March Job Growth Stuns Markets

[Rokenn]

308,000 new jobs is a good start. But remember that we need 120,000 a month just to meet population growth.

[skywalker]

Y'know Ziroc, you're 100% right! No matter what Bush does I would probably find something wrong about it. I admit it and I'm not ashamed of it. There lots and lots of people who felt the same way about Clinton. It's just what it is - pure politics and I refuse to apologize for it. It's not like my viewpoint has suddenly been found out.

Like I've always said, Z, I know where you're coming from and I respect your views. I think it's good to be able to find some good in current events.

I will say this, now that I finally found a job (and a good one, as far as I can tell) Bush doesn't seem to be getting under my skin so easily.

We'll just have to hang in there and see what happens this November. May the best man win! I can live with the results.

Mark

[Skunk]

Originally posted by Timber Loftis: It is funny, Skunk, that in recent years, the Democrats have been more economically responsible. Ziroc is quite right: If there were 100,000 jobs lost, we'd be blaming Bush -- in fairness, we owe some credit when there are 100,000 jobs gained. Of course, we can still point out the net job loss during his presidency. And, in fairness, we should recognize things were on a downhill trend when Mr. Fat-Girl-Flavored Cigar stepped out of office.

Well of course, it depends on whether or not you tend to gain under Republican or Democratic economic policies. Speaking as a foreigner, I prefer Republican administrations for their handling of the US economy. Because they are married to the idea of reducing spending and personal taxation, that tends to lead to more cash in the pockets of ordinary americans. People with more cash tend to spend it on manufactured goods - happily supplied by foreign countries and trading blocks like the EU. This benefits me personally.

Democrats, on the other hand, have the reverse idea in their head - and the result of their policies tend to mean that less money flows out of America and into our hands. Rather, it goes back to American citizens, away from my greedy paws.

So to summarise, Republicans make the US a fat cow with great milking potential, and Democrats a lean cow with a low milk yield. Were I to be an American (and bearing in mind the level of fiscal reponsibility that the last democtrat administration demonstrated), I would vote democrat out of pure self-interest.

My criticism of the Bush administration is that the cow is getting overmilked. Sure, our countries could always use the extra cash that those tax cuts have brought us (rather than you guys) - but I don't want to damage the cow's long term health in the process. Business is only good when your customer's are solvent, no?

Finally, it's difficult to say whether the final figures from the Clinton administration pointed to an ecomonic decline in the making. Variance is normal in economic figures, and there is nothing to suggest that Clinton could not have reversed any downward trend had he stayed in office (and he had taken positive action in the past that had reversed similar trends).

It would be equally unfair to castigate Bush entirely for the economic woes of the US. 9/11 *did* damage the economy, and the costs of waging wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have burdened the US economy too. So Bush didn't start out with an easy situation. My point is though, that he made a bad situation worse by irresponsible borrowing, tax cuts and cuts in public spending - and I don't want my cash cow to drop dead with exhaustion and maltreatment.

Animal cruelty, that's what it is!

[Timber Loftis]

My udders are aching. [img]graemlins/awcrap.gif[/img]

[Ronn_Bman]

I'm getting so tired of hearing how the whole world was with us after 9/11 and Bush screwed it up!

What was the whole world thinking of the US on 9/10?

On 9/11, the world felt sorry for us for our loss, and why wouldn't they, but to say there was some kind of magical Zen 'one world consciousness' going on is hoowie.

Bush didn't screw anything up, it is just that time has passed. Now people say 9/11 that was terrible, BUT....

Of course even in the pity party, there were those who never thought action was the way to do anything.

Bush missed out on a great opportunity to unite the world? Check out the General Discussion Forum here at IW on 9/11 and the weeks after. There was plenty of "oh that is so terrible, and we are so sorry for you" and there was plenty of "you brought it on yourself, and they are right to hate you". You'll find those sentiments in this forum even today. There was love and hate on 9/11, just as there was love and hate on 9/10, and there is love and hate now.

