Forum Post: Obama Finally—Finally!—Picks 2 Nominees for the Federal Election Commission
Posted 10 years ago on June 24, 2013, 11 a.m. EST by GirlFriday
(17435)
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Last week, Obama nominated Ann Ravel, the feisty chairwoman of California's Fair Political Practices Commission, and Lee Goodman, a DC-based attorney at the firm LeClairRyan.
A mighty high hurdle awaits both Ravel and Goodman: the Senate. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), the minority leader, is a fierce enemy of campaign finance laws, and it's no secret that the road to confirmation for any FEC nominee runs through him. If he opts not to block either Ravel or Goodman, then there is hope for fresh faces at the FEC. If he does, it could be back to square one.
http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2013/06/obama-federal-election-commission-nominees-ravel-goodman
Of course you DO realize that RepubliCons have blocked every nominee Obama has attempted to make? And that this is why sooooooooo many positions have not been filled? I don't understand why you have omitted this widely known GOP atrocity.
two puppets picked by the puppet in chief
Either way it is necessary to know who they are. I find it odd that a group of people that want money out of politics has zero interest in who these people are. It's almost as silly as watching people bitch about the Clintons. Neither of those people are in office or candidates. Especially when there are so many other fantastic and legit arguments to make against them.
where have you been, hillary is the dem candidate for 2016.
Correction:
"Ms can't be bothered "traveling" - sick tummy - passed out - concussion - blood clot - don't wanna discuss Benghazi?"
Ms Drain Bamaged? Don't think so. She effectively cancelled her candidacy with her health problems prohibiting her testimony when called for.
she'll be back.
No doubt - but hardly a viable candidate when one looks at past attacks on health issues for past failed candidates.
The clinton machine never quits.
OK, zombie puppet.
Did you know it?
Not necessary to add it in. You wanna fight? Let's roll but make it worth my while.
And wait until I finish my coffee.
Of course, I've known it all along, decades before this wonderful facility populated with so many empty heads. I follow the news, I dig, I'm an inquiring mind. Not an ostrich.
Fight what? your deliberate ignorance. At least your heart is in the right place, most times.
Save your silly powder for the onslaught we're going to face entering 2014. And quit giving them fodder. Yes, omission is fodder.
Pffttt.........shut up, knuckle head.
OK, I'll let you save face.
Just remember who the enemy is, will ya
Darlin', you talk an awful lot but you don't actually say much. I think you either need coffee or you need to lay off of it.
And you foolishly bitch a lot ~ many times for good reasons ~ without offering solutions.
Obama hasn't appointed many posts, because RepubliCons have blocked the appointments. Now you can't omit like that, or we'll have to consider you a foe. Just WTFU!
You WTFU moron. You should pick that fight with someone who doesn't know that it hasn't been blocked. Consider me a foe but not because I didn't mention it. asswipe.
Waste of time. Like I said, great facility full of empty heads. Keep screaming at clouds.
Try this when you can think: http://www.randirhodes.com/main.html
Pound sand.
Who the fuck cares who this criminal nominates? The entire system is coming down. There won't be any regulators cause there won't be any fucking elections. What there is going to be are trials lots and lots of trials. Lots and lots of death penalties to be handed down. The only question is will it be us or them dispensing with the "justice". Wake up girlfriday pull your head out of your ass and realize that your world view is a fishbowl. I am here to pour you into the ocean.
You don't have a clue what you're talking about. The US may be corrupt, but it's a long way from coming down.
Are you suggesting the economy will collapse? NOT
Are you suggesting the masses will take up arms against the government? NOT.
Are you suggesting the masses will wake up some morning and start giving a shit about anything? NOT
Just how did you arrive at you idea of pending doom?
.
1st of all there are hundreds of thousands if not millions of patriots ready to act. 2nd of all yes the economy is going to collapse. 3rd yes the masses turned on the tv last week and saw the light ie. (twa 800, snowden, fbi drones, assassination of michael hastings, etc.) so yeah basically there has been a titanic shift and as has been said before. "the revolution will not be televised."
I assume when you say patriots you mean extreme right wing. That’s how the term seems to be used these days. It also sounds like you’re expecting shooting revolution. Interesting.
