[N8 v2.0]

Unemployment rate dropping.

Stock Market over 10,000.

Interest rates at 45 year lows.

Saddam captured by US troops.

Bin Laden probably dead.

US pulls military bases out of Saudi Arabia.

Free drugs for old people compliments of younger taxpayers.


What's left that can win the 2004 election for the Dem's?

 

[Jorvik]

All that comes to mind is trying to balance the budget.

I've no idea who I'm voting for. It'll probably be President Bush if the best the democrats have to offer is Dean.

 

[Dirt rider]

whats the thinking behind Bin ladin probly being dead?

 

[LordOpie]

Originally posted by N8
Unemployment rate dropping.

Interest rates at 45 year lows.

They're inversely proportional as shown by the Phillips Curve, so by the time the election rolls around, things will have caught up with the economics of the system and start to balance out.

As for the specifics of Unemployment, it's unfortunate that the average person is ignorant of how it works -- if you're seriously underemployed, you're still considered employed. If you've given up looking for work -- going back to school, becoming a full-time parent, etc -- then you're also NOT counted in the "unemployment" numbers.

The fact that the Unemployment numbers are seriously skewed will really help Bush since only those people affected will know/feel the reality of the situation.

Saddam captured by US troops.

I hope so! Has it been confirmed that it is him? Like DNA testing?

Bin Laden probably dead.

If you're going to be so blantantly partisan, do yourself a favor and stick to what is generally accepted as facts.

 

[beckah]

i believe that it has been confirmed through dna testing that it is sadam hussein

 

[N8 v2.0]

Bush is in no way my ideal canidate but he beats the alternatives so far at least. I pave problems with him on several issues including but not limited to the following:

1. Religion. Religion needs to be kept as far away from government as it can possibly be.

2. Passing a huge Medicare drug entitlement that will cost jillions of tax dollars for future Americans.

3. Pro-life stance. Something that should not be a matter of law when it needs to be a moral call for the individuals involved.

4. Signing into law the campaign finance bill limiting free speech unless funded by canidates themselves just prior to an election.

 

[DRB]

Out of Control Government spending with little or no fiscal responsibility.

Hugely Increased Budget Deficits.

Widening Trade Gaps.

Eventhough unemployment is down, there is a continuning loss of textile jobs throughout the South (a constituency he absolutely has to have to win reelection).

Interest rates at 45 year lows are not necessarily a good thing. It has wrecked the dollar in international markets as well as killing people in their savings and money market accounts. Plus these rates are not going to last much longer and there is a great deal of uncertainty as to how the markets will react to increases in the interest rates.

 

[N8 v2.0]

Originally posted by DRB
Out of Control Government spending with little or no fiscal responsibility.

Hugely Increased Budget Deficits.

Widening Trade Gaps.

Eventhough unemployment is down, there is a continuning loss of textile jobs throughout the South (a constituency he absolutely has to have to win reelection).

Interest rates at 45 year lows are not necessarily a good thing. It has wrecked the dollar in international markets as well as killing people in their savings and money market accounts. Plus these rates are not going to last much longer and there is a great deal of uncertainty as to how the markets will react to increases in the interest rates.

Agreed.

Although money spend on the military and HomeLand security are things that needed to be done. As a percentage of debt to our GNP I believe we are somewhere like 4%-ishhh... not a historical high if I recall correctly.


**EDIT**
Of course, I don't see where any of the democratic canidates will do anything different except weaken the US's image globally.

 

[Jorvik]

Originally posted by N8
Bush is in no way my ideal canidate but he beats the alternatives so far at least. I pave problems with him on several issues including but not limited to the following:

1. Religion. Religion needs to be kept as far away from government as it can possibly be.

2. Passing a huge Medicare drug entitlement that will cost jillions of tax dollars for future Americans.

3. Pro-life stance. Something that should not be a matter of law when it needs to be a moral call for the individuals involved.

4. Signing into law the campaign finance bill limiting free speech unless funded by canidates themselves just prior to an election.

I agree completly.

I'd rather the dem's put out a good candidate, but they obviously do not have their sh!t together this election. I'll probably vote for Bush as there is no other candidate except for Kerry that I even remotely like. I honestly don't even know any issues that Kerry is behind, but I like his public personality. He took the time to shake my hand and give me a couple of words when I saw him at the MA statehouse a couple years ago when I was still in High School.

Dean is a hack, Clark is too. If Dean was in charge right now we would've have captured that murdering bastard Hussein. We'd be out of Iraq and all the lives that our brave soldiers have lost to date will have been in vain.