If you are sitting back complaining because the world doesn't love US like it did that day, then you are doing nothing more than rambling on about a fantasy. The world felt compassion for our loss, but not the need to throw down national borders.... not even the need to throw away old politics, we just put them aside for a few days.

Argue the current events and argue the issues and argue for or against the position of the Bush Adminstration, but please leave that 'we've lost our 9/11 *We Are The World* support' BS at the door.

[Ronn_Bman]

Originally posted by skywalker: No matter what Bush does I would probably find something wrong about it. I admit it and I'm not ashamed of it.

Say it ain't so! [img]graemlins/hehe.gif[/img]

[Sir Taliesin]

I never thought the world was with us after 9/11. There were many voices from else where, on this very forum, that condemned us for going into Afghanistan and trying to take out the Terrorist Leaders and their supporters. Some of whom are still here. So I don't worry about that near as much anymore. I've become immune to the criticism from other places. Kinda' of "The Damned if you do and Damned if you don't" attitude.

[ 04-07-2004, 11:11 AM: Message edited by: Sir Taliesin ]

[skywalker]

Originally posted by Ronn_Bman: Argue the current events and argue the issues and argue for or against the position of the Bush Adminstration, but please leave that 'we've lost our 9/11 *We Are The World* support' BS at the door.

I think it's unfair for you to say that my view of the USA and the rest of the World on 9/11 is BS. I do believe Bush missed a golden opportunity to lead on the war against terrorism and screwed it up by taking on Iraq after Afghanistan,
just like Clarke said in his testimony to the 9/11 committee.

But, I say something critical about the Bush Administration and then it gets turned into criticism against the USA. It happens almost every time, I do it and in turn I get attacked. I know you guys are big Bush supporters and I'm not. The fact that there are more than 1 party in America allows people to not have to be aligned with one group.

I'm not part of some evil underground hoping to undermine Bush and good American values! I'm just stating an opposing view. I know because of this I am the enemy, but that doesn't mean my view is BS.

Mark

[skywalker]

Originally posted by Sir Taliesin: I never thought the world was with us after 9/11. There were many voices from else where, on this very forum, that condemned us for going into Afghanistan and trying to take out the Terrorist Leaders and their supporters. Some of whom are still here. So I don't worry about that near as much anymore. I've become immune to the criticism from other places. Kinda' of "The Damned if you do and Damned if you don't" attitude.

Well, that is your opinion and your right to say it. Noted and understood. [img]smile.gif[/img]


Mark

[Ronn_Bman]

Originally posted by skywalker: I think it's unfair for you to say that my view of the USA and the rest of the World on 9/11 is BS. I do believe Bush missed a golden opportunity to lead on the war against terrorism and screwed it up by taking on Iraq after Afghanistan, just like Clarke said in his testimony to the 9/11 committee. But, I say something critical about the Bush Administration and then it gets turned into criticism against the USA. It happens almost every time, I do it and in turn I get attacked. I know you guys are big Bush supporters and I'm not. The fact that there are more than 1 party in America allows people to not have to be aligned with one group. I'm not part of some evil underground hoping to undermine Bush and good American values! I'm just stating an opposing view. I know because of this I am the enemy, but that doesn't mean my view is BS. Mark

This room is full of Bush supporters? Where exactly are they? I'd say you have more political allies than adversaries in this forum.

Part of some Evil Underground? Now who's being paranoid? Also, why would you think my post accused you of being critical of the USA? Mark, disagreeing with you doesn't automatically mean someone is saying you're anti-American. I know you don't want anyone to call you anti-American, and you're sensitive to that, but at least wait until someone does it before complaining. [img]smile.gif[/img]

I don't care which side you take regarding the Bush Administration's positions on events and issues. I usually have a pretty good idea on which side you'll fall, but I think your free to do it, just as I'm free to challenge the points you bring up.

The whole point of that post was the fact that the 'golden opportunity' line gets automatically gets added to any laundry list of complaints, and the fact is that it is just fluff.

The only valid use of that line is political.

EDIT FOR CLARIFICATION

[ 04-08-2004, 06:55 PM: Message edited by: Ronn_Bman ]