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Old 01-26-2011, 11:03 AM
 
Location: Pluto's Home Town
9,982 posts, read 13,724,386 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by frazl View Post
Being in agreement that restructuring of the government is necessary, freezing federal incomes, willing to consider cuts to Medicare, and Defense Dept cuts, are some of the things President Obama mentioned in his SOTU that would lower the deficit. When talking of the need for investment in education and research, he said how it would be funded. That's a start. I agree that we need to invest in education and research, along with reducing the deficit. Clinton was able to balance the budget because at the same time, computer technology was exploding in the US and brought in new revenues, jobs and tax sources. I don't see that same innovation today, unless we are willing to invest in research and education.

CNN had a panelist last night from Britain. He said Britain has recently been through the same cost cutting measures we are facing. The Brits knuckled under, took the cuts, and now as a result, they have found that their economy has also been cut back. Maybe out of control deficit reduction isn't going to be the answer the right thinks it will be.

I agree, having a two party system is a good thing when it works together so that the US benefits as a whole. The right won't get all it wants, and the left won't get all it wants. Compromise and a willingness to listen instead of shouting is needed.

Well, the truth is, we need both good sense and self confidence. The current economic model is not making it. All we got from deregulation and tax cuts on the super rich was inequality and a bubble economy. The only people who have been "innovating" have been the sleazeballs of Wall Street, and the lobbyists and politicos inventing new ways to make the rich richer and the priviledged feel like victims.

I think he was calling for investment in every sense of the word. Investment in our people, investment in our infrastructure, investment in innovation.

Sometimes you have to believe. When you are on river rafting and a scary as hell set of rapids are ahead. You paddle into them. When you are at the top of a steep, scary ski hill you lean forward and do it. This stomp on the brakes and reject everything that is collective American enterprise is fear-based and will not get us through. And you did not see much of it under Bush, so it smells partisan.

However, the point I was making was that I think Obama will be more careful under Boehmer than Pelosi, and that makes for sharper thinking.

Last edited by Fiddlehead; 01-26-2011 at 11:21 AM..
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Old 01-26-2011, 11:12 AM
 
79 posts, read 113,867 times
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Originally posted by Fiddlehead

However, the point I was making was that I think Obama will be more careful under Boehmer than Pelosi, and that makes for sharper thinking.

Interesting statement to ponder, and I agree with you! I also think Boehmer was realizing he will need some sharper thinking about Obama too.
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Old 01-26-2011, 11:19 AM
 
Location: Pluto's Home Town
9,982 posts, read 13,724,386 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank DeForrest View Post
Sounds like you enjoyed the pep rally.
What was said that would lead you to believe there will be a serious attempt address the deficit?
Two things:

1. He is freezing the federal government for five years.

2. He wants to challenge us to do what we do best, innovate.


I think the address showed a good grasp of the American character. We are very bad at denying ourselves anything. The typical American is overweight and up to their eye brows in revolving debt and wants MORE. Billionaires feel more deprived than millionaires. We have no sense of "enough is enough." Sure, we need discipline, but a 100% austerity approach will fail on its face. People will start whining and cheating immediately. I think it would do us well to develop more discipline and sense of proportion, but I'm not betting on the Tea Partiers teaching everyone overnight. And the Tea Partiers have zero credibility with me, because they will not even pay the taxes to fund their own upcoming medicare entitlements. They stike me as partisan whiners, not examples if frugality. Americans, with the exception of perhaps the Amish, are for the most part, scammers.

But what we do better than any culture in the world is innovate. We have been leading the world in innovation since the days of the Franklin Stove. That entrepreneurial spirit amazed Tocquesville and many others since. That is something I will bet on. We just need a kick in the azz to do it.
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Old 01-26-2011, 12:37 PM
 
Location: Dallas, TX
31,767 posts, read 28,754,609 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by frazl View Post
I also think Boehmer was realizing he will need some sharper thinking about Obama too.
Let us hope so, but I won't advise holding your breath for it. With the way they have acted and preached, I've often asked myself... do they seriously believe in what they say and do? Sometimes the claims are so blatant and far fetched that it is impossible to avoid that.
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Old 01-26-2011, 01:06 PM
 
Location: Pluto's Home Town
9,982 posts, read 13,724,386 times
Reputation: 5689
Quote:
Originally Posted by EinsteinsGhost View Post
Let us hope so, but I won't advise holding your breath for it. With the way they have acted and preached, I've often asked myself... do they seriously believe in what they say and do? Sometimes the claims are so blatant and far fetched that it is impossible to avoid that.
Yep, with Obama, Boehmer must know he has a formidable foe. They always use all their ridiculous slogans to try to make the Dem. look like a complete fool, but if the person is crafty enough and can connect with enough Americans, the special interest baloney gets trumped. Clinton was also smart and incredible charismatic, so effective, but he unfortunately had a lot of baggage too. Livin libido loco and all...Between the skullduggery of the Rs and the constant propaganda of LimbaughCoulterHannitySavageO'ReillyMalkinPalin.et c.,etc., democratic candidates need to be both very smart and charismatic or they go down in flames, as Gore, Carter, Mondale, and Kerry demonstrated so well.
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