Will Europe’s problems become our problems?

Yikes.

In recent months, I’ve begun to feel just a wee bit more optimistic about the economy, and the weekend shopping figures seem to justify that sentiment. Hiring seems to be picking up a bit as well. The biggest remaining obstacle to continued recovery would seem to be the ongoing economic problems in the Eurozone. If that challenge could be managed, we might be alright heading into 2012.

Unfortunately, numbers released last week revealed that new manufacturing orders in Europe had fallen by 6.4 percent, a decline comparable to the collapse of 2008. And what does this mean for those of us on this side of the Atlantic? How much protection does thousands of miles of ocean provide?

Tim Duy at Fed Watch compares how U.S. output has historically tracked that of Europe and concludes that Europe’s decline could have a serious impact here, and none of it good:

6a00d83451b33869e2015393b77059970b-pi

Of course, since this is all Barney Frank’s fault and has nothing to do with an international debt crisis driven by an historic spree of irresponsible lending and borrowing, it’s all going to get better now that Frank has announced his retirement.

So we’ve got that going for us. Which is nice.

– Jay Bookman


(H/t Kevin Drum)

246 comments Add your comment

Keep Up the Good Fight!

November 29th, 2011
8:22 am

But but there is still evillllllll Nancy and that Kenyan….

Jm

November 29th, 2011
8:24 am

Correlations does not imply causation

Europe’s problems will be ours because we’re racking up debt just like they did

It’s a bad idea and when will liberals wake up to the threat of debt

Bye Barney! :D

Lord Help Us

November 29th, 2011
8:25 am

Sorry Jay, the ‘Barney Frank/Fannie/Freddie/CRA’ narrative has already reached self-perpetuating status. It is ‘fact’ that is beyond beyond reproach.

Adam

November 29th, 2011
8:25 am

I love the final snark.

Seriously though I am a little worried. Especially if the payroll tax cut doesn’t get extended. Emotional reaction to such changes can cause harm to the economy too.

Keep Up the Good Fight!

November 29th, 2011
8:26 am

It really is a shame that the Republicans wasted billions and billions on a war that was not needed and the Bush tax cuts (and the secret Bush $7.7 trillion bailout of the banks). Instead of fights over the stupidity of “no new taxes”, the government would have some ability to really help this economy.

Midori

November 29th, 2011
8:29 am

RB from Gwinnett

November 29th, 2011
8:29 am

“and has nothing to do with an international debt crisis driven by an historic spree of irresponsible lending and borrowing”

You mean it wasn’t Bush’s bad economic policy, Jay? Are you calling Obama a liar?

Lord Help Us

November 29th, 2011
8:29 am

I wish Reagan hadn’t ‘taught us that deficits don’t matter…’

Granny Godzilla

November 29th, 2011
8:29 am

Only if we allow our own conservatives to force the sames kinds of cuts and austerity programs that Europe has put on place.

As Europe continues its slide, the effects are sure to be felt in the United States, where the threat of a recession in 2012 is now greater than 50 percent. “It is not something that we would be insulated from,” Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said last week. “I don’t think we would be able to escape the consequences of a blow-up in Europe.”

But even with evidence that austerity is wreaking havoc on European economies, American policymakers remain intent on following that lead. But chasing Europe down the austerity hole is only ensuring that the U.S. will experience another “great recession,” according to economists surveyed by Politico:

“To engage in austerity right now would be a great mistake,” insisted Desmond Lachman, an economist with the conservative American Enterprise Institute. “It would push the economy into a great recession.” [...]

“We need to learn from the European recessions,” said David Walker, former comptroller general of the United States, “and structure our own program” accordingly. He, too, said he considers large, near-term budget cuts potentially disastrous. Walker and other experts said significant budget cuts are certainly necessary — eventually. But not now. [...]

“Austerity brings a cyclical contraction,” said Thomas Kleine-Brockhoff, a German who is senior director for strategy at the German Marshall Fund in Washington. “You can’t just slash. You also have to invest and reform.” In his view, U.S. politicians don’t seem to appreciate this because they hold “a dangerous philosophy of American exceptionalism, as if they were exempt from the rules of finance.”

Jm

November 29th, 2011
8:30 am

Typos above. Oh well…

Europe’s economy is indeed tied to ours. The banking system probably has the worst exposure. But America’s economy is not shackled to Europe’s.

Jm

November 29th, 2011
8:34 am

Granny. You should read what you cite.

The last guy is implicitly saying cutting IS necessary. But that you also have to make appropriate investments.

Let me translate for you: stop sending out government checks to people who don’t need them and invest in education and infrastructure

That means cutting entitlements. Something liberals are against.

Keep Up the Good Fight!

November 29th, 2011
8:35 am

Thanks Midori…. I forgot the 3d…… oops. ;)

stands for decibels

November 29th, 2011
8:35 am

Only if we allow our own conservatives to force the sames kinds of cuts and austerity programs that Europe has put on place.

Pretty much my take as well.

(Ok, I’d change “force” to “continue with” and fix that “sames” typo.)

Brosephus

November 29th, 2011
8:36 am

Only if we allow our own conservatives to force the sames kinds of cuts and austerity programs that Europe has put on place.

:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

So, while conservatives are actually proposing we be like Europeans, they’re accusing Obama of trying to turn America into something like Europe??? Wow, so the Obama trying to make us into a European socialist country is nothing more than guilty conscience talk….

Stevie Ray

November 29th, 2011
8:37 am

Jay,

You have been quite the prolific poster the past day and some change..are you trying to get out on vacation or can you simply not resist all the great material served up all over the globe? :-)

Great question for sure. Bush’s wars, Obama’s collossal spending sprees without any objective measureable return (no W-2’s but lot’s of conjecture about saved jobs). Assigning fault to any one individual seems nonsensical to me. I’ve concluded that Franks main fault is not different from any other in DC which is being part of the PERMANENT POLITICAL CLASS.

I do think at some point the Euro disaster will definitely affect us….that whole single currency thing kept them from the option of bet hedging…

kayaker 71

November 29th, 2011
8:38 am

This whole thing is Bush’s fault, no doubt…. cause Midori says so. The auricle has spoken, the fog has lifted and now all of us see the light. What a bunch of crap!!!

JKL2

November 29th, 2011
8:38 am

I thought we were supposed to try and become a good country like our european brethren? Why the sudden need to split?

I’m sure obama has a stimulus program for them. Free money for everyone!

Stevie Ray

November 29th, 2011
8:39 am

GRANNY,

In all seriousness, just how much more can we spend? We are running out of tax payers wouldn’t you agree? The fact that we are borrowing a larger % of annual spend each year speaks volumes…

Jimmy62

November 29th, 2011
8:40 am

Yeah, the US has borrowed too much for too long, we must cut spending! Glad you finally agree, Bookman!

However, if you think the US has solved its problems, you are nuts. All we’ve done is shovel dirt over the problems and prop things up. The administration is just praying their temporary fixes last long enough to get them reelected, then we’ll see the beginning of the real fall. We chose to bail out and cover up rather than deal with the problems. Those chickens will come home to roost.

JohnnyReb

November 29th, 2011
8:41 am

Europe’s problems are of course bad news for us, however, there is a more important story. The Euro was/is an attempt to prove the “collective” is better than the individual. Coupling countries via one currency and trying to manage all to a single outcome, the value of the Euro, is a veiled socialist experiment. Not surprising for Europe as with the exception of Germany and perhaps one or two other countries, the majority want more than they put in.

More troubling is the drive from the Left to make America like Europe. All encompassing, all caring, all nanny state. How many more examples will be needed before the Left realizes their idiology does not work? If the failed Euro drags the US into another recession or a depression, will that be enough? I doubt it.

Granny Godzilla

November 29th, 2011
8:43 am

Jm

I read what I posted Mr. Silly Pants!

You may have also, but the point flew way over your head.

Mick

November 29th, 2011
8:43 am

yaker

They said this real estate collapse had very long tentacles, it’s a shame that so few profitted at the expence of the world economy. Like I said before, this is going to take years to fix, no matter who is president. Right now, austerity is exactly the wrong medicine…

Paul

November 29th, 2011
8:44 am

Jay

“since this is all Barney Frank’s fault and has nothing to do with an international debt crisis driven by an historic spree of irresponsible lending and borrowing, it’s all going to get better now that Frank has announced his retirement.”

I like your blog so much better now that the analyses are of a caliber worthy of submission to The Journal of Foreign Affairs.

Brosephus

Our cons are really cost-cutting socialists.

RB from Gwinnett

“You mean it wasn’t Bush’s bad economic policy, Jay? ”

Think “Wall Street during the Bush Administration.”

http://www.cnbc.com/id/28977890/

jconservative

November 29th, 2011
8:44 am

In a bi-partisan move the Republican President, the Democratic controlled House and the Republican controlled Senate decided that we could cut government revenue, increase government spending and the deficits would go down and the national debt would disappear. The year? 1981.

Thirty years, and a $15 trillion national debt later, both Democrats and Republicans are pretending it did not happen.

Until both parties admit the historical fact, nothing will be done to resolve the problem.

Granny Godzilla

November 29th, 2011
8:44 am

Stevie Ray

“In all seriousness, just how much more can we spend?”

Back at ya’

“in all seriousness, just how much more can we cut?”

Stevie Ray

November 29th, 2011
8:45 am

The EUROZONE reminds me of any major league team…say the Braves or the proportion of taxes contributors and sponges. Sometimes you are the bug (Derek Lowe) and sometimes you are the windshield (Martin Prado).

The UK are looking quite brilliant.

Paul

November 29th, 2011
8:45 am

Lousy rotten liberals – yeah, kill all entitlements, like Social Security, Medicare, VA benefits, etc. Rid us of all socialist organizations – police, fire, schools, highway departments and the military. By all means, let’s get the same belt tightening going that Europe has – a couple months of vacation a year and huge pensions and such. And who needs a balanced approach to the debt crisis, anyway? When I was laid off we couldn’t increase our revenue either, so we just cut costs like food and housing.

