Bloomberg: U.S. looking like a ‘third world country.’
By on Feb 15th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
Bloomberg: U.S. looking like a ‘third world country.’
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg yesterday ripped into President Bush’s economic policies, stating that the federal government’s rebate checks are “like giving a drink to an alcoholic.” Referring to the federal deficit, he added that the nation “has a balance sheet that’s starting to look more and more like a third-world country.”
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Why not? We have a third-rate intellect at the helm…
February 15th, 2008 at 1:08 pmIranian Oil Bourse Opening
The Iranian Oil Bourse establishing Euro-based pricing of oil is set to open on February 19th 2008 and could have devastating effects on the US dollar.
Currently all three major oil markets (WTI, NYMEX, IPE) trade barrels of oil in US dollars. Consequently any country buying oil needs dollars to pay for it. This enables the US Federal Reserve to issue huge volumes of dollars to meet increasing demand for oil. In return oil producing nations invest dollar proceeds in US treasury bills, allowing for the current US budget deficit.
But this balance may become unsettled after a fourth major oil market opens this month, trading in Euros: the Iranian Oil Bourse (IOB).
Unlike other bourses, the IOB relies on a peer-to-peer trading model, using the Internet. IOB has been in the works for several years and encountered many hurdles on the way, the last of which are severed underwater internet cables creating an Internet outage throughout the Middle East days before the IOB’s opening and prompting conspiracy theories. In recent years the US has outfitted some of its submarines with the capability to splice optical fiber underwater so these theories may not be far-fetched.
http://oil-price.net
THATS WHAT CUTTING INTERNET CABLE WAS ABOUT
February 15th, 2008 at 1:08 pmTHATS WHAT CUTTING INTERNET CABLE WAS ABOUT
Comment by Anjuna Laguna
Exactly. As if attacking Iran has more to do with “nukulars” than the long threat of the Oil Bourse.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:14 pmWell I have just returned from a few “third world” countries and you’d all be very surprised. Very modern, excellent transportation, and tons of new construction.
U.S. looks like an old superpower waiting to die. nothing new here. no manufacturing, no industry. nothing.
were doomed.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:16 pmGDumbya knows a lot about giving a drink to an alcoholic. He’s been practicing that skill for years on himself, LaLa and Darth Cheney. This has a lot to do with why we’re in the mess that we’re in.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:17 pmThis may be news to the general public, but I think we on the Left have seen this coming since Reagan.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:24 pmArgentina Showdown, part II. Only that the USA can’t detach his currency from the $.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:26 pmWhy not? We have a third-rate intellect at the helm…
Comment by ralph the wonder llama — February 15, 2008 @ 1:08 pm
Third-rate? Feeling a little generous, are you?
If the United States were run like a business, this CEO would have been handed his Golden Parachute years go.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:26 pmMore like an Enron balance sheet.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:27 pmOMG! Bloomberg is letting the terrorists win by not pretending that everything is hunky-dory! Close your eyes and repeat the mantra, Mike, if you want to be a true hatriot.
6 - couldn’t agree more. keeping this framed as the 30-year legacy of republican criminalism is crucially important.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:28 pmThird-rate? Feeling a little generous, are you?
If the United States were run like a business, this CEO would have been handed his Golden Parachute years go.
Comment by bluefish — February 15, 2008 @ 1:26 pm
Good point, but I was going for the alliterative aspect — third world/third rate.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:29 pmXisithrus, Enron sounds about right. After all, government is now filled with corporate cronies, working on behalf of business.
We only *think* we have a legitimate government, but it’s really an empty shell.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:29 pmThe Iranian Oil Bourse establishing Euro-based pricing of oil is set to open on February 19th 2008 and could have devastating effects on the US dollar.
Comment by Anjuna Laguna — February 15, 2008 @ 1:08 pm
Is it really opening this time? I’ve been reading that the Iranian Bourse has been “just about to open” for well over a year now.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:33 pmIt is a third world country. It does not take a major proclamation from some financial baron to clarify.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:34 pmAnd how much money have you made on the war? I think the question is fair? How much on the type of insurance companies that are unknown in civilized countries?
Tell us something substantive, please. Since business makes the world go round, and people are the main component of business, the union is going to need to be involved with the owners again before substance will be anything but fertilizer.
