tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post3031253007170390050..comments2024-03-28T21:41:52.558-04:00Comments on The Elephant Bar: The Heavy Hand of the US Government - Alex JonesDeuce ☂http://www.blogger.com/profile/13472858446242700869noreply@blogger.comBlogger81125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-78229060901584505072012-05-17T09:50:29.316-04:002012-05-17T09:50:29.316-04:00Given Wall Streets influence on the political clas...Given Wall Streets influence on the political class I don't see how Washington can be cleaned up before Wall Street. The only way Wall Street will be contained is through the effects of their own folly and the bond market beating up US debt may be do just that. The two 'factions' are gripped in a death dance and will most probably fall together. Won't be very nice on the common man though.Ashhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16688752302081088907noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-60297109912385751992012-05-17T09:27:06.039-04:002012-05-17T09:27:06.039-04:00Max quoted:
"The Congressional Budget Office...Max quoted:<br /><br />"The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the increase in debt relative to GDP due to the last crisis will end up being 50 percent of GDP, call that $7 trillion dollars, $7.5 trillion dollars in today's money."<br /><br />The only references I could find to this on the intertubes were at huffingtonpost and commondreams. How realistic are those big numbers?<br /><br />Re reset - as I stated above I think the bond market will take the US to the woodshed in the next 5 years and that will have a profound effect. Does that amount to a "reset" - you be the judge.Ashhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16688752302081088907noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-70211311785539003672012-05-17T09:23:29.175-04:002012-05-17T09:23:29.175-04:00Yeah, the definition of "reset" counts. ...Yeah, the definition of "reset" counts. I think that the bond market will take the US to the woodshed in the next 5 years.Ashhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16688752302081088907noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-3753678483878247462012-05-17T01:31:44.871-04:002012-05-17T01:31:44.871-04:00.
As far as change or a 'reset' in the ne....<br /><br />As far as change or a 'reset' in the next 5 years, not a chance.<br /><br />In 2008, I said D.C. wouldn't change until a few presidential elections passed and there were significant changes in party make up. As of today, I am even more pessimistic.<br /><br />Party leadership on both sides are delusional. They assume that when voters reject the opposing party, that automatically translates to a mandate for their policies. There is still a long way to go before they realize the truth. It probably won't happen until the current leadership is gone, dead or defeated at the polls. That may take a while and there are no guarantees.<br /><br />As for a 5 year timeframe, not likely. If Obama and the Dems win, it will pretty much be business as usual. The Dem leadership has been doing things the same way for years and that is unlikely to change.<br /><br />If the GOP wins or makes gains, they will, as they did in 2010, take that as a mandate. They are just that stupid. There will be no change. There was some hope that the Tea Party would be change agents but they have disappointed. Of the freshman class, those who have not proven themselves incapable of adult leadership have been co-opted by Boehner and his crew. The young guns in the party leadership, Cantor, Ryan, et al, will merely lead the party into a darker place.<br /><br />There will be no revolution. It will be a gradual transition as the current ideologues are phased out or die. The process has started with a number of big names being voted out. However, there is a long way to go.<br /><br />With regard to where the reset has to start, Washington or Wall Street, I would say it has to start in Washington. Some will say that Wall Street and K Street control D.C. While that is true to a degree, you can only corrupt the corruptible. Diogenes was a cynic so I doubt in his search for an honest man he was spending much time around politicians. However, out of a country of 320 million we ought to be able to find some who are statesmen, willing to negotiate to get things done, and unlike the famous drinking bird are not continually dipping their beak. Unfortunately, it will probably be quite a while before we have enough of these in Congress to make a difference.<br /><br />Once D.C. is cleaned up, we at least have a fighting chance at restraining Wall Street. It's unfortunate that Pelosi's promise to 'clean the swamp' was just talking point and political pap and twaddle. <br /><br />.Quirkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00272168240606512672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-89204983734126079572012-05-17T00:41:30.425-04:002012-05-17T00:41:30.425-04:00As Madrid's borrowing costs spiked to levels w...<i>As Madrid's borrowing costs spiked to levels widely seen as unsustainable, Mariano Rajoy warned that there is a "a serious risk that [investors] will not lend us money or they will do so at an astronomical rate."<br /><br />...<br /><br />With recent figures confirming that the Spanish economy has been in a double-dip recession since October and unemployment standing at 24.6 per cent – youth unemployment is even higher at more than 50 per cent – there is little doubt whether Spain falls into that category. Mindful of the woes afflicting the eurozone, the Spanish leader also warned that the "euro needs to be strengthened".<br /><br />"I don't want Greece to leave the euro. I think that would be a big mistake, very bad news," he said.