Joe Hussein Mama

November 29th, 2011
8:46 am

RB — “and has nothing to do with an international debt crisis driven by an historic spree of irresponsible lending and borrowing”

“You mean it wasn’t Bush’s bad economic policy, Jay?”

Bush’s bad economic policy = an international debt crisis driven by an historic spree of irresponsible lending and borrowing

Remember, the war in Iraq was run off-budget. That was paid for on the national credit card. Shame we can’t take it back to the store for a refund or exchange.

Joe The Plumber too.

November 29th, 2011
8:46 am

poor jay, mourning the loss of one of his bedwetting heroes, but I’ll miss slobbering barney too. His soundbites from time time were downright funny, not screeching nancy funny but funny nonetheless. Why his getting upset and stomping his feet about this or that is just a notch below urkle with his little boy muscles flexing on that Florida beach talking about kicking somebodys butt….priceless. Oh well, cheer up jay, I’m sure the libs have the next clown waiting in the wings to fill barneys rather large shoes.

Joe Hussein Mama

November 29th, 2011
8:47 am

Jimmy62 — “Yeah, the US has borrowed too much for too long, we must cut spending! Glad you finally agree, Bookman!”

Liberals have been agreeing with this for a long time. The sticking point is revenue increases, which GOP lawmakers have largely refused to even consider.

Stevie Ray

November 29th, 2011
8:47 am

GRANNY,

What have we cut to date? We can increase revenue which seems like the right thing to do but it doesn’t seem to matter as we can’t raise enough revenue to offset deficit spending…we need economic recovery that no government can provide…..cyclical stuff so get used to this for the next few years…

Paul

November 29th, 2011
8:48 am

Stevie Ray

“Obama’s collossal spending sprees without any objective measureable return ”

http://blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2011/11/23/cbo-reports-stimulus-package-was-a-major-economic-success/

and, as has been noted, spending under Pres Obama has been pretty flat – right in line with Pres Bush’s spending.

http://blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2011/11/09/lets-examine-the-big-spending-obama-meme-a-little-closer/

stands for decibels

November 29th, 2011
8:49 am

So, while conservatives are actually proposing we be like Europeans, they’re accusing Obama of trying to turn America into something like Europe?

New here, are you?

Seriously, those of us who have been reading the econ geeks (Atrios, Krugthulu, et al) — it’s old hat by now.

Paul

November 29th, 2011
8:49 am

Paul 8:45

Same request from the previous thread this morning.

Please change your name.

Thanks,

Paul

Mick

November 29th, 2011
8:50 am

**I’m sure the libs have the next clown waiting in the wings to fill barneys rather large shoes.**

Yeah, maybe they should draft some republican presidential candidates, that’s the most elite clown parade around, a regular seven ring circus..

carlosgvv

November 29th, 2011
8:50 am

Global capitalism has now connected all of us by powerful strands of the same marketplace. The result is a free-running economic system that is reordering the world. In this new world order, what happens over there will most definitely affect what happens over here. There are no signs that this will go away anytime soon so, get used to it.

Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)

November 29th, 2011
8:51 am

Well, seems to me Europe is in trouble because it keeps shoveling money to Those People. Cut out all the welfare and get back to dog-eat-dog and they’ll be OK. We need to do the same. Whack SS big-time, get rid of paying people not to work, stop this Medicaid and food stamps, and give the defense budget about a 50% increase and we’ll get back on our feet. You can look it up, every country that wastes money paying Those People to have babys and lay around is in big trouble.

What we need is a big dose of Trickle Down. So let’s cut the taxes for the Job Creators, drill a oil well in everybody’s back yard and on all the beaches, burn coal till you can’t hardly see your hand in front of your face, and tax the heck out of people that don’t make alot of money. That’ll make ‘em go out and take two or three jobs just to keep from getting taxed to death. And if people don’t have money or a job it’s their own fault. We need the Flat Tax or the Fair Tax or any tax system that’ll push the tax burden down on the people that don’t pay much now.

See, I told you I’d get my Talking Points from Fox News. I’m loaded for bear. Have a good Tuesday everybody.

Joe The Plumber too.

November 29th, 2011
8:51 am

gee mickey, didn’t see that coming………..yawn

Granny Godzilla

November 29th, 2011
8:51 am

Stevie Ray

“What have we cut to date?”

How about 600,000 government workers?

kayaker 71

November 29th, 2011
8:52 am

So where do we get the money that Granny wants to spend? We are broke. Our debt equals or excels our GDP. Our GDP cannot increase until we put people back to work. More Chinese money? Yeah, that outta do it. What’s a few trillion here and there.
No one, yes no one, has ever spent themselves into prosperity. We cannot borrow ourselves into prosperity by spending borrowed money. Elementary economic stuff.

Joe Hussein Mama

November 29th, 2011
8:54 am

Redneck Convert — “get rid of paying people not to work”

So you’re saying we need a capital gains tax INCREASE, then.

Steve - USA

November 29th, 2011
8:55 am

Paul,

It might be easier to just change your name instead of always asking the other Paul to change his.

Richard

November 29th, 2011
8:55 am

What is the left’s plan for reducing the deficit? I really don’t understand. Tax increases and defense cuts? That won’t make up the difference. What do they think will happen when we are unable to continue paying our bills?

Mick

November 29th, 2011
8:55 am

Just saying good morning…bigger yawn

JF McNamara

November 29th, 2011
8:56 am

Jm,

“Correlations does not imply causation” – Yes, but sometimes the correlation and causation are linked. We live in a global economy, and we both import and export heavily to Europe. If they decline, we will too.

Lord Help Us

November 29th, 2011
8:57 am

‘What is the left’s plan for reducing the deficit?’

Mine is Simpson-Bowles…what is yours?

larry

November 29th, 2011
8:57 am

Its hilarious that people think they dont have a right to get back what they paid into. SS, Medicare , Medicaid, VA benefits , GI bill etc. etc. are benefits that people have paid into all of their working lives.

They are entitled to them. Raise taxes on millionares like they want. They even went to Capitol Hill to say so.

Paul

November 29th, 2011
8:58 am

Steve USA

There’s enough name-changing on this blog, already.

Paul

November 29th, 2011
8:58 am

good one, LHU

Stevie Ray

November 29th, 2011
9:00 am

GRANNY,

I truly didn’t know that…where were these cuts made?

PAUL,

Not sure which Paul referenced Jays 11/23 relative to Spending Spree success but did you consider the silly ranges offered by category? In context each was like saying the Falcons will win between 2 and 16 games this year. The standard deviation renders the argument dead on arrival. What the CBO is saying is that they don’t have any objective evidence so they offer a range. Actuarially speaking, if I went to my clients and suggested they book a convervative ..04 percent or 2.6% whatever they liked, I doubt my invoices would get paid…How funny is that?

Paul

November 29th, 2011
9:02 am

larry

Military do not pay any $$$ contribution for VA benefits during their military time, nor do they (I think) pay anything toward the post 9/11 GI Bill.

Stevie Ray

November 29th, 2011
9:04 am

KAYAKER,

Well said…

LORD,

I’m with you on the Simpson Bowles…too bad it didn’t serve the special interests of both parties which is the only way anything gets passed. I read in Washington Post yesterday that K STREET is expecting huge windfall from failure of POOPER COMMITTEE…Do you know they actually have lobbyist engaged specifically to prevent defense base closures?

USMC

November 29th, 2011
9:04 am

“Right now, austerity is exactly the wrong medicine…”–Mick

Unbelievable the lack of intelligence!
Let’s keep spending MORE money that we DON’T have, that sounds like a logical fix to our economic problems. LOL!

Must have had a late night at the Union Hall with his drinking buddies. LOL! :-)

Jm

November 29th, 2011
9:05 am

Steve USA bingo. Paul. Add a letter or something. Or get original and creative. :)

JF M. I don’t entirely disagree. Our economies are linked. The question is whether it is a weak or strong link. I personally think European decline does not dictate that America must decline as well.

Paul

November 29th, 2011
9:06 am

Stevie Ray

That was me – the original.

Standard deviation doesn’t render it doa – the ranges just show the level of uncertainty. If anything, it makes the data more credible as it shows the variation. It’s like a stock broker saying ‘based on historical average, you’ll get a return of 8.5%” vs “you can realistically expect to get losses some years and 12% other years.”

"Banned" so you must not be reading this :P

November 29th, 2011
9:06 am

Enter your comments here

Granny Godzilla

November 29th, 2011
9:06 am

barking frog

November 29th, 2011
9:06 am

All their other problems have always been our problems, why should
their economic problems be any different? They should switch from the
Euro to the Dollar.

Jm

November 29th, 2011
9:07 am

JFM

I also think it is highly likely that they are more linked to us than we are to them. Excluding the banking system. It’s a question also of who might be towing whom on a net basis.

Paul

November 29th, 2011
9:09 am

Will Europe’s problems affect us?

Sure. Just like our immoral bundling of bogus ‘good’ securities helped them crash.

Other question is, how much are we going to contribute to Europe to weather this?

Manchurian-Kenyan Candidate

November 29th, 2011
9:10 am

Still quite busy these days making gobs of money…..don’t get on this blog as often as I used to. Funny how all the sheeples are crying about how bad the economy is, can’t put food on the table, make ends meet, blah, blah, blah……and we’ve had the best Black Friday and Cyber Monday in years…..ha ha ha

I guess they figure Uncle Obama is gonna pay for it anyways…..so more flat screen TV’s with my welfare checks!!!

Normal

November 29th, 2011
9:10 am

Good morning all y’all.