13 / toasterhead
the above story (2) was about why the internet cables had been cut
Iran stopped trading the $ 6 months ago
the even bigger threat is the new and 4th oil market (IOB) trading in Euros only
February 15th, 2008 at 1:37 pmXisithrus, Enron sounds about right. After all, government is now filled with corporate cronies, working on behalf of business. -FC
Yepper. As with empires, the moral decay begins at the center of power.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:38 pmHe forgot to mention the “DICTATOR” part of Third World.
Say it right, “Third World Dictator”.
Ask Keith O about it, if he is still alive after his show yesterday.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:39 pmOPEC considers dumping US dollar
Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries plans to discuss a proposal by Iran and Venezuela to price oil in non-dollar currencies.
Finance minister of the group, which supplies 40 percent of the global crude demand, will meet to study the proposal, the organization’s President Chakib Khelil said.
Khalil, however, did not say when the ministers are scheduled to discuss the proposal amid the ongoing depreciation of the dollar.
The idea floated by Tehran and Caracas since the dwindling dollar fallen 16.2 percent against a basket of major currencies since two years ago.
Iran, the OPEC’s second largest exporter, has already cut all of its ties with the greenback with respect to oil transactions.
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani had also said earlier that amid concerns about the weakness of the US dollar in recent months, the oil-rich Persian Gulf littoral state would shift Qatari riyal from the US currency over the next six months.
“The dollar lost a lot of value and energy worldwide is priced in the dollar, so all the producers are affected by the development on the dollar. This is a cycle so we have to live with it,” Abdullah Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah said.
The UAE is also likely to follow the lead, as Kuwait did last May.
http://www.presstv.ir/
February 15th, 2008 at 1:40 pmThis may be news to the general public, but I think we on the Left have seen this coming since Reagan.
Comment by Frosty Cupcake — February 15, 2008 @ 1:24 pm
And as this fact grows increasingly apparent, more and more rightys will come out of the woodwork screeching that they always knew GWB was a “liberal.” All the while ignoring all of the Chimpy leg-humping they did as they cheered on the Republican rubber-stamp congress that gave Bush everything he wanted for 6 years.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:41 pmWell I have just returned from a few “third world†countries and you’d all be very surprised. Very modern, excellent transportation, and tons of new construction.
Comment by overlap — February 15, 2008 @ 1:16 pm
I was in Morocco a month ago and was not a bit surprised to see new construction and city beautification projects all over, cybercafes everywhere, and five-bar mobile phone reception well outside the cities.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:41 pmI prefer the term banana republic.
The troll doesn’t seem to realize that his temporary fortunes are tied to our economy, which is sinking like a rock. But the troll is stupid. Very, very stupid.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:42 pmComment by Liberals Are Filled With Hate — February 15, 2008 @ 1:40 pm
Poor oppressed rightie.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:43 pmWell I have just returned from a few “third world†countries and you’d all be very surprised. Very modern, excellent transportation, and tons of new construction.
U.S. looks like an old superpower waiting to die. nothing new here. no manufacturing, no industry. nothing.
were doomed.
Comment by overlap — February 15, 2008 @ 1:16 pm
Iraq is getting it’s infrastructure rebuilt after the US destroyed it, yet I see major routes in New Jersey with Holes three feet deep, that have been like that for months.
Now let’s see…..$9.2 Trillion in debt, Eternal Wars, School Shootings on a daily basis, cops torturing innocent citizens, CIA torturing foreigners, Infrastructure crumbling, Criminals in charge, militarization of the culture, SSRIs being given to 20% of adults, alcoholism at an all time high, Hi Tech jobs outsourced, Major companies shutting down plants, Amy Winehouse receives 5 Grammies, False Flag Operations, Gas prices doubled, Stock market fluctuating more than Cheney’s So-Called Heart Rate, Value of dollar collapsing, China and Russia building military like post WW2, USA disliked around the world, Fundamentalists running domestic policy, 40 million people uninsured, homelessness at all time high, wiretapping without warrants, trying to ban same-sex marriage, Censored Media in bed with government, Corporate power protections, union busting, Government cutting arts, and fraudulent elections.
So what’s the problem?
DEVO’s old video sums it up:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3MxuDk7wqo
February 15th, 2008 at 1:44 pmENOUGH. I am so sick of people attacking America.
Comment by Liberals Are Filled With Hate — February 15, 2008 @ 1:40 pm
Who’s attacking America? We’re just criticizing the people who run it. These are two completely different things.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:45 pmThe capacity of the Bush lickspittles to project never ceases to amaze me.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:45 pmholy crap Bloomey…Does Ross Perot ride again?
