Instead of thumbing me down, why not answer my question? It was an honest question. Will the DOI be involved in any capacity with monitoring the carriers in the exchange?
Hi Libby: I was at a meeting with the Wisconsin Commissioner of Insurance recently and when he was asked about the exchange in Wisconsin, he responded that they are monitoring the exchange and the carriers involved and that he expected the exchange to be set up on time and running with some, but not many, options.
Because of this, I would assume other Departments of Insurance are also monitoring.
How will the State Insurance departments monitor what the Fed is doing with companies? Will they be able to monitor all the claims the PreX crowd file once they are covered? Will they know how much subsidies are sent to companies that have to take on these new PreX people? Perhaps the companies running the exchanges have to file reports to Sebelius on premiums collected vs claims paid out. They will have their hands out for these subsidies I can assure you.
If they are “monitoring” I would assume they will watch the carriers in the exchange (not the exchange itself) for financial stability and fair claims handling – the same as any other carrier.
Agent: I’m wasn’t arguing for or against anything and I don’t claim to know anything about Washington. I was just passing along what I heard from the Wisconsin Commissioner.
But, since you asked, I will guess that for most poor people in Washington, this is one more choice than they had in the past.
June 19, 2013 at 2:11 pm
Lou Landini says:
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Went to a seminar on this Friday about the launch of the Nevada Portal. What a mess. Will drive jobs out of this country. You are going to see 25% unemployment rates. Everyone involved this fiasco needs to be horsewhipped.
Lou, as a primarily P&C agent, I have seen buildings on fire and they eventually fall in when the girders give a way. This legislation is due to implode and fall in on the supporters of it. I don’t think we will ever see numbers of 25% unemployment from the Labor Dept because they don’t count all the unemployed that have given up looking. They say the rate has fallen, but they aren’t creating any jobs except government jobs and employers are laying off instead of hiring. Almost all but the most ardent supporters are saying it is a train wreck coming and these people keep whistling their happy tune. They remind of the lemmings who follow a leader into the pit.
Unfortunately for insureds, this will not stop the huge rate increases. It is happening as we speak. By the time the Feds get all the exchanges up, they will feature even higher premiums and the country will continue the slide into financial oblivion.
Celtica, If we are lucky, Hilary will be indicted soon and we won’t have to worry about her 2016 ambitions. She played a big role in the Benghazi coverup and now has the Prostitution and Drug scandal under her watch and that was also tried to be covered up. Thank God for whistle blowers who are bringing out all these nefarious activities. The incidents were bad enough, but when you try to stop an IG investigation or cover up the deeds, then you are in deeper trouble.
Agent — the only crime about Benghazi is the right trying to make political points out of it. 4 Americans died because Congress would not spend more money to protect them.
So before you start looking for handcuffs for Hilary, look to your own motives first.
June 21, 2013 at 8:02 am
jw says:
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I’ll probably regret asking this: indicted for what?
July 3, 2013 at 5:49 pm
Agent says:
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The good news Celtica is that Morsi has been ousted in Egypt despite our State Dept telling the Egyptian people they should stick with him. What is wrong with that picture? Us backing the Muslim Brotherhood with money and arms to go up against Israel, our only ally in the region. Looks to me like the Egyptian people awakened from their slumber and realized the Muslim Brotherhood was not looking after their best interests. Tourism is in the tank as well as their economy. Let’s hope they are replaced by reliable people who don’t go off on a Jihadist agenda like Morsi was pushing. He should be tried and punished for his crimes against the Egyptian people.
June 19, 2013 at 4:33 pm
FFA says:
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Don’t matter who is next, they have a tall task ahead of them. Could be you and its still going to be a mess.
FFA, for those doubting Thomases on the left, I saw a story on the Pentagon buying Russian helicopters to the tune of $700 Million and giving them to the Afghan forces about 2 weeks ago. Finally, Fox broke their story today. Mr. Putin’s company will be building these choppers instead of American Helicopter companies all the while giving Syria weapons to use on his people. He is playing both sides like a fiddle. Meanwhile, Obama is pledging to disarm. The picture of the two of them at the G-8 was priceless. Putin has 0 respect for this President and has open disdain just like 73% of Americans now.
June 20, 2013 at 9:03 am
Nebraskan says:
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Hi Agent,
Don’t mean to make you put on a teacher hat, but what is America’s end-game with Syria? Why is Obama getting so involved in all of that?
June 20, 2013 at 10:56 am
FFA says:
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Good Question Neb? They hate us so much, why should we even care?
Shouldn’t we feed the hungry on the home land before OBama brings us into another war?
For all you Bush haters out there, let me remind you he was provoked when them knuckle heads slammed our planes into our buildings.
June 20, 2013 at 12:10 pm
Ron says:
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FFA,
Just to clarify something. Most “Bush haters” understand that and remember 9/11 as well as everyone else. The complaint has always been about Iraq and how it was sold to Congress and the rest of Americans.
June 20, 2013 at 1:57 pm
Libby says:
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“Them knuckleheads” were Al Qaeda – NOT Iranian, FFA. Get that straight. We got next to 0 Al Qaeda by invading Iraq. Bush knew there was no Al Qaeda there and he invaded anyway.
June 20, 2013 at 2:36 pm
FFA says:
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Iran, Iraq, Afgan, Syria, Jordan, ect…. They all hate us. They are all knuckle heads.
Seems inevitable we will be heading into Syria just like Iran / Iraq / Afganistan- whatever. Every dog has their day and Obamas dog day is going to be Syria.
In my opinion – Bring our boys home and line the borders with them.
If they want our help, vote Baseball back into the Olympics. Keep the pros out of the Olympics. Let the kids play! I digress to sports again. Politics and war – two subjects that jack up my blood pressure.
June 20, 2013 at 3:43 pm
Libby says:
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Alot of them do hate us, FFA. Maybe because we keep trying to invade their countries and tell them how to live their lives. I agree. Let’s bring ’em all home. Let them fight it out amongst themselves.
June 20, 2013 at 3:45 pm
Libby says:
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Nebraskan: There is a pretty good Op Ed piece on that very topic in the Washington Post.
I would like to know why they hate us so much. I would like to know why Americans think we should push our ways on them. We don’t need their oil. We don’t like their way of life. But it works for them. Let them live it. Let them make their mistakes. Let them all kill each other off.
Cut them off. Shut them off and be done with them.
June 21, 2013 at 8:10 am
jw says:
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I agree, no matter who is in power next, it’s going to be a miserable and thankless job.
I also agree that we need to quit trying to convert the middle east. We should not be the ones to decide who is right and who should be in power in other countries. Why can’t we just back off?
June 24, 2013 at 5:07 pm
Agent says:
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Nebraskan, You asked what America’s end game is with Syria and why Obama is getting so involved. There is no way to win that situation since Russia is obviously backing Assad and to back the rebels, you are backing Al Quida. Which is worse, a despot who is killing his own people to stay in power or Terrorists who have been killing people for years and years and think all infidels need to be killed. Sarah Palin said it best. Leave this area alone and let Allah sort it all out.
June 20, 2013 at 10:33 am
FFA says:
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Celtica – My premiums did not start SPIKING – not just increasing, but SPIKING until OBama did the Cobra Give A Way. He did nothing for the people that could pay the full premium, just the ones who lost their jobs and couldn’t even pay 25% of the premium.
Don’t you think Iraq would have hid Bin Ladden had they not been on Bushes radar?
Now that Syria is gassing their own people, its obvious that them weapons came from somewhere.
Busch SR should have finished what he started.
June 20, 2013 at 2:00 pm
Libby says:
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He’s the one that started Al Qaeda in the first place!
“The group was founded in 2003 as a reaction to the American-led invasion and occupation of Iraq, and first led by the Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who declared allegiance to Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaeda network in October 2004.”
Thanks Bush family.
June 20, 2013 at 2:02 pm
Libby says:
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Clarification: The Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) was formed in 2003 after the Bush invasion.
June 21, 2013 at 10:39 am
Agent says:
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FFA, We have a looming disaster on the horizon in Syria. Obama has made the decision to start arming the rebels against Assad. By the way, the rebels are thoroughly laced with Al Quida operatives. These people live by the feud and they just love killing people. Putin on the other hand is backing the henchman Assad who has killed over 90,000 and is now using chemical weapons to stay in power. I liked Sarah Palin’s comment that we should leave this area alone and let Allah sort it out.
July 1, 2013 at 2:44 pm
Agent says:
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So FFA, the story came out today that the guys we are arming and aiding in Syria got hold of a Catholic Priest and did a public beheading. The Al Quida boys have been known to do this in the past to infidels. Catholics and Protestants in this region need to get out if they can. It is not the place to be in this world.
June 20, 2013 at 12:14 pm
Agent says:
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FFA, I saw a new article on the States and local governments doing changes to try to come up with the money for this disaster. Numerous states, counties, cities in a lot of states are now cutting back hours to 29 hours on thousands of employees and I am sure some employees will be layed off entirely to scale back. It is not just businesses that are feeling the Obamacare pinch. Everyone is going to feel a considerable pain trying to comply.
How long do you think it will take for citizens to sue their state government for not setting up an exchange, thus delaying the opportunity to get insurance? (I’m still PO’ed about the current lawsuit against the Governor….which is why I ask.)
Sarge, I don’t know if your following the Cup Finals, but what a great series this is turning out to be. Some darn good hockey no matter what side of the fence your on.
Cap, want some more proof that D Rose is a cry baby? See Andrew Shaw – Playing in the finals with a broken rib, a shoulder injury and then took a puck off the cheek and still kept playing.
June 25, 2013 at 6:17 pm
Agent says:
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FFA, Hockey players are a different breed. Football players also play with injuries that would sideline players in other sports. Baseball are the biggest wusses. A pitcher is on the disabled list for 2 weeks with a hang nail. A hitter gets hit by a ball, gone for 2 weeks followed by rehab starts in the minors. Hey, they keep collecting their guaranteed contracts, why play?
June 20, 2013 at 2:05 pm
Libby says:
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I always answer questions, Sarge. You don’t ask me questions, you only insult me. Why should I respond to your insults?
Celtica said- ” 4 Americans died because Congress would not spend more money to protect them.”
Let me give you a little lesson- The President of the United States has the authority to send troops anywhere he wants to. It is generally known as execution and general management of a military action. It was not the congress it was the President, his Secretary of State and his security advisors.
I guess Hillary was to busy with those hookers her staff was chasing.
As we know Sargeant, 4 Americans died because this administration sat on their hands when rescue was an hour away in Tripoli. Now, forcibly retired General Hamm, the head of the Africa command begged to help and was told to stand down. He is due to testify next week and hopefully he will bring to light what others have said. We had the resources in place to save those lives and chose not to because of a political agenda and the embarassment they would have had just prior to the election. That is shameful and criminal. I blame Hilary and Obama equally.
So libby, answer the two questions you refuse to answer:
1.) What is more important in a healthcare plan-Birth control pills or short and long term disability? LTD and STD are not covered under ACA.
2.) you said Bill Maher was hilarious and that you drive to see family (because you don’t watch TV) to watch Bill Maher and that you are a “big Fan”. Are you still a “big fan” since he called a 5 year old down syndrome child a “retard”?
I already answered those questions, Sarge. You just don’t pay attention. Here I go again, so pay attention:
1. A healthcare plan is not a disability plan – those are 2 separate issues. And America has a disability plan for it’s citizens, it’s called SSDI and medicare. So – in a HEALTHCARE plan, obviously birth control is the more important of the two.
2. I said I did not condone Bill Maher’s comments, nor did I hear them. Because I find his political humor witty does not mean I agree with every word that comes out of his mouth. He says nasty things about women and fat people, too. Where’s your outrage about that? And I don’t drive to Denver to see him. And I actually said I watch TOO MUCH TV. Moron. LOL!!!!
And just by the way, my asking Patti Cake if she was a fan, too, was more of a sarcastic comment to Patti Cake than it was an endorsement of Bill Maher.
Sorry Libby all you have done is dodge the question. The ACA is a federal government program. It can include or exclude anything it wants to including long term and short term disability and contraception. The Fed could show LTD/STD as a separate coverage option just like employers do. The Government also did not have to offer contraception. So answer the question, what is more important to a family of four, contraception or LTD/STD? You won’t answer it because you will look stupid after your rants about including birth control pills in ACA. But hey that is normal for you.
It’s not a matter of which is more important, because it’s not yes/no answer. Why not include LTD/STD and birth control as options and let the consumer decide? I have no problem with that. But that’s not the issue. There is no option for LTD or STD right now, except for SSDI. There IS an option for birth control.
Talk about twisting a situation to fit your own agenda. Jeesh!
Celtica said- “Oh, you mean like it did under Bush II?”
Celtica – Are you joking-LOL- Once again you give the left, uninformed, shoot from the hip, erroneous answer. Here are the facts;
During Obama’s term, between 2009 to 2012, premiums have climbed $2,370 for the average family with an employer-provided plan – a rate faster than during the previous four years under President George W. Bush, according to the Kaiser Foundation.
Sarge,
Not to speak for Celtica, but common reading comprehension would indicate that he/she was referring to the country sliding into financial oblivion, which it did under the second President Bush.
Note: I am not saying it was his fault, just stating the fact that it occured during his administration.
Celtica used the singular pronoun “it”, not the plural “they” which would have referred to huge rate increases to which Agent was referencing.
Very good grammatical grasp on the comment, Ron. Sarge fails to understand he’s the one shooting from the hip without any idea what he is talking about. But it’s usually an Archie Bunker tirade against some minority group.
So, how do you know I am not a minority? I grew up in Detroit and still live in the area. What am I libby? I asked you this before and your answer was racial innuendo.
All you ever said was, “My father was a West Point Colonel and I lived in the Hood”, LOL!!!! That was after I told you to go to h*ll for making comments about military service
I would like to recommend that Libby & her cohorts to google E.W. Jackson, candidate for Lt Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Here is a guy after my heart. If you can pull up his nominating speech for his campaign, he is very impressive. We need a lot more like him in this country. Now, if we can get Dr Ben Carson to run for office, that is a good start.
June 20, 2013 at 6:21 pm
Agent says:
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Ron, the slide into financial oblivion started mysteriously when the Democrats got the House in 2007 and Reid controlled the Senate. They seemed to think Fannie & Freddie didn’t need to be watched or regulated and thought all those people without means to make a house payment deserved home ownership. In addition, they came up with one huge spending bill after another which escalated the deficit beyond control. Then, we had the tanking of the financial sector and all the RINO’s & Democrats had to get together on the crisis. Then, we had to have the Stimulus that wasn’t a stimulus under your guy Barack. Nothing but political paybacks to his supporters and didn’t create anything but more debt. The crisis may have started during Bush’s last term, but the Democrats had their grubby hands on most of the reasons it happened. We can thank Bawny Frank and his running mate Chris Dodd for much of the housing crisis which led to the meltdown.
Agent,
Ironic that you replied to a reading comprehension post without comprehending what I wrote. Where did I blame anyone for the financial collapse? I even went out of my way to state, “Note: I am not saying it was his fault, just stating the fact that it occured during his administration.”
How can you blame the Democratic House for the collapse without blaming the Republican House for not fixing it fast enough? At least be consistent.
You blame Obama for all of the ills of the country, but do not extend the same courtesy to President Bush for what happened during his administration. That is hypocrisy my friend.
The only major issue I blame President Bush for is the invasion and handling of Iraq. VP Cheney knew in 1993 it would not be easy to overthrow Saddam Hussien and transition to a democracy. http://archive.redstate.com/stories/war/cheney_warned_of_iraq_quagmire_0
Then he changed his mind in 2003 http://www.nbcnews.com/id/3080244/ns/meet_the_press/t/transcript-sept/
Here is a question no Republican has been able to answer, what changed the culture in Iraq from 1991 to 2003? Hint:9/11 did not change the culture in Iraq, only our perception of the Middle East. This is evidenced by the fact that VP Cheney was right in 1993 and wrong in 2003.
Ron, you are great at complaining about reading comprehension and you haven’t comprehended anything I or Sargeant or Dave or FFA have said in a number of posts. I am sick of you blaming Bush for all the trouble this country is in currently. I am also sick that you think what happened in Iraq was just a lie to the people. Your mind is not capable of knowing what right and wrong is. How can a Republican House fix anything when the Democratic Senate headed by the infamous Harry Reid trashes every bill sent over there? You do need both to pass a bill, but when it is not even debated in the Senate, tell me what the Republican House is supposed to do. I tell you what they should do and that is to defund by not authorizing budgets of several departments and agencies. Do you think that would get someone’s attention?
June 24, 2013 at 6:12 pm
FFA says:
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Hussain put a bounty on George SR head Just like we put a bounty on Hussains head.
June 24, 2013 at 6:23 pm
Ron says:
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Agent,
Sarge said, “Sorry Ron and Libby, you are always the people who shoot from the hip, change the meaning of what is said, never answer questions or take what is posted and try to divert the content.” Yet you are the one that has changed the meaning of, “Note: I am not saying it was his fault, just stating the fact that it occured during his administration” to ” I am sick of you blaming Bush for all the trouble this country is in currently.”
Find one post, just one, where I blamed President Bush for anything more than the invasion and handling of Iraq? Good luck. My problem is simply this, you blame President Obama for everything that has happened during his administration, some of which is his fault, but push everything that went bad during President Bush’s administration onto someone else. Neither have been perfect or totally flawed. Please re-read this part of my post then say that I blamed Bush for all the terrible this country is in currently:
The only major issue I blame President Bush for is the invasion and handling of Iraq. VP Cheney knew in 1993 it would not be easy to overthrow Saddam Hussien and transition to a democracy. http://archive.redstate.com/stories/war/cheney_warned_of_iraq_quagmire_0
Then he changed his mind in 2003 http://www.nbcnews.com/id/3080244/ns/meet_the_press/t/transcript-sept/
Can you answer this question? what changed the culture in Iraq from 1991 to 2003? Hint:9/11 did not change the culture in Iraq, only our perception of the Middle East. This is evidenced by the fact that VP Cheney was right in 1993 and wrong in 2003.
June 25, 2013 at 11:39 am
Libby says:
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Ron: That has been my argument for months with these guys. Although you said it much more elegantly than I have been able to do, they just don’t get it. They think it’s a them against us blame game and that’s not where I’m coming from at all. Obama has made many mistakes and I have said as much. But so did GWB. He was not, and is not, perfect.
June 21, 2013 at 8:12 am
Ron says:
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Only on IJ can you get 14 thumb downs for a simple reading comprehension lesson.
Sorry Ron and libby, you are always the people who shoot from the hip and never provide any sources, When someone does you try to take it out of context change themeaning or want to know where we get our information. The post was right on. Read Agent’s post above it. Besides Celtica makes a statement and has absolutely no source to back up what was posted. Just like you two.
Sarge,
Please let me know for which fact that I have provided you would like a source? I find it interesting that I have asked the same question of people on your side with no response. Where in my post did I ask who or what caused the financial meltdown? I only pointed out that it occurred during President Bush’s administration. If that is incorrect, please provide some evidence.
Sorry Ron and Libby, you are always the people who shoot from the hip, change the meaning of what is said, never answer questions or take what is posted and try to divert the content. You are the first to ask for sources and the last to provide one. Read Agent’s text above Celtica’s. I was on target. Besides that Celtica makes a shoot from the hip statement and provides absolutely no source to support it. Typical of liberals, just like you two
Sarge,
Please provide one piece of evidence when I did any of those things or stated that I am a liberal. As I have mentioned in several posts I am an Independent. I think both sides are right sometimes and wrong sometimes.
Celtica said- ” Agent — the only crime about Benghazi is the right trying to make political points out of it. 4 Americans died because Congress would not spend more money to protect them”
Do you honestly believe Celtica’s post above or my response?
I believe neither as absolutes. I believe mistakes were certainly made and 4 people died tragically. I don’t know if more would have been killed had we done something different, and we will never know. Woulda, coulda, shoulda.
However, I doubt Obama himself was privy to the communications between Benghazi and the State Dept. And he certainly did not give any order to “stand down” based on some political agenda – of which no-one has been able to articulate how that could have possibly helped his campaign or political agenda. That is far-reaching right-wing crap talking.
I do think the Republicans are most certainly trying to make more of what happened to further their political agenda and try to embarrass the administration. I guess that’s their job, unfortunately, since they’re sure not resolving issues for this country.
So – in summary, mistakes were made, people were killed, other people tried to cover their ass and now everyone is up in arms about it. It hardly constitutes criminal conduct.
I would agree it is his job to know. If the job isn’t getting done, then someone else that will do the job needs to take over.
Reagan did plead ignorant on the Iran Contra Scandal, but did acknowledge that it was his responsibility to know and – I quote “The Buck Stops Here”.
OBama needs to man up or step down. Of course, that would leave us with Biden. What be the lessor of the two????
June 24, 2013 at 4:35 pm
Libby says:
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Obama did “man up” and take responsibility for it. Where are you people when he says these things? You certainly have a selective memory.
He said “I am ultimately responsible for what’s taking place there because these are my folks, and I’m the one who has to greet those coffins when they come home.”
June 24, 2013 at 6:04 pm
FFA says:
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I stand corrected. Thanks Libby.
To answer your questions, I usually go the bath room and sit on the throne when he is on the news.
I honor him the same way I honor all ILL politicians.
June 24, 2013 at 6:16 pm
Agent says:
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Correction FFA. The buck used to stop with the Commander in Chief. Now, he has all the minions to throw under the bus for his failings and he is the Teflon President who knows nothing, sees nothing, hears nothing so he is not responsible for anything.
I definitely do not agree with Celtica on that point. The handling and response of that tragedy is something for which I will never defend. Obama had options to provide additional support and failed to do so.
Unlike most Republicans, I will not blindly support someone I voted for and look for others to blame.
I have mentioned this several times in other streams, if Jon Hunstman is the Republican nominee he gets my vote and is probably the President. Unfortunately, the Republican party is now controlled by far right wingers funded by the Koch brothers.