It seems to me that since all of Europe is Socialist/Communist, that to solve this problem, all of the countries should just nationalize their financial systems, execute all all of the CEO’s, reset the balance back to zero and then carry on with no more financial problems. Socialist/Kenyan Obama could then follow suit and the world would live in financial bliss forever….cue ” We Are The World”. :)

barking frog

November 29th, 2011
9:11 am

Just because there has never been a Secretary General
of the United Nations from North America is not a reason to
refuse to appoint Bill Clinton to the position. The World
economy would then come back.

Doggone/GA

November 29th, 2011
9:11 am

The other “Paul” – name jacking is one way to get banned from Jay’s blog. You are using the same name as a long-time poster here. That is name jacking. I suggest you take his advice and change your name before Jay catches up with you.

Jm

November 29th, 2011
9:13 am

Stevie

Granny is making that up, at least at the federal level. At the federal level, no job cuts

Stevie Ray

November 29th, 2011
9:13 am

GRANNY,

Can you find the actual numbers of jobs lost or added at Federal Government level since 2007? All I could find is that most of those jobs lost (see attached) were state and local governments..perhaps I’m missing something. My source is Harry Reid who I suppose you support?

http://blog.heritage.org/2011/10/19/forget-the-facts-reid-says-private-sector-employment-is-just-fine/

Mick

November 29th, 2011
9:14 am

usmc

Hey gomer, keep singing that lousy tune of yours. I raarely drink, and never on a monday nite. sometimes you have to spend money to make money, you know what I mean?

Mary Elizabeth

November 29th, 2011
9:14 am

For an analysis of why financial solvency is failing in Europe and it why it may go wrong in America, I recommend this article by Paul Krugman, posted 11/21/11 in the NY Times (Those who have bias against Krugman should, especially, read this article, entitled, “Boring, Cruel Euro Romantics.”):

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/21/opinion/boring-cruel-euro-romantics.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Excerpts from Krugman’s article:

“Let me single out in particular the European Central Bank (E.C.B.), which is supposed to be the ultimate technocratic institution, and which has been especially notable for taking refuge in fantasy as things go wrong. Last year, for example, the bank affirmed its belief in the confidence fairy — that is, the claim that budget cuts in a depressed economy will actually promote expansion, by raising business and consumer confidence. Strange to say, that hasn’t happened anywhere.

“So am I against technocrats? Not at all. I like technocrats — technocrats are friends of mine. And we need technical expertise to deal with our economic woes.

“But our discourse is being badly distorted by ideologues and wishful thinkers — boring, cruel romantics — pretending to be technocrats. And it’s time to puncture their pretensions.”

Paul

November 29th, 2011
9:16 am

Mary Elizabeth

USinUK’s been giving us first-hand accounts of the real, not theoretical, results of austerity in England for some time now.

Theory vs reality. Again.

Midori

November 29th, 2011
9:20 am

I see much like jm, Kayaker is begging for attention.

Stevie Ray

November 29th, 2011
9:21 am

GRANNY,

Helpful link. I’m only concerned with Federal jobs which your article suggests were 13% of total (78,000 by my math)..I’m wondering if the increases in wages at Federal level has more than offset this reduction in headcount??

Midori

November 29th, 2011
9:21 am

Hi Paul (the cool one, that is) :)

Recon 0311 2533

November 29th, 2011
9:22 am

Europe’s problem is a result of debt same as ours. Fitch just downgraded us because the debt commission failed should we fail to do something significant over the next year the other credit rating agencies will downgrade our credit rating and we’ll be in serious trouble. With a do nothing president whose more concerned about campaigning against congress as his re-election strategy the likelyhood of anything significant being accomplished is very slim.

Jm

November 29th, 2011
9:22 am

Midori
U don’t see much.

Paul

November 29th, 2011
9:22 am

Good Morning, Midori!!!

Said g’night last night, but you’d already gone off to slumberland.

Stevie Ray

November 29th, 2011
9:25 am

MARYLIZ,

I have found economist’s come in all flavors none of which I find credible in the long term as they have zero accountability and an no less partisan that most on this blog.

Check out my definition of ECONOMY: “Purchasing a barrel of whiskey that you do not need for the price of the cow you can’t afford”.

Midori

November 29th, 2011
9:25 am

I see you picking your nose again

Paul – saw that this morning but the thread had already died, so I thought I’d catch up with you on the new thread :)

Mary Elizabeth

November 29th, 2011
9:26 am

Paul @ 9:16

We have lots of work to do in busting the pretensions of that “romantic” ideology right here in the U.S.A. – that tax cuts and austerity are always “good” for the economy before we drive ourselves over the brink into a Depression.

Just as USinUK shared with me over the past weekend, “We got trouble – right here in River City” and we need to state what that trouble is over and over and over again until some of the Romantic Purists, like Grover Norquist and his flock, catch on. In other words, as Krugman says, “It’s time to puncture their (ideological) pretensions.” WAY past time!

Granny Godzilla

November 29th, 2011
9:27 am

Stevie Ray

Yes, I probably could if I felt like doing the legwork for you.

Oh and Stevie

Jm says, “Granny is making that up, at least at the federal level. At the federal level, no job cuts”

Which is in direct opposition to what the Fact Check I linked to states.

Your pick – vitriolic partisan blog spammer or fact check?

Soothsayer

November 29th, 2011
9:27 am

What many people don’t realize is that Europe’s problems are very much like ours. A lot of mortgages were made that probably shouldn’t have which led to a speculative housing bubble.

Just like us, millions of people have defaulted on their mortgages leaving the banks (or holders of MBSs) holding the bag.

The real difference between the U.S. and the Europe is that we “printed” $7,700,000,000,000.00 and gave it to our insolvent banks, while the Eurozone cannot, at present, do that.

What they’re doing right now, as we speak, is trying to figure out a way for the ECB (European Central Bank) to print Euros, while at the same time giving Brussels the authority to control the economies of the so-called PIIGS countries.

While this may solve the liquidity problem, it does not bode well for the Eurozone long term as terrible inflation will likely result.

Mick

November 29th, 2011
9:29 am

recon

Don’t forget to mention the do nothing congress we have, especially the house which is controlled by ? God only knows…

Stevie Ray

November 29th, 2011
9:34 am

GRANNY,

On a federal level your data is weak…78,000 jobs but likely offset by compensation trends….I don’t really care about state and local reductions which are generally driven by many state laws to balance budgets…what a concept.

Recon 0311 2533

November 29th, 2011
9:36 am

Spending our way back to economic stability is an ideological myth. Paul Krugman is the lefts darling make believe economist but he offers nothing but left wing ideology with very little substance.

RB from Gwinnett

November 29th, 2011
9:38 am

“Bush’s bad economic policy = an international debt crisis driven by an historic spree of irresponsible lending and borrowing”

Joe, the borrowing and lending referenced in the story is between banks and people, not between the federal government and China. That borrowing problem is a result of a SPENDING problem, not a lending problem.

Might be a good idea to figure out the difference before you post any more opinions.

Brosephus

November 29th, 2011
9:38 am

dB @ 8:49

I was being just a wee bit tongue-in-cheek. :)

Not sure if those that I read qualify as Econ geeks, but I’ve been reading on that for a while myself. Seems that it would almost be common sense though.

Paul @ 8:44

:lol:

jcon @ 8:44

Good luck on having much mutual agreement on that one. Some will deny it like Peter even after the rooster crows his head off.

USMC

November 29th, 2011
9:40 am

“Hey gomer, keep singing that lousy tune of yours. I raarely drink, and never on a monday nite. sometimes you have to spend money to make money, you know what I mean?”–Mick

Hey Mick,

So spending money that we DON’T have on welfare and other entitlements is going to MAKE us money??? Interesting concept. We’ll take your word for it.

Welcome to the Occupation

November 29th, 2011
9:43 am

Richard: “What is the left’s plan for reducing the deficit? ”

The plan? Massive forgiveness of debts. Mortgages, student loans, you name it. Get the people out from under water.

Temporary bankrupting and nationalization of the banks.

THAT will renew our financial and economic systems — the ’social contract’ if you will — and in turn allow for growth to return.

Mary Elizabeth

November 29th, 2011
9:47 am

Krugman had enough substance to win the Nobel Prize for Economics, and while some may even mock that achievement, it stands.

Problems aren’t sovled until the deepest element of the problem is looked, square on, and our current economic problems have been building for decades – based on valuing greed. That greed became reflected in our economy, as demonstrated when the greed inherent in the housing market bubble finally burst.

More Krugman:

“And the things they demand on behalf of their romantic visions are often cruel, involving huge sacrifices from ordinary workers and families. But the fact remains that those visions are driven by dreams about the way things should be rather than by a cool assessment of the way things really are.

“And to save the world economy we must topple these dangerous romantics from their pedestals.

“Let’s start with the creation of the euro. If you think that this was a project driven by careful calculation of costs and benefits, you have been misinformed.”

Joe Hussein Mama

November 29th, 2011
9:48 am

RB — ““Bush’s bad economic policy = an international debt crisis driven by an historic spree of irresponsible lending and borrowing”

“Joe, the borrowing and lending referenced in the story is between banks and people, not between the federal government and China.”

Shrug. Your question seemed to answer itself in the matter that you posted.

“That borrowing problem is a result of a SPENDING problem, not a lending problem.”

If financial institutions make bad lending decisions, then such a borrowing problem is most assuredly a lending problem, regardless of whether the borrowers are individuals, businesses or nations.

“Might be a good idea to figure out the difference before you post any more opinions.”

Might be a good idea to check your posts before you answer your own questions in the future.

USMC

November 29th, 2011
9:48 am

“Don’t forget to mention the do nothing congress we have, especially the house which is controlled by ? God only knows…”–Mick

It looks like the “DO NOTHING” Democrats are finally getting out of the way…

Frank 17th House Democrat to announce retirement
http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/house-races/195629-frank-17th-house-democrat-to-announce-retirement

Mick

November 29th, 2011
9:50 am

usmc

They don’t call you guys jarheads for nothing! I was referring to infrastructure. Welfare? It’s a mess, so I’d rather be spending the money having people doing some work for a paycheck, you know bring back the wpa or ccc anything for people to get up, work, and get a check…

getalife

November 29th, 2011
9:50 am

Bailout after bailout and the people are hitting the streets.

