POLL: Obama - your take now?

[tony]

Explain to me how the health care reform is going to help the US. Please.

Get tired of answering the same question every couple of months.

Socialistic health care

[MachNU]

Wasnt knocking what you said, I was agreeing.

I now, I was just posting saying I agree with what you said. But you cant say that so far Obama is not improving anything...or setting any plans up or courses of action that will do any good in the future, or into the next presidents term.

[1SICKLEX]

Doesnt really matter who was put in office no one person is gonna fix this horrible thing we call an "economy" anytime soon /thread

Bingo. It would require a tremendous overhaul of our system. Think REVOLUTION. The FED has fucked us for too long and needs to be abolished. The banking system has helped destroy America (Andrew Jackson WARNED US of the evils of banks, he paid them off in what 1838 and now here we are at our knees to them). People need to WAKE THE HELL UP and not just vote on party lines. Both parties are seriously malfunctioning. The politicians only care about being re-elected, they DO NOT serve the people of this country.

Obama was given the nation in its worst state in recent memory....sadly his policies and his advisers are VERY clueless. These morons thought unemployment would top at 8%.

I'm all for Heath Care for all, sounds good in theory. The FREAKING BILL is 2000 pages long. They KNOW Americans are not going to read it.

Well I have read some, it is DISGUSTING the amount of loopholes and TAXES it will add. It will crush many small businesses.

Seriously, I go to a voting booth and I cringe b/c they are mostly all unethical twits.

[Atlblkz06]

actually his numbers are pretty dam close, if you actually go back and research them

I'm not talking about just the numbers. Thats exactly my problem with it.

The video conveniently ignores the fact that we're in the worst recession since the great depression. Show me how the video accounts for this small fact! If the govt did nothing, we'd all be screwed.

[MachNU]

Bingo. It would require a tremendous overhaul of our system. Think REVOLUTION. The FED has fucked us for too long and needs to be abolished. The banking system has helped destroy America (Andrew Jackson WARNED US of the evils of banks, he paid them off in what 1838 and now here we are at our knees to them). People need to WAKE THE HELL UP and not just vote on party lines. Both parties are seriously malfunctioning. The politicians only care about being re-elected, they DO NOT serve the people of this country.

Obama was given the nation in its worst state in recent memory....sadly his policies and his advisers are VERY clueless. These morons thought unemployment would top at 8%.

I'm all for Heath Care for all, sounds good in theory. The FREAKING BILL is 2000 pages long. They KNOW Americans are not going to read it.

Well I have read some, it is DISGUSTING the amount of loopholes and TAXES it will add. It will crush many small businesses.

Seriously, I go to a voting booth and I cringe b/c they are mostly all unethical twits.

I will agree with most of that post. Like I previously said, Obama got it bad. Granted yes the prior presidents term had to deal with rough stuff, 9/11, the war, the failing economy, but by 07/08 we where steadly creeping up. Obama is taking what was already slowly, and very very surely correcting itself, fucking with it some more, and basically putting the final nail in the coffin. The only way the economy is going to fix itself its by the masses, not the government.

I'm not talking about just the numbers. Thats exactly my problem with it.

The video conveniently ignores the fact that we're in the worst recession since the great depression. Show me how the video accounts for this small fact! If the govt did nothing, we'd all be screwed.

No if you actually watch them the guy referrs to the great depression in one.

[1SICKLEX]

I'm not talking about just the numbers. Thats exactly my problem with it.

The video conveniently ignores the fact that we're in the worst recession since the great depression. Show me how the video accounts for this small fact! If the govt did nothing, we'd all be screwed.

The government did NOTHING during the past decade. There was NO REGULATION. Its like they never passed Sarbanes Oxley. The numbers DID NOT ADD UP. Anyone who tried to warn dumbass Greenspan was told STFU.

Bush AND Obama should have let Capitalism take its course. Let those greedy, unethical banks and financial institutions fall. Those that were in better shape would take advantage and the people would win.

This too big to fail is utter bullcrap. They simply privatize gains and socialize losses to the American people.

These idiots tried to have bullshit computer models trick the system. YOU CANNOT TRICK THE ECONOMY. Did they really think the economy would rise every year? They tried to prevent the bubble from bursting with dumbass low interest rates.