February 15th, 2008 at 1:45 pm.
#17 - Keith O is a two bit, hate-filled attack dog. AND people who listen to his rants are pathetic.
Comment by Liberals Are Filled With Hate — February 15, 2008 @ 1:41 pm
you’re so cute when you’re angry.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:45 pm18 - I only care about me. You bad people should stop suggesting that I should care about anything besides me. I’m a narcissistic juvenile, and freedom means I don’t have to do anything that upsets my precious vision of how awesome I am.
nice - sure glad the revolutionaries didn’t share that worldview back in 1770.
great demonstration of how utterly shallow and full of themselves the average Righty is though.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:45 pmWell I have just returned from a few “third world†countries and you’d all be very surprised. Very modern, excellent transportation, and tons of new construction.
I too just returned from India 3 eeks ago and noticed such a change
Every time Bush drop the interest rates they make billions in Asia , Europe gets stuffed , and America just keeps falling
February 15th, 2008 at 1:46 pm“Who’s attacking America? We’re just criticizing the people who run it. These are two completely different things.
Comment by toasterhead — February 15, 2008 @ 1:45 pm
Reasoning with the troll is futile. It is in thrall to Bush. It knows nothing else. It will be a sad and pitiful sight when it starts coming unglued.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:47 pmCut spending, stop promising the world to people, pass the fair tax. America saved.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:47 pm…Amy Winehouse receives 5 Grammies…
Comment by Brain From Planet Arous — February 15, 2008 @ 1:44 pm
That’s the very worst part of it all, for sure :D
February 15th, 2008 at 1:47 pmpass the fair tax. America saved.
Comment by VA Voter — February 15, 2008 @ 1:47 pm
Ah, yes. That flat tax has done wonders for Iraq’s economy.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:48 pmEurope and Asia are right now using their superior currencies to buy up American companies at fire sale prices. Bush has ruined the economy so thoroughly that we are hacking up the furniture and burning it just to keep the engine running.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:48 pmCut spending, stop promising the world to people… America saved.
Comment by VA Voter — February 15, 2008 @ 1:47 pm
Yay! STOP THE WAR NOW!
February 15th, 2008 at 1:49 pmBush has ruined the economy so thoroughly that we are hacking up the furniture and burning it just to keep the engine running.
Comment by VerbalKint — February 15, 2008 @ 1:48 pm
Ooo - good analogy!
February 15th, 2008 at 1:49 pmBill O is a two bit, hate-filled attack dog. AND people who listen to his rants are pathetic.
There, I fixed that for ya LAFWH.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:50 pmThat’s the very worst part of it all, for sure :D
Comment by Evil Spaniard — February 15, 2008 @ 1:47 pm
Hey now. Don’t be hating on Winehouse - she’s got some pipes on her.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:50 pmHas anyone read Neal Stephenson’s Snow Crash lately? It takes about the US coming apart as a nation, and hyperinflation. To buy a loaf of bread you need a few thousand dollars.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:50 pmstop promising the world to people
Beginning with the Mid-East of course.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:51 pmpass the fair tax. America saved.
Comment by VA Voter — February 15, 2008 @ 1:47 pm
Ah, yes. That flat tax has done wonders for Iraq’s economy.
Comment by toasterhead — February 15, 2008 @ 1:48 pm
Yeah, these simplistic Repubbots are soooo easy to discern… flat tax, flat earth… they’re unable to understand “complex” realities, like spheres, cubes…
February 15th, 2008 at 1:51 pmENOUGH. I am so sick of people attacking America. I like my life. I am making good money right now. AND I don’t care that gas costs alot - it will encourage conservation.
Bloomberg has no idea what it’s like for normal people. AND neither does anyone on this hate-filled site.
Comment by Liberals Are Filled With Hate — February 15, 2008 @ 1:40 pm
And you believe you can speak of “normal” , when you blindly and stupidly support a moronic individual and his garbage political party over fellow citizens and our country ?
BTW
This “hate-filled site” isn’t called “Think Progress while you hate” ; and your posting name here is…………….?
What a maroon…………
February 15th, 2008 at 1:51 pmBush’s own Treasury department studied the so-called flat tax and concluded that it would give a massive tax break to the wealthy. This leaves two alternatives: apply the tax in a revenue-neutral way, which would result in a huge tax increase on the middle class, or incur massive budget deficits. Bush’s own Treasury also concluded that his previous tax cuts for the wealthy did not pay for themselves. Supply-side theory has been thoroughly debunked. Again.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:51 pmstop promising the world to people
Comment by VA Voter — February 15, 2008 @ 1:47 pm
You mean, like stop promising we’ll bring democracy to the Middle East at teh point of a gun?
