Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

[SteveP]

Re: Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

I'm surprised Obama had time to fill out a bracket, most have taken away at least one round of golf

Wondering if her highness will pick the Frozen Four brackets? After all, she's such a big hockey fan!

 

[Old Pio]

Re: Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

One would think that Gottfried really has no part in Aflac's promo campaign over there. Can you imagine Gottfried overdubbing his own lines in Japanese? It's rough enough to hear him speak English.

Over the years, many American celebrities who would never do a commercial here, have done them there. Major films stars and musicians. Gottfried hardly fits into that category, especially since he's doing voice acting and isn't on camera. Just a guess, but I'd imagine they've created some spots tailored to the Japanese market, but still using his voice. Again, it's not like he's an A lister here, let alone there.

 

[5mn_Major]

Re: Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

That's true. You wonder whether policy holders in Japan (especially now) even know who Gottfried is and whether, under the circumstances, they would care. The question was asked who would fire him, the answer is a company that does a huge percentage of its business in Japan. That doesn't mean the decision wasn't a hysterical overreaction.

Can you say internet? The Japanese are internet junkies...I have no problem believing that the Japanese would learn in a hurry who Gottfried is.

Do you think that if Sony's CEO cracked jokes about 9/11 within days of it occurring that Americans would be laughing?

If someone's actions significantly damages their employer, they should expect to be fired. Period.

An insurance company that does a huge percentage of its business in Japan has more important things to worry about. Like, where the hell are they going to get all the money for the inevitable flood of claims coming their way. I think it was State Farm (?) that insured a heck of a lot in the deep south when Katrina hit. Their insurance premiums shot up nationwide the following year.

That's kind of the point. If they lose customers after claims are paid, who pays the premiums?

 

[Kepler]

Re: Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

Wondering if her highness will pick the Frozen Four brackets? After all, she's such a big hockey fan!

Nothing comes across as smart as blind hatred.

 

[unofan]

Re: Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

One would think that Gottfried really has no part in Aflac's promo campaign over there. Can you imagine Gottfried overdubbing his own lines in Japanese? It's rough enough to hear him speak English.

I take it you never saw "Lost in Translation"? Fictional, yes, but the premise that American celebrities get paid big bucks to do ads over there is spot on.

 

[walrus]

Re: Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

Nothing comes across as smart as blind hatred.

Like your chimpanzee in chief comment?

 

[Kepler]

Re: Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

Like your chimpanzee in chief comment?

I don't care for your hero, but he gave us solid reasons for disdain. You hate a woman solely because she married a guy who inspires right wing derangement.

 

[walrus]

Re: Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

I don't care for your hero, but he gave us solid reasons for disdain. You hate a woman solely because she married a guy who inspires right wing derangement.

Hate? I never said a word about her. You called the guy a chimp, glass houses

 

[Handyman]

Re: Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

To be fair...he did look like a chimp. So does a friend of mine and we mock him for it all the time

 

[SteveP]

Re: Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

Hate? I never said a word about her. You called the guy a chimp, glass houses

Funny, I never said I hated her either. Clearly, the hatred is somewhere else.

 

[dxmnkd316]

Re: Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

Jeebus. You both stooped to the lowest common denominator. You were both called out on it, and rightly so.

 

[MinnFan]

Re: Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

Very good article

Taming Leviathan

To lose weight, governments have to do two things: learn how to do more with less, which means modernising the state, and cut back on what they offer, which among other things means tackling the social transfers.

 

[bronconick]

Re: Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

Very good article

Taming Leviathan

Why? Because, despite all that rhetoric from the tea-partiers, big government is not just the fault of self-interested bureaucrats and leftist politicians. Conservative voters, even if they don’t like taxes, have kept on demanding that the state does more. Just as the left has built hospitals, announced endless programmes to help the poor and indulged the teachers’ unions, the right has built prisons, announced wars on drugs and terror, and indulged generals, farmers and policemen. And there are also two structural causes of big government. First, productivity in the state sector, especially in fields like education and health, has lagged behind the private sector. And second, there has been a huge increase in “social transfers”, especially benefits for the middle classes and the elderly.

Bingo. And that's why nothing will ever get done. Whichever side is in power will attack the other's favorites. They need to sit down and say "We need to cut back on X, and in exchange, we'll cut back on Y as well, so we all take a hit in this budget." But since politics is the Great Game, no one will ever agree. Better to use your power like a hammer and try to beat your foe down with it, and wonder why later the room has been smashed to bits.

 

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

They can start by revoking the (3) great nanny state laws they just passed.

1. NCLB (passed by Republicans)
2. Medicare Prescription Drugs (passed by Republicans)
3. Health Care (passed by Democrats)

Then they can revoke the two wars they started that have accomplished nothing.

1. Afghanistan
2. Iraq

Until then all it is is LIP SERVICE.

 

[MinnFan]

Re: Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

They can start by revoking the (3) great nanny state laws they just passed.

1. NCLB (passed by Republicans)
2. Medicare Prescription Drugs (passed by Republicans)
3. Health Care (passed by Democrats)

Then they can revoke the two wars they started that have accomplished nothing.

1. Afghanistan
2. Iraq

Until then all it is is LIP SERVICE.

Whats scary is that doesn't even cover a quater of the deficit.

 

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

Whats scary is that doesn't even cover a quater of the deficit.

Yeah, well, whatever.

The big key with all of those items is they were all passed WITHOUT A FUNDING SOURCE. People can whine all they want about SS and Medicare and that may be justified but at least those items had taxes passed to pay for them. All the things I listed were just piled onto the top while taxes were being cut.

 

[Bob Gray]

Re: Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

Yeah, well, whatever.

The big key with all of those items is they were all passed WITHOUT A FUNDING SOURCE. People can whine all they want about SS and Medicare and that may be justified but at least those items had taxes passed to pay for them. All the things I listed were just piled onto the top while taxes were being cut.

That's an academic argument, but really not germane to balancing the budget. All of the above are part of non-sustainable spending levels, and all of the above will have to be cut. But, go ahead and go down your rabbit trails, I know you love them.

 

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

That's an academic argument, but really not germane to balancing the budget. All of the above are part of non-sustainable spending levels, and all of the above will have to be cut. But, go ahead and go down your rabbit trails, I know you love them.

Thanks, Bob. Just when I start to think there might be some hope you make sure there's not.

 

[Bob Gray]

Re: Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

Thanks, Bob. Just when I start to think there might be some hope you make sure there's not.

My, my, you sure ascribe a good deal of power to me. Didn't know I had "Vanquisher of Hope" to put on my resume!

 

[unofan]

Re: Obama XX: Maybe We'll Even Talk About Obama

That's an academic argument, but really not germane to balancing the budget. All of the above are part of non-sustainable spending levels, and all of the above will have to be cut. But, go ahead and go down your rabbit trails, I know you love them.

Yeah, but how much of it is really "non-sustainable" and how much of it is irrational "starving the beast with ill-advised tax cuts during a war"?

Put another way, my guess is some of the deficit spending is sustainable in that we could pay for it, we just don't.