Yeah, we are a sorry bunch of people. I really don't know what I'm going to do now that the election is over. What can I argue with people about? Bem? Eric? Can we still argue? Please?![]()
Yeah, we are a sorry bunch of people. I really don't know what I'm going to do now that the election is over. What can I argue with people about? Bem? Eric? Can we still argue? Please?![]()
"A stupid man's report of what a clever man says is never accurate because he unconsciously translates what he hears into something he can understand." - Bertrand Russell
"It's just a matter of people having low self esteem and being way too easily offended." -Random Guy on a Internet Forum
In other words: Boo-motherfucking-hoo





Once he starts trying to keeps his promises ( if he even intends to try ) or starts governing like the radical I fear he truly is, I'll be more than happy to comment.
Here's something to nibble on for now. Where does considering Emanuel, Kerry, and Robert Kennedy, Jr. for his cabinet send any signals of reaching across the aisle?
Here's another. Yesterday, the market dropped like a rock. Maybe it had to do with Obama's victory, maybe it didn't. The timing was also curious surrounding Hamas' missile-firing and Russia's threatening moves towards Poland. Stay tuned, I fear there is much more to come. Weakness leads to conflict, and conflict leads to war, and these people can smell his weakness..
"never trust a big butt and a smile"-- Bell Biv DeVoe
If you're in your twenties and aren't a liberal, you have no heart. If you're in you're forties and aren't a conservative, you have no brain - Winston Churchill





^^^ and add another huge selloff in the US stock markets today as well - amounting to the worst 2 day drop since the 1987 crash, plus Hugo Chavez nationalizing Venezuela's largest gold mine (which hurts the 'former' Canadian mine owners worse than the 'former' American stockholders).
Elections have consequences !!!










^^^ it's not a threat, it's happening ! Similar situation in Palestine with Hamas having just launched a massive missile / rocket attack on Israel across the Gaza border. Just like Chavez' nationalization of the Crystallex gold mine, these developments arguably express an international belief that what remains of the Bush administration is going to quietly wait out the final 2 months, and that the new Obama administration is extremely unlikely to consider any sort of new US military action regardless of the eventual consequences on America's supposed allies (in this case Poland, Israel, Canada).
The larger fear here doesn't come from Poland or Canada, who are just as unlikely to consider any sort of new military action despite direct effects upon their nation. However, Israel is a different story. The 'tin foil hat' crowd is of the opinion that, with the perception of a decline in active US support, Israel will decide to take matters concerning its national security into it's own hands and bomb Iran's nuclear reactors between now and Obama's inauguration.
Melonie, i just want to say that I 100% enjoy reading your posts. Although I do not ALWAYS agree with you, you post well, intelligently, and you make your point well. Just wanted to say so.![]()
No one mentioned WHY Russia is saber rattling. Couldn't have anything to do with Bush's plan to put our nukes in the region, could it? He really does want to be the absolutely worst President ever, doesn't he?
Link.
Promote yourself and earn more money! This is a business that is owned by strippers for strippers. Let's make that money!

You've got to be kidding me Melonie. He's not even in charge yet. And even if he was what's happened the last two days is nothing worse than been happening over the last 8 years.Elections have consequences !!!
If you want to play that game lets play- 9-11, North Korea starts developing nuclear weapons, Putin makes power-plays in Russia, Stock-market down over 800 pts. on several days, near collapse of our financial system, Venezuela rachets up it's threats, Chavez makes major waves and threats, Bolivia goes socialists, Ecuador signs on to the Bolivian revolution along with Nicaragua's Daniel Ortega. Russia and China form alliances as does Iran. Russia sends warships and planes to Venezuela for military excercises, Russia starts re-supplying Cuba. Israel invades Lebanon, Brazil buys fighter jets to protect it's oil reserves from US aggression.... I could go on for another 40 minutes. Yes, elections do matter and it's a damn shame we can't go back in time and undo the one we had 8 years ago.

Yes, Bem that's correct and we're currently so far removed from conflict and war after out last 8 years.Weakness leads to conflict, and conflict leads to war, and these people can smell his weakness
Also, his plan of getting out of Iraq were we're fighting Iraqi freedom fighters(not our enemy) and 3% Al Qaeda and moving them to Afghanastan and Pakistan where we'll be fighting 90% Al Qaeda(our enemy) doesn't sound weak, it sounds intelligent.









you might want to read up on the actual history of US subprime mortgages as a matter of gov't policy ... Clinton administration policy via HUD and Fannie / Freddie to be precise. There are several threads on this topic. You might also want to read up on the actual history of US corn ethanol alternative energy, which was arguably a huge catalyst in 'tipping' the subprime mortgage default rate over the cliff (due to vastly increased prices for food and energy sucking so many dollars out of subprime family budgets), and which was put into effect immediately after democrats won congressional majorities in the 2006 election.Also, remember that the initial economic storm clouds gathered under a Republican, if you want to blame it on politics
However, I will readily admit that GWB's administration had no shortage of bad economic policies, i.e. a new entitlement program for prescription drugs for seniors, uncontrolled federal spending, growth of gov't etc.




