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SpinnerofTales -> RE: Under what circumstances would you consider Obama a success? (3/2/2009 5:37:39 PM)
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Now see, SoT - it's my belief that too many people are already on Valium or something like it. Why else would they, like you, need that kind of reference in lieu of a response that addresses an alternative conclusion to the policies implemented by this Congress and Administration?
Tax cuts as a quarter of a program that requires $1 Trillion of new income just to pay for its implementation is a bit like taking offering a Tums after forcing your dinner partner to ingest sulphuric acid. Try picking any of the other announced goals and the comparison you made to "Stalin-ism" is more difficult to differentiate. A harder task, obviously, is pointing to anything proposed and showing how it resembling the entrepreneurial business climate this country was founded upon.
Or feel free to keep taking whatever it is you, and others, need to convince yourself that "all is well!"
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ORIGINAL: Mercnbeth
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For God's sake, Merc....he's so far cut taxes by 275 Billion in the stimulus and the big move towards socialism I keep hearing about seems to be letting taxes on the top two tiers of income raise back to their pre-Bush levels....a whopping 4% increase. This is hardly Stalinism in action.
I am beginning to think that a massive re-examination of our national drug policy is called for because some folks badly need a Valium.
Now see, SoT - it's my belief that too many people are already on Valium or something like it. Why else would they, like you, need that kind of reference in lieu of a response that addresses an alternative conclusion to the policies implemented by this Congress and Administration?
Tax cuts as a quarter of a program that requires $1 Trillion of new income just to pay for its implementation is a bit like taking offering a Tums after forcing your dinner partner to ingest sulphuric acid. Try picking any of the other announced goals and the comparison you made to "Stalin-ism" is more difficult to differentiate. A harder task, obviously, is pointing to anything proposed and showing how it resembling the entrepreneurial business climate this country was founded upon.
Or feel free to keep taking whatever it is you, and others, need to convince yourself that "all is well!"
Ok.....you want alternate outcomes? Here are a few...
The government will supply what capital is required to keep the banking system from a total meltdown. Then, just as it did when the S&L's were no longer in danger of disaster, get the hell out. By taking stock in these companies, the administration will avoid both the dangers of giving these companies a blank check (we saw how well that worked) and outright nationalization. When the crises stabilizes, it will be possible to sell that stock easily and exit the situation, albeit, I hope with more prudent regulation.
In order to address your comments on "elimination of private industry" and "nationalizing key industries" I would have to respectfully request you tell me what the hell you're talking about. So far, other than a bailout of the banking industry (addressed previously, galling but necessary) and the auto industry (again galling but necessary) I haven't seen him even hint at nationalization or eliminating private industry. Since there is no policy to discuss, how can I intelligently speculate on the outcome. It would be like arguing who would win in a fight between the Easter Bunny and Santa Clause.
Establishing a permanent ruling class? Again, I would have to have that one explained. Who do you see as the permanent ruling class he wishes to establish and how do you think he's going about it? So far I haven't noticed him canceling elections, overturning voter mandated term limits (a la Bloomberg) or working towards that goal on any level. With all possible respect, what the hell are you talking about?
Limits on personal assets and income? So far he's talked about raising the income tax on the upper two tiers of income by 4%, the level they were at before Bush. I didn't notice a great deal of communism in this country before that 4% decrease and don't expect to see much more if it when it is allowed to expire.
Elimination of personal choice in health care? You mean the choice we enjoy now: Buy the medicine we need to live or eat? We pay the highest amount for health care in the world and don't have the best health care. It would seem to me that there is room for improvement.
Absorption of the USA into a 'global' ruling government? I don't think so. Frankly, I find it a refreshing change to have a president who's idea of diplomacy is not "We're America....do what we say or fuck you". Please keep in mind that the cuban missile crisis, the closest we have come to an all out nuclear war, was solved with the judicious use of force (the blockade) and a lot of heavy duty diplomacy (allowing the Russians to save face and not admit defeat without losing our own goals in the process)....Again, I would have to ask just what you see that makes you think that the dissolution of America is Obama's goals.
So, all in all, I think that Obama can turn out to be a very good president, perhaps a very bad president...and I am keeping my eyes open (I have, in previous posts pointed out a couple of decisons with which I take exception)...I do not, however, take this furor over the complete destruction of the American way of life as Obama's goal very seriously.
Oh..and just for the record, the stimulus bill isn't communism. It's Keynesian economics. You may disagree with it...but again, keep things in perspective. Obama is neither the savior nor the anti-Christ. Let's try to keep that in mind, shall we?
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