Tag Archives: Barack Obama

Economics: Tobacco Road Style

Posted on March 14, 2012 | 2 comments

 

We are less than a day away from The Tournament.  3 glorious weeks.

And here, in all it’s simplicity, is an exercise in supply and demand.

Go Obama!  Go Heels!

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Posted in Economics, Fun

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When They Say “The Do Nothing Congress” Remember They Are Talking About Democrats

Posted on March 9, 2012 | 4 comments

The price of gas is goin’ nuts.  Jobs are only barely beginning to come back.  We need help in both arenas.  We need more and more stable sources of oil.  We need to reduce the amount of oil that we obtain from unstable sources and increase the amount of oil that we obtain from stable ones.

We need to rely on Canada, on Mexico.  We need to rely more on ourselves.

And when we can accomplish that with the added benefit of creating jobs, all the better.

But the DNC won’t allow it.

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Posted in Elections 2012, Energy, Environment, Politics: National

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The Price Of Gas: What Can We Do

Posted on March 7, 2012 | 7 comments

Obama is faced with rising gasoline prices.  And as we head into an election year he is going to be asked what he’s gonna do about it.  His answer, I suspect, is that there is little a President can do to influence the price of gasoline.  The market dictates the price and that market is fed by the forces of supply and demand.

And, because it IS an election year, he’s going to demonize the “oil speculators” and claim that they are getting rich while the middle class is getting hammered.  Count on it.

But is that the real story?  Is it fair to let Obama skate on this issue so easily?

No.

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Posted in Economics, Energy

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Obama And Netanyahu: What Obama Should Say

Posted on March 5, 2012 | Leave a comment

Right now, the President of the United States of America is meeting with Israel’s Binyamin Netanyahu.  These two world leaders are going to discuss how they will act and react to Iran’s growing nuclear threat.

Here are some thoughts on what Obama should say:

Our nation has been involved in 2 wars for the better part of 10 tears.  We entered Iraq and Afghanistan with clear, measurable and smart goals; disrupt the Taliban in Afghan and topple Saddam in Iraq.  In both cases I supported the action and in both cases we achieved our goal.  Sadly, in both cases we failed to win the “after.”

And the horror of losing the after is a nightmare.

In Iran there is no such easy goal, rather some nebulous idea or gut reaction to an idea.  Iran getting nuclear technology.

It is my feeling that if we bomb them or if we don’t, the day will dawn with a nuclear Tehran.  The only thing that we can control is if we’ll endure another “after” or not.

Given that Iran will obtain the technology and the ability, the nations of the world must work to put calm, reasonable and stable nations in a position to influence a post-nuclear nation of Iran.  If this is done through technology sharing, better trade relations, sanctions or defensive military negotiations, so be it.

What we’ll know after the meeting and reporters report is more of what Obama DIDN’T say.  He will not commit to a strike.  Neither will he commit to supporting Israel if they strike.  Lastly, the President will not rule out military action.

This is a game of nerves based on posturing, threats and non-threats.  And in games like that, firm commitments are a dangerous play.

 

 

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Posted in Diplomacy, Politics: International

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America: Obama Too Liberal

Posted on February 28, 2012 | Leave a comment

We have a long way to go, but right now, Barack Obama is fighting a trend:

After 3 years of President Obama America thinks the man is too Liberal.

Four years ago,” the poll said, “when Gallup first asked this question about Obama while he was competing for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination…37% said his views were too liberal, compared with today’s 51%.

That’s a move of 14% points.  In raw % moved, that’s 37%.

And the REAL interesting point is that more Americans [51%] feel Obama is too liberal than feel Santorum [38%] or ROmney [33] is too conservative.  Obama is more liberal than Santorum is conservative.

And Rick Santorum is C-R-A-Z-Y wrong in a whole bunch of areas.

And the number that must make us all scratch our heads?

Santorum scores the highest on “about right” between the three of them.

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Posted in Elections 2012, Politics: National

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Bill O’Reilly: Wrong On Gas Prices

Posted on February 27, 2012 | 10 comments

 

Bill O’Reilly has launched a pretty big offensive regarding the price of gasoline.  He’s been on air several times extolling the administration to get ahead of the situation and take a leadership role.  Personally, I’m not sure that Obama has  had much influence on the price of gasoline today.  Prices are high today not because of supply and demand, policies where Obama is clearly wrong, but because of the tension in the Middle East.  Specifically with Iran.

Given the nature of the world market there is no wonder that gasoline prices are going up.  And fast.

But O’Reilly loses me on his solutions.

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Posted in Economy, Energy, Government, Liberty, Politics: International, Politics: National, Republicans Can Be Leftists Too

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Cars Are Not Airplanes And Other Things That Are True

Posted on February 26, 2012 | 7 comments

So, I have to tell you how hard it was to resist the temptation to go down the obvious post title on this one.

It was really really hard.

There, now ya know.

But really, cars and airplanes are not strictly the same thing.  And, for that matter, neither is the making of cars and the flying of airplanes the same thing either.  However, companies that make cars and companies that fly airplanes ARE kinda the same.  Same in enough ways that they make for useful comparisons.

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Posted in Economics, Economy, Elections 2012, Government, Politics: National

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Are You Smarter Than A Three Year Old: Inequality and fairness

Posted on February 23, 2012 | 5 comments

It’s no secret Obama is going to bang the “It’s not fair” drum this election.  Hell, he’s been bangin’ it since LAST election.  He’s continually calling for the rich to “pay their fair share.”  He can’t rub two speeches together without mentioning that everyone should play by the same rules.  Even more, he continues to claim that the richest among us have been doing exceptionally well in the economy while the rest of us are seeing wages stagnate for the last 30 years.

Don’t forget that it isn’t true:

 The claim that the standard of living of middle Americans has stagnated over the past generation is common. An accompanying assertion is that virtually all income growth over the past three decades bypassed middle America and accrued almost entirely to the rich.

The findings reported here—and summarized in Chart 8—refute those claims.  Careful analysis shows that the incomes of most types of middle American households have increased substantially over the past three decades.

So if it isn’t true, why does Obama continue to bang this drum?

Because he thinks that we think it’s true.

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Posted in Economy, GINI, Middle Class, Politics: National

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George Stephanopoulus And Condoms: Chance

Posted on February 21, 2012 | 14 comments

In a debate held several weeks ago, George Stephanopoulus really zeroed in on Mitt Romney for an answer to the question:

“Could a state ban contraception?”

Romney, sensing the trap, declined to answer.

George didn’t stop-anopoulus.  He kept right on going,  Going to the point that the audience boo’ed him.

My question to you:

Was this a precursor to the whole fabricated women’s health initiative initiated by Obama?  Are they singing from the same hymnal?

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Posted in Elections 2012, Politics: National

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The Limits Of Government Power

Posted on February 16, 2012 | 4 comments

In the last 6 years, the government has done stuff that leaves me wondering if there is a  limit to what it can do.

For example, we see bills such as the Patriot Act passed into law that really push the limits on government intrusion.  If they can do “that”, what can’t they do?

Then there were the wars in foreign nations.  If we can just do “that”, is there any thing that we can’t do?

Then TARP, TARP II and the bailout of the car companies.

All of which leads us to Obamacare and the preventative care mandate.

What can’t they do?

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Posted in Government, Health Care, Liberty, Politics: National

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