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  • Originally posted by astralis View Post
    guys- no personal insults please.
    Aw come on Asty, let the guys play a little.

    This is why I love WAB

    No "f*ck you, you're delusional!" or "back to you a**hole!"

    Even the insults are civilized. :)

    Comment


    • Originally posted by Toby View Post
      Go duck yourself spanner
      And Toby busts up my post even as I typed it...LoL.
      Last edited by YellowFever; 16 Jan 17,, 22:34.

      Comment


      • Originally posted by YellowFever View Post
        And Toby busts up my post even as I typed it...LoL.
        Sorry... but what a nob ..ed! Not you yellow
        Last edited by Toby; 16 Jan 17,, 22:39.

        Comment


        • Originally posted by citanon View Post
          My thoughts are let's wait until he actually gets in office and see what he actually does.

          I agree, but will stay alert and prepared to resist any moves on his part that threaten our basic institutions. Beware if he starts saying the ends justify the means.

          It's oddly refreshing that we have in him a leader who says out loud what he thinks as opposed to leaders who say the right thing in public while suppressing what they really think. It's troubling that he has those thoughts in the first place. In no way does this openness redeem his naivete on domestic and international issues. Like you say, we'll see what happens after the Inauguration. I have noticed, however, that his public statements and tweets, while still rancorous, show tiny signs that he is learning. In his return fire on Rep Lewis, he ended by asking Lewis for help with urban troubles. A small thing, but telling. Then, today, he issued a nice tribute to MLK and had a meeting with MLK III. Kushner's advice?


          But I don't think he'll ever let his Twitter account grow cold. He learned at a young age that hard retaliation throws people off their game, and in later years he learned from Roy Cohen that he best defense is an outsized, audacious offense works.
          To be Truly ignorant, Man requires an Education - Plato

          Comment


          • Originally posted by JAD_333 View Post
            I agree, but will stay alert and prepared to resist any moves on his part that threaten our basic institutions. Beware if he starts saying the ends justify the means.

            It's oddly refreshing that we have in him a leader who says out loud what he thinks as opposed to leaders who say the right thing in public while suppressing what they really think. It's troubling that he has those thoughts in the first place. In no way does this openness redeem his naivete on domestic and international issues. Like you say, we'll see what happens after the Inauguration. I have noticed, however, that his public statements and tweets, while still rancorous, show tiny signs that he is learning. In his return fire on Rep Lewis, he ended by asking Lewis for help with urban troubles. A small thing, but telling. Then, today, he issued a nice tribute to MLK and had a meeting with MLK III. Kushner's advice?


            But I don't think he'll ever let his Twitter account grow cold. He learned at a young age that hard retaliation throws people off their game, and in later years he learned from Roy Cohen that he best defense is an outsized, audacious offense works.
            Major Like.

            I took great joy in this election, not because Trump won but because the Democrats (or more specifically, Hillary) lost.

            And despite how I must sound like defending Trump, I do have major reservations on how he will perform in office.

            But I agree 100% with what Steve said in the other thread :


            The checks and balances remain in place. Our political process, alone, makes near impossible enacting sweeping, radical legislation quickly. Advise and consent still rules and the net effect is to dampen mavericks who won't play by those rules.

            I'm counting on those institutions and processes neutering Trump's worst efforts. Still, this is going to be some seriously weird sh!t for the next four years.


            I believe in our system and even if Trump fucks up majorly (a pretty even bet I think) and turns out to be worse than our resident Democrats predict, we'll still be OK.

            I also think it's a good thing that a maverick comes along once in awhile to yank the chains of those career politicans.
            Last edited by YellowFever; 17 Jan 17,, 00:41.

            Comment


            • Originally posted by YellowFever View Post

              And despite how I must sound like defending Trump, I do have major reservations on how he will perform in office.

              But I agree 100% with what Steve said in the other thread :


              The checks and balances remain in place. Our political process, alone, makes near impossible enacting sweeping, radical legislation quickly. Advise and consent still rules and the net effect is to dampen mavericks who won't play by those rules.

