OT: Obama is Conservative

[Allan from Fallbrook]

Dan: Beyond the feeling that neither McCain nor Obama has any clue as to what to do here? I don’t see either candidate stepping up and telling the American people what are now home truths: We need to stop buying s**t we cannot afford, we need to go back to our core strength of manufacturing and production and we need to stop these nasty and expensive foreign misadventures.

I would opine that the US has managed to gull the rest of the world for the last 25 years into believing we were possessed of a financial acumen that didn’t exist and that we’ve managed to sustain an unsustainable standard of living through insane amounts of debt creation (personal, commercial and governmental) and now the bill has come due.

I would also say that I think our days of being a world leader in banking and insurance are over, but
then I see the problems in the Euro zone, and China and even the Mideast, and realize that the whole world is pretty sideways right now, so who the hell knows? We are in completely uncharted waters right now, even relative to something as catastrophic as the Great Depression and while the US won’t emerged unscathed, we seem to be ahead of the curve (in terms of timing) of many other countries.

In response to your sign-off, I can only offer the wisdom of Devo: “Whip it. Whip it good”.

[gandalf]

Yep, I’ll concede the point. ‘Contributing’ is probably a better word than ‘marginal’. Certainly not the principal factor. Here at home, GOP puts it out there like it was the deciding factor. Disinformation for political gain. That’s the issue I have (with it, and with them).

Agree. Petraeus’ leadership in Iraq has been great. Lord knows we need a better effort in Afghan/Pak. The Heritage Foundation comments were interesting to me. I don’t think he would have made them a year ago, as he definitely put some distance between himself and Bush/McCain orthodoxy. Comments about negotiating with enemies? Wow. I think the difference is now, Petraeus is standing squarely on successes in Iraq, firm ground, and also Bush the vindictive little politician is on his way out.

Am I beating a dead-horse? Yeah. I concede that one too. Obama/Biden are going to win. Damn! I feel super-boring now. I’ll have to switch to something more interesting.

What’s up with this credit crisis? You’re right, no good answers from the pols. I think dollar-run is explainable by relative long-term strengths of USA versus Euro and BRIC. Whatever happens, we’re through being cool.

Interesting post by Krugman on Friday though, sourcing a bond trader’s blog. The trader thinks the treasury run is another ‘bubble’ about to burst. If that happens, dollar tanks, oil goes through the roof, we’re all pretty much screwed. Devolution working man blues.

[gandalf]

Yep, I’ll concede the point. ‘Contributing’ is probably a better word than ‘marginal’. Certainly not the principal factor. Here at home, GOP puts it out there like it was the deciding factor. Disinformation for political gain. That’s the issue I have (with it, and with them).

Agree. Petraeus’ leadership in Iraq has been great. Lord knows we need a better effort in Afghan/Pak. The Heritage Foundation comments were interesting to me. I don’t think he would have made them a year ago, as he definitely put some distance between himself and Bush/McCain orthodoxy. Comments about negotiating with enemies? Wow. I think the difference is now, Petraeus is standing squarely on successes in Iraq, firm ground, and also Bush the vindictive little politician is on his way out.

Am I beating a dead-horse? Yeah. I concede that one too. Obama/Biden are going to win. Damn! I feel super-boring now. I’ll have to switch to something more interesting.

What’s up with this credit crisis? You’re right, no good answers from the pols. I think dollar-run is explainable by relative long-term strengths of USA versus Euro and BRIC. Whatever happens, we’re through being cool.

Interesting post by Krugman on Friday though, sourcing a bond trader’s blog. The trader thinks the treasury run is another ‘bubble’ about to burst. If that happens, dollar tanks, oil goes through the roof, we’re all pretty much screwed. Devolution working man blues.

[gandalf]

Yep, I’ll concede the point. ‘Contributing’ is probably a better word than ‘marginal’. Certainly not the principal factor. Here at home, GOP puts it out there like it was the deciding factor. Disinformation for political gain. That’s the issue I have (with it, and with them).

Agree. Petraeus’ leadership in Iraq has been great. Lord knows we need a better effort in Afghan/Pak. The Heritage Foundation comments were interesting to me. I don’t think he would have made them a year ago, as he definitely put some distance between himself and Bush/McCain orthodoxy. Comments about negotiating with enemies? Wow. I think the difference is now, Petraeus is standing squarely on successes in Iraq, firm ground, and also Bush the vindictive little politician is on his way out.

Am I beating a dead-horse? Yeah. I concede that one too. Obama/Biden are going to win. Damn! I feel super-boring now. I’ll have to switch to something more interesting.

What’s up with this credit crisis? You’re right, no good answers from the pols. I think dollar-run is explainable by relative long-term strengths of USA versus Euro and BRIC. Whatever happens, we’re through being cool.