So in a nut shell. It ain’t happening. A shooting revolution as you seem to be describing will not occur in the foreseeable future. People have been seeing crap on TV for 40 years. They don’t even notice it these days. Another day, another crises. In reality people aren’t pissed off enough to take up arms. Hell, people aren’t pissed off at all. Just a little irritated.
If any type serious, widespread violence come to be, it will because the economy fails, society implodes and people can’t get food and necessities. At that point people will do whatever it takes to take care of their families. Political ideologies and social movements will be less important. It will be survival. People will follow whoever can provide safety and security.
by patriot i mean patriot. the fuck does right wing have to do with it. i need to be right wing to believe in the bill of rights??? i need to be right wing to recognize a criminal government??? puhhhhhhleaze. and if you don't think things can turn violent at the drop of a hat you don't know history.
The difference is liberals and conservatives see patriotism differently. I mean almost everyone call themselves a patriot, but when they start describing their patriotic beliefs you will hear mush different speeches. Got it now?
About things turning violent. Seems you haven’t put a lot of thought into it. So here are a few considerations.
So, I say you don’t have a clue what you’re talking about. The US isn’t anywhere near a shooting war. However, if a war did break out it most likely would be liberals against conservatives. The hate between then is already about the break the country.
we already are in a shooting war. you are too naive to continue this conversation.
There is no shooting war on US soil. You're full of crap and you know it.
there is. everyday innocents are murdered by the govt. just recently they murdered a journalist with a car bomb.
Oh, man. I can't tell if you're just messing with me or you're serious. The government isn't out assassinating Americans. Even if they were, what could you do about it?
The closest thing to a shooting war in the US is street gangs killing each other.
they have admitted to drone striking 4 us citizens on 4 different occasions on different continents. you know what you are right gary webb shot himself in the back of the head twice. wake up dude they blew michael hastings up. they shot jfk, rfk, mlk. i don't think you understand there is a group with in our government where the confluence between big business/banks and government is complete and this group controls things look up rex '84 look up the eisenhower and kennedy speeches on the military industrial complex and secret societies and understand this, our country is in coup and has been since nov 22 '63. you have been taught how to think and it is not very hard. you have been taught how not to make connections. how not to see the big picture. to trust the government and media without question. why in the world would you be taught that?
Sorry, I'm not into conspiracy theories. There are no death squads. It's just in your mind.
Interesting that you mention Eisenhower. His speech, where he coined the term "military industrial complex" was his farewell speech. It was televised. I was in junior high school. They called all the students into the gym and cafeteria to watch the speech. It was a great speech. You should read it.
http://coursesa.matrix.msu.edu/~hst306/documents/indust.html
i don't need to read it jack ass. it's not just in my mind what is just in your mind is a magic bullet and a lone gun man. sleep sheep sleep.
We are in the middle of a collapse right now....morally, economically and emotionally.
http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-06-21/politics/40116797_1_citizens-united-campaign-finance-ann-ravel
This isnt going to help change it.
What indicators lead you to believe we are in a collapse? Either morally, economically or emotionally? I’ll be the first to acknowledge the US has a pot load of problems, including a corrupt government, dishonest corporations and apathy. I want to address those issues. That’s why I support OWS.
However, in spite of all our problems, the US continues to have one of the highest living standards in the world. The economy is growing and the recession is over in most places. The main reason for all the apathy is the masses have nothing to worry about. Most live a comfortable life.
Your idea that doom is upon us is misguided.
Did you say pot Narley? Maybe I should visit you and relax a little. I'm not doing much these days myself. We have river fishing. I bought some food last week for the homeless that congregate where I fish. I went out there and came back with all my food. This is a smaller area... I don't mix well with homeless, so... I probably don't know where to help.
There is a woman, young guy, 2 rug rats, & 2 older guys in this park. I guess they have food. The kids are always on a sugar high if not the mother coming down.
