Dem Response To Are You Better Off Than Four Years Ago: Blame Bush

[CrusaderFrank]

Dems are a Party with no new ideas, old, tired, and the best they can hope for is that we become like Greece or Spain

Right wingers want to bring us back about 200 years. I guess you could consider that a "new" idea.

Rightwingers want a Constitutionally limited federal government because the States are sovereign, powerful and independent entities

There, fixed

 

[GreatDay]

It's sad to watch. I guess it makes some sense if you don't understand how the economy works (and clearly they don't).

“The most recent projections from OMB and CBO indicate that, if current policies remain in place, the total unified surplus will reach about $800 billion in fiscal year 2010, including an on-budget surplus of almost $500 billion. Moreover, the admittedly quite uncertain long-term budget exercises released by the CBO last October maintain an implicit on-budget surplus under baseline assumptions well past 2030 despite the budgetary pressures from the aging of the baby-boom generation, especially on the major health programs.

These most recent projections, granted their tentativeness, nonetheless make clear that the highly desirable goal of paying off the federal debt is in reach and, indeed, would occur well before the end of the decade under baseline assumptions. This is in marked contrast to the perception of a year ago, when the elimination of the debt did not appear likely until the next decade. But continuing to run surpluses beyond the point at which we reach zero or near-zero federal debt brings to center stage the critical longer-term fiscal policy issue of whether the federal government should accumulate large quantities of private (more technically, nonfederal) assets.

At zero debt, the continuing unified budget surpluses now projected under current law imply a major accumulation of private assets by the federal government. Such an accumulation would make the federal government a significant factor in our nation's capital markets and would risk significant distortion in the allocation of capital to its most productive uses. Such a distortion could be quite costly, as it is our extraordinarily effective allocation process that has enabled such impressive increases in productivity and standards of living despite a relatively low domestic saving rate.”


“Returning to the broader fiscal picture, I continue to believe, as I have testified previously, that all else being equal, a declining level of federal debt is desirable because it holds down long-term real interest rates, thereby lowering the cost of capital and elevating private investment. The rapid capital deepening that has occurred in the U.S. economy in recent years is a testament to these benefits. But the sequence of upward revisions to the budget surplus projections for several years now has reshaped the choices and opportunities before us.
Indeed, in almost any credible baseline scenario, short of a major and prolonged economic contraction, the full benefits of debt reduction are now achieved well before the end of this decade--a prospect that did not seem reasonable only a year or even six months ago. Thus, the emerging key fiscal policy need is now to address the implications of maintaining surpluses beyond the point at which publicly held debt is effectively eliminated.”


Testimony of Chairman Alan Greenspan
Current fiscal issues
Before the Committee on the Budget, U.S. House of Representatives
March 2, 2001




Apparently neither does Alan Greenspan, what a jerk!

 

[GreatDay]

It's sad to watch. I guess it makes some sense if you don't understand how the economy works (and clearly they don't).

So you think it would be better to forget what the last Republican did and elect another one?

One that has not said one word against anything the last did?

Have you heard about people doom to repeat mistakes?

sorry it's just that your post left me with a lot of questions.

 

[Bfgrn]

It's sad to watch. I guess it makes some sense if you don't understand how the economy works (and clearly they don't).

Sure seems the 'Pubs' blame Bush too...

Did you catch Bush's speech at this years GOP convention?

 

[zeke]

Actually my response is "yes"

Anyone who isn't better off than they were 4 years ago must just not have been applying themselves very much. They should stop blaming others and take some personal responsibility for their failures.

Interesting. My wife and I were talking about this subject yesterday.

And yes, we are better off.

Our investments (IRA'a, 401k, stocks) have bounced back nicely from the disaster that was the end of the Bush presidency. My real estate values are coming back pretty well. My tenants are able to work and pay rent. Mostly on time. Through conservation, my energy costs have stayed pretty flat. Food costs are up but the garden did ok. And my garden had nothing to do with Bush or Obama. Everything to do with the drought.

My wife works for a French company that is busy investing in America. She had a couple of nice pay raises and plenty of work.

My customers are more willing to spend money on home improvement projects so I have more work.