They let it happen b/c the elected officials sleep with big business.

[Echonova]

I don't care for party affiliation. I don't care if they are Dem, Rep or Alien. The Constitution needs to be protected and upheld. The higher-ups in government has been laying framework to circumvent it for decades. Republican and Democrat alike. Sadly too many people are willing to give up freedom for a warm blanket of "security". Now, I understand there are things the government has to do now because of advancements in technology. But they have stretched their tentacles into almost every facet of our lives. That's not the way it's supposed to be.

[1SICKLEX]

I will agree with most of that post. Like I previously said, Obama got it bad. Granted yes the prior presidents term had to deal with rough stuff, 9/11, the war, the failing economy, but by 07/08 we where steadly creeping up. Obama is taking what was already slowly, and very very surely correcting itself, fucking with it some more, and basically putting the final nail in the coffin. The only way the economy is going to fix itself its by the masses, not the government.
.

I agree. My stance is CUT TAXES. That immediately gives businesses and people money to spend or invest. If we are going to have a damn deficit, well instead of bailout out these companies, GIVE US TAX BREAKS.

The tax code is way to complicated and we pay to much. If you are wealthy and don't have an accountant, you are screwed.

[MachNU]

The government did NOTHING during the past decade. There was NO REGULATION. Its like they never passed Sarbanes Oxley. The numbers DID NOT ADD UP. Anyone who tried to warn dumbass Greenspan was told STFU.

Bush AND Obama should have let Capitalism take its course. Let those greedy, unethical banks and financial institutions fall. Those that were in better shape would take advantage and the people would win.

This too big to fail is utter bullcrap. They simply privatize gains and socialize losses to the American people.

These idiots tried to have bullshit computer models trick the system. YOU CANNOT TRICK THE ECONOMY. Did they really think the economy would rise every year? They tried to prevent the bubble from bursting with dumbass low interest rates.

They let it happen b/c the elected officials sleep with big business.

Agreed. Or the same thing as giving into Unions at most major car manufactor plant.

[§treet_§peed]

I voted for McCain because I believe he would of done a better job than Obama. Far better actually. Obama is a puppet that gets a pat on the head when he does what he is told. I still find it funny that when they were having the debates on CNN between McCain and Obama, that Obama swore withing the first six months of office he would have all troops out of Iraq. Like some of you said, he is demanding to send more. Obama is a pretty face and a good actor that's about it honestly. I don't trust him because I believe he is a snake in the grass.

[MachNU]

I agree. My stance is CUT TAXES. That immediately gives businesses and people money to spend or invest. If we are going to have a damn deficit, well instead of bailout out these companies, GIVE US TAX BREAKS.

The tax code is way to complicated and we pay to much. If you are wealthy and don't have an accountant, you are screwed.

Hell they say if they gave people money, most wont spend it they will stash it. Even that is not a bad thing. Say the government cut taxes, yes they have to make it back themselves but the cut to the people would be far greater.

People put the money they had back into the banks, to pay off debt, loans or to save. Helps the banks out which in turn pay off there private debts. Which the people they pay it to, pay it back where they owe. THe money starts spreading...

Now say even 50% of the people who got tax cuts saved the other 50% will spend still bringing up the economy. Hell yes some will spend it on foriegn made objects, but it will still help the company branch in the US. Others buy domestic cars, meaning those lots need to replace them, meaning more work for the factories up north. No matter what the money will spread out and help anyone and everyone. Jobs would get opened, and debts would get paided.

[MachNU]

I voted for McCain because I believe he would of done a better job than Obama. Far better actually. Obama is a puppet that gets a pat on the head when he does what he is told. I still find it funny that when they were having the debates on CNN between McCain and Obama, that Obama swore withing the first six months of office he would have all troops out of Iraq. Like some of you said, he is demanding to send more. Obama is a pretty face and a good actor that's about it honestly. I don't trust him because I believe he is a snake in the grass.

He's not a puppet...he is just very good at moving his head left and right reading the teleprompter.

You know they say the only way to get Obama to look you in the eyes when he is talking is to put a teleprompter right behind you.