FYI, they made sure that it was Hussein via DNA testing before reporting that they captured him.

 

[N8 v2.0]

Originally posted by Dirt rider
whats the thinking behind Bin ladin probly being dead?

No credible sightings as far I as I can tell. Not like with Saddam where there was apparently a constant stream of intel on him. I'd think that if Bin Ladin was alive he'd have made himself known as such with undisputeable evidence for the purpose of unifing his minions.

Of course it helps the US immensly to have Bin Ladin "at large"... and I am glad his status is so because we can do a lot of things in the effort to "find him."

This is just my own theory however.

 

[ohio]

Honestly, at this point I'd be pretty impressed if Bush lost the election.

IMO, his big weak spot is that he really has NOT solved the terrorist problem, and another big attack on US soil or embassies may still occur. I'm pretty worried that something like that is brewing and our campaigns have likely bred a nice new crop of jihadists.

Israel could also blow up any minute. At least North Korea is quiet for the time being.

Other than that, people don't care about the deficit when the markets are optimistic. Everything feels hunky dory now. We'll pay for it in a few more years...

My issues with him (character, environment, oil reliance, corruption, abortion, Ashcroft/Cheney, foreign relations) are not big enough right now and probably ever for the Democrats to hit him hard on.

 

[fasterTHANyou]

bush can lose, he's not the dandy republican that many republicans wish he was... note to self: dont #$%^ with steel tarrifs...

buuuuuut...
the dems just have no chance, they are so worried about fighting each other that they dont unite behind issues together. its kind of a shame, cause i wanted to see a good election, this one might end up being boring

 

[Dirt rider]

Originally posted by N8
Bush is in no way my ideal canidate but he beats the alternatives so far at least. I pave problems with him on several issues including but not limited to the following:

3. Pro-life stance. Something that should not be a matter of law when it needs to be a moral call for the individuals involved.

wait wait wait. when he was Governer of Texas wasent there a record number of death penatys handed down and executed?

 

[Silver]

Originally posted by ohio
Honestly, at this point I'd be pretty impressed if Bush lost the election.

IMO, his big weak spot is that he really has NOT solved the terrorist problem, and another big attack on US soil or embassies may still occur. I'm pretty worried that something like that is brewing and our campaigns have likely bred a nice new crop of jihadists.

Israel could also blow up any minute. At least North Korea is quiet for the time being.

Other than that, people don't care about the deficit when the markets are optimistic. Everything feels hunky dory now. We'll pay for it in a few more years...

My issues with him (character, environment, oil reliance, corruption, abortion, Ashcroft/Cheney, foreign relations) are not big enough right now and probably ever for the Democrats to hit him hard on.

Asking Bush to have solved the terrorist problem by this point is asking for a bit much. I would have loved to have seem him not piss all over that goodwill that America had after 9/11.

I'm also particularly dismayed at the cynical re-election ploy that the Medicare drug benefit turned into. For our fiscally responsible (nope, still can't say that with a straight face) president to have signed that, it makes me want to start buying stock in the health insurance industry pronto.

I'm as pessimist at heart, so I think you'll see that the worst president the USA has ever had will get reelected in 04...but the backlash in 08 and 12 could be ugly for the Republicans.

 

[N8 v2.0]

In the news today:

Inflation at 38-Year Low...

 

[ohio]

Originally posted by N8
In the news today:

Inflation at 38-Year Low...

Uh, that's what results from the record low interest rates and a lack of money/spending... wouldn't exactly call it "good economic news."

 

[valve bouncer]

Originally posted by ohio
Uh, that's what results from the record low interest rates and a lack of money/spending... wouldn't exactly call it "good economic news."

Yep, Japan has actually had deflation in recent times and the economy here isn't exactly going gangbusters. To the other poster who mentioned the US dollar losing value. That's not really a bad thing, makes your exports much more attractive. too bad if you wanna go overseas though, but hey you're Americans, you don't need to go anywhere else, right? (just sh*t stirring)

 

[N8 v2.0]

Originally posted by ohio
Uh, that's what results from the record low interest rates and a lack of money/spending... wouldn't exactly call it "good economic news."

Oh really... and inflation is a good thing?

There is no lack of money nor spending in the US at this time... is there?

 

[Toshi]

Originally posted by N8
Oh really... and inflation is a good thing?

There is no lack of money nor spending in the US at this time... is there?

i don't know about how it is in sr71-land, but i do know that, among recent college graduates, a LOT of my friends don't have jobs. and yes, slow inflation is better than deflation.

