Political Hippo Circle Jerk - America, farg YEAH!

[rjs246]

The middle class tax that people talk about is sort of a sneaky tax. It isn't income tax, it's the taxing of certain goods (cigarettes being the major example) that disproportionately impact the middle class. Also, as pointed out, the upper middle class as its defined is being taxed much harder as well.

Off the top of my head these are my thoughts on Obama's first year:
- He's basically doing everything that he said he would do with the exception of Gitmo (timeline) and extensive environmental legislation. In fact he's done so much, and pissed off the Right so much in the mean time, that he is probably going to have trouble getting any more of his initiatives through without some serious bi-partisan input, something he hasn't had to worry about at all to this point. This is the only problem I see with his setting such an aggressive agenda. The people on the other side of the aisle are never going to be pleased by it and they are even more likely now to dig their heels in and fight tooth and nail moving forward.
- The level of transparency for what is happening in terms of decisions coming out of the White House is like night and day from the previous 8 years. That in and of itself is a huge step in the right direction.
- Healthcare. Where to even begin. We have two plans being merged right now. Both of which will decrease the federal deficit (according to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office), so that's good. Neither bill is perfect by any means, and it is pissing people to the far left and far right off equally because of a lack of a public option and communism-ghosts respectively, but I honestly believe that in five years this whole thing will be a non-issue. The country will be much more fair, businesses and the economy will continue to thrive and no one will be able to remember clearly why this was so difficult to get done.
- I go back and forth about the economy. Contrary to the howling you hear on the Right, the stimulus bill was not nearly big enough to have an immediate or dramatic impact on the economy. The US economy is about $18 trillion. The stimulus was a little more than 4% of that. That's nothing. What the stimulus will do in the short run (or should do, anyway) is provide relief to states who's economies are in dire straights. That will save jobs and services. What it will do in the long run is rebuild infrastructure that is in desperate need of repair. What it definitely did not do was pull the country out of recession. It changed the trajectory slightly, and it helped, but I don't think this recovery can be attributed to the stimulus.
- Unemployment is a huge concern. I was hopeful the the stimulus would provide more government jobs and infrastructure contract/project employment but that hasn't materialized yet and that's a big failure. I will amend my thoughts on this if the job market picks up over the next few months, but if it doesn't this administration is going to have a very hard time convincing people to give it a second term no matter what else they get right.
- Has anyone noticed that the bailout money (from both the auto industry and the financial industry) that was shelled out in 2008 (under Bush mostly) is now actually being returned to the Fed? That's pretty amazing and not something I ever thought would happen. There is a long way to go before it's all paid back but progress is shocking.
- War. I would be much happier if we would stop trying to wage a traditional war against a cult of mountain-dwelling loonies. I would also like it if the US would acknowledge the fact that we, along with Russia/USSR have completely destroyed Afghanistan over the past 3 decades and start focusing on rebuilding that country. I don't think either will ever happen. I do think that a prolonged effort to fight terrorists is a good thing. I just think that treating it as a war is ass backwards and will never work. I don't fault the effort, I fault the methods.

I think Sarge's grade of a B- is just about right. I would maybe give him a B simply because he's been bold as shtein trying to do so much in so little time, but something in that general vicinity seems fair.

[Sgt PSN]

thanks for detailing that tax thing for me as i've been searching high and low trying to find the article i read it it.  i knew it wasn't just a straight income tax hike that was given, but a series of taxes on things that tend to affect the middle class more than others.  i just remember that the total figure was 28%, which i think was a guesstimated average and not a concrete figure. 

[reese125]

He's basically doing everything that he said he would do with the exception of Gitmo (timeline) and extensive environmental legislation

clarify what exactly you mean by extensive environmental legislation?

[rjs246]

Cap and trade, new tax penalties/incentives for corporations, etc.

To expand on that, the conversation got started and small things have been done, but he very clearly de-emphasized this part of his agenda in order to deal with healthcare, Afghanistan/Iraq and the economy.

[Sgt PSN]

probably doesn't count as "extensive environmental legislation" but i think that him allowing california to impose emission standards that are tougher than the fed gov't is a pretty big deal as it could entice other states to follow suit.  and it's a big deal for 2 reasons:

1.  obviously, if other states do follow suit, then it will ultimately help better the environment.

2.  puts more emphasis on states running themselves and is giving them the authority to exceed federal standards, which is something i've always felt states should have the ability to do.  in other words, the fed gov't should be setting a minimum standard that all states have to comply with.  but if an individual state wants to set their standards higher than the feds, then the should have every right to do so. 

obviously, there would be exceptions such as minimum voter age and things of that nature.   but when it comes to things like environmental standards or vehicle/work safety standards, etc, etc, then the fed standards should be the required starting point, not the finish line. 

[PhillyGirl]

another reason to hate Massachusetts.

[Father Demon]

They got it right.

[Susquehanna Birder]

How dare they not bow to the status quo.

[Rome]

good.  i hope the republicans regain power and tear this country to shreds because that's exactly what it deserves.

[PhillyGirl]

Way to give a shtein about the rest of the country and you know, those who don't have healthcare and work their asses off.

Nevermind all of them. who cares.

[MMH]

It doesn't mean healthcare doesn't get done.  It means both sides need to get buttered.

Besides, anything that puts the brakes on looney tunes like Reid and Pelosi can't be a bad thing.

[Susquehanna Birder]

I'm happy to see a sanity check to the juggernaut.

[Rome]

this country is filled to the brim with white bread, racist, greedy motherfargers who don't give a shtein about anyone or anything but themselves.  that's why white religious nutbags continue to get elected.  if this isn't a sign that the country is monumentally farged and deserves whatever fate awaits it then i don't know what is.

[Munson]

It seems the final numbers in November on unemployment showed an actual gain in jobs, about 4000.....but then it went right back down 8500 in December (that's the number as of right now, anyway)

[phillymic2000]

this country is filled to the brim with white bread, racist, greedy motherfargers who don't give a shtein about anyone or anything but themselves.  that's why white religious nutbags continue to get elected.  if this isn't a sign that the country is monumentally farged and deserves whatever fate awaits it then i don't know what is.

LOL at the racist greedy mofo's are only onthe right side. Both fargin sides only care about themselves. The left "care" about minorities becasue its votes for them. To say Reid, Pelosi, Kerry or any other repub or dem care about the common american is hilarious and not fargin true. Both sides are bought and sold by big business.