U.S. Elections 2008

[lordmandeep]

We the so called "hippe pot smoking hard core leftist, socialist, commie" Canadians have some of the most fiscally prudent Banks, and governments.

 

[adma]

I don't know if anyone's described the GOP's preferred idealization of Palin as a "Teddy Roosevelt in drag" figure, but the label makes sense, even if she doesn't merit it--but that's America today, as opposed to a century ago...

 

[Brandon716]

I may have been too harsh in my earlier sentiments, because obviously not *all* Americans are "stupid" on the issue of paying taxes for needed services. Afterall, I'm an American by birth, and I have many friends that believe just as I do. But obviously the bulk of people live in a twilight zone where they want all these services, don't want to pay for them, and south of the Canadian border is a country where people pay an awful lot of taxes to never see the benefit. Canadians should realize more than half of Americans in fact pay more taxes than an average Canadian citizen, because we have a different tax structure and it comes out in different ways.

All of our taxes seem to go toward corporate welfare transfer payments, wars of choice and world policing, and services or benefits that are only available to people who outright refuse to work or work for less than minimum wage willingly in order to qualify for said benefits.

That's what the core of the problem in America is. Then people put political figures in charge of government that don't even believe in government, want to destroy the fiscally sound policies that make government work, and the non-sense continues over and over.

It just seems like it will forever have to get to a crisis state in the USA for any action to be taken, and once something is fixed its quickly un-ravelled in the name of free markets.

That's the frustrating cycle, imo. Some of us would prefer not to have a super boom followed by a super bust every several years. Some of us value stability and security more than the hottest fad this month.

 

[Prometheus The Supremo]

communist states of america?

now that the US government is pumping billions and billions of tax payer dollars into companies like AIG and so on, they own a percentage of those companies now, right? isn't communism when the government owns the means of production?

in this respect, palin will be a great communist president because alaska is close to the former USSR. she has the communist experience that you can only get with geographical proximity.

 

[Brandon716]

The US government doesn't own just a percent, they own 80% of AIG and took over 100% of the assets of the other buyouts from Freddie Mac to Fannie Mae.

My hope is that the major federal mortgage lenders stay in government controlled hands. I don't think its too much to require that you lend mortgage dollars to people who are qualified to pay them back unless they have a major problem like job loss, etc.

That's the frustration with people like me in the US, we're called communists despite the fact that we want a stable market economy.

Who knew in the US that if you make a law requiring banks to prove income requirements for mortgage buyers that you're all of a sudden a communist...

See, that's the idiocy in the US. Too many people don't understand the need for rational regulations. LOL

So call me a pinko commie all ya want.

 

[Prometheus The Supremo]

you commie pink eye!

 

[Brandon716]

As a Canadian its also not about geographics. The problem with the US voter and US mentality is that this instability affects world markets. The United States is the 800 lbs gorilla of the globe, not North America. Europe and Asia is getting hit hard by this mortgage mess because of the trans-global investment chain.

Actually nations in Asia and Europe have been hit harder than Canada.

Canada isn't anymore reliant on the US as many nations much further away from US borders, even if the trade is very intense between the two respective nations.

 

[kEiThZ]

Canada isn't anymore reliant on the US as many nations much further away from US borders, even if the trade is very intense between the two respective nations.

I'd dispute that....Ontario is certainly reliant on the US market. Ironically, its probably our commodities that have a more global customer base.

The US government doesn't own just a percent, they own 80% of AIG and took over 100% of the assets of the other buyouts from Freddie Mac to Fannie Mae.

My hope is that the major federal mortgage lenders stay in government controlled hands. I don't think its too much to require that you lend mortgage dollars to people who are qualified to pay them back unless they have a major problem like job loss, etc.

I have never understood why Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can't just be rolled into one government run agency like CMHC. It's ridiculous to expect those companies to generate a profit and yet keep a lid on lending at the same time. Maybe the yanks will finally learn something about this. Another ridiculous notion is the deductability of mortgage interest. For the life of me, I can never understand, why on earth the US government would subsidize private home ownership.

 

[Roy G Biv]

The US government doesn't own just a percent, they own 80% of AIG and took over 100% of the assets of the other buyouts from Freddie Mac to Fannie Mae.

Well the Feds better hope AIG WILL make them money someday soon, because there were, in fact, private buyers lining up to bail them out. AIG chose to deal the Feds, so obviously they view them as "soft".

I'm on the fence. I understand that the collapse of AIG would have been catastrophic (moreso than the collapse of any IB), but lets hope the Feds don't go on a bail-out spree, or this recession will last 10 years.

See, that's the idiocy in the US. Too many people don't understand the need for rational regulations. LOL

So call me a pinko commie all ya want.

They did from 1930-1970, and they will again now. It's all cyclic and reactionary (unfortunately).

Keynes ftw.

 

[Brandon716]

I'd dispute that....Ontario is certainly reliant on the US market. Ironically, its probably our commodities that have a more global customer base.

I'm aware of the close relationship to manufacturing in Ontario and selling those products in the USA.

But beyond that, its ironic that Norway and Germany and many other nations have felt a bigger punch from the US housing meltdown than even Ontario and definitely less than other Canadian provinces.

 

[Brandon716]

BTW, I sometimes feel like my words are too harsh on my native country. The USA isn't all bad, but its the asinine stupidity that sometimes can be too hard to deal with.

When you see polls showing a majority of people think the Earth was created in a few thousand years by a literal creationist perspective, when you get called a communist for just wanting the government to have a rule that people need to have income before being qualified to purchase a home loan, and when you see so much good being drowned away with the bad, its hard to ignore.

Canada is far from perfect, but I've always thought highly of Canada not because its a greener on the other side of the fence feeling, but because I genuinely respect the system and the way of life better.

This is the only forum where I can talk about these feelings and actually gain general agreement. So that's why I vent on the US here on UT.

 

[Roy G Biv]

Obama back up in recent polling. Looks like the Palin-bump is wearing off.

It's going to be ALL about the economy from here on out. McCain has blasted the recent corporate socialization, while Obama has yet to comment. McCain's position was 100% expected, as it allows him to distance himself from Bush.

It's a politically risky strategy for McCain. He's basically asking Americans to let the economy tank to avoid long-term pain.... but obviously he won't frame it like that.

RE: TROOPERGATE:
- Todd Plain is going to refuse to testify, prompting Alaska's legislature to force him... which they can't do until January...well after the elections.

So... in the summer, Palin promised to be cooperative and welcomed the investigation.. and now they're shutting off all access.

"We're going to go to Washington and shake things up!" - Sarah "LOLZ" Palin

 

[Brandon716]

I'm still 90% sure that Obama will be winning, although it'll be closer than it should be.

The debates should seriously be opened up to 4 candidates. Ralph Nader, Barack Obama, John McCain, Bob Barr. Four candidates, four distinct views. All totally valid.

 

[Prometheus The Supremo]

anti-palin protest in alaska: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_4GfAsKvGU

 

[adma]

Notice that today's CNN Poll Of Polls is showing Obama opening up a 49-44 advantage over McCain--there's hope...