A good friend of my daughter is back from Afghanistan with minimal injuries. And he won't be going back. Good thing there.

The News Hour doesn't have dead troops from Iraq to honor every evening. That is a real good thing.

My daughter is covered by medical insurance. Her student loan rates haven't gone up.

ON Craigs List (in my area) there a lots of jobs available. Not so 4 years ago.

Yea, things are better now than 4 years ago. And things could have been even better if only the rethugs had co operated.

But if Obama is re-elected, you will not hire any new workers, right?

Well I tend to use 1099 workers on a spot labor basis. Does that count as new hires?
And I usually pay at least 15 dollars an hour. Unless its my son. Then it is min. wage.

My wife says her company is hiring welders. Know any?

Yea things are better but how did you know about my hiring practices?

 

[zeke]

It's sad to watch. I guess it makes some sense if you don't understand how the economy works (and clearly they don't).

Sure seems the 'Pubs' blame Bush too...

Did you catch Bush's speech at this years GOP convention?

That's funny.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

Chair/Biden 2012: Change, this time for the better

 

[Katzndogz]

It's sad to watch. I guess it makes some sense if you don't understand how the economy works (and clearly they don't).

Actually my response is "yes"

Anyone who isn't better off than they were 4 years ago must just not have been applying themselves very much. They should stop blaming others and take some personal responsibility for their failures.

Interesting. My wife and I were talking about this subject yesterday.

And yes, we are better off.

Our investments (IRA'a, 401k, stocks) have bounced back nicely from the disaster that was the end of the Bush presidency. My real estate values are coming back pretty well. My tenants are able to work and pay rent. Mostly on time. Through conservation, my energy costs have stayed pretty flat. Food costs are up but the garden did ok. And my garden had nothing to do with Bush or Obama. Everything to do with the drought.

My wife works for a French company that is busy investing in America. She had a couple of nice pay raises and plenty of work.

My customers are more willing to spend money on home improvement projects so I have more work.

A good friend of my daughter is back from Afghanistan with minimal injuries. And he won't be going back. Good thing there.

The News Hour doesn't have dead troops from Iraq to honor every evening. That is a real good thing.

My daughter is covered by medical insurance. Her student loan rates haven't gone up.

ON Craigs List (in my area) there a lots of jobs available. Not so 4 years ago.

Yea, things are better now than 4 years ago. And things could have been even better if only the rethugs had co operated.

I work for a British company. They aren't investing in this country. That investing is going to China and Germany.

The News Hour now lists the names of those killed by the men in Afghanistan that they were training and were shot by those trainees as soon as they got a gun in their hands. IED attacks in Iraq haven't changed. We aren't out of there either. We just have reduced troop strength beyond the ability for self protection.

If your daughter is in college, her insurance rates would never have gone up anyway. Those rate increases were for future college entries. Keeping the rates the same had the support of republicans.

The new jobs created were largely for low or unskilled workers.

Now if you make a claim that your tenants are working, home owners can afford to buy from your business, that's pretty much inarguable because this is your personal experience. Energy prices have skyrocketed for everyone else. Gasoline prices have doubled for everyone else. Grocery prices are stratospheric for everyone else. The personal experiences of others has given obama an approval rating of only 40%.

 

[rightwinger]

It's Bush's fault. It has noting to do with those two ass clowns A 43 percent jump in the national debt is not on Obama!

Can you point to the Obama programs that added to that debt?

 

[rightwinger]

Is the UAW better off now than it was 4 years ago?

Absolutely

Four years ago the US auto industry was on the verge of collapse

 

[zeke]

Actually my response is "yes"

Anyone who isn't better off than they were 4 years ago must just not have been applying themselves very much. They should stop blaming others and take some personal responsibility for their failures.

Interesting. My wife and I were talking about this subject yesterday.

And yes, we are better off.

Our investments (IRA'a, 401k, stocks) have bounced back nicely from the disaster that was the end of the Bush presidency. My real estate values are coming back pretty well. My tenants are able to work and pay rent. Mostly on time. Through conservation, my energy costs have stayed pretty flat. Food costs are up but the garden did ok. And my garden had nothing to do with Bush or Obama. Everything to do with the drought.

My wife works for a French company that is busy investing in America. She had a couple of nice pay raises and plenty of work.

