Is Wall Street America's One Common Enemy That Unites the Left and Right?

[occupied]

Not sure we can have a common enemy anymore since the right seemingly takes up a contrary position in an entirely arbitrary fashion on everything, they regularly vote against their own ideas simply because a democrat thinks it might be a good idea too. It's as silly and pointless as the Monty Python argument sketch.

 

[Toro]

Well, given the fact that both left and right thought the bailouts were a terrible idea, but they got them anyway, and not a one of them has gone to prison for it, wouldn't you say they are the common enemy?

We've all suffered badly in this recession. We are all having a harder time of it. But these clowns are still living large, still doing the exact same kind of stuff...

When does someone get held accountable?

I don't blame people for being angry. The system should be reformed. But opposition to reform comes primarily from the Republican party, and the Democrat party proposes reforms that are often misguided.

I agree that the Democrat's reforms are misguided, but the real problem isn't the laws, it's the enforcement.

I compare them to prostitution laws. It's strictly illegal, but unless someone finds a dead crackwhore on their lawn, nobody does much about it. And even then they only do the bare minimum.

The Crash of 2008 should have been a signal that we were going to crack down and crack down hard. Didn't happen, though. Madoff went to jail, but that was about it.

No, the real problem isn't the enforcement. The Financial Crisis didn't happen because laws weren't enforced. Sorry.

 

[Toro]

I was referring to the second choice.

Have you had these integrity problems all along?

Well, again, you say you think the system needs reform, and then you cheer for ROmney, one of the biggest crooks.

It's like saying you are against Organized crime and having a shrine to Al Capone.

The second choice is a bias for your position. It dissuades people from voting for me. Like the poster above, leftists are less likely to vote for my position because they don't want to be labeled as "whiny."

But some posters sure sound like whiny liberals <cough> <cough> you <cough>.

Guy, sorry, don't consider it to be a conservative opinion that the purpose of government is to help big corporations screw over the rest of us.

The only "socialists" I see are the ones on Wall Street who INSISTED that we had to bail them out because their firms were "too big to fail", and then insisted on continuing to live large on our dime. "Ah, thanks for the bailout, I'm moving your job to China!"

It reminds me of the old joke about the Soviet Premier who takes his mother and shows her all his big offices and mansions, and she is sullen. He asks, "What is it mother?"

"What are you going to do if the Communists get back into power?"

What are you going to do if the Conservatives get back into power, Toro?

That's a very strange question.

I'm going to make money, just like I usually do.

 

[Trajan]

I don't blame people for being angry. The system should be reformed. But opposition to reform comes primarily from the Republican party, and the Democrat party proposes reforms that are often misguided.

I agree that the Democrat's reforms are misguided, but the real problem isn't the laws, it's the enforcement.

I compare them to prostitution laws. It's strictly illegal, but unless someone finds a dead crackwhore on their lawn, nobody does much about it. And even then they only do the bare minimum.

The Crash of 2008 should have been a signal that we were going to crack down and crack down hard. Didn't happen, though. Madoff went to jail, but that was about it.

No, the real problem isn't the enforcement. The Financial Crisis didn't happen because laws weren't enforced. Sorry.

no they didn't toro I agree, they, the Big They, government, over time abrogated/threw out here to fore time tested sensible laws and risk mechanisms.

in my book, thats worse than breaking them, becasue they with forethought, lead us down this path, they are greedy and stupid. and, many of them walked away or are still in office, or were ala Franklin Raines, allowed to plead and still keep tens of millions in dollars they made off of us, becasue they were politically connected/protected.

 

[kyzr]

I agree that the Democrat's reforms are misguided, but the real problem isn't the laws, it's the enforcement.

I compare them to prostitution laws. It's strictly illegal, but unless someone finds a dead crackwhore on their lawn, nobody does much about it. And even then they only do the bare minimum.

The Crash of 2008 should have been a signal that we were going to crack down and crack down hard. Didn't happen, though. Madoff went to jail, but that was about it.

No, the real problem isn't the enforcement. The Financial Crisis didn't happen because laws weren't enforced. Sorry.

no they didn't toro I agree, they, the Big They, government, over time abrogated/threw out here to fore time tested sensible laws and risk mechanisms.

in my book, thats worse than breaking them, because they with forethought, lead us down this path, they are greedy and stupid. and, many of them walked away or are still in office, or were ala Franklin Raines, allowed to plead and still keep tens of millions in dollars they made off of us, because they were politically connected/protected.

IMHO the Wall Street Casino needs to change into the wall Street Investors Club.
1. prohibit short-sales
2. prohibit derivatives
3. prohibit "flash trades" (computer trading)
4. tax every transaction (we want long term investments)
5. go after off-shore tax cheats
6. bring back Glass-Stegall

 

[JoeB131]

That's a very strange question.