All hell will break loose and I feel fine.

barking frog

November 29th, 2011
9:50 am

The Oil Nations have Trillions of dollars chasing a safe haven
with a fair return…can affect the world economy good or bad..

Stevie Ray

November 29th, 2011
9:50 am

MARY ELIZ

Yes, Krugman won NOBEL prize but the award for economics has been bestowed upon those who are from both sides of liberal/conservative policy.

Also, since GORE and OBAMA got NOBELS as well (first for what will prove to be hoax and latter for …..well getting elected i guess) I think the Nobels should go back to dynamite manufacturing..

barking frog

November 29th, 2011
9:52 am

Stevie Ray 9:50 Din-O-Miiite!!!!!!

St Simons - we're on Island time

November 29th, 2011
9:53 am

Not so much now, but by 2016 when we, as always, come dragging
up the rear in joining IFRS, we & our banking/accounting/Financial
reporting systems become more uniform and intertwined, we will be
linked to whatever goes on in the world.

The difference is, these are planned/managed economies, managed
in the long term interests of their people, not “here-we-go-yeehaw
boom-or-bust supply side jaysus free for all” like here in ‘Merka.
We all had baby booms, we all have baby boomers retiring,
and more responsible countries planned for this, understanding they
would run deficits for this period. But not this breed of “Merkan
cowboy cons, no sir. We had to have tax cuts for the rich and
Little Nero’s Unfunded Adventures for Fun & Oil. Really, the most
irresponsible 8 years – well, ever. Nero wasn’t as irresponsible as
Little Nero with a Cowboy Hat and the Neocons.

Welcome to the Occupation

November 29th, 2011
9:55 am

Stevie Ray: “Yes, Krugman won NOBEL prize but the award for economics has been bestowed upon those who are from both sides of liberal/conservative policy”

I love how people throw these accusations of “conservative” and “liberal” around.

Would you gripe about the Nobel if I pointed out past winners who tended towards the neoliberal (that’s ‘conservative’ for you) camp such as Friedrich Hayek and Milton Friedman (the latter of which is patently just a flat out con artist)?

TaxPayer

November 29th, 2011
9:56 am

When did Harry Reid go to work for Heritage.

Tommy Maddox

November 29th, 2011
9:58 am

Jay – to answer your question – yes.

Mary Elizabeth

November 29th, 2011
9:59 am

Stevie Ray @ 9:50

Evidently, the Nobel Prize Award Committee saw something in President Obama that eludes your awareness. I agree with their decision awarding him the Nobel Peace Prize, and I agree with the timing of that decision.

St Simons - we're on Island time

November 29th, 2011
10:00 am

Year 2000- When Sociopaths Stole an Election and Took Over the World

Butch Cassidy

November 29th, 2011
10:01 am

Before the party faithful start bitching about “over regulation” please chew on the following:

DeregulationFurther information: Government policies and the subprime mortgage crisis
Critics such as economist Paul Krugman and U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner have argued that the regulatory framework did not keep pace with financial innovation, such as the increasing importance of the shadow banking system, derivatives and off-balance sheet financing. In other cases, laws were changed or enforcement weakened in parts of the financial system. Key examples include:

Jimmy Carter’s Depository Institutions Deregulation and Monetary Control Act of 1980 (DIDMCA) phased out a number of restrictions on banks’ financial practices, broadened their lending powers, and raised the deposit insurance limit from $40,000 to $100,000 (raising the problem of moral hazard).[73] Banks rushed into real estate lending, speculative lending, and other ventures just as the economy soured.[citation needed]
In October 1982, U.S. President Ronald Reagan signed into law the Garn–St. Germain Depository Institutions Act, which provided for adjustable-rate mortgage loans, began the process of banking deregulation,[citation needed] and contributed to the savings and loan crisis of the late 1980s/early 1990s.[74]
In November 1999, U.S. President Bill Clinton signed into law the Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act, which repealed part of the Glass–Steagall Act of 1933. This repeal has been criticized for reducing the separation between commercial banks (which traditionally had fiscally conservative policies) and investment banks (which had a more risk-taking culture).[75][76]
In 2004, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission relaxed the net capital rule, which enabled investment banks to substantially increase the level of debt they were taking on, fueling the growth in mortgage-backed securities supporting subprime mortgages. The SEC has conceded that self-regulation of investment banks contributed to the crisis.[77][78]
Financial institutions in the shadow banking system are not subject to the same regulation as depository banks, allowing them to assume additional debt obligations relative to their financial cushion or capital base.[79] This was the case despite the Long-Term Capital Management debacle in 1998, where a highly-leveraged shadow institution failed with systemic implications.
Regulators and accounting standard-setters allowed depository banks such as Citigroup to move significant amounts of assets and liabilities off-balance sheet into complex legal entities called structured investment vehicles, masking the weakness of the capital base of the firm or degree of leverage or risk taken. One news agency estimated that the top four U.S. banks will have to return between $500 billion and $1 trillion to their balance sheets during 2009.[80] This increased uncertainty during the crisis regarding the financial position of the major banks.[81] Off-balance sheet entities were also used by Enron as part of the scandal that brought down that company in 2001.[82]
As early as 1997, Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan fought to keep the derivatives market unregulated.[83] With the advice of the President’s Working Group on Financial Markets,[84] the U.S. Congress and President allowed the self-regulation of the over-the-counter derivatives market when they enacted the Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000. Derivatives such as credit default swaps (CDS) can be used to hedge or speculate against particular credit risks. The volume of CDS outstanding increased 100-fold from 1998 to 2008, with estimates of the debt covered by CDS contracts, as of November 2008, ranging from US$33 to $47 trillion. Total over-the-counter (OTC) derivative notional value rose to $683 trillion by June 2008.[85] Warren Buffett famously referred to derivatives as “financial weapons of mass destruction” in early 2003

kayaker 71

November 29th, 2011
10:03 am

And Bozo won the Nobel Peace Prize…..

BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

Soothsayer

November 29th, 2011
10:04 am

American Airlines has just filed for bankruptcy protection.

Jimmy62

November 29th, 2011
10:05 am

Didn’t Obama explicitly promise he wouldn’t run again if unemployment was still over 8%?

Oh yeah, he did, in February 2009, when employment was at 8.2 percent, Obama declared, “If I don’t get this done in three years, then this is going to be a one term proposition.”

That three year mark is in a few months. Somehow I think this is going to be another promise he’s not going to keep, unfortunately for America and humanity.

RB from Gwinnett

November 29th, 2011
10:06 am

“If financial institutions make bad lending decisions, then such a borrowing problem is most assuredly a lending problem, regardless of whether the borrowers are individuals, businesses or nations.”

Joe, if you can’t figure out the difference in the federal debt problem and the bad real estate loans that drove the economic collapse, you should avoid posting on the issue. Your circlar logic posted above is pointless. They are different issues entirely, yet somehow you want to lump it all under “Bush’s fault”. In short, you’re clueless.

And for the record, a large share of the federal debt and spending problem IS Bush’s fault (and the R congress he enjoyed)

Recon 0311 2533

November 29th, 2011
10:06 am

The NOBEL Prize doesn’t bestow Sainthood it’s mostly handed out based more on political subjectivity than recognized accomplishment based objectivity. Paul Krugman’s economics expertise exists mostly in the minds of his far left worshipers.

kayaker 71

November 29th, 2011
10:06 am

Sooth,

I have played that video that you posted last night several times and sent it to several friends. Can’t remember one that I have enjoyed more.

Butch Cassidy

November 29th, 2011
10:07 am

Jimmy62 – “Didn’t Obama explicitly promise he wouldn’t run again if unemployment was still over 8%?”

No, he didn’t. Do a llittle more research and you will find where that quote came from.

Doggone/GA

November 29th, 2011
10:08 am

“Paul Krugman’s economics expertise exists mostly in the minds of his far left worshipers”

Paul Krugman’s lack of economics expertise exists mostly in the minds of his far right detractors

Welcome to the Occupation

November 29th, 2011
10:08 am

Butch Cassidy, you’re right. The curse of the mania for deregulation (’neoliberalism’), though it didn’t really get its legs until under Reagan / Thatcher / Pinochet, actually got started under Jimmy Carter.

Lord Help Us

November 29th, 2011
10:09 am

‘Obama declared, “If I don’t get this done in three years, then this is going to be a one term proposition.”’

No, he was predicting there wouldn’t be any way he would be re-elected. Unfortunately, with the stooge parade running for the GOP nomination, he may get easily reelected anyway…

getalife

November 29th, 2011
10:09 am

When the walls come tumbling down, you get to see the economic reckoning and what a police state looks like.

Enjoy your failed ideology cons.

WOODSTOCK MIKE

November 29th, 2011
10:09 am

I thought Obama was going to fix the reputation of America in the middle east? Oh, that was just more liberal lies…

“Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that the average Pakistani’s respect for the United States is lower than ever. “[The average Pakistani who] doesn’t know the United States, doesn’t read about the United States or just watches something on television about the United States, at that level, [the relations] are probably the worst they’ve ever been,” he explained, according to the American Forces Press Service.

He added that the relationship between the U.S. government and Pakistan’s government is “on about as rocky a road as I’ve seen.”

Soothsayer

November 29th, 2011
10:10 am

ragnar danneskjold

November 29th, 2011
10:11 am

Almost right – until Dodd-Frank enshrined “too big to fail” into law, those who purchased European sovereign debt could have been allowed to fail, a la the Bush administration treatment of Lehman Brothers. Thank Barney and the rest of the democrats who inflicted Dodd-Frank onto the taxpayers.

Granny Godzilla

November 29th, 2011
10:12 am

Jimmy62

Really?

Woodstock Mike

Pakistan is the entire Middle East?

