dagblog - Comments for "Are Americans a bunch of Suckers?"

I hear ya tootsie. ;)

miguelitoh2o — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 15:22:18 +0000

In reply to Yes, but some of us our dum

I hear ya tootsie. ;)

I'd rather see them

miguelitoh2o — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 15:20:54 +0000

In reply to I don't see it happening on

I'd rather see them marginalized, something I think they did a lot toward accomplishing by themselves in the recent debt charade and subsequent S & P downgrade. Now if the Dems don't screw this one up in their spin cycle, maybe the Rs lose seats next election, though I don't place much hope that Dems will serve us much better under the current campaign financing paradigm.

Yes, but some of us our dum

synchronicity — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 01:48:14 +0000

In reply to Are Americans a bunch of Suckers?

Yes, but some of us our dum dums and some of us are tootsie pops:)

I don't see it happening on

Beetlejuice — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 23:09:59 +0000

In reply to Not sure about that "The only

I don't see it happening on the GOPer side of the isle. In fact, I believe they're making every attempt to widen the difference. I've been miffed with Obama and his insistence on bipartisanship with the GOPer's because it's oblivious to the most casual observer they're using his attempts to bridge the gap as evidence he has no backbone for a political fight to support any of the positions he's advanced. So the only method I can see that will get them to shut up and listen would be for the entire system to shutdown and throw just about everyone out of work. That way they might appreciate the necessity for a social safety net and start working with Democrats to rebuild the economy. Think of it like AA ... you can't convince a drunk to stop drinking until he hits the bottom and can't pull himself up again. We have to let the system crash before they get the message the rest of us already know.

You could change the

The Decider — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 22:51:47 +0000

In reply to Not sure about that "The only

You could change the Constitution and reelect me!

I don't think S&P's downgrade

EmmaZahn — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 20:13:50 +0000

In reply to I agree with you about the

I don't think S&P's downgrade fits into that thinking at all. S&P and other ratings agencies, like all other financial entities, respond to customers needs and wishes.

So many institutional investments are tuned to benchmarks like ratings and not usually to just those of one agency. Treasurys are still triple A according to at least one bond manager. The downgrade by S&P seems more like a signal to institutions to begin either thinking about alternative investments OR change their benchmarks. At the same time, it sends a message to politicos to back off some from the brinksmanship.

There are some very, very interesting (in the chinese curse sense) ripples in the financial community coming out of all this. Too soon to make sense of them from where I am sitting. Almost makes me wish I had my old view back. Almost.

I agree with you about the

miguelitoh2o — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 19:54:06 +0000

In reply to Nice post. I do think much of

I agree with you about the motivations regarding weaseling out on SS/medicare/caid Emma. Not sure how the downgrade by S & P fits into that so-called long range thinking. Sand in the vaseline again. Oh so complex, whether intended or unintended consequences. In some ways the whole thing smacks of a charade to me. All the savings seem to be deferred long enough, that anything can happen by the time they take effect. Including reversing them.

Not sure about that "The only

miguelitoh2o — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 19:48:05 +0000

In reply to Reminds me of the straw man

Not sure about that "The only way to bring both side back together is for the entire system to crash". I think there might be some alternatives.

Reminds me of the straw man

Beetlejuice — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 19:36:31 +0000

In reply to Are Americans a bunch of Suckers?

Reminds me of the straw man arguments.

public opinion ... we need more jobs with better pay and benefits

government opinion ... such an endeavor would require us to borrow more money which increases our debt more than what we can afford to payback. Better to let the market find the happy medium.

I see the problem as being two parallel universe Americas occupying the same universe. Each are tugging the other in opposite directions. Each sees the fault of the other as ruining what the country once stood for.

The corporate greed is admissible simply because neither side is willing to acknowledge their differences and move forward together on issues that affect both equally.

For example, the size of the debt is a serious issue while raising the ceiling was not. So while the issue was debated ad nauseam, the markets responded to their lack of attention to the economy and employment situation, and have responded in kind. In short, we're paying more interest on those bonds as well as loosing billions , if not trillions, of wealth in market value. That hurts the financial pockets of everyone more than the imaginary debt ceiling.

What's interesting in the arguments are the ones where people are dead set against government provided public safety net programs. Seems the discussion by Jesus about giving assistance to the poor has not reach some ... interestingly enough the most belly-aching can be heard from the religious right - makes me wonder what part of ... the meek shall inherit the earth ... they don't understand?

What makes the discussion interesting is the GOper's and tea-baggers are anti-anything they didn't think of first no matter how good the idea is. A lot of what you discuss is allowable by them simply because Democrats want to put a stop to it.

The only way to bring both side back together is for the entire system to crash. That way we're all in the same boat so we have to work together to keep whatever is left over from sinking further.

And I forgot to add ... excellent discussion points!

Nice post. I do think much of

EmmaZahn — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 19:18:23 +0000

In reply to Are Americans a bunch of Suckers?

Nice post.

I do think much of what is going on now financially is about finding ways to weasel out of Social Security and other long-term savings plans. The Stock Market rose incredibly high on the crest of boomers stashing away savings for retirement. Now that it is time to start drawing it out, where will money come from to keep up the current values?