</i>samhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11856051164644278989noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-51266239542339639032012-05-17T00:19:12.522-04:002012-05-17T00:19:12.522-04:00Quite likely.Quite likely.Rufus IIhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05297231055991566183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-27317147589439758992012-05-17T00:02:27.825-04:002012-05-17T00:02:27.825-04:00They've already voted. And, I think Obama know...They've already voted. And, I think Obama knows the result, one of his two appointees having leaked the result. It is going down, is the inside scoop, based on a couple of his comments, that were quite nasty.<br /><br />bAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-13561261970986485102012-05-16T23:48:01.285-04:002012-05-16T23:48:01.285-04:00The only way Obamacare can be stopped is by the Su...The only way Obamacare can be stopped is by the Supreme Court. Unfortunately, in my opinion, that's probably no worse than 2:1.Rufus IIhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05297231055991566183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-40483268061224770502012-05-16T23:42:13.070-04:002012-05-16T23:42:13.070-04:00In the Wisconsin gubernatorial recall race, Republ...<i>In the Wisconsin gubernatorial recall race, Republicans and Democrats continue to spar over the jobs numbers under Governor Scott Walker's administration. Republicans have been touting the fact that the unemployment rate has declined from 7.7 percent to 6.8 percent since Governor Scott Walker took office.<br /><br />...<br /><br />As the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports:<br /><br /> Each state gathers the quarterly census data from virtually all employers in both the public and private sectors, which are mandated to share staff and wage data as part of their tax and unemployment insurance reports. That makes it a more reliable source of employment data, state officials and many economists say.<br /><br />...<br /><br />The notion that the Wisconsin Department of Worforce Development--the state bureau that released the state's jobs data--"cooked the books" is simply absurd. Dennis Winters, Chief of the Office of Economic Advisors at the department, signed a petition in to recall Governor Walker.</i>samhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11856051164644278989noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-75740500618790382342012-05-16T23:40:09.620-04:002012-05-16T23:40:09.620-04:00Amen. The latest cost estimates are, of course, fa...Amen. The latest cost estimates are, of course, far higher than originally 'estimated'.<br /><br />The pubs might have a chance to do it over, and keep the few better parts, and jettison the rest.<br /><br />bAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-40728424570691813212012-05-16T23:36:37.507-04:002012-05-16T23:36:37.507-04:00Yep, and the economy is recovering. We've put...Yep, and the economy is recovering. We've put paid to the Iraq adventure. We're making some small, preliminary movements on energy. The worst of the housing crisis is behind us. We had a Surplus to the Treasury in April. And, the worst we can find to get upset over is whether Bruce can marry Bobby.<br /><br />Another couple of years of gridlock, and we might survive this mess. :)Rufus IIhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05297231055991566183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-11258215654717100782012-05-16T23:36:32.484-04:002012-05-16T23:36:32.484-04:00I would say part of the definition of financial re...I would say part of the definition of financial reset would be repealing Obamacare.samhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11856051164644278989noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-13422876635590940842012-05-16T23:29:26.276-04:002012-05-16T23:29:26.276-04:00We need to tack into the wind. Obama needs to talk...We need to tack into the wind. Obama needs to talk to a sailor to learn how.<br /><br />O wait, Bill Ayers was a sailor.<br /><br />He should know.<br /><br />bAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-61666100732141571112012-05-16T23:24:51.983-04:002012-05-16T23:24:51.983-04:00We've been thinkin' 'em through for 3 ...We've been thinkin' 'em through for 3 1/2 years now.samhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11856051164644278989noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-15341334870294861932012-05-16T23:18:54.367-04:002012-05-16T23:18:54.367-04:00Agree, gridlock is not the worst thing in the worl...Agree, gridlock is not the worst thing in the world.<br /><br />Going on my usual assumption that a government that doesn't do anything isn't doing much harm.<br /><br />Like that governor you mentioned, Rufus, who spent his whole term drunk.<br /><br />"First, do no harm."<br /><br />bAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-78744736032539824972012-05-16T23:05:35.417-04:002012-05-16T23:05:35.417-04:00Actually, the system is in Gridlock. A Feature, n...Actually, the system is in Gridlock. A Feature, not a "Bug."<br /><br />Gridlock gives us time to sort things out, and think'em through.<br /><br />It's the advantage of our "two-party system," vs a Parliamentary system.Rufus IIhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05297231055991566183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-8302443175132378942012-05-16T23:04:40.563-04:002012-05-16T23:04:40.563-04:00The British government is making urgent preparatio...<i>The British government is making urgent preparations to cope with the fallout of a possible Greek exit from the single currency, after the governor of the Bank of England, Sir Mervyn King, warned that Europe was "tearing itself apart".