Great job by this administration

[Robsdad]

This was posted by the A team. Kinda shows where this administration has taken us. Conservatives that are tuned in the nations problems, sorry don't think so. And you are worried about entitlements. I think the conservative overspending had much more to do with this mess. I am sure this will create chat on a snowy day in the Midwest.
This in no way reflects the opinions of the A-team
This is the opinion of ROBSDAD only.

General Economic Conditions
When considering a new business opportunity, like expediting, wise people gauge, as best they can, general economic conditions, general industry conditions, and their own financial health.

At present, general economic conditions are poor and may well grow worse before improving. The economy moves in cycles known as expansion and contraction. It seems that with the economic slowdown (slow growth) of recent months, we are about to move into an extended period of contraction (negative growth).

Recent headlines:

Dollar Hits New Low Against Euro on Recession Fears

Oil Hovers Above $105

Homeowner Equity Below 50% for First Time Since 1945

Payrolls Plunge by 63,000, Biggest Drop in Five Years

Consumer Spending Flat in January

Prices Rise 3.7% in January

Falling Home Prices Weigh on Consumers, Lenders

Foreclosures Rise

Notice that these headlines are showing up AFTER the Federal Reserve Bank has been lowering rates and after Congeress and the President approved an economic stimulus package. I have written before that the economy is more powerful than the government. While government action may help some people, it will not stop the larger trends. The fact is, a recession is underway, brought on by economic excesses, that must be wrung out of the mix before a period of economic expansion can begin anew.

(From this point, my opinion and not connected to the ATeam)

9 billion a week looking for sling shots of mass destruction is expensive. There were no terrorists in Iraq until we invaded a country we had no business in. Sorry GW but this is your mess. We can't cut and run nor do we want to. But your lack of an exit strategy will extend the financial problems of this nation all the way to your beloved Texas. SPEND should be the new campaign slogan of the RIGHT WING. Cleanliness is godliness. So a good house cleaning in DC is overdue. I will beyond in shadow of doubt do my part come election day. Sorry this vote will not be for the WAR MACHINE McCAIN. I think his quote was "we will stay another 100 years if that's what it takes". I am convinced he meant this although now he has chosen to flip flop a little on it. In the bible it tells of wars and rumors of wars. Vote McCain and this will surely fulfill this prophecy. No thank you I will take my chances on entitlements and end the PORK BARREL SPENDING OF DC. Regardless if its Hillary or Obama they have to be better than the Crawford Cowboy. Get on home little dogie with the smell of big oil all over you. I am sure all your corporate friends will build you a nice library to insult the rest of us on your failure to recognize more people live in this country other than the rich. So giiiitt on home now.

 

[Crazynuff]

It's not just the war . Look at the waste spent on hurricane "relief" . Truckloads of ice shipped to the gulf area . Trucks get paid $600 a day to idle until they finally put the ice in cold storage - in Maine !! There was a shortage of diesel fuel and tens of thousands of travel trailers that may never be used because of toxic materials used in construction are shipped 1 by 1 by pickup trucks that use a couple of hundred gallons of diesel fuel each trip - and must refuel in the gulf area where fuel is scarce because most of them only have 35 gallon fuel tanks . Then you have former ATA officials appointed to the DOT to cater to the megacarriers . GW did all he could to ease immigration laws and get a guest worker program in place to allow the megacarriers to bring in as many immigrant drivers as they could . A recruiter's dream . They could care less about home time and drive for about $.30 a mile .

 

[LDB]

I'm especially impressed by the last couple of years under Pelosi. Those guys sure did everything they promised before the elections. Can't wait for more of the same.

 

[Robsdad]

Good Morning Leo:
I thought this might wake you up. Its always good for the blood to rush to our head every now and then. Keeps us healthy. And you are very correct. Pelosi and her bunch are not any better. The whole bunch needs a day job outside of the government. Have a great day. Hope your not snowed in some where.

 

[RLENT]

This was posted by the A team. Kinda shows where this administration has taken us.

I think laying our present situation entirely at the current administrations feet is a huge oversimplification at best.

While they certainly bare their share of responsibility for our present circumstance, it isn't all THEM.

When seeking to make sense of vast situations that contain so many factors that they seem so complex that they defy understanding, it is all to easy to pick a single target and say THAT is the cause. Real understanding requires looking at the full picture and all the events leading up to the present circumstance and trying to make sense out of what has happened over time. It requires one, to some degree, to be a historian.

