Open for comments.
Support the Blog — Buy This Book!
For Kindle and with free ePub version. Only $9.49 Great reading.
Here is what Gary Shapiro CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) said: Dvorak's writing sings with insight and clarity. Whether or not you agree with John's views, he will get you thinking and is never boring. These essays are worth the read!
Put this ad on your blog!
Syndicate
Subscribe to Main Blog feed here:
Subscribe to Comments too (below):
Junk Email Filter
Maybe it was just a calculated risk. Let the Republicans splinter over the cost of tax breaks for the top group and those that want to know where the money is coming from. OB comes out as supporting the working low and middle class which is the majority of the population. The democrats blocking forward progress on this won’t matter.
to??? easily? Really? Sorry to be the grammar nazi.
The good part is that most federal buildings only have bullet resistant glass on the first floor.
I don’t like this President.
“to easilly?” I would have let this pass as for as my own postings show, its the meaning not the spelling/typing accuracy is that is paramount. Here, I think we have a good Freudian slip that just highlights the issue: Yes, Obama’s lust for compromise is to make him silly.
Silly politics is not good, silly politicians worse, a SILLY PRESIDENT a long term disaster.
Can we name any other SILLY PRESIDENT, politicians, party, politics? Why yes==that would be BushtheMalignantRetard and his Corporate Crew, but that would be a digression.
I was/am TOTALLY against these tax relief extensions, not because I am “for” taxing the Rich but more generically because I recognize, where evidently no one else does, that DEFICIT SPENDING, is a tax on the poor. The equation then is not a mindless tax break for the rich in order to get a tax break for the poor, rather it is “what kind of tax imposition on the poor” in order to get a tax break for the rich? Understood/phrased that way, the answer is clear.
Now at minutes before midnight, the Pol’s are trying to turn the tax breaks/deficit spending proposals into another stimulus package. Perhaps I would have paid more attention to this approach had it NOT started by Pres (I Lie to the Pulbic) Clinton starting his public performance with the statement: “I’m not being political . . . .” My god, the theater of the absurd.
Pragmatically, yes, Obama caved in before fighting. Perhaps a recognition that he/we are at WAR with CORPORATIONS and their paid for shills, the Republican Party. War means sacrifice and innocent people are needlessly harmed in WAR until the EVIL is consquered.
Regardless of what you may find admirable in certain Republican Politicians/Programs/Philosophies, as long as they are willing to walk lock step to the tune of the Uber Rich to destroy the middle class of Amercan and therefore America Itself==vote Democratic. Vote democrats that will fight the Republicans. Yes, compromise is necessary, but that concept does not fall under the actuality of capitulation-its a different set of givens.
There are many dangers inherent in a Democracy–most of which can be protected against by a Bill of Rights and an effective legal system to enforce them. When it comes to a democracy voting themselves a welfare state, you/we do need fiscal responsibility/conservatism to FIGHT these forces. Those forces are HIGH Taxation and Deficit Spending, the abhorence of which balances the desire for social spending that cannot be afforded. The only difference between the two is not their effect, but rather the timing of their effects.
Yea, verily.
Obama was never really in charge in the first place.
Simple numbers:
2 yrs of extension of Bush tax rates for those over 250000$ (Democrats oppose, Republicans want): 140-170 Bil, depending on the source.
1 year of unemployment benefits extension (Democrats want, Republicans oppose) 150-160 Bil.
Hence, even trade on these two issues would be real compromise. Is that what the deal is? NO. Bill for total deal is between 800-900 Bil. All additional BS (“green stimulus”, “Porto Rico stimulus”,…) is Democrats want and Republicans oppose. 500+ Bil of it!
Hence, stop this BS that Obama folded. He sold Republicans about 650 Bil. for “cost” of their wants of 150 Bil. More than 4 fold more. It is not a deal, it is a robbery. By Democrats.
No, he simply saw an opportunity to expediently strike a deal without useless bickering and fighting to immediately get things moving and done.
Unfortunately, the political cult he belongs to is outraged that anyone would do such a thing without a long, drawn out circle-jerk with a few reach-arounds.
Who is this easily person?
Did submitter’s high school give up on him to easilly?
Sorry, have been grading college freshmen’s papers. Amazing how few 18-year olds know that most English plurals have an “s” on the end.