Interesting post by Krugman on Friday though, sourcing a bond trader’s blog. The trader thinks the treasury run is another ‘bubble’ about to burst. If that happens, dollar tanks, oil goes through the roof, we’re all pretty much screwed. Devolution working man blues.

[gandalf]

Yep, I’ll concede the point. ‘Contributing’ is probably a better word than ‘marginal’. Certainly not the principal factor. Here at home, GOP puts it out there like it was the deciding factor. Disinformation for political gain. That’s the issue I have (with it, and with them).

Agree. Petraeus’ leadership in Iraq has been great. Lord knows we need a better effort in Afghan/Pak. The Heritage Foundation comments were interesting to me. I don’t think he would have made them a year ago, as he definitely put some distance between himself and Bush/McCain orthodoxy. Comments about negotiating with enemies? Wow. I think the difference is now, Petraeus is standing squarely on successes in Iraq, firm ground, and also Bush the vindictive little politician is on his way out.

Am I beating a dead-horse? Yeah. I concede that one too. Obama/Biden are going to win. Damn! I feel super-boring now. I’ll have to switch to something more interesting.

What’s up with this credit crisis? You’re right, no good answers from the pols. I think dollar-run is explainable by relative long-term strengths of USA versus Euro and BRIC. Whatever happens, we’re through being cool.

Interesting post by Krugman on Friday though, sourcing a bond trader’s blog. The trader thinks the treasury run is another ‘bubble’ about to burst. If that happens, dollar tanks, oil goes through the roof, we’re all pretty much screwed. Devolution working man blues.

[gandalf]

Yep, I’ll concede the point. ‘Contributing’ is probably a better word than ‘marginal’. Certainly not the principal factor. Here at home, GOP puts it out there like it was the deciding factor. Disinformation for political gain. That’s the issue I have (with it, and with them).

Agree. Petraeus’ leadership in Iraq has been great. Lord knows we need a better effort in Afghan/Pak. The Heritage Foundation comments were interesting to me. I don’t think he would have made them a year ago, as he definitely put some distance between himself and Bush/McCain orthodoxy. Comments about negotiating with enemies? Wow. I think the difference is now, Petraeus is standing squarely on successes in Iraq, firm ground, and also Bush the vindictive little politician is on his way out.

Am I beating a dead-horse? Yeah. I concede that one too. Obama/Biden are going to win. Damn! I feel super-boring now. I’ll have to switch to something more interesting.

What’s up with this credit crisis? You’re right, no good answers from the pols. I think dollar-run is explainable by relative long-term strengths of USA versus Euro and BRIC. Whatever happens, we’re through being cool.

Interesting post by Krugman on Friday though, sourcing a bond trader’s blog. The trader thinks the treasury run is another ‘bubble’ about to burst. If that happens, dollar tanks, oil goes through the roof, we’re all pretty much screwed. Devolution working man blues.

[Allan from Fallbrook]

Gandalf: I don’t want to draw any overly strong parallels here, but there are certain aspects to this crisis that remind me of the 1930s and more from a political standpoint than an economic one.

I fear a return/retreat to the sort of strident nationalism that became so pervasive during the Great Depression and led us ultimately into WWII.

Putin is already ahead of the curve in his exhortations to the Russians to remember their grand history and his willingness to use military force to make a point is worrisome.

Even more worrisome would be how far the US would go to retain our primacy in the world. We have the world’s most powerful military and have enjoyed our own version of “Splendid Isolation” for decades. We have plentiful natural resources, including energy and are sitting on the biggest pile of gold bullion on the planet.

Do we exercise good judgment, fiscal prudence and restraint or do we go all NASCAR on everybody? I hope for the former and fear the latter.

[Allan from Fallbrook]

Gandalf: I don’t want to draw any overly strong parallels here, but there are certain aspects to this crisis that remind me of the 1930s and more from a political standpoint than an economic one.

I fear a return/retreat to the sort of strident nationalism that became so pervasive during the Great Depression and led us ultimately into WWII.

Putin is already ahead of the curve in his exhortations to the Russians to remember their grand history and his willingness to use military force to make a point is worrisome.

Even more worrisome would be how far the US would go to retain our primacy in the world. We have the world’s most powerful military and have enjoyed our own version of “Splendid Isolation” for decades. We have plentiful natural resources, including energy and are sitting on the biggest pile of gold bullion on the planet.

Do we exercise good judgment, fiscal prudence and restraint or do we go all NASCAR on everybody? I hope for the former and fear the latter.

[Allan from Fallbrook]

Gandalf: I don’t want to draw any overly strong parallels here, but there are certain aspects to this crisis that remind me of the 1930s and more from a political standpoint than an economic one.

I fear a return/retreat to the sort of strident nationalism that became so pervasive during the Great Depression and led us ultimately into WWII.