[1SICKLEX]

Hell they say if they gave people money, most wont spend it they will stash it. Even that is not a bad thing. Say the government cut taxes, yes they have to make it back themselves but the cut to the people would be far greater.

People put the money they had back into the banks, to pay off debt, loans or to save. Helps the banks out which in turn pay off there private debts. Which the people they pay it to, pay it back where they owe. THe money starts spreading...

Now say even 50% of the people who got tax cuts saved the other 50% will spend still bringing up the economy. Hell yes some will spend it on foriegn made objects, but it will still help the company branch in the US. Others buy domestic cars, meaning those lots need to replace them, meaning more work for the factories up north. No matter what the money will spread out and help anyone and everyone. Jobs would get opened, and debts would get paided.

Yup. Tax cuts would immediately increase disposable income and the wealthy would take advantage by expanding businesses for more potential profits. Then your unemployment rate drops as
1. People are spending more, thus the need for more manufactering, etc
2. Businesses are hiring, as people are buying

This bailout crap is a disaster and clearly NOT working. It clearly was only to finance and patch up the banking system. The American people were lied to when told it would "Trickle down".

We all better PRAY that oil stays no higher than $80 a barrel. If energy costs skyrocket like in the recent past, this recession will be a decade.

[tony]

Yup. Tax cuts would immediately increase disposable income and the wealthy would take advantage by expanding businesses for more potential profits. Then your unemployment rate drops as
1. People are spending more, thus the need for more manufactering, etc
2. Businesses are hiring, as people are buying

This bailout crap is a disaster and clearly NOT working. It clearly was only to finance and patch up the banking system. The American people were lied to when told it would "Trickle down".

We all better PRAY that oil stays no higher than $80 a barrel. If energy costs skyrocket like in the recent past, this recession will be a decade.

Wasnt this what the Stimulus Act in 08 was supposed to do? Minus tax cuts for businesses the initiative was putting money in the pockets of the citizens, yet here we sit discussing the same thing.

[§treet_§peed]

He's not a puppet...he is just very good at moving his head left and right reading the teleprompter.

You know they say the only way to get Obama to look you in the eyes when he is talking is to put a teleprompter right behind you.

I seriously LOL'd at this.

[S2KJD]

Come on give the man some credit....He's a born american...oh wait no he wasnt, well he did stop the war....oh wait nevermind he's asking to send more troops, well he cut spend....oh wait nevermind he's spent more in 8 months than most previous presidents did in 4 years, hell he is trying to get more bi-part....oh wait no he's not, he jumps when the dem. party say's jump, well he's trying to be more eco friend....oh wait he took Air Force one to all sorts of pointless places, spending tons of tax payers money and not really helping with polution, OH I KNOW I KNOW....he gives great speaches....oh wait nevermind he cant talk unless a teleprompter is in front of him, He did win the Nobel Peace prize.....oh wait all that was for "strengthen international diplomacy"

well fuck I got nothing....

haha you will be +repped tomorrow when i have more to give out

[MachNU]

Wasnt this what the Stimulus Act in 08 was supposed to do? Minus tax cuts for businesses the initiative was putting money in the pockets of the citizens, yet here we sit discussing the same thing.

I think I would take, say a 2% tax cut across the board over the course of a year, rather than a few hundred dollars at one time, at tax season.

Hell if you do the math, say that every paycheck you had, 25% was taken in taxes...again hypothetically speaking....and the tax cut was 2% bring you down to 23% of all your checks. Over the course of a year that is a HUGE pay back. hell over the course of 5 years...its alot...

[§treet_§peed]

Eh the way I look at it is either way we go right now with the idiots leading this group into the dark future is we are fucked. I'm not talking gorilla raping a Chihuahua fucked, but something worse. The idea in fight club sounds good right about now lol. I mean of course, without the whole psycho schizophrenia thing going on.

[Atlblkz06]

The government did NOTHING during the past decade. There was NO REGULATION. Its like they never passed Sarbanes Oxley. The numbers DID NOT ADD UP. Anyone who tried to warn dumbass Greenspan was told STFU.