[Fixed. ‘To’ is now ‘too’, but easily is not spelled with two Ls. –ed.]
It has been said the Republicans are the “Party of No”. After watching the opinion/talk shows this morning I find the Democrats to be the Party of Whine.
I think Obama will eventually gain more then he gives with this decision and he did not, as David Axelrod said, cut off his nose to spite his face.
lynn–is your own grammatical error just for emphasis?
But more to any point that is relevant: what possessive? I don’t see it in “the submitter’s post.”
As a word person, I am personally interested in these things, I just don’t burden a general blog with my own anal compulsions. But then, I’m no freshman reader either.
The change from a king to a president and a congress means that the president is NEVER actually in charge. Toss in the American voting consistency’s tendency to vote out of “power” the party with a majority during the follow up elections. Particularly when that party is also occupying the oval office. Toss in the overriding compunction of politicians to say anything to remain in their position. Hey what do you know, you get gridlock. Wow, haven’t seen that since that last 12 separate presidents, by identity not terms I’ve been around for starting with Kennedy.
OK, the headline is fixed but the URL is still a grammatical nightmare! I am outraged, I say! Outraged!
[That’s fixed now too. Is everybody happy? –ed.]
I don’t think Obama gives in too easily. However, Dvorak editors cave like spineless jellyfish.
Obama was NEVER on anyone’s side but the corporations. Just as all politicians are on that side as that is where the millions needed to be re-elected come from.
Anyone that wanted change should have asked their neighbour for change of a twenty. They would have gotten something at least.
It doesn’t matter WHO is in charge. They cannot do anything but what their corporate pals tell them. Remember they all went to the same schools together, they frequent the same places together and they have the same values as each other. WHY would they then tear down the civilisation that their ancestors created and that they wish to sustain?
They live in a different America than the Middle and Lower class do. And they are not about to upset their America for anyone.
Until we end the republic we have now and establish a new one, nothing will change. We have returned to 1773 middle class and lower class people. Taxation without representation.
Cursor_
This stupid financial shit will end when the people buying our bonds wake up and smell the coffee. That is when the shit will hit the fan. That is when we will either face our problems or become a fascist dictatorship. I am betting on the latter. My countrymen sure like authority.
This President knows it’s a sinking ship. So his only practical tactic is “steady as she goes”. Thrilled to have anything watered down and useless — as long as it doesn’t shake the ship too much.
Democrats that oppose the tax deal only have themselves to blame. They knew these deadlines were approaching, and THEY chose to wait. Now on other websites it’s been said, that the delay was because prominent Democrats who were facing tough re-elections ask for the delay.
Seriously, Obama needs to grow some kahonies. It’s embarrassing.
fOOBAR,
want the truth??
Obama, needs to GO PUBLIC and get the people BEHIND HIM..
STOP this private debates…get it ON TAPE..
READ TO US, what he wishes to do..DEBATE with the people..not the 300+ IDIOTS on the hill.
ECA, absolutely. One thing Clinton learned in 1994 was to go out and spend time with people and local media. He completely bypassed the big pitch and went under the radar of the MSM.
Of course, he was comfortable doing that. I’m not sure if Obama is.
I think he does. He should have run over those Republican mother fucker speed bumps before their slime machine got going.
I wish he had the smug attitude the Bush had in sending American boys to their death or when Cheney shot his friend in the face and his friend did the apologizing.
Too late but now nearly half way thru his term, he was able to achieve alot but lacks the brazen smugness that Bush had. For instance, he didn;t brag about the 2009 tax cuts – unlike Bush who sent a letter saying “here’s a tax cut because I’m so fucking great”.
I think the last two years will be very good despite the GOP speed bumps elected by the sheeple to spend the next two years campaigning.
Clinton, Bush, Obama… all different men reading from the same script. The script may as well be titled “Shut up Slaves, You Are Subjects of the Empire Now”.