Lord Help Us

November 29th, 2011
10:12 am

‘I thought Obama was going to fix the reputation of America in the middle east? Oh, that was just more liberal lies…’

Yes, Pakistan liked us better when we were allowing them to harbor OBL…Damn Obama…

WOODSTOCK MIKE

November 29th, 2011
10:13 am

“When the walls come tumbling down, you get to see the economic reckoning and what a police state looks like.”

I tell you what’s scary, liberals actually want the US to fail, they want riots in the streets, they want protestors marching in Washington DC, they want America to be weaker, what a strange point of view…

Brosephus

November 29th, 2011
10:13 am

American Airlines has just filed for bankruptcy protection.

It’s Obama’s fault!!!!!

:)

WOODSTOCK MIKE

November 29th, 2011
10:14 am

“Woodstock Mike

Pakistan is the entire Middle East?”

Hi Granny, please do tell which nation in the Middle East thinks better of America now?

barking frog

November 29th, 2011
10:15 am

Pakistan has the ‘bomb’. We will invade.

WOODSTOCK MIKE

November 29th, 2011
10:15 am

“American Airlines has just filed for bankruptcy protection.

It’s Obama’s fault!!!!!”

Come on Brosehus, nothing is Obama’s fault!! It’s Bush silly…

getalife

November 29th, 2011
10:15 am

The gop want cain to drop out and finally figured out he is a joke.

cons are the slowest Americans..

Lord Help Us

November 29th, 2011
10:16 am

‘liberals actually want the US to fail, they want riots in the streets…’

What scares me are people that exhibit their ignorance with statements like this…

Butch Cassidy

November 29th, 2011
10:16 am

Welcome to the Occupation – “Butch Cassidy, you’re right. The curse of the mania for deregulation (’neoliberalism’), though it didn’t really get its legs until under Reagan / Thatcher / Pinochet, actually got started under Jimmy Carter.”

Exactly, our current economic situation has been over 35 years in the making, and is due in large part to lax regulation, poor oversite of existing regulation and letting financial entities police themselves. But despite the country almost falling into a worse depression than in the 1930’s, people and particularly the current batch of GOP candidates still cling to the idea that if we just get rid of regulations, and let businesses police themselves, everything will be hunky dory.

Mary Elizabeth

November 29th, 2011
10:16 am

Kayaker 71 @ 10:03,

I don’t think the Award Committee for the Nobel Peace Prize called him “Bozo.” Your doing so, nullifies your opinion, in my assessment.

Those who cannot see why Barack Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize will probably never see. And if you do see why, you will also understand the timing of it. Hint: I believe the award was given for reasons that well superseded his having been elected President of the U.S.

Normal

November 29th, 2011
10:16 am

Correct me if I’m wrong, but one of the main problems with Europe is that the Banks don’t want to take a loss on their loans to EU. If that is true and the Governments can’t make the banks accept these losses, how can the EU prevent what will have to happen? And if the fact that the EU will fail is true, what is our Government doing to lessen the strain on us? What will the Government do to protect the innocent victims, the 99% of this country from ruin?

It looks to me that we are past austerity cuts and such. That should have happened long ago, but now we are standing on a dry beach watching a tidal wave come our way. There still might be time to get to higher ground but time is running out. Our life boat is higher taxes and social cuts, one to one. There is no other way and we need to act now, if not sooner. Otherwise the winner will be the country with the most reserves and that won’t be the USA.

RB from Gwinnett

November 29th, 2011
10:16 am

“I thought Obama was going to fix the reputation of America in the middle east? Oh, that was just more liberal lies…”

I guess overthrowing 2 middleeastern governments in 3 years isn’t making them all like us. If what Bush was doing was called “meddeling”, I wonder that they call Obama’s approach?!!! What a frigging joke!!! And the sheep keep following blindly….

too little time

November 29th, 2011
10:17 am

Europe’s problems are most certainly going to affect us here in the U.S. Will it become our problem? No. We will suffer, but (like Germany), there is no way we are going to subsidize the European socialist welfare state (retiring at age 55 to a beach on the Mediterranean) when our own citizens are looking at age 70 for retirement with worthless Medicare vouchers for healthcare.

Mick

November 29th, 2011
10:18 am

**please do tell which nation in the Middle East thinks better of America now**

Libya, for starters…

Butch Cassidy

November 29th, 2011
10:19 am

ragnar – “Thank Barney and the rest of the democrats who inflicted Dodd-Frank onto the taxpayers.”

Yeah, except for the part of the act that explicitly requires that financial institutions that get into trouble are required to have enough capital reserves to right themselves without taking money from the taxpayers. Guess you missed that part of the bill.

Brosephus

November 29th, 2011
10:21 am

Mike

How about a compromise? We’ll blame it on Barack W Obash.

:lol:

Butch Cassidy

November 29th, 2011
10:22 am

WOODSTOCK MIKE – “please do tell which nation in the Middle East thinks better of America now?”

Which ones thought better of us before?

Granny Godzilla

November 29th, 2011
10:24 am

Woodstock Mike

Everybody but Pakistan…..

Granny Godzilla

November 29th, 2011
10:24 am

RB

Bless your heart

barking frog

November 29th, 2011
10:26 am

American Airlines was evidently scared by the President’s
rescue of General Motors since they waited this long to
dump their Unions and Pensions.

Joe Hussein Mama

November 29th, 2011
10:27 am

Stevie Ray — “Also, since GORE and OBAMA got NOBELS as well (first for what will prove to be hoax and latter for …..well getting elected i guess) I think the Nobels should go back to dynamite manufacturing..”

Those grapes sour, are they?

barking frog

November 29th, 2011
10:29 am

goodness! I think i was almost hit by a piece of falling sky…

Welcome to the Occupation

November 29th, 2011
10:31 am

Butch Cassidy, yep, I agree.

“Exactly, our current economic situation has been over 35 years in the making, and is due in large part to lax regulation, poor oversite of existing regulation and letting financial entities police themselves. ”

And I would argue it’s due to an highly targeted and concerted effort — waged by financial interests — to roll back the entire New Deal regime — an all out “class war” if you like. And it has obviously succeeded beyond their wildest dreams.

“But despite the country almost falling into a worse depression than in the 1930’s [..the GOP keep parroting the same ol same ol]”

I would argue that we’re already in that depression. And yes, the absolute bankruptcy of the Republican party is staggering. It’s so vast and so towering that it’s easy just not to see it altogether.

kayaker 71

November 29th, 2011
10:31 am

ME;,

Even bozo was surprised by he award. It was the laughing stock award of the year. A Peace Prize? For what? Sending troops to Africa, flying sorties over Libya?…. and don;t give me this BS about winding down in Iraq and Afghanistan. That was planned long ago, before Bozo was a player. The Nobel Committee is a liberal think tank, intent on awarding those whose political philosophy is in line with their own. Nobel Peace Prize? ….. when there were so many other more deserving candidates? What a joke.

barking frog

November 29th, 2011
10:33 am

Iranians attacked the British Embassy, oops!, they must think
they’re fooling with folks like the US, they are wrong.

Joe Hussein Mama

November 29th, 2011
10:34 am

RB — “Joe, if you can’t figure out the difference in the federal debt problem and the bad real estate loans that drove the economic collapse, you should avoid posting on the issue.”

RB, if you can’t be polite, then go sit quietly in your room. Adults are trying to have a conversation here.

“Your circlar logic posted above is pointless.”

It’s not *my* circular logic. It’s *yours.* I’m just pointing it out. (laughing) :D

“They are different issues entirely, yet somehow you want to lump it all under “Bush’s fault”.

I didn’t say anything about “it all” or anything approaching it. I simply quoted two things *you said* in a single post and pointed out their interrelationship. Your frantic handwaving and dishonest attempts to put words in my mouth do not obviate the fact that you stepped on your own crank, RB.

“In short, you’re clueless.”

And you’re inattentive and dishonest. Go to your room, young man.

“And for the record, a large share of the federal debt and spending problem IS Bush’s fault (and the R congress he enjoyed)”

Soshulist. Commie. Go eat some worms. (laughing) :D

USMC

November 29th, 2011
10:36 am

They don’t call you guys jarheads for nothing! –Mick

Says the guy who couldn’t cut it and settled for the Coast Guard… At least you guys have good coffee and donuts. LOL! :-)

“I was referring to infrastructure. Welfare? It’s a mess, so I’d rather be spending the money having people doing some work for a paycheck, you know bring back the wpa or ccc anything for people to get up, work, and get a check…”–Mick

Mick, unfortunately you are about eighty years too late. Surely you understand that spending money that we DON’T have on bloated union infrastructure jobs that will likely include ILLEGAL labor won’t cure our SPENDING PROBLEM…
Or didn’t they give you guys a basic Econ 101 class at Trade School??? :-)

Jm

November 29th, 2011
10:36 am

Egyptian religious extremists take over, liberals applaud

American religious folks get ridiculed by the liberal left

What a joke

Butch Cassidy

November 29th, 2011
10:37 am

kayaker71 – “Even bozo was surprised by he award. It was the laughing stock award of the year. A Peace Prize? For what? Sending troops to Africa, flying sorties over Libya?”

Wow, the NOBEL folks knew of these events before they even occured? Amazing, do you have proof of their super secret advances in time travel, or did you happen to witness Doc Brown and the flying Delorean disappear one day?

USMC

November 29th, 2011
10:39 am

“When the walls come tumbling down, ….”–Getalife

And that is exactly what you will see Saturday night when the Georgia Bulldogs Upset the #1 BCS ranked Bayou Bengals! :-)

Granny Godzilla

November 29th, 2011
10:40 am

Jm

I’d like to see a jello wrestling match between the Christian Coalition and the Muslim Brotherhood.

We’d both applaud, eh?