<br /><br />Reports from Athens that massive sums of money were being spirited out of the country intensified concern in London about the impact of a splintering of the eurozone on a UK economy that is stuck in double-dip recession. One estimate put the cost to the eurozone of Greece making a disorderly exit from the currency at $1tn, 5% of output.<br /><br />Officials in the United States are also nervously watching the growing crisis: Barack Obama on Wednesday described it as a "headwind" that could threaten the fragile American recovery.</i><br /><br />Wow!Deuce ☂https://www.blogger.com/profile/13472858446242700869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-86758550612573101152012-05-16T22:57:09.470-04:002012-05-16T22:57:09.470-04:00Great thread. I have to somewhat agree with Max. M...Great thread. I have to somewhat agree with Max. My visceral reactions conflict with reality. <br /><br />Obama was the non-Bush four years ago. Today less so. <br /><br />The system is remarkably corrupt. No budget in three years. A shameless congress and a totally lost and clueless self-promoter playing his fantasy about what it is to be a president. Obama is totally addicted to the office and his presence acidic. He is the unchange. <br /><br />We don’t need a firebrand. We are reduced to needing a competent technocrat dedicated to a sensible and incremental reduction of the size and reach of government, starting with The White House Budget, getting rid of the symbols of extravagance and cutting Congress and the Pentagon. I sincerely believe that half the government could vanish and never be missed.<br /><br />Most of the change will happen because we have no choice. <br /><br />The sixties started with Bull Connors and just may have ended with gay marriage. Good riddance.Deuce ☂https://www.blogger.com/profile/13472858446242700869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-35072454279944047422012-05-16T22:51:45.399-04:002012-05-16T22:51:45.399-04:00Dogs were our first, and best friend -
http://www...Dogs were our first, and best friend -<br /><br />http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2144815/Did-dogs-help-conquer-world-Mans-best-friend-reason-flourished-Neanderthals.html?ITO=1490<br /><br />Helped us wipe out Neanderthal Man.<br /><br />And, since the muslims abhor dogs to this day, maybe it explains why most of muslim lands are such shitholes.<br /><br />Rather than a few more generations of acculturation, and being exposed to western male compassion, we could provide them all with an English setter -<br /><br />http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/images14/EnglishSetterjacksonjacksonStand.JPG&imgrefurl=http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/englishsetter.htm&h=294&w=400&sz=41&tbnid=m-mffslXMlr-mM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=122&prev=/search%3Fq%3Denglish%2Bsetter%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=english+setter&docid=OqyEhqJTk7SOzM&sa=X&ei=gme0T_mMCaeUiALjzPzSAg&ved=0CG4Q9QEwAQ&dur=226<br /><br />bAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-46523491969978498612012-05-16T22:43:56.570-04:002012-05-16T22:43:56.570-04:00Great Stones clip.Great Stones clip.samhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11856051164644278989noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-87173230363481597502012-05-16T22:41:05.692-04:002012-05-16T22:41:05.692-04:00Yeah, we spend a lot of time getting bored, and fu...Yeah, we spend a lot of time getting bored, and fucking up, but we really are pretty damned good. :)<br /><br />Those old assholes did screw around and write a pretty damned good Constitution.Rufus IIhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05297231055991566183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-77541984782864853962012-05-16T22:34:53.087-04:002012-05-16T22:34:53.087-04:00We won't have a revolution here. Maybe burn do...We won't have a revolution here. Maybe burn down some inner cities, is about it. It's the dumbest idea ever. Though to some it always has that tang of excitement. Just like Europe was bored previous to WWI. We'll just kill a lot of people and make things better, and have a gas doing it!<br /><br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3RPDaO14Vs<br /><br />Street Fighting Man<br /><br />bAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-11805857269559193792012-05-16T22:26:32.813-04:002012-05-16T22:26:32.813-04:00I deeply believe in this country.
Unlike others.I deeply believe in this country.<br /><br />Unlike others.Max (short for Maxine)http://url.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-12847558198722945612012-05-16T22:25:26.512-04:002012-05-16T22:25:26.512-04:00Rufus - you sound like Mal from the Serenity movie...Rufus - you sound like Mal from the Serenity movie :)<br /><br />I shouldn't tip my hand this early but my thinking right now is similar. I think the institutional mechanisms for managing change in this country - even as severe as the mess we've gotten into - will prevail.<br /><br />Much - much - to the consternation and astonishment of the rest of the world.<br /><br />Much. Even Oz.Max (short for Maxine)http://url.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21297199.post-92158217125760586032012-05-16T22:19:04.237-04:002012-05-16T22:19:04.237-04:00We drove the ship into the absolute, pluperfect st...We drove the ship into the absolute, pluperfect storm of the ages, and although the ship is battered, and down to half power, it looks like it might make it through.<br /><br />But, we have at least one more horrific scare (wave) to get through.Rufus IIhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05297231055991566183noreply@blogger.com