with energy policy, but that doesnt gel with the narrative of SNL.

[Corvidae]

I think she seems genuinely stupid.

Based on her record of accomplishments in Alaska or based on Tina Fey?

I could go over all the progress she made there in dealing with energy policy, but that doesnt gel with the narrative of SNL.

It's based on the words that come out of her mouth. I never saw the SNL skit.

Did you know that the vice president is in charge of the senate?

[pittsoccer33]

Woman is a walking Republican stereotype, which definitely isn't going to repair the party's tarnished image. Add in the fact that she'd be as big or bigger a train wreck as Bush was and she is probably the total opposite of what the party needs right now.

What is it that you think is wrong with the party's image?

What is it you think the Republicans need now?

[shafnutz05]

Republicans gain edge over Democrats with 21-point swing among independent voters
November 11, 2009 | 6:49 am

Here’s another sign that something is happening among independent voters this year: Republicans have edged ahead of Democrats by a ratio of 48% to 44% in the latest measure of how registered voters say they are inclined to vote in the midterm 2010 House races.

In the so-called generic ballot test that the Gallup Poll runs, Democrats held the advantage, 50% to 44%, in early July polling.

With voters of both parties holding strong allegiance to the generic candidate of their own party, the tipping of the balance is attributable to a big swing in sentiment among independent voters.

Earlier this year, Republicans held a one-point advantage over Democrats among independent voters surveyed. In the latest poll, Republicans hold a 22-point edge. Independents favor the generic Republican candidate for Congress in 2010 by 52% to 30%.

I think we are doing just fine

[pittsoccer33]

I think she seems genuinely stupid.

Based on her record of accomplishments in Alaska or based on Tina Fey?

I could go over all the progress she made there in dealing with energy policy, but that doesnt gel with the narrative of SNL.

It's based on the words that come out of her mouth. I never saw the SNL skit.

Did you know that the vice president is in charge of the senate?

The vice president is not in charge of the Senate. The executive branch operates independantly of the legislative branch. What the VP does have is a tie breaking vote, which has been used twice in the last 100 years.

Whether you saw the skits or not don't matter. MSNBC etc have been attributing mischaracterizations of things Tina Fey said to Palin.

[Hockeynut!]

The fact that Palin resigned from her position as Governor of Alaska to focus on her book tour and her future political ambitions says pretty much everything about her real character, as opposed to the character she tries to present when promoting herself.

[pittsoccer33]

The fact that Palin resigned from her position as Governor of Alaska to focus on her book tour and her future political ambitions says pretty much everything about he real character, as opposed to the character she tries to present when promoting herself.

So you think she should have stayed and embroiled the state in more fivelous lawsuits brought on by Democrat operatives than remove herself and her children as a target and allow the lt governor to continue implementing her policy goals?

[Corvidae]

Based on her record of accomplishments in Alaska or based on Tina Fey?

I could go over all the progress she made there in dealing with energy policy, but that doesnt gel with the narrative of SNL.

It's based on the words that come out of her mouth. I never saw the SNL skit.

Did you know that the vice president is in charge of the senate?

The vice president is not in charge of the Senate. The executive branch operates independantly of the legislative branch. What the VP does have is a tie breaking vote, which has been used twice in the last 100 years.

Whether you saw the skits or not don't matter. MSNBC etc have been attributing mischaracterizations of things Tina Fey said to Palin.

Yes, I know. Sarah Palin said that. Though I'm sure it was taken out of character somehow.

[shafnutz05]

The Left was literally sending dozens of investigators into Wasilla and Juneau to try and dig up as much dirt as they possibly could on her. Do you have any idea how many ethics inquiries were filed by her opponents...all of which were rejected? She was a punching bag up there...much like she is now. Although again...she is now almost as popular as Obama

As a matter of fact, according to Rasmussen, Obama is down to 45% approval/53% disapproval. Sarah's catching up!

[SoupOrSam]

If anyone sounds "genuinely stupid" it's Joe Biden.