1) Shadow Stats does a lot of numbers and stats to correct for government information. Do you know John Williams?
http://www.shadowstats.com/
2) Lee Adler corrects the Government Stats for unemployment. He is a skeptic, but think he takes the numbers and shows you the unseasonably adjusted data.
http://wallstreetexaminer.com/
3) There is no Government Agency that Reports Risk to the US Government, Government Bonds or Teasuries, US Ratings, US taxpayer, US Child & Lifetime Debt, US Debt from Healthcare, US Consumer Debt, the fact the US GDP Growth is based on US Consumer Debt or other debt, US Decapitalization of Manufacturing, Growth of Low Paying Jobs without Benefits in Service areas, US Risk from US Executives Compensation including hidden Deferred Wages in a trust Account Sky Rocketing, ... How about the Risk to the US Economy from Corporations Writing off all Legal Expenses, Lobbying Expense, and all the other Corrupting Expenditures that keep the Elites Happy & in Parties in Washington DC... What is the Risk of Having a Congress that Parties every night with expensive food, expressive cloths, and expensive venues... with the Lobbyist, Foundations, Think Tanks, and Political players? Well, I guess I should start a website on this "Risk".
But, Narley, you are Right. I know people that are still invested in the US Stock Market and seem to be making money. I don't know if your kids are doing okay... I guess you are saying they are okay.
Well... you may be laughing a little here, stiring the pot. But Globally the same thing is happening in all countries. As far as I know the US has control of the IMF, WB, and all banking. We are seeing Riots & Protests in like 20 different countries. I have a problem with people that want to nuc other countries. I don't like people that say they don't care if the CIA is running operations for Regime change or Assassination of Leaders in other countries. Latin America is polarized partly because of US policies and Economic Teachings after years of Dirty Wars. The USA has become this Ugly thing in the World. Are you with me on this? The USA is causing Terrorism. Terrorism didn't seem a big problem till the USA started fighting it. I know about the USS Cole, the Barracks in Lebanon, and Embassy Bombings.... We have liabilities for Veterans that need lifetime benefits, we spent $1Trillion Dollars. If you are a conservative you should see the destruction, human cost of war, and just the total waste of 12 years of war to fight guerillas that fade into the population.... There really isn't any glamor to fighting war these days. Maybe there never was. It is just tragedy. It is US Tragedy, big time.
Oh, you started on cost of living, standard of living...
Well, families are moving in with parents now. Italy always had these kind of old guys that lived with there mothers. USA had these house holds that had no elderly and no grand parents or old kids. Now looks like we have multi-gererations under a house hold.
But look for reports on 84,000 Pensions Cancelled or Terminated. Look for Forbes Articles on average 401K value down from $25K to $5K. There are plenty of Retirement Accounts that are under funded, invested in Zombie Funds, Losing Revenue, and state funds that are in deep trouble for the liabilities they can never pay. I think the Pension Guaranty Fund, Federal, pays out $6B a year (Check Department of Labor, This has increased since 2008)
http://www.fms.treas.gov/mts/mts0912.pdf
It is not just corruption. It is the Capture of the Federal Government in Total. The US Government Doubled in size since 2000. Normally you would see 3% increases in departments except for areas that have lots of inflation or if the population has increased putting more burden on social services. No, all departments in the Federal Government seem to have had a party since 9-11, massive federal spending. You know the budget is $3.5 Trillion a year with no cost controls on Medical...
But look at the GDP numbers, $16 Trillion a year GDP. But it is based on increased Debt since the 1980s or when we signed NAFTA (guess I have to check the start here). $1Trillion in Student Loans, How much in Medical Debt? Consumer debt?
I think it was in the 1980s that we changed from a productive GDP to a Consumer Debt GDP. What was it the Yuppie Generation that wanted it all?
So while I am rambling on about this... Maybe someone should check the Total US Consumer Debt, Medical debt, Private debt, Government Debt $16 T, and Liabilities for all the Pensions & Retirements, and don't forget State & Municipal Debts...
Basically the people in power have done the same thing to the USA as they did to Greece, Spain, Italy, UK, Ireland, Iceland, and Japan.
We just really haven't been honest about it in the MSM, because the MSM is controlled... remember the CIA wanted to bribe MSM, Operation Mocking bird, well I guess the Oligarchs did it through mergers. They are just stripping out the US Resources until they have to take public common areas, public parks, Grand Canyon, Mt Rushmore, Brice Canyon, Etc.
I am certain that inflation is higher than the government reports, as a former store owner I was forced to accept selling at lower margins each year. My competition was not only other stores but my suppliers, the big corps, who raised my prices regularly approximately 9% per year. I can only assume other small businesses are experiencing the same issue. As the world gradually refuses to accept the dollar as the world currency, it will get much worse.