Sarge – your attempts at making salient jabs against liberals is a joke – much like you. What Agent said in that post, which both Ron and I read, says “….and the country will continue the slide into financial oblivion.”
To which Celtica responded “Oh, you mean like it did under Bush II?” Which it did.
Take your bigoted, uneducated ass, put on a white sheet, and go burn some crosses, would you?
I will ask again- So, how do you know I am not a minority? I grew up in Detroit and still live in the area. What am I libby? I asked you this before and your answer was racial innuendo.
All you ever said was, “My father was a West Point Colonel and I lived in the Hood”, LOL!!!! That was after I told you to go to h*ll for making comments about military service
How would I know what race you are, Sarge? You could be a self-loathing black man for all I know. I really don’t care. It doesn’t change your racist behavior on this blog.
Prove it. You can’t because it has not happened and I am not one. You try to change they argument because you have no defense. All I have to do is point at this blog to prove you are a racist.
Prove what? I don’t have to prove anything to you.
June 20, 2013 at 5:26 pm
Libby says:
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And my father was a Westpoint graduate, Special Forces, Ranger, HALO-jumping, Ltc. that did 2 tours in Vietnam and 1 in Korea. He earned 1 silver star, 3 bronze stars, and many other honors. I am proud of him and always have been.
And, yes, when I moved out on my own as a rebellious 17 year old, I lived in a condemned house in the hood. What of it?
Why is that information worthy of an LOL!!!!??? Buffoon.
Sargeant, I remember several blogs ago that Libby got into deep trouble running down your military service and finally apologized for the hateful comments. There are a lot of libs out there who don’t appreciate the sacrifices our military make for this country. In the last election, many military didn’t even have the opportunity to vote since many states just couldn’t get the ballots to them. What a travesty. I think we know how the majority would have voted given the opportunity.
I didn’t “run down” his military service, Agent. I asked him if he got in the head with some shrapnel because of the mush coming out of his mouth. Maybe that’s what caused the irritable bowel syndrome. It’s as good a bet as Prozac.
And I didn’t apologize for any “hateful” comments. I apologized if the comment had offended him any other service members/veterans. And that will be my one and only apology to Sarge.
And as for this lib, my father gave his life for this country, as did many of his friends and colleagues. I think I have a very good grasp on the sacrifices made. And so do all the families that have lived through their loved ones being at war. Now, I hope you will give this one a rest Agent, as it is very hurtful and upsetting for you to say such a thing.
So libby why are you making racist comments not only about blacks in posts past but now about whites? Not to mention your completely liberal rantings.
Are you overweight and do you have a hard time breathing. Does your Prozac cause you to have irritable bowel and make you moody? Do your ankles lap over your shoes causing you pain when you walk?Just trying to figure out why you are in such a fowl mood. HAHA- how is that instead of LOL.
Besides that I will match you degree for degree anytime you like.
You could never match me degree for degree. I have never made one racial comment abouts blacks or whites, here or anywhere else.
My breathing, blood pressure, and cholesterol are all fine, thank you. Prozac does not cause irritable bowel syndrome, idiot. And I am not in a FOUL mood.
Regardless of race, creed, gender education, military service, one thing is true and no one can dispute, we are all smart enough to survive in this biz in this hard market…
Well, No I wasn’t going to stoop to name calling like Libby likes to do. But you know the old saying about ducks? If it acts like one and talks like one and is generally nasty to be around, then I guess it is one.
jw, she has brought race into the mix on several different occasions in several different forums. You can 2x my math, but I am sure she outpaces everyone else combined 2 to 1.
I am not the one saying she is racists. I do see how someone can jump to that conclusion.
However, I did not.
I think she is someone that looks for what ever “tool” she can to explain / argue her position.
June 21, 2013 at 2:42 pm
FFA says:
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Sorry – double check my math.
June 20, 2013 at 6:46 pm
Sargeant Major says:
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Libby said- “How would I know what race you are, Sarge? ”
You are right Libby, you don’t. Your post above called me a bigoted, uneducated white ass. So you think only white people are racist? That in and of itself is racial innuendo.
This is your typical liberal reaction when you don’t want to answer simple questions, have nothing to support what you posted above and get angry because you have no logical defense. Just like the occupy deadbeats. let’s scream, get mad and curse and maybe someone will feel sorry for me.
You just proved my point. You like to dish it out “Archie Bunker, bigot, uneducated, white *ss” But you can’t take it. You really are an idiot.
Sargeant, Libby is of the crowd that think Republicans are just a bunch of old white men who are out of touch and need to get with the program of destroying America like her beloved President is presently doing. God forbid if we object to seeing our country going down the tubes for Socialism. We are supposed to get on the back of the bus and shut up while they eagerly follow their exalted leader into the abyss like lemmings. It ain’t going to happen.
You’re close, Agent. Old, rich, white men would be more like it. And this liberal is not trying to make the country socialist. Having government programs does not a socialist country make.
I am for free enterprise and even capitalism. What I am against is supporting those capitalists. Why should the people give our tax money to corporate welfare programs when there are hungry, homeless people on the streets? Why should the rich be able to enjoy countless tax loopholes so that they end up paying only 40% on half their actual income? How can you possibly defend those things?
Libby, I can and I will. First, the Republican Party is not made up of a bunch of old, rich white men. I venture to say there are just as many average working people in the party as there are in the Democratic Party. I have some issues with some of the RINO’s in the party who have gone along to get along, but the typical conservative Republican does not like big government, big hand out programs which are terribly wasteful. We shouldn’t be running a trillion dollar deficit each year to administer hundreds of programs that plainly don’t work. You rail against rich people who pay 70% of the income tax and forget to mention one of your own, Jeffrey Immelt (D) who pays no tax on his wonderful GE and has shipped much of his job force to China.
Agent – no-one pays 70% in income tax, period. And where is your defense of corporate welfare and tax loopholes for the rich. If you’re against big hand-out programs, why are you not against those? You said you could and would defend those things. Go ahead.
I’m talking about tax loopholes for the RICH – not just the Republicans. There do happen to be a few rich Democrats you know. And if they’re not paying their taxes because of loopholes or Corporate Welfare then that needs to stop.
You also said: “First, the Republican Party is not made up of a bunch of old, rich white men. I venture to say there are just as many average working people in the party as there are in the Democratic Party.”
Yes, there are “average working people” in both parties, but a good portion of Republicans are old, fat, rich, white men. So are you intimating that the balance of below-average non-working people make up the rest of the Democratic party?
June 25, 2013 at 12:06 pm
Agent says:
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Libby, as usual, your Progressive brain is twisting words yet again. My point is that the well to do in this country does pay about 70% of the Federal Income Tax in this country. Even your champion Bill Maher says they pay more than their fair share. On the other hand, the bottom 47% pay no taxes at all and have no skin in the game. Between them, the beleagured Middle Class which is shrinking to lower middle class is getting hosed. That is why we need a flat or fair tax in this country.
June 25, 2013 at 1:00 pm
Libby says:
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Finally! We agree on something, Agent!
June 24, 2013 at 2:00 pm
FFA says:
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Why should the poor? Why should someone not pay a nickel in taxes and get a refund check?
Why should the poor what? The reason the poor don’t pay income tax is because of the tax structure in this country. The poor don’t pay because they don’t have any money and the rich don’t pay because they do. Only the working middle class pays it’s fair share of taxes, and then some. Someone’s got to pay for all the bullshit in Washington. Welcome to the American Middle Class. We’re a dying breed.
June 24, 2013 at 3:52 pm
FFA says:
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Why should they get a refund when they pay no taxes.
June 24, 2013 at 4:10 pm
Agent says:
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FFA, There was a story that came out today that our wonderful IRS had sent $46million in refunds out to illegals in several cities and a lot of it to one address in Atlanta. Sounds like a great scam, doesn’t it? These are the same bureaucrats who think they deserve a $70 million bonus. They can audit conservatives, make them prove every single penney and give them a hard time while ignoring people who are ripping this country off.
June 24, 2013 at 4:59 pm
Agent says:
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Hey Libby, A news flash for you. There are a lot of fat, old rich men in the Democratic Party as well. Many of them are receiving the benefits of the Democratic Party. How about that Stimulus bill? Paying off political cronies, nothing to see there, right? Kerry couldn’t bring himself to even pay his yacht tax in Massachusetts so he moved it to Rhode Island. Imelt is the poster child of tax avoidance. What party does he belong to? How about Warren Buffet, the wonderful host of Obama fundraising? He still owes taxes on Berkshire Hathaway from 2002. Has he been prosecuted yet for tax evasion? I think he knows some higher ups and thus will skate on all charges.
June 25, 2013 at 11:49 am
Libby says:
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Agent – I grow weary having to constantly point out to you what I have said in my posts – that you obviously DO NOT read.
I acknowledged there were fat, old, rich Democrats. AND, I went on to state I didn’t care what party they belonged to, I want Corporate Welfare and tax loopholes to end. PERIOD.
This is not a partisan issue for me. My partisan issues are social issues.
I hope Ron’s comprehension lesson will help you to comprehend my future posts.
June 24, 2013 at 11:09 am
Libby says:
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Dear Sargeant Idiot:
I said “Take your bigoted, uneducated ass, put on a white sheet, and go burn some crosses, would you?”
I never said “white” ass. Again, I don’t care what color you are. You denegrate immigrants (calling the Medicaid office a Mexican Village), you put down poor people (tatooed, drug adddict low-lifes), and a multitude of other slurs.
I have had it with your bigoted bullshit. You could be purple for all I care and you’d still be just as ugly and hateful.
Really Libby? Is your brain so foggy and deluded that you think your comments are not bigoted or racist? By the way, your esteemed former Senator Robert Byrd (D) West Virginia actually did ride the ponies at night with a sheet over his head with some of his buddies and was unapologetic for it until his later years. He was pretty big in the KKK for quite a while. You owe Sargeant another apology since you had to apologize for downgrading his military service several blogs ago.
June 24, 2013 at 4:27 pm
Libby says:
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Agent – Since when is he MY esteemed anything? I may be a registered Democrat, but I am not in charge of the Democratic party or the things they do. Anymore than you are of the Republicans.
I have already addressed my comments to Sarge. He has received his one and only apology from me.
I am not a racist. I will never be a racist. If you want to call me a racist, I challenge you to find one racist remark I have made.
And if you are confused, I will give you the definition of racist:
1.based on racism: based on prejudices and stereotypes related to race
2.prejudiced against other races: prejudiced against all people who belong to other races
3.racist person: somebody who hates others who are not of his or her own race
Keep in mind, I am a caucasian.
June 24, 2013 at 2:51 pm
Libby says:
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FFA – I said he was nasty and hateful. How is that racist? I told him to put on a white sheet and burn crosses because from the things he says it’s obvious he could belong to some hate group, such as the KKK. How does that make ME racist?
Hardly. It’s the opposite. I was pointing out he was so racist that was probably one of his hobbies. To which his only reply was “How do you know I’m not a minority?” To which I answered “I don’t care what color you are.” No racism coming from my side, FFA. You’ll have to look a little harder if you expect that from me.
June 24, 2013 at 4:33 pm
FFA says:
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And you don’t see how that comment could be interpreted as racists? With all your degrees? All your life experience?
Yes Libby, I find them remarks at the very least offensive.
I guess we just speak a different language.
June 24, 2013 at 4:41 pm
Libby says:
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They’re only offensive if you really do put on a white sheet and burn crosses. That kind of activity should be condemned. And I’m condemning it.
June 24, 2013 at 4:43 pm
Libby says:
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Just because I call Sarge on his bigotry, does not make me a racist. You people are really stretching with that one. I’ve said it before and it bears repeating: “I can not tolerate intolerance.”
June 24, 2013 at 6:29 pm
FFA says:
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I know that you have stood up for minority rights in the past. But the words you choose, to a newbie (someone new to the discussion),that’s a different story.
For Sarge, he just comes across to me as someone fed up with the Free Loaders. If that makes him a bigot, so am I. That includes my own two children free loading off of me for god knows how long. They are part of the Generation of Entitlement.
June 25, 2013 at 11:55 am
Libby says:
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Look, I’m fed up with free-loaders, too. The difference is I don’t lump EVERYONE on assistance as a free-loader. That is sterotyping and is bigotry at it’s finest.
What I understand is there are many children, disabled, and elderly people on assistance that need the assistance. Do I think able-bodied people should be on assistance when they can work? NO! But, we also have a shortage of jobs in this country at this time. So I think you should have to look for a job to receive assistance and at some point, be cut off. I don’t disagree with Agent’s idea of community service for assistance.
So no. I am not a bigot, but I am just as fed up with wasteful government spending as the next guy. I just don’t feel a need to throw the baby out with the bathwater while doing it.
June 25, 2013 at 12:21 pm
FFA says:
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Now you have made you point with out calling names and without flipping the race card.
I think we can all agree that using the system for what its set up to be is acceptable to all of us. Its the ones who abuse that system is who everyone is fed up with. I don’t recall anyone lumping all people on public assistance into the free loader category. I may be wrong and I am sure you will correct me if I am.
We can also agree that the job situation is terrible. In my opinion, Obama has failed in his attempt to create jobs. Illinois has done more to create jobs in other states and nothing to preserve them in Illinois.
June 25, 2013 at 1:06 pm
Libby says:
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I disagree that entire classes of people have not been lumped into a stereotype by Sarge. When I try to point it out, he insults me and calls me an idiot. I have to admit, that makes me mad and I retaliate. Not very mature of me, I guess.
Obama has not been the shining star I expected, but in all fairness he inherited a huge mess. Things in my area seem to be improving. I don’t know if it’s any thanks to him or not, but they are. But we still have a long way to go.
June 25, 2013 at 1:31 pm
FFA says:
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I think they like messing with you just cause you get so flustered. You and I have read different meanings into posts before and yes, maybe I missed something. But< I don't recall seeing anything that would bring me to the conclusion that Sarge – or anyone else in this forum – is a racist.
And yes, I did get the feeling that he is prejudice against all the bums riding the system for all they can. So am I. "Get a hair cut and get a real job. Clean your act up and don't be a slob. Get it together like your big brother Bob."
OBama has failed in the Job Creation department. Wait till next year, I guess (a true cub fan).
June 20, 2013 at 11:11 pm
Sargeant Major says:
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Libby said- “Prozac does not cause irritable bowel syndrome, idiot.
Well Libby, oh ye of little intelligence, you are wrong once again. Prozac can cause irritable bowl syndrome. See the web MD site below. Looks like you are the idiot.
Sargeant, I think this country is in a drug induced stupor. Have you seen the dozens of commercials who preach the benefits of taking a drug? Of course, they have side effects out the kazoo. After drugs, the next biggest distraction to the population is the iphone. Have you tried to have a conversation with a customer under the age of 50? Good luck since they are so distracted, their attention span is about 15 seconds.
Hey Sargeant, If we could escape the confrontation with Libby for a moment, I thought I would publish the results of a new Pew Research Poll that just came out. It listed the priorities Americans had with what they wanted the government to do.
1. Strengthen the Economy – 86%
2. Improving the job situation – 79%
3. Reducing the Deficit – 72%
4. Defending against Terrorism – 71%
5. Making Social Security financially sound – 70%
6. Improving Education – 70%
7. Making Medicare financially sound – 65%
8. Reducing Health Costs – 63%
The lowest priorities were:
1. Dealing with illegal immigration – 39%
2. Strengthening gun laws – 37%
3. Dealing with Global Warming – 28%
Guess what this administration has been concentrating on. It doesn’t appear they care what the people want, does it?
I understand, West Point. I won’t make that mistake again. At least I’m a fast learner. And no, I wasn’t raised to be an Officer and a Gentleman – but was raised to be a woman that stands up for herself and doesn’t take a bunch of crap from people, especially people of your caliber.
Hey Sargeant, As a former military man, I am sure you heard the term “he screwed the pooch”. This is from my former Air Force days when a pilot loses control of his airplane and ends up crashing. We have a President who has “screwed the pooch” with his governance or lack therof. The pooch is us when he puts an agenda before addressing the real problems of the country. The Pew Research poll confirms to me the people have about had enough of this type of leadership. I look for the polls to continue a downward trend when more of the bad stuff hits, don’t you?
I thought you would like that FFA. Of course, they won’t address these things because it doesn’t fit the agenda. I wonder what Ron with his metrics thinks about it. Pew Research is a respected Poll and have no axe to grind on agendas. Obama and his minions have a very narrow focus on what they want to do. Attacking the Coal Industry is just the latest example. The Coal States will have rampant unemployment after EPA gets through with them. In addition, we will have much higher electricity rates since Obama promised them to us when he was running.
Agent,
I was considering whether or not to respond since you have not responded to any of my challenges in this or the “U.S. House Strikes Down Republican Farm Bill” articles. It seems you and Sarge are cut from the same cloth. Quick to criticize, but cannot support your assertions and poor reading comprehension.
However, I believe it is imortant to be better than the other person and respond.
2 things about your post.
1. These are not metrics.
2. If we are going to use Pew Research as our source for debate, then see the charts on this page: http://www.people-press.org/2013/06/19/obama-job-approval-holds-steady-economic-views-improve/
Also, from the article from Pew Research, “The share of Americans saying the economy is in excellent or good shape has doubled over the past year, from 11% to 23%, and is the highest measure since January 2008. Looking ahead, more say the economy will be better (33%) than worse (19%) a year from now. That is a reversal of economic expectations since March, when more said economic conditions would be worse (32%) than better (25%) in a year.”
Seems like, as people think that strengthening the economy is job #1, their view has been trending favorably recently.
Finally, show me where in the Constitution the President has complete control over domestic issues. Hint: “He just tramples on or ignores the Constitution” is not sufficient.
You have an interesting slant on things Ron, I must say. You say that 23% of Americans say the economy is in excellent shape and doubled over the last year. I think that means that 77% think it is not so hot. You should poll West Virginia and see whether they think their prospects in the near future will be great. I thought it was funny to see the interview on the great Senator, Joe Manchin (D) WV who is now suddenly outraged about what Obama is planning to do through the EPA to basically shut his state’s economy down. He said WV has done a lot to clean up their Coal Industry and thought he had a partner to work with him, but he was wrong. I guess poor Joe has been taking a sabatical from doing his job and representing his constituents.
Agent,
I was trying to make the point that it is trending in the right direction. I have never said that the economy is great under President Obama, just looking for some evidence that it has gotten much worse. Time and time agin I have asked for some statistic that shows it has gotten worse, but no one has been able to provide such evidence yet. If you are going to use polling data to make a point, does it mean anything to you that Amercians are the most confident in the economy since 2008? And, who was the President then?
Based on his own words, it sounds like Romney would be doing the same to West Virginia’s economy. Or was he just saying he was against coal to get elected in Massachusetts?
June 26, 2013 at 11:02 am
FFA says:
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And Ron, want evidence, just look to Illinois – Unemployment rate 2 points higher then national average. Mom & Pop retailers on my block alone folded in May. That is just on my block.
June 26, 2013 at 11:05 am
FFA says:
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Three retailers folded on my block. (I really need to proof read (aka 2x) before I post.)
June 26, 2013 at 11:14 am
Ron says:
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FFA,
Thank you for providing something. I am not sure how that impacts the overall U.S. economy, but at least you gave me some statistic.
However, in oder to provide some context, you should have mentioned that the unemployment rate in Illinois has fluctauted between 8 and 11.3% during Obama’s presidency. http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LASST17000003
June 26, 2013 at 11:26 am
FFA says:
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Ron, have a lot on my plate right now. I am taking your figures and believing them as I don’t see that there is any point to you making s&^% up.
My guess, IL is dancing on the high end of your number since Jan 1, 2013.
How does it play into the national scene – 2 major manufacturing facilities – West & North Burbs have bolted the state for Tenn & FLA. Major employers in the local community for 50+ years. Hostes – folded.
State Farm – a very large employer in this state carries the Bloomington Area unemployment – last I heard about 6% – shifting direct employees to TX, TN and GA. When they are finished, 11% unemployment going to be a pipe dream.
So, maybe jobs have not been lost on the national stage, but they have to IL.
June 26, 2013 at 11:37 am
Ron says:
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FFA,
I know you have many issues with IL politicians, but it sounds like all these jobs are leaving your state, not the U.S.
I live in NY so I feel your pain reagrding jobs leaving your state.
June 26, 2013 at 10:56 am
FFA says:
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Today, Appeals Court shot down his Recess Appointments stating they are Unconstitutional.
Only 23% think the economy is in good shape. Sad, Sad, Sad!
77% – more then a 3/4 majority don’t think it is. I don’t anyone can defend that. Even Libby has expressed dis appointment.
It’s called context, FFA.
Where did I applaude that number? However, when they report that is doubled from last year and the highest since 2008, it indicates that people are becoming more confident. My argument against many of you is simply this, things may not be improving at a rate sufficient for you and we are not yet where we were, there are improving. I am still waiting for someone to provide some evidence that the economy has gotten worse under President Obama.
June 26, 2013 at 11:14 am
FFA says:
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Point Taken Ron. I know your a By The Numbers kind of guy eliminating emotion. You also avoid personal jabs too.
Your argument is correct – it is not improving quick enough.
June 26, 2013 at 3:52 pm
FFA says:
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Ron, I didn’t say you applauded that number. All you did was provide it with out a comment – good / bad / indifferent.
I offered the commentary – Sad Sad Sad. More then 3/4 of the nation are not pleased. If this was A corporation and 3/4 of the stock holders were disgruntled, there would be a new CEO.
June 26, 2013 at 4:15 pm
Libby says:
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Actually 35% said the economy is improving and 35% it is not (sounds like gridlock – wonder if they only polled Congress?) 27% said Obama’s policies have had no effect one way or another.
It’s still a sorry state of affairs, though.
June 26, 2013 at 5:58 pm
Ron says:
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FFA,
I apologize for not comprehending your post correctly. I think I was getting frustrated with Agent whose takes a lot of my posts out of context and tries to make me out to be someone who believes that the economy and President Obama are fantastic. Anyone who reads and properly comprehend my posts know that is far from the truth.
It would be great if there could more reasonable debates as we have had and you have engaged in with others.