Conservatives that are tuned in the nations problems, sorry don't think so.

I would say, that to a degree, conservatives are tuned into the nations problems - and that liberals are as well - to a degree. It's just that they both see different aspects of a large and complicated mess - and both are blind to other aspects.

They disagree about what the cause of "the problem" is - one says it's "X" - the others say it's "Y".

One says it's what the others have done that have caused the problem and the others say that "no - it's what the ones have done that got us here"

They both promise to fix the problems and make all the "bad stuff" go away - if only you will put them in power so that they can do so.

Once elected - and drunk with power - they proceed on with their own real agendas, which are often hidden - since were they to be known to the public at large, they would never get elected.

Once in power, each one rapidly loses any real interest in actually solving the problems - because they derived their power (OVER YOU) by virtue of the problems existing - and will continue to derive it by the problems continuing to exist. This is what's known as a "vested" interest.

The problem is that the political folks in DC and in the various state capitols are primarily politicians first, and lib or conserve second. Once they become "politicians" everything else largely becomes secondary - save for a very, very few whose ethical standards are so high that they are to a great degree uncorruptable. These folks we know as statesmen - they are motivated by the greater good for the country as a whole - and against things which benefit only a select few, at the expense of the many. Sadly, they are a very rare breed - when you find one, support them for they are only hope this country has against those that would enslave YOU - whether you are aware of your shackles or not.

And you are worried about entitlements.

Among other things, certainly. Entitlements and "Sugar Daddy" government is responsible for a mindset that says "others are responsible for my condition", "I ought to be taken care of" and "what can the government do for me ?" The best answer to that last one is simply ".... leave ya alone ...."

Such a mindset is the height of irresponsibility - almost to the point of insanity - because it fails to ask and answer the question: "What do I have to give up in exchange for these things that are being given to me ?"

The answer of course is simply: your freedom.

I think the conservative overspending had much more to do with this mess.

Overspending by those who claim to be "conservative" certainly had much to do with it. But here's the thing - if being "conservative" truely means being fiscally responsible (and it does), then what does that tell about those who claim to be (conservative) but aren't ? (fiscally responsible)

Bingo ! They are charlatans plain and simple.

The current crop of Repubs in congress and the administration are largely all RINO's (Republicans in Name Only) Many are neo-con's - something that is a false counterfeit of the real deal. Neo-cons are actually quite "socialistic" - and have little problem with big government and social welfare programs. Look up their history and background - it's out there.

The situation we presently find ourselves in didn't happen overnight - it is something that has occurred over slightly less than the last 100 years. Largely because the American people have been irresponsible and are more interested in American Idol and spending their time following and being fascinated by the lives of celebrities (as but one example) - and not being about the business of their own nation.

It started out with a couple of things early in this century - one of them being allowing a PRIVATE bank to be our nations bank - and allowing them to print their money for us to use - for interest - primarily theirs (the private bank.) This institution was given a name which contained the word "federal" (the Federal Reserve Bank or Federal Reserve System of Banks) in order to pull the wool over the public's eyes and get them to allow it to occur.

It is a PRIVATELY-OWNED, NON-GOVERNMENTAL CORPORATION that is owned by the member banks (which are private, for profit corporations) that make up the system itself. (Now - ask yourself - who actually owns those banks ?)

And did you know that the controlling stock of this entity can NEVER BE SOLD OR TRANSFERRED to anyone other than the member banks that already own it, unless they vote to do otherwise ? (Think that's gonna happen ?)

They LOAN the money that they print to our government AT INTEREST - think about that as a scam. The money that you use daily, and which our government uses to run, incurs debt - immediately as it rolls off the press - that you (and your children) will ultimatly have to pay.

Now if you were the entity that derived the benefit of that arrangement (the Federal Reserve Banking System and the private banks that own it) and you wanted to make money .... lotsa money .... what would you want to have happen ?

That's easy - get the government that you loan money to, to go into debt .... more debt = more profits. What's a good way for a government to incur debt ? Well, there are probably lots of ways really - some of them could actually beneficial to society at large, I suppose (other than they are incurring debt for the nation and it's citizens .... Dave Ramsey 101, anyone ?)

But one is to get nations and governments to go to war and spend lots and lots of money that you print and loan to the them AT INTEREST.