Yeah, okay, I’m all for that.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:53 pmHey now. Don’t be hating on Winehouse - she’s got some pipes on her.
Comment by toasterhead — February 15, 2008 @ 1:50 pm
I really don’t want to be a jerk with Amy, I like her songs, but the poor soul is in a direct trainwreck… she has had too much at a too tender age.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:53 pm#20 — Limpballs is a two bit, hate-filled attack dog. AND people who listen to his rants are pathetic.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:53 pmDon’t address the troll. Study its behavior, for it is a hideous sight to behold, but don’t address it.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:53 pmSupply-side theory has been thoroughly debunked. Again.
Comment by VerbalKint — February 15, 2008 @ 1:51 pm
Supply side economics were debunked in Calvin Coolidge’s day. Sad part is they keep coming back. kind of like a bad case of herpes.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:53 pmI never said flat tax. Fair tax. Look it up. Fairtax.org
February 15th, 2008 at 1:53 pmKeith O is a two bit, hate-filled attack dog. AND people who listen to his rants are pathetic.
Comment by Liberals Are Filled With Hate — February 15, 2008 @ 1:41 pm
Yeah , he needs to ‘grow up’ and become much more articulate , honest and spout facts just like Fat Bastard LImpballs and Dildo O’Lielly , right ?
February 15th, 2008 at 1:54 pmHas anyone read Neal Stephenson’s Snow Crash lately? It takes about the US coming apart as a nation, and hyperinflation. To buy a loaf of bread you need a few thousand dollars.
Comment by Krazny — February 15, 2008 @ 1:50 pm
Or we could just look to Zimbabwe for a glimpse at what may be in store:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ wp-dyn/ content/ article/ 2008/ 02/ 06/ AR2008020604123.html
February 15th, 2008 at 1:54 pmTotally Stupid Comments by Liberals Are Filled With Hate
Guys, don’t pick on the mentally challenged, it’s not nice.
Pick on trolls with at least two brain cells.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:55 pmCut spending, stop promising the world to people, pass the fair tax. America saved.
Comment by VA Voter — February 15, 2008 @ 1:47 pm
Cut spending ?
February 15th, 2008 at 1:58 pmLike illegal invasions and subsequent occupation of a foreign nation that was considered a stupid idea from the outset , and where we’re pissing away billons of dollars monthly ?
Which also has to do with “promising the world to people” ; you mean nation building , that the moron in the Oval Office stated he was against ?
Guys, don’t pick on the mentally challenged, it’s not nice.
Pick on trolls with at least two brain cells.
Comment by Buckie Boy — February 15, 2008 @ 1:55 pm
That leaves the Troll Pen pretty much empty, doesn’t it?
February 15th, 2008 at 1:58 pmI never said flat tax. Fair tax. Look it up. Fairtax.org
Comment by VA Voter — February 15, 2008 @ 1:53 pm
Your “fair tax” is only a refurbished version of the “poll tax” of Margaret Thatcher. The tax hicked heavily the payments of the poor and middle class, thrashing the economy. Only the money coming from the UE (those commie contries, France and Germany, mainly) saved the sorry @sses of the Tories. And it planted the seeds of the Laborist victory afterwards.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:59 pmHey now. Don’t be hating on Winehouse - she’s got some pipes on her.
Comment by toasterhead — February 15, 2008 @ 1:50 pm
Yeah, Crack Pipes! She does a great Crazy Guggenheim impersonation though……
We have come a long way from Grace Slick, Annie Haslam, Ella Fitzgerald, Dionne Warwick, Julie London, Ursula Dudziak, and Lene Lovich.
I think music is a reflection of society, and in some cases actually changes our culture. Today’s youth look at the government, and now it requires a 4 year degree for a $10 an hour job, they want to drown out reality. So, someone like Winehouse is perfect for the role. 2 other high profile “stars” are Britney Spears and 50 Cent, both who are degenerated, overrated boobs, who are by the way, Big Bush Supporters. It is a continuation of the dumbing down of our culture. My Mother-In-Law, who is over 80 years old, still teaches at a college. She says 18 year old are coming in unable to even read properly.
