[jhowelb]

I will agree with "RESTORE THE CONSTITUTION", the way it was written. But I can clearly see both hands of the magician and I won't be deflected by slams at Rupert Murdoch or "rich bankers"!

HERE is the villain! REAL terror in the form of vanishing assets thanks to your left wing hero!

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2009/...ama-Budget.php

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama's budget proposals, if carried out, would produce a staggering $9.3 trillion in total deficits over the next decade, much more than the White House has predicted, the Congressional Budget Office said on Friday.

The office's estimates of deficits in the fiscal years 2010 through 2019 "exceed those anticipated by the administration by $2.3 trillion."

The deficits under the Obama plan would be $4.9 trillion more than the projected deficits if there were no changes in current laws and policies — what the nonpartisan budget office calls its baseline assumption.

The startling new figures have enormous implications, political as well as fiscal. They are certain to bring new expressions of alarm and dismay from deficit hawks on Capitol Hill, where the president's $3.6 trillion budget proposal for the next fiscal year, which begins in October, has already stirred debate.

[One of Many]

The only reason to alter or ignore the constitution is due to its restrictions on the government, doing what it damn well pleases without the consent of the people. These are after all, lawyers pushing the law to the Nth degree.

The first injection of about $650 billion didn't do any good. The second $700 billion the congressional leaders paraded and patted themselves on the back for being bipartisan, didn't do any good. The third $787 billion is still being dolled out at a trickle. Every one of these bills had billions of pork that didn't NEED to be spent. Those were BRIBES to get yes votes and blind support without reading the fine print.

The current fake indignation about the AIG bonuses claiming fiscal irresponsibility since the fed propped up these bankrupt institutions. The last $410 billion was filled with 100 times more waste, fraud and abuse of power than the 165 million in contract bonuses that have been discussed now for 3 months. The shock and the shock of being shocked is all theatrics. The rhetoric and mob mentality to tax private individuals 90% is ridiculous show boating. This bailout stuff was supposed to be a loan, which would be repaid in full regardless of where the funds were spent. If the government gets that $165M plus interest back, plus 38% at the tax rate the exec's are at. What the hell is all the whining about. Government runs at a perpetual loss.

How about we force them to tax themselves at 90% until they balance the books AND pay off all debt and reduce the size of Government by 90%? Oh, that's right, anything they get, they sequester from us anyways.


Its like taking the advise of an opposition foreigner whom surrendered fixing their own country, but knows how to fix everything-everywhere else. How is that so brilliant……?

[phoodieman]

You see both hands of the magician but you don't realize the magician is in control of the show. If his hands appear empty it's because that is what he wants you to see. Obama is not the magician. Obama is a shill. As have been the last presidents back to 1913. As much as I don't want to see AIG execs get some million dollar reward for failure there is nothing to do about it. Congress cannot enforce law. They can only make it. That is in the constitution and all congress knows it. The judicial branch enforces law. But it's a signed contract so don't look for congress to do anything about these bonuses no matter all the outrage and TV blips you watch. It ain't gonna happen. You had better do your homework, especially about the Fed. The Fed is a private consortium of rich bankers. It's no more Federal than FedEx. (That's right, a bunch of rich bankers run the money system in the USA). Recessions and depressions don't occur, they are contrived. So do you want to make some money? Here it is. When the price of an ounce of gold equals the Dow take every dime you have and buy stock. In two years you will have multiplied your investment ten fold, if not more. This is my prediction as wild as it sounds. In six months I hope you will remember this post if what I am saying comes to pass. Cut off your TV, hold congress and the president to their job, and get rid of the Fed. That are the first steps. From there....who knows...

Phoodieman

[One of Many]

Phoo,

When I stated "fed", it was intended as federal treasury, not federal reserve banks. Sorry for the lazy fed misnomer. My homework is listed elsewhere in this or other threads on that subject.

I have often thought along the same lines as the top dog being a puppet of the stage hands. He is only there to entertain and keep the audience clueless with what is really happening behind the scenes. He is also there to take the heat for all things the other 2 branches did or did not do. No matter what, someone is going to be pro or con. What is lost in that is sincere service to all the people, not just some at either end of the ladder.

Half the time I rather wonder if the three branches of government are still in cahoots with each other regardless of their own personal biases. The judicial branch can only compare laws in conflict. Although I sense you are correct in terms of the bonuses and the retaliation won't amount to much, but more illusion that the elites creating the frenzy have our best interests that hardly ever work out. It plays well in the media, but does nothing in the end. If the judges cannot find conflict it will surely become law, no matter how ridiculous it is to enforce. Why they can rescind some and not others is part of the magic show.

