President Barack Obama - Term 1 and 2 Thread

[Saint John]

Dan, come on, dude. One could, with greater reason, say the same thing about his predecessor. In the end, Dubbya was doing what he thought best for this country, Mentat-twisted although his logic may have been. If you didn't notice, America was on the verge of a Great Depression when he took office. So far, that has not happened. You may believe his policies (moderate when viewed without bias) are not in our best interests, but geez...

And LiePaster...until someone names these "Top Democrats" your last post marks your world-record 1,623rd consecutive without merit, substance, fact, truth, or insight.

I'm just trying to spark a little name-calling. It's been far too civil in here lately.

Should I try to step it up a little?

Sure! (Hint ... swear words like "motherfucker, asshole, douchelips and fuckface" usually ignite that spark. )

[StevePerryHair]

Dan, come on, dude. One could, with greater reason, say the same thing about his predecessor. In the end, Dubbya was doing what he thought best for this country, Mentat-twisted although his logic may have been. If you didn't notice, America was on the verge of a Great Depression when he took office. So far, that has not happened. You may believe his policies (moderate when viewed without bias) are not in our best interests, but geez...

And LiePaster...until someone names these "Top Democrats" your last post marks your world-record 1,623rd consecutive without merit, substance, fact, truth, or insight.

I'm just trying to spark a little name-calling. It's been far too civil in here lately.

Should I try to step it up a little?

Sure! (Hint ... swear words like "motherfucker, asshole, douchelips and fuckface" usually ignite that spark. )

Ah, well I used Pussyballs early this week... but I can do better... I could call 7 a motherfucking douchacrat fuckhead.. would that work? Or am I supposed to be picking on the president? I get confused in this thread

[Saint John]

Dan, come on, dude. One could, with greater reason, say the same thing about his predecessor. In the end, Dubbya was doing what he thought best for this country, Mentat-twisted although his logic may have been. If you didn't notice, America was on the verge of a Great Depression when he took office. So far, that has not happened. You may believe his policies (moderate when viewed without bias) are not in our best interests, but geez...

And LiePaster...until someone names these "Top Democrats" your last post marks your world-record 1,623rd consecutive without merit, substance, fact, truth, or insight.

I'm just trying to spark a little name-calling. It's been far too civil in here lately.

Should I try to step it up a little?

Sure! (Hint ... swear words like "motherfucker, asshole, douchelips and fuckface" usually ignite that spark. )

Ah, well I used Pussyballs early this week... but I can do better... I could call 7 a motherfucking douchacrat fuckhead.. would that work? Or am I supposed to be picking on the president? I get confused in this thread

The beauty of name-calling is you can pick anyone!

[StevePerryHair]

Dan, come on, dude. One could, with greater reason, say the same thing about his predecessor. In the end, Dubbya was doing what he thought best for this country, Mentat-twisted although his logic may have been. If you didn't notice, America was on the verge of a Great Depression when he took office. So far, that has not happened. You may believe his policies (moderate when viewed without bias) are not in our best interests, but geez...

And LiePaster...until someone names these "Top Democrats" your last post marks your world-record 1,623rd consecutive without merit, substance, fact, truth, or insight.

I'm just trying to spark a little name-calling. It's been far too civil in here lately.

Should I try to step it up a little?

Sure! (Hint ... swear words like "motherfucker, asshole, douchelips and fuckface" usually ignite that spark. )

Ah, well I used Pussyballs early this week... but I can do better... I could call 7 a motherfucking douchacrat fuckhead.. would that work? Or am I supposed to be picking on the president? I get confused in this thread

The beauty of name-calling is you can pick anyone!

Even you?

[slucero]

Dan, come on, dude. One could, with greater reason, say the same thing about his predecessor. In the end, Dubbya was doing what he thought best for this country, Mentat-twisted although his logic may have been. If you didn't notice, America was on the verge of a Great Depression when he took office. So far, that has not happened. You may believe his policies (moderate when viewed without bias) are not in our best interests, but geez...

