As one of the privileged few that benefited from the Bush Tax cuts I admit it was a very prosperous time for others and myself in that financial position. The truth is from the very beginning it was understood that those level of tax cuts were not sustainable especially in a time of war. That’s why I am sure that neither of these candidates will be able to implement their tax policies once one is in office. Taxes will have to go up. These things move in cycles. Reagan had to raise taxes, George Bush Sr. had to raise taxes and even Clinton had to forgo his promised tax cut. I remember under John Kennedy the top tax bracket was about 70% going back to 39% or so from 36% will not end democracy as we know it. Clearly any reasonable person understands that Obama is not a Marxist and republican insinuations that he is one undermine the credibility of their arguments. His economic team of Warren Buffet, Larry Summers and Rick Rubin are all highly respected moderates. I actually have associates that have worked closely with Rick Rubin at Goldman Sachs. You can have the argument of which economic plan would be the most effective, which is a very detailed argument that simple cliché ideological statements have no place in. We need to raise the level of discourse on both sides past such disingenuous assertions. Republicans have to be careful not label any person who does not agree with their policies as “un-American” and Democrats have to be careful to be respectful of the cultural values of small town America.
Just about the time CNA figures out what they want to do, They change their minds. Knee jerk reactions to everything. They plan for the next quarter, instead of any long range planing.
By the way, Does anyone know Obamas stance on affirmative action? We know he wants to redistribute wealth, what about our jobs?
Enough with this silly-Bush-Rove talking point from the Bush family slime generators who run McCain’s tattered little campaign.
Republican tax policy has redistributed wealth upward for two decades using TAX POLICY. What a bunch of wealth redistributing MARXISTS they have been. As Spock would say, they decided the needs of the few (themselves) outweighed the needs of the many (us little people who they won’t even let in their front doors). To each according to his needs, as Marx said, and the Republicans have said their needs are this great. Time for some reverse flow instead of the trickle down which has finally matured as the current 401k robbing apocalypse.
Grow up. Get real. Just say you’re Republican, you like being in power and you like grabbing all the wealth and power you can by fooling people with phony issues like gay marriage, flag burning, pledge of allegiance and drilling for immediate lower gas prices, Joe (Sam) the (not) plumber who has no money to buy any company thanks to Republican tax policy, etc. etc.–whatever is convenient in a given year. Don’t pretend to be the little man’s friend–you are only interested in them cleaning toilets or fighting your dirty oil war in Iraq (instead of Afghanistan–DUH!!!).
Now, I realize that accorsing to the modern Joe McCarthy’s running the right wing party that now stands for nothing but greed and power, I am not a “Real American.” There are now people in Congress who are not according to a Minnestoa REPUBLICAN house member Real Americans. The Alaskan Gidget tells us that small towns are Real America and cities are not. Virginia is divided into a real and unreal part also according to the REPUBLICANS.
As Senator Joe was asked long ago just before his fall:
“Have You No Sense of Decency?”
The answer is obvious. Good riddance to this filth from the right wing crazies that have ruled this country far, far too long.
If only Congress would quit wasting our money. But, I guess you forget who controls it (the Dems) and how totally ineffective they’ve been since they gained the majority.
By the way, your comments have zilch to do with CNA.
I would suspect that very few Republicans would filter the world through the words of Spock, or even be capable of quoting Spock. The same for Democrats.
Take off your Star Trek uniform and join the real world. You view the world through political advertising sound bites. You think the other side is evil, and I admit the Republicans have some members that think the same about the Democratic party. But in the middle is 95% of the public, the serious people dealing with serious issues.
If Obama is committed to redistributing the wealth, how come he didn’t give some of the overage of his campaign funds raised, when compared to McCain, to McCain?
blah blah blah blah more bleading heart liberal garbage. We republicans may not be perfect but we sure as hell aint redistributing wealth in the way the democrats do! The Dems use taxes as a vehicle to take from those of us with jobs RICH and POOR and give to those who’s family business is welfare!