 

[ohio]

Originally posted by N8
Oh really... and inflation is a good thing?

There is no lack of money nor spending in the US at this time... is there?

Yes inflation is a good thing, as long as it's not outpacing economic growth. Econ 101: Moderate inflation encourages borrowing and spending. That is why interest rates and inflation are directly related. So really pointing out the low inflation is not news... since interest rates are at record lows. Make sense now?

And yes, there is a lack of money. The only entity that seems to be acting like is has money is the Federal gov. Interestingly, they DON'T have any money either. They're faking it and racking up a deficit.

 

[LordOpie]

Originally posted by N8
Oh really... and inflation is a good thing?

without inflation, the gov't. would be powerless to affect the economy... indirectly as it affects interest rates and that is one of the tools the Fed uses to modulate things.

No offense, but you should study up on basic economics.

 

[CRUM]

Originally posted by N8
**EDIT**
Of course, I don't see where any of the democratic canidates will do anything different except weaken the US's image globally.

I guess it depends on what part of the Globe we are talking about. There may be somewhere, someplace that our image is up. It hasn't made the news yet. Since Bush came in, I would say his affect on our image is not something the Democrats need to worry about weakening. He's doing a bang up job all by himself.

 

[N8 v2.0]

So why was it when interst rates were double digits and inflation was high in the late 70's early 80's, everyone was bitching about it...


I haven't heard much complaining about low interest rates (aside from super conservative investors with money market accounts)..? Maybe the inflation/interest rate at the moment is not all that bad.

I sure don't see the Dem's making any political statements saying that they will raise interest rates and double inflation if elected....

 

[N8 v2.0]

Originally posted by CRUM
I guess it depends on what part of the Globe we are talking about. There may be somewhere, someplace that our image is up. It hasn't made the news yet. Since Bush came in, I would say his affect on our image is not something the Democrats need to worry about weakening. He's doing a bang up job all by himself.

I think we have a world image right now as a nation that is not to be screwed with and if you do, you will suffer the consequences.

Say a passive US president is elected next term and pulls our military out of the Middle East, all the *.stan countries, etc.., how do you think our enemies will view us? I'll give you a hint; Somalia. They well be further emboldened to attack us and our allies.

 

[CRUM]

Originally posted by N8
I think we have a world image right now as a nation that is not to be screwed with and if you do, you will suffer the consequences.

I guess the image is ok if we are after the "Bully" image. Because that is how our image is played out in many parts of the globe. And our kickin butt now is a tad hypocritical and maybe too little too late. But I guess, better late than never.

 

[N8 v2.0]

Originally posted by CRUM
I guess the image is ok if we are after the "Bully" image. Because that is how our image is played out in many parts of the globe. And our kickin butt now is a tad hypocritical and maybe too little too late. But I guess, better late than never.

So who exactly are we being a bully to? The UN? France? Terrorists?



Governments that are anit-US or certain segments of the population that resent the US will always whine... if we are strong then we are bullies, and if we are weak we are aren't doing enough.

 

[CRUM]

Originally posted by N8
So who exactly are we being a bully to? The UN? France? Terrorists?

I said it was the image as played out around the globe. IMO, what we are doing is not bullying, rather it is looking out for number 1. I just feel we could be smarter about it. This "Damn the Topedoes, Full speed ahead' attitude is likely to jump up and bite us hard in the future.

Governments that are anit-US or certain segments of the population that resent the US will always whine... if we are strong then we are bullies, and if we are weak we are aren't doing enough.

The price we pay for being on the top of the global food chain.

.

 

[$tinkle]

Originally posted by CRUM
I guess the image is ok if we are after the "Bully" image. Because that is how our image is played out in many parts of the globe. And our kickin butt now is a tad hypocritical and maybe too little too late. But I guess, better late than never.

so, is this a "perspective" argument? That is, i'm sure the Saddam Fedayeen sees us as bullies. At least those we haven't thrown into the jaws of death. I'm sure the Iraqis exiled, tortured, intimidated, etc. might have a different opinion.

I seem to recall getting bullied in middle school, and it wasn't b/c i was picking on someone else. I was a target b/c i looked like a target. I kept getting bullied until i kicked the snot outta someone, then i had that swagger.

That evil empire (U.S.) swagger.


some sage advice: "you don't make pies with your enemies..." - fluff

 

[CRUM]

Originally posted by $tinkle
so, is this a "perspective" argument?

Of course it is. Perspective is all we really have.

