Quote: Originally Posted by
Newby 
Quote: Originally Posted by
Iriemon
Quote: Originally Posted by
MaggieMae
You beat me to the punch, again.
True Socialism would have meant total government control over and operation of Chrysler and putting employees on the government payroll. Same with the bank bailouts (which is a misnomer because the TARP funds are loans, not cash thrown into their coffers with no accountability). If Socialism was the intent, the government would have taken over all the financial institutions. End of story. Obama is a Socialist would have been true.
Isn't it ironic, though, that the bailout of the S&L's by the Reagan administration isn't ever mentioned as being a "socialistic" maneuver? On a much smaller scale, it was the same kind of situation.
I don't believe Obama ran for office with the plan of the Govt buying banks and auto manufactures or lending Wall Street billions. The economic fiasco was thrust upon him and he is doing the best he can to avoid a catastrophe. While folks can legitimately debate what the best course of action would be, the proposition that fiscal stimulus and intervention to unfreeze the credit markets can certainly be logically defended.
Good point about the S&Ls.
No, he didn't plan it, but as we all know a good crisis is a horrible thing to waste. Too bad the flu pandemics didn't pan out as they would have liked.
Oh puleeze...I'm really trying to be nice for a change, but you people make it really really difficult when I see that shit.
The quick and highly publicized response to the swine flu was INTENDED to bring awareness to people. A few years ago when there were several cases of bird flu, nobody took it seriously, and had that developed into a full-fledged epidemic, we would have been in deep trouble, with hospitals unprepared and not enough proactive preparation for vaccine supplies. There would have been widespread panic.
It's high time the United States started being PROactive regarding potential catastrophic events instead of REactive once they've hit. And you can apply that to terrorist attacks, hurricanes, and fast-spreading flu viruses.