1) CBO’s only score budgets for 10 years. Why is Obama’s budget for 12?
2) Don’t misunderstand me on the Arianna Huffington deal—she has every right to sell her site, get the best price that she can for it, and then meander off to spend her money. That is wholly legitimate. It just strikes me as funny that, she plays this liberal compassionate card, and yet, when given half a chance to make a buttload of money, without giving so much as a dime to the bloggers who made her site, just strikes me as being a tad bit hypocritical.
3) It appears as if Speaker of the House John Boehner got rolled in the budget showdown. I thought that Harry Reid and Barack Obama were excessively gracious toward Boehner. Maybe this is why.
4) My guess is, Paul Ryan did not deal with Social Security reform because that is the easiest program to reform, and he would allow the President to take a stab at that. Of course, Obama declined.
5) I am so tired of hearing Democrats relive the Bush years, saying, “And Bush fought two wars that he did not pay for, and had the senior drug benefit that was not paid for, and had taxcuts that were not paid for.” First of all, most Democrats agreed with and voted for all of those measures. Secondly, how can you claim to be still concerned about that, when half of Obama’s budget is not paid for?
6) Trump sounds as if he plans to use tariffs in dealing with foreign trade. This is a bad move. Someone needs to ask him what he thought of the use of tariffs during the Great Depression. Then we will get to see what happens when he doesn’t know the answer to something. Bear in mind, regardless of Trump’s many assets, he is still a political novice with limited political knowledge.
7) Have you ever noticed that, whatever number is thrown out there as rich, seems to always be a little above what congressional members make?
8) A cartoonist comes up with an excellent idea for a billboard. Barack Obama saying, “You might want to think about a trade-in.”
A retired math teacher who spends most of his time exegeting the Old Testament and, once a week, puts out an ezeen.
I’ve occasionally wondered what might happen if we suddenly changed our minds about the many benefits of free trade and globalism, and gradually imposed protective tariffs to level the playing field. The inherent good of free trade and globalism, of course, is one of those Things That Must Not Be Questioned.
That was more feasible in the era of the US where it was more self sufficient for the basics, Greg… for textiles, steel, industry, food, energy, etal. In fact, this was one of Geo Washington’s *musts* for the nation. To never be subservient to foreign powers for the basic necessities. Since the 70s and the mass exodus of steel, this nation has strayed way too far from self sustaining status. Therein lies the touchy reality and dirty laundry of both trade agreements details, and tariffs, in a globally interdependent world.
There are so many legal and economic issues with tariffs I don’t know where to begin.
First, China would not take kindly to a 25% tariff as Trump wants to impose.
Sure, the Chinese manipulate our and their currency to get a good deal on their sales to us, but they could afford a short-run trade war.
Could we?
If they raise their prices what leverage would we then have?
Second, there are now laws, international laws, in place to challenge any tariff.
The WTO is where one would go to appeal such a tariff.
Third, China could close its doors to buying our goods.
Sounds like a minor thing, but not if you are one of China’s newer trading partners, like GM, for instance.
GM sells more cars inside China than it does inside the USA.
Forth, China holds most of the planet’s rare earths.
We need these in our ”green cars” our computers, even our ”green light bulbs” amd wind turbines.
Sure we have tons of the stuff here, too.
In Montana.
But the EPA has shut down all mining of rare earths here in the USA.
Just as with oil drilling, it might be 5 years to get mines up and running under our current restrictive EPA regulations.
Greg, ever heard of Smoot-Hawley?
Assuming a president has 8 years to play with and the support of congress, that’s enough time and resource to make a significant dent in public debt, create spending reform and make national trade profitable again. The president should be a selfless patriot. Willing to give his life and more for his country. Trump is not that guy. What Trump has done is given exposure to issues that need to be addressed by the next president. In that sense he has done us a favor. It does not matter how it happens; we need trade back on our land. We need solutions. Not entitlements and not compromise and trade with dictatorships. We tried that, where has it gotten us?…
The problem with Trump as President is the gaudy flashing gold TRUMP sign above the White House.
That said, I don’t think many of our politicians want to deal with any of the problems. Paul Ryan does. President Obama, not so much. It’s mainly about a power grab for many of them. And they take that power at the expense of the people.
@Nan G: But the EPA has shut down all mining of rare earths here in the USA.
Molycorp Minerals is spending a quarter billion dollars re-opening a rare earth mine and process facility in SoCal at a place called Mountain Pass, on I-15 at the CAL-NEV border. Employs a couple of hundred people from LV area.