Bush AND Obama should have let Capitalism take its course. Let those greedy, unethical banks and financial institutions fall. Those that were in better shape would take advantage and the people would win.

This too big to fail is utter bullcrap. They simply privatize gains and socialize losses to the American people.

These idiots tried to have bullshit computer models trick the system. YOU CANNOT TRICK THE ECONOMY. Did they really think the economy would rise every year? They tried to prevent the bubble from bursting with dumbass low interest rates.

They let it happen b/c the elected officials sleep with big business.

I'm a little confused about what you're saying but - do you think a ZERO Regulation policy will work? Umm yea do you remember ENRON? People will will lie, cheat, steal - anything to get that money!

The problem is - those greedy institutions may have died - but they GOT AWAY WITH OUR DAMN MONEY! People were too stupid to see that they cant afford a 400k house with a 50k salary - I mean WTF! These institutions will come and go and drain us if they're not stopped.

The only alternative to regulation is - public education?

SOX - stuff is a ROYAL pain in the ass. I gotta deal with that crap since I'm in technical business consulting. But it opens up the books for inspection - so Enron 2.0 can be avoided. I dont know how that can be a bad thing.

Another point - if the govt let everyone weak fail - our unemployment would be twice as much - it'd cause a cyclic effect and cause our economy (which is based on consumer spending) to unravel. At that point we'd have foreign investors swooping up everything - thats the end of the US as a superpower. Actually wait thats kinda happening already.

Unrestricted capitalism is like saying : Hey do you wanna kick me in the balls?

[1SICKLEX]

Wasnt this what the Stimulus Act in 08 was supposed to do? Minus tax cuts for businesses the initiative was putting money in the pockets of the citizens, yet here we sit discussing the same thing.

Bush, Pelosi and the rats in office were complete and utter morons to think a one time $600-$1200 or so tax break would stop the problem. It goes to show how utterly distanced they are from Americans.

If you remember, gas was $3.50 at the time and that money went STRAIGHT into peoples gas tanks. It did nothing. It was a pathetic ruse.

Mach and I are talking about PERMANENT tax cuts and not just cuts for individuals.

[Maniacc]

I don't care what Obama's been saying or done - all I know is that he's one well-spoken dude.

It's a nice change.

[Hundo®]

I just have to wonder when some of you make comments like this do you realize that it hasn't even been a year that the man has been in office? Bush gets such a pass for 8 years but suddenly 10 months without stellar results and there should be voter's regret. I think the tragedy here is the fact that most of us are probably high school graduates but there is a lack of understanding in the span of control of the executive office. Any influence the President has wont be seen until half way into their presidency at the least. Simple legislation takes FOREVER to pass, especially anything that changes the direction in which the country is headed socially.

don't misconstrue my statements. I'm simply putting out there that there are those who voted for this man and say they continue to stick by him because he's done everything he said he was going to do, which is the furthest from the truth.

[tony]

I think I would take, say a 2% tax cut across the board over the course of a year, rather than a few hundred dollars at one time, at tax season.

Hell if you do the math, say that every paycheck you had, 25% was taken in taxes...again hypothetically speaking....and the tax cut was 2% bring you down to 23% of all your checks. Over the course of a year that is a HUGE pay back. hell over the course of 5 years...its alot...

And what will it go toward? My understanding of the stimulus checks is that many of the funds went toward paying off debt, not jump starting the economy. Job creation is huge, tax cuts widens the deficit and those funds have to be paid back in one way or another. Trust me, I dont like sending off my tax payment but there has to be a level head about this, we've gone the tax cut route and our national debt has grown.

[tony]

don't misconstrue my statements. I'm simply putting out there that there are those who voted for this man and say they continue to stick by him because he's done everything he said he was going to do, which is the furthest from the truth.

For those who support him, just the fact that he has made the public option viable and now likely is amazing in itself. Nobody in history has been able to do it. If you disagree with his policies of course you dont see that as an accomplishment but you asked of those who support him.

[Maniacc]

Yee-haw, y'all! Pops done told y'all OBAMA-OSAMA sporters' - now its time for me to reckon' up and pump that ass!

Woo-doggy, incest-style, penile for miles!

Chowder-headed biscit's 'n gravy, navy-blue dungaroos!