June 26, 2013 at 6:16 pm
FFA says:
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Ron, it is an emotional topic. Had to keep that out of the mix when its such a hot button topic.
June 25, 2013 at 4:59 pm
FFA says:
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Jobs, Jobs and more jobs should be #1 on every politicians list. Step on NAFTA & China Trade Agreement. Bring our jobs back home. I know its not that simple, but it needs to be done.
Meanwhile, the Black Hawks get the job done in high energy fashion. No reports of any riots on news this AM.
Congrats to your Black Hawks FFA. Chicago can stand a winner since the lowly Cubs and Sox don’t appear to be going anywhere. I saw where the Cubs are shopping a number of players since they have given up trying to compete. That is what the Texas Rangers did for many years and managed to trade off an All Star team. Now, with Nolan Ryan running them, they stopped that nonsense although they did make a big mistake trading Chris Davis off to Baltimore and he is leading the majors in home runs. He was not handled right when they had him and kept sending him down and bringing him up and he could never settle in as a starter. Baltimore gave him a chance to play everyday and they are reaping the rewards now.
FFA, I read your exchanges with Metric Ron on the state of the economy with Illinois and the country. He seems to think the country has made real “progress” with a 23% approval rating on the economy. When we have a government killing jobs with Obamacare, the Coal Industry and any number of other actions, it doesn’t sit real well with the citizens. Also, the manufactured numbers on the unemployment rate in your state and others don’t account for the millions who gave up looking and they are no longer counted. If your state has fluctuated between 8 & 11% on Labor Dept figures, you can add 5-7% to that to pick up the real numbers.
You read the exchange between FFA and myself, yet cannot respond to my post. Where did I indicate that I thought the country has made real progress economically?
Once, just once, back up one of your assertions.
All I said was that it is trending in the right direction. FFA comprehended what I wrote, why can’t you?
FFA is the only one who actually provided some statistic indicating how something within the economy is worse now. The only thing close you have provided is people’s opinions about what the government’s priorities should be.
If you cannot debate respectfully, intelligently and with some facts, stop trying.
Actually, I did respond to your post after you downgraded my Pew Research poll which is an honest representation of how Americans feel by a very wide margin. You come out and say everything is trending upward and is so much better since 08. Wow, we have been in a recession all this time, had a trillion dollar stimulus that wasn’t a stimulus, have a government killing jobs instead of creating them, have one scandal after another and you think the American people have a positive outlook on the economy. FFA gives you what is happening in his neck of the woods and you are downgrading me because in Texas, we actually are creating jobs and have the most positive outlook in our economy. I know of no small or large business domiciled in Texas that are looking to move to a Blue State for better opportunities. If you know of any, please enlighten me. I kind of think most companies look at a state’s economic environment, tax burden, regulatory climate, available trained employee base and physical facilities, transportation access and that makes up their mind. I have decided we don’t need the kind of progress you are so proud of.
And Ron, my Gr Daughters mother lost her job (manufacturing) because she refused a transfer to Mexico. That was late last year. She was working there out of high school and she is now 33. A few hundred jobs lost to outside the US.
Earlier this year, there was a manufacturing facility in Free Port that was shuttered and moved to Mexico. Another few hundred. Important to note, this was a Bain Capitol move.
That would account for about 800 – 1000 jobs shipped out of the country.
Reports are that Motorola is moving assembly work to TX. That is going to be another large chunk of jobs done in IL.
FFA,
I understand and feel bad for all who have been affected by jobs going overseas. Unfortunately that has happened under several Presidents since the economy has become more global and it has become more cost effective to move the jobs out of the country. That is a major part of my argument. This is not just an Obama thing. He has not done enough to stop it, but neither have other past Presidents.
My current beef with the situation is that he – nor any predecessor – has done anything to stop it.
June 26, 2013 at 4:23 pm
FFA says:
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And Ron, I never did understand what you meant by providing metrics. I think of Metric as a unit of measure. look at that word and say – We are not on the Metric system. We are on the American system.
So, please explain to this one degree insurance agent with any alphabet soup after my name.
A metric is a statistic that measures one time peiod to another. Example: The unempoyment rate when President Obama took office was 7.8% and it is now 7.6% http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS14000000
Got it. Been a long time since I took Stats. Must have shuffled that term to the back of my head.
June 26, 2013 at 5:12 pm
Agent says:
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Actually FFA, the metric system is widely used in Europe which is the model Ron & Libby want to use here. Europe is in a shambles, make our unemployment rates look mild by comparison, Euro in the tank and they keep bailing out countries like Greece which is running close to 50% unemployment and riot in the streets regularly. Spain, Italy, Portugal & France are in big trouble and the libs on this blog think there is something to copy from Europe on Healthcare and Social Programs. Progressive Socialism has never worked in the history of the world and the current status of Europe should be a wake up call for all countries, but not for Metric Ron & Libby.
They are East Coaster. Closer to Europe then you and I. Just a short swim across the pond. Not sure if that’s the difference or not, but it is just a thought.
I know that Europe is having issues.
A few weeks back per David Lettermen Top Ten list of signs the Country is having Financial Problems, We are moving back in with England.
June 27, 2013 at 8:59 am
Libby says:
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Correction, FFA. I live in PA, but I am FROM Colorado. I am a Westerner, born and bred.
June 27, 2013 at 10:02 am
FFA says:
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Yes Libby, you are currently in the eastern time zone.
June 25, 2013 at 5:21 pm
FFA says:
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The talk on Sports has been – Who is worth trading????
I thought they had a couple of good pitchers and a few good hitters. I don’t follow Cubs baseball down here, but have seen a few highlights of games. Maybe they should call the Oakland GM of Moneyball fame. He seems to know how to get players for a song and turn them into really good players. He is amazing with one of the lowest payrolls in the majors, he produces winners. The government could use that theory and we might just balance the budget.
Congratulations to the Chicago Black Hawks! Of course I kept thinking- That could have been the Red Wings but hey, not this year. I also thought the Bruins would win and there would be a game seven. Great series
Sargeant, I ran across a great article written by a famous Australian Geologist named Ian Rutherford Plimer who has received a number of awards in Earth Science, Geology and Mining Engineering. Here are a few facts for those who think man is causing climate change. There was a volcanic eruption in Iceland a few years ago. It spewed enough ash and CO2 in four days to offset every effort man has made in 5 years to control CO2 emissions. By the way, there are 200 active volcanoes on the planet currently. In 1991, Mt Pinatubo on the island of Luzon in the Philippines erupted and spewed more green house gases into the atmosphere than the entire human race had emitted in all its years on earth. Here we are pushing a green agenda with this President, he is attacking the Coal Industry, we are buying Priuses, trying to go green and they hope we swallow the bogus human caused climate change scenario. In addition, they are pushing carbon taxes so it will be more expensive to live and work. Natural forces are impossible to predict and they are responsible for what is going on, not anything man has done. By the way, when the volcano finally settled down, air quality returned to normal levels. I was stationed at Clark AB within sight of this volcano back in the day and am glad I was long gone before it went up.
That kid from Notre Dame is shaking out to be pretty good. But, he is still in the rookie contract. He is also home grown. Castro & Rizzo also home grown. Barney – Gold glove from last year buy cant hit. The rest of them can hit the bricks!
I think Libby is from Colorado, the land of pot smokers and gun banners. Her state is on fire and maybe that is why she is in such a bad mood all the time. Ron is probably from NY so I understand where he is coming from. They think they are smarter than everyone else. I wonder why they are declining in population and business activity. If they are lucky, they can get the porn king Wiener for mayor. He may not be any worse than Bloomberg has been.
You criticize my by saying, “FFA gives you what is happening in his neck of the woods and you are downgrading me because in Texas” Which you could not prove that I actually did.
Then you actually downgrade me by saying, “Ron is probably from NY so I understand where he is coming from. They think they are smarter than everyone else. I wonder why they are declining in population and business activity” To set the record straight, I am from Western New York which is more conservative than most of the state.
We do not all think we are smarter than everyone else, but at least I am providing facts and sources. Where are yours? Most of your arguments are based in emotion which is why we disagree.
If you cannot provide me with facts and support, you will not change my opinion.
I am sure this is one of the reasons Texas is creating so many jobs:
Average Annual Salary
New York Texas Difference
2000 44,663 34,417 10,246
2001 46,041 35,472 10,569
2002 45,634 35,698 9,936
2003 46,573 36,472 10,101
2004 49,168 38,032 11,136
2005 51,226 39,730 11,496
2006 54,701 42,024 12,677
2007 58,616 44,272 14,344
2008 59,418 45,526 13,892
2009 57,004 45,255 11,749
2010 59,511 46,542 12,969
2011 61,042 48,351 12,691
Avg 52,800 40,983 11,817 http://bber.unm.edu/econ/us-pci.htm
Just keep on creating all of those great, high-paying jobs down there. And hey, who needs regulatory oversight or adequate insurance requirements when you can just have the Federal Government provide assistance when a fertilzer plant levels a town.
Ron when I look at something like this, I also look to see cost of living. What is NY St Income tax? If its 5% like IL what about Property Tax?
To me, gross don’t mean much – how much do I get to keep is the question.
Wi, no sales tax on food. Lower Property Tax, in Beloit , I can buy 2x the house for half the money then I have now (my mortgage payment would be in the $500 range as opposed to the $1300 I am currently at), income tax is lower, no crooked politicians and a balanced state budget.
So, at the end of the long drawn out formula, in TX, does 40,983 net out to be more then 52800 in NY?
Real Live Case Study east coast prices vs Midwest prices –
One of my national carriers co-oped a banner for me – a 50/50 split. Cost to have it printed on the East Coast was $200.00. Cost to have it made in Chicago Suburbs was $100.00. They would not approve it to be printed here and I had to use their channels.
I filled up my car yesterday for $3.79 a gallon. In Chicago, its over $4.00. What is gas where your at? Its typically 0.30 cheaper in Beloit then Chi Suburbs.
Agent, I am curious what it is in TX today. What about PA (Libby)? Sarge – what it like in Detroit? Neb & sara? What about where your at?
June 27, 2013 at 11:12 am
Agent says:
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Hi FFA. We are getting started early today on the merits of living in one place rather than another. Ron is of the opinion that because employers have to pay a higher wage in NY that it is somehow a better place to live. He seems to ignore that the cost of living is so much higher there with housing, food, gasoline, medical services etc that they have to pay more to stay even. Why do we see companies moving out of the Blue States or moving substantial operations south? Could it be the cost of doing business with payrolls, taxes, regulation etc? By the way, our gasoline has fluctuated between $3.29 and $3.39 for several months here. It always helps when you have oil and gas in your state and cuts the transportation costs. I bet Metric Ron and Libby pay close to $4.00 in their state.
June 27, 2013 at 11:15 am
FFA says:
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Agent, Central IL is filled with Oil Wells all over the place. refinery right in Indiana. So, your theory about being in my back yard may be true, but less so in this area.
June 27, 2013 at 11:42 am
Libby says:
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FFA – you’d have to “net out” alot to justify a $1,000 per month drop in salary. I think the NY folks are still ahead of the game. Plus, they don’t have to live in Texas!
June 27, 2013 at 12:11 pm
FFA says:
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Il vs WI, I can net out at least $500 on the mortgage alone. My property tax bill IL vs WI Almost $5K vs $864. Same sq footage on the home smaller lot. There is another $4K Annually. I am already at $800.00 @ month. Gas alone would be several thousand dollars. Car insurance about half. Home Insurance – about $500 a year WI vs $1200 a year in IL. I am not even digging into the Income tax, sales tax. Office rent – I can get about 1200 sq feet in Hicksville WI for under $300 @ month.
Sales tax on food items to support 7 people, ???????
I’ve been told but have not priced Medical Insurance should be about 25% less on me & my wife.
I am well on my way to that $1K a month just by driving 1.5 hours.
Just naming a few off the top of my head with out my scratch pad in front of me.
By this time next year, I am thinking I will be in Beloit.
I have done the math WI vs IL.
June 27, 2013 at 12:30 pm
Ron says:
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Agent,
What did I state in my post that got you to, “Ron is of the opinion that because employers have to pay a higher wage in NY that it is somehow a better place to live.”?
That chart was only to show that TX may be creating jobs, but they are paying far less. It is easy to attract companies when you are paying over $10,000 less per year for each employee. But then again, TX has no problem looking for a government handout when a private company causes a disaster. See the June 13 IJ article, “FEMA Denies Texas Aid to Rebuild Town After Fertilizer Blast”
Gas in WNY has been fluctuated between $3.70 and $3.75 over the past month. Since we got on the topic of gas proces I would like someone to explain to me how U.S. oil production is near historic levels and so are gas prices? I was under the impression that we needed to drill more to get prices down.
Hint: It has nothing to do with who is the President.
June 27, 2013 at 1:11 pm
FFA says:
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Gas in NY is cheaper then in Chicago Burbs.
Memorial Day we were pushing over $4.00.
June 27, 2013 at 1:36 pm
Libby says:
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FFA – how much can you make selling insurance in Beloit v. Chicago? Or are you thinking of commuting?
June 27, 2013 at 1:41 pm
Libby says:
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FFA – as far as gas prices in PA, I quit paying attention a long time ago. My car takes premium, so I’m paying .30 more right off the bat. I figure I’ve got to have it, so what does it matter. I know it takes about $60 to $65 to fill up my 15.5 gal tank. That’s what I count on when doing my budget.
June 27, 2013 at 1:50 pm
FFA says:
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Libby, I am multi State – Il, In, Wi, MI & FL. I have very little client base in my zip code – much less my home county. Most of my client deal over the net. I have been on a full scale mission to visit everyone face to face this year. If one person a month actually walks into my office, I could be over stating that number.
I am guessing that is the driving force behind the large jump in referrals.
June 27, 2013 at 2:28 pm
FFA says:
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GEEZ LIBBY. You have nothing to complain about your gas prices. I spent $80.00 filling up the mini van on Thursday before Memorial Day in my home town before I hit the road to WI. When I got to Hicksville WI, it was .35c less a gal.
Darn right I fill up at the border.
June 27, 2013 at 2:55 pm
Libby says:
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How can I complain, Agent? I don’t even know how much it costs! It doesn’t matter to me, because I have to have the gas to get to work. When gas starts costing more than I make, I’ll quit working I guess.
June 27, 2013 at 9:04 am
Libby says:
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Agent – I am not in a bad mood all the time. I’m happy as a clam. Too bad they don’t legalize pot in PA! You are the cranky old man on this blog. Oh! Along with Sarge. (I was trying to forget him.)
Right FFA. I was in the service in the AF during the Vietnam era and the libs did not treat the veterans well back then. Sargeant is probably the same. It is nice to see veterans appreciated again for their service. It is just terrible that Libs want to gut the services now when we are still in so much danger from Terrorism and the volatile Middle East. I tell you, Obama making nice with the Al Quida boys in Syria will not end well.
June 27, 2013 at 11:43 am
Libby says:
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Right-O, FFA. For that I am grateful. But why does Sarge belittle my father’s service in his disrespectful posts to me?
June 27, 2013 at 11:59 am
FFA says:
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Libby, I have never read anything on the IJ that dis respects anyone military service.
I could have missed something.
I assume your dad did WW2 like my dad did.
June 27, 2013 at 1:29 pm
Libby says:
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My dad did 2 tours in Vietnam and one in Korea. Sarge is always mocking statements I make about my father.
In fact, it was the one post where I apologized if I had offended anyone in the service with my schrapnel comment that I told him about my Dad – hoping he would understand how I felt about vets. Instead, he brings it up constantly and throws it in my face.
Sargeant Major says:
“And my father was a Westpoint graduate”
Good for him. Maybe he should have taught you how to spell West Point?
Sargeant Major says:
All you ever said was, “My father was a West Point Colonel and I lived in the Hood”, LOL!!!! That was after I told you to go to h*ll for making comments about military service
You see? He even admits it. And I didn’t make comments about military service. I asked him, jokingly, if he got schrapnel in the head because he was saying some crazy thing or the other. And mind you, this was LAST YEAR. And I apologized if I offended him or anyone else and told him about my dad so he would understand I would never disrespect anyone’s service. Now he throws it in my face.
It doesn’t matter. I know who I am and he is nothing more than a frustrated old NCO with a bone to pick with every Mexican, woman, welfare recipient, and Muslim. I feel sorry for him.
June 27, 2013 at 1:32 pm
Libby says:
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My father-in-law was in WWII at the Battle of the Bulge. He’s still alive and full of stories about those days. We try to go to Bastogne for the anniversary about every other year. They love us over there.
June 27, 2013 at 11:28 am
Agent says:
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FFA, If you have oil wells all over the place in Illinois and a refinery next door in Indiana, it can’t be the transportation costs driving the high cost so that leads me to think the taxes imposed on every gallon could be the culprit. That, and maybe the high union wages the refinery has to pay may drive the cost up. In any case, the cost of living to the average consumer are far higher than in the south. The government didn’t do us any favors when they mandated 10% ethanol for gasoline under the guise of renewable fuel. It adds to the cost, makes a vehicle much less efficient and causes engine damage to injectors over time. Those are metrics Ron, provided to me from several leading Auto Repair Shops I write who are very good at what they do. They all say the same thing that Ethanol is bad news for cars.
Chicago & Collar Counties have a Summer Blend that inflates the cost from May through Oct. Soon as I get to Belvidere Oasis on I 90. (Boone County) its always about .20 cheaper. Soon as I leave IL, .25. When I get to BP in Hicksville, WI, it always .35c cheaper then here.
June 27, 2013 at 11:57 am
Agent says:
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FFA, We have area pockets where gasoline is less expensive as well. A city 40 miles away from me is consistently $.10 or more less than we are, but they have a refinery over there. Did you know that in some places in Oklahoma, they sell regular unleaded without Ethanol and it is far less. One of my marketing reps who has that territory filled up there and it was $2.99. He thought he was in heaven. He said he got much better mileage out of that tank than the ethanol lace gas sold down here.
July 1, 2013 at 4:11 pm
Agent says:
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FFA, there is a new article out today on California raising the taxes on gasoline again to an astronomical $.71 per gallon. That is state taxes. Add the Fed into it and no wonder their gas is over $4.00 per gallon. They think they can continue to raise taxes ad nauseum to solve their budget problems. Meanwhile, the citizens and companies continue to leave the state. Where will the tax base be if the taxpayers continue to leave? California has oil and gas and much of it lies off the coast, but the environmental wackos will not let it be developed so the state will continue to languish in debt.
July 2, 2013 at 10:12 am
FFA says:
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Good Grief…. $0.71 in state gas taxes.
IL did something stupid like that on Diesel when Rod was still in power. Truckers would fill up at the border before getting into IL so they could run the state without stopping. They also increased the cost of tolls. Now truckers are avoiding the state all together.
Just another screw job from Springfield to the business community.
Now that knuckle head is expected to veto the Conceal & Carry. Will fond out in a matter of hours.
Should be hammering out the Pension Reform instead. Today, I will be sending out a NOC on a Nursing home to the state because the state ha not paid them and they don’t have the premium money. That will shut them down. Another 35 jobs going to be lost.
June 27, 2013 at 2:59 pm
Agent says:
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Libby, Since you don’t pay attention to the price at the pump and just say it costs you $65 to fill up your 15.5 gallon tank, I have some metrics for you and Ron. That is $4.19 per gallon on a simple 10 key machine. I filled my 15.5 gallon SUV Monday for $50. I thought PA had some oil and gas up there. What is up with the high price of fuel there? That is higher than FFA’s area.
Agent – you have to remember, my car takes premium gas, so it is 30 cents higher than regular from the git go. I guess that would make regular gas more like $3.57 ($60/15.5-.30). Our gas tends to be high where I live in PA. Don’t know what it is in the north or west of the state, I’m south-central.
June 28, 2013 at 9:28 am
Libby says:
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Paid attention to gas prices on the way home last night just for you, Agent. Regular unleaded was $3.37.
June 28, 2013 at 12:18 pm
FFA says:
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$3.37 a gal??? What year is it in PA? That price is a distant memory here. It jumped 0.02 over night.
June 27, 2013 at 9:07 am
Libby says:
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Ron – not speaking for Agent (God forbid!) but I think when he says “downgrade”, he means thumbing him down. What he did in his post was insult you. And the entire state of New York, along with Colorado.
Yes Libby, we truly speak a different language. Ron tries to disparage me and my opinions by trying to act superior and then taking a dig at Texas at every opportunity. He is also jealous that Texas leads the nation in job creation while NY continues to lose jobs with how they are operating. He just can’t understand why people are moving here in droves because we obviously have so many disadvantages, it just doesn’t make sense to him.
Asking you to support your opinions is not the same as disparaging them. Do you understand the difference? The only time I have ever challenged you is when you make statements for which you should easily find support. But all you do, if you respond at all, is change the subject, take my words out of context or fail to comprehend what I wrote.
What is your source showing TX leading the nation in job creation and NY continuing to lose jobs?
I am still waiting for the list with all of the pork and who added it to the bill.
June 27, 2013 at 1:00 pm
Agent says:
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Ron, I can’t help it if you don’t follow the real news of the day. I guess you are like Libby & Planet who really don’t watch the news much to see what is going on. Texas has been big news for the last couple of years going back to prior to the last election. It has been all over the internet and even some networks have marvled at the positive business environment, no state income tax, right to work, lower cost of doing business and lower cost of living. Those are the metrics, Ron.
June 27, 2013 at 1:15 pm
Libby says:
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Agent – I’m the one that takes a dig at Texas every opportunity I get. And I have not found any of Ron’s posts to be disparaging. He asks you and Sarge for back-up to your positions and you both ignore him. It’s not that hard to find information to back up your stance, if it is indeed factual. If it’s not, perhaps you need to retract it.
June 27, 2013 at 1:46 pm
Ron says:
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Agent,
What part of “WHAT IS YOUR SOURCE?” do you not understand? You made a factual statement and I want to know from where the information was obtained.
That is how you make an argument with facts and support.