My customers are more willing to spend money on home improvement projects so I have more work.

A good friend of my daughter is back from Afghanistan with minimal injuries. And he won't be going back. Good thing there.

The News Hour doesn't have dead troops from Iraq to honor every evening. That is a real good thing.

My daughter is covered by medical insurance. Her student loan rates haven't gone up.

ON Craigs List (in my area) there a lots of jobs available. Not so 4 years ago.

Yea, things are better now than 4 years ago. And things could have been even better if only the rethugs had co operated.

I work for a British company. They aren't investing in this country. That investing is going to China and Germany.

And that has what to do with.........what?

The News Hour now lists the names of those killed by the men in Afghanistan that they were training and were shot by those trainees as soon as they got a gun in their hands. IED attacks in Iraq haven't changed. We aren't out of there either. We just have reduced troop strength beyond the ability for self protection.

Our troops are not being killed in Iraq at this time. Should have worried about creating a civil war in Iraq before we invaded. Get the troops out of Afghanistan. Way past due for that.

If your daughter is in college, her insurance rates would never have gone up anyway. Tho\se rate increases were for future college entries. Keeping the rates the same had the support of republicans.

At my daughters age, we would have had to drop her from our insurance. Thanks to Obama, we can cover her without spending as much money.

The new jobs created were largely for low or unskilled workers.

Employers in my area are looking for machinists, tool and die makers, welders, pipe fitters etc, None of those jobs are minimum wage jobs.

Now if you make a claim that your tenants are working, home owners can afford to buy from your business, that's pretty much inarguable because this is your personal experience. Energy prices have skyrocketed for everyone else. Gasoline prices have doubled for everyone else. Grocery prices are stratospheric for everyone else. The personal experiences of others has given obama an approval rating of only 40%.

A lot of those energy cost increases can be mitagated by better decision making. Not my fault or Obama's fault if you have to cool your home to 70 degrees. Or heat it to 80 degrees. Or waste gas. Or not grow a garden. Becoming a little more savvy about energy use and food costs just plain makes sense.

But I don't see how it is Obama's job to make people more cost conscious. Talk to the CEO of Exxon about the increases in energy costs.

I thought Repubs were all about being responsible for your own self.

 

[Dr Grump]

Fact: He didn't give tax cuts
Fact: He didn't start a war.

We're not in the mess we're in b/c of tax cuts or any war and if you think so then you're staggeringly stupid. Hell, our economy took off during WWII.

Oh, no, they didn't start the mess. Your acolytes on Wall St did....with the help of Ronnie Raygun. That aside, my two points have certainly compounded your current economic state..

 

[Dr Grump]

Thus my wish for a McCain win. I knew the right (especially the rabid right) would blame Obama for this mess.

Everybody who believes this, go ahead and bend over. What? Nobody? Aright then.

You couldn't wait to get your 'black president.'

1) He isn't my president
2) I've already said Romney would be ok

you were saying??

 

[Dr Grump]

There is no way things are better now than 4 years ago.

Well, we know this guy and his supporters would agree with you!

California Girl: "Only idiots use cartoons to debate."[/SIZE]

As if she's the yardstick by which to measure a debate...lol

 

[Lakhota]

Romney says we're better off.

 

[Politico]

This is hilarious. There will always be someone who comes out and says I am so there it is better. There were in 1980 too. And the comparison with Reagan is semantics. First off he didn't ask the same question. He asked the American people directly if THEY were better off. Why because when it's all said and done people don't give a rats ass about pundits, beltway bullshit or idiots following conventions like rabid dogs. They vote based on the condition of their life and their wallets. And if those things are not in good shape no speech or fancy spreadsheet is going to change their mind.

Anybody with half a brain would know there is no way this mess would get fixed in four years.

How much brain do you need for three?

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRAMdUNo2Cg]Obama One Term Proposition: "I Will Be Held Accountable" - YouTube[/ame]

 

[HUGGY]

Dem Response To Are You Better Off Than Four Years Ago: Blame Bush

Why not? Bush blames Bush. Admits total failure.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IP7GYSr2dQQ]president bush statement on plan to save wall street - YouTube[/ame]