As for the rich republicans have you reviewed the finances of peter lewis and george siros. two of your fellow bleading hearts who are filthy stinking rich and fund every socialist group there is! so at the end of the day both parties are screwing the joe the plumbers of the world and getting rich. By the way if joe the plumber had caused mccain to trip up you would be calling him a hero, but because he DARED to ask a real question and give a real response, and DARED to question the messiah (thats what us republicans do, unlike the liberals who follow like sheep) now he is a villian! what a crock of S**t.
95% of americans are not getting a tax cut from Barak and his socialist tax policies will result in job loss in the private sector and job growth in the public sector wich is just what the communist left wants.
After running St Paul into the ground only to be devoured by Travelers, Mr. Suspenders is doing the same thing to CNA(a company that has yet to figure out the Continental merger). I wonder if this guy is related to Bill Smith.
to Truth Squad:
after reading some of the writings of Leon Trotsky this summer, it is obvious Obama’s core philosophies on governing are closer to those of the founders of the Soviet Union (Trotsky , Lenin, Stalin) than the founders of the United Sates.
Is that a hard market I see in your pocket or are you just glad to see me, said the Client to the Agent.
While I don’t think AIG or CNA are themselves the triggers, as a whole, a significant group of national and regional P&C Carriers have been down for the last few quarters (whether that be profitability or increased losses)…combine that with poor investment returns & rising overhead costs and carriers will be forced to move towards positive Underwriting ratios by increasing rates and decreasing their appetite. It’s coming, there’s no doubt…just a matter of when the 1st card gets thrown and the rest will follow suit. That’s my 2 cents…or is it now worth 1.80…
A hard market will be here by mid 2009. Most hard markets are triggered by low investment results worldwide. What causes low investment results can range from catastrophic losses to low rates of return in the capital markets. Look at the history of hard markets and they all have similar beginnings. Re-insurance Underwriters are aware that on the investment side, perception is a foreteller of future returns. It’s not that we’re in bad shape, it’s just (in the beginning) everyone thinks so and that will drive the economic return down. It’ll be back to prudent underwriting and underwriting profit, because that’s where the money is going to come from in 2009 thru 2011.
I am sure that has been worked out already, but based on the recent events and annoucments, as long as the companyt stays finaiclaly fit he should not have any problems. He like many swollen head CEO’s shopuld have supported All of the agents who helped build CNA before he took over. Now none of the agents they need are the to help out. The only have the large shop until you drop brokers who expect low buck and if you arent yopu loose. Good luck in your retirment SL.
Hillary, sounds like you named yourself right. I am self employed, unlike yourself. I will just cut your job when Obama taxes me to the point of no profit. Thats where I will make my pay, I will take it from someone like you. Oh by the way my competitors will not hire you because they will be doing the same. Do you understand how employment works now. From the top down. Unions cant help you either because employers will lay off them as well and just stiffle the economy to the point it cannot recover as quickly as we would like. You see thats what Obama will get you. But I still have not heard what Obamas stance on affirmative action
You kisunderstand me i think! I am also self employed and have been for the last 20 years. What i make i made by myself. Hopefully Obama wont win and we dont have to worry about what either of us will do. Good luck!
Well said independent, although I believe it is dishonest to call wellfare a tax cut though. 40% of people do not pay income tax. and about 50% actually get more back than they have paid into income tax. We are too sensitive to call things the way they are. Every April 15th this country pays wellfare to 50% of our population. That is not a fair tax policy/ system.
Do you have a reference for your facts? I find it hard to believe that 50% get back more tax than they pay…and you are saying another 40% pay no taxes. Are you saying that only 10% of the population pays income taxes???
Im just happy all you complainers are making over $200,000, or $250,000 if you are a small business owner. Thats only 5% of small business by the way. Otherwise Obama has promised a tax CUT.
Sounds like you are doing pretty well to me if you are in that top percentile.
I have no sympathy for you. Pay up now beeeyoches!!!!!