June 27, 2013 at 4:28 pm
Agent says:
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Libby, Perhaps you should have bought one of those lovely Chevy Volts that Government Motors can’t give a way even with rebates. I bet you could have gotten a deal and then you wouldn’t have to buy premium to fill it up. If you commute less than 30 miles, you could just plug it in at work and charge it all day long to get back home. I have a friend/customer that has a Nissan Leaf total electric which will go 70 miles between charges and he just uses it to tool around locally and plugs it in at night. He says the public charging stations take 30 minutes to charge, but his garage charger is an all night affair. Different strokes for different folks. By the way, it is uglier than sin, but he likes it anyway.
I guess I could have gone that route. Maybe my next car…
June 28, 2013 at 10:02 am
Agent says:
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Libby, so if your unleaded was $3.37, your premium you have to pay is about $3.67 according to your math. You may reap the benefit and will only cost you $56 the next time you fill up. Gasoline is taxed so heavily that we really should be paying less than $2.00. We also still import way too much and we have all the resources in the world to be energy independent, but we would rather develop switch grass, algae, cow dung and continue to use corn ethanol which only adds to cost and makes the cars less efficient.
How about we make the U.S. companies keep the fuel and petroleum here? Please note the #1 and #3 ranked exports from the U.S. then explain how more drilling will lower gas proces.
Exhibit 7. Exports of Goods by End-Use Category and Commodity
In millions of dollars. Details may not equal totals due to seasonal adjustment and rounding. The commodities in this exhibit are ranked on the monthly
change within each major commodity grouping. (-) Represents zero or less than one half of measurement shown.
April March
2013 2013
1 Fuel oil 4,643 4,570
2 Pharma preparations 4,212 4,068
3 Petro products, other 4,200 4,235
4 Industr mach, other 3,955 3,690
5 Civilian aircraft 3,750 3,884
6 Nonmonetary gold 3,746 4,117
7 Semiconductors 3,563 3,458
8 Telecomm equipment 3,535 3,171
9 Electric apparatus 3,428 3,148
10 Plastic materials 3,005 3,038
Duid you notice how I used actual facts and cited my source? Try it sometime and you may sway someone’s opinion that does not already match yours.
June 28, 2013 at 1:31 pm
FFA says:
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Ron, that’s good info.
I have heard this more then once and do not recall the source, but the Gas / Oil companies are afraid to invest in more efficient refineries because Obama is pushing us to Green Energy.
As a result, the likes of BP / Exxon ect.. ship it over seas for refinement as they don’t see the point in the investment if they are not going to reap the benefits – Long Term.
I would guess if OBama would back off his Green Energy push, BP would be more likely to upgrade to more efficient facilities and maybe even build more which would create – yes you guessed it – JOBS.
June 28, 2013 at 2:37 pm
Libby says:
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Agent: I looked back through my check book since I don’t fill up often enough to remember. 6 month average is $59.46.
June 25, 2013 at 6:54 pm
FFA says:
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And yes Sarge, I kept that Detroit series in the back of my mind all night long. I thought for sure we would be talking about an OT win with game 7 coming.
And how about that Shaw – Broken Rib, Shoulder Injury and a puck up side the head. He kept going…. Maybe D Rose could learn something from him.
Not that this post will change anything at all but just curious is anyone else tired of the blame game on this site between Bush and Obama supporters? When will you all figure out that they are the same model president in a different color (no skin color pun intended).
The right vs. left stuff is exhausting to me. One of my favorite quotes is “It’s not left vs. right, It’s the state vs. you”
FFA – for you, I will refrain from personal jabs with Agent and I intend to just ignore Sarge from now on. You are right, they push my buttons and I react. I need to be smarter than that.
LiveFree, Folks like myself, Sargeant, Dave, FFA are tired of the left bloggers blaming Bush for all the ills of the world and we tend to fight back and they don’t like that much. We believe in a free market country, not an entitlement laden Socialist agenda which is bankrupting the country. Obamacare is the biggest travesty ever passed by Congress and even many liberals are now seeing it as a train wreck approaching in Jan 14. The diminishing left supporters keep singing a happy tune and don’t see a thing wrong with a 2,700 page bill with 12,000 pages of regulations that has been and will continue to escalate cost in the near future. That is just a few reasons why we fight them every step of the way. They are in the insurance business and it is amazing there is so little common sense between them.
So I am assuming your are not referring to me as a left blogger. If you are, I expect one quote from any of my posts that indicate I blame Bush for all if the ills of the world.
Just one, please.
We may not have enough common sense for your liking, but at least we have basic reading comprehension skills and support our assertions with facts and sources. That sentence is referring to you and Sarge.
Ron, I don’t have time to review 219 posts, many of which are yours to pick out everything you have said. Sargeant has provided several links with his posts which you ignore. The one he provided with many Democratic Leaders from Clinton on down all saying there were WMDs in Iraq and Sadam was going to use them was very enlightening. Libby skated on that one saying she didn’t have sound at the office. What is your excuse? These are not made up printed versions, but right from the lips of those people who were in charge at the time, but Bush gets blamed.
I beg to differ with you, Agent. Not only did I reply to Sarge:
“Sarge – even though your post was to Celtica, I have watched both videos. Granted, I have exceptional comprehensive skills, but I did not see anything in either video to contradict my assertions about Dubya and the Iraq war.
In the first, Congress based their statements on “briefings” from the White House, which we know now were using falsified intellegience.
In the second, Clinton never comes out and says he knows Hussein still has WMD’s, just that he had used them in the past and the purpose of the UN inspections was to guarantee he did not have them anymore.
Please, pray tell, what did I miss?”
But I also responded to you:
“OK, Agent. I looked at the first YouTube on my lunch break. All those statements by Democratic Congressman during 2002 and 2003 were based on “briefings” given to them by NSA and CIA.
As outlined in my comprehensive list of LIES includes the following:
“A half-dozen former CIA agents investigating prewar intelligence have found that a secret Pentagon committee, set up by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld in October 2001, manipulated reams of intelligence information prepared by the spy agency on the so-called Iraqi threat and then delivered it to top White House officials who used it to win support for a war in Iraq.”
They were fed the same misinformation as the American people. I am starting to doubt your comprehension skills, too. Start a different arguement, rather than the Democrats supported the POTUS based on misleading “intellegience.” Of course they did. And we did, too. Only to find out he LIED.”
Can you answer this question? what changed the culture in Iraq from 1991 to 2003? Hint:9/11 did not change the culture in Iraq, only our perception of the Middle East. This is evidenced by the fact that VP Cheney was right in 1993 and wrong in 2003.
I did not ignore them, I have seen them before. The only reason I did not respond is because they have nothing to do with my argument.
I agree that the Clinton administration made mistakes, can you get yourself to admit that the Bush administration made any or were they perfect?
At least Sarge can cite a source, where are yours?
June 28, 2013 at 7:51 am
Ron says:
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Agent,
Why are you so lazy? Remember this from one of my earlier psots?
Find one post, just one, where I blamed President Bush for anything more than the invasion and handling of Iraq? Good luck. My problem is simply this, you blame President Obama for everything that has happened during his administration, some of which is his fault, but push everything that went bad during President Bush’s administration onto someone else. Neither have been perfect or totally flawed. Please re-read this part of my post then say that I blamed Bush for all the terrible this country is in currently:
The only major issue I blame President Bush for is the invasion and handling of Iraq. VP Cheney knew in 1993 it would not be easy to overthrow Saddam Hussien and transition to a democracy. http://archive.redstate.com/stories/war/cheney_warned_of_iraq_quagmire_0
Then he changed his mind in 2003 http://www.nbcnews.com/id/3080244/ns/meet_the_press/t/transcript-sept/
Can you answer this question? what changed the culture in Iraq from 1991 to 2003? Hint:9/11 did not change the culture in Iraq, only our perception of the Middle East. This is evidenced by the fact that VP Cheney was right in 1993 and wrong in 2003.
I did not ignore Sarge, I have seen the videos. I did not repond because they have nothing to do with my argument.
I agree with you that the Clinton Administration, like every other, has made mistakes. Can you admit that the Bush Administration has made mistakes?
One final question, do you honestly believe that all of the soldiers’ and innocent Iraqi lives lost, financial costs and the hit to our golbal reputation were worth invading Iraq? I know that requires some hindsight, but I am just curious.
June 28, 2013 at 8:17 am
Ron says:
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I apologize for the duplicate posts. The one I posted last night did not appear at first this morning
June 28, 2013 at 11:18 am
Ron says:
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I cannot believe that someone actually thumbed down my apology.
June 27, 2013 at 4:48 pm
Libby says:
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Agent – even I have not blamed Bush for all the ills in the world, just the Iraq war. And that usually comes up in response to some sort of left wing bashing coming from the right.
My arguments are made to show there is corruption, incompetence, and scandal on BOTH sides of the aisle. I feel I need to point that out, as it is your side of the house that continually blames the current administration for all the sins in the world.
I will be the first to agree this administration has been less than perfect and I am disappointed in many of the things Obama has and has not done since elected. But the non-stop bashing of every little thing is tiring.
I’ve said it before but it bears repeating, try a construction comment every now and then instead of just playing the blame game.
Libby, Obviously your comprehension is faulty or you really didn’t listen to the utube links provided by Sargeant. It was in the Clinton era when he was POTUS, Madelyn Allbright was his Secretary of State, Al Gore was the VP, Jay Rockefeller at the same time and the list goes on. Their assertions were consistent all the way. Did they have bad intelligence as well? Intelligence goes back a long way and most of the countries all had the same conclusions including Mossad which I think is probably the best of the lot along with MI5 in Britain. How could everyone have been so wrong about this if it wasn’t true?
The blame game never worked for me. I don’t care (anymore) how we got here.
How do we get past it is the question that needs to be answered. My Answer – Jobs, jobs and more jobs. How do we accomplish that? Tax the crap out of all foreign products and tax the crap out of any American Based Company shipping Labor out of the country. Manufacturing needs to come home.
oBamas answer- Abortion, Immigration and Gun Control.
June 28, 2013 at 8:51 am
Ron says:
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FFA,
I think we all agree that if the jobs issue was resolved everything else would likely fall into place. This is in no way absolving Obama for his part, but the President does not write tax policy. That falls on Congress. Unfortunately, the current political environment seems to preclude any possible progress. And that is the fault of both sides. I am sick of hearing both Speaker Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Reid not even bringing bills from the other house to the floor of theirs.
Go ahead Agent, rip on me for blaming both sides.
June 28, 2013 at 9:09 am
Libby says:
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Agent – Even I am growing weary of this argument, but here goes. Hussein had chemical WMD’s in 1993. He subsequently got rid of them. Now I will refer you to a source I know you will not read.
So FFA, did you see the AP story just published on the President’s $100 Million African vacation? He was in Senegal yesterday promoting same sex marriage. The Senegal President looked him in the eye and said they were not going to decriminalize homosexual behavior. Africa has the highest rate of AIDS of any continent and our President is over there promoting homosexuality. Are you proud of our leader? I certainly am not.
June 28, 2013 at 10:37 am
LiveFree says:
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FFA, I certainty appreciate you looking past the blame game and stating your opinion on a solution, and I also agree that manufacturing needs to come home. However, I believe that taxing and tariffs would not solve this.
Tariffs restrict foreign investment and capital investment between nations, which has played a considerable part in the development of modern industries. But now (since about the first world war) with tariffs and corrupt governments, that was not foreseen by our past capitalist, it is now almost a demonized activity.
And taxes are parasitic and statist, and I think they should be kept very low, how low exactly is debatable but the lower the better in my opinion. It is more political than economical where the exact source of these taxes come from (income, sales, etc.) but to me it is important instead to focus on how much of the social product is to be siphoned off to the unproductive activities of government. In other words lower taxes and the privatization of many of the governments activities, which would allow them to run on a smaller tax budget.
June 28, 2013 at 12:26 pm
FFA says:
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Maybe if Obama was as concerned about Job Creation as he is about Abortion, Same Sex Marriage, Immigration, maybe – just maybe – the other side may jump on that band wagon.
Reading down agents list above, at least 4 other issues would be resolved.
I may be wrong. I am just a working stiff trying to support 7 people.
Had to pull someone off the unemployment line last month. Need to pull someone else in too as she has generated 2 pl accounts and one commercial accounts with 4 more in the works… Hired her to push my paper work and she just generated even more.
June 28, 2013 at 2:10 pm
Libby says:
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Hate to tell you this, Agent, but heterosexuals can get AIDS, too.
June 28, 2013 at 5:44 pm
Agent says:
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So Ron, we finally agree on something that if the jobs issue is resolved, some of the other problems may fall into place. You are right that you can’t absolve Obama for his part. However, you should remember that Obama was the one who wanted to soak the rich and tax the job creators more and got that done. He passed a Healthcare bill that is laden with numerour taxes/fines that is sure to harm American citizens and companies and kill more jobs. He continues to give our money away to people who don’t like us much. He lets China have favored nation status without holding them accountable for their trade practices. He is determined to shut the Coal Industry down costing thousands of jobs in several states. Please give me some metrics on what he has done to create private sector jobs. The Stimulus sure didn’t do the trick and was another trillion down the rat hole. Regarding the relationship between the House & Senate, it is a one way deal. The House passes a bill, Reid throws it in the waste basket and won’t let it be debated or voted on. Please give me an example of Boehner doing the same thing on a Senate Bill. I think Boehner will consider the sorry Amnesty Bill, make some changes to it and send it back. Did you know that there is a $5,000 fine for a company who is considering hiring between a regular citizen and a newly minted Illegal if the employer does not hire the illegal? Yes, it is in the bill. Why don’t citizens have more rights over someone who swam the river here illegally? The House will hopefully throw that out. The gang of eight did us no favors with this legislation that most Senators did not read. I thank Ted Cruz for actually reading the bill and bringing this out.
June 28, 2013 at 6:41 pm
Libby says:
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Agent – you do know that hiring illegal aliens is illegal, right? That’s why they call them “illegal” aliens.
June 28, 2013 at 12:41 pm
Agent says:
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I agree with you for the most part Livefree, but the problem is that it has been a one way street with the US letting so many goods in while the other country like China restricting or putting tariffs on our goods. That is why our balance of payments is so out of whack. China also manipulates their currency so their goods are cheaper. I wonder what China would do if we turned their ships back at our ports and sent them home because of their trade policies. Many countries operate the same way and want to send us unrestricted goods and don’t want to reciprocate by buying ours.
FFA, good one. This President has not engaged in policies designed to create jobs in the private sector. That seems to be beyond his grasp. Did the Stimulus create any shovel ready jobs? Even he admitted it had not. Does increasing taxes create jobs? Does throwing money at green energy create jobs? Does creating a health bill with many more taxes create jobs? Had he taken Econ 101 in college, he may have learned that Keynsian Economics have not worked in the past and will not for the future either. We know he is focused like a laser on the economy, right? All of his actions show us what the agenda is and will be. Ron & Libby both need to wake up and smell the coffee.
Please list all of the jobs bills that have been sent to the President for his signature that he has vetoed.
Please cite where in the Constitution it says that the President is responsible for creating jobs.
FFA,
That is a private sector project, not a bill. Besides, is it worth less than 1,000 permanent U.S. jobs to allow Canadian oil to flow through the U.S.? I would be more supportive of the project if they guaranteed more permanent jobs. http://money.cnn.com/2011/12/13/news/economy/keystone_pipeline_jobs/index.htm
June 29, 2013 at 12:30 pm
Ron says:
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One other point, Obama has not shot it down, he has just not given the complete green light.
July 1, 2013 at 10:06 am
FFA says:
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Ron, its simple, he lets it happen, it creates jobs.
AP reported over the week end that he is going to “invest” in African energy – some $70B.
July 1, 2013 at 3:55 pm
Agent says:
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FFA, Most Americans wanted Keystone except this President and his environmental wackos. All the studies have been completed for years now and approved by the northern states. Even the unions were upset this has not been given the go ahead because they saw the jobs that would be created for their workers. I was pleased to see the southern part from Cushing, Oklahoma to Houston started and is being completed. A few goofballs like Darryl Hannah tried to stop it and got to cool their heels in jail for a few days for their trouble.
June 28, 2013 at 5:50 pm
Agent says:
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Perhaps you need a lesson on how it works. The President cannot receive a bill to veto if the Senate does not debate or vote on it. Nothing gets past Harry Reid to go to the President. Numberous House bills are passed and they go right in the waste basket. Understand now?
Thank you for taking the bait and making my point. IT IS NOT PRESIDENT OBAMA’S FAULT!!!!
You’re making this too easy.
Do you recall where I wrote, “And that is the fault of both sides. I am sick of hearing both Speaker Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Reid not even bringing bills from the other house to the floor of theirs.”
July 1, 2013 at 11:59 am
Agent says:
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Hey Metric Ron, perhaps you can give us the metrics on all the Senate Bills sent to the House that have been discarded without debate and vote. The reason why bills are not sent to the President for signature or veto is that the Republican bills never make it past dirty Harry.
Hi FFA, I saw an article published by the LA Times today that said that United Healthcare will withdraw from the Individual Market in California by the end of the year. Aetna had already announced the same move. They will remain in Group business, but apparently want no part of the Individual Exchange. I wonder why. That may reduce the choices some, don’t you think? It was previously reported that the State of Washington will have only one exchange carrier. They sure did expand choices for the consumers, right?
FFA, In keeping with the theme of job creation, the Center for Immigration Studies is releasing a report today that 22.4 million immigrants of working age held jobs at the beginning of this year which is up 5.3 million over the total in 2000. However, native born workers with jobs dropped 1.3 million over the same period from 114.8 million to 113.5 million. Meanwhile, the number of Americans who aren’t in the workforce has jumped by almost 13 million to reach an astounding 48.6 million. The Senate just passed their version of amnesty which would grant even more illegal immigrants legal status and the House will be debating as well. Those who believe the bogus Labor Dept unemployment numbers of 7.6% should wake up and smell the coffee. There are a lot of dead beats who are on their 99 weeks and when they use that up, they trot down to Social Security and get on Disability. This is truly an entitlement society.
Agent I agree. I was speaking more on a global level rather than just a USA level. At least a good amount of countries would have to participate in allowing foreign capital investments to a point where ones that don’t participate would be at a disadvantage making them more likely to join. Therefore, I realize that although it maybe ideal it is in no way simple as it would require cooperation.
I have a friend who always tells me that we (USA) will stop going the current inflation route and instead will eventually just wipe our creditors out (China, etc.) so we won’t have to pay them back. His line of reasoning always comes back to his favorite phrase “not every country can be rich at the same time” and that the USA will have to act with more and more force to stay rich. But I always tell him, that although I wouldn’t put it past the propaganda machine our gov’t is to take that route, that every country can be rich through completely free trade and foreign capital investment. I would prefer that over more war and empire building.
For a historical example of how this has worked before, foreign investment is precisely how other European countries closed the very large development gap on Britain during the early and mid nineteenth century before it became demonized by British special interest groups once the realized that they would have more competition than before if they continued. In other words the rich wanted to put barriers up to prevent the poor from become productive and competitive.
Livefree, it sounds like you have taken Econ 101 which I did also on the way to a degree in Economics. Our friends Libby & Metric Ron have a scacity of understanding how inflation destroys a country or how trade works on a global scale. If Ron needs an example, he should look at the former Rhodesia now called Zimbabwe. Their currency is worth nothing and they are in chaos. The former Wiemar Republic in Germany after WW1 found themselves in the same situation. They couldn’t buy a loaf of bread with a wheelbarrow full of money. Bernanke has been printing money 24/7 for the last couple of years. No wonder the dollar doesn’t buy much anymore.
Agent,
Go to this site and tell me where is this high inflation. http://www.inflationdata.com/inflation/inflation_rate/historicalinflation.aspx
Republicans have been warning us about high inflation since President Obama took office, yet it has not materialized. Let’s compare the inflation rates during President Obama’s administration and President Bush’s:
Highest monthly rate:
Obama – 3.87%
Bush – 5.6%
Lowest monthly rate:
Obama – (2.1%)
Bush – .09%
Average monthly rate:
Obama – 1.62%
Bush – 2.84%
If you have different data, please cite your source.
Putting aside the Obama vs. Bush inflation debate, I believe the source you provided doesn’t necessarily prove a lack of inflation at all. I say this because it says it is using the CPI as it’s source factor and the CPI is notorious for being changed and manipulated by the Fed to under estimate inflation most notably the Boskin Commission in 1995 and has been changed again as recently as this year. Also the CPI conveniently ignores prices that are affected by the fed’s artificially low interests rates such as oil, food, and gold.
If we were still using pre-boskin methods today the average annual inflation would be closer estimated at about 7% rather than 3%.
LiveFree, It is a fact that there have always been rich & poor with countries as well as our citizens. Is it right or fair for the rich to be made poor in order to “level” the playing field? There has to be investors in order to create wealth and jobs. I don’t know about you, but I have never gotten a job from a poor man. We have an administration who’s goal is the penalize the entrepreneur, raise taxes, regulate him to death and this is somehow supposed to create economic activity. Is it any wonder that jobs have been going overseas and to Mexico for several years? Companies have seen the handwriting on the wall and they will do whatever is necessary.
So Libby, do you think it is ok to hire an illegal granted “amnesty” over a legal alien or American citizen? The gang of 8 bill will penalize employers for hiring legal aliens or American citizens $5,000. Boy, those benefits of getting amnesty are just too much, aren’t they? I look for this to be deleted from the House bill once they get to read it. I hope they take their time, because it is 1,200 pages and most Senators didn’t read it before voting on it. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
Or maybe he went to the Black Hawks rally today. I know he is a Detroit fan first and foremost, but this was such a great series.
Maybe cap is there too. He is big on Chicago Sports.
Maybe Shaw will sit down with D Rose and explain what its like to play with pain.
Thank you Livefree for giving Metric Ron the metrics he so desperately needs on every talking point. He doesn’t think we have an inflation problem in this country under his President. All he really needs to do is ask an average consumer about their food, fuel, electricity, housing costs and they would inform him. Electricity is due to have another big jump after Obama and the EPA gets through with the Coal Industry. Several big Democrats, led by the now enraged Joe Manchin (D-WV) are really jumping up and down about the new plan to destroy their states economy and jobs. Perhaps they should switch parties and restore the balance of power to fight this idiotic climate change policy.