February 15th, 2008 at 1:59 pmI expect that ‘Libruls R filled with hate’ will get more and more pissy the closer to November 7th we get. It’s funny. It’s doing so well, or so it says, that it can’t understand how others are unhappy. ‘Sit down and shut up, I’m fine, fu(k the rest of you.’
Well, Bloomberg, I agree with you. Before the Iraq war, my wife and I were struggling on $1600 a month, but we could at least afford to gas up our car and buy groceries. Now, 5 years later, we’re struggling.
Gas has ballooned 100% since January of 2003. That’s 20% per year.
Groceries have ballooned at least 50%, if not closer to 100%.
Electric has increased by 100%, and gas has trippled, just since we moved to Colorado in 2004.
Rental costs have been steadily increasing, up from $350 a month to $650 a month for us. Housing costs have inflated at at least 10% per year, if not more, in both markets I’ve lived in.
We’re being priced out of the cost of living.
We’ve cut out our car and instead rely on bicycles and the buses.
We’ve replaced our lights with Compact Florescents, which do not have the light quality my artist wife likes.
We’ve cut back on everything we do, and still get screwed by this economy — the latest blow being having both of our Perkins Loans cancelled due to ‘increased need and decreased repayment’, and my wife losing her job at the university.
I just hope that the ‘I got mine, screw the rest of you’ mentality dies with the neoconservative movement…
February 15th, 2008 at 2:02 pmComment by Evil Spaniard — February 15, 2008 @ 1:53 pm
I beleive the phrase is: “sex, drugs and rock & roll”
February 15th, 2008 at 2:07 pmGOP=Grand Old Politburo
-GSD
February 15th, 2008 at 2:10 pmI never said flat tax. Fair tax. Look it up. Fairtax.org
Comment by VA Voter — February 15, 2008 @ 1:53 pm
That’s the SAME THING you TARDED FOOL!!! HYSTERICAL, you’re TOO DUMB to even KNOW WHAT YOU PROPOSE!
You do realize that EVERY RESPECTABLE ECONOMIST that has evaluated this plan says it’s not only NOT FAIR it PENALIZES THE MIDDLE CLASS!!! Why do you insist on LYING EVERY TIME YOU POST - TARD?
February 15th, 2008 at 2:13 pm#58 - But, it’s not all about you, right?
Those who look to the govt for survival will ultimately not survive regardless of who is in the White House. I believe in freedom and the right to choose. Get the govt out of my wallet.
Comment by Liberals Are Filled With Hate — February 15, 2008 @ 2:13 pm
Those that don’t have a government they can count on, LIVE IN THE THIRD WORLD YOU STUPID LITTLE TARD! See in this country, THE GOVERNMENT IS THE PEOPLE, not the FASCIST OVERLORDS YOU SEEK! MORON!
February 15th, 2008 at 2:15 pm#58 - But, it’s not all about you, right?
Those who look to the govt for survival will ultimately not survive regardless of who is in the White House. I believe in freedom and the right to choose. Get the govt out of my wallet.
Comment by Liberals Are Filled With Hate — February 15, 2008 @ 2:13 pm
Without government and structure , there’d be anarchy ; and you GOP/Chimpy backers are the bottom rung of the food chain , in terms of being able to survive that type of circumstance.
You’d be one of the 1st to be blown away…….
February 15th, 2008 at 2:15 pm“Republicans are filled with hate and stupidity”, wants a TAX FREE PARADISE like SOMALIA!!! We all SUGGEST you GO LIVE THERE - TARD!
February 15th, 2008 at 2:16 pmComment by Liberals Are Filled With Hate — February 15, 2008 @ 2:13 pm
Yeah! and get the government out of the dictionary business, too! We don’t need the gov’t to defining words like marriage - we can do it for ourselves!
February 15th, 2008 at 2:16 pmGet the govt out of my wallet.
Comment by Liberals Are Filled With Hate — February 15, 2008 @ 2:13 pm
War=Increased military spending=More taxes.
Specially in a country who spends the greatest part of their taxes in the military.
Either stop cheering for the war, or stop whinning about taxes.
If not, you’re looking very dumb.
February 15th, 2008 at 2:17 pmI agree with him. It is time to reduce the amount the government spends alot. We need to really think about reducing or removing all programs that aren’t absolutely needed for America’s safety. We need stop increasing military spending and we need to reduce or remove most all entitlement programs unless we want to become like places such as Norway and Sweden. No one wants that.
February 15th, 2008 at 2:18 pmI’d take Norway in a New York minute.
Rog - you don’t realize how deep in the weeds you are.
