My opinion is not the consensus, so don't take it as a fact, but I'm of the opinion that his monetary policy in the face of the crisis was entirely too weak, as he has essentially ignored the effects of the zero lower bound for interest. I think he's been been of the echo chamber at the Fed for entirely too long at this point and implements timid, suboptimal policies.
While it's not really a good reason, I'd also just be generally disinclined to reappoint anyone who was at the top of a major financial institution before and during the crisis that didn't scream from the top of the roof that problems were coming.
---------- Post added 2012-11-12 at 07:51 PM ----------
I don't see how he was "stuck". It was a choice. He made the choice. If you think it was an acceptable choice, we simply disagree.
By adapt, do you mean become democrats? Let's face it, the electorate will vote for whoever promises them the most goodies. This will continue until America falls apart under the weight of its massive debt. It's an empire destroying itself from within and we're watching it happen.
I think he picked the clearly incorrect policy; if choosing the correct policy results in criticism, so be it. It would have saved hundreds of billions of dollars and hundreds (is it over a thousand?) American lives. I think the idea of trying to pick policies that won't get him criticized is a bad plan; people right of center already call him the "the most far left President ever".
I'm 23 pages and 3 days late to this one, and also horribly off-topic, but I can't let this remark go unremarked upon.
A scientific theory is not some just some random nonsense created to explain an observation. That's a hypothesis. A theory is based on a body of facts that have been, time and time again, confirmed to be true through both or either observation and experiment. By confirming the facts as true, the theory is, in turn, strongly supported (one may even go so far as to call it, too, a fact at this point, but it is not. Not really, as facts do not change, whereas a theory is incredibly malleable, depending upon which facts it is based upon.), until a new fact that disagrees with the theory arises, at which point the theory is refined and modified to include this new fact.
No, it is not just a theory. It is based upon a cacophony of facts, i.e. evidence.
/end scientific rant
And looking at your unemployment link... of the 8 states with the lowest unemployment only 2 of them voted for Obama. While the 4 states with the highest unemployment all voted for Obama.
and no... I'm not going to draw any conclusions from those facts... just the facts.
---------- Post added 2012-11-12 at 07:31 PM ----------
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjG958lZ1KI You mean this little bit from House testimony where the democrat rep from Georgia says that Guam is going to tip over and capsize if we put too many troops there?
You cant be talking about this one because Dems never say stupid stuff, its only the GOP that does it.
--- Want any of my Constitutional rights?, ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ
I come from a time and a place where I judge people by the content of their character; I don't give a damn if you are tall or short; gay or straight; Jew or Gentile; White, Black, Brown or Green; Conservative or Liberal. -- Note to mods: if you are going to infract me have the decency to post the reason, and expect to hold everyone else to the same standard.
Stupid things that make you laugh are one thing. Stupid and disturbing things like "Women shouldn't have control of their bodies; Gays shouldn't have equal rights; Religion should be taught in schools and enforced in political policy; The world is 10,000 years old and dinosaur bones are a test by the devil!; Critical thinking being taught by colleges creates liberals and is bad!111! is a completely different thing.
That (only a small bit) list which is far more important and concerning to a lot of us also happens to be pushed upon us by a certain party more often than not, which in 2012 I find that type of ignorance to be quite scary. I guess Einstein's quote on human stupidity is true.
Abortion, next to gay rights is the best at showing the ignorance of the GOP. George Carlin's clip on abortion on youtube sums up my thoughts quite well.
The supposed party of life that supports only pro-birth policies. Does the grade A BS spiel factor get any higher?
Of course there are stupid things said on both sides of the aisle. I think it is kinda hard to argue that republicans have given quite a few more examples than democrats of late. On that same token, anyone who takes those people seriously on either side needs to take a step back. There are crazies all around, but there are also intellectuals as well.
This is a really strange straw argument I see a lot... do people think women getting abortions really love them and just can't wait to get another one? Oh it's Saturday, what shall I do... oh I know, I'll get pregnant and then get an abortion! Sounds like a blast.
Don't you think the person it's most difficult and traumatic for is the woman actually getting one? I THINK they probably take that decision quite seriously... certainly a lot more than some random person on the internet who has never been through anything like that and likely never will (in part because they probably aren't even the right gender). So maybe we should leave that decision up to them.
---------- Post added 2012-11-13 at 04:40 AM ----------
Yeah science has the "theory of evolution", while religious fundamentalists have the "completely made up story of creationism".
The immediate concern for the GOP is to win the 2014 midterms.
Midterm elections are BASE elections. That means casual voters are much less likely to bother voting when the presidency isn't on the line. Midterms are for hardcore voters. This mean the Republican party MUST move further to the right to get the base out. It worked in 2010 with the tea party. It can work again.
They also need to win back latinos. They need to accept amnesty for illegal immigrants. They can't win in the long run if latinos transform into a democrat voting bloc. If you could set the issue of illegal immigration aside, however, latinos look more like republicans than democrats. They are very christian, with family values. Its a group that should be in the GOP's corner.
Does amnesty damage base enthusiasm? I don't know.
This will be a very interesting two years for the GOP. They are at a crossroads.
Sean Hannity and Charles Krauthammer, both republican pundits, now openly support amnesty for illegal immigrants. Rush Limbaugh is against it. So there could be some in-fighting.
Last edited by Grummgug; 2012-11-15 at 01:45 AM.
You could get a world of debate on the idea that leaders need to be intellectuals. Leadership is a skill. It is not a requirement to be an intellectual to be a great leader. LBJ was no intellectual. Neither was Reagan. Bill Clinton is no intellectual. He has a near photographic memory, which can give that appearance, but he's, well, Bubba. Jimmy Carter was an intellectual, but had terrible leadership skills. Politics is about finding leaders to take the reins of government.
the thing is, the tone they take in 2014 could really help or fuck them over in 2016. if people see more of the same craziness in 2014 they might feel that the GOP is being dishonest if they change their tune in 2016. and some of the ones that appeal to the base in respective areas cant seem to keep their mouths shut, which really hurt romney this go around. if the GOP cant reign in some of these guys they can expect more of the same results in the future on the national stage
Corporate tax rates are largely beholden to the global marketplace in modern times. No country wants to hike corporate tax rates and drive businesses overseas. As telecommuniciation and travel improve, it gets more and more difficult to tax corporations, because it gets ever easier for them to move. Corporate tax rates should fall in the long term.
While I think its critical for the republican party to, in Jindal's words, "stop being the stupid party." I think they are going to have a very rough time in 2014. Obama's organization demonstrated a very impressive "ground game," and without worrying about a presidential election? Their get out the vote campaign could swamp the average "third" turnouts in 2014. Sweeping aside the normally more influential evangelical and tea party style political minorities during dryer elections. I agree though that it will be very interesting to watch and their first test, the "fiscal cliff," is coming up fast.
Sir Robin, the Not-Quite-So-Brave-As-Sir-Lancelot.
Who had nearly fought the Dragon of Angnor.
Who had almost stood up to the vicious Chicken of Bristol.
And who had personally wet himself, at the Battle of Badon Hill.