They are doing this NOW, not at some future date.
http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/21589
http://seekingalpha.com/article/264150-molycorp-moving-from-miner-to-manufacturer
http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_17873613?nclick_check=1
It’s my Back Yard…
@malize: Didn’t they used to open for Dolly Parton back in the 80’s?
Suppose that Obama wins in 2012 and that the Republicans keep the House and gain the Senate. This outcome is not entirely unlikely. As much as I might wish that the Republicans would take the White House in 2012, that may not happen.
Obama would have to move to the real center if he wanted any legacy at all, aside from his being the first socialist – Muslim – Marxist – nominally Christian -Black -Kenyan- atheist -Hawaiian – undocumented President. Well, he might consider that enough. Or maybe not.
Trump is on the right track!!
First of all, Charles, only a veto proof majority in both chambers would require Obama “moving to the center”… ain’t that a pipe dream statement. LOL He has already wreaked the large fiscal havoc of O’healthcare and financial “reform” on the nation. All he has to do is make sure he can block any undoing of that. He will do as he continues to do now… reign by regulations thru the agencies, and bypass Congress. Other that that, he can tread water and let the US spin in economic “idle” for the duration of the second term.
Secondly, what the hell does the Chump have to do with any of your possible scenario? The only track he’s on is to be railroaded out in shame when the gullible catch on to who he really is…. for the third time in his lack luster faux POTUS careers.
@malize, #4:
Smoot Hawley? Ain’t he the feller with bushy whiskers, runnin’ corn squeezin’s down at Possum Holler? Heard tell he jus’ got hisself one a them ethanol subsidies…
FREE TRADE, and GLOBAL EXCHANGE, has been abuse from in to out and from out to in,
way way abused , and should be revisit and rechecked from number 1, to now,
you would see the SPIDER WEB so large that you would be confounded to find
undetermines businesses underground to work in the USA as destructives elements for the USA,
might even classified on the scale of all of them together having a more nefarious effect than a positive one that was suppose to happen at the signing of that paper rendering the beginning of the global trade,
which slowly went downward against AMERICA, and what you have today governing the COUNTRY IS ONE PART OF IT, JUST GO BACK AND CHECK THIS UP, YOU WILL SEE AND IT WONT STOP THERE,
IT will need a drastic shrinkage of GLOBAL TRADE VERY DRASTIC MEASURES,
NOT WELCOME BY OTHER COUNTRYS TO ENABLE AMERICA TO RETURN TO HER FOUNDING FATHERS IDEA OF SUCCESS
@Nan G:
I was also aware of this. 95% is the figure I have heard. How on earth did we ever let this happen?
@chipset:
Unfortunately, power-lust is always a factor in the presidency. So many presidents function as if they are the end-all and be-all of the presidency (as do nearly all political figures).
When have we last heard of some politician wanting to reduce his or her own power?
@Alfonso Bedoya: Article:
April 18, 2011
http://seekingalpha.com/article/264150-molycorp-moving-from-miner-to-manufacturer
Read it all.
Don’t hold your breath as to where that cash is coming from.
Say What?
http://www.youtube.com/my_videos?feature=mhum
Yep He said it and I endorse His statement. The Audacity of Incumbency but No POTUS should be above criticism or question.
Further detail on # 16…
Rep. Allen West Likens Barack Obama To A Dictator And ‘Low-Level Socialist Agitator’
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/allen-west-likens-barack-obama-to-a-dictator-and-low-level-socialist-agitator/
When Obama begins replacing the democratically elected governments of towns and cities with ruling bosses by summary decree, I’ll consider the possibility that dictatorship might be setting in. (Refer to Michiganistan.)
OLD TROOPER 2, hi, on your 16 I only got the demand from utub to sign up, nothing else, I thought you want to know, further on your 17, I got ALLEN WEST ALL THE ANSWERS TO GRETA,
THANK YOU FOR IT, YES VERY CONTROLED HE IS,
WEST IS BEST AGAIN,
GREG, you would wait for more of, if it happen, you always give him a pass,
and look what OBAMA did to his supporters, he turned them in potantial killers,
with their death wish on people that challenge him,
you give a pass to that too,
@Greg:
mmmhmmmm…well if you want to ignore the ultimate repudiation of tariffs then I guess there’s not much to be said. Economic warfare is often a double edged sword, and like other forms of warfare it can have unexpected outcomes.