As history has recorded many economic melt downs, there are sequences of events that so far have always fell like dominos. I do believe we are in for a period of hyper inflation within at least 2-5 years. However, I am a little hesitant to claim gold will compete for safe haven assets of our rocky dollar the world is threatening to run from. If this is a contrived situation, then a run on gold could be also contrived and that safe haven no longer the anchor against the currents. I suspect there is a shift to energy or anything else they know people cannot prosper without. At least for developed nations. Hence the consumption and emission clamp down tied into the GW hysteria.

I peruse much of the net for news. I don't watch much TV at all. Too many other projects to enjoy creating something!

DC

[skippy]

One of Many, assuming that Hyperinflation is going to occur, where will you stick your money? what will you invest in?
regards
Phil

[One of Many]

I've got some real procrastination going on there Skippy.

I half expect gold to have a ceiling that it stops trading at. We keep seeing that as it hovers at a nearly unaffordable rate for global buyers comparative riskable income. I've been watching it for a few years and when you see a hoard going, there will be a dump just in time for late jumpers. I think you need at least a 15% gain to break even between buying and selling. I find it hard to imagine the citizens of other nations paying $2000-10,000 an ounce for something that may or may not protect the value of their dollar. I'd expect the volatility to be bigger too. People with more money than they know what to do with can play that game. It is not for the commoner like me. The same could have been said at $275 an ounce a few years ago, so who knows.


The safe bets I have read are outside the US, mainly due to stagnating growth here. But still developing nations have a much better chance of growing. They may need American equipment and technologies to help in that regard.

The way I look at some of this, garnered from some of the things I have read, is there is a big differnce in investments and safe haven assets to protect ones money from things like inflation or deflation.

I do need to know more.

DC

[jhowelb]

"........and possibly other companies....", maybe YOUR paycheck next!

March 22, 2009
Administration Seeks Increase in Oversight of Executive Pay
By STEPHEN LABATON

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration will call for increased oversight of executive pay at all banks, Wall Street firms and possibly other companies as part of a sweeping plan to overhaul financial regulation, government officials said.

The outlines of the plan are expected to be unveiled this week in preparation for President Obama’s first foreign summit meeting in early April.

[jhowelb]

.........the nagging little voice of truth at the back of the room.

Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire also says President Barack Obama's massive budget proposal will bankrupt the country.

Gregg says he has no regrets in withdrawing his nomination to become commerce secretary. He pulled out after deciding he could not fully back the administration's economic policies.

The senator said Obama's spending plan in the midst of a prolonged recession would leave the next generation with a country too expensive to live in.

[phoodieman]

If you think you are going to get any "truth" out of any US politician you are dead wrong. Politics has become a job and a politician will say anything or defend any position to keep their job. That's what is wrong with the whole system. Instead of outrage over an AIG exec bonus you should direct your anger toward the body of legislatures that have let this whole situation occur. If you are so fond of TV clips did you see the one where these crooked politicians just gave them selves a pay raise? Where was your outrage then?

Phoodieman

[jhowelb]

First, you don't know enough about me to speak of my outrage, so take your finger out of my face.

Second, decide who it is you want to take sides against and direct your outrage at them, not me or some nefarious group of conspirators. NAME them, I did! (Left wing Democrat Enviro-NUTS)

Third, stop trying to pick a cuss fight with me in particular. I don't feed trolls and from this point I shall ignore your presence.

[skippy]

Phoodieman, I've been listening to jhowelb's outrage at Obama's spending (now and future) but to put this into perspective for those of us that don't live in your country, could you please give us an idea of how much the Iraq attack/occupation cost? Does the Obama proposed spending truly make Iraq pale by comparison? Regarding the two previous posts (yours and his), yours was a well written post and certainly couldn’t be taken as an attack on anybody except the system. It’s a pity that the same can’t be said of his post. Challenge a belief by asking a question or two and suddenly they bare their teeth.
By the way, I completely agree with your stance ("truth"/US politician) although it's not just a US thing as the same can be said for the majority of our countries' politicians. I guess what makes it different is that the USA was, until not long ago, a truly great nation (made great by its people) which is something that not many countries can claim. Some may say that it still is a great nation and that may be but all I am saying is that when one compares the last say 100 years of the US (read: strength, innovation, standard of living, etc.) to where it looks to be inevitably heading, it is certainly a shame and that is coming from someone who doesn’t even live there. You guys must feel it even more.
I also agree with your statement that “Recessions and depressions don't occur, they are contrived” Those that contrive them are sitting pretty at this moment and we are just the clowns that have to go through the suffering of it and lose our jobs/houses/pensions.
I'm always amazed by the large number of people that believe that all it takes is for the "other" party to be elected (cause they’re the good guys!) and for the people to stand up and be counted and suddenly all will be sweet. IT AINT GONNA HAPPEN!

[jhowelb]

What was the cost of the following and how did it change the Spanish defense posture?

