Übergeek 바둑이: As Jesus said in the Biblical story of the blind prostitute, "You really have to hand it to her."

The Col:

Übergeek 바둑이: Interesting how the Democrats have fully run out of legitimate arguments. They can't stand on their record these past few years. The only thing left is to attack their opponents with non issues and now it seems, they are left with nothing else but complaining that they could lose the right to play with themselves.

Tuesday: Sounds like experience talking.

Artful Dodger:

> Interesting how the Democrats have fully run out of legitimate arguments. They can't stand on their record these past few years.

Putting aside the onanism gibes, I find it interesting that a long-term politician like Michael Castle was defeated. I think that the American public is getting fed up of old style politics. People are looking for meaningful change, but they don't seem to find it anywhere. I think it partly explains the popularity of younger politicians like Sarah Palin and Christine O'Donnel. It explains also the rise of other political parties like the Green Party and the Tea Party. People want their values represented, but both Republicans and Democrats are trapped in a system in which they constantly trump each other. The political culture is one of lobbying and underhanded deals. The American voting public wants change, but change is difficult in Washington, as the Obama administration can attest. In spite of their best efforts they are still trapped in the same old political games. Many countries in the world are like that. Here in Canada the government has become incapable of changing, and that means incapable of improving. This threatens to undermine democracy because people become disillusioned and disinterested. Politicians might like public apathy, but that apathy is bad for democracy.

Artful Dodger: After subsidising the tax cuts for those earning 250 grand +, at a cost of trillions to the deficit. over 90% of Americans may find "playing with themselves" the only affordable option of recreation left.

The Col: Nonsense. Nothing Obama has done has worked and the suggesting that more taxes will help the economy is lunacy.

Artful Dodger: No it isn't. a few percent is not going to hurt the rich cats lifestyle. If someone is earning a million plus dollars.. what's a few $K to them... nothing. If the likes of Bill Gates and other billionaires can donate half their savings .. then the rich can afford it.

We in the UK are having 2.5% added to VAT to pay off the debt occured through the banks screw up's, which... we will do gladly.. we might moan a little, but we know it is needed.

It would also help if the rich stopped using offshore banks (ie tax havens) to defraud the USA.... quite frankly I'd be more into getting that sorted in some means.

(V): The rich should pay more. The poor paying the same as the rich is wrong. What is 2 and half to us is nothing to them. I do not understand the logic

Mousetrap: Neither do I considering what the rich use to pay in terms of Income Tax. They have it easy now comparatively.

(V): I think it parallels the healthcare debate.You have many of the top earners with an "I'm alright Jack" attitude.Ironically, the USA has rebuilt and provided aid to other countries in the past with the hope that they would in future have the financial ability to become a customer that would buy American products, sadly many Americans are not willing to invest in themselves.

The Col: Taxing the rich more will not solve problems. How about smaller government, less entitlements, and more responsible spending? That WILL make a positive difference.

Artful Dodger: Ok.. cut the USA military budget, cut the tax cuts, change the law on tort, set limits on how much the health industry can raise prices to match costs/inflation realistically.

But I keep hearing from you that's SoCiaLiSt and LiBeRaL and wrong.

..despite it saving money.

The Col: When I studied business at college, they use to talk about how capital purchase items were only expected to last so long. The need to replace/upgrade in a good business plan was included in budget calculations. When an item becomes too old, generally it becomes inefficient and costs more in direct or indirect costs to use/run.

Sure like Art says.. small admin is good.. but only to a certain point, then again efficiency becomes impaired and costs go up. In one instance I was doing the payments for a firm to it's contractors.. the software was old and required 3 times the effort to a comparable system I used at another company. Needless to say.. it was a nightmare for the company and contractors wanting payment as the process of raising a payment was about 15 minutes for one invoice compared to a couple of minutes.

(V): Meanwhile, you have billions of dollars still being directed at "rebuilding" Iraq.Did you know Iraq showed a 50 billion surplus this year? I guess as the Bush admin stated early on, the cost of the Iraq war will be paid back from their oil profits...........and I have some swampland in Florida for sale

The Col: Just 50 billion... wow. That's a long payback period.

I'm thinking of micro generation. Seems if everyone does some sort we won't need so much oil.

.. but I think that's supposed to be a secret!!