Commencement '09

Written by Bob, produced and edited by Jay Deane

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Joe Biden
• stimulus
• economy

[BlackAndRight]

Now, he wants to take over health care even though he doesn't know what kind of DVDs to give to a PM in Britain, can't answer questions at a press conference without reading the answers off a prompter, among a long list of other paux pas the rest of the world is laughing at.

Puhleez!

[BlackAndRight]

And in the four months since Obama's been president, he's taken over the banking system (while having no finance experience), taken over part of the auto industry (while having no automotive experience), discovered that W. had reasons for doing some of the things he did (and thus broke his promise to remove them) and that must really piss you off.

[wervasdeferens]

I'm not too thrilled at a lot of what Obama is doing,but this economy started to rot long before he got in.

The same Fed/Wall St. guys who ran Bushes economy run Obama's,so what's the problem?

Geithner,Summers,Bernanke,Gree­nspan,Paulson.

"Meet the old boss, same as the new boss".

Bob, The problem is that those pampered kids you're talking about in your clip,have been in charge of things for quite some time. It just didn't happen overnight.

[BlackAndRight]

Actually, the pampered kids I was referring to are the under 25 set that got in my face (website) and may others, pushing back in a very rude fashion, simply because we didn't see Obama as they did.

Now, if anyone can convince me that John McCain (and that was a hold-the-nose vote) would have done what Obama has, I'd be very surprised. Also, there was a great piece about how the media who loves Obama, would react if a President Palin did EXACTLY the same things.

[BlackAndRight]

WalMart became our single private employer years ago because they sell goods people want at a price people can afford. Something you seem to have a problem with. Oh, and people seem to like working for them.

"We live in the information age. You just can't make stuff up anymore."

[wervasdeferens]

I don't get it. Kids buying stuff they don't need is greed on their part. And buying stuff is capitalism defined.

Jobs? Weren't they already tanking under Bush? We lost our manufacturing base to China decades ago. WalMart became this nation's largest single private employer years ago.

Obama has been in office for 4 months and all of this is his fault?

Puhleez!

We live in the information age, I think that's what you conservatives fail to comprehend. You just can't make stuff up anymore.

[BlackAndRight]

Until Democrat candidates started talking down the economy to differentiate themselves, the economy consistently grew. Under W., there was a 52-month expansion in GDP.

"We live in the information age. You just can't make stuff up anymore."

We lost our manufacturing base because employers are in business to make profits. When they get taxed and/or over-regulated, they move.

"We live in the information age. You just can't make stuff up anymore."

[DrinkingWithTim]

Agreed. I have learned so much from my mistakes (misinformation), and am just beginning to get my priorities straightened out.

[LokiScoutSniper]

Obama mulct the American citizens. I'm glad my bad decisions in life made me realize the importance of self-reliance. In that I understand I don't need a bloated government's help. And neither does the yes we can generation.

[wervasdeferens]

As far as the CRA and forced lending,

I agree, but if they were forced to lend, why would they then take advantage and charge "the unworthy" more than a creditworthy person?

Why jack up the rate and put people in ARM's, if they are already shown inability to pay?

The greed of the banks was their own demise. Again the nature of the beast..

Capitalism has to be tightly regulated, in oreder to keep it from eating itself like a cancer.

[wervasdeferens]

Profits at 10 of the countrys largest publicly traded health insurance companies rose 428 percent from 2000 to 2007, while consumers paid more for less coverage.

In the past 13 years, more than 400 corporate mergers have involved health insurers, and a small number of companies now dominate local markets but havent delivered on promises of increased efficiency

sam, mergers "Buying out the competition",is the nature of the beast called Capitalism. Only govt can tame it.

[samuils]

wervasdeferens Are you not aware, that banks are forced to land to non eligible people? Simply to comply with "fairness" Government forces banks to land to those who shouldnt qualify, and then once again we blame free market?

[samuils]

wervasdeferens I agree that health insurance companies are almost monopolies , BUT the question is why? It is a fact that for some odd reason the government isnt allowing them to compete between states. As well employers buying insurance at a wholesale with tax deductions, instead of each person. Again with government restrictions, there is NO true competition, yet you blame competition which barely exists

[wervasdeferens]

samuils,

Lastly, What Fannie and Freddie did was connected to the crap allowed in the finacial sector by repealing Glass-Steagall.(Gramm/Leach/Bl­iley Act 1999)

The Community Reinvestment act was from the 1970's, it can hardly be blamed.

The sub-prime market was profitable.

The housing bubble and burst came about because of the casino-like atmosphere of speculation and greed.

(See: derivatives,CDS)

A direct result of loosening regulation and inept/corrupt regulators put in place by Bush.

[wervasdeferens]

(cont)

The problem with deregulation and allowing these behemoth mergers and near monopolies, is that they indeed become "too big to fail".

Why are Health insurance cos exempt from anti-trust laws?

There's no difference between govt inefficiencies and private. In order to cover, one raises taxes and the other raises consumer prices.

Either way we're screwed, but at least there isn't a govt bureaucrat making $20 million a year , while he's bending you over.

[wervasdeferens]

samuils, I fully understand The Fed's role in monetary policy,inflation,bubbles,etc. I also know that the Fed is more of a private institution than public.

We don't disagree on much, other than your incessant need to put the blame on the government.

When in fact what led to this current debacle and the 1929 debacle was "getting government out of the way".

[samuils]

wervasdeferens And by the way, why do you automatically assume that I promote a Laissez-faire approach? No, as the matter of fact quite the opposite, I do indeed am for a do something approach, but rather stimulating the part of the economy which in the history of US economic downfall has proven to be the strongest vehicle for recovery, which is small businesses, and NOT giant failed corporations

[samuils]

wervasdeferens And as far as your comment about Lehman Brothers, when have I asked who was the perpetrator in the fiasco? It was an example of how free market works, and what happens to failed companies. As in parts of it were bought out.

[samuils]

wervasdeferens Oh and lets not mention the fed reserve that creates economic bubbles in the first place. So how many examples do you need before you stop allowing yourself to be hoodwinked into government expansion? They are already saying that that is what they are doing, and that free market doesnt work. Mark my words, soon the phrase Capitalism doesnt work will follow (that is after Obama signs G20 agreement, spreads USA wealth to other nations, of course)