Originally posted by sh76have you been watching glenn beck? if not, why the sudden urge to appeal to such unlikely nightmare scenarios in your arguments?
I assume you say that because you have confidence that Iran would never use a bomb on, say, oh, for example, London, if the British were ever to grossly offend Iran somehow in the future.
I'm glad you're so confident.
I'm not.
Originally posted by no1marauder1. We need to create jobs
The biggest problem remains the depressed economy beyond any question; we'll never get a handle on the deficit as long as the economy is bad. I agree with Paul Krugman:
But if we need to raise taxes and cut spending eventually, shouldn’t we start now? No, we shouldn’t.
Right now, we have a severely depressed economy — and that depressed economy is ...[text shortened]... ur of need.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/21/opinion/21krugman.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
2. But government spending is already out of control - we need to balance the budget
3. But that will mean eliminating jobs
4. And that will just make the economy worse
5. So we need to improve the economy
6. But that means that we need to improve consumer confidence
7. We need to create jobs
Wait a minute -- what about that oil leak!!!
Here's an idea. Let's have an all-out effort to stop the oil leak and control the damage. Let's hire the world's best engineers and scientists to come up with ideas for stopping the blow-out (because you know that those relief wells will not save us). And lets hire a huge army of people to fill the gulf with boom and do whatever is needed to burn off or skim off the oil. Cleaning up the beaches and salt marshes will also be a truly herculean task requiring untold numbers of workers. And let's have a massive bail-out for all those people whose businesses or lives have been destroyed because of this oil. And see to it that BP pay for as much of these costs as possible - pay for the rest by levying a drilling tax on other oil companies that have failed to install up-to-date safety standards.
Call it the Coastal Conservation Corp -- this plan would
1) go a very long way towards dealing with the oil problem
2) create zillions of jobs in the short term to stimulate the economy, doing things that almost everyone in the US agrees needs to be done
3) be phased out as the oil cleanup is finished, so it wouldn't have a long term impact on the deficit.
4) provide fair compensation for all of the "small people" that BP is harming
5) much of the costs would be paid for by BP and any other oil company whose reckless actions deem it worthy of a shakedown.
Originally posted by Hugh GlassWhy do I look to Obama? Why are you looking to Obama? He is a mere mortal man like you or I. The best he can do is surround himself with an army of czars and hope that the world does not blow up in his face.
Ok, President Obama has a full plate.
How do you prioritze the critical items he must tackle?
economy?
Immigration?
Oil spill?
Iran?
Afghanistan?
Upcoming elections?
We're broke?
North Korea?
Health Care? ( still bugs in this plan)
Gaza?
Iraq ( that is not completed yet )
What would your priorities be?
Mine would be budget cutting. I thi ...[text shortened]... ple in the USA see the writing on the wall, and are not spending, but saving as they should be.
Here is a thought, what are we going to do to take command of our own lives and the lives of those in our community? Stop playing into the hands of the statists by making one man or group of men the ones who dictate every facet of your life. If your child needs an education, don't look to Obama. If you need a doctor, don't look to Obama. If you have bad dandruff, don't look to Obama. After all, they do not desire our input, only our submission. This is because they already know what is "best" for us so they have an agenda to fulfill, so the only question that remains is do you know what is best for yourself?
If I were Obama, I would help to empower others to take charge of their own lives. This would mean empowering the Gulf States to take charge of the situation by not restraining them from helping in any way they can as well as any international help available or any corporate help available etc. I would not try to micromanage a situation that I am not capable of micromanaging and stop falsely pretending I can in order to foster statism. Also, the states along the Mexican border should be empowered to take charge of their situation. Instead of boycotting them or threatening them for wanting to enforce the federal law I would welcome any solutions to the problem and see if it helps instead of prejudging based upon my own bias. After all, they are the ones on the front lines, not you or I.
I would also begin to empower the private sector, which is the engine of the economy, by reducing government intrusion. Instead of sticking my nose in their business perhaps I might take a look at my own balance sheet in order to take care of my own responsibilities. This means slashing Big Brother and stop printing trillions of dollars every day. If this is done, the economy will take care of itself. It always has.
As far as Afghanistan, what is there left to do?
As far as Iran, you have the option of taking out their capacity to build nukes militarily or let them continue unobstructed and let the chips fall where they may. Its just that simple.
In terms of North Korea, they will continue to act out like a spoiled toddler in the hopes of concessions and simple world attention. You can then either appease them or ignore them. I think that both are problematic.
Gaza? You mean what is to be done with the Israeli conflict? I suppose it is the same answer as you get for the rest of these countries. You either impose your will upon them or leave them the heck alone and let them run their own lives. However, for the statist, leaving them alone, or any country for that matter, is not an option. They must impose their will at every oppurtunity.
Originally posted by whodeyIt would be refreshing if conservatives were to just declare that there is nothing the government can do to create jobs and agree not to make the economy an issue in the fall elections. They could just say "the economy will recover when it recovers".
Just out of curiostiy, I see a pretty much everyone say that we need more jobs. So how is government to "create" more jobs? In fact, what have they done to create jobs already?
Originally posted by FMFWell then, the same thing can be said about the Sioux nation then. And the Crows, Black feet, we go on and on,, just the way you like it.
Just because people say something is an "unsolvable problem" doesn't mean it's an "unsolvable problem". That's one lesson from Northern Ireland.
But I like Whodeys take on it, why look to Obama for the answers. It's obvious he does not know how to manage people. He is a great politician,, poor manager.
Maybe the Donald ( Trump )will run next go around,, and he will get the bid to build the next UN building, and actually come in on budget ey?
Originally posted by no1marauderA modus vivendi has been achieved, though, and for the vast, overwhelming majority of those in Northern Ireland the fact that politicians, paramilitaries and the general population were able to reach an accommodation that has led to a sharp decline in political violence is a marvellous thing indeed.
And it remains "unsolved".
Of course, the middle east situation to which Northern Ireland was compared could go down a similar path: the gradual amelioration of material inequalities (NI first saw the reduction of overt discrimination, and has subsequently experienced a narrowing in inequalities such as in health, wealth, educational outcomes, etc.) along with difficult negotiations in which both sides are prepared to make major concessions and de-escalate militarily.
Anything is possible, but even if that outcome were to be achieved, no doubt some people wouldn't be happy with that, either, and would shout from a safe distance about how nothing has really been 'solved' and to all intents and purposes goading (at least one of) the two sides to resume violence. Jeez, those people make me sick.
Originally posted by DrKFI hope your illness is fatal.
A modus vivendi has been achieved, though, and for the vast, overwhelming majority of those in Northern Ireland the fact that politicians, paramilitaries and the general population were able to reach an accommodation that has led to a sharp decline in political violence is a marvellous thing indeed.
Of course, the middle east situation to which Northe ...[text shortened]... goading (at least one of) the two sides to resume violence. Jeez, those people make me sick.
Reduction of legitimate resistance to oppression is not a desirable outcome except to the oppressor.