I seem to recall getting bullied in middle school, and it wasn't b/c i was picking on someone else. I was a target b/c i looked like a target. I kept getting bullied until i kicked the snot outta someone, then i had that swagger.

That evil empire (U.S.) swagger.

Not necessarily my opinion, but it seems the "Bully" is tacked on because, instead of beating up the guy we are really mad at, we pick his doofus buddy who kinda hangs out with him. You know, the one with the "hit me' face.

Personally, I am glad to see Saddam gone. Over a decade late, but gone is good.

 

[N8 v2.0]

Originally posted by CRUM
....... but it seems the "Bully" is tacked on because, instead of beating up the guy we are really mad at, we pick his doofus buddy who kinda hangs out with him. You know, the one with the "hit me' face.
...... ......

Well that's a goofy perception. I didn't see any of our doofus allied buddies stepping up to the plate to do the hitting until we started the smackdown.

I think the real perception is that the US is the only Superpower and that position is resented by some..




I still don't see what issues the Dem's canidates have to run on except, "Vote for me cuz I'm not Bush..." and that, I'm afraid, ain't gonna do it.

 

[CRUM]

Originally posted by N8
I think the real perception is that the US is the only Superpower and that position is resented by some..

By more than some, I'd say.

I still don't see what issues the Dem's canidates have to run on except, "Vote for me cuz I'm not Bush..." and that, I'm afraid, ain't gonna do it.

Sad but probably true. It's a shame we seem content with such mediocre talent. But you never know, American politics can be very fickle. Stranger things have happened.

 

[N8 v2.0]

Originally posted by CRUM
I think the real perception is that the US is the only Superpower and that position is resented by some..

By more than some, I'd say.

Yeah... until they want the USA to come bail them out from some disaster that occures then, suddenly we're their bestest buddy.

I still don't see what issues the Dem's canidates have to run on except, "Vote for me cuz I'm not Bush..." and that, I'm afraid, ain't gonna do it.

Sad but probably true. It's a shame we seem content with such mediocre talent. But you never know, American politics can be very fickle. Stranger things have happened.

hillary... hillary... hillary... hillary...!!!

 

[Sideways]

Originally posted by LordOpie
...

As for the specifics of Unemployment, it's unfortunate that the average person is ignorant of how it works -- if you're seriously underemployed, you're still considered employed. If you've given up looking for work -- going back to school, becoming a full-time parent, etc -- then you're also NOT counted in the "unemployment" numbers.
...

No ****!
Seeing as benefits were cut yet again this years end, no duh...of course unemployment is down!
Jeezzzus....all the indicators are phoney.
All I know is that Bush is an evil mofo and needs to be replaced ASAP.

 

[N8 v2.0]

Originally posted by Sideways
No ****!
Seeing as benefits were cut yet again this years end, no duh...of course unemployment is down!
Jeezzzus....all the indicators are phoney.
All I know is that Bush is an evil mofo and needs to be replaced ASAP.

 

[CRUM]

N8 - Apparently the powers that be are comfortable with this love/hate relationship we got going with the rest of the World. I know I have grown quite accustomed to it. At least we can tell where the prioritities are. If they are playing nice, we know they want something. If they hate us, we aren't likely to get hit up in the immediate future. Clearcut and definable facets of international behavior that let us know where we stand. It may irritate at first, but you'll get used to it.

 

[N8 v2.0]

Originally posted by CRUM
N8 - Apparently the powers that be are comfortable with this love/hate relationship we got going with the rest of the World. I know I have grown quite accustomed to it. At least we can tell where the prioritities are. If they are playing nice, we know they want something. If they hate us, we aren't likely to get hit up in the immediate future. Clearcut and definable facets of international behavior that let us know where we stand. It may irritate at first, but you'll get used to it.

It's posters like sidewayz (see above) that I just love...

I'm used to it... there is a huge underground N8 Newz following in the Lounge... heck there are even several who post Newz Tales on their own too...

I ain't going away... it's too much fun...!

 

[CRUM]

Originally posted by N8
It's posters like sidewayz (see above) that I just love...

I'm used to it... there is a huge underground N8 Newz following in the Lounge... heck there are even several who post Newz Tales on their own too...

I ain't going away... it's too much fun...!

Yeah, you are one instigatin son of a gun. Me, I like tweekin. Findin a nerve and workin on it. And you are right, this is too much fun. It probably oughta be against the law. Maybe someday, if we're lucky.

 

[N8 v2.0]

Well hell, someone has to educate leftists on here...

Can't let 'em continue on in ignorance... nope.. gotta make them into prosperous content capitalists so they can pay more taxes...