Like Joe the unlicensed plumber was making over $250,000?!? Haha.
Oh yea, Joe is related to a member of the Keating 5 as well.
I guess it’s no wonder John McCain was so happy to use “Joe the Plumber” as a debate prop — he’s a partisan Republican who also happens to be a member of McCain’s old friends, the Keating family.
From Martin Eisenstadt:
Turns out that Joe Wurzelbacher from the Toledo event is a close relative of Robert Wurzelbacher of Milford, Ohio. Who’s Robert Wurzelbacher? Only Charles Keating’s son-in-law and the former senior vice president of American Continental, the parent company of the infamous Lincoln Savings and Loan. The now retired elder Wurzelbacher is also a major contributor to Republican causes giving well over $10,000 in the last few years.
Now I guess we know why Joe is telling the press that Obama is a “socialist” and that the Obama tax plan “infuriated” him. After all, it would hit families like the Keatings and their minions the hardest.
Not to mention that Obama’s economic-recovery plan would put the crimps on influence peddlers like McCain’s old friends, the Keating Five.
Well all i can say is trust no politician or what he says. Demo or repub. Next, if anyone believes the cost of living will go down, forget it. There well might be some who pay more taxes and might be some who pay less and even some who get some back, but one thing i am positive of is they wont have any more money to spend on the things they want or need. Its all a bunch of smoke and mirrors and a play on words and terms. The government is in the tax and spend business. Period! Id personally rather see someone run for President who is committed to reining in congress, their spending and bad habits.
That would save us all alot of money. There is no other answer. If you dont believe that then i am sorry for you because 1 year out, if Mr. Obama wins, you will see.
As one of the privileged few that benefited from the Bush Tax cuts I admit it was a very prosperous time for others and myself in that financial position. The truth is from the very beginning it was understood that those level of tax cuts were not sustainable especially in a time of war. That’s why I am sure that neither of these candidates will be able to implement their tax policies once one is in office. Taxes will have to go up. These things move in cycles. Reagan had to raise taxes, George Bush Sr. had to raise taxes and even Clinton had to forgo his promised tax cut. I remember under John Kennedy the top tax bracket was about 70% going back to 39% or so from 36% will not end democracy as we know it. Clearly any reasonable person understands that Obama is not a Marxist and republican insinuations that he is one undermine the credibility of their arguments. His economic team of Warren Buffet, Larry Summers and Rick Rubin are all highly respected moderates. I actually have associates that have worked closely with Rick Rubin at Goldman Sachs. You can have the argument of which economic plan would be the most effective, which is a very detailed argument that simple cliché ideological statements have no place in. We need to raise the level of discourse on both sides past such disingenuous assertions. Republicans have to be careful not label any person who does not agree with their policies as “un-American” and Democrats have to be careful to be respectful of the cultural values of small town America.
Dum da dum dum Dum!
And how much will Lillienthal be rewarded for screwing up this company?
Just about the time CNA figures out what they want to do, They change their minds. Knee jerk reactions to everything. They plan for the next quarter, instead of any long range planing.
By the way, Does anyone know Obamas stance on affirmative action? We know he wants to redistribute wealth, what about our jobs?
Dear Bill: Obama has no plans to redistibute your job. Who, might I ask, in their right minds would want it?
Enough with this silly-Bush-Rove talking point from the Bush family slime generators who run McCain’s tattered little campaign.
Republican tax policy has redistributed wealth upward for two decades using TAX POLICY. What a bunch of wealth redistributing MARXISTS they have been. As Spock would say, they decided the needs of the few (themselves) outweighed the needs of the many (us little people who they won’t even let in their front doors). To each according to his needs, as Marx said, and the Republicans have said their needs are this great. Time for some reverse flow instead of the trickle down which has finally matured as the current 401k robbing apocalypse.