Another way is to get the government to provide "social programs" that have "benefits" to the citizens of a nation. Have them create these "programs" so that they are not self-supporting and not sustainable over the long haul - and therefore require the borrowing of money that you print and loan to the government AT INTEREST

Getting the picture yet ? The two activities above have been supported to some greater or lesser degrees by both major political parties, and the individual politicians that compose them.

If ya really wanted to double-dip, as a large financial institution (bank) with huge assets at your disposal to invest for a return, you might consider buying the stocks of the corporations who stand to profit from such activities as described above.

The next thing you might want to have happen is to set up a system where you ensure you're gonna get paid for all that money you're gonna loan these people for your .... err .... I mean their government (.... please do not peer behind the magic curtain - you will not understand what you see - just trust us ... we have everything under control and have your best interests at heart.) Afterall as a good financial manager, you want to ensure that you can collect on your debts.

One way to do this would be to get your minions to pass an income tax that allows your creditor, the government, to confiscate the wealth of it's citizens at the point of a gun. This is a good way to ensure that you get your principal and interest back.

And if you were really, really smart you would run a PR campaign to make it seem as though the income tax would ensure that those nasty rich folks were going to made to "pay their fair share" - this would ensure that the lowly worker-bees would all glom onto it because due to envy (one of the seven deadly's ain't it ?) they HATE the "rich".

Of course, actually being rich yourself, you wouldn't really want to pay - so you would ensure that the tax code contained provisions in it that allowed you to transfer assets to say, a private trust or foundation, that you, your relations, or associates control and can derive personal benefit from.

Check the tax code for what these entities pay as a tax rate - I guarantee you ..... you will be astounded.

I am sure this will create chat on a snowy day in the Midwest.

Oh .... I'd say it has the makings of one.

 

[RLENT]

Now lessee ... what shall we do to keep the populace occupied ..... lest they become bored with their lives and get curious and interested and wish to peer behind the magic curtain ?

Perhaps we could foster and support an "industry of entertainment" ? One that focuses on the most base, trivial, and banal things .... and appeals to the most crudest of the human desires - as opposed to appealing to a higher intellect - thereby directing them to "feel" rather than "think"

And let's use a medium to deliver this content which itself, requires those partaking to merely sit and watch (inactivity) and be a "spectator" - not a participant.

Of course there will be those that don't buy into this arrangement .... hmmm ... they might want to be active politically - that might mess up the game .... so we'll need to direct their activities into something that can be managed ....

Definition: dichotomy - a division into two especially mutually exclusive or contradictory groups or entities.

Perhaps we could push the political parties and position them to create a false dichotomy ?

A false dichotomy is where you present someone (or a populace) with two opposing choices and make them choose between them ...... when in actual fact, there are more choices than two available.

Get them (the populace) to spend vast amounts of time, energy, and money opposing one another - because each believe the other is completely evil and each are so utterly convinced of their own "rightness" that they are completely incapable of seeing the rightness in someone different than themselves - and so spend their time telling each other how "wrong" the other is.

The degree to which hate and passion can be inflamed towards each will determine the degree of attention such an activity will command.

The more hatred, more conflict, and more passion that can be inflamed .... the more the populaces attention is "stuck" on the false choice - and at war with one another (remember - we are the experts at making a profit off war) - when in fact, they actually should be working together towards common goals, to better the overall survival of the greater group that they belong to (as citizens of a once great nation)

Some of the comments above are the evidence of this.

Let me know if I have failed to adequately cover anything in regards to the present situation you find yourselves in.

 

[greg334]

Wow, where did that come from.....

 

[Robsdad]

Hey Greg:
Glad you chimed in. I thought for a while there you had gone south to visit the col.. You always bring good stuff to the discussion. I am just the one that creates the controversy. Anyway its fun to hear other peoples imput. Mine may be somewhat partisan but thats what makes it fun. I hope your out of the snow, we had 10" down here in the bluegrass. Have a great day.
Stay safe
robsdad

 

[Robsdad]

Now Rlent:
That is some heavy shi*. I really like to discuss politics and other peoples views but I neither have the time nor the want to, to go that in depth. Keep written it though. I'll read it. LMAO
Stay safe
robsdad

 

[greg334]

Hey Greg:
Glad you chimed in. I thought for a while there you had gone south to visit the col.. You always bring good stuff to the discussion. I am just the one that creates the controversy. Anyway its fun to hear other peoples imput. Mine may be somewhat partisan but thats what makes it fun. I hope your out of the snow, we had 10" down here in the bluegrass. Have a great day.
Stay safe
robsdad

Out of the snow, you got to be kidding me I am in Erie PA, got 12 (thats a guess because it comes up to mid point on my legs) on the ground, they expect 12 more by Monday morning and I can't move my truck because of the ice under the snow. I just finished videoing a truck that was stuck in front of me, it took 20 minutes to move it with chains and everyone is getting stuck. I was in North Carolina the other day.....