Today starts the Vacation Period when more People Vacation this coming week then any other week. If I didn’t have Mom & Dad BS to deal with on Tuesday, Il’d be out of the loop for a solid and much needed 10 day break. None the less, I get done with that crap on Tuesday and you will find me only on my lake or in our bar!
Maybe I’ll bring the lap top. I can get Wi Fi on the lake.
Federal Goverment at it’s best!!!! This will be a cluster….
Where are the Departments of Insurance in this whole process? Are they monitoring plans &/or financial stability of the carriers?
Instead of thumbing me down, why not answer my question? It was an honest question. Will the DOI be involved in any capacity with monitoring the carriers in the exchange?
Hi Libby: I was at a meeting with the Wisconsin Commissioner of Insurance recently and when he was asked about the exchange in Wisconsin, he responded that they are monitoring the exchange and the carriers involved and that he expected the exchange to be set up on time and running with some, but not many, options.
Because of this, I would assume other Departments of Insurance are also monitoring.
How will the State Insurance departments monitor what the Fed is doing with companies? Will they be able to monitor all the claims the PreX crowd file once they are covered? Will they know how much subsidies are sent to companies that have to take on these new PreX people? Perhaps the companies running the exchanges have to file reports to Sebelius on premiums collected vs claims paid out. They will have their hands out for these subsidies I can assure you.
If they are “monitoring” I would assume they will watch the carriers in the exchange (not the exchange itself) for financial stability and fair claims handling – the same as any other carrier.
Thanks, J.S. I appreciate the response.
JS, the state of Washington has one exchange to pick from. That sure looks like a lot of choices for the folks up there, right?
Agent: I’m wasn’t arguing for or against anything and I don’t claim to know anything about Washington. I was just passing along what I heard from the Wisconsin Commissioner.
But, since you asked, I will guess that for most poor people in Washington, this is one more choice than they had in the past.
Went to a seminar on this Friday about the launch of the Nevada Portal. What a mess. Will drive jobs out of this country. You are going to see 25% unemployment rates. Everyone involved this fiasco needs to be horsewhipped.
Yep, waiting to watch those doctor and nursing jobs to start boxing up for that move to China…
Lou, as a primarily P&C agent, I have seen buildings on fire and they eventually fall in when the girders give a way. This legislation is due to implode and fall in on the supporters of it. I don’t think we will ever see numbers of 25% unemployment from the Labor Dept because they don’t count all the unemployed that have given up looking. They say the rate has fallen, but they aren’t creating any jobs except government jobs and employers are laying off instead of hiring. Almost all but the most ardent supporters are saying it is a train wreck coming and these people keep whistling their happy tune. They remind of the lemmings who follow a leader into the pit.
Who could not see this problem happening????
Unfortunately for insureds, this will not stop the huge rate increases. It is happening as we speak. By the time the Feds get all the exchanges up, they will feature even higher premiums and the country will continue the slide into financial oblivion.
Oh, you mean like it did under Bush II?
I guess Hilary will have her work cut out for her.
Celtica, If we are lucky, Hilary will be indicted soon and we won’t have to worry about her 2016 ambitions. She played a big role in the Benghazi coverup and now has the Prostitution and Drug scandal under her watch and that was also tried to be covered up. Thank God for whistle blowers who are bringing out all these nefarious activities. The incidents were bad enough, but when you try to stop an IG investigation or cover up the deeds, then you are in deeper trouble.
Agent — the only crime about Benghazi is the right trying to make political points out of it. 4 Americans died because Congress would not spend more money to protect them.
So before you start looking for handcuffs for Hilary, look to your own motives first.
I’ll probably regret asking this: indicted for what?
The good news Celtica is that Morsi has been ousted in Egypt despite our State Dept telling the Egyptian people they should stick with him. What is wrong with that picture? Us backing the Muslim Brotherhood with money and arms to go up against Israel, our only ally in the region. Looks to me like the Egyptian people awakened from their slumber and realized the Muslim Brotherhood was not looking after their best interests. Tourism is in the tank as well as their economy. Let’s hope they are replaced by reliable people who don’t go off on a Jihadist agenda like Morsi was pushing. He should be tried and punished for his crimes against the Egyptian people.
Don’t matter who is next, they have a tall task ahead of them. Could be you and its still going to be a mess.
FFA, for those doubting Thomases on the left, I saw a story on the Pentagon buying Russian helicopters to the tune of $700 Million and giving them to the Afghan forces about 2 weeks ago. Finally, Fox broke their story today. Mr. Putin’s company will be building these choppers instead of American Helicopter companies all the while giving Syria weapons to use on his people. He is playing both sides like a fiddle. Meanwhile, Obama is pledging to disarm. The picture of the two of them at the G-8 was priceless. Putin has 0 respect for this President and has open disdain just like 73% of Americans now.
Hi Agent,
Don’t mean to make you put on a teacher hat, but what is America’s end-game with Syria? Why is Obama getting so involved in all of that?
Good Question Neb? They hate us so much, why should we even care?
Shouldn’t we feed the hungry on the home land before OBama brings us into another war?
For all you Bush haters out there, let me remind you he was provoked when them knuckle heads slammed our planes into our buildings.
FFA,
Just to clarify something. Most “Bush haters” understand that and remember 9/11 as well as everyone else. The complaint has always been about Iraq and how it was sold to Congress and the rest of Americans.
“Them knuckleheads” were Al Qaeda – NOT Iranian, FFA. Get that straight. We got next to 0 Al Qaeda by invading Iraq. Bush knew there was no Al Qaeda there and he invaded anyway.
Iran, Iraq, Afgan, Syria, Jordan, ect…. They all hate us. They are all knuckle heads.
Seems inevitable we will be heading into Syria just like Iran / Iraq / Afganistan- whatever. Every dog has their day and Obamas dog day is going to be Syria.
In my opinion – Bring our boys home and line the borders with them.
If they want our help, vote Baseball back into the Olympics. Keep the pros out of the Olympics. Let the kids play! I digress to sports again. Politics and war – two subjects that jack up my blood pressure.
Alot of them do hate us, FFA. Maybe because we keep trying to invade their countries and tell them how to live their lives. I agree. Let’s bring ’em all home. Let them fight it out amongst themselves.
Nebraskan: There is a pretty good Op Ed piece on that very topic in the Washington Post.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/fareed-zakaria-obamas-syria-policy-is-full-of-contradictions/2013/06/19/81e2068a-d8f8-11e2-a9f2-42ee3912ae0e_story.html
Libby, you and I keep finding common ground.
I would like to know why they hate us so much. I would like to know why Americans think we should push our ways on them. We don’t need their oil. We don’t like their way of life. But it works for them. Let them live it. Let them make their mistakes. Let them all kill each other off.
Cut them off. Shut them off and be done with them.
I agree, no matter who is in power next, it’s going to be a miserable and thankless job.
I also agree that we need to quit trying to convert the middle east. We should not be the ones to decide who is right and who should be in power in other countries. Why can’t we just back off?
Nebraskan, You asked what America’s end game is with Syria and why Obama is getting so involved. There is no way to win that situation since Russia is obviously backing Assad and to back the rebels, you are backing Al Quida. Which is worse, a despot who is killing his own people to stay in power or Terrorists who have been killing people for years and years and think all infidels need to be killed. Sarah Palin said it best. Leave this area alone and let Allah sort it all out.
Celtica – My premiums did not start SPIKING – not just increasing, but SPIKING until OBama did the Cobra Give A Way. He did nothing for the people that could pay the full premium, just the ones who lost their jobs and couldn’t even pay 25% of the premium.
Don’t you think Iraq would have hid Bin Ladden had they not been on Bushes radar?
Now that Syria is gassing their own people, its obvious that them weapons came from somewhere.
Busch SR should have finished what he started.
He’s the one that started Al Qaeda in the first place!
“The group was founded in 2003 as a reaction to the American-led invasion and occupation of Iraq, and first led by the Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who declared allegiance to Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaeda network in October 2004.”
Thanks Bush family.
Clarification: The Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) was formed in 2003 after the Bush invasion.
FFA, We have a looming disaster on the horizon in Syria. Obama has made the decision to start arming the rebels against Assad. By the way, the rebels are thoroughly laced with Al Quida operatives. These people live by the feud and they just love killing people. Putin on the other hand is backing the henchman Assad who has killed over 90,000 and is now using chemical weapons to stay in power. I liked Sarah Palin’s comment that we should leave this area alone and let Allah sort it out.
So FFA, the story came out today that the guys we are arming and aiding in Syria got hold of a Catholic Priest and did a public beheading. The Al Quida boys have been known to do this in the past to infidels. Catholics and Protestants in this region need to get out if they can. It is not the place to be in this world.
FFA, I saw a new article on the States and local governments doing changes to try to come up with the money for this disaster. Numerous states, counties, cities in a lot of states are now cutting back hours to 29 hours on thousands of employees and I am sure some employees will be layed off entirely to scale back. It is not just businesses that are feeling the Obamacare pinch. Everyone is going to feel a considerable pain trying to comply.
This is a real question and not hidden sarcasm.
How long do you think it will take for citizens to sue their state government for not setting up an exchange, thus delaying the opportunity to get insurance? (I’m still PO’ed about the current lawsuit against the Governor….which is why I ask.)
Libby said: “Instead of thumbing me down, why not answer my question?”
LOL- Libby you never answer questions and now you want someone to answer your question. Yu should change your name to “I dodge it” – LOL
Sarge, I don’t know if your following the Cup Finals, but what a great series this is turning out to be. Some darn good hockey no matter what side of the fence your on.
Oh yea, what a game last night. I don’t recall ever having this many Stanley Cup playoff games go to OT?
Great series so far.
WOW!!! What a finish. Thought for sure we were headed for OT or game 7.
Congrats to the Black Hawks!!!!
Cap, want some more proof that D Rose is a cry baby? See Andrew Shaw – Playing in the finals with a broken rib, a shoulder injury and then took a puck off the cheek and still kept playing.
FFA, Hockey players are a different breed. Football players also play with injuries that would sideline players in other sports. Baseball are the biggest wusses. A pitcher is on the disabled list for 2 weeks with a hang nail. A hitter gets hit by a ball, gone for 2 weeks followed by rehab starts in the minors. Hey, they keep collecting their guaranteed contracts, why play?
I always answer questions, Sarge. You don’t ask me questions, you only insult me. Why should I respond to your insults?
Celtica said- ” 4 Americans died because Congress would not spend more money to protect them.”
Let me give you a little lesson- The President of the United States has the authority to send troops anywhere he wants to. It is generally known as execution and general management of a military action. It was not the congress it was the President, his Secretary of State and his security advisors.
I guess Hillary was to busy with those hookers her staff was chasing.
As we know Sargeant, 4 Americans died because this administration sat on their hands when rescue was an hour away in Tripoli. Now, forcibly retired General Hamm, the head of the Africa command begged to help and was told to stand down. He is due to testify next week and hopefully he will bring to light what others have said. We had the resources in place to save those lives and chose not to because of a political agenda and the embarassment they would have had just prior to the election. That is shameful and criminal. I blame Hilary and Obama equally.
So libby, answer the two questions you refuse to answer:
1.) What is more important in a healthcare plan-Birth control pills or short and long term disability? LTD and STD are not covered under ACA.
2.) you said Bill Maher was hilarious and that you drive to see family (because you don’t watch TV) to watch Bill Maher and that you are a “big Fan”. Are you still a “big fan” since he called a 5 year old down syndrome child a “retard”?
These are honest questions.
I already answered those questions, Sarge. You just don’t pay attention. Here I go again, so pay attention:
1. A healthcare plan is not a disability plan – those are 2 separate issues. And America has a disability plan for it’s citizens, it’s called SSDI and medicare. So – in a HEALTHCARE plan, obviously birth control is the more important of the two.
2. I said I did not condone Bill Maher’s comments, nor did I hear them. Because I find his political humor witty does not mean I agree with every word that comes out of his mouth. He says nasty things about women and fat people, too. Where’s your outrage about that? And I don’t drive to Denver to see him. And I actually said I watch TOO MUCH TV. Moron. LOL!!!!
And just by the way, my asking Patti Cake if she was a fan, too, was more of a sarcastic comment to Patti Cake than it was an endorsement of Bill Maher.
Sorry Libby all you have done is dodge the question. The ACA is a federal government program. It can include or exclude anything it wants to including long term and short term disability and contraception. The Fed could show LTD/STD as a separate coverage option just like employers do. The Government also did not have to offer contraception. So answer the question, what is more important to a family of four, contraception or LTD/STD? You won’t answer it because you will look stupid after your rants about including birth control pills in ACA. But hey that is normal for you.
It’s not a matter of which is more important, because it’s not yes/no answer. Why not include LTD/STD and birth control as options and let the consumer decide? I have no problem with that. But that’s not the issue. There is no option for LTD or STD right now, except for SSDI. There IS an option for birth control.
Talk about twisting a situation to fit your own agenda. Jeesh!
Celtica said- “Oh, you mean like it did under Bush II?”
Celtica – Are you joking-LOL- Once again you give the left, uninformed, shoot from the hip, erroneous answer. Here are the facts;
During Obama’s term, between 2009 to 2012, premiums have climbed $2,370 for the average family with an employer-provided plan – a rate faster than during the previous four years under President George W. Bush, according to the Kaiser Foundation.
Want the source? Here you go- ABC news article-
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/09/rising-health-costs-undermine-obama-pledge-to-curb-trend/
Sarge,
Not to speak for Celtica, but common reading comprehension would indicate that he/she was referring to the country sliding into financial oblivion, which it did under the second President Bush.
Note: I am not saying it was his fault, just stating the fact that it occured during his administration.
Celtica used the singular pronoun “it”, not the plural “they” which would have referred to huge rate increases to which Agent was referencing.
Very good grammatical grasp on the comment, Ron. Sarge fails to understand he’s the one shooting from the hip without any idea what he is talking about. But it’s usually an Archie Bunker tirade against some minority group.
So, how do you know I am not a minority? I grew up in Detroit and still live in the area. What am I libby? I asked you this before and your answer was racial innuendo.
All you ever said was, “My father was a West Point Colonel and I lived in the Hood”, LOL!!!! That was after I told you to go to h*ll for making comments about military service
I would like to recommend that Libby & her cohorts to google E.W. Jackson, candidate for Lt Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Here is a guy after my heart. If you can pull up his nominating speech for his campaign, he is very impressive. We need a lot more like him in this country. Now, if we can get Dr Ben Carson to run for office, that is a good start.
Ron, the slide into financial oblivion started mysteriously when the Democrats got the House in 2007 and Reid controlled the Senate. They seemed to think Fannie & Freddie didn’t need to be watched or regulated and thought all those people without means to make a house payment deserved home ownership. In addition, they came up with one huge spending bill after another which escalated the deficit beyond control. Then, we had the tanking of the financial sector and all the RINO’s & Democrats had to get together on the crisis. Then, we had to have the Stimulus that wasn’t a stimulus under your guy Barack. Nothing but political paybacks to his supporters and didn’t create anything but more debt. The crisis may have started during Bush’s last term, but the Democrats had their grubby hands on most of the reasons it happened. We can thank Bawny Frank and his running mate Chris Dodd for much of the housing crisis which led to the meltdown.
Agent,
Ironic that you replied to a reading comprehension post without comprehending what I wrote. Where did I blame anyone for the financial collapse? I even went out of my way to state, “Note: I am not saying it was his fault, just stating the fact that it occured during his administration.”
How can you blame the Democratic House for the collapse without blaming the Republican House for not fixing it fast enough? At least be consistent.
You blame Obama for all of the ills of the country, but do not extend the same courtesy to President Bush for what happened during his administration. That is hypocrisy my friend.
The only major issue I blame President Bush for is the invasion and handling of Iraq. VP Cheney knew in 1993 it would not be easy to overthrow Saddam Hussien and transition to a democracy. http://archive.redstate.com/stories/war/cheney_warned_of_iraq_quagmire_0
Then he changed his mind in 2003 http://www.nbcnews.com/id/3080244/ns/meet_the_press/t/transcript-sept/
Here is a question no Republican has been able to answer, what changed the culture in Iraq from 1991 to 2003? Hint:9/11 did not change the culture in Iraq, only our perception of the Middle East. This is evidenced by the fact that VP Cheney was right in 1993 and wrong in 2003.
Ron, you are great at complaining about reading comprehension and you haven’t comprehended anything I or Sargeant or Dave or FFA have said in a number of posts. I am sick of you blaming Bush for all the trouble this country is in currently. I am also sick that you think what happened in Iraq was just a lie to the people. Your mind is not capable of knowing what right and wrong is. How can a Republican House fix anything when the Democratic Senate headed by the infamous Harry Reid trashes every bill sent over there? You do need both to pass a bill, but when it is not even debated in the Senate, tell me what the Republican House is supposed to do. I tell you what they should do and that is to defund by not authorizing budgets of several departments and agencies. Do you think that would get someone’s attention?
Hussain put a bounty on George SR head Just like we put a bounty on Hussains head.
Agent,
Sarge said, “Sorry Ron and Libby, you are always the people who shoot from the hip, change the meaning of what is said, never answer questions or take what is posted and try to divert the content.” Yet you are the one that has changed the meaning of, “Note: I am not saying it was his fault, just stating the fact that it occured during his administration” to ” I am sick of you blaming Bush for all the trouble this country is in currently.”
Find one post, just one, where I blamed President Bush for anything more than the invasion and handling of Iraq? Good luck. My problem is simply this, you blame President Obama for everything that has happened during his administration, some of which is his fault, but push everything that went bad during President Bush’s administration onto someone else. Neither have been perfect or totally flawed. Please re-read this part of my post then say that I blamed Bush for all the terrible this country is in currently:
The only major issue I blame President Bush for is the invasion and handling of Iraq. VP Cheney knew in 1993 it would not be easy to overthrow Saddam Hussien and transition to a democracy. http://archive.redstate.com/stories/war/cheney_warned_of_iraq_quagmire_0
Then he changed his mind in 2003 http://www.nbcnews.com/id/3080244/ns/meet_the_press/t/transcript-sept/
Can you answer this question? what changed the culture in Iraq from 1991 to 2003? Hint:9/11 did not change the culture in Iraq, only our perception of the Middle East. This is evidenced by the fact that VP Cheney was right in 1993 and wrong in 2003.
Ron: That has been my argument for months with these guys. Although you said it much more elegantly than I have been able to do, they just don’t get it. They think it’s a them against us blame game and that’s not where I’m coming from at all. Obama has made many mistakes and I have said as much. But so did GWB. He was not, and is not, perfect.
Only on IJ can you get 14 thumb downs for a simple reading comprehension lesson.
Sorry Ron and libby, you are always the people who shoot from the hip and never provide any sources, When someone does you try to take it out of context change themeaning or want to know where we get our information. The post was right on. Read Agent’s post above it. Besides Celtica makes a statement and has absolutely no source to back up what was posted. Just like you two.
Sarge,
Please let me know for which fact that I have provided you would like a source? I find it interesting that I have asked the same question of people on your side with no response. Where in my post did I ask who or what caused the financial meltdown? I only pointed out that it occurred during President Bush’s administration. If that is incorrect, please provide some evidence.
Sorry Ron and Libby, you are always the people who shoot from the hip, change the meaning of what is said, never answer questions or take what is posted and try to divert the content. You are the first to ask for sources and the last to provide one. Read Agent’s text above Celtica’s. I was on target. Besides that Celtica makes a shoot from the hip statement and provides absolutely no source to support it. Typical of liberals, just like you two
Sarge,
Please provide one piece of evidence when I did any of those things or stated that I am a liberal. As I have mentioned in several posts I am an Independent. I think both sides are right sometimes and wrong sometimes.
Hey Ron and libby, here is a queston for you
Celtica said- ” Agent — the only crime about Benghazi is the right trying to make political points out of it. 4 Americans died because Congress would not spend more money to protect them”
Do you honestly believe Celtica’s post above or my response?
I believe neither as absolutes. I believe mistakes were certainly made and 4 people died tragically. I don’t know if more would have been killed had we done something different, and we will never know. Woulda, coulda, shoulda.
However, I doubt Obama himself was privy to the communications between Benghazi and the State Dept. And he certainly did not give any order to “stand down” based on some political agenda – of which no-one has been able to articulate how that could have possibly helped his campaign or political agenda. That is far-reaching right-wing crap talking.
I do think the Republicans are most certainly trying to make more of what happened to further their political agenda and try to embarrass the administration. I guess that’s their job, unfortunately, since they’re sure not resolving issues for this country.
So – in summary, mistakes were made, people were killed, other people tried to cover their ass and now everyone is up in arms about it. It hardly constitutes criminal conduct.
Enough of an answer for you, Sarge?
Buck stops at Commander in Chief. I didn’t know is not an excuse.
It’s not a crime, either, FFA. And that’s what Republicans are trying to say.
I would agree that no knowing is not a crime.
I would agree it is his job to know. If the job isn’t getting done, then someone else that will do the job needs to take over.
Reagan did plead ignorant on the Iran Contra Scandal, but did acknowledge that it was his responsibility to know and – I quote “The Buck Stops Here”.
OBama needs to man up or step down. Of course, that would leave us with Biden. What be the lessor of the two????
Obama did “man up” and take responsibility for it. Where are you people when he says these things? You certainly have a selective memory.
He said “I am ultimately responsible for what’s taking place there because these are my folks, and I’m the one who has to greet those coffins when they come home.”
I stand corrected. Thanks Libby.
To answer your questions, I usually go the bath room and sit on the throne when he is on the news.
I honor him the same way I honor all ILL politicians.
Correction FFA. The buck used to stop with the Commander in Chief. Now, he has all the minions to throw under the bus for his failings and he is the Teflon President who knows nothing, sees nothing, hears nothing so he is not responsible for anything.