Watch my chaw done' dribble down my chin and onto your backside, negros! As I piledrive your sphancter with my PBR can sized meat-mallet!

Woo-hawww!

Truker out!

Get your hick ass outta this thread Matt lol

[Atlblkz06]

Now for some comic relief:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5xVRXLgLxw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqLvBUSJucg

[1SICKLEX]

I'm a little confused about what you're saying but - do you think a ZERO Regulation policy will work? Umm yea do you remember ENRON? People will will lie, cheat, steal - anything to get that money!

The problem is - those greedy institutions may have died - but they GOT AWAY WITH OUR DAMN MONEY! People were too stupid to see that they cant afford a 400k house with a 50k salary - I mean WTF! These institutions will come and go and drain us if they're not stopped.

The only alternative to regulation is - public education?

SOX - stuff is a ROYAL pain in the ass. I gotta deal with that crap since I'm in technical business consulting. But it opens up the books for inspection - so Enron 2.0 can be avoided. I dont know how that can be a bad thing.

Another point - if the govt let everyone weak fail - our unemployment would be twice as much - it'd cause a cyclic effect and cause our economy (which is based on consumer spending) to unravel. At that point we'd have foreign investors swooping up everything - thats the end of the US as a superpower. Actually wait thats kinda happening already.

Unrestricted capitalism is like saying : Hey do you wanna kick me in the balls?

We are agreeing. I am saying the government by LAW was to be regulating and they did not. They didn't regulate a thing. The accountants clearly didn't notice ANYTHING "weird' going on for a decade. Even Newt Gingrich said that "Sarbanes Oxley has failed". If people truly were inspecting, then the financial crisis could have been avoided.

I agree that many people got in over their heads with homes. However they are not the main problem. Hell subprime loans were only 12% or so of the loans.

The problem was the financiers. They SUPPLIED all this money to people who didn't deserve it. Even people that had good credit bought another home not to live in but to "flip". Real estate became a joke. Everyone became a Realtor, everyone got a home.

Why? Well the biggest income for local governments is PROPERTY TAX. Did you think they were going to say "hey wait, this is fishy"??? HELL NO. They wanted more people buying home and then had the homes appraised far higher than actual worth for MORE TAX REVENUE.

All this time the financial institutions made up computer models (I can barely even understand the minimum of it) that had all this money invested in debt b/c the "computer" said it was safe.

It continued to repeat over and over.

[§treet_§peed]

Lol I'm reminded of something funny enough. America is the Titanic was. Supposedly, as it was deemed, the unsinkable ship. Isn't that how many millions love to think about America? That she is unstoppable, unsinkable, unbreakable? Well people, I do believe that we have hit our ice berg and we are slowly going down. Or if we haven't hit our ice berg we are about too. Then what happens? Well, we fall of course. Only, if we fall this hard, we will not be getting back up. Just sayin'....

[Hundo®]

Bush, Pelosi and the rats in office were complete and utter morons to think a one time $600-$1200 or so tax break would stop the problem. It goes to show how utterly distanced they are from Americans.

If you remember, gas was $3.50 at the time and that money went STRAIGHT into peoples gas tanks. It did nothing. It was a pathetic ruse.

Mach and I are talking about PERMANENT tax cuts and not just cuts for individuals.

count it. a $600-1200 tax "break" is nothing more than a slap in a face. it's a fucking hand out where one doesn't need to be. it's like a bum asking for change and you give him a penny. it did absolutely nothing for the economy and nothing to help the american people.

[§treet_§peed]

Get your hick ass outta this thread Matt lol

You actually sound like this old guy that was my neighbor years ago before he passed.

[Total_Blender]

I'm laughing at the republicans who are trying to give Bush the credit for the rise in GDP this quarter. I am sure when things do turn around it will have nothing to do with Obama and everything to do with Bush, right?

My choice for POTUS was Dennis Kucinich. After him, John Edwards. Then Hillary, then Biden, then Obama. But even though Obama was not my first choice, I still thought he was favorable over McCain, especially when he chose Sarah Palin as his running mate.