              I'm counting on those institutions and processes neutering Trump's worst efforts. Still, this is going to be some seriously weird sh!t for the next four years.

              YF

              I'm somewhere in there with you. But I didn't vote for him because I felt his lifestyle and business ethics were a poor example for the upcoming generation. When you compare his leadership style to those of great leaders, like Washington, Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, and FDR you realize how deficient he is, at least going in.

              But he'll be our president, and on day one he deserves our support. On day 2, who knows.

              It will be interesting at first to watch this odd man operate, much like it was interesting to watch our first black president operate, and if I may add, Obama comported himself extremely well throughout as a family man and a boss.

              Now that Trump's going to be our president, I want him to succeed. Like you point out, just in case he goes rouge, we have the necessary institutional safeguards to check him.
              To be Truly ignorant, Man requires an Education - Plato

              Comment


              • Originally posted by JAD_333 View Post
                YF

                I'm somewhere in there with you. But I didn't vote for him because I felt his lifestyle and business ethics were a poor example for the upcoming generation. When you compare his leadership style to those of great leaders, like Washington, Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, and FDR you realize how deficient he is, at least going in.
                True...

                But then again, how many presidents did we have meeting those standards? :)

                As long as he doesn't blow up the world or...ummm...get to know interns on a carnal basis in the Oval Office, I'll be fine with it.

                I am not expecting much from him.

                As I said before he is a New York liberal and I guess the only thing I want from him is to submit somewhat conservative names to the judicial branch.

                I'll be fine with it if he does that and then have literal running gun battles with the members of congress for the next 4 years.



                But he'll be our president, and on day one he deserves our support. On day 2, who knows.
                Who knows indeed.

                On the other hand he could surprise me greatly and be only half as damaging to the USA as Barry was.


                It will be interesting at first to watch this odd man operate, much like it was interesting to watch our first black president operate, and if I may add, Obama comported himself extremely well throughout as a family man and a boss.
                Never said Barry was a bastard. And I wouldn't mind having a beer with the guy.

                But if a guy in the Oval Office can somehow....umm....Make America Great Again....I really don't mind if he's an asshole.



                Now that Trump's going to be our president, I want him to succeed. Like you point out, just in case he goes rouge, we have the necessary institutional safeguards to check him.
                About the only thing he did as President-Elect so far is piss off the Democrats and the press.

                Sure, Putin might be happy...but he, along with the rest of the world leaders are probably thinking what the hell he's going to do once he enters office.

                Obama, Clinton, Bush senior and junior were all known commodities.

                I really don't mind that our enemies AND allies are having to play guessing games with the new prez.
                Last edited by YellowFever; 17 Jan 17,, 08:42.

                Comment


                • Originally posted by YellowFever View Post
                  Major Like.
                  I believe in our system and even if Trump fucks up majorly (a pretty even bet I think) and turns out to be worse than our resident Democrats predict, we'll still be OK.
                  .
                  Part of me wishes that Trump does fucks up majorly, atleast so that Republicans face the consequences for electing such a buffoon to POTUS.

                  But then again, it wont be so pleasant for the rest of us, so I hope we get through the next four years without calamity.

                  Comment


                  • Originally posted by Toby View Post
                    but it's somehow strangely ok to trust Iran??
                    Sort of like trusting the USSR with SALT I and SALT II.
                    Trust me?
                    I'm an economist!

                    Comment


                    • JAD_333,

                      I’m not sure how “a healthy competition between progressives and conservatives for many years,” led you to early 19th century political conflicts, but I’ll accept the post-WWII ear. Healthy: nondestructive, supportive of national interests. Competition: differences of opinions, yet no denial that the other side is worthy.

                      But, discussing GOPer “resistance” to Obama’s policies without reference to the worst economic and financial crisis in 75 years makes it somehow seem OK to work against the national interests. It isn’t. It never was.