And LiePaster...until someone names these "Top Democrats" your last post marks your world-record 1,623rd consecutive without merit, substance, fact, truth, or insight.

Imma agree with this... in fact... It prolly would do us better to blame Congress more than the President.. after all he makes no laws.. and anything he proposes Congress has to agree too...

Blame GWB or Obama - its Congress that has the final say.. so they get the real blame...

[Seven Wishes2]

Congress has been mired in partisan rhetoric and ineptitude for the better part of the last 35 years. In Thailand, when various Parliamentary coalitions aren't cooperating, finding middle ground, and passing legislation, it's legal for the President to force them into chambers for up to 168 hours until something gets passed. I'd like to see that happen here, too. Maybe force McConnell and Frank to, specifically, work on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell".

[Monker]

Scarborough: Top Democrats in the U.S. Senate Have All Told Me That Obama "Has No Idea What He’s Doing"

"I wish I could give their names...That is what the top Democratic senators are saying"

I've said it before and I'll say it again, the guy knows exactly what he's doing. He hates this country and he's intentionally trying to put it in the shitter. How can people be so blind as to not see that his policies, virtually every single one, is what is always worst for the country. Save every penny you can and you'll have a chance to buy everything for pennies on the dollar when the system crashes.

Funny how soon people forget that the country was in the shitter and you should have had your pennies saved after W's presidency. You should have INVESTED when Obama took office - you would have made killing.

[conversationpc]

Congress has been mired in partisan rhetoric and ineptitude for the better part of the last 35 years. In Thailand, when various Parliamentary coalitions aren't cooperating, finding middle ground, and passing legislation, it's legal for the President to force them into chambers for up to 168 hours until something gets passed. I'd like to see that happen here, too. Maybe force McConnell and Frank to, specifically, work on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell".

Bad idea. That wouldn't do a damn thing.

[slucero]

Scarborough: Top Democrats in the U.S. Senate Have All Told Me That Obama "Has No Idea What He’s Doing"

"I wish I could give their names...That is what the top Democratic senators are saying"

I've said it before and I'll say it again, the guy knows exactly what he's doing. He hates this country and he's intentionally trying to put it in the shitter. How can people be so blind as to not see that his policies, virtually every single one, is what is always worst for the country. Save every penny you can and you'll have a chance to buy everything for pennies on the dollar when the system crashes.

Funny how soon people forget that the country was in the shitter and you should have had your pennies saved after W's presidency. You should have INVESTED when Obama took office - you would have made killing.

Until you view the DOW adjusted for inflation:



In inflation adjusted dollars everyone is taking a bath...

[Monker]

Oh, please, that's just not true. If you had saved your money and invested all of it when Obama took office, you would have made a killing. You invest after a crash, and play it safe during a boom. The Dow in January 2009 was around 8000. Where is it now? You are lying to yourself if you think you would have not made a lot of money - especially if you chose your investments wisely.

Scarborough: Top Democrats in the U.S. Senate Have All Told Me That Obama "Has No Idea What He’s Doing"

"I wish I could give their names...That is what the top Democratic senators are saying"

I've said it before and I'll say it again, the guy knows exactly what he's doing. He hates this country and he's intentionally trying to put it in the shitter. How can people be so blind as to not see that his policies, virtually every single one, is what is always worst for the country. Save every penny you can and you'll have a chance to buy everything for pennies on the dollar when the system crashes.

Funny how soon people forget that the country was in the shitter and you should have had your pennies saved after W's presidency. You should have INVESTED when Obama took office - you would have made killing.

Until you view the DOW adjusted for inflation:



In inflation adjusted dollars everyone is taking a bath...

[conversationpc]

Oh, please, that's just not true. If you had saved your money and invested all of it when Obama took office, you would have made a killing. You invest after a crash, and play it safe during a boom. The Dow in January 2009 was around 8000. Where is it now? You are lying to yourself if you think you would have not made a lot of money - especially if you chose your investments wisely.