February 15th, 2008 at 2:19 pm…unless we want to become like places such as Norway and Sweden. No one wants that.
Comment by Roger_Roger — February 15, 2008 @ 2:18 pm
Except the Norses and Swedish people. They’ve their needs covered, spending far less % of their income than you.
On a side note, what was the excuse for that troll, Seixon for migrating to Norway?
February 15th, 2008 at 2:20 pmWe need to really think about reducing or removing all programs that aren’t absolutely needed for America’s safety.
Comment by Roger_Roger — February 15, 2008 @ 2:18 pm
Okay , 1st to go ; money for anything faith-based…………..
February 15th, 2008 at 2:20 pmComment by Liberals Are Filled With Hate — February 15, 2008 @ 2:13 pm
do you have a job?
where do you find the time to do this and work?
just asking.
February 15th, 2008 at 2:20 pmComment by Roger_Roger — February 15, 2008 @ 2:18 pm
do we get fjords in the deal?
(i like fjords)
February 15th, 2008 at 2:21 pm“I never said flat tax. Fair tax. Look it up. Fairtax.org
Comment by VA Voter — February 15, 2008 @ 1:53 pm”
Same pig, different lipstick.
February 15th, 2008 at 2:22 pm“unless we want to become like places such as Norway and Sweden. No one wants that.
Comment by Roger_Roger — February 15, 2008 @ 2:18 pm”
Norway has a higher per capita income than the United States.
What an idiot!
February 15th, 2008 at 2:23 pmSame pig, different lipstick.
Comment by VerbalKint — February 15, 2008 @ 2:22 pm
yep, slap it and it still goes “oink!”
February 15th, 2008 at 2:23 pmSeriously, RR, can you explain to us what is wrong with Norway or Sweden? And I recommend that you be a little more careful before shooting your mouth off this time. I have been to Sweden three times, and know quite a bit about it. Unlike you.
February 15th, 2008 at 2:25 pmQuick, RR, get your dumb *** over to the CIA Factbook and try to learn something about those countries so you can return here before dinner time with your book report.
February 15th, 2008 at 2:26 pmOops! I’m breaking the rules about addressing trolls directly, again! Sorry about that. Just couldn’t help myself.
February 15th, 2008 at 2:27 pmStraight from the fairtax.org web site:
“the FairTax taxes existing wealth, when spent, at the same rate as everyone else. ”
In other words, a consumption tax. The means that the wealthy will pay no capital gains or dividend taxes at all. This will be a staggering tax break for the wealthy, and to say otherwise is a mendacious lie.
The web site also claims that its proposal is revenue-neutral. This is also an egregious lie.
The Bush Treasury department studied precisely this sort of consumption tax, and concluded just what I said earlier.
So either VA Voter is very stupid, or very dishonest. Take your pick.
February 15th, 2008 at 2:31 pmIn any case, arguing the point doesn’t matter. No Congress would ever pass a tax overhaul along the lines of the “fair tax”, because they know it would be virtually instant political death. You really have to be out on the loony tunes fringe to believe otherwise.
February 15th, 2008 at 2:34 pmIn any case, arguing the point doesn’t matter. No Congress would ever pass a tax overhaul along the lines of the “fair taxâ€, because they know it would be virtually instant political death. You really have to be out on the loony tunes fringe to believe otherwise.
Comment by VerbalKint — February 15, 2008 @ 2:34 pm
It would be instant power from the government and to the people. Libs hate that.
February 15th, 2008 at 2:42 pmLibs hate that.
Comment by VA Voter — February 15, 2008 @ 2:42 pm
Don’t look now, but LIBerals have the same root than LIBerty. I think your basic premise is faulty.
February 15th, 2008 at 2:45 pmThose who look to the govt for survival will ultimately not survive regardless of who is in the White House. I believe in freedom and the right to choose. Get the govt out of my wallet.
Comment by Liberals Are Filled With Hate
the trolls seem to think that if the government is destroyed that the people would be just fine…….all on thier own…..what an odd and irriational concept.
they also seem to be under the misconception that any country (ie sweden, Norway, Denmark) that is not the United states is in fact what a 3rd world country is…..how sad that they could be so ignorant.
February 15th, 2008 at 2:56 pmthe trolls also don’t seem to understand that the economic principals that they taut here are exactly the ones that have gotten us to the point where we are right now……..which is not a great place to be economically…..if they are willing to admit that we are in trouble…..they probably won’t though because that kinda blows thier ideas for fixing things…..
all in all it is amazing that they are willing to speak such nonsense……pretty sure they wouldn’t try it if they had to actually look us in the eye.