USMC

November 29th, 2011
10:41 am

“Of course, since this is all Barney Frank’s fault and has nothing to do with an international debt crisis driven by an historic spree of irresponsible lending and borrowing, it’s all going to get better now that Frank has announced his retirement.”–Jay Bookman

It has been a rough week on the Gay community…

First it was Jerry Sandusky at Penn State, then Bernie Fine at Syracuse…… now Barney Frank.

Truthbe

November 29th, 2011
10:41 am

America shouldn’t bailout Europe, Africa, Asia, or the MiddleEast period. America needs to take care of it’s own house first than help others. Why, because we have been the savior of the Nations for too long. Maybe Obama’s and GE’s best friend Communist Red China could bailout the World sinse they have all the money now? Our own Country is falling anpart under this Obama Administration and the Clowns in the Senate and Congress don’t have a clue. You have the OWS trash all over the Country will their Communist backers making more trouble will our Vacationer -in-Chief looks on.

barking frog

November 29th, 2011
10:42 am

Iran and Pakistan now have us trapped in Afghanistan
with no access to the Arabian Sea, however being surrounded
we can now attack in all directions, right USMC ?

jewcowboy

November 29th, 2011
10:43 am

Will Europe’s problems become our problems?

Haven’t Europe’s problems always becomes ours, at least throughout the 20th century? Why should we think the 21st will be any different?

Mick

November 29th, 2011
10:43 am

usmc

Crack a history book or two and brush up on the new deal then get back to me. Oh, and please got to confession, say three hail mary’s and two our fathers and cast out that anti union demon within…

USMC

November 29th, 2011
10:45 am

“Iran and Pakistan now have us trapped in Afghanistan
with no access to the Arabian Sea, however being surrounded
we can now attack in all directions, right USMC ?”–Kermit the Frog

You could read up on Chesty Puller, but that’s probably above your pay grade.
May be your friends at Occupy Wall Street/Atlanta can help you with that one. :-)

Lord Help Us

November 29th, 2011
10:48 am

USMC, I ignored your bigotry yesterday, but won’t today.

Between 1992 and 2000 there were over 366,000 attempted or completed rapes and sexual assaults ( the stats for the most recent years are probably not far off).

Of these 366,000 cases, 94% were male committed by males on females.

Not a good decade for heterosexuals…bigot.

barking frog

November 29th, 2011
10:50 am

USMC, I have read up on Chesty Puller and he was above
my pay grade…you…not so much..but I have never been a
class warrior just a warrior with no class….Recon ..now he
says marines love to be surrounded..frees the inability to
use a compass

Normal

November 29th, 2011
10:51 am

USMC

November 29th, 2011
10:41 am

Gays are not pedophiles. Pedophilia is a disease, a sick disgusting mental disease.

You are showing your prejudices and owe Gay men and women an apology.

RB from Gwinnett

November 29th, 2011
10:53 am

Joe, there is nothing wrong, erroneous, or dishonest about anything I posted. The problem is with your reading comprehension, dude.

And apparently, nothing anybody posts is going to help you fix that. It’s like your adament you’re going to remain clueless no matter what anybody posts.

Butch Cassidy

November 29th, 2011
10:54 am

Here Truthbe, maybe this will give you a better understanding as to why China owns so much of our debt. By the way, you may want to take note that the date on this article precedes the Obama administration by 3 years:

Borrowing Money From China: The Blowback Begins
January 10, 2006

This morning brings some bad news for the U.S. economy: China is going shift some of its foreign exchange reserves out of U.S. dollars and into either the Euro or the Yen. China currently holds more than $800 billion U.S. dollars; dumping even a fraction of those dollar is going to cause ripples in the U.S. economy — the dollar is going to fall, interest rates will rise and the housing market bubble could collapse.
As China’s manufacturing industries flood the world with cheap goods, the Chinese central bank has invested roughly three-fourths of its growing foreign currency reserves in U.S. Treasury bills and other dollar-denominated assets. The new policy reflects China’s fears that too much of its savings is tied up in the dollar, a currency widely expected to drop in value as the U.S. trade and fiscal deficits climb.

China now boasts the world’s second-largest cache of foreign exchange — behind only Japan — and is on pace to see its reserves climb past $1 trillion later this year. Even a slight diminishing of the dollar as a percentage of those holdings could exert significant pressure on the U.S. currency, many economists assert.

In recent years, the value of the dollar has been buoyed by major purchases of U.S. Treasury bills by Japan, China and oil-exporting countries — a flow of capital that has kept interests rates relatively low in the United States and allowed Americans to keep spending even as debts mount. Some economists have long warned that if foreigners lose their appetite for American debt, the dollar would fall, interest rates would rise and the housing boom could burst, sending real estate prices lower.

The comments of the Chinese senior economist, made on the condition of anonymity because the government disciplines those who speak to the press without express authorization, confirmed an analysis in Monday’s Shanghai Securities News stating that China is inclined to shift some its savings into other currencies such as the euro and the yen, or into major purchases of commodities such as oil for a long-discussed strategic energy reserve.
This is the direct result of borrowing from China to finance the Iraq War, which is not (as was promised by the Bush administration) going to pay for itself. Recent reports show that United States consumers have a negative savings rate, that is, they are saving nothing but adding credit card debt at an alarming pace. This is a recipe for economic disaster, because the engine of the U.S. economy is fueled by the buying of the consumer.

Mary Elizabeth

November 29th, 2011
10:54 am

kayaker 71 10:31

Based on the words of your post, I see that you do not do subtlety.

Of course, the president was not going to accept the award with braggadocio. He was going to accept the award with humiltity, and he spoke words, regarding receiving the award, that most citizens of the world would understand.

However, if one bothers to peel the onion of his consciousness a little deeper, I believe that he not only has deep, genuine humility, but that he also has an elevated consciousness that fully understands why he was given that award. He would find it offensive to praise himself.

Brosephus

November 29th, 2011
10:54 am

Lord Help Us & USMC

Couldn’t say much more. I would say that I was surprised by that comment, but coming from that poster, it’s pretty much on par with what I’d expect.

barking frog

November 29th, 2011
10:54 am

Lord Help Us, Normal are you trying to limit the freedoms
of the Gay community by not allowing them to have their
own pedophiles ?

jewcowboy

November 29th, 2011
11:00 am

“but coming from that poster, it’s pretty much on par with what I’d expect.”

Bingo!

“I couldn’t join a party that, frankly, tolerates members who are bigots for one thing, homophobes, racists.” ~ Ron Reagan

Jm

November 29th, 2011
11:01 am

Granny. I think a jello wrestling match would be hilarious

What I really wish is to keep religion (mostly) out of government

Values though, no matter their source, are important to the functioning of our country

USMC

November 29th, 2011
11:04 am

“Crack a history book or two and brush up on the new deal then get back to me.”–Mick

Okay Professor Mick, I think the sun (or medical marijuana) is frying your brain.
Are you really advocating for the New Deal of the 1930’s to fix America’s SPENDING problem in 2011???

I took history classes at the University level while in Business School and am passionate about the subject.

What about you, Mick? Didn’t they require you to take a history class or a simple Econ 101 class at your Trade School? :-)

Former Government Worker

November 29th, 2011
11:04 am

I’m wondering if the increases in wages at Federal level has more than offset this reduction in headcount??

Hey, Stevie Ray! Your memory must have disappeared. Federal wages were frozen more than a year ago. There have been no “increases in wages.” Whaddya want, blood?

Jeff J

November 29th, 2011
11:05 am

So you saying that instead of “It’s all Bush’s fault, liberals are now gonna say “It’s all Bush and Europe’s fault”?

Kamchak

November 29th, 2011
11:06 am

The “Econ101″ card.

Too funny!

getalife

November 29th, 2011
11:06 am

USMC,

Who dat going to beat them Tigers?

Not the dawgs.

We play at home for the National Championship.

Bourbon Street is calling my name.

Truthbe

November 29th, 2011
11:07 am

Homosexuality is a sin just like any other sin period. JESUS CHRIST the LORD thy GOD said to “Love the sinner and hate the sin”. JESUS never said to embrace sinful behavior. Homosexuality is a sin folks and all of you know it. Gay people need our prayers for help. They are our brothers and sisters too.

Back Seater

November 29th, 2011
11:09 am

It appears we have two solutions, one presented by the left is spend, spend, spend.
While the other solution, presented by the right is cut, cut, cut………….
Hum………..which is easier to do? Come on, even you dems can see the logic, can’t you?

getalife

November 29th, 2011
11:09 am

I guess they will find truther at the nearest gay bar because those who scream the loudest turn out to be gay.

Granny Godzilla

November 29th, 2011
11:09 am

Jm

I agree about values.

Learned them from my parents and grandparents example.

Then 13 years of religious education screwed with them a bit,
but I got over it.

Granny Godzilla

November 29th, 2011
11:10 am

TruthBe

Homosexuality is NOT a sin.

All that hate you got inside you is.

REPENT!

barking frog

November 29th, 2011
11:10 am

Kamchak, should that be ‘rEcon 101′, you know, where
they teach scout ing..

Granny Godzilla

November 29th, 2011
11:11 am

Back Seater

Of course the Dems see the logic, just not in your ideas.

barking frog

November 29th, 2011
11:11 am

Granny Godzilla, do you first have to pent before
you can repent?

St Simons - we're on Island time

November 29th, 2011
11:11 am

We have reached the inevitable end of the cycle of Capital.

If you have hoarded money, and you charge interest (lend) it to a man
that has none and needs it (borrow), at the end of that transaction,
the man with no money has even less, and the man with hoarded
money has even more. The cycle continues until all the money
is hoarded with, say the 1%. The trick for the kings of Capital is to
“get off” the money (reboot the system) riiiight before there is Unrest
and guillotines. Sometimes they guess right, sometimes they guess
wrong (Russia, France). This reboot concept is where the term “Jubilee”
comes from in the Judeo-Christian Bible.

In the Quran, it is forbidden to charge
a man interest if he needs the money and you are rich, which explains
the REAL reason the powers-that-be want you to be skeered of Islam.
It has nothing to do with what day you go church.