                      As for Obamacare, given that it was nothing more (and a bit less) than what GOPers had proposed in the past, the opposition is very hard to understand. Unless, of course, the opposition has nothing whatsoever to do with healthcare and everything to do with who gets the credit.

                      GOPers negotiated in bad faith. They had no intention of voting for Obamacare, regardless of what compromises were agreed upon. So, even though there was no single-payer plan, not a one of them voted for it.

                      Pelosi’s biggest failing was in not tearing up the compromise and going right back to the original draft. If the GOPers didn’t want to work with the Democrats, then they shouldn’t get any say in the outcome.


                      In a broader arena, I will agree that there is far more to conservative obstructionism than simply spite. There’s a deep desire to win power at whatever cost . . . what ever the cost. That’s the main difference between the two parties: Democrats, up until now, have not been willing to burn down the house in order to win.

                      In economics, the differences between Keynesian and Austrian policy preferences are not over-hyped. The entire European Union still-at-double-digit-unemployment-rates is wholly due to the Austrian-inspired austerity approach. The US and UK’s sub-5% rates, on the other hand, are Keynesian results.

                      I’m a macro-economist; this is what I do. So at least grant me a bit of respect in my field as I bow to other people’s superior knowledge and experience in, say, logistics or airframes.
                      Trust me?
                      I'm an economist!

                      Comment


                      • Originally posted by Skywatcher View Post
                        I didn't say anything about Obama, you nit. Are you really that dense, or one of those one ruble trolls?
                        The person you quoted obviously implied it.

                        Let me go back to what you said:

                        No to mention the suicidal gullibility of trusting Putin on anything.
                        American Presidents have signed deals with Russia/USSR with varying degrees of success over since the 40s. The most recent one was the last President. If you're someone thinking Trump is unique, then you're the one with ideas that are quite far removed from reality.



                        WRT to economic policy:
                        The correct response to economic recession is almost certainly the Keynesian one. Even viewpoints that we don't think of as Keynesian, like Milton Friedman, are using a lot of the same fundamental analysis. It's just a question of using fiscal stimulus vs. monetary stimulus.

                        I can respect not trusting massive government spending: tax cuts are just as effective according to Romer's research and gives government less ability to pick winners and losers. Plus, a lot of the infrastructure projects we want are not shovel-ready jobs, and when we try to expedite production and ignore environmental regulations, we get DAPL'd.
                        Using money to pay states not to lay off teachers is a political winner, but of questionable value.

                        But even if you are skeptical about fiscal stimulus, the Republican coalition hammered monetary stimulus and Ben Bernanke, too. This definitely ticked off Bernanke, and you can easily tell that from his memoir.

                        Then you have the nuts like Ron Paul who want gold. No thanks!
                        "The great questions of the day will not be settled by means of speeches and majority decisions but by iron and blood"-Otto Von Bismarck

                        Comment


                        • Originally posted by DOR View Post
                          Sort of like trusting the USSR with SALT I and SALT II.
                          Kind of different....in that religion wasn't a factor

                          Comment


                          • Originally posted by Toby View Post
                            Kind of different....in that religion wasn't a factor
                            It's stretches a reasonable assumption beyond the breaking point to assume that Islam is more important to Iran's leaders than their nation. Please provide evidence.
                            Trust me?
                            I'm an economist!

                            Comment


                            • Originally posted by DOR View Post
                              It's stretches a reasonable assumption beyond the breaking point to assume that Islam is more important to Iran's leaders than their nation. Please provide evidence.
                              Fair point.

                              Comment


                              • Originally posted by YellowFever View Post
                                Aw come on Asty, let the guys play a little.

                                This is why I love WAB

                                No "f*ck you, you're delusional!" or "back to you a**hole!"

                                Even the insults are civilized. :)
                                It is all fun and games, until someone hires 2 Russian prostitutes to pee in your bed.

                                Comment

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