Putin is already ahead of the curve in his exhortations to the Russians to remember their grand history and his willingness to use military force to make a point is worrisome.

Even more worrisome would be how far the US would go to retain our primacy in the world. We have the world’s most powerful military and have enjoyed our own version of “Splendid Isolation” for decades. We have plentiful natural resources, including energy and are sitting on the biggest pile of gold bullion on the planet.

Do we exercise good judgment, fiscal prudence and restraint or do we go all NASCAR on everybody? I hope for the former and fear the latter.

[Allan from Fallbrook]

Gandalf: I don’t want to draw any overly strong parallels here, but there are certain aspects to this crisis that remind me of the 1930s and more from a political standpoint than an economic one.

I fear a return/retreat to the sort of strident nationalism that became so pervasive during the Great Depression and led us ultimately into WWII.

Putin is already ahead of the curve in his exhortations to the Russians to remember their grand history and his willingness to use military force to make a point is worrisome.

Even more worrisome would be how far the US would go to retain our primacy in the world. We have the world’s most powerful military and have enjoyed our own version of “Splendid Isolation” for decades. We have plentiful natural resources, including energy and are sitting on the biggest pile of gold bullion on the planet.

Do we exercise good judgment, fiscal prudence and restraint or do we go all NASCAR on everybody? I hope for the former and fear the latter.

[Allan from Fallbrook]

Gandalf: I don’t want to draw any overly strong parallels here, but there are certain aspects to this crisis that remind me of the 1930s and more from a political standpoint than an economic one.

I fear a return/retreat to the sort of strident nationalism that became so pervasive during the Great Depression and led us ultimately into WWII.

Putin is already ahead of the curve in his exhortations to the Russians to remember their grand history and his willingness to use military force to make a point is worrisome.

Even more worrisome would be how far the US would go to retain our primacy in the world. We have the world’s most powerful military and have enjoyed our own version of “Splendid Isolation” for decades. We have plentiful natural resources, including energy and are sitting on the biggest pile of gold bullion on the planet.

Do we exercise good judgment, fiscal prudence and restraint or do we go all NASCAR on everybody? I hope for the former and fear the latter.

[gandalf]

Yeah, me too. Big-time. Bad economy opens the door to mob democracy and populism. And eventually war. What’s that Lewis quote? When facism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.

The mistake is thinking it’s a ‘leftist’ mob. It’s been fermenting on the right for a couple of decades now, aided and abetted by right-wing opinion makers and politicians — truly anti-American.

Real republicans are starting to realize this too, and seem to be stepping in to keep the wheels from coming off the bus. Establishment is finally reading the tea leaves. McCain campaign crowds last week were just remarkable.

Let us all take care, respect our history and traditions. Hard times ahead and we’re in the midst of a political war with extremists within our own country. May the moderates prevail.

[gandalf]

Yeah, me too. Big-time. Bad economy opens the door to mob democracy and populism. And eventually war. What’s that Lewis quote? When facism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.

The mistake is thinking it’s a ‘leftist’ mob. It’s been fermenting on the right for a couple of decades now, aided and abetted by right-wing opinion makers and politicians — truly anti-American.

Real republicans are starting to realize this too, and seem to be stepping in to keep the wheels from coming off the bus. Establishment is finally reading the tea leaves. McCain campaign crowds last week were just remarkable.

Let us all take care, respect our history and traditions. Hard times ahead and we’re in the midst of a political war with extremists within our own country. May the moderates prevail.

[gandalf]

Yeah, me too. Big-time. Bad economy opens the door to mob democracy and populism. And eventually war. What’s that Lewis quote? When facism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.

The mistake is thinking it’s a ‘leftist’ mob. It’s been fermenting on the right for a couple of decades now, aided and abetted by right-wing opinion makers and politicians — truly anti-American.

Real republicans are starting to realize this too, and seem to be stepping in to keep the wheels from coming off the bus. Establishment is finally reading the tea leaves. McCain campaign crowds last week were just remarkable.

Let us all take care, respect our history and traditions. Hard times ahead and we’re in the midst of a political war with extremists within our own country. May the moderates prevail.

[gandalf]

Yeah, me too. Big-time. Bad economy opens the door to mob democracy and populism. And eventually war. What’s that Lewis quote? When facism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.

The mistake is thinking it’s a ‘leftist’ mob. It’s been fermenting on the right for a couple of decades now, aided and abetted by right-wing opinion makers and politicians — truly anti-American.

Real republicans are starting to realize this too, and seem to be stepping in to keep the wheels from coming off the bus. Establishment is finally reading the tea leaves. McCain campaign crowds last week were just remarkable.

Let us all take care, respect our history and traditions. Hard times ahead and we’re in the midst of a political war with extremists within our own country. May the moderates prevail.

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