I'm going to make money, just like I usually do.

People who brag about their money-making skills on the internet are like people who brag about their penis size on the internet....

They are more sad than funny.

 

[JoeB131]

No, the real problem isn't the enforcement. The Financial Crisis didn't happen because laws weren't enforced. Sorry.

There were a whole shitload of laws that were passed after Enron. Laws weren't the problem.

The problem was the folks at the SEC were looking at internet porn instead of watching what these guys were doing..

SEC Pornography Problem: Employees Spent Hours Surfing Porn Sites - ABC News

The Securities and Exchange Commission is the sheriff of the financial industry, looking for crimes such as Bernard Madoff's Ponzi scheme, but a new government report obtained by ABC News has concluded that some senior employees spent hours on the agency's computers looking at sites such as naughty.com, skankwire and youporn as the financial crisis was unfolding.

Ooops....

 

[freedombecki]

Clearly. Because I recognize how dangerous Marxism is to a free society so, I'd give any one who believes Wall Street is the enemy a one way ticket to the Progressive Mecca of their choice

No one believes in Maxism anymore.

Except you.

Not so.

According to a Rasmussen poll, 11% of Americans support a "Communistic" America.

This is 2% more than those who approve of Congress.

Oh, Mr. Toro, that's scarey.

For which party do the 11% of Americans who support a communistic America vote?

 

[Toro]

That's a very strange question.

I'm going to make money, just like I usually do.

People who brag about their money-making skills on the internet are like people who brag about their penis size on the internet....

They are more sad than funny.

I'm down 9% this year, my worst year ever.

I hope that makes you feel better.

 

[Wiseacre]

The Left and the Right both seem to court Wall Street for campaign donations, which doesn't square with being America's one common enemy.

"We have met the enemy and he is us." - Pogo, a real long time ago

 

[Old Rocks]

Someone who claims to be a Republican wrote this today.

Liberals and conservatives alike hate you people. You are the one common enemy.

It ain't a left-right thing.

The "you people" he is referring to are professional investors, i.e. Wall Street. (Or perhaps he was referring to Canadians. If so, I'll alert Ottawa.)

Now, this surprised me a bit. I always thought Republicans were very friendly towards professional investors by lowering capital gains, opposing Dodd-Frank and other regulations, opposing tax increases on carried interest for hedge fund managers, etc. And Democrats, though not particularly buddy-buddy with Wall Street, haven't exactly been storming the barriers to lynch the titans of high finance either.

Is he right? Help me clarify this pressing issue!

Just the take of a blue collar liberal.

Wall Street, per se, is not the enemy. The Street performs a neccessary function, or it would not be there. Just as Unions perform a neccessary function, or we would not have them. However, the unfettered and unregulated expression of greed, and the resultant near destruction of the economy calls into question the ethics and morality of most on the Street today.

I do not hate Wall Street, or those that work there. But the use of the power the power these people have to deprive the working and middle class of the wealth they have earned merits some severe rules. And the rewarding of massive failure with extreme wealth when so many are now out of work, out of homes, and with no health care insurance leaves an extremely foul taste in the mouths of most of the citizens of this nation.

In other words, Toro, the people in your industry need to get the broom out, the bat out, and do some trash removal and head knocking.

 

[FactFinder]

Is Wall Street America's One Common Enemy That Unites the Left and Right?

YEP!

 

[Ropey]

The second choice is a bias for your position. It dissuades people from voting for me. Like the poster above, leftists are less likely to vote for my position because they don't want to be labeled as "whiny."

But some posters sure sound like whiny liberals <cough> <cough> you <cough>.

Guy, sorry, don't consider it to be a conservative opinion that the purpose of government is to help big corporations screw over the rest of us.

The only "socialists" I see are the ones on Wall Street who INSISTED that we had to bail them out because their firms were "too big to fail", and then insisted on continuing to live large on our dime. "Ah, thanks for the bailout, I'm moving your job to China!"

It reminds me of the old joke about the Soviet Premier who takes his mother and shows her all his big offices and mansions, and she is sullen. He asks, "What is it mother?"

"What are you going to do if the Communists get back into power?"

What are you going to do if the Conservatives get back into power, Toro?

That's a very strange question.

I'm going to make money, just like I usually do.

I think you will make more money.

 

[Toro]

Just the take of a blue collar liberal.

Wall Street, per se, is not the enemy. The Street performs a neccessary function, or it would not be there. Just as Unions perform a neccessary function, or we would not have them. However, the unfettered and unregulated expression of greed, and the resultant near destruction of the economy calls into question the ethics and morality of most on the Street today.