Do you have any idea how many people over age 62 are now using reverse mortgages to supplement their income? I believe that would be a significant statistic to the overall wealth of the masses of this country?
Good points. I don't have good info on Reverse Mortgages. There is a celebrity that advertises them to a certain age now like if you are over 65. Might be Robert Wagner... I know someone in Michigan that got a Reverse mortgage at like 47 years old before the 2008 Financial Collapse. She really regrets it.
I can't say I have the same level of experience as you or your son in business (we have talked before). My impression is if you are making money people notice it and try to compete with you, get some of your profits, or monopolize the niche.
In Asia if a new restaurant opened up and starting doing well... Imitators would open up right across the street and likely all businesses involved would miss the big profits.
Maybe if you have a brick and mortar store people can see your success more clearly than if they have to get government data to see how much sales you are making... like a landscaper or construction guy. And a warehouse can be hard to see into as well. Like Detroit Chop Shops I suppose no one knows what they really are doing.
One poster was sued by a big corporation just to drive him out of business
Inflation is 2 sided coin for sure. I was just thinking yesterday that most people can't see the prices going up on grocery store items as the increases are less than a dollar or less than .50 cents. But .50 cents would be like 25%. You would have to have spreadsheets to really track prices, I think.
The federal government probably can't afford to track inflation properly since it uses COLAs, or Inflation Indexes to increase retirement pay, Social Security, and other things. And maybe we need a bunch of different Inflation Indexes to reveal the data and the reality.... then the government would still use the current inflation index to avoid increases in payouts for benefits.
If you look at the Money Supply, M1, M2, M3,...M6... it still doesn't count all the US Denominated Derivatives sold Globally. We really don't know how much Derivatives are in the Shadow Banking system or sold by them to Investors. I see this as a problem. I would like to regulate all Financial Derivatives and pretty much end private banking... in that all Financial Instruments can be Regulated and Limited to Certain Categories or Types.
To me Conservative Principals or Approaches to Business, banking, and Politics are the only way to prevent fraud and conflict of Interest. And the only way to keep the courts honest and regulators honest is to shut down US Domestic Spying and Agencies... and force they to avoid relationships with the people they regulate and big corporate funding projects or activities.
On the Reverse Mortgages commercials, I usually see former senator, Fred Thompson. Convenience stores are merely corporate outlets, and there must be a tremendous amount of cheating for independents to survive. I did over 5 millions in sales in one year from one store and lost money. Officers compensation was $39,000. The margins were often set by my suppliers.
Many older people still have equity in their homes and I am curious how many are "contributing" to the economy through spending the money from reverse mortgages.
Our government should certainly be run just as a business, with expenditures open for everyone to see, and all Financial Instruments regulated...by real regulators.
Thanks. Karen Hudes makes my points very well. I have been saying for 10 years that the US can't spend money the way it does with all of the news stories about corruption being ignored for 20-30 years.
I guess "Power Games" are what American Capitalist are all about. When the US Goes into negotiations... the US wants to be the smartest, wants the best strategies, wants to negotiate from strength, and wants to control all the players through it's money, programs, and opportunities. The US Is a Power Player. Just like GirlFriday. Except executives & US Managers & Individuals can be addicted to power.
The convenience store business sounds like suppliers operate from power and control. If they provide the best product at the best prices... then maybe they have the biggest market share and control the market.
The US Culture & Business Culture is a Reflection of our other institutions. The Banks operate from power, absolute power and influence, so does the US Federal Government... I suppose this is just like the Catholic Church and the Vatican Historically.
But Government is make up of Elites that know the world & World History. So, they can take lessons from the Jesuits, Mao, Stalin, the Stasi, or the Nazis. In fact we assimilated Nazi people, institutions, technology, and finance into the USA after WWII. Proof is all over the place.
Anyway, Karen Hudes does a good job in several videos about the WB Corruption, US Congress, and Eric Holder.
Consider : "The Revolution From Above'', by Paul Craig Roberts.
