Obama Presidential Thread XIX: Starting a new chapter

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: Obama Presidential Thread XIX: Starting a new chapter

I keep thinking Obama as 2nd coming of Bush2, but he's surrounding himself with Clinton cronies. So should we label him as Clinton2timer.

More like the 2nd coming of Jimmy Carter, if you look at policy, fascism, and how much things are getting messed up.

 

[Kepler]

Re: Obama Presidential Thread XIX: Starting a new chapter

More like the 2nd coming of Jimmy Carter, if you look at policy, fascism, and how much things are getting messed up.

Jimmy Carter the Fascist.

I have now heard, literally, everything.

 

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: Obama Presidential Thread XIX: Starting a new chapter

Jimmy Carter the Fascist.

I have now heard, literally, everything.

LOL.

I was so dumbfounded by that post I just didn't bother responding.

I actually think he believes that both fascism and communism are on the left. The right seems to think they don't have an extreme.

 

[unofan]

Re: Obama Presidential Thread XIX: Starting a new chapter

More like the 2nd coming of Jimmy Carter, if you look at policy, fascism, and how much things are getting messed up.

 

[Handyman]

Re: Obama Presidential Thread XIX: Starting a new chapter

These right wingers, they just won't cut military spending, won't even talk about it. Oh?

You found 1...I didnt realize 1 meant that the hundreds of other Righties who are against cutting the military budget are now offset! SWEET! Please remember this whenever there is a Lefties that is for balancing the budget or cutting welfare

 

[WeWantMore]

Re: Obama Presidential Thread XIX: Starting a new chapter

You found 1...I didnt realize 1 meant that the hundreds of other Righties who are against cutting the military budget are now offset! SWEET! Please remember this whenever there is a Lefties that is for balancing the budget or cutting welfare

That's fair. Just glad someone is talking about it really.

I'm not worried about a lefty talking about cutting welfare though.

 

[Kepler]

Re: Obama Presidential Thread XIX: Starting a new chapter

I'm not worried about a lefty talking about cutting welfare though.

Yeah. That'd never happen.

 

[geezer]

Re: Obama Presidential Thread XIX: Starting a new chapter

90% of the electorate has the fiscal comprehension of a sack of hammers, but the debt problem is getting bad enough that now rich people might get hurt. Double digit unemployment doesn't matter but the slightest whiff of inflation is A Devastating Problem We Must Act On!!!! And anyway, a financially stable nation is much more profitable to plunder. So yeah, I think we'll get some modest debt relief while the ruling class builds machine gun nests around the Reagan Arms gated community and sends their Congressmen out to talk about "shared sacrifice" (translation: burn the safety net, I'm all right Jack).

Wait now, I'm admittedly ignorant about these things but I thought the long-running federal policy of Quantitative Easing meant printing more money which is meant to create inflation (out of possibly wrongful fear of DEflation). Am I wrong?

 

[WeWantMore]

Re: Obama Presidential Thread XIX: Starting a new chapter

Yeah. That'd never happen.

Well yeah. We were talking in the future though.

 

[unofan]

Re: Obama Presidential Thread XIX: Starting a new chapter

Wait now, I'm admittedly ignorant about these things but I thought the long-running federal policy of Quantitative Easing meant printing more money which is meant to create inflation (out of possibly wrongful fear of DEflation). Am I wrong?

In general, you want low but steady inflation: 1-2% per year. Any more than that, and wealth starts to depreciate, interest rates on loans begin to skyrocket, etc. You need a tidbit of inflation to keep the economy moving; you want wealth being spent, invested, or otherwise being more productive than simply sitting in a checking account or under a mattress doing nothing. But too much inflation means you cannot invest your money quickly enough before it loses at least some its purchasing power. The only way to control inflation is to jack up interest rates to cut it off, slow spending, and let the economy cool down. Often this means a recession.

Deflation is absolutely worse, because people are better off hoarding money and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Deflation means a dollar tomorrow is worth more than a dollar today, so why would you spend or invest anything today when you can get more bang for your buck by investing it tomorrow.

 

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: Obama Presidential Thread XIX: Starting a new chapter

In general, you want low but steady inflation: 1-2% per year. Any more than that, and wealth starts to depreciate, interest rates on loans begin to skyrocket, etc. You need a tidbit of inflation to keep the economy moving; you want wealth being spent, invested, or otherwise being more productive than simply sitting in a checking account or under a mattress doing nothing. But too much inflation means you cannot invest your money quickly enough before it loses at least some its purchasing power. The only way to control inflation is to jack up interest rates to cut it off, slow spending, and let the economy cool down. Often this means a recession.