No, there's some truth to what he's showing there. It doesn't tell the whole story and people have been making some money in the stock market recently but it is true that inflation has an effect on those prices, meaning the investments aren't worth quite as much as they would have been otherwise.

[Monker]

Oh, please, that's just not true. If you had saved your money and invested all of it when Obama took office, you would have made a killing. You invest after a crash, and play it safe during a boom. The Dow in January 2009 was around 8000. Where is it now? You are lying to yourself if you think you would have not made a lot of money - especially if you chose your investments wisely.

No, there's some truth to what he's showing there. It doesn't tell the whole story and people have been making some money in the stock market recently but it is true that inflation has an effect on those prices, meaning the investments aren't worth quite as much as they would have been otherwise.

Oh, yeah, sure, there has been SOOOO MUCH inflation between January 2009 and today. Yeah, right!

[slucero]

Oh, please, that's just not true. If you had saved your money and invested all of it when Obama took office, you would have made a killing. You invest after a crash, and play it safe during a boom. The Dow in January 2009 was around 8000. Where is it now? You are lying to yourself if you think you would have not made a lot of money - especially if you chose your investments wisely.

No, there's some truth to what he's showing there. It doesn't tell the whole story and people have been making some money in the stock market recently but it is true that inflation has an effect on those prices, meaning the investments aren't worth quite as much as they would have been otherwise.

Oh, yeah, sure, there has been SOOOO MUCH inflation between January 2009 and today. Yeah, right!

The loss of purchasing power (due to a decline in the the value of your dollar) = inflation to you.


"Inflation"... is a rise in prices caused by a growth in the money supply, as that money moves into circulation within the economy.. and more available dollars "chase up" the prices.

The government used to measure money supply growth with M3, but discontinued publishing. They still publish all the datasets required to calculate it. As shown below - The money supply exploded and peaked in 2008, as the Fed/government bailed out everyone except the people...



The problem with inflation is that it requires money to enter the economy... and increase what is called "monetary velocity"... the consequence of which we see as a "rise in prices"

Because the bailouts:

1. Went on banks balance sheets, and
2 The banks have yet to put that money into circulation by lending it.. (thereby causing an increase in monetary velocity)

...We have little to no increase in monetary velocity, so no real increase in inflation...

BUT...

When the dollar declines in value vs rest of the world currencies.. it costs US importers MORE to buy the same thing... this translates to Joe Citizen having to pay MORE for the same thing...


Looking at the $USD Index historically, the only conclusion is that the US as a whole has LOST purchasing power.




So it bears repeating: The loss of purchasing power (due to a decline in the the value of your dollar) = inflation to you.

[RossValoryRocks]

As much as I hate to say this...Monker is right...

If you have put all your extra money in to a Dow indexed fund when Obama took office you would have made a HUGE gains.

The down when Obama was sworn in was 7949.09...Close on Friday 11193.

About a 41% gain over time...pretty good...If you held it that long...

[whirlwind]

As much as I hate to say this...Monker is right...

If you have put all your extra money in to a Dow indexed fund when Obama took office you would have made a HUGE gains.

The down when Obama was sworn in was 7949.09...Close on Friday 11193.

About a 41% gain over time...pretty good...If you held it that long...

How much would have been a sure thing and how much a risk?

[The_Noble_Cause]

...man those right wingers are just doing nothing but beating little Barry up..glad to see the left has his back.

Schoen and Caddell are not "the left", they are barely Democrats. Of the network's liberal whipping boys, only Bob Beckel and Ellis Henican show a spine. Most of the time, Caddell sounds downright disgruntled.

[RossValoryRocks]

As much as I hate to say this...Monker is right...

If you have put all your extra money in to a Dow indexed fund when Obama took office you would have made a HUGE gains.

The down when Obama was sworn in was 7949.09...Close on Friday 11193.

About a 41% gain over time...pretty good...If you held it that long...

How much would have been a sure thing and how much a risk?