Today the Western peoples are experiencing the destruction of their well being that is comparable to what the one percent in Rome imposed on Roman citizens and conquered peoples. Here is how John Williams (shadowstats.com, 9-12-12 : http://www.shadowstats.com/article/no-469-2011-income-and-poverty-report-july-trade-balance - from a year ago) phrases the wipeout of Americans’ hopes :
“Consumers simply cannot make ends meet. Inflation-adjusted, or real, median household income declined for the fourth-straight year, plunging to its lowest level since 1995. Deflated by the CPI-U, the 2011 reading actually stood below levels seen in the late-1960s and early-1970s."
“At the same time, despite the ongoing nature of the economic and systemic-solvency crises, and the effects of the 2008 financial panic, income dispersion -- the movement of income away from the middle towards both high- and low-level extremes -- has hit a record high, instead of moderating, as might be expected during periods of financial distress. Extremes in income dispersion usually foreshadow financial-market and economic calamities. With the current circumstance at a record extreme, and well above levels estimated to have prevailed before the 1929 stock-market crash and the Great Depression, increasingly difficult times are likely for the next several years.”
This chart shows where the median household income of the US Superpower, the “indispensable people,” stands at the culmination of 2011.
Americans are as well off as they were in 1967-68. Most Americans cannot pay for fighting multi-trillion dollar wars for 11 years, bailout trillions of dollars in uncovered casino bets by Wall Street, have their middle class jobs sent abroad by corporations and still expect to have higher personal incomes.
Apparently, Americans are the first people in history who are so idealistic, or so thoroughly brainwashed, that they prefer to pay for wars and bail out banks than to make their mortgage payments and help their children with student loan debt.
The federal court in Germany has ruled that Germans are to be just as idealistic as Americans. The federal court has produced a ruling that it is OK for the EU to require German citizens to provide $190 billion to pay off the private banks who lent too much money to Greece.
In exchange for paying off the banks for Greece, the Greek people are to be driven into poverty and hopelessness. Pensions are cut, taxes are raised, employment is cut, social services are curtailed, prices of utilities are raised. The Greek people are to be destroyed in order that the private European banks do not lose money on their bad loans.
In the West the Revolution From Above has succeeded. The peoples are re-enserfed. The promised land is a promised land for The One Percent.
~
[Paul Craig Roberts was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Economic Policy and associate editor of the Wall Street Journal. He was columnist for Business Week, Scripps Howard News Service, and Creators Syndicate. He has had many university appointments. His internet columns have attracted a worldwide following : http://www.paulcraigroberts.org/ ]
{Item copied verbatim under 'Fair Use' from : http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article32435.htm }
~
Thanx for the important comment and insights 'windy', solidarity & fyi : http://www.shadowstats.com/ .
fiat lux ...
If a small group prospers in times of national financial distress, that should be a crime. Democracy is obviously not working or policies would cause the very, very, wealthy to only be wealthy. That's not asking for much sacrifice.
If my understanding of the banks being repaid for loans is correct, the bankers argued that they should not even have to sacrifice any of their PROFITS, much less lose any money.
An article from truth-out pointed out that the mafia were amateurs compared to the organized crime that exists today, and all the bases are being covered.
Still waiting for the Karen Hudes World Bank story to come out about the conglomerate. The masses would possibly be enraged if they knew the world was run by trusted leaders that were plundering the whole world's money.
Bankers and ''Corporations write our legislation. They control our systems of information. They manage the political theater of electoral politics and impose our educational curriculum. They have turned the judiciary into one of their wholly owned subsidiaries. They have decimated labor unions and other independent mass organizations, as well as having bought off the Democratic Party, which once defended the rights of workers. With the evisceration of piecemeal and incremental reform -- the primary role of liberal, democratic institutions -- we are left defenseless against corporate power.'' from :
Chris Hedges : We, the Vast Underclass, Must Rise Up Against Global Mafia - or Die'' : http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/16468-vast-underclass-must-rise-up-against-global-mafia-or-die &
http://occupywallst.org/forum/world-bank-revolving-door-of-corruption-with-whist/ + ..
http://occupywallst.org/forum/whistleblower-from-the-world-banktipping-point-of-/ .
Your excellent comment and Mafia reference reminded me of the 'truth-out' piece by Hedges and the same for the Karen Hudes connection. Here's hoping that information can seep through the MSM Mind-Management Programme and solidarity 'windy' and if we can't alter then we must abolish and start anew the ongoing project for a real American Democracy : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_drEFOaPaK8 !!!
spero meliora ...