Deflation is absolutely worse, because people are better off hoarding money and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Deflation means a dollar tomorrow is worth more than a dollar today, so why would you spend or invest anything today when you can get more bang for your buck by investing it tomorrow.

1-2% is more than wages for the poor and middle class have been increasing over the past 10 years. So, it's deflating the ecomomy anyway.

 

[Kepler]

Re: Obama Presidential Thread XIX: Starting a new chapter

Deflation is absolutely worse, because people are better off hoarding money and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Deflation means a dollar tomorrow is worth more than a dollar today, so why would you spend or invest anything today when you can get more bang for your buck by investing it tomorrow.

I'm sure I am being dense, but doesn't that result in people having more money around which means suppliers of necessities can ask more for their goods, which then causes inflation? In other words, isn't it homeostatic?

I would think business wants low enough unemployment so people have money to buy goods but high enough unemployment that the unemployed can always undercut wages, decreasing business costs.

Runaway inflation and runaway unemployment hurt everybody, but within safe margins increases in unemployment hurt workers more while increases in inflation hurt investors more.

 

[unofan]

Re: Obama Presidential Thread XIX: Starting a new chapter

I'm sure I am being dense, but doesn't that result in people having more money around which means suppliers of necessities can ask more for their goods, which then causes inflation?

Not really, at least in a true deflationary period rather than just an economic recession/depression, which probably feels as painful to those affected but doesn't result in the same overall economic failure. 10% deflation means that $900 next year would have the same buying power as $1000 today (whereas 10% inflation means you'd need $1100 next year to have the same buying power as a $1000 today). The "time value of money" gets inverted, and no one does anything but eat, sleep, and **** because the only winning move is to hoard cash. You can put that $1000 into microsoft stock today, but in a year, that same $1000 could get you 10% more shares. So why spend it now?

Inflation creates a penalty for hoarding cash. It encourages activity because a dollar under a mattress will gradually lose its purchasing power.
Deflation creates a bonus for hoarding cash. It discourages activity because a dollar under a mattress will gradually gain purchasing power.

 

[eaglehockeyrules]

Re: Obama Presidential Thread XIX: Starting a new chapter

9.4% unemployment, "... it's the economy stupid!"

Social programs are great, and are better suited to be funded when the economy is booming.

Together we thrive, we're broke - but we are thriving! Right? Right?!

 

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: Obama Presidential Thread XIX: Starting a new chapter

9.4% unemployment, "... it's the economy stupid!"

Social programs are great, and are better suited to be funded when the economy is booming.

Together we thrive, we're broke - but we are thriving! Right? Right?!

Social Programs are most needed when the economy ISN'T BOOMING.

Common sense.

 

[eaglehockeyrules]

Re: Obama Presidential Thread XIX: Starting a new chapter

Social Programs are most needed when the economy ISN'T BOOMING.

Common sense.

So... Mr Commonsense, America did not need social programs when Clinton was in office?

To use the words of liberals against themselves, "it's the economy stupid!" Not DADT, Health Care, etc. Even with a super majority, Obama got nothing accomplished. Together we ask China for loans!

So, tell me, just where are those 2 millions jobs Obama boasted?

Obama = more of the same... a chocolate G W Bush.

 

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: Obama Presidential Thread XIX: Starting a new chapter

So... Mr Commonsense, America did not need social programs when Clinton was in office?

To use the words of liberals against themselves, "it's the economy stupid!" Not DADT, Health Care, etc. Even with a super majority, Obama got nothing accomplished. Together we ask China for loans!

I said "most needed". What part of English don't you understand?

 

[eaglehockeyrules]

Re: Obama Presidential Thread XIX: Starting a new chapter

I said "most needed". What part of English don't you understand?

Please.

So answer this, what has Obama done to get the economy going? < cricket sounds > Besides extending the Bush Tax Cuts against his party's wish?! Extending the Patriot Act? Not closing Gitmo? Holding closed door negotiations?!

 

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: Obama Presidential Thread XIX: Starting a new chapter

Please.

So answer this, what has Obama done to get the economy going? < cricket sounds > Besides extending the Bush Tax Cuts against his party's wish?! Extending the Patriot Act? Not closing Gitmo? Holding closed door negotiations?!

Couldn't care less. I didn't vote for the man and I'm not here to defend him.

 

[eaglehockeyrules]

Re: Obama Presidential Thread XIX: Starting a new chapter

Couldn't care less. I didn't vote for the man and I'm not here to defend him.

Oh yeah, that's right. You play both sides of the fence when it suits you. Good job.