Thanks for the compliment, but I got to tell you that Rlent is as about close to a real answer on what is going on than I have read in a long time. I am not the writer I could be, I slipped into the more passionate lecturing because of the off site idiots I have had to deal with but I would really recommend that you read it closely and check out what he is saying. It really is not about changing your mind, but to see how to solve the problems that matter - to me at least.

 

[dieseldiva]

Greg, when we came through Erie last night, fuel was $4.05 per gal. Is it the same today or higher??

 

[greg334]

Greg, when we came through Erie last night, fuel was $4.05 per gal. Is it the same today or higher??

It is the same as far as I can see and the web site said, I can't get to the pumps right now.

I am dealing with trying to figure on how to get my truck out of here tomorrow and what I should do with the gash in my box thanks to my neighbor who ran into my box at 1:30 this morning.

I am literally snowed in and stuck.... Pilot said get a sow shovel and dig my self out.

And now it is snowing more...

Pictures at 11.......

 

[Pilgrim]

Some random thoughts about a few of the headlines in the original message:

Quote: "Dollar Hits New Low Against Euro on Recession Fears"
Thought: Wonder how much the mainstream media has to do with this. However, this is good for our exports to places like Europe, China, India, etc.

Quote: "Homeowner Equity Below 50% for First Time Since 1945"
Thought: Since when is any administration responsible for financial irresponsibility on the part of the American consumer? This dip in homeowner equity is due to the "voodoo" loans cooked up by the sub-prime lenders to borrowers that bought houses they couldn't afford in the first place. When people purchase houses during a boom market with no money down, sometimes at over 100% financing, with an adjustable rate mortgage, should they be surprised if/when the the economy has one of its cyclical sinking spells and their home's value decreases? Didn't they understand that if the prime increases so will their payments? Combine this with the refinances, 2d or 3d mortgages and the lack of savings or investments especially among the younger population and it's easy to see why this happens.

Quote: "Payrolls Plunge by 63,000, Biggest Drop in Five Years"
Thought: Wonder how much of this was from Citibank - or the construction industry? The US Govt actually added 38,000 jobs in Feb. Keep in mind, these figures don't include the self-employed. By the way, unemployment is at 4.8% which also must be Bush and Cheney's fault.

Quote: "Consumer spending flat in January"
Thought: Not surprising since Skip & Muffy's house payment just went to $4000 per month. Plus they've got their credit card bills from the holidays and those pesky gas prices that have to accomodate the Beemers and Lexus's they and their high school age children have to drive in order to be socially acceptable. Damm that Bush and Cheney anyway for getting them into that mess!!

Quote: "Falling Home Prices Weigh on Consumers, Lenders"
Thought: See Thought #2. See also news about the FBI investigating Countrywide. By the way, lenders like them were perfecting the art of creative financing during the '90s - who was it that was in the White House then?

Quote: "Forclosures Rise"
Thought: You betcha - and rightly so. Unfortunately, if the govt. steps in and bails out these unworthy borrowers and shyster lenders it will only make the consequences worse down the road. However, why should people be penalized just for living beyond their means? Don't Bush and Cheney realize what will happen to Skip and Muffy's self esteem if they have to move into a motley $250,000 hovel and drive some icky Ford or Honda? And what about "the children"? What would their classmates say or think? They are under enough stress already having to show up for their classes on time. Problem is, Bush, Cheney and congress DO understand their plight and are cooking up plans to take care of these election year issues. Don't worry Muffy - Big Brother will make everything OK.

Whatever happened to personal responsibility? No administration can legislate that, nor should they try. And since when should we be protected from the the consequences of economic cycles? We should remember there was an economic slowdown during the last year of the Clinton administration, but there was never any headlines about recession at that time. Most of us have been through these economic cycles before, and we'll survive this one as well.