Rise up or die! I enjoyed reading that again. If only Americans knew that a mafia had taken control of our country....we can only hope.
Thanks for that Leonard Cohen link, fantastic, and another one;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUfS8LyeUyM
''Everybody knows that the boat is leaking
Everybody knows that the captain lied
Everybody got this broken feeling
Like their father or their dog just died''.
~
Cheers 'windy' and ''no one appears to see the criminal aspects of this globalized financial crisis. A surprising omission, since history teaches us that all financial crises "contain" a criminal dimension, either by the intrusion of organized crime, or by the repetition of criminal operations committed by normal market actors ; and sometimes also through the association of these two universes. In our comments, we desire neither to reduce a systemic crisis to gangsterism, nor to flush out any of the improbable scapegoats, but rather are concerned to remind everyone that crime - whether organized or not - infiltrates everywhere where money reigns, including the financial markets.
''The source, at the epicenter of the disaster, was large-scale criminal frauds conducted by executives at these savings and loans, along with outside beneficiaries, sometimes even known Mafiosi. Seventy to 80 percent of these savings and loan bankruptcies were due to criminal activity.'' from :
A short piece from 5 years ago but still very relevant re. The 'Cruel, Corrupt, Criminal Corporate Cartel' of The Global Parasitic Bankster Mafiosi.
radix omnium malorum est cupiditas !!
Why aren't these things more clear to more people? Enron was run by Bush's good friend, Ken Lay! The media told me Bush knew nothing about it, so I guess he didn't, lol.
Re. ENRON, strongly recommend the following link to you and all :
e tenebris, lux ...
Recharge: ( everybody )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAb4zL6fT9E
Ummm - not you shills though - U can just leave.
YES, now what is your solution???
Constant agitation, education and ultimately 'organisation', for a Mass Movement of The 99% with a Labour Based Third Party and other parties (Greens etc) and Pro-99% Independents challenging The Infernal Duopoly everywhere and at every level and appealing to the 50%+ who don't vote. This Is OWS where radical 'unthinkable thoughts' have to be thought and taught & also see :
"Capitalism, Democracy and Elections'', by Prof. Richard D. Wolff : http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article35405.htm &
"Dr. Cornel West - Remaking America : From Poverty to Prosperity" : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZ4A4K18hOk .
dum spiro, spero ...
OK, let's try IRVs to make 3rds viable, and drastically reduce GOP election fraud.
w/ horse radish ...
Yep, but just IRVs won't ''make 3rds viable'' - as ONLY A Mass 99% Movement will do that !!! The Tea Party Koch Suckers learnt tactics from - wait for it ... 'The Ruckus Society' [ http://www.ruckus.org/ ] !!
However unbelievable that is - that's a matter of public record and perhaps OWS and The US Left need some lessons from there too ! + See http://occupywallst.org/forum/our-country-has-changed-chief-1-gop-justice-robert/#comment-983005 & also for reference : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instant-runoff_voting !
fabas indulcet fames ...
Wow, That’s a lot to digest in one post. So I’ll just say it again. I’m aware of most of the problems with the US; and I want to fix them. Otherwise I wouldn’t support OWS.
I’m not going to go into as much detail as you did. We’d be here all day. But I hate that the US interferes in other countries business, I hate that we try to become the world police. I agree the terrorist threat is largely caused by US foreign policies. When I say I hate these things I mean I’m outraged about them.
I’ve previously mentioned the problem with government, corporation and banks. At the moment they are the enemy of the people. We have to get this under control.
But in spite of all our problems the US really does have one of the highest living standards in the world. Gluttony, not starvation, is the primary health problem. We buy new $25K cars without even thinking about it, we buy big screens TV’s by the millions and stand in line for hours for the newest iPhone. We eat out at nice restaurants, go to Disneyland at least once a year. Basically the masses are doing pretty good. Right?
As far as retirement. The thing most people don’t understand is that retirement is a fairly recent concept. Primarily since the 1950’s. Before the 1950’s people worked until they just couldn’t do it anymore, then went and lived with their children. That was the norm. The idea of a person being paid and not having to work would have caused my grandfather to laugh out loud. I’m not knocking retirement. I’m retired, and fortunate enough to have a good retirement plan. But retirement isn’t an entitlement.
