TomAiello

Well, it takes all sorts. You do know he IS a Republican representative from Texas, so you can no longer claim non partisanship. Sure, if you like. I've also voted for a couple democrats in the past. So I guess I'm pretty partisan there, too. Mostly I vote for Libertarians, which is a party, so I guess I'm pretty partisan there, as well. In fact, come to think of it, I've really only voted for one or two candidates in my whole life who weren't affiliated with a party. So, in so far as "partisan" means "voting for people affiliated with political parties," yep, you've got me there. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Sure you will. You just print some up. Plus, you give the soldiers (and their families) extra food when the rationing starts. Nothing like feeding a starving child to make the parents loyal. They don't seem to have stopped us in Iraq or Afghanistan. I'd bet we could reach an agreement with them. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Your view of American politics is only shaped by Speakers' Corner? Ah, now I understand where you're coming from. Carry on, then. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

??? You've lost me here. I'm pretty sure that less demand for fuel would be a factor pushing prices of fuel down. I admit that I took Econ 1A about 20 years ago, so maybe I'm rusty. I think I've still got the textbook around here somewhere. I'll go have a look. Unless you can explain what I've missed? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Um, you own three vehicles and you think you're poor? Or do you have more cars than that? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

There actually is a way to avoid that collapse, and I'm fearful that we might see it happen. If the US had simply claimed ownership of all the Iraqi oil, instead of trying to build a nation there, then gone on to invade and conquer Iran (and appropriate their oil), and so forth until we had enough oil at our national disposal, we could maintain the system. It would just require ruthless enforcement of our collective will upon our newly enslaved peoples in the middle east. And it could keep our system going for another few decades. After which the people of the earth would rise up, and Americans would be hunted to extinction. The US really does have the military power to do that. And if it comes to tens of millions of starving children here, I could see a scenario where someone like Dick Cheney could push that plan and have the public follow along. Of course, we'd have to create a police state here to stifle dissent, but hey, no worries, if the majority wants it, the majority rules, right? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

I'm sorry. You have posted something logical, reasonable and non-partisan. That's not allowed in Speakers' Corner. I'm going to have to ban you for 14 days. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

It would be faster, easier and simpler to just open up the existing federal employees health program (the one that members of congress use) to open enrollment for anyone in the nation, and have the government pay the premiums for people under a set income amount (like 20k for individuals and 50k for families). The reasons that this bill won't get any traction ("we'll be damned if we're going to take the same care as the unwashed masses") is the same reason that's not happening ("we'll be damned if we let the riff-raff into our system") . It basically boils down to good old fashioned elitism. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

In regards Rushmc's point about the program being unfair to the poor, it's also true that very few low income people are going to be able to trade a working vehicle in and spend another $10-15k at the same time, to buy a new car. Which means that only those people with the wherewithal to purchase a new vehicle to begin with are likely to benefit from this bill. So the poor might get hit two ways. The bill does nothing for them, plus it's harder for them to buy cheap used cars. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Because of the increase in debt associated with spending the money to buy them at well above market prices? Or, are you not worried about debt, John? Or perhaps you only worry about debt incurred to support programs you don't like? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Perhaps you "heard nary a peep." Have you ever thought you might be suffering from selective hearing? For example, here's a Cato Institute piece from 2003. Unless you've decided that Cato is on the left? I admit I have trouble with your definitions of who is "right" and who "left" as well as who is the "GOP" or the "Republicans." The only constant I've noticed there is that people you disagree with are always "right" or "Republicans." Or, famously, there was John McCain (remember him? I think he's a Republican) voting against tax cuts because they had no corresponding spending cuts (and would thus increase the debt). If I recall correctly, this vote was thrown back at him on the campaign trail. Was he not on the "right" either? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Totally agree. With both parts. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Well, to me, it sounded like she was agreeing with me. I'm ok with that.

Aside from supporting Obama (I'm a Ron Paul guy) I agree completely. Honestly, I'm hard put to find any substantive policy area where the Obama administration has substantially changed course from the Bush administration. Iraq? Follow the Bush timetable. Afghanistan? Yet more humans and tax dollars off to disappear into an imperialist dream. Guantanamo Bay? Well, we call it "Bagram" now. Greater Transparency? I guess we'll just stick with what Bush was doing. Giving billions of taxpayer dollars to our buddies in Wall Street (and to multi-millionaire CEO's in other places, too)? Sure, let's push on with some more of that. What happened to "no third term"? It sort of looks like "change we can believe in" actually is a third term for the same tired policies. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Oh my gosh, you mean that if you hand out billions of taxpayer dollars to your pals on wall street, the stock market goes up? Shocking! Such a revelation! I never would have imagined it, not in a million years! -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Just for a minute let's say your interpretation is correct. If that's the case, then you've convinced him of the rightness of your position, and he's converted to your cause. So, why on earth are you harshing on him now? Just because you can't get out of your bitterly partisan worldview? Or is there some secret reason to attack people who've become converts to your point of view, and I just fail to understand your masterful tactics? -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Not having 2 hours right now, I'll have to watch it later. Would you say that this (from the wikipedia summary) is a fair single sentence summary of it's thesis? Because if that's, in a nutshell, their point, I'm most likely to respond with "well, duh, we knew that already." -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Funny how capitalism works, isn't it? That's not capitalism. It's abuse of government power. The decision to pay obscene bonuses was not made by the government to the best of my knowledge. The decision to provide billions to do it again was, though. When the (bad) decision to pay those bonuses was made, the market was all set to clobber those banks and force them out of business. Given their records of fiscal irresponsibility, that seems like a good idea. But wait, here comes the government, ready to overrule the market with billions in handouts... -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Wow. Given your tone, I had assumed that first post of yours (the list of links) were posts from StreetScooby blowing off debt as unimportant during previous administrations. Imagine my surprise when they were nothing of the kind. I also looked through the links in in your latest post. Imagine my surprise when several of them turned out to be posts by StreetScooby, worried about the debt of the US government, some made as long ago as 2005. Again, from your tone, I had expected them to be posts he'd made blowing off debt worries. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Surely that is a different thread having nothing to do with the use of force on medical doctors. Ok. I was just asking Wendy because she had posted some information, with a link, and I thought she might have more. I didn't want to start a new thread titled "Hey WMW, read this!" to ask--it seemed more logical to just ask here. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Funny how capitalism works, isn't it? That's not capitalism. It's abuse of government power. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Do you happen to have any numbers on costs for those private doctors in the UK? Either relative to the US, or relative to the UK before the NHS? I'd also be interested in finding out how the rates they charge compare with the NHS compensation rates paid to other doctors, if you have any idea where that information could be tracked down. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

In all seriousness, I think that's exactly where this is headed. I see no way for the US to avoid a debt default within my lifetime. My only hope is that we take the right lesson away from that, but given our behavior so far I think I may hope in vain. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Hey, I've got a great idea! Let's reward those guys by giving them Billions of taxpayer dollars. That way, they can pay themselves even bigger bonuses next year! -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com

Yup. What's more insane is that the strategy of our "leaders" in Washington for dealing with the debt...is to point fingers at the other party and loudly proclaim that it's their fault. And somehow the other party doing it justifies your party doing it. -- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com