I do not hate Wall Street, or those that work there. But the use of the power the power these people have to deprive the working and middle class of the wealth they have earned merits some severe rules. And the rewarding of massive failure with extreme wealth when so many are now out of work, out of homes, and with no health care insurance leaves an extremely foul taste in the mouths of most of the citizens of this nation.

In other words, Toro, the people in your industry need to get the broom out, the bat out, and do some trash removal and head knocking.

I agree.

After the Financial Crisis, I don't think anyone from Wall Street should be allowed within the Beltway.

 

[JoeB131]

That's a very strange question.

I'm going to make money, just like I usually do.

People who brag about their money-making skills on the internet are like people who brag about their penis size on the internet....

They are more sad than funny.

I'm down 9% this year, my worst year ever.

I hope that makes you feel better.

I'd feel better if we frog marched the lot of you guys in front of a kangaroo court with a jury of 12 guys who lost their jobs and houses.

 

[jillian]

Someone who claims to be a Republican wrote this today.

Liberals and conservatives alike hate you people. You are the one common enemy.

It ain't a left-right thing.

The "you people" he is referring to are professional investors, i.e. Wall Street. (Or perhaps he was referring to Canadians. If so, I'll alert Ottawa.)

Now, this surprised me a bit. I always thought Republicans were very friendly towards professional investors by lowering capital gains, opposing Dodd-Frank and other regulations, opposing tax increases on carried interest for hedge fund managers, etc. And Democrats, though not particularly buddy-buddy with Wall Street, haven't exactly been storming the barriers to lynch the titans of high finance either.

Is he right? Help me clarify this pressing issue!

i'd wager the extremes of both "sides" share a certain hatred of wall street and government. on those edges you have your "i'll pursue my second amendment remedy" types on one side and anarchists on the other..

but generally i think you're right. people don't hate wall street. they just don't want the game rigged.

 

[editec]

Is Wall Street America's One Common Enemy That Unites the Left and Right?

Well certainly not all of WALL STREET is the enemy.

In fact most players on WS were the VICTIMS of this latest meltdown, not the perps of it.

This "Kill em all and let God sort em out" kind of childish thinking annoys the shit out of me regardless of what TEAM is advancing it.

DETAILS matter, folks.

 

[Toro]

People who brag about their money-making skills on the internet are like people who brag about their penis size on the internet....

They are more sad than funny.

I'm down 9% this year, my worst year ever.

I hope that makes you feel better.

I'd feel better if we frog marched the lot of you guys in front of a kangaroo court with a jury of 12 guys who lost their jobs and houses.

Haters' gonna hate.

 

[jillian]

I'm down 9% this year, my worst year ever.

I hope that makes you feel better.

I'd feel better if we frog marched the lot of you guys in front of a kangaroo court with a jury of 12 guys who lost their jobs and houses.

Haters' gonna hate.

and i believe that answers your question about the right.

 

[Mr.Nick]

Well, I feel that Wall Street is only part of the problem, our politicians (both sides) are the rest of the problem. Wall Street asks and congress gives. Both politicians and bussiness investors are well off so the problems they debate about the common person they know nothing about. Their "broke" and my "broke" are two wildly different things. Do I blame them for our problems? Yes. Why? because the poor can't fix our problems they have no money nor do they have any power. Money and Power remain in the hands of the rich politicians and business people, and they have done nothing but fight over how they will divide the pie amongst themselves.

OK, maybe. But do you think hatred of Wall Street unites the left and the right?

I don't hate Wall Street, I do despise the federal government and their dictation and manipulation of our economy...

Those on the left are a bunch of socialists that want the government to redistribute wealth and they want that wealth seized and redistributed from the "top 1%." I don't see how anyone on the right would support such an idea. To add insult to injury these monkeys are using the First Amendment as their citation to camp in parks and occupy private property... What about the Fifth Amendment???? Obviously they don't give a **** about that given the notion they're all about stealing and wealth redistribution...

It's difficult to have any empathy for a bunch of babbling immoral junkie morons who clearly don't know what the **** they're talking about and have no clear message or goal other than to create as much chaos as possible until they somehow manage to get wealth redistributed ...

You see, I want to see an end to government interference in our economy - those ******* ape junkies want to see more government interference in our economy...

I would maybe have a little respect for those idiots if they were actually taxpayers, however its obvious none of them have jobs (other than being paid to be there by socialist 1%er socialists). What job allows an employee to take 2 months off so they can camp out and protest???

So these ***** aren't taxpayers, they're government dependents that are pissed off the government is running out of funds to support them. The majority of them are welfare *****, hippies and career students..