As for families living together. Nothing wrong with that. It’s quite common in some cultures. And up until the last 70 years or so was common in the US. I don’t see this as a bad thing.
So, to end my ramblings, I’ll just say it again. The US is in better shape than most countries in the world and the people are more well off than most peoples of the world. We have our work cut out for us solving our problems, but we’re not going to be a 3rd world nation in the forseeable future.
I'll put you down for Social Liberalism. Good man, Narley. I assume you are like most and like Social Security, Medicare, Unemployment Insurance, and Free K-12 Schooling. Good response.
Although there has been great improvement in Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark... and there is nothing wrong with Europe in General, but it is a different lifestyle than the bulk of the middle class in the USA as far as I have observed. Europeans have lots of vacations, affordable health care, may live in apartments instead of houses with yards or country side houses like many of us do.
There is a paradigm problem for most Americans. They just can't visualize or imagine living in Europe as Europeans or living in Asia as Asians or living in Central or South America. Life is life. People adapt. Maybe many people in Europe don't have big Trucks, ATVs, Harleys, Boats, Jet Skis... big toys... and no guns. But they probably keep rent cheap to do other things and enjoy hobbies and vacations.
But I own a pick-up truck, a Harley and a boat. My house is way too big for just the wife and I; and I hate maintaining our big ass yard.We need to downsize, but that's another discussion. I'm just your average member of the great generation (born before 1946, so technically I'm too old to be a baby boomer). Sigh, I'm the only liberal I know.
Here are some links on Liberalism for your Neighbors:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberalism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_liberalism
Classic Liberalism seems to be what the Elites are taking us back to ... except once you realize that the American Revolution was for Liberalism ... it starts to look like the people the monarchs are sharing power with are setting up Fascism.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pS1SIXI985Y
Aw jeez, You can’t be serious. Your idea that doom is upon us is based on a 15 year old movie about the devil? This has to be a joke. Now you’re just messing with me. Right?
Self absorbing leads people to think everything is fine as long as it is in their own bubble, filled with material things, and then it pops....and there is reality staring them in the face.
Its why the posts on "if you there are jobs why are you protesting" are so ridiculous.
People need to see trends. They need to see where things are heading.
I should post a clip of "Idiocracy" next after that last sentence.
Everything IS pretty much fine. At least as far as people living well in the US. There are no indicators that the US is about to collapse. Yes people are self absorbed, apathetic and generally aren’t interested in someone telling them how bad off they are.
We have some serious problems to solve with government, corporations, banks and so on. But the sky is not falling anytime soon. There are people who still care. It’s just fixing our problems may take a generation or two. We’ll eventually get there.
If the underlysting ructure on which this thing is built upon was fine they wouldnt be passing the measures they are passing while things are seemingly "fine".
They arent dumb. They know history repeats itself, and this will be no different. And they also realize how different societies react to those conditions, understanding where this one lays in the grand scheme of things.
So are you saying we should all buy guns, lots of ammo and learn to live off the grid?
I agree anything is possible, so then I got it covered I own several guns and have lots of ammo; and if I have to I know how to live off the grid. But SHTF isn't happening anytime soon.
Sounds like you're ready to start prepping for survival when SHTF. For me, I'll just sit in my comfortable suburban home enjoy a cup of coffee.
From below: "But what I don't see is a decline in the standard of living of the masses."
I do think I remember you saying you were retired before. It's hard to keep all the details about people here straight.
But you haven't seen the decline because it hasn't really happened to a great extent yet. And as you say, you're "comfortably retired," so it hasn't hit you yet either. But from where I sit here in south St. Louis, unemployed and in my mid-fifties, I've seen absolutely no recovery whatsoever. It's no better now than it was last year. Or the year before. Unemployment is going up, not down, regardless of what the gov tells us.
And I'm sure you understand what happens when inflation starts to go up, right? You do understand currency deflation usually, if not always, causes it. And you're not using the stock market as an indication that "things are getting better" are you? I'm not being argumentative, I just don't see this recovery you see. I see an illusion that can't continue indefinitely.
I’m sorry you’re out of work gnomunny. It’s a bummer for sure. I’ve was unemployed twice in my career. Out of work six months each time. I remember how embarrassed I felt coming from a mid-level management position to having to move furniture to put food on the table.