If you buy an indexed fund it tracks the Dow itself...so as it rises you make money...as it falls you lose...but since the bottom, or in this case since Obama took office, the Dow has gone up. But's not because of Obama, but because the market was HUGELY under sold at the bottom of the crisis.

[conversationpc]

Oh, please, that's just not true. If you had saved your money and invested all of it when Obama took office, you would have made a killing. You invest after a crash, and play it safe during a boom. The Dow in January 2009 was around 8000. Where is it now? You are lying to yourself if you think you would have not made a lot of money - especially if you chose your investments wisely.

No, there's some truth to what he's showing there. It doesn't tell the whole story and people have been making some money in the stock market recently but it is true that inflation has an effect on those prices, meaning the investments aren't worth quite as much as they would have been otherwise.

Oh, yeah, sure, there has been SOOOO MUCH inflation between January 2009 and today. Yeah, right!

You are such a dumbass...I said there was SOME truth to what he was saying, moron. Learn how to read and understand plain English, for crying out loud, instead of what you WANT to hear.

[RedWingFan]

Liberalism continues to turn California into a 3rd world country.
When the bankrupt state comes looking for a handout, the other 49 states should give them a collective FU! Hell, let's just build a fence on this side of California and let them have it back!!!! Good riddance!

In-state tuition for illegal immigrants is preserved with California Supreme Court ruling [Updated]
November 15, 2010 | 10:16 am
The California Supreme Court decided unanimously Monday that illegal immigrants may continue to be eligible for in-state tuition rates at the state's colleges and universities rather than pay the higher rates charged to those who live out of state.

In a ruling written by Justice Ming W. Chin, one of the panel's more conservative members, the state high court said a California law that guarantees the lower tuition for students who attend California high schools for at least three years and graduate does not conflict with a federal prohibition on giving illegal immigrants educational benefits based on residency.

California is one of several states that permit illegal immigrants to take advantage of lower college tuition for students who attend high school and graduate in state. About 25,000 illegal immigrants are estimated to receive in-state tuition rates in California.

A group fighting illegal immigration challenged the California law on behalf of U.S. citizens who pay the higher tuition as out-of-state students. The group won in lower court, and the state appealed.

The lawsuit contended the California law usurped a federal prohibition on giving educational benefits based on residency to illegal immigrants but not all U.S. citizens.
College students who are in the country illegally are barred from government financial-aid programs. The U.S. Supreme Court is expected eventually to decide whether the lower tuition rates also violate federal law.

[Saint John]

Liberalism continues to turn California into a 3rd world country.
When the bankrupt state comes looking for a handout, the other 49 states should give them a collective FU! Hell, let's just build a fence on this side of California and let them have it back!!!! Good riddance!

In-state tuition for illegal immigrants is preserved with California Supreme Court ruling [Updated]
November 15, 2010 | 10:16 am
The California Supreme Court decided unanimously Monday that illegal immigrants may continue to be eligible for in-state tuition rates at the state's colleges and universities rather than pay the higher rates charged to those who live out of state.

In a ruling written by Justice Ming W. Chin, one of the panel's more conservative members, the state high court said a California law that guarantees the lower tuition for students who attend California high schools for at least three years and graduate does not conflict with a federal prohibition on giving illegal immigrants educational benefits based on residency.

California is one of several states that permit illegal immigrants to take advantage of lower college tuition for students who attend high school and graduate in state. About 25,000 illegal immigrants are estimated to receive in-state tuition rates in California.

A group fighting illegal immigration challenged the California law on behalf of U.S. citizens who pay the higher tuition as out-of-state students. The group won in lower court, and the state appealed.

The lawsuit contended the California law usurped a federal prohibition on giving educational benefits based on residency to illegal immigrants but not all U.S. citizens.
College students who are in the country illegally are barred from government financial-aid programs. The U.S. Supreme Court is expected eventually to decide whether the lower tuition rates also violate federal law.