I took the serious consideration of Palin as VP to be a personal slap in the face to myself and all other academics/scholars/inetllectuals. The woman is seriously dumb, not on a folksy/populist level, but dumb as in "I can't read books" dumb.

So theres that, I was also voting againt bullshit trickle down economics and agressive foreign policy. The McCain/Palin ticket was all about escalating conflict with Russia. FUUUUUUUUCK THAT NOISE!!11!!!

As far as Obama goes, I'm indifferent to what he's done so far.

The Good:
I got some tax relief from the stimulus.

GITMO is at least not torturing people anymore. Maybe

The domestic auto industry is still hanging in there thanks to C4C and the bailouts.

Unemployment benefits were extended.

Pell Grants were raised.

I'm enjoying seeing all the self-righteous indignation from ignorant Republicans/Teabaggers/"libertarians"/Birchers/Birthers/Truthers/Deathers/gun nuts/conspiracy theorists

The Bad:

I'd really like to see more of a push for UK style single payer. Just put make medicare available to all and keep private insurance available to those who want supplemental coverage.

GITMO is still used to detain the prisoners. There are institutions in the US that could house the detainees, some in districts with unemployment pushing 20%. So the NIMBY factor is not as much of an issue as it has been before.

Speaking of GITMO, the torture there wasn't really investigated/prosecuted the way it should have been. I'd like to see Dick Cheney, Karl Rove, and those at the DOJ who were in co-operation with them dragged before a war crimes tribunal.

We're still in Iraq and Afghanistan, and now a surge is being discussed in AFGN. We need out of both places ASAFP.

The government still holds a lot of toxic assets left over from AIG etc.

The Ugly:

I'd hate to wake up next to Michelle Bachmann... ugh...



or Ann Coulter

[Hundo®]

For those who support him, just the fact that he has made the public option viable and now likely is amazing in itself. Nobody in history has been able to do it. If you disagree with his policies of course you dont see that as an accomplishment but you asked of those who support him.

hitler did.

im not saying that health care doesn't deserve a change, but the change he's giving it is a BAD ONE. Shoving health care down our throats is not what we need. Offering gov health care at a discounted price from regular health care would be intelligent.

(forgive me if my statement is not up to date, i haven't had the chance to keep up with all the changes it's gone through in the past 8 seconds)

[MachNU]

And what will it go toward? My understanding of the stimulus checks is that many of the funds went toward paying off debt, not jump starting the economy. Job creation is huge, tax cuts widens the deficit and those funds have to be paid back in one way or another. Trust me, I dont like sending off my tax payment but there has to be a level head about this, we've gone the tax cut route and our national debt has grown.

What are you talking about. The stimulus was a number between two numbers based on a number, for what you would get back. Like 1sicklex said that money went into peoples gas tanks.

Here is one thing you are missing. Say you owned $1500 in taxes that year. You paid the taxes you owed. 2 months later you get a check in the mail at the highest number of say $1200 back from the stimulus. So therefore you only had to pay $300 back in taxes....Here is my question. Was that money actually yours or the IRS'es?

What I am talking about is a tax % cut across the board. Give it back to me in all my pay checks from here on out. I will take it and use that % and put it into a 401k. In the course of 25 years if that number never changed...where talking a difference of dam near a million dollars in retirement funds.

[tony]

What are you talking about. The stimulus was a number between two numbers based on a number, for what you would get back. Like 1sicklex said that money went into peoples gas tanks.

Here is one thing you are missing. Say you owned $1500 in taxes that year. You paid the taxes you owed. 2 months later you get a check in the mail at the highest number of say $1200 back from the stimulus. So therefore you only had to pay $300 back in taxes....Here is my question. Was that money actually yours or the IRS'es?

What I am talking about is a tax % cut across the board. Give it back to me in all my pay checks from here on out. I will take it and use that % and put it into a 401k. In the course of 25 years if that number never changed...where talking a difference of dam near a million dollars in retirement funds.

Here is what I am saying, you pack that away into your 401k how does that help the present economy? Furthermore how is that revenue that the government has not collected to be replaced? Do you want to cut military spending? Homeland security? Maybe loosen restrictions from the FDA. Every action has a consequence, like I said Bush did the tax cuts and we ended up worse off than we were.