But the US economy really id doing better in most places. For instance, Austin, TX has low unemployment, lower taxes than a lot of places and affordable homes. People are moving to Austin in droves. There is a housing boom around Austin.
Maybe every place isn’t doing as good as Austin, but things really are getting better in most places.
No, I dont think its going to be apocalyptic or anything, but our quality of life is going to look drastically different in 20 years.
"They dont need to come for your guns. They can just turn off the water" - IT
I still don't understand why you think our quality of life will deteriorate? How? What will cause it? I just don't see anything that would bring the US to 3rd world conditions. If anything I see the living standards getting better.
I'm confused as why you think the US going down hill.
Open your eyes!
It's the Gilded Age all over again!
How old R U ? Where have U been since 2001? Notice anything odd happen in 2007?2008?2009?.......................
I'm confused as to why you do not see the decline happening all around U.
"Crazy isn't it? Can not see the decline as it happens."
Well, in Narley's defense, a lot of people haven't seen it yet. That's because the gubmit has done a pretty good job of keeping everyone in the dark about the reality. Just wait till the Fed turns off the spigot and inflation kicks in.
Just the announcement that the wallstreet gift-bag might end next year caused a severe two day plunge. I keep telling people to move their accounts to a credit union or a non-wallstreet affiliated local bank. But really - when the final crash kicks in - it is gonna be one seriously nasty mess no matter where your account is at.
That's funny, I was just wondering how old he was myself.
Comfortably retired senior citizen. Living on social security and my company retirement. I was lucky to work for a company who still has a good retirement plan. So, I'm not rich by any means, but I'm not eating dog food either.
And no, I don't see any decline. Where is it? What does it look like?. Seems to me Americans are buying new cars, new TV's, new iPhones and everything else that's shiny at record rates. Even housing is making a comeback. There's a home building boom where I live.
I see the government corruption. I see the corporate greed. I see the dems and repubs hate each other so much they are about to cause a civil war. I see banks robbing people blind. But what I don't see is a decline in the standard of living of the masses..
Crazy isn't it? Can not see the decline as it happens. Has got to be really young or blind.
"But when the market finally tanks 5.00 might seem like a bargain."
Oh yeah, five will become ten rather quickly. Hey, I need to lose a bit of weight anyway. ;-)
Me too - but I would rather lose it another way - rather than starving. As 10 becomes 20 and becomes 40 and 80 and and.......hyper inflation.
" . . . it is gonna be one seriously nasty mess no matter where your account is at."
Oh yeah. I got sticker shock last night at the grocery store, and it hasn't even got bad yet. Five dollars for a jar of fucking peanut butter?
Drought or too much rain or nasty storms will tend to affect prices - besides since it is a traded commodity - well who the hell knows........ But when the market finally tanks 5.00 might seem like a bargain.
your vulgarity is so revealing
yes it reveals my anger, frustration, and contempt for all these fake ass liberals who are doing nothing more than cheering on tyranny at this point. wake the fuck up asshole before someone like me smacks you the fuck up. the time for measured debate with fools is over.
Hey, witless guy, you have been brainwashed. BRAINWASHED!
no my friend it is you that has been brainwashed, how is that hope and change working out for you???
How much did you pay for the "Mama Grizzly's Quips & Quotes"? Sucker!
you are the one brainwashed. our government is criminal and corrupt to the core the president is no exception. wake the fuck up. i challenge you to prove that it is not and that he is not.
Yeah, it's criminal and corrupt and bad and shitty and shit!
That's what happens when we don't VOTE! IDIOT!
We have the world's worst Voter Turnout, and the worlds best Big $ Turnout.
How's that Work'n For Ya, dip shit!!!
vote for who??? who are you going to vote for that is going to change a thing in the republican party or democratic party??? don't be a fucking moron. god damn people like you are so upsetting. it's a false choice.
WOT!
i have been brainwashed??? that is laughable.
I love you too
They only fake ass liberal is your dumb ass. Fuck you.
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They are tools,.....................and fools.
Hey, you and that Supergenius quantumystic have a lot in common. Of course, he could only get accepted to a school in TN. I'm sure you are much smarter than him.
Hey, asstard! Your paranoia is noted. Alex Jones misses you.
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