I definitely do not agree with Celtica on that point. The handling and response of that tragedy is something for which I will never defend. Obama had options to provide additional support and failed to do so.
Unlike most Republicans, I will not blindly support someone I voted for and look for others to blame.
I have mentioned this several times in other streams, if Jon Hunstman is the Republican nominee he gets my vote and is probably the President. Unfortunately, the Republican party is now controlled by far right wingers funded by the Koch brothers.
Sarge – your attempts at making salient jabs against liberals is a joke – much like you. What Agent said in that post, which both Ron and I read, says “….and the country will continue the slide into financial oblivion.”
To which Celtica responded “Oh, you mean like it did under Bush II?” Which it did.
Take your bigoted, uneducated ass, put on a white sheet, and go burn some crosses, would you?
LOL!!! As you are so fond of stating.
Libby-
I will ask again- So, how do you know I am not a minority? I grew up in Detroit and still live in the area. What am I libby? I asked you this before and your answer was racial innuendo.
All you ever said was, “My father was a West Point Colonel and I lived in the Hood”, LOL!!!! That was after I told you to go to h*ll for making comments about military service
How would I know what race you are, Sarge? You could be a self-loathing black man for all I know. I really don’t care. It doesn’t change your racist behavior on this blog.
Prove it. You can’t because it has not happened and I am not one. You try to change they argument because you have no defense. All I have to do is point at this blog to prove you are a racist.
How is Libby a racist?
Prove what? I don’t have to prove anything to you.
And my father was a Westpoint graduate, Special Forces, Ranger, HALO-jumping, Ltc. that did 2 tours in Vietnam and 1 in Korea. He earned 1 silver star, 3 bronze stars, and many other honors. I am proud of him and always have been.
And, yes, when I moved out on my own as a rebellious 17 year old, I lived in a condemned house in the hood. What of it?
Why is that information worthy of an LOL!!!!??? Buffoon.
Sargeant, I remember several blogs ago that Libby got into deep trouble running down your military service and finally apologized for the hateful comments. There are a lot of libs out there who don’t appreciate the sacrifices our military make for this country. In the last election, many military didn’t even have the opportunity to vote since many states just couldn’t get the ballots to them. What a travesty. I think we know how the majority would have voted given the opportunity.
I didn’t “run down” his military service, Agent. I asked him if he got in the head with some shrapnel because of the mush coming out of his mouth. Maybe that’s what caused the irritable bowel syndrome. It’s as good a bet as Prozac.
And I didn’t apologize for any “hateful” comments. I apologized if the comment had offended him any other service members/veterans. And that will be my one and only apology to Sarge.
And as for this lib, my father gave his life for this country, as did many of his friends and colleagues. I think I have a very good grasp on the sacrifices made. And so do all the families that have lived through their loved ones being at war. Now, I hope you will give this one a rest Agent, as it is very hurtful and upsetting for you to say such a thing.
So libby why are you making racist comments not only about blacks in posts past but now about whites? Not to mention your completely liberal rantings.
Are you overweight and do you have a hard time breathing. Does your Prozac cause you to have irritable bowel and make you moody? Do your ankles lap over your shoes causing you pain when you walk?Just trying to figure out why you are in such a fowl mood. HAHA- how is that instead of LOL.
Besides that I will match you degree for degree anytime you like.
You could never match me degree for degree. I have never made one racial comment abouts blacks or whites, here or anywhere else.
My breathing, blood pressure, and cholesterol are all fine, thank you. Prozac does not cause irritable bowel syndrome, idiot. And I am not in a FOUL mood.
Now go away.
Oh my. Is the C word on the way?
Regardless of race, creed, gender education, military service, one thing is true and no one can dispute, we are all smart enough to survive in this biz in this hard market…
Hi FFA-
Well, No I wasn’t going to stoop to name calling like Libby likes to do. But you know the old saying about ducks? If it acts like one and talks like one and is generally nasty to be around, then I guess it is one.
When in Rome, Sarge…
Too late, Sarge. You have already stooped. And stooped. And stooped.
FFA – Sarge has called me plenty of names. Where have you been?
What racist comments? You keep saying she’s made racist comments, but I don’t see any.
Aren’t die hard liberals the one’s who will NOT say anything even remotely offensive (such as a racist comment)?
I may have said something because I am NOT PC. I certainly don’t remember Libby saying anything.
jw, she has brought race into the mix on several different occasions in several different forums. You can 2x my math, but I am sure she outpaces everyone else combined 2 to 1.
FFA –
I disagree that ‘bringing race into the mix’ is equivalent to racism.
I need a translation for “2x my math”. I’m barely able to understand LOL and IMO; I am not current on text speak.
I am not the one saying she is racists. I do see how someone can jump to that conclusion.
However, I did not.
I think she is someone that looks for what ever “tool” she can to explain / argue her position.
Sorry – double check my math.
Libby said- “How would I know what race you are, Sarge? ”
You are right Libby, you don’t. Your post above called me a bigoted, uneducated white ass. So you think only white people are racist? That in and of itself is racial innuendo.
This is your typical liberal reaction when you don’t want to answer simple questions, have nothing to support what you posted above and get angry because you have no logical defense. Just like the occupy deadbeats. let’s scream, get mad and curse and maybe someone will feel sorry for me.
You just proved my point. You like to dish it out “Archie Bunker, bigot, uneducated, white *ss” But you can’t take it. You really are an idiot.
Sargeant, Libby is of the crowd that think Republicans are just a bunch of old white men who are out of touch and need to get with the program of destroying America like her beloved President is presently doing. God forbid if we object to seeing our country going down the tubes for Socialism. We are supposed to get on the back of the bus and shut up while they eagerly follow their exalted leader into the abyss like lemmings. It ain’t going to happen.
You’re close, Agent. Old, rich, white men would be more like it. And this liberal is not trying to make the country socialist. Having government programs does not a socialist country make.
I am for free enterprise and even capitalism. What I am against is supporting those capitalists. Why should the people give our tax money to corporate welfare programs when there are hungry, homeless people on the streets? Why should the rich be able to enjoy countless tax loopholes so that they end up paying only 40% on half their actual income? How can you possibly defend those things?
Libby, I can and I will. First, the Republican Party is not made up of a bunch of old, rich white men. I venture to say there are just as many average working people in the party as there are in the Democratic Party. I have some issues with some of the RINO’s in the party who have gone along to get along, but the typical conservative Republican does not like big government, big hand out programs which are terribly wasteful. We shouldn’t be running a trillion dollar deficit each year to administer hundreds of programs that plainly don’t work. You rail against rich people who pay 70% of the income tax and forget to mention one of your own, Jeffrey Immelt (D) who pays no tax on his wonderful GE and has shipped much of his job force to China.
Agent – no-one pays 70% in income tax, period. And where is your defense of corporate welfare and tax loopholes for the rich. If you’re against big hand-out programs, why are you not against those? You said you could and would defend those things. Go ahead.
I’m talking about tax loopholes for the RICH – not just the Republicans. There do happen to be a few rich Democrats you know. And if they’re not paying their taxes because of loopholes or Corporate Welfare then that needs to stop.
You also said: “First, the Republican Party is not made up of a bunch of old, rich white men. I venture to say there are just as many average working people in the party as there are in the Democratic Party.”
Yes, there are “average working people” in both parties, but a good portion of Republicans are old, fat, rich, white men. So are you intimating that the balance of below-average non-working people make up the rest of the Democratic party?
Libby, as usual, your Progressive brain is twisting words yet again. My point is that the well to do in this country does pay about 70% of the Federal Income Tax in this country. Even your champion Bill Maher says they pay more than their fair share. On the other hand, the bottom 47% pay no taxes at all and have no skin in the game. Between them, the beleagured Middle Class which is shrinking to lower middle class is getting hosed. That is why we need a flat or fair tax in this country.
Finally! We agree on something, Agent!
Why should the poor? Why should someone not pay a nickel in taxes and get a refund check?
Why should the poor what? The reason the poor don’t pay income tax is because of the tax structure in this country. The poor don’t pay because they don’t have any money and the rich don’t pay because they do. Only the working middle class pays it’s fair share of taxes, and then some. Someone’s got to pay for all the bullshit in Washington. Welcome to the American Middle Class. We’re a dying breed.
Why should they get a refund when they pay no taxes.
FFA, There was a story that came out today that our wonderful IRS had sent $46million in refunds out to illegals in several cities and a lot of it to one address in Atlanta. Sounds like a great scam, doesn’t it? These are the same bureaucrats who think they deserve a $70 million bonus. They can audit conservatives, make them prove every single penney and give them a hard time while ignoring people who are ripping this country off.
Hey Libby, A news flash for you. There are a lot of fat, old rich men in the Democratic Party as well. Many of them are receiving the benefits of the Democratic Party. How about that Stimulus bill? Paying off political cronies, nothing to see there, right? Kerry couldn’t bring himself to even pay his yacht tax in Massachusetts so he moved it to Rhode Island. Imelt is the poster child of tax avoidance. What party does he belong to? How about Warren Buffet, the wonderful host of Obama fundraising? He still owes taxes on Berkshire Hathaway from 2002. Has he been prosecuted yet for tax evasion? I think he knows some higher ups and thus will skate on all charges.
Agent – I grow weary having to constantly point out to you what I have said in my posts – that you obviously DO NOT read.
I acknowledged there were fat, old, rich Democrats. AND, I went on to state I didn’t care what party they belonged to, I want Corporate Welfare and tax loopholes to end. PERIOD.
This is not a partisan issue for me. My partisan issues are social issues.
I hope Ron’s comprehension lesson will help you to comprehend my future posts.
Dear Sargeant Idiot:
I said “Take your bigoted, uneducated ass, put on a white sheet, and go burn some crosses, would you?”
I never said “white” ass. Again, I don’t care what color you are. You denegrate immigrants (calling the Medicaid office a Mexican Village), you put down poor people (tatooed, drug adddict low-lifes), and a multitude of other slurs.
I have had it with your bigoted bullshit. You could be purple for all I care and you’d still be just as ugly and hateful.
JW, there is your answer.
Right. Not bigoted, prejudiced, or biased.
Really Libby? Is your brain so foggy and deluded that you think your comments are not bigoted or racist? By the way, your esteemed former Senator Robert Byrd (D) West Virginia actually did ride the ponies at night with a sheet over his head with some of his buddies and was unapologetic for it until his later years. He was pretty big in the KKK for quite a while. You owe Sargeant another apology since you had to apologize for downgrading his military service several blogs ago.
Agent – Since when is he MY esteemed anything? I may be a registered Democrat, but I am not in charge of the Democratic party or the things they do. Anymore than you are of the Republicans.
I have already addressed my comments to Sarge. He has received his one and only apology from me.
I am not a racist. I will never be a racist. If you want to call me a racist, I challenge you to find one racist remark I have made.
And if you are confused, I will give you the definition of racist:
1.based on racism: based on prejudices and stereotypes related to race
2.prejudiced against other races: prejudiced against all people who belong to other races
3.racist person: somebody who hates others who are not of his or her own race
Keep in mind, I am a caucasian.
FFA – I said he was nasty and hateful. How is that racist? I told him to put on a white sheet and burn crosses because from the things he says it’s obvious he could belong to some hate group, such as the KKK. How does that make ME racist?
“put on a white sheet, and go burn some crosses”,
That’s not racist????
Hardly. It’s the opposite. I was pointing out he was so racist that was probably one of his hobbies. To which his only reply was “How do you know I’m not a minority?” To which I answered “I don’t care what color you are.” No racism coming from my side, FFA. You’ll have to look a little harder if you expect that from me.
And you don’t see how that comment could be interpreted as racists? With all your degrees? All your life experience?
Yes Libby, I find them remarks at the very least offensive.
I guess we just speak a different language.
They’re only offensive if you really do put on a white sheet and burn crosses. That kind of activity should be condemned. And I’m condemning it.
Just because I call Sarge on his bigotry, does not make me a racist. You people are really stretching with that one. I’ve said it before and it bears repeating: “I can not tolerate intolerance.”
I know that you have stood up for minority rights in the past. But the words you choose, to a newbie (someone new to the discussion),that’s a different story.
For Sarge, he just comes across to me as someone fed up with the Free Loaders. If that makes him a bigot, so am I. That includes my own two children free loading off of me for god knows how long. They are part of the Generation of Entitlement.
Look, I’m fed up with free-loaders, too. The difference is I don’t lump EVERYONE on assistance as a free-loader. That is sterotyping and is bigotry at it’s finest.
What I understand is there are many children, disabled, and elderly people on assistance that need the assistance. Do I think able-bodied people should be on assistance when they can work? NO! But, we also have a shortage of jobs in this country at this time. So I think you should have to look for a job to receive assistance and at some point, be cut off. I don’t disagree with Agent’s idea of community service for assistance.
So no. I am not a bigot, but I am just as fed up with wasteful government spending as the next guy. I just don’t feel a need to throw the baby out with the bathwater while doing it.
Now you have made you point with out calling names and without flipping the race card.
I think we can all agree that using the system for what its set up to be is acceptable to all of us. Its the ones who abuse that system is who everyone is fed up with. I don’t recall anyone lumping all people on public assistance into the free loader category. I may be wrong and I am sure you will correct me if I am.
We can also agree that the job situation is terrible. In my opinion, Obama has failed in his attempt to create jobs. Illinois has done more to create jobs in other states and nothing to preserve them in Illinois.
I disagree that entire classes of people have not been lumped into a stereotype by Sarge. When I try to point it out, he insults me and calls me an idiot. I have to admit, that makes me mad and I retaliate. Not very mature of me, I guess.
Obama has not been the shining star I expected, but in all fairness he inherited a huge mess. Things in my area seem to be improving. I don’t know if it’s any thanks to him or not, but they are. But we still have a long way to go.
I think they like messing with you just cause you get so flustered. You and I have read different meanings into posts before and yes, maybe I missed something. But< I don't recall seeing anything that would bring me to the conclusion that Sarge – or anyone else in this forum – is a racist.
And yes, I did get the feeling that he is prejudice against all the bums riding the system for all they can. So am I. "Get a hair cut and get a real job. Clean your act up and don't be a slob. Get it together like your big brother Bob."
OBama has failed in the Job Creation department. Wait till next year, I guess (a true cub fan).
Libby said- “Prozac does not cause irritable bowel syndrome, idiot.
Well Libby, oh ye of little intelligence, you are wrong once again. Prozac can cause irritable bowl syndrome. See the web MD site below. Looks like you are the idiot.
http://www.webmd.com/ibs/guide/ibs-triggers-prevention-strategies?page=2
Sargeant, I think this country is in a drug induced stupor. Have you seen the dozens of commercials who preach the benefits of taking a drug? Of course, they have side effects out the kazoo. After drugs, the next biggest distraction to the population is the iphone. Have you tried to have a conversation with a customer under the age of 50? Good luck since they are so distracted, their attention span is about 15 seconds.
Sargeant “You Are a Major” Idiot:
The article says: “Some drugs can trigger spasms of the colon and symptoms of IBS.”
It causes symptoms of IBS – not IBS itself.
At least know I know why you are so nasty. You must have a little IBS problem of your own.
Libby Said: ” You could be a self-loathing black man for all I know. I really don’t care.”
Gee Libby I don’t know of any self loathing black men who, according to your post, “put on white sheets and burn crosses”
No, your never racial. You related to Paula Deen?
A least 20,000 Negroes joined the original Ku Klux Klan.
http://www.kkklan.com/negroklan.htm
And why is this relevant???
He asked. I answered.
Libby:
What specifically did I ask?
Wow, that does not deserve a response other than I see you troll the KKK website.
Wow, that response deserves a gigantic LOL!!!!!
Libby said- “And my father was a Westpoint graduate”
Good for him. Maybe he should have taught you how to spell West Point?
Hey Sargeant, If we could escape the confrontation with Libby for a moment, I thought I would publish the results of a new Pew Research Poll that just came out. It listed the priorities Americans had with what they wanted the government to do.
1. Strengthen the Economy – 86%
2. Improving the job situation – 79%
3. Reducing the Deficit – 72%
4. Defending against Terrorism – 71%
5. Making Social Security financially sound – 70%
6. Improving Education – 70%
7. Making Medicare financially sound – 65%
8. Reducing Health Costs – 63%
The lowest priorities were:
1. Dealing with illegal immigration – 39%
2. Strengthening gun laws – 37%
3. Dealing with Global Warming – 28%
Guess what this administration has been concentrating on. It doesn’t appear they care what the people want, does it?
At least he was an Officer and a Gentleman. That’s alot more than I can say for you.
Libby,
He may have been an officer and a gentleman. To bad he did not raise his daughter in the same manner
By the way it is West Point
I understand, West Point. I won’t make that mistake again. At least I’m a fast learner. And no, I wasn’t raised to be an Officer and a Gentleman – but was raised to be a woman that stands up for herself and doesn’t take a bunch of crap from people, especially people of your caliber.
Hey Sargeant, As a former military man, I am sure you heard the term “he screwed the pooch”. This is from my former Air Force days when a pilot loses control of his airplane and ends up crashing. We have a President who has “screwed the pooch” with his governance or lack therof. The pooch is us when he puts an agenda before addressing the real problems of the country. The Pew Research poll confirms to me the people have about had enough of this type of leadership. I look for the polls to continue a downward trend when more of the bad stuff hits, don’t you?
Accomplish #1 and #2 & #3 & #5 & #7 would fall right into place.
I thought you would like that FFA. Of course, they won’t address these things because it doesn’t fit the agenda. I wonder what Ron with his metrics thinks about it. Pew Research is a respected Poll and have no axe to grind on agendas. Obama and his minions have a very narrow focus on what they want to do. Attacking the Coal Industry is just the latest example. The Coal States will have rampant unemployment after EPA gets through with them. In addition, we will have much higher electricity rates since Obama promised them to us when he was running.
Agent,
I was considering whether or not to respond since you have not responded to any of my challenges in this or the “U.S. House Strikes Down Republican Farm Bill” articles. It seems you and Sarge are cut from the same cloth. Quick to criticize, but cannot support your assertions and poor reading comprehension.
However, I believe it is imortant to be better than the other person and respond.
2 things about your post.
1. These are not metrics.
2. If we are going to use Pew Research as our source for debate, then see the charts on this page: http://www.people-press.org/2013/06/19/obama-job-approval-holds-steady-economic-views-improve/
Also, from the article from Pew Research, “The share of Americans saying the economy is in excellent or good shape has doubled over the past year, from 11% to 23%, and is the highest measure since January 2008. Looking ahead, more say the economy will be better (33%) than worse (19%) a year from now. That is a reversal of economic expectations since March, when more said economic conditions would be worse (32%) than better (25%) in a year.”
Seems like, as people think that strengthening the economy is job #1, their view has been trending favorably recently.
Interesting how Obama still has a higher approval rating (49%) than the Republicans (22%). http://www.pollingreport.com/cong_rep.htm
Regarding coal, Romney was not a fan either.
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2012/oct/16/barack-obama/obama-says-romney-once-said-coal-burning-plant-kil/
Finally, show me where in the Constitution the President has complete control over domestic issues. Hint: “He just tramples on or ignores the Constitution” is not sufficient.
You have an interesting slant on things Ron, I must say. You say that 23% of Americans say the economy is in excellent shape and doubled over the last year. I think that means that 77% think it is not so hot. You should poll West Virginia and see whether they think their prospects in the near future will be great. I thought it was funny to see the interview on the great Senator, Joe Manchin (D) WV who is now suddenly outraged about what Obama is planning to do through the EPA to basically shut his state’s economy down. He said WV has done a lot to clean up their Coal Industry and thought he had a partner to work with him, but he was wrong. I guess poor Joe has been taking a sabatical from doing his job and representing his constituents.
Agent,
I was trying to make the point that it is trending in the right direction. I have never said that the economy is great under President Obama, just looking for some evidence that it has gotten much worse. Time and time agin I have asked for some statistic that shows it has gotten worse, but no one has been able to provide such evidence yet. If you are going to use polling data to make a point, does it mean anything to you that Amercians are the most confident in the economy since 2008? And, who was the President then?
Based on his own words, it sounds like Romney would be doing the same to West Virginia’s economy. Or was he just saying he was against coal to get elected in Massachusetts?
And Ron, want evidence, just look to Illinois – Unemployment rate 2 points higher then national average. Mom & Pop retailers on my block alone folded in May. That is just on my block.
Three retailers folded on my block. (I really need to proof read (aka 2x) before I post.)
FFA,
Thank you for providing something. I am not sure how that impacts the overall U.S. economy, but at least you gave me some statistic.
However, in oder to provide some context, you should have mentioned that the unemployment rate in Illinois has fluctauted between 8 and 11.3% during Obama’s presidency.
http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LASST17000003
Ron, have a lot on my plate right now. I am taking your figures and believing them as I don’t see that there is any point to you making s&^% up.
My guess, IL is dancing on the high end of your number since Jan 1, 2013.
How does it play into the national scene – 2 major manufacturing facilities – West & North Burbs have bolted the state for Tenn & FLA. Major employers in the local community for 50+ years. Hostes – folded.
State Farm – a very large employer in this state carries the Bloomington Area unemployment – last I heard about 6% – shifting direct employees to TX, TN and GA. When they are finished, 11% unemployment going to be a pipe dream.
So, maybe jobs have not been lost on the national stage, but they have to IL.
FFA,
I know you have many issues with IL politicians, but it sounds like all these jobs are leaving your state, not the U.S.
I live in NY so I feel your pain reagrding jobs leaving your state.
Today, Appeals Court shot down his Recess Appointments stating they are Unconstitutional.
Only 23% think the economy is in good shape. Sad, Sad, Sad!
77% – more then a 3/4 majority don’t think it is. I don’t anyone can defend that. Even Libby has expressed dis appointment.
It’s called context, FFA.
Where did I applaude that number? However, when they report that is doubled from last year and the highest since 2008, it indicates that people are becoming more confident. My argument against many of you is simply this, things may not be improving at a rate sufficient for you and we are not yet where we were, there are improving. I am still waiting for someone to provide some evidence that the economy has gotten worse under President Obama.