Welcome to the Occupation

November 29th, 2011
11:12 am

Jm: “Egyptian religious extremists take over, liberals applaud”

Wrong. The Egyptian uprising was a CLASS-based uprising, as our OWS uprising here is going to be. It was not religion-inspired.

Doggone/GA

November 29th, 2011
11:14 am

“JESUS never said to embrace sinful behavior”

He also never said it should be illegal behavior. If you believe it’s a sin, fine, don’t engage in that behavior. Not everyone agrees with you.

Oh yes, and he also said “Judge not, lest ye be judged”

USMC

November 29th, 2011
11:15 am

“Who dat going to beat them Tigers? Not the dawgs.
We play at home for the National Championship.
Bourbon Street is calling my name.”–Getalife

I love your passion for LSU, getalfie! Even though we disagree on politics, I know we would have a great time watching college football and drinking beer together.

But the Bulldogs have NOTHING to lose and history to back up a HUGE upset!

Have you forgotten Getalfie???
2005 SEC Championship game: #13 Georgia 34 #3 LSU 14

just sayin :-)

Granny Godzilla

November 29th, 2011
11:15 am

barking frog

November 29th, 2011
11:11 am
Granny Godzilla, do you first have to pent before
you can repent?

i suspect he is rather pent up

Welcome to the Occupation

November 29th, 2011
11:15 am

Well said, St. Simons.

“This reboot concept is where the term “Jubilee”
comes from in the Judeo-Christian Bible.”

Try running that by some of our rube friends here.

Whaaaaa? they’ll say, slack-jawed.

The concept of a “reboot”, a “restart” button that resets us all to a new starting point will strike them as bizarre. The idea that this obviously communistic practice — which the past 40 years of policy has attempted to make impossible — could have ever been a common one in traditional societies, let alone Christian societies, is obviously one they will resist at all costs.

barking frog

November 29th, 2011
11:15 am

St. Simons, as a religious man you have a keen insight into
the religious influence on our economic system..

Doggone/GA

November 29th, 2011
11:16 am

“It appears we have two solutions”

there are more than two solutions. You’ve left out: cut what is purdent to cut, spend what is prudent to spend, raise more revenue and use it to lower the debt.

Just Wondering

November 29th, 2011
11:17 am

Granny Godzilla

November 29th, 2011
8:51 am

Stevie Ray

“What have we cut to date?”

How about 600,000 government workers?

How many of these were cenus takers? No matter, 600,000 is not enough….too much government…but that’s what keeps your party in office

Now we are waiting for the real cuts you dems have made, other than killing a world class space program…………tick, tick, tick

USMC

November 29th, 2011
11:17 am

Who says I “hate” Gays??

I love Gays.
I have a lot of Gay friends and my brother was Gay; I am still friends with most of his Gay friends as well.

kayaker 71

November 29th, 2011
11:17 am

American Airlines stock down about 85% today. Ouch.

barking frog

November 29th, 2011
11:17 am

Granny Godzilla, I suspect you are correct..

barking frog

November 29th, 2011
11:18 am

USMC, glad you decided to come out…

USMC

November 29th, 2011
11:19 am

“I guess they will find truther at the nearest gay bar because those who scream the loudest turn out to be gay.”–Getalife

Boy, isn’t that the truth??!!

What was that “preacher’s” name in Colorado, I think???

Granny Godzilla

November 29th, 2011
11:21 am

Just Wondering

Why you have to hide behind so many names….

jewcowboy

November 29th, 2011
11:21 am

Truthbe,

“Homosexuality is a sin folks and all of you know it.”

Maybe according to your Spéir Faerie. But then again your Spéir Faerie wants to stone people for wearing Dacron and kills a man’s family just to see how much he’s adored.

USMC

November 29th, 2011
11:21 am

“USMC, glad you decided to come out…”–Kermit the frog

Actually with the weather being what it is today, I decided to stay inside today. :-)

Mick

November 29th, 2011
11:22 am

usmc

It’s all about jobs, give a man a paycheck and work for some dignity, then take a third of it back through taxes. When the economy picks up along with employment, then you can begin with the austerity measures, not the other way around. Geez, how many blows to the head did you sustain anyway?

Lord Help Us

November 29th, 2011
11:22 am

‘What was that “preacher’s” name in Colorado, I think???’

Ted Haggard…made statements similar to yours…

jewcowboy

November 29th, 2011
11:23 am

USMC,

“I am still friends with most of his Gay friends as well.”

You just seem to equate homosexuality with pedophilia. If you aren’t a bigot then your are ignorant. Which is it?

Not a Neal Boortz Redneck

November 29th, 2011
11:24 am

That Jubilee/reboot thing is interesting (not that I support it).

Jefferson originally wanted corporations to have only a 30 year license to operate. At expiry, the charter is dissolved and the shareholders paid in full.

WOODSTOCK MIKE

November 29th, 2011
11:24 am

Jay how about an article on the real reasons many Americans are struggling, the fact that Americans think they need to have so much more than they can afford and when they have it and can’t pay for it they go and blame everyone else but themselves? I don’t feel bad for the guy that makes $50k/yr and can’t pay his mortgage on a $300K home and his new car, he doesn’t deserve to be in the house or have a brand new car. Don’t feel bad at all. Isn’t it true that Americans real standard of living is better now than ever in our country’s history? If someone says people lived better 50 years ago than they do now I think I’ll throw up…

Lord Help Us

November 29th, 2011
11:26 am

‘Jay how about an article on the real reasons many Americans are struggling, the fact that Americans think they need to have so much more than they can afford and when they have it and can’t pay for it they go and blame everyone else but themselves? ‘

Jay posted an article on exactly subject, about a guy namde Bill Looman…you should read it…

Kamchak

November 29th, 2011
11:26 am

Jay how about an article…

How about you go to blogspot.com and start your own blog, sport?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fresh sheets.

barking frog

November 29th, 2011
11:27 am

WOODSTOCK MIKE, 50 years ago I was 15 and it was different
but it was not better…

Butch Cassidy

November 29th, 2011
11:30 am

kayaker71 – “American Airlines stock down about 85% today. Ouch.”

No kidding, that’s almost as bad as what Delta was back in the 2000,s during their bankrputcy.

USMC

November 29th, 2011
11:31 am

“It’s all about jobs, give a man a paycheck and work for some dignity, then take a third of it back through taxes. When the economy picks up along with employment, then you can begin with the austerity measures, not the other way around. Geez, how many blows to the head did you sustain anyway?”–Mick

LOL! you are kidding, right???
You are trying to apply a 1930’s “ditch digging” solution to a 2011 runaway SPENDING problem.
What happened to Obama’s “shovel ready” jobs, Mick?

Did you fall on your head or smoke too much of that “medical” marijuana?
How long are you going to “tote water” for the DemocRAT Bolsheviks on the plantation? :-)

USMC

November 29th, 2011
11:33 am

“You just seem to equate homosexuality with pedophilia. If you aren’t a bigot then your are ignorant. Which is it?”

All I said was it was a tough week for the Gay community.
First Jerry Sandusky, then Bernie Fine, now Barney Frank… that’s all, no hate.

Lord Help Us

November 29th, 2011
11:35 am

‘ If you aren’t a bigot then your are ignorant. Which is it?”’

False choice…he appears to be an ignorant bigot…

jewcowboy

November 29th, 2011
11:36 am

WOODSTOCK MIKE,

“I don’t feel bad for the guy that makes $50k/yr and can’t pay his mortgage on a $300K home and his new car, he doesn’t deserve to be in the house or have a brand new car.”

Of course the fact that he might have done everything right, but now finds himself out of work due to the economy, and can’t sell the house that he used to be able to afford because while he bought it for $300k it is now worth $175K and the car is a lease which he could afford but not now because he’s lost his job doesn’t enter into it all, huh?

jewcowboy

November 29th, 2011
11:37 am

USMC,

“First Jerry Sandusky, then Bernie Fine, now Barney Frank… that’s all, no hate.”

Then we will go with willful ignorance, I guess.

“Those who will not reason, are bigots, those who cannot, are fools, and those who dare not, are slaves.” ~ Lord Byron

Quantaviana

November 29th, 2011
11:41 am

“Of course, since this is all Barney Frank’s fault…”

In case anyone missed it Mr. Frank made what could be the most asanine remark of the century while he was announcing his retirement. According to him the disarray and dysfunction in Washington is not the politicians’ fault, it’s our fault…for electing them.

Goodbye Barney, and good riddance.

Joe Hussein Mama

November 29th, 2011
11:43 am

RB — “Joe, there is nothing wrong, erroneous, or dishonest about anything I posted.”

Yes, there is. Particularly the dishonest part.

“The problem is with your reading comprehension, dude. ”

No, the problem lies with your arrogance and combativeness.

“And apparently, nothing anybody posts is going to help you fix that.”

Well, attacks, willful misstatements and dishonest misrepresentations won’t, no. And if that’s all you have, then no, nothing you post is going to change my mind.

“It’s like your adament you’re going to remain clueless no matter what anybody posts.

I’m not nearly as clueless as you’d like to think, and if you knew much about my background, you’d sit down and shut up, young man. Now, if you’d like to act like an adult, I will gladly engage and educate you. However, I can’t help you if you’re going to be arrogant, combative and argumentative.

jewcowboy

November 29th, 2011
11:45 am

“According to him the disarray and dysfunction in Washington is not the politicians’ fault, it’s our fault…for electing them.”

That is asinine…it’s our fault for re-electing them.

Get Real

November 29th, 2011
11:46 am

We are all better off without Bwaney Fwank

Spendocrats do not understand how to cut back, complete and total goverment sugar daddies is always the easy answer….

jewcowboy

November 29th, 2011
11:52 am

“Spendocrats do not understand how to cut back, complete and total goverment sugar daddies is always the easy answer…”

Funny…Archer Daniels Midland and Exxon say the same thing about Republicans…I guess its all about who butters your bread.