Grow up. Get real. Just say you’re Republican, you like being in power and you like grabbing all the wealth and power you can by fooling people with phony issues like gay marriage, flag burning, pledge of allegiance and drilling for immediate lower gas prices, Joe (Sam) the (not) plumber who has no money to buy any company thanks to Republican tax policy, etc. etc.–whatever is convenient in a given year. Don’t pretend to be the little man’s friend–you are only interested in them cleaning toilets or fighting your dirty oil war in Iraq (instead of Afghanistan–DUH!!!).
Now, I realize that accorsing to the modern Joe McCarthy’s running the right wing party that now stands for nothing but greed and power, I am not a “Real American.” There are now people in Congress who are not according to a Minnestoa REPUBLICAN house member Real Americans. The Alaskan Gidget tells us that small towns are Real America and cities are not. Virginia is divided into a real and unreal part also according to the REPUBLICANS.
As Senator Joe was asked long ago just before his fall:
“Have You No Sense of Decency?”
The answer is obvious. Good riddance to this filth from the right wing crazies that have ruled this country far, far too long.
If only Congress would quit wasting our money. But, I guess you forget who controls it (the Dems) and how totally ineffective they’ve been since they gained the majority.
By the way, your comments have zilch to do with CNA.
I would suspect that very few Republicans would filter the world through the words of Spock, or even be capable of quoting Spock. The same for Democrats.
Take off your Star Trek uniform and join the real world. You view the world through political advertising sound bites. You think the other side is evil, and I admit the Republicans have some members that think the same about the Democratic party. But in the middle is 95% of the public, the serious people dealing with serious issues.
You would do well to join us.
…well written, and reasoned diatribe, Truth Squad. I am so comforted to know that people like you will be running our great country.
If Obama is committed to redistributing the wealth, how come he didn’t give some of the overage of his campaign funds raised, when compared to McCain, to McCain?
blah blah blah blah more bleading heart liberal garbage. We republicans may not be perfect but we sure as hell aint redistributing wealth in the way the democrats do! The Dems use taxes as a vehicle to take from those of us with jobs RICH and POOR and give to those who’s family business is welfare!
As for the rich republicans have you reviewed the finances of peter lewis and george siros. two of your fellow bleading hearts who are filthy stinking rich and fund every socialist group there is! so at the end of the day both parties are screwing the joe the plumbers of the world and getting rich. By the way if joe the plumber had caused mccain to trip up you would be calling him a hero, but because he DARED to ask a real question and give a real response, and DARED to question the messiah (thats what us republicans do, unlike the liberals who follow like sheep) now he is a villian! what a crock of S**t.
95% of americans are not getting a tax cut from Barak and his socialist tax policies will result in job loss in the private sector and job growth in the public sector wich is just what the communist left wants.
After running St Paul into the ground only to be devoured by Travelers, Mr. Suspenders is doing the same thing to CNA(a company that has yet to figure out the Continental merger). I wonder if this guy is related to Bill Smith.
Objection! Relevance?
How much will this lead us toward a Hard Market now? I am still getting mixed reviews on this.
to Truth Squad:
after reading some of the writings of Leon Trotsky this summer, it is obvious Obama’s core philosophies on governing are closer to those of the founders of the Soviet Union (Trotsky , Lenin, Stalin) than the founders of the United Sates.
Is that a hard market I see in your pocket or are you just glad to see me, said the Client to the Agent.
While I don’t think AIG or CNA are themselves the triggers, as a whole, a significant group of national and regional P&C Carriers have been down for the last few quarters (whether that be profitability or increased losses)…combine that with poor investment returns & rising overhead costs and carriers will be forced to move towards positive Underwriting ratios by increasing rates and decreasing their appetite. It’s coming, there’s no doubt…just a matter of when the 1st card gets thrown and the rest will follow suit. That’s my 2 cents…or is it now worth 1.80…
A hard market will be here by mid 2009. Most hard markets are triggered by low investment results worldwide. What causes low investment results can range from catastrophic losses to low rates of return in the capital markets. Look at the history of hard markets and they all have similar beginnings. Re-insurance Underwriters are aware that on the investment side, perception is a foreteller of future returns. It’s not that we’re in bad shape, it’s just (in the beginning) everyone thinks so and that will drive the economic return down. It’ll be back to prudent underwriting and underwriting profit, because that’s where the money is going to come from in 2009 thru 2011.