[tony]

So theres that, I was also voting againt bullshit trickle down economics and agressive foreign policy. The McCain/Palin ticket was all about escalating conflict with Russia. FUUUUUUUUCK THAT NOISE!!11!!!

That is a big one that I didnt even think about. The situation with Russia was starting to heat up big time and now there is a sense of calm with the subject. Sometimes its not about what someone has done, but the problems that they avoided. N. Korea is another one.

[§treet_§peed]

Only thing I can say about buying a home is GOD DAMN. I helped my mother buy a house because her credit is not so good as were mine is almost perfect. At the time we had save up 10k for a down payment on a 150k home. I was making good money for someone with just a high school diploma. 600-700 bucks a week depending on my over time. 600 a week being with none. But as luck would have it I got laid off after being there for slightly over a year. Saved most of the money I had made for a rainy day but that doesn't last long when you have bills constantly rolling in each week. So i got a job at a gas station to help some money of what I could keep coming in. After 7 months the whole staff except for the store manager of course was no longer needed. This gas station group does this about once a year and a half. Anyways, right now I can not find a job. It is not because I'm to proud to flip burgers if I have to, but more because there is literally nothing out here where I live. Unless of course, you have 5 or more plus years of experience and 4+ years of college. Like right now my mom is all that's working. she makes about 1200-1300 every two weeks. Barely enough to keep our heads above water. But we also suffer because we go hungry. We have nothing to eat here. Today we had to scrape up a couple of dollars for her to eat at work. But, just to say everything is not as bad as it seems is a joke. I know we don't have it near as bad as some people but still. Some people have it worse. Everything is not a perfect as the leaders of this country want everyone to think. Until people realize there has to be a solution to this problem nothing will be fixed or changed. Not a quick fix, not a panic move, none of that bullshit. Because as we are seeing now, that isn't working.

[MachNU]

As far as Obama goes, I'm indifferent to what he's done so far.

The Good:
I got some tax relief from the stimulus. *What stimulus are you talking about? The $800 billion dollar one... considered the "American Recovery" one? That one that went more into school systems, public transportation, etc? That one that people wont see for fill for another 2-3 years?

GITMO is at least not torturing people anymore. Maybe *You are out there on this one. Yay good lets give these terrorist reign in the US Judical System. Lets put them in a prison somewhere, that are already overly feeled. Use tax payers money to supply them a defense attorney, food and a cell. Yeah this was a great idea. *** Grant GITMO should have been investigated for the water boarding, but to shut it down was asinine.

The domestic auto industry is still hanging in there thanks to C4C and the bailouts. *All they did was give the money to the unions to pay someone $20 for a $10 an hour job. Wanted to help them, use the money to hire a few engineers who, make the plant more tech. advanced and use more machines to build machines. They never stop, complain, take lunch breaks, call in sick, etc.

Unemployment benefits were extended. *lol how was this good?

Pell Grants were raised. *Have you looked at the requirements to get a Pell Grant lately....its VERY hard to get one.

Are you out of your fucking mind? *bold are my remarks to those.

[MachNU]

Here is what I am saying, you pack that away into your 401k how does that help the present economy? Furthermore how is that revenue that the government has not collected to be replaced? Do you want to cut military spending? Homeland security? Maybe loosen restrictions from the FDA. Every action has a consequence, like I said Bush did the tax cuts and we ended up worse off than we were.

Not really. You know how the banking system works right? If I put my money into a 401k for Suntrust, and dont touch it for 5 years. Suntrust has control over that money for the next 5 years. Meaning they will use it to pay there employee's, pay off any debts they owe, open up new branches, meaning more jobs. Like I put eariler if 50% saved and 50% spent, then the money is better off than a $600-1200 check at one time, one time only.