That state is the worst in the union, and this is further proof of why.

[conversationpc]

Liberalism continues to turn California into a 3rd world country.
When the bankrupt state comes looking for a handout, the other 49 states should give them a collective FU! Hell, let's just build a fence on this side of California and let them have it back!!!! Good riddance!

The question is why is an ILLEGAL alien allowed to attend college in this country in the first place, much less given preferential treatment over REAL CITIZENS from the rest of the country? Unbelievable.

[rsimpson]

This is just too funny.

Newly elected GOP Rep. Andy Harris showed up Monday to freshman orientation on Capitol Hill and discovered that his health care wouldn't kick in until February. He wasn't pleased.
"This is the only employer I've ever worked for where you don't get coverage the first day you are employed," the Maryland House member-elect stated during an orientation session Monday, as his spokeswoman recounted to Politico.
Harris is uniquely familiar with the health care industry: He works as an anesthesiologist.
He also asked whether he could purchase insurance from the government to cover the gap--a proposal that, as one Hill aide noted to Politico, sounds awfully similar to the public option he denounced on the campaign trail.
Harris' staff says he wasn't being hypocritical--and that indeed, the lawmaker was drawing attention to the inefficiency of a government-run health care program.

[rsimpson]

Liberalism continues to turn California into a 3rd world country.
When the bankrupt state comes looking for a handout, the other 49 states should give them a collective FU! Hell, let's just build a fence on this side of California and let them have it back!!!! Good riddance!

The question is why is an ILLEGAL alien allowed to attend college in this country in the first place, much less given preferential treatment over REAL CITIZENS from the rest of the country? Unbelievable.

Whether you agree with them being able to go to college or not, it is not preferential treatment. Same rule applies to all.

[conversationpc]

Liberalism continues to turn California into a 3rd world country.
When the bankrupt state comes looking for a handout, the other 49 states should give them a collective FU! Hell, let's just build a fence on this side of California and let them have it back!!!! Good riddance!

The question is why is an ILLEGAL alien allowed to attend college in this country in the first place, much less given preferential treatment over REAL CITIZENS from the rest of the country? Unbelievable.

Whether you agree with them being able to go to college or not, it is not preferential treatment. Same rule applies to all.

I can't believe anyone is even dumb enough to say something like that. So, let me get this straight...It's not preferential treatment for an illegal alien to get in-state tuition when someone from another state, WHO LIVES IN THIS COUNTRY LEGALLY, has to pay a higher tuition to attend the same college or university? Unbelievable.

[Ehwmatt]

Liberalism continues to turn California into a 3rd world country.
When the bankrupt state comes looking for a handout, the other 49 states should give them a collective FU! Hell, let's just build a fence on this side of California and let them have it back!!!! Good riddance!

The question is why is an ILLEGAL alien allowed to attend college in this country in the first place, much less given preferential treatment over REAL CITIZENS from the rest of the country? Unbelievable.

Whether you agree with them being able to go to college or not, it is not preferential treatment. Same rule applies to all.

I can't believe anyone is even dumb enough to say something like that. So, let me get this straight...It's not preferential treatment for an illegal alien to get in-state tuition when someone from another state, WHO LIVES IN THIS COUNTRY LEGALLY, has to pay a higher tuition to attend the same college or university? Unbelievable.

lol Dave. This is why I don't even participate in this thread any more.

[Michigan Girl]

Liberalism continues to turn California into a 3rd world country.
When the bankrupt state comes looking for a handout, the other 49 states should give them a collective FU! Hell, let's just build a fence on this side of California and let them have it back!!!! Good riddance!

The question is why is an ILLEGAL alien allowed to attend college in this country in the first place, much less given preferential treatment over REAL CITIZENS from the rest of the country? Unbelievable.

Whether you agree with them being able to go to college or not, it is not preferential treatment. Same rule applies to all.