Point Taken Ron. I know your a By The Numbers kind of guy eliminating emotion. You also avoid personal jabs too.
Your argument is correct – it is not improving quick enough.
Ron, I didn’t say you applauded that number. All you did was provide it with out a comment – good / bad / indifferent.
I offered the commentary – Sad Sad Sad. More then 3/4 of the nation are not pleased. If this was A corporation and 3/4 of the stock holders were disgruntled, there would be a new CEO.
Actually 35% said the economy is improving and 35% it is not (sounds like gridlock – wonder if they only polled Congress?) 27% said Obama’s policies have had no effect one way or another.
It’s still a sorry state of affairs, though.
FFA,
I apologize for not comprehending your post correctly. I think I was getting frustrated with Agent whose takes a lot of my posts out of context and tries to make me out to be someone who believes that the economy and President Obama are fantastic. Anyone who reads and properly comprehend my posts know that is far from the truth.
It would be great if there could more reasonable debates as we have had and you have engaged in with others.
Ron, it is an emotional topic. Had to keep that out of the mix when its such a hot button topic.
Jobs, Jobs and more jobs should be #1 on every politicians list. Step on NAFTA & China Trade Agreement. Bring our jobs back home. I know its not that simple, but it needs to be done.
Meanwhile, the Black Hawks get the job done in high energy fashion. No reports of any riots on news this AM.
Congrats to your Black Hawks FFA. Chicago can stand a winner since the lowly Cubs and Sox don’t appear to be going anywhere. I saw where the Cubs are shopping a number of players since they have given up trying to compete. That is what the Texas Rangers did for many years and managed to trade off an All Star team. Now, with Nolan Ryan running them, they stopped that nonsense although they did make a big mistake trading Chris Davis off to Baltimore and he is leading the majors in home runs. He was not handled right when they had him and kept sending him down and bringing him up and he could never settle in as a starter. Baltimore gave him a chance to play everyday and they are reaping the rewards now.
FFA, I read your exchanges with Metric Ron on the state of the economy with Illinois and the country. He seems to think the country has made real “progress” with a 23% approval rating on the economy. When we have a government killing jobs with Obamacare, the Coal Industry and any number of other actions, it doesn’t sit real well with the citizens. Also, the manufactured numbers on the unemployment rate in your state and others don’t account for the millions who gave up looking and they are no longer counted. If your state has fluctuated between 8 & 11% on Labor Dept figures, you can add 5-7% to that to pick up the real numbers.
Agent,
You read the exchange between FFA and myself, yet cannot respond to my post. Where did I indicate that I thought the country has made real progress economically?
Once, just once, back up one of your assertions.
All I said was that it is trending in the right direction. FFA comprehended what I wrote, why can’t you?
FFA is the only one who actually provided some statistic indicating how something within the economy is worse now. The only thing close you have provided is people’s opinions about what the government’s priorities should be.
If you cannot debate respectfully, intelligently and with some facts, stop trying.
Actually, I did respond to your post after you downgraded my Pew Research poll which is an honest representation of how Americans feel by a very wide margin. You come out and say everything is trending upward and is so much better since 08. Wow, we have been in a recession all this time, had a trillion dollar stimulus that wasn’t a stimulus, have a government killing jobs instead of creating them, have one scandal after another and you think the American people have a positive outlook on the economy. FFA gives you what is happening in his neck of the woods and you are downgrading me because in Texas, we actually are creating jobs and have the most positive outlook in our economy. I know of no small or large business domiciled in Texas that are looking to move to a Blue State for better opportunities. If you know of any, please enlighten me. I kind of think most companies look at a state’s economic environment, tax burden, regulatory climate, available trained employee base and physical facilities, transportation access and that makes up their mind. I have decided we don’t need the kind of progress you are so proud of.
How do you know Ron thumbed you down and not me?
Well, Good morn Libby!
Yes I do know that.
And Ron, my Gr Daughters mother lost her job (manufacturing) because she refused a transfer to Mexico. That was late last year. She was working there out of high school and she is now 33. A few hundred jobs lost to outside the US.
Earlier this year, there was a manufacturing facility in Free Port that was shuttered and moved to Mexico. Another few hundred. Important to note, this was a Bain Capitol move.
That would account for about 800 – 1000 jobs shipped out of the country.
Reports are that Motorola is moving assembly work to TX. That is going to be another large chunk of jobs done in IL.
FFA,
I understand and feel bad for all who have been affected by jobs going overseas. Unfortunately that has happened under several Presidents since the economy has become more global and it has become more cost effective to move the jobs out of the country. That is a major part of my argument. This is not just an Obama thing. He has not done enough to stop it, but neither have other past Presidents.
My current beef with the situation is that he – nor any predecessor – has done anything to stop it.
And Ron, I never did understand what you meant by providing metrics. I think of Metric as a unit of measure. look at that word and say – We are not on the Metric system. We are on the American system.
So, please explain to this one degree insurance agent with any alphabet soup after my name.
FFA,
A metric is a statistic that measures one time peiod to another. Example: The unempoyment rate when President Obama took office was 7.8% and it is now 7.6%
http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS14000000
Got it. Been a long time since I took Stats. Must have shuffled that term to the back of my head.
Actually FFA, the metric system is widely used in Europe which is the model Ron & Libby want to use here. Europe is in a shambles, make our unemployment rates look mild by comparison, Euro in the tank and they keep bailing out countries like Greece which is running close to 50% unemployment and riot in the streets regularly. Spain, Italy, Portugal & France are in big trouble and the libs on this blog think there is something to copy from Europe on Healthcare and Social Programs. Progressive Socialism has never worked in the history of the world and the current status of Europe should be a wake up call for all countries, but not for Metric Ron & Libby.
They are East Coaster. Closer to Europe then you and I. Just a short swim across the pond. Not sure if that’s the difference or not, but it is just a thought.
I know that Europe is having issues.
A few weeks back per David Lettermen Top Ten list of signs the Country is having Financial Problems, We are moving back in with England.
Correction, FFA. I live in PA, but I am FROM Colorado. I am a Westerner, born and bred.
Yes Libby, you are currently in the eastern time zone.
The talk on Sports has been – Who is worth trading????
I thought they had a couple of good pitchers and a few good hitters. I don’t follow Cubs baseball down here, but have seen a few highlights of games. Maybe they should call the Oakland GM of Moneyball fame. He seems to know how to get players for a song and turn them into really good players. He is amazing with one of the lowest payrolls in the majors, he produces winners. The government could use that theory and we might just balance the budget.
Congratulations to the Chicago Black Hawks! Of course I kept thinking- That could have been the Red Wings but hey, not this year. I also thought the Bruins would win and there would be a game seven. Great series
Sargeant, I ran across a great article written by a famous Australian Geologist named Ian Rutherford Plimer who has received a number of awards in Earth Science, Geology and Mining Engineering. Here are a few facts for those who think man is causing climate change. There was a volcanic eruption in Iceland a few years ago. It spewed enough ash and CO2 in four days to offset every effort man has made in 5 years to control CO2 emissions. By the way, there are 200 active volcanoes on the planet currently. In 1991, Mt Pinatubo on the island of Luzon in the Philippines erupted and spewed more green house gases into the atmosphere than the entire human race had emitted in all its years on earth. Here we are pushing a green agenda with this President, he is attacking the Coal Industry, we are buying Priuses, trying to go green and they hope we swallow the bogus human caused climate change scenario. In addition, they are pushing carbon taxes so it will be more expensive to live and work. Natural forces are impossible to predict and they are responsible for what is going on, not anything man has done. By the way, when the volcano finally settled down, air quality returned to normal levels. I was stationed at Clark AB within sight of this volcano back in the day and am glad I was long gone before it went up.
That kid from Notre Dame is shaking out to be pretty good. But, he is still in the rookie contract. He is also home grown. Castro & Rizzo also home grown. Barney – Gold glove from last year buy cant hit. The rest of them can hit the bricks!
I think Libby is from Colorado, the land of pot smokers and gun banners. Her state is on fire and maybe that is why she is in such a bad mood all the time. Ron is probably from NY so I understand where he is coming from. They think they are smarter than everyone else. I wonder why they are declining in population and business activity. If they are lucky, they can get the porn king Wiener for mayor. He may not be any worse than Bloomberg has been.
Agent,
You criticize my by saying, “FFA gives you what is happening in his neck of the woods and you are downgrading me because in Texas” Which you could not prove that I actually did.
Then you actually downgrade me by saying, “Ron is probably from NY so I understand where he is coming from. They think they are smarter than everyone else. I wonder why they are declining in population and business activity” To set the record straight, I am from Western New York which is more conservative than most of the state.
We do not all think we are smarter than everyone else, but at least I am providing facts and sources. Where are yours? Most of your arguments are based in emotion which is why we disagree.
If you cannot provide me with facts and support, you will not change my opinion.
I am sure this is one of the reasons Texas is creating so many jobs:
Average Annual Salary
New York Texas Difference
2000 44,663 34,417 10,246
2001 46,041 35,472 10,569
2002 45,634 35,698 9,936
2003 46,573 36,472 10,101
2004 49,168 38,032 11,136
2005 51,226 39,730 11,496
2006 54,701 42,024 12,677
2007 58,616 44,272 14,344
2008 59,418 45,526 13,892
2009 57,004 45,255 11,749
2010 59,511 46,542 12,969
2011 61,042 48,351 12,691
Avg 52,800 40,983 11,817
http://bber.unm.edu/econ/us-pci.htm
Just keep on creating all of those great, high-paying jobs down there. And hey, who needs regulatory oversight or adequate insurance requirements when you can just have the Federal Government provide assistance when a fertilzer plant levels a town.
Ron when I look at something like this, I also look to see cost of living. What is NY St Income tax? If its 5% like IL what about Property Tax?
To me, gross don’t mean much – how much do I get to keep is the question.
Wi, no sales tax on food. Lower Property Tax, in Beloit , I can buy 2x the house for half the money then I have now (my mortgage payment would be in the $500 range as opposed to the $1300 I am currently at), income tax is lower, no crooked politicians and a balanced state budget.
So, at the end of the long drawn out formula, in TX, does 40,983 net out to be more then 52800 in NY?
Real Live Case Study east coast prices vs Midwest prices –
One of my national carriers co-oped a banner for me – a 50/50 split. Cost to have it printed on the East Coast was $200.00. Cost to have it made in Chicago Suburbs was $100.00. They would not approve it to be printed here and I had to use their channels.
I filled up my car yesterday for $3.79 a gallon. In Chicago, its over $4.00. What is gas where your at? Its typically 0.30 cheaper in Beloit then Chi Suburbs.
Agent, I am curious what it is in TX today. What about PA (Libby)? Sarge – what it like in Detroit? Neb & sara? What about where your at?
Hi FFA. We are getting started early today on the merits of living in one place rather than another. Ron is of the opinion that because employers have to pay a higher wage in NY that it is somehow a better place to live. He seems to ignore that the cost of living is so much higher there with housing, food, gasoline, medical services etc that they have to pay more to stay even. Why do we see companies moving out of the Blue States or moving substantial operations south? Could it be the cost of doing business with payrolls, taxes, regulation etc? By the way, our gasoline has fluctuated between $3.29 and $3.39 for several months here. It always helps when you have oil and gas in your state and cuts the transportation costs. I bet Metric Ron and Libby pay close to $4.00 in their state.
Agent, Central IL is filled with Oil Wells all over the place. refinery right in Indiana. So, your theory about being in my back yard may be true, but less so in this area.
FFA – you’d have to “net out” alot to justify a $1,000 per month drop in salary. I think the NY folks are still ahead of the game. Plus, they don’t have to live in Texas!
Il vs WI, I can net out at least $500 on the mortgage alone. My property tax bill IL vs WI Almost $5K vs $864. Same sq footage on the home smaller lot. There is another $4K Annually. I am already at $800.00 @ month. Gas alone would be several thousand dollars. Car insurance about half. Home Insurance – about $500 a year WI vs $1200 a year in IL. I am not even digging into the Income tax, sales tax. Office rent – I can get about 1200 sq feet in Hicksville WI for under $300 @ month.
Sales tax on food items to support 7 people, ???????
I’ve been told but have not priced Medical Insurance should be about 25% less on me & my wife.
I am well on my way to that $1K a month just by driving 1.5 hours.
Just naming a few off the top of my head with out my scratch pad in front of me.
By this time next year, I am thinking I will be in Beloit.
I have done the math WI vs IL.
Agent,
What did I state in my post that got you to, “Ron is of the opinion that because employers have to pay a higher wage in NY that it is somehow a better place to live.”?
That chart was only to show that TX may be creating jobs, but they are paying far less. It is easy to attract companies when you are paying over $10,000 less per year for each employee. But then again, TX has no problem looking for a government handout when a private company causes a disaster. See the June 13 IJ article, “FEMA Denies Texas Aid to Rebuild Town After Fertilizer Blast”
Gas in WNY has been fluctuated between $3.70 and $3.75 over the past month. Since we got on the topic of gas proces I would like someone to explain to me how U.S. oil production is near historic levels and so are gas prices? I was under the impression that we needed to drill more to get prices down.
Hint: It has nothing to do with who is the President.
Gas in NY is cheaper then in Chicago Burbs.
Memorial Day we were pushing over $4.00.
FFA – how much can you make selling insurance in Beloit v. Chicago? Or are you thinking of commuting?
FFA – as far as gas prices in PA, I quit paying attention a long time ago. My car takes premium, so I’m paying .30 more right off the bat. I figure I’ve got to have it, so what does it matter. I know it takes about $60 to $65 to fill up my 15.5 gal tank. That’s what I count on when doing my budget.
Libby, I am multi State – Il, In, Wi, MI & FL. I have very little client base in my zip code – much less my home county. Most of my client deal over the net. I have been on a full scale mission to visit everyone face to face this year. If one person a month actually walks into my office, I could be over stating that number.
I am guessing that is the driving force behind the large jump in referrals.
GEEZ LIBBY. You have nothing to complain about your gas prices. I spent $80.00 filling up the mini van on Thursday before Memorial Day in my home town before I hit the road to WI. When I got to Hicksville WI, it was .35c less a gal.
Darn right I fill up at the border.
How can I complain, Agent? I don’t even know how much it costs! It doesn’t matter to me, because I have to have the gas to get to work. When gas starts costing more than I make, I’ll quit working I guess.
Agent – I am not in a bad mood all the time. I’m happy as a clam. Too bad they don’t legalize pot in PA! You are the cranky old man on this blog. Oh! Along with Sarge. (I was trying to forget him.)
Never forget Sarge, Agent, your dad, my dad – They fought for our right to have a discussion like this.
Right FFA. I was in the service in the AF during the Vietnam era and the libs did not treat the veterans well back then. Sargeant is probably the same. It is nice to see veterans appreciated again for their service. It is just terrible that Libs want to gut the services now when we are still in so much danger from Terrorism and the volatile Middle East. I tell you, Obama making nice with the Al Quida boys in Syria will not end well.
Right-O, FFA. For that I am grateful. But why does Sarge belittle my father’s service in his disrespectful posts to me?
Libby, I have never read anything on the IJ that dis respects anyone military service.
I could have missed something.
I assume your dad did WW2 like my dad did.
My dad did 2 tours in Vietnam and one in Korea. Sarge is always mocking statements I make about my father.
In fact, it was the one post where I apologized if I had offended anyone in the service with my schrapnel comment that I told him about my Dad – hoping he would understand how I felt about vets. Instead, he brings it up constantly and throws it in my face.
Sargeant Major says:
“And my father was a Westpoint graduate”
Good for him. Maybe he should have taught you how to spell West Point?
Sargeant Major says:
All you ever said was, “My father was a West Point Colonel and I lived in the Hood”, LOL!!!! That was after I told you to go to h*ll for making comments about military service
You see? He even admits it. And I didn’t make comments about military service. I asked him, jokingly, if he got schrapnel in the head because he was saying some crazy thing or the other. And mind you, this was LAST YEAR. And I apologized if I offended him or anyone else and told him about my dad so he would understand I would never disrespect anyone’s service. Now he throws it in my face.
It doesn’t matter. I know who I am and he is nothing more than a frustrated old NCO with a bone to pick with every Mexican, woman, welfare recipient, and Muslim. I feel sorry for him.
My father-in-law was in WWII at the Battle of the Bulge. He’s still alive and full of stories about those days. We try to go to Bastogne for the anniversary about every other year. They love us over there.
FFA, If you have oil wells all over the place in Illinois and a refinery next door in Indiana, it can’t be the transportation costs driving the high cost so that leads me to think the taxes imposed on every gallon could be the culprit. That, and maybe the high union wages the refinery has to pay may drive the cost up. In any case, the cost of living to the average consumer are far higher than in the south. The government didn’t do us any favors when they mandated 10% ethanol for gasoline under the guise of renewable fuel. It adds to the cost, makes a vehicle much less efficient and causes engine damage to injectors over time. Those are metrics Ron, provided to me from several leading Auto Repair Shops I write who are very good at what they do. They all say the same thing that Ethanol is bad news for cars.
Chicago & Collar Counties have a Summer Blend that inflates the cost from May through Oct. Soon as I get to Belvidere Oasis on I 90. (Boone County) its always about .20 cheaper. Soon as I leave IL, .25. When I get to BP in Hicksville, WI, it always .35c cheaper then here.
FFA, We have area pockets where gasoline is less expensive as well. A city 40 miles away from me is consistently $.10 or more less than we are, but they have a refinery over there. Did you know that in some places in Oklahoma, they sell regular unleaded without Ethanol and it is far less. One of my marketing reps who has that territory filled up there and it was $2.99. He thought he was in heaven. He said he got much better mileage out of that tank than the ethanol lace gas sold down here.
FFA, there is a new article out today on California raising the taxes on gasoline again to an astronomical $.71 per gallon. That is state taxes. Add the Fed into it and no wonder their gas is over $4.00 per gallon. They think they can continue to raise taxes ad nauseum to solve their budget problems. Meanwhile, the citizens and companies continue to leave the state. Where will the tax base be if the taxpayers continue to leave? California has oil and gas and much of it lies off the coast, but the environmental wackos will not let it be developed so the state will continue to languish in debt.
Good Grief…. $0.71 in state gas taxes.
IL did something stupid like that on Diesel when Rod was still in power. Truckers would fill up at the border before getting into IL so they could run the state without stopping. They also increased the cost of tolls. Now truckers are avoiding the state all together.
Just another screw job from Springfield to the business community.
Now that knuckle head is expected to veto the Conceal & Carry. Will fond out in a matter of hours.
Should be hammering out the Pension Reform instead. Today, I will be sending out a NOC on a Nursing home to the state because the state ha not paid them and they don’t have the premium money. That will shut them down. Another 35 jobs going to be lost.
Libby, Since you don’t pay attention to the price at the pump and just say it costs you $65 to fill up your 15.5 gallon tank, I have some metrics for you and Ron. That is $4.19 per gallon on a simple 10 key machine. I filled my 15.5 gallon SUV Monday for $50. I thought PA had some oil and gas up there. What is up with the high price of fuel there? That is higher than FFA’s area.
Agent – you have to remember, my car takes premium gas, so it is 30 cents higher than regular from the git go. I guess that would make regular gas more like $3.57 ($60/15.5-.30). Our gas tends to be high where I live in PA. Don’t know what it is in the north or west of the state, I’m south-central.
Paid attention to gas prices on the way home last night just for you, Agent. Regular unleaded was $3.37.
$3.37 a gal??? What year is it in PA? That price is a distant memory here. It jumped 0.02 over night.
Ron – not speaking for Agent (God forbid!) but I think when he says “downgrade”, he means thumbing him down. What he did in his post was insult you. And the entire state of New York, along with Colorado.
Yes Libby, we truly speak a different language. Ron tries to disparage me and my opinions by trying to act superior and then taking a dig at Texas at every opportunity. He is also jealous that Texas leads the nation in job creation while NY continues to lose jobs with how they are operating. He just can’t understand why people are moving here in droves because we obviously have so many disadvantages, it just doesn’t make sense to him.
Agent,
Asking you to support your opinions is not the same as disparaging them. Do you understand the difference? The only time I have ever challenged you is when you make statements for which you should easily find support. But all you do, if you respond at all, is change the subject, take my words out of context or fail to comprehend what I wrote.
What is your source showing TX leading the nation in job creation and NY continuing to lose jobs?
I am still waiting for the list with all of the pork and who added it to the bill.
Ron, I can’t help it if you don’t follow the real news of the day. I guess you are like Libby & Planet who really don’t watch the news much to see what is going on. Texas has been big news for the last couple of years going back to prior to the last election. It has been all over the internet and even some networks have marvled at the positive business environment, no state income tax, right to work, lower cost of doing business and lower cost of living. Those are the metrics, Ron.
Agent – I’m the one that takes a dig at Texas every opportunity I get. And I have not found any of Ron’s posts to be disparaging. He asks you and Sarge for back-up to your positions and you both ignore him. It’s not that hard to find information to back up your stance, if it is indeed factual. If it’s not, perhaps you need to retract it.
Agent,
What part of “WHAT IS YOUR SOURCE?” do you not understand? You made a factual statement and I want to know from where the information was obtained.
Check out the following: http://labor.ny.gov/stats/pressreleases/pruistat.shtm
It looks like the only jobs that NY is losing are government jobs and NY has gained a net 175,000 jobs over the past 12 months.
That is how you make an argument with facts and support.
Libby, Perhaps you should have bought one of those lovely Chevy Volts that Government Motors can’t give a way even with rebates. I bet you could have gotten a deal and then you wouldn’t have to buy premium to fill it up. If you commute less than 30 miles, you could just plug it in at work and charge it all day long to get back home. I have a friend/customer that has a Nissan Leaf total electric which will go 70 miles between charges and he just uses it to tool around locally and plugs it in at night. He says the public charging stations take 30 minutes to charge, but his garage charger is an all night affair. Different strokes for different folks. By the way, it is uglier than sin, but he likes it anyway.