February 15th, 2008 at 2:59 pmBamf. Libruls are filled with hate got the banhammer dropped on him. Nice.
Good job, flaggers. Keep it up.
And Fred, I agree. They can spew bullshit in here and never have to face the consequences. Just perfect for someone who idolizes Dubya, isn’t it?
February 15th, 2008 at 3:10 pmactually, liberal “hate”, as it were, is reserved for unapologetic idiots. otherwise, hating is considered pretty poor form for adult citizens by we lefty types.
February 15th, 2008 at 3:13 pmi’ve got some trickle-down for Righty, right here, btw
February 15th, 2008 at 3:23 pmLibs hate that.
Comment by VA Voter — February 15, 2008 @ 2:42 pm
Ya mean, the 70% of the country that can’t stand Herr Brusch anymore?
February 15th, 2008 at 3:25 pm… Unless we want to become like places such as Norway and Sweden. No one wants that.
Comment by Roger_Roger — February 15, 2008 @ 2:18 pm
Indeed, no blue-eyed, blond haired nymphs frolicking in the surf for me!
February 15th, 2008 at 3:29 pmPoliticans always wait till they will look good before they speak some truth. Mike has no competition in the republican ranks. So will he declare he is running now?
February 15th, 2008 at 3:32 pmWe need stop increasing military spending and we need to reduce or remove most all entitlement programs unless we want to become like places such as Norway and Sweden. No one wants that.
Comment by Roger_Roger
Loon troll RR thinks it talks for all of us because it says “no one wants that”. No Republiscum would want to become like Norway and Sweden, two peaceful countries with very high standard of livings. A place where every one has health care and workers are guaranteed enough time off during a year to actually take a vacation and enjoy themselves. I don’t know who RR’s “no one” is but I know it’s not me. I would love to have this country be more like Norway and Sweden.
February 15th, 2008 at 3:59 pmI see that you folks got “Hate” banned today. Good work! Now maybe if we work hard enough we can get rid of RR, GiGi, exlax and the others. How did you do it? Did enough people flag it to get it banned?
February 15th, 2008 at 4:00 pmblog axion #26:
trolls are not stupid. But commenters that allow themselves to be manipulated into answering trolls inane comments are stupid.
February 15th, 2008 at 4:01 pm.
So either VA Voter is very stupid, or very dishonest. Take your pick.
Comment by VerbalKint
Can’t we have both?
February 15th, 2008 at 4:03 pmSubjective Well Being rating website….
http://www.le.ac.uk/users/aw57/world/sample.html
trolls please notice that Sweden scores higher than the US and Norway ties us…..also trolls who hate Hugo take note that Venesuala ties the US.
Denmark and Switzerland are among the happiest places on Earth.
February 15th, 2008 at 4:09 pm…like a 3rd world country,
but without the leisure time.
February 15th, 2008 at 4:09 pmblog axiom #27:
Posters who criticize other posters for playing Whack-A-Trollâ„¢ are self-righteous pains.
February 15th, 2008 at 4:15 pmInteresting how the Iranian Oil Bourse is opening the day Mercury emerges from retrograde. Are the Iranians really as dumb as Dumbya would have us believe?
February 15th, 2008 at 4:18 pmHa Roger!
Scandinavia has one of, if not, the most advanced and satisfied societies in the world. Iceland may be the first self-sustaining country with renewable energy very soon. The chicks are hot. You can party. Everyone’s basic needs are met. Much less crime and violence.
What a tool Roger is!
February 15th, 2008 at 4:22 pmPosters who criticize other posters for playing Whack-A-Trollâ„¢ are self-righteous pains.
Comment by The Republic of Stupidity
Posters who play Whack-a-Troll driving threads up to 400+ posts are plain old pains in the butt. It accomplishes nothing and in fact has a detrimental affect on TP. It just encourages the trolls to come back to get their egos stroked again and again by getting posters here all worked up.
If you can’t ignore them, talk about them, don’t talk to them. Talking to them validates their existence and strokes their egos. Talking about them invalidates their existence.
February 15th, 2008 at 4:35 pmPosters who play Whack-a-Troll driving threads up to 400+ posts are plain old pains in the butt. It accomplishes nothing and in fact has a detrimental affect on TP.
Comment by bilbobaggins — February 15, 2008 @ 4:35 pm
What detrimental effect?