The 11 March 2004 Madrid train bombings (also known as 3/11 and in Spanish as 11-M) consisted of a series of coordinated bombings against the Cercanías (commuter train) system of Madrid, Spain on the morning of 11 March 2004 (three days before Spain's general elections), killing 191 people and wounding 1,800. The official investigation by the Spanish Judiciary determined the attacks were directed by a Muslim al-Qaeda-inspired terrorist cell although no direct al-Qaeda participation (only "inspiration") has been established. Spanish Muslims who did not carry out the attacks but who sold the explosives to the terrorists were also arrested.

Controversy regarding the handling and representation of the bombings by the government arose with Spain's two main political parties (PSOE and Partido Popular (PP)), accusing each other of concealing or distorting evidence for electoral reasons. The bombings occurred three days before general elections which resulted in the defeat of the incumbent José María Aznar's Partido Popular (PP), which had been enjoying a small and narrowing lead in the opinion polls. Immediately after the bombing leaders of the PP claimed evidence indicated the Basque ETA was responsible for the bombings, an outcome generally thought favorable to the PP's chances of being re-elected, while Islamist responsibility would have had the opposite effect, as it would have been perceived a consequence of the PP government's involvement in the Iraq War, a policy already extremely unpopular with Spaniards.

Nationwide demonstrations and protests followed the attacks. Some analysts claim that the Aznar administration lost the general elections as a result of the handling and representation of the terrorist attacks, rather than the bombings per se.

After 21 months of investigation, judge Juan del Olmo ruled Moroccan national Jamal Zougam guilty of physically carrying out the attack, ruling out any ETA intervention. The September 2007 sentence established no known mastermind nor direct al-Qaida link.

[skippy]

"What was the cost of the following and how did it change the Spanish defense posture?"
I have no idea whatsoever as to the answer as it's not my country (it's my wife that's Spanish not me) and nor am I eligible to vote here however I will say that the findings you quote above are 100% correct. We were living in Belgium at the time and what we and the rest of the world were told at the time by the media was completely different to what was fed to the Spanish people by their media. Outside of Spain the media immediately said there were signs of it being Muslim terrorist based while in Spain the ETA was blamed until the elections were over. We were fortunate enough at the time to have TVE (Spanish television) as well as European channels plus CNN. (CNN is like Wiki, if they say it, I believe it! Naw, just joking) Much the same as the US people being that Iraq should be invaded because of al quaeda. Now everyone knows that al quaeda has nothing to do with Iraq and never did.
Is that a Commie or an Arab terrorist under that rock oer yonder? Thank Alah that most of your fellow countrymen don't think like you.
Please note that I didn't criticise your country but in fact praised it highly in my previous post.

[jhowelb]

So...........it's ok to show the long teeth if YOU don't like the question?

[skippy]

¡que! Care to rephrase the question? It has a question mark so it must be a question and yet if it were a question it would start "is it" not "it is". Then again if you meant to say "Is it ok to show the long teeth if YOU don't like the question?" that would seem pointed to you not me so that doesn't make sense either. Easier just to rewrite the question.
Gee, this is more entertaining than turning on the telly! Where's Ian (Handelwanker) when I need him. He'd be splitting his sides laughing by now!

[jhowelb]

Well, I don't feed trolls. Goodbye!

[Geof]

.....Gee, this is more entertaining than turning on the telly! Where's Ian (Handelwanker) when I need him. He'd be splitting his sides laughing by now!

Skippy, you are being a bad boy pulling wings off flies. And if you don't get the allusion go back many hundreds of posts.

[jhowelb]

Hello Geof,

There isn't enough time left in my life to be concerned with a vicious, spiteful person who needs to cause pain for others in order to sooth his own ego deficit. Bullies only have the power that we are willing to give them and I am not willing to give any to you. The buttons you used to push no longer work so hereafter I shall ignore any nasty remarks you make and all personal attacks you launch.

May God have pity on your poor tortured soul and give you relief for the terrible emptiness in your character that is clawing at your mind. May He draw you near so that you may love your fellow man. He will surely forgive you as I already have.

In the mean time, Troll on!


BTW, Porky refused my apology!

[skippy]

Funny how you call Geof a "vicious, spiteful person who needs to cause pain for others in order to sooth his own ego deficit". A quick read of Geof's last 25 posts quickly shows that he is successful and intelligent but more importantly to me is that he is humble. I can directly question his beliefs and he will tell me why he believes X without trying to convince me I am wrong for believing Y. Pity I can't say the same about you! You really should calm down and accept that people have different views and that maybe you are right and maybe you are not.

"May God have pity on your poor tortured soul and give you relief for the terrible emptiness in your character that is clawing at your mind." Let's hope you are wrong about this bit as anyone in this state would be ready for suicide. Geof, put that rope down!

Anyway, I have had enough so henceforth (how did you put it? oh yeh you don't exist.
Naw, just joking. It's bedtime over here..... Nite Johnboy!

[phoodieman]

When war takes even one life (iraqi or US) it is too costly.

Phoodieman