[MachNU]

Only thing I can say about buying a home is GOD DAMN. I helped my mother buy a house because her credit is not so good as were mine is almost perfect. At the time we had save up 10k for a down payment on a 150k home. I was making good money for someone with just a high school diploma. 600-700 bucks a week depending on my over time. 600 a week being with none. But as luck would have it I got laid off after being there for slightly over a year. Saved most of the money I had made for a rainy day but that doesn't last long when you have bills constantly rolling in each week. So i got a job at a gas station to help some money of what I could keep coming in. After 7 months the whole staff except for the store manager of course was no longer needed. This gas station group does this about once a year and a half. Anyways, right now I can not find a job. It is not because I'm to proud to flip burgers if I have to, but more because there is literally nothing out here where I live. Unless of course, you have 5 or more plus years of experience and 4+ years of college. Like right now my mom is all that's working. she makes about 1200-1300 every two weeks. Barely enough to keep our heads above water. But we also suffer because we go hungry. We have nothing to eat here. Today we had to scrape up a couple of dollars for her to eat at work. But, just to say everything is not as bad as it seems is a joke. I know we don't have it near as bad as some people but still. Some people have it worse. Everything is not a perfect as the leaders of this country want everyone to think. Until people realize there has to be a solution to this problem nothing will be fixed or changed. Not a quick fix, not a panic move, none of that bullshit. Because as we are seeing now, that isn't working.

Great post! I dont mean it, on your standing right now...I am right there with you. I went from 50 hours a week at $13 down to 32 hours a week, then to no job. Trying to even find a part time job right now is hard. Fuck I would love 25-30 hours a week at $9-10 an hour.

[zspeed24]

And what will it go toward? My understanding of the stimulus checks is that many of the funds went toward paying off debt, not jump starting the economy. Job creation is huge, tax cuts widens the deficit and those funds have to be paid back in one way or another. Trust me, I dont like sending off my tax payment but there has to be a level head about this, we've gone the tax cut route and our national debt has grown.

Tax Cuts vs. Government Revenue

By Mr. Michael D. LaFaive | Nov. 1, 1997
Why does debate over the effects of income tax cuts on revenues and the budget deficit never end? Do we not have ample empirical data that demonstrates that lowered taxes produce "more" revenue, not less, by stimulating economic activity?
The answer to these questions first requires a little background information.
In each of the last three cuts in marginal tax rates, revenues received by the U.S. Treasury have increased. Coolidge cut tax rates in the 1920s, Kennedy cut marginal tax rates in the 1960s, and Reagan cut them in the 1980s.
Under Coolidge, marginal tax rates were cut from the top rate of 73% to 24%. The economy rewarded this policy by expanding 59% from 1921 to 1929. Revenues received by the federal treasury increased from $719 million in 1921 to more than $1.1 billion 1929. That's a 61% increase (there was zero inflation in this period). Growth averaged more than six percent annually. We are currently growing at 2.5%.
Under Kennedy, marginal tax rates were cut from a top rate of 91% to 70%. In real dollar terms, the economy grew by 42%, an average of 5 percent a year from 1961 to 1965. Tax revenue to the U.S. Treasury increased by 62%. Adjusted for inflation, they rose by one-third.
Under Reagan, marginal tax rates were cut from a top of 70% to 28%. Revenues (from all taxes) to the U.S. Treasury nearly doubled. According to the Budget of the U.S. Government, FY 1997, Office of Management and Budget. Revenues increased from roughly $500 billion in 1980 to $1.1 trillion in 1990.
In each case, the personal income taxes paid by "the rich" increased when their tax rates were cut. The top 10 percent of earners in the Reagan years paid 48% of the income tax burden between 1981 and 1988.
Regarding your remarks about tax hikes, there is a correlation between the Bush and Clinton tax hikes and a change in the revenue received by the Treasury. Martin Feldstien, professor of economics at Harvard, estimates that the U.S. Treasury would have collected two-thirds more revenue during the first three years of the Clinton presidency had his administration NOT raised taxes. It should be stressed, however, that the economy of the 1990s has grown moderately, in spite of tax increases, not because of them.
The reason that much of this data is ignored in debates is politics, pure politics. It pays to engage in class warfare if you are a politician because it divides voters against each other. When the perception is that only the "rich" will profit from a tax cut, such policies become difficult to sell because those labeled as "rich" tend to be in the minority.
In addition, politicians have a stake in keeping the tax code complex because it allows them to extract campaign donations and favors from people and corporations who derive huge benefits from special tax laws and exemptions in return.





This has been proven over and over again in our economy.