How does the number of posts in a thread affect the overall environment here at TP in anything more than a casual way?
February 15th, 2008 at 4:41 pmGee, bilbo… do I need to scroll back thru a few threads until I find some of your snarkier comments addressed directly to trolls?
Mood swings? Try some lithium.
February 15th, 2008 at 5:14 pmThe Baggins is offended by the sheer number, Ralph. ‘Nuff said…
February 15th, 2008 at 5:15 pmDoes anyone else have a problem with the antiquated phrase “third world,” or am I just that liberal?
Some French guy(s) came up with the terms a)1st world, referring to U.S. and friends, b)2nd world, referring to U.S.S.R. and friends, and c)3rd world, referring to everyone else. Now that there is no Soviet Union, these classifications really mean nothing.
The fact that it sounded like a rating made it seem like “3rd world” meant less developed, when it does not mean that at all. That’s why the term “less developed nation state” would be more fitting.
February 15th, 2008 at 6:07 pm“Like giving a drink…” sounds like the Mayor’s own city economy which typically features liquor stores, in poor neighborhoods. Our country may experience hyper-inflation or worse because of ‘doom-sayers’, with practically nothing to offer.
February 15th, 2008 at 8:32 pmSounds like Bloomberg needs to run as an Independent in November so that he can fix things. Maybe he can select the loser between Hillary and Obama as a running mate to create a strong enough ticket to win.
February 15th, 2008 at 9:54 pmGee, bilbo… do I need to scroll back thru a few threads until I find some of your snarkier comments addressed directly to trolls?
Mood swings? Try some lithium.
Comment by The Republic of Stupidity
Feel free to go looking. You will find that I gave up playing “Whack a troll” a long time ago. It accomplishes nothing other than to make us look like a bunch of kids taunting each other. I can see the conservatives now…look at TP, there are threads where one of ours got them so hot and bothered we were able to keep it going for 400+ posts. Victory for the trolls and the right.
If that’s what you want TP to look like, more power to you. If your ego needs the boost of thinking you are very clever by whacking trolls, I’m sorry for you.
I often wonder how many people, who could have become members of TP’s community. have come here only to see the school-yard taunts and games of Whack-a-troll and left.
February 15th, 2008 at 11:00 pmI’ve noticed the troll talking point seems to be this site is filled with hate.
How’s that for a in depth discussion of economics?
No talk about how we’ve dissolved our manufacturing sector shipping jobs overseas while spending astounding amounts of money on the military and Iraq (didn’t the Soviet Empire make a similar mistake).
We print up treasury note I.O.U.’s by the boatload which are bought primarily not by Americans, but by foreigners who hold our debt giving them unprecedented control over our economy.
Foreigners are also buying up our assets at a unprecedented rate as the value of the dollar plunges and we become the largest debtor nation on the planet
If there’s any hate on this sight, I think it would be natural for patriotic Americans to hate the fact that this country is being sold off and mortgaged to the hilt in a take the money and run fashion with no regard for the future well being of America as a country.
February 16th, 2008 at 10:28 am“Like giving a drink…†sounds like the Mayor’s own city economy which typically features liquor stores, in poor neighborhoods. Our country may experience hyper-inflation or worse because of ‘doom-sayers’, with practically nothing to offer.
I’m curious, have you ever actually been to New York City or is that statement based on watching old movies form the ’70’s?
Yes there still are neighborhoods that would be considered poor in the boroughs, but most of Manhattan is more like a playground for the rich today than what you describe.
February 16th, 2008 at 10:38 amI’ve lived around NYC most of my life, YOU seem to be describing a scene from 1978.
When I heard Bush was pushing rebates checks (again), I had to laugh. Rebate checks doesn’t even remotely begin to address a much larger problem, something that rebate checks and tax cuts will never solve.
I cannot wait for the Chimp to be out of office for good (him and his boss, Darth Cheney).
February 16th, 2008 at 11:16 amYEAH?! And the economic policies BLOOMBERG supports are helping us get to Third World status! Let’s get some articles on BLOOMBERG’s REGRESSIVE COMMUTER TAX which some people might think a violation of the Republican anti-tax creed…
February 17th, 2008 at 10:29 amHow about all the New York bankers who have helped put California in DEBT for TWENTY years because of the GOP ORCHESTRATED so-called “ENERGY CRISIS”??
When is the media going to put Bloomberg’s feet to the coals,hummmm? Or is he a sacred cow, too?