I guess I could have gone that route. Maybe my next car…
Libby, so if your unleaded was $3.37, your premium you have to pay is about $3.67 according to your math. You may reap the benefit and will only cost you $56 the next time you fill up. Gasoline is taxed so heavily that we really should be paying less than $2.00. We also still import way too much and we have all the resources in the world to be energy independent, but we would rather develop switch grass, algae, cow dung and continue to use corn ethanol which only adds to cost and makes the cars less efficient.
Agent,
How about we make the U.S. companies keep the fuel and petroleum here? Please note the #1 and #3 ranked exports from the U.S. then explain how more drilling will lower gas proces.
Exhibit 7. Exports of Goods by End-Use Category and Commodity
In millions of dollars. Details may not equal totals due to seasonal adjustment and rounding. The commodities in this exhibit are ranked on the monthly
change within each major commodity grouping. (-) Represents zero or less than one half of measurement shown.
April March
2013 2013
1 Fuel oil 4,643 4,570
2 Pharma preparations 4,212 4,068
3 Petro products, other 4,200 4,235
4 Industr mach, other 3,955 3,690
5 Civilian aircraft 3,750 3,884
6 Nonmonetary gold 3,746 4,117
7 Semiconductors 3,563 3,458
8 Telecomm equipment 3,535 3,171
9 Electric apparatus 3,428 3,148
10 Plastic materials 3,005 3,038
http://www.bea.gov/newsreleases/international/trade/tradnewsrelease.htm
Duid you notice how I used actual facts and cited my source? Try it sometime and you may sway someone’s opinion that does not already match yours.
Ron, that’s good info.
I have heard this more then once and do not recall the source, but the Gas / Oil companies are afraid to invest in more efficient refineries because Obama is pushing us to Green Energy.
As a result, the likes of BP / Exxon ect.. ship it over seas for refinement as they don’t see the point in the investment if they are not going to reap the benefits – Long Term.
I would guess if OBama would back off his Green Energy push, BP would be more likely to upgrade to more efficient facilities and maybe even build more which would create – yes you guessed it – JOBS.
Agent: I looked back through my check book since I don’t fill up often enough to remember. 6 month average is $59.46.
And yes Sarge, I kept that Detroit series in the back of my mind all night long. I thought for sure we would be talking about an OT win with game 7 coming.
And how about that Shaw – Broken Rib, Shoulder Injury and a puck up side the head. He kept going…. Maybe D Rose could learn something from him.
Not that this post will change anything at all but just curious is anyone else tired of the blame game on this site between Bush and Obama supporters? When will you all figure out that they are the same model president in a different color (no skin color pun intended).
The right vs. left stuff is exhausting to me. One of my favorite quotes is “It’s not left vs. right, It’s the state vs. you”
Yes to you Live Free.
The personal jabs always get in the way of what they are trying to say.
FFA – for you, I will refrain from personal jabs with Agent and I intend to just ignore Sarge from now on. You are right, they push my buttons and I react. I need to be smarter than that.
LiveFree, Folks like myself, Sargeant, Dave, FFA are tired of the left bloggers blaming Bush for all the ills of the world and we tend to fight back and they don’t like that much. We believe in a free market country, not an entitlement laden Socialist agenda which is bankrupting the country. Obamacare is the biggest travesty ever passed by Congress and even many liberals are now seeing it as a train wreck approaching in Jan 14. The diminishing left supporters keep singing a happy tune and don’t see a thing wrong with a 2,700 page bill with 12,000 pages of regulations that has been and will continue to escalate cost in the near future. That is just a few reasons why we fight them every step of the way. They are in the insurance business and it is amazing there is so little common sense between them.
Agent,
So I am assuming your are not referring to me as a left blogger. If you are, I expect one quote from any of my posts that indicate I blame Bush for all if the ills of the world.
Just one, please.
We may not have enough common sense for your liking, but at least we have basic reading comprehension skills and support our assertions with facts and sources. That sentence is referring to you and Sarge.
Ron, I don’t have time to review 219 posts, many of which are yours to pick out everything you have said. Sargeant has provided several links with his posts which you ignore. The one he provided with many Democratic Leaders from Clinton on down all saying there were WMDs in Iraq and Sadam was going to use them was very enlightening. Libby skated on that one saying she didn’t have sound at the office. What is your excuse? These are not made up printed versions, but right from the lips of those people who were in charge at the time, but Bush gets blamed.
I beg to differ with you, Agent. Not only did I reply to Sarge:
“Sarge – even though your post was to Celtica, I have watched both videos. Granted, I have exceptional comprehensive skills, but I did not see anything in either video to contradict my assertions about Dubya and the Iraq war.
In the first, Congress based their statements on “briefings” from the White House, which we know now were using falsified intellegience.
In the second, Clinton never comes out and says he knows Hussein still has WMD’s, just that he had used them in the past and the purpose of the UN inspections was to guarantee he did not have them anymore.
Please, pray tell, what did I miss?”
But I also responded to you:
“OK, Agent. I looked at the first YouTube on my lunch break. All those statements by Democratic Congressman during 2002 and 2003 were based on “briefings” given to them by NSA and CIA.
As outlined in my comprehensive list of LIES includes the following:
“A half-dozen former CIA agents investigating prewar intelligence have found that a secret Pentagon committee, set up by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld in October 2001, manipulated reams of intelligence information prepared by the spy agency on the so-called Iraqi threat and then delivered it to top White House officials who used it to win support for a war in Iraq.”
They were fed the same misinformation as the American people. I am starting to doubt your comprehension skills, too. Start a different arguement, rather than the Democrats supported the POTUS based on misleading “intellegience.” Of course they did. And we did, too. Only to find out he LIED.”
Agent,
Why are you so lazy? Instead of providing any evidence you give your typical response. On June 24 at 11:49 am I posted the following:
The only major issue I blame President Bush for is the invasion and handling of Iraq. VP Cheney knew in 1993 it would not be easy to overthrow Saddam Hussein and transition to a democracy. http://archive.redstate.com/stories/war/cheney_warned_of_iraq_quagmire_0
Then he changed his mind in 2003 http://www.nbcnews.com/id/3080244/ns/meet_the_press/t/transcript-sept/
Can you answer this question? what changed the culture in Iraq from 1991 to 2003? Hint:9/11 did not change the culture in Iraq, only our perception of the Middle East. This is evidenced by the fact that VP Cheney was right in 1993 and wrong in 2003.
I did not ignore them, I have seen them before. The only reason I did not respond is because they have nothing to do with my argument.
I agree that the Clinton administration made mistakes, can you get yourself to admit that the Bush administration made any or were they perfect?
At least Sarge can cite a source, where are yours?
Agent,
Why are you so lazy? Remember this from one of my earlier psots?
Find one post, just one, where I blamed President Bush for anything more than the invasion and handling of Iraq? Good luck. My problem is simply this, you blame President Obama for everything that has happened during his administration, some of which is his fault, but push everything that went bad during President Bush’s administration onto someone else. Neither have been perfect or totally flawed. Please re-read this part of my post then say that I blamed Bush for all the terrible this country is in currently:
The only major issue I blame President Bush for is the invasion and handling of Iraq. VP Cheney knew in 1993 it would not be easy to overthrow Saddam Hussien and transition to a democracy. http://archive.redstate.com/stories/war/cheney_warned_of_iraq_quagmire_0
Then he changed his mind in 2003 http://www.nbcnews.com/id/3080244/ns/meet_the_press/t/transcript-sept/
Can you answer this question? what changed the culture in Iraq from 1991 to 2003? Hint:9/11 did not change the culture in Iraq, only our perception of the Middle East. This is evidenced by the fact that VP Cheney was right in 1993 and wrong in 2003.
I did not ignore Sarge, I have seen the videos. I did not repond because they have nothing to do with my argument.
I agree with you that the Clinton Administration, like every other, has made mistakes. Can you admit that the Bush Administration has made mistakes?
One final question, do you honestly believe that all of the soldiers’ and innocent Iraqi lives lost, financial costs and the hit to our golbal reputation were worth invading Iraq? I know that requires some hindsight, but I am just curious.
I apologize for the duplicate posts. The one I posted last night did not appear at first this morning
I cannot believe that someone actually thumbed down my apology.
Agent – even I have not blamed Bush for all the ills in the world, just the Iraq war. And that usually comes up in response to some sort of left wing bashing coming from the right.
My arguments are made to show there is corruption, incompetence, and scandal on BOTH sides of the aisle. I feel I need to point that out, as it is your side of the house that continually blames the current administration for all the sins in the world.
I will be the first to agree this administration has been less than perfect and I am disappointed in many of the things Obama has and has not done since elected. But the non-stop bashing of every little thing is tiring.
I’ve said it before but it bears repeating, try a construction comment every now and then instead of just playing the blame game.
Too many years in the insurance busines…
A “constructive” comment, not construction.
Libby, Obviously your comprehension is faulty or you really didn’t listen to the utube links provided by Sargeant. It was in the Clinton era when he was POTUS, Madelyn Allbright was his Secretary of State, Al Gore was the VP, Jay Rockefeller at the same time and the list goes on. Their assertions were consistent all the way. Did they have bad intelligence as well? Intelligence goes back a long way and most of the countries all had the same conclusions including Mossad which I think is probably the best of the lot along with MI5 in Britain. How could everyone have been so wrong about this if it wasn’t true?
The blame game never worked for me. I don’t care (anymore) how we got here.
How do we get past it is the question that needs to be answered. My Answer – Jobs, jobs and more jobs. How do we accomplish that? Tax the crap out of all foreign products and tax the crap out of any American Based Company shipping Labor out of the country. Manufacturing needs to come home.
oBamas answer- Abortion, Immigration and Gun Control.
FFA,
I think we all agree that if the jobs issue was resolved everything else would likely fall into place. This is in no way absolving Obama for his part, but the President does not write tax policy. That falls on Congress. Unfortunately, the current political environment seems to preclude any possible progress. And that is the fault of both sides. I am sick of hearing both Speaker Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Reid not even bringing bills from the other house to the floor of theirs.
Go ahead Agent, rip on me for blaming both sides.
Agent – Even I am growing weary of this argument, but here goes. Hussein had chemical WMD’s in 1993. He subsequently got rid of them. Now I will refer you to a source I know you will not read.
http://www.fsmitha.com/h2/ch36wmd2.htm
So FFA, did you see the AP story just published on the President’s $100 Million African vacation? He was in Senegal yesterday promoting same sex marriage. The Senegal President looked him in the eye and said they were not going to decriminalize homosexual behavior. Africa has the highest rate of AIDS of any continent and our President is over there promoting homosexuality. Are you proud of our leader? I certainly am not.
FFA, I certainty appreciate you looking past the blame game and stating your opinion on a solution, and I also agree that manufacturing needs to come home. However, I believe that taxing and tariffs would not solve this.
Tariffs restrict foreign investment and capital investment between nations, which has played a considerable part in the development of modern industries. But now (since about the first world war) with tariffs and corrupt governments, that was not foreseen by our past capitalist, it is now almost a demonized activity.
And taxes are parasitic and statist, and I think they should be kept very low, how low exactly is debatable but the lower the better in my opinion. It is more political than economical where the exact source of these taxes come from (income, sales, etc.) but to me it is important instead to focus on how much of the social product is to be siphoned off to the unproductive activities of government. In other words lower taxes and the privatization of many of the governments activities, which would allow them to run on a smaller tax budget.
Maybe if Obama was as concerned about Job Creation as he is about Abortion, Same Sex Marriage, Immigration, maybe – just maybe – the other side may jump on that band wagon.
Reading down agents list above, at least 4 other issues would be resolved.
I may be wrong. I am just a working stiff trying to support 7 people.
Had to pull someone off the unemployment line last month. Need to pull someone else in too as she has generated 2 pl accounts and one commercial accounts with 4 more in the works… Hired her to push my paper work and she just generated even more.
Hate to tell you this, Agent, but heterosexuals can get AIDS, too.
So Ron, we finally agree on something that if the jobs issue is resolved, some of the other problems may fall into place. You are right that you can’t absolve Obama for his part. However, you should remember that Obama was the one who wanted to soak the rich and tax the job creators more and got that done. He passed a Healthcare bill that is laden with numerour taxes/fines that is sure to harm American citizens and companies and kill more jobs. He continues to give our money away to people who don’t like us much. He lets China have favored nation status without holding them accountable for their trade practices. He is determined to shut the Coal Industry down costing thousands of jobs in several states. Please give me some metrics on what he has done to create private sector jobs. The Stimulus sure didn’t do the trick and was another trillion down the rat hole. Regarding the relationship between the House & Senate, it is a one way deal. The House passes a bill, Reid throws it in the waste basket and won’t let it be debated or voted on. Please give me an example of Boehner doing the same thing on a Senate Bill. I think Boehner will consider the sorry Amnesty Bill, make some changes to it and send it back. Did you know that there is a $5,000 fine for a company who is considering hiring between a regular citizen and a newly minted Illegal if the employer does not hire the illegal? Yes, it is in the bill. Why don’t citizens have more rights over someone who swam the river here illegally? The House will hopefully throw that out. The gang of eight did us no favors with this legislation that most Senators did not read. I thank Ted Cruz for actually reading the bill and bringing this out.
Agent – you do know that hiring illegal aliens is illegal, right? That’s why they call them “illegal” aliens.
I agree with you for the most part Livefree, but the problem is that it has been a one way street with the US letting so many goods in while the other country like China restricting or putting tariffs on our goods. That is why our balance of payments is so out of whack. China also manipulates their currency so their goods are cheaper. I wonder what China would do if we turned their ships back at our ports and sent them home because of their trade policies. Many countries operate the same way and want to send us unrestricted goods and don’t want to reciprocate by buying ours.
FFA, good one. This President has not engaged in policies designed to create jobs in the private sector. That seems to be beyond his grasp. Did the Stimulus create any shovel ready jobs? Even he admitted it had not. Does increasing taxes create jobs? Does throwing money at green energy create jobs? Does creating a health bill with many more taxes create jobs? Had he taken Econ 101 in college, he may have learned that Keynsian Economics have not worked in the past and will not for the future either. We know he is focused like a laser on the economy, right? All of his actions show us what the agenda is and will be. Ron & Libby both need to wake up and smell the coffee.
Agent,
Please list all of the jobs bills that have been sent to the President for his signature that he has vetoed.
Please cite where in the Constitution it says that the President is responsible for creating jobs.
Keystone Pipeline is one I can think of off the top of my head.
FFA,
That is a private sector project, not a bill. Besides, is it worth less than 1,000 permanent U.S. jobs to allow Canadian oil to flow through the U.S.? I would be more supportive of the project if they guaranteed more permanent jobs.
http://money.cnn.com/2011/12/13/news/economy/keystone_pipeline_jobs/index.htm
One other point, Obama has not shot it down, he has just not given the complete green light.
Ron, its simple, he lets it happen, it creates jobs.
AP reported over the week end that he is going to “invest” in African energy – some $70B.
FFA, Most Americans wanted Keystone except this President and his environmental wackos. All the studies have been completed for years now and approved by the northern states. Even the unions were upset this has not been given the go ahead because they saw the jobs that would be created for their workers. I was pleased to see the southern part from Cushing, Oklahoma to Houston started and is being completed. A few goofballs like Darryl Hannah tried to stop it and got to cool their heels in jail for a few days for their trouble.
Perhaps you need a lesson on how it works. The President cannot receive a bill to veto if the Senate does not debate or vote on it. Nothing gets past Harry Reid to go to the President. Numberous House bills are passed and they go right in the waste basket. Understand now?
Thank you for taking the bait and making my point. IT IS NOT PRESIDENT OBAMA’S FAULT!!!!
You’re making this too easy.
Do you recall where I wrote, “And that is the fault of both sides. I am sick of hearing both Speaker Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Reid not even bringing bills from the other house to the floor of theirs.”
Hey Metric Ron, perhaps you can give us the metrics on all the Senate Bills sent to the House that have been discarded without debate and vote. The reason why bills are not sent to the President for signature or veto is that the Republican bills never make it past dirty Harry.
Then that is Congress’ doing and not Obama’s.
Hi FFA, I saw an article published by the LA Times today that said that United Healthcare will withdraw from the Individual Market in California by the end of the year. Aetna had already announced the same move. They will remain in Group business, but apparently want no part of the Individual Exchange. I wonder why. That may reduce the choices some, don’t you think? It was previously reported that the State of Washington will have only one exchange carrier. They sure did expand choices for the consumers, right?
FFA, In keeping with the theme of job creation, the Center for Immigration Studies is releasing a report today that 22.4 million immigrants of working age held jobs at the beginning of this year which is up 5.3 million over the total in 2000. However, native born workers with jobs dropped 1.3 million over the same period from 114.8 million to 113.5 million. Meanwhile, the number of Americans who aren’t in the workforce has jumped by almost 13 million to reach an astounding 48.6 million. The Senate just passed their version of amnesty which would grant even more illegal immigrants legal status and the House will be debating as well. Those who believe the bogus Labor Dept unemployment numbers of 7.6% should wake up and smell the coffee. There are a lot of dead beats who are on their 99 weeks and when they use that up, they trot down to Social Security and get on Disability. This is truly an entitlement society.
Agent I agree. I was speaking more on a global level rather than just a USA level. At least a good amount of countries would have to participate in allowing foreign capital investments to a point where ones that don’t participate would be at a disadvantage making them more likely to join. Therefore, I realize that although it maybe ideal it is in no way simple as it would require cooperation.
I have a friend who always tells me that we (USA) will stop going the current inflation route and instead will eventually just wipe our creditors out (China, etc.) so we won’t have to pay them back. His line of reasoning always comes back to his favorite phrase “not every country can be rich at the same time” and that the USA will have to act with more and more force to stay rich. But I always tell him, that although I wouldn’t put it past the propaganda machine our gov’t is to take that route, that every country can be rich through completely free trade and foreign capital investment. I would prefer that over more war and empire building.
For a historical example of how this has worked before, foreign investment is precisely how other European countries closed the very large development gap on Britain during the early and mid nineteenth century before it became demonized by British special interest groups once the realized that they would have more competition than before if they continued. In other words the rich wanted to put barriers up to prevent the poor from become productive and competitive.
Livefree, it sounds like you have taken Econ 101 which I did also on the way to a degree in Economics. Our friends Libby & Metric Ron have a scacity of understanding how inflation destroys a country or how trade works on a global scale. If Ron needs an example, he should look at the former Rhodesia now called Zimbabwe. Their currency is worth nothing and they are in chaos. The former Wiemar Republic in Germany after WW1 found themselves in the same situation. They couldn’t buy a loaf of bread with a wheelbarrow full of money. Bernanke has been printing money 24/7 for the last couple of years. No wonder the dollar doesn’t buy much anymore.
Agent,
Go to this site and tell me where is this high inflation.
http://www.inflationdata.com/inflation/inflation_rate/historicalinflation.aspx
Republicans have been warning us about high inflation since President Obama took office, yet it has not materialized. Let’s compare the inflation rates during President Obama’s administration and President Bush’s:
Highest monthly rate:
Obama – 3.87%
Bush – 5.6%
Lowest monthly rate:
Obama – (2.1%)
Bush – .09%
Average monthly rate:
Obama – 1.62%
Bush – 2.84%
If you have different data, please cite your source.
Ron,
Putting aside the Obama vs. Bush inflation debate, I believe the source you provided doesn’t necessarily prove a lack of inflation at all. I say this because it says it is using the CPI as it’s source factor and the CPI is notorious for being changed and manipulated by the Fed to under estimate inflation most notably the Boskin Commission in 1995 and has been changed again as recently as this year. Also the CPI conveniently ignores prices that are affected by the fed’s artificially low interests rates such as oil, food, and gold.
If we were still using pre-boskin methods today the average annual inflation would be closer estimated at about 7% rather than 3%.
Here is a source: http://www.shadowstats.com/alternate_data/inflation-charts
LiveFree, It is a fact that there have always been rich & poor with countries as well as our citizens. Is it right or fair for the rich to be made poor in order to “level” the playing field? There has to be investors in order to create wealth and jobs. I don’t know about you, but I have never gotten a job from a poor man. We have an administration who’s goal is the penalize the entrepreneur, raise taxes, regulate him to death and this is somehow supposed to create economic activity. Is it any wonder that jobs have been going overseas and to Mexico for several years? Companies have seen the handwriting on the wall and they will do whatever is necessary.
So Libby, do you think it is ok to hire an illegal granted “amnesty” over a legal alien or American citizen? The gang of 8 bill will penalize employers for hiring legal aliens or American citizens $5,000. Boy, those benefits of getting amnesty are just too much, aren’t they? I look for this to be deleted from the House bill once they get to read it. I hope they take their time, because it is 1,200 pages and most Senators didn’t read it before voting on it. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
I notice Sarge hasn’t been on IJ yet today. I haven’t had all my posts censored and hidden.
Or maybe he went to the Black Hawks rally today. I know he is a Detroit fan first and foremost, but this was such a great series.
Maybe cap is there too. He is big on Chicago Sports.
Maybe Shaw will sit down with D Rose and explain what its like to play with pain.
Thank you Livefree for giving Metric Ron the metrics he so desperately needs on every talking point. He doesn’t think we have an inflation problem in this country under his President. All he really needs to do is ask an average consumer about their food, fuel, electricity, housing costs and they would inform him. Electricity is due to have another big jump after Obama and the EPA gets through with the Coal Industry. Several big Democrats, led by the now enraged Joe Manchin (D-WV) are really jumping up and down about the new plan to destroy their states economy and jobs. Perhaps they should switch parties and restore the balance of power to fight this idiotic climate change policy.
Today starts the Vacation Period when more People Vacation this coming week then any other week. If I didn’t have Mom & Dad BS to deal with on Tuesday, Il’d be out of the loop for a solid and much needed 10 day break. None the less, I get done with that crap on Tuesday and you will find me only on my lake or in our bar!
Maybe I’ll bring the lap top. I can get Wi Fi on the lake.
Good for you, FFA! Enjoy your shortened, but well-deserved, vacation.