I can't believe anyone is even dumb enough to say something like that. So, let me get this straight...It's not preferential treatment for an illegal alien to get in-state tuition when someone from another state, WHO LIVES IN THIS COUNTRY LEGALLY, has to pay a higher tuition to attend the same college or university? Unbelievable.

lol Dave. This is why I don't even participate in this thread any more.

I pop in every now and then for the humor ...this is, sometimes, the most hysterical thread on this forum ...

[rsimpson]

Liberalism continues to turn California into a 3rd world country.
When the bankrupt state comes looking for a handout, the other 49 states should give them a collective FU! Hell, let's just build a fence on this side of California and let them have it back!!!! Good riddance!

The question is why is an ILLEGAL alien allowed to attend college in this country in the first place, much less given preferential treatment over REAL CITIZENS from the rest of the country? Unbelievable.

Whether you agree with them being able to go to college or not, it is not preferential treatment. Same rule applies to all.

I can't believe anyone is even dumb enough to say something like that. So, let me get this straight...It's not preferential treatment for an illegal alien to get in-state tuition when someone from another state, WHO LIVES IN THIS COUNTRY LEGALLY, has to pay a higher tuition to attend the same college or university? Unbelievable.

All in state pay the same amount. All out of state pay the same. Sounds like your arguement is with the system itself and not the illegals.

[Saint John]

As much as I hate to say this...Monker is right...

If you have put all your extra money in to a Dow indexed fund when Obama took office you would have made a HUGE gains.

The down when Obama was sworn in was 7949.09...Close on Friday 11193.

About a 41% gain over time...pretty good...If you held it that long...

Yeah, but NONE of that counts. They can't have it both ways. You can't claim that you're "getting out of the mess Bush started" every time one of your pre-presidency projections fails (more jobs, less unemployment, cutting the budget) and then claim "Hey, look at that Dow!!!" Cherry-picking isn't allowed.

[Ehwmatt]

As much as I hate to say this...Monker is right...

If you have put all your extra money in to a Dow indexed fund when Obama took office you would have made a HUGE gains.

The down when Obama was sworn in was 7949.09...Close on Friday 11193.

About a 41% gain over time...pretty good...If you held it that long...

Yeah, but NONE of that counts. They can't have it both ways. You can't claim that you're "getting out of the mess Bush started" every time one of your pre-presidency projections fails (more jobs, less unemployment, cutting the budget) and then claim "Hey, look at that Dow!!!" Cherry-picking isn't allowed.

On a more fundamental level, the only index that matters at this point is jobs. I havent' looked at the latest national employment numbers, but in Ohio, we are still up over 10%. That or anything near it is totally unacceptable in America. The day an absurd figure like that becomes acceptable is the day we cease to be the country we once were.

[Saint John]

As much as I hate to say this...Monker is right...

If you have put all your extra money in to a Dow indexed fund when Obama took office you would have made a HUGE gains.

The down when Obama was sworn in was 7949.09...Close on Friday 11193.

About a 41% gain over time...pretty good...If you held it that long...

Yeah, but NONE of that counts. They can't have it both ways. You can't claim that you're "getting out of the mess Bush started" every time one of your pre-presidency projections fails (more jobs, less unemployment, cutting the budget) and then claim "Hey, look at that Dow!!!" Cherry-picking isn't allowed.

On a more fundamental level, the only index that matters at this point is jobs. I havent' looked at the latest national employment numbers, but in Ohio, we are still up over 10%. That or anything near it is totally unacceptable in America. The day an absurd figure like that becomes acceptable is the day we cease to be the country we once were.

These nitwits need to quit extending unemployment. There are jobs out there, but people simply aren't going to fill them unless it's worth it. Here's a perfect example. My friend is a union electrician and makes almost $40 an hour. His unemployment pays him roughly $1,100 every two weeks. He has applied for, and been accepted, by jobs that pay roughly the same (he didn't know the pay until he was offered the job). But why would he go work for the same amount of money when he can sit on his ass and collect the same amount? Until they cut his unemployment, I suspect he'll continue to sit on his fat ass.