I mostly agree with Cursor_, “Until we end the republic we have now and establish a new one, nothing will change. We have returned to 1773 middle class and lower class people. Taxation without representation.” Most of the founders would agree wholeheartedly. Since we have effectively gotten rid of Habeas Corpus, still Torture people and have effectively done away with the 4th amendment (along with other large sections of the constitution), we’re not even a real Republic anyway. Many other countries of the world now look at America as a total police state. All in the name of a fraudulent war on ‘Terror’. And in the midst of this we have an Al Qaeda Leader Dining at the Pentagon Just Months After 9/11… Tell me there’s nothing fishy about that.
http://foxnews.com/us/2010/10/20/al-qaeda-terror-leader-dined-pentagon-months/
http://cbsnews.com/stories/2010/10/21/national/main6978200.shtml
Most people that I speak with are livid about the corruption, mistreatment of citizens and looting of this nation by the global banking system and the multinational corporations (which usually pay only about 2% in taxes). People are becoming quite aware of the situation and that makes the elitists even more dangerous. However something has to be done and awareness is the first step.
The tax breaks will actually help small businesses in the short tern, which make up roughly half of our economy… It will also help some of the Millionaire a-holes as well. That’s just the way it is.. Keep in mind that tax breaks or no tax breaks do not really affect the Billionaire and Trillionaire club.
The Federal Govmt is currently about 6 times larger than it should be. Get rid of Homeland Security, the TSA (which to date has caught zero ‘terrorists’), and other wasteful federal organizations — that would save everyone a small fortune in tax money. The government’s answer to their own incompetencies and corruption is ‘more government’ which in history has never really worked out very well. I’d rather have industry and small business take their spot in the economic pie chart so that we can actually be a productive nation once again.
The Federal Govmt is currently about 6 times larger than it should be.
Amen.
#18 and #27 for the co-wins.
Nice quote: “Taxation without representation”. A fitting description of the new corporate America.
Politicians represents large multinational corporations, no one represents the citizens.
Obama is part of a new deal.
The CIA won’t assassinate the presidents it gets to groom and install.
We’ll just have to get used to presidents without pasts.
Yeah, somewhat, but it’s working for him. Obama continues to poll higher than Ronald Reagan, so that’s gotta be good right? Reagan went on to sweep a 2nd term? And this point in the first term Reagan was polling 4 points lower than Obama is right now.
Despite what the wingnuts on the right think, Obama’s polling problems have been caused by the left. They don’t think he’s doing enough, that’s he’s far enough to the left. The Republicans didn’t vote for him and the Tea Party isn’t his friend and that wouldn’t change if he shutdown the IRS and made Christianity mandatory under penalty of death. They don’t like him. His polls sank because he hasn’t done a lot of what he campaigned ON! The wingnut idiots (Rush, Drudge, Limbaugh) think it’s because of things like Health Care reform…no. No one is angry that he implemented this, except the people that didn’t vote from Obama to begin with. If you voted for Obama you KNEW he this was a CENTER piece of his administration. Repealing Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, getting out of Iraq, shutting down Guantanamo…these are things he promised to do. The idea that him doing these things is causing his polls to sink is silly, it’s what he got ELECTED promising to do. No, his polls sank because it became obvious that he WASN’T getting around to this stuff as fast as folks wanted.
————————————
Obama Job Approval
47% Approve, 48% Disapprove
Bloomberg / Selzer & Co.: 12/4-7/10
#30 Agree.
Considering the billions in Karl Rove’s front company to slime the president, those poll numbers are actually quite good!
The GOP slime machine has upgraded from the swift boat small potatoes to the big leagues. There is big opportunity in getting corporate America to elect the government they want.
http://dissidentvoice.org/2010/10/irs-to-investigate-rove%E2%80%99s-american-crossroads-and-other-corporate-front-groups/
#30–Something Malignant in your Hand==you have it “almost” just so. In fact, OBAMA LIED during his campaign. He said he would DO the things you mention (and more) but the truth is he only would not work against them. Subtle but now telling. Congress is not used to “leading” social causes==err, the Democrats in Congress are not used to leading social causes–they instead are used to being lead-either by a strong President or by political payoffs/bribes. Neither is coming when it comes to protecting the middle class from the predations of the Super Rich.
And so the spiral only tightens and accelerates. Sad, it could have all been avoided with a little bit of REALITY! The same reality being ignored, not mentioned now.
The Deficit is going to kill the USA sending us into a 20 year slump. We don’t have the basic elements of a job recovery–too little manufacturing/trade.
The world develops “around” those countries who don’t move with the times, like the USA.