I'm not saying the recession is entirely Bush's fault (though I do think he should bear some blame for deregulation and fiscal irresponsibility). What I am saying that to blame it all on Bush is every bit as simplistic as blaming today's dowturn on Obama. Actually, it's probably less simplistic, because Bush's policies can be said to have contributed to the economic mess.





^^^ sorry, that's a difficult 'sale' given the specific post-election timing involved.





It is a very antoganistic world we live in. Obama is being tested even before he has assumed any additional power. I think they are taking advantage of a "lame duck" president who has lost most of his power. It's window of opportunity, they believe.
I loved going to strip clubs; I actually made some friends there. Now things are different for the clubs and for me. As a result I am not as happy.
Customers are not entitled to grope, disrespect, or rob strippers. This is their job, not their hobby, and they all need income. Clubs are not just some erotic show for guys to view while drinking.
NOTE: anything I post here, outside of a direct quote, is my opinion only, which I am entitled to. Take it for what you estimate it is worth.





^^^ yes, exactly ! For US citizens, it is a window of opportunity to take actions before new laws are passed which will affect those actions (besides gun control issues, see news stories about professional sports figures negotiating new contracts with front-loaded bonuses before the end of this year to avoid Obama's income tax hike next year, rich hedge fund investors selling US stocks and moving their money out of the country etc.) For foreign governments it is a window of opportunity to take unilateral actions with extremely little chance of a response from the GWB administration and no chance at all of a pre January 20th response from Obama.
I appreciate your understanding. It's a refreshing change from being labelled a 'racist', a die-hard conservative, a 'tin foil hat' wearer etc. Also, if you haven't figured it out already, sometimes I post about things that I myself don't completely agree with ... with my intent being to present the 'other side' of a seemingly unbalanced discussion in an effort to get everyone to give their own positions a second thought from a different perspective.Melonie, i just want to say that I 100% enjoy reading your posts. Although I do not ALWAYS agree with you, you post well, intelligently, and you make your point well. Just wanted to say so.
We are thinking the same thing




No it isn't. Do you really think an American election has such a direct effect on the rest of the world? That these things aren't months in coming? The 'sale' you're trying to make, to me, is the one that's very hard to swallow.
In fact, the immediacy of the timing is the biggest flaw in your argument. Attacks take quite some preparation, for one thing.




I thought the Supreme Court refused a recount and that Gore got the higher percentage of votes. There was certainly a feeling at the time that Bush stole the election.
You're right in that it's very little to do with me personally (except for the fact that our stupid former government got us involved in Bush's stupid coalition of the willing against the vast tide of public opinion so as to secure a free trade agreement with the US), but I do have an intellectual interest in the subject.
^^ Actually YES, an american election can have direct effects all over the world.
~jenna~![]()




I'd say that an American Presidency can, when it comes to involvement in wars and such, and it is also true that various economies are directly dependant on the US's. But a US election, in and of itself, does not directly affect non-Americans, though we certainly take an interest in it, as America has been a super power since World War Two.
I apologize. That was a bit over the top. Of course, our elections have consequences beyond our borders.
Gore won the popular vote by about 2 million votes. Bush won the Electoral College. Nobody "stole" anything. Via several Supreme Court of Florida decisions; a recount was held until the U.S. Supreme Court put a halt to it. A Miami Herald sponsored re-count CONFIRMED Bush won Florida by about 500 votes.




^
I see. Thanks for the apology and explanation. I know of the electoral college system (which, as I understand it, is a 'winner takes all' system applying to the states), but it's very different from ours and a little difficult for me to quite get my head around.
We've had several presidents in our history who lost the popular vote but won the Electoral College. John Quincy Adams; Rutherford Hayes; Benjamin Harrison and G.W. None were particularly good Presidents btw. Jackson lost to Adams but four years later defeated him andf become a fairly good President. Except for screwing the "Civilized Tribes" and refusing to honor the Supreme Court's decisions that he didn't like. Something even Nixon didn't do. Harrison beat Cleveland who was both competent and scrupulously honest.
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