I am sure that has been worked out already, but based on the recent events and annoucments, as long as the companyt stays finaiclaly fit he should not have any problems. He like many swollen head CEO’s shopuld have supported All of the agents who helped build CNA before he took over. Now none of the agents they need are the to help out. The only have the large shop until you drop brokers who expect low buck and if you arent yopu loose. Good luck in your retirment SL.
Milo, Huh?
Hillary, sounds like you named yourself right. I am self employed, unlike yourself. I will just cut your job when Obama taxes me to the point of no profit. Thats where I will make my pay, I will take it from someone like you. Oh by the way my competitors will not hire you because they will be doing the same. Do you understand how employment works now. From the top down. Unions cant help you either because employers will lay off them as well and just stiffle the economy to the point it cannot recover as quickly as we would like. You see thats what Obama will get you. But I still have not heard what Obamas stance on affirmative action
You kisunderstand me i think! I am also self employed and have been for the last 20 years. What i make i made by myself. Hopefully Obama wont win and we dont have to worry about what either of us will do. Good luck!
Well said independent, although I believe it is dishonest to call wellfare a tax cut though. 40% of people do not pay income tax. and about 50% actually get more back than they have paid into income tax. We are too sensitive to call things the way they are. Every April 15th this country pays wellfare to 50% of our population. That is not a fair tax policy/ system.
Joe,
Do you have a reference for your facts? I find it hard to believe that 50% get back more tax than they pay…and you are saying another 40% pay no taxes. Are you saying that only 10% of the population pays income taxes???
agreed but the bleading hearts dont want to make everyone pay there fair share. It goes against the very foundation of the party
Im just happy all you complainers are making over $200,000, or $250,000 if you are a small business owner. Thats only 5% of small business by the way. Otherwise Obama has promised a tax CUT.
Sounds like you are doing pretty well to me if you are in that top percentile.
I have no sympathy for you. Pay up now beeeyoches!!!!!
Like Joe the unlicensed plumber was making over $250,000?!? Haha.
Oh yea, Joe is related to a member of the Keating 5 as well.
http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/joe-plumber-more-joe-keating-family-
I guess it’s no wonder John McCain was so happy to use “Joe the Plumber” as a debate prop — he’s a partisan Republican who also happens to be a member of McCain’s old friends, the Keating family.
From Martin Eisenstadt:
Turns out that Joe Wurzelbacher from the Toledo event is a close relative of Robert Wurzelbacher of Milford, Ohio. Who’s Robert Wurzelbacher? Only Charles Keating’s son-in-law and the former senior vice president of American Continental, the parent company of the infamous Lincoln Savings and Loan. The now retired elder Wurzelbacher is also a major contributor to Republican causes giving well over $10,000 in the last few years.
Now I guess we know why Joe is telling the press that Obama is a “socialist” and that the Obama tax plan “infuriated” him. After all, it would hit families like the Keatings and their minions the hardest.
Not to mention that Obama’s economic-recovery plan would put the crimps on influence peddlers like McCain’s old friends, the Keating Five.
Well all i can say is trust no politician or what he says. Demo or repub. Next, if anyone believes the cost of living will go down, forget it. There well might be some who pay more taxes and might be some who pay less and even some who get some back, but one thing i am positive of is they wont have any more money to spend on the things they want or need. Its all a bunch of smoke and mirrors and a play on words and terms. The government is in the tax and spend business. Period! Id personally rather see someone run for President who is committed to reining in congress, their spending and bad habits.
That would save us all alot of money. There is no other answer. If you dont believe that then i am sorry for you because 1 year out, if Mr. Obama wins, you will see.