Granberry's Parlor
tomierna
(Admin)
– December 07, 2007 09:46PM
Politics. Don Granberry on the old Spork Boards was quite fond of talking about them, and here we continue on in that fine tradition.
tliet
– June 30, 2011 11:43AM
DPBD
People seem to place more trust in companies that have a widget to sell than a government that *should* be looking out for its people. That issue is only worsening with the eroding meaning of 'free speech' laws, the bribery lobbying and (in my opinion) commercial TV which is constantly spewing the 'consume, consume, consume' message over people's heads.
ddt
– July 02, 2011 01:41AM
What does it say about the state of American politics (and, by extension, policy) that the sentence "Murano's main concern with Christie is his support for consensus climate science" can make it into a run-of-the-mill article and not be the lede? (from
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/07/climate-skeptics-want-rick-perry-to-run.php?ref=fpblg)
I mean: a major lobbyist trying to influence a presidential election rules out a potential candidate because he _supports the overwhelming scientific consensus_. (Not to the extent of actually acting on it, but that's not the point here.)
ddt
tliet
– July 02, 2011 02:01AM
Surprised?
I mean, the word lobbying is more of an euphemism for bribery, no?
Quote
"I personally thing [sic] the strongest team the Republicans could field this year is Rick Perry as a presidential candidate and Michele Bachmann as vice president," he said. "I think that's our best chance to take back the presidency in 2012."
Scary thought for the world...
johnny k
– July 02, 2011 08:06AM
Too soon to elect another Texas governor.
I think I do like Huntsman. I don't know how the hell he thinks he'll win the primary. 'Electability' isn't a concern with many conservatives, it seems. To wit, Bachmann's argument is that Obama's going to lose anyway, so let's get the most conservative candidate possible in there. Guess she hasn't heard of "the lesser of two evils."
How many states have open primaries? I'm still registered in AZ and as an independent, could vote in the GOP primary. Someone suggested that a moderate Republican could succeed by courting independents. Have to remember that the shrill types are a minority.
John Willoughby
– July 07, 2011 07:53AM
Homo Sapiens Sedentarius
I'm actually starting to move towards supporting tariffs again. Free trade has just served to level our jobs environment with the third world and push our industry overseas. I can see why corporations would like this, but I don't see why I should. I'm getting back into jingoistic, nationalist economic policy.
El Jeffe
– July 07, 2011 03:22PM
What a journey.
I have been thinking tariffs too. If we had a 'world OSHA' - I mean, if every worker had equal rights, safety, etc. --> no tariffs needed.
Tony Leggett
(Moderator)
– July 07, 2011 03:41PM
iPads & iPhones will cost a lot more if they're not made by cheap suicidal chinese factory workers...
El Jeffe
– July 07, 2011 04:40PM
What a journey.
Will they Tony? Will they?
(In my best Janeane Garofalo imitation voice and deadpan stare)
John Willoughby
– July 07, 2011 04:58PM
Homo Sapiens Sedentarius
And I'll make a lot more money if it is easier for Americans to buy American. Maybe Apple would locate some of its manufacturing in the US again.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/07/2011 04:58PM by John Willoughby.
tliet
– July 07, 2011 08:14PM
Isn't the manufacturing the least part of all production costs? IIRC the added value of China is like 3 dollars for an iPad, the majority of the money Apple makes comes to the US.
Tony Leggett
(Moderator)
– July 07, 2011 08:55PM
Sigh...
Read the first few chapters of Krugman's The Accidental Theorist
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/07/2011 08:55PM by Tony Leggett.
tliet
– July 08, 2011 07:37AM
Oh, don't get me wrong. The western world is complacent enough to turn everything in a service... I do think we need to start making stuff again, but I think the solution is in different things than the mass production of stuff.
John Willoughby
– July 08, 2011 07:57AM
Homo Sapiens Sedentarius
Remember, Apple (and most of the rest of the tech industry) is trying to suck up to the Obama administration to allow it to bring billions of overseas profits home without paying the 35% tax that would normally be due. Their stance is that, if they can't bring it back tax-free as part of a one-time break, they won't bring it back at all. So, clearly, a lot of that money is NOT coming home.
Tony Leggett
(Moderator)
– July 08, 2011 02:17PM
Quote
John Willoughby
Remember, Apple (and most of the rest of the tech industry) is trying to suck up to the Obama administration to allow it to bring billions of overseas profits home without paying the 35% tax that would normally be due. Their stance is that, if they can't bring it back tax-free as part of a one-time break, they won't bring it back at all. So, clearly, a lot of that money is NOT coming home.
I'd charge them interest at credit card rates on the outstanding tax bill. There's a big deficit to be paid off and all that...
John Willoughby
– July 08, 2011 07:15PM
Homo Sapiens Sedentarius
Well, they don't owe the US taxes, under current law, until they try to bring it in.
El Jeffe
– July 09, 2011 04:57AM
What a journey.
John Willoughby
– July 09, 2011 07:15AM
Homo Sapiens Sedentarius
I had a friend who was being foreclosed on. Two days before the day that he was supposed to leave his property, he was still moving his belongings out. While he was away, a crew hired by his bank entered the house and started removing the remaining items. Most were discarded, any with obvious value were stolen. It was basically a cleaning crew, and they didn't care that they were there too early. I'm not sure how it was resolved, but I know that my friend didn't get his stuff back, and he couldn't afford legal proceedings.
johnny k
– July 09, 2011 01:45PM
Nothing irritates my libertarian sensibilities like these stories. I wish I could say, that's why I want to stay debt-free and be my own man, but obviously that's not good enough here. If our government can't protect our basic right to private property, the capitalist system breaks down. So when exactly do the banks get restrained?
tliet
– July 09, 2011 02:09PM
The 'system' has discovered it's quite easy to held governments hostage.