WOODSTOCK MIKE

November 29th, 2011
11:55 am

Americans are spending more money this holiday season than ever before, but I thought we are on the brink of a depression? The left wing media is a joke…

WOODSTOCK MIKE

November 29th, 2011
11:59 am

“an international debt crisis driven by an historic spree of irresponsible lending and borrowing”

All governments borrow money to pay much of their expenses, in America we have China pay our bills for us. What Europe clearly shows is when a government is so large and so much of it’s population is dependant on it to live when the economy takes a turn for the worse (which happens in all economies) and revenues aren’t coming in guess what, the dependant people can’t survive. Maybe people shouldn’t look for the government for their own survival??

Victor Midtown

November 29th, 2011
12:10 pm

The economic disaster that is 21st Century Europe is a lesson for the USA, if we are not too late. The high-taxes, bloated bureaucracies & pensions, EU nanny state stifling growth, and – worse – the ever expanding dole is a formula for disaster. To find enough workers, the welcome mat is out and the borders left wide open for immigrants, with the resulting crises in education, housing, race and multi-culturalism. Good Times.

greg

November 29th, 2011
12:11 pm

This is all Wall Streets fault, all of these governments had to bail out the crooked banks that in turn sold all of these derivative’s to pension funds all over the world. Once the bubble broke they had to make good on funds so they took the taxpayers money everywhere and gave it to the banks. Now the stock market went down, 401’ks are bust, banks pay no interest on your money anymore, raises are all but gone and yet the 1% made more than ever, and who do you suppose all this money is owed to? It’s both parties that are at fault, they should never have deregulated. Notice gas is magically dropping, so the stupid people can buy presents, then right after x-mas, up it will go with some nonsense about middle east problems, hurricanes, oil refinery fires or a solar eclipse.

Welcome to the Occupation

November 29th, 2011
12:13 pm

Get Real: “Spendocrats do not understand how to cut back, complete and total goverment sugar daddies is always the easy answer”

Slack-jawed rubes sure love them some ‘Publicans. Whey they spend and play sugardaddy for the financiers and defense interests, it’s aye okay, cuz Mr. rube needs him some musculure fighting soldiers to believe in. .. yeahh.. …support our troops!

williebkind

November 29th, 2011
12:22 pm

Well if we drill for more oil and set aside all that liberal consensus about global warming, environmental impacts, and that it is all Bush’s fault we can get OUR economy spinning again. We are an oil based economy and we are earth conscientious. Which may help Europe jump start its economy or (to borrow a phrase from the liberals) stimulate, or encourage them to pay down their debt. I am tired of $3 plus a gallon of gas. But there is hope. Once businesses realize those 4yr degree in the arts are not worth much liberals will be out of work. No high paying jobs in a cozy environment. Of course there would be chaos again. hehe…Drill baby drill and build that pipeline.

Adam

November 29th, 2011
12:24 pm

I do have to say I laugh right at the folks who turn “We shouldn’t do austerity” into “Oh so you want to SPEND SPEND SPEND MORE MORE MORE!”

That is definitely on the top ten of stupid when it comes to discussing economic matters. Probably in the top two of stupid counter-arguments. Also known as a straw man.

williebkind

November 29th, 2011
12:25 pm

I do agree with Jay every now and then! Barney Frank leaving is definetly a plus.

nelsonh

November 29th, 2011
12:27 pm

no Europes problems are not ours> sometime ago the powers of the U’S’[not you or I] decided that the there should be a Global financial society. Money would move effortlessly around the world, much like Chinas pollution floats effortlessly towards the U.S.. One global market is one gigantic loser for everyone. the sooner we depend solely on ourselves the better[Monroe Doctrine]

Jms

November 29th, 2011
12:31 pm

I’ll play along…

It took years for Frank to get us into this mess. We aren’t going to get out of it in a day.

HarryJudge

November 29th, 2011
12:39 pm

I stubbed my toe last night walking to the bathroom. I blame George Bush.

JKL2

November 29th, 2011
1:02 pm

mary elizabeth- Those who cannot see why Barack Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize will probably never see.

Was it for his record of doing nothing as a state senator or his record for doing nothing as a US senator? It must have been all he got done in those first two weeks as President. Getting a Noble for being an articulate balck man on the campaign trail was a joke. If you can’t see that, you probably never will…

RambleOn84

November 29th, 2011
1:03 pm

All by design…

JKL2

November 29th, 2011
1:05 pm

USMC- What happened to Obama’s “shovel ready” jobs

They worked perfectly. Shoveled all of our money into the pockets of his friends for nothing in return. I can’t wait until we get to do that again…

joe

November 29th, 2011
1:16 pm

If Obama wins in 2012, the answer is YES. Reason is, his spending is worse than any country in Europe. We are basically turning into Greece, with all the entitlements, bailouts, etc. Obama is taking us closer to true Socialism than anyone ever thought of. For this reason alone, Obama must be voted out. If you need a job or a better job, you must vote GOP. Case closed.

Joe Hussein Mama

November 29th, 2011
1:33 pm

joe — “you must vote GOP. Case closed.”

Make me.

williebkind

November 29th, 2011
2:02 pm

Joe–I will!

williebkind

November 29th, 2011
2:08 pm

greg

November 29th, 2011
12:11 pm
I agree with most of what you said. If you keep shouting drill baby drill maybe others will began to understand the importance of oil not windpower, solar power or any so called green energy has on our economy. Those labeled 1% make me wonder how many are liberals who used green energy scare tactics to make those millions..i.e. Al Gore and Bill Clinton.

A dad

November 29th, 2011
2:55 pm

Other than Bookie’s little barney frank snippet at the end of his article, how did this blog inquiring whether the US will inherent Europe’s problems (as long as Obama is POTUS and strives to install Keynesian-based economic policies and re-distribute the wealth, I think yes) to a discussion on homosexuality? Oh well, might join in the fray. Let’s look at it scientifically, shall we? Since male-male and female-female cannot precreate and reproduce the species, which at its basic level is what sex is all about, then one can say, from a scientific/biological standpoint, that yes, homsexuality is abnormal. Then again, is half of what is said about all these celeb sex tapes is true, een the hetero stuff can be pretty abnormal too.
Bottom line. Who here wants to see gays beaten, cast out, denied basic rights, etc? And to amp it up a bit more, I follow the Tea Party, and conservative, and religious. And while there are some things I’m not comfortable with which pertain to homosexuality, my Christian upbringing is such that what a person does will be judged by God, not me. In other words, I don’t walk around with a pocket full of stones. Let the debates begin anew!

Truth

November 29th, 2011
3:00 pm

Jay:
Just raise taxes and all will be solved. Sounds to me like there really is a debt problem. Are you ready to admit it?

#occupy my desk...

November 29th, 2011
3:02 pm

I look at it from the other direction – if we don’t allow ourselves to get into this mess in the first place with immense social programs we have no idea how to fund and let debt exceed GDP by the margin the troubled EU countries have, we won’t have to cut austerity programs and cause the doom that most of you are forecasting. How about…we don’t follow them down the socialized everything path that got them in this position in the first place?

joe suggs

November 29th, 2011
3:03 pm

Let us send U. S. taxpayer money to Europe.That is what Obama/Clinton would do !!!!!!!!!!!!

A dad

November 29th, 2011
3:06 pm

Truth – of course there’s a debt pro0blem. It’s casued by all those evil rich nor being willing to give away all their hard earned money to those who execpt everything to be handed to them without having to work a lick for it. Jeez, haven’t you been reading Bookie’s columns for long? ;-)

A dad

November 29th, 2011
3:09 pm

Man do my typing skills suck!

luangtom

November 29th, 2011
3:28 pm

Yes, we can blame the EU for ills here in the USA. Or, we can ‘fess up and admit that throwing money at our problems did not alleviate them. Running the deficit up to such unfathomable numbers can do nothing but add to the world’s ills and impact the EU just as much as it impacts the USA. Nice job, Washington DC…………….let’s not re-elect any of them.

GT/MIT

November 29th, 2011
3:58 pm

Slow news day huh bookman? That is the most inane oped pos I’ve read, even by the standards set by this bird cage liner you work for. We all know that barney had nothing to do with Europe’s problems. He was busy killing the housing market in the good old USA.

TruthBe

November 29th, 2011
4:07 pm

Send No taxpayers money to Europe, Africa, Asia, or the Middleast period. We need to fix our own Country first than we can help others. Why doesn’t Obama ask his mentors the Communist Red China to bail Europe out since they have all the money? What about that my liberal friends. Why does America which is flat broke have to be the worlds savior? It’s about time some of these Countries reap what they sow. We need an AMERICAN President not a wouldbe part-time world leader like Obama. And get us out of All of these wars Bush’s and Obama’s. Bring our People Home and defend our own borders.

John Galt

November 29th, 2011
4:19 pm

Haven’t been here in a while but I see Granny still lives here in lieu of having a real life.

Not only are Europe’s problems our problems but their problems are a future vision of our own. They are simply further down the road of borrowing and spending on a socialistic society than we are, but the Community Organizer gets aroused just thinking about European Style Socialism within our own shores. We don’t have to predict the consequences, just look at Europe and see into our future.

John Galt

November 29th, 2011
4:26 pm

And Jay-

instead of silly remarks about Frank, how about an article about his defense of Fannie Mae at thesame time he was playing hide the winkie with a Fannie Mae executive? I’d love your take on that situation-

Corey

November 29th, 2011
4:26 pm

Jay, do you write these columns to enlighten us, provoke conversation or entertain us via absurd retorts posted on here by the right out there in your reading audience? I will give you the benefit of the doubt and say to enlighten us and provoke conversation, but the ridiculous retorts from the right are entertaining byproducts.

GT/MIT

November 29th, 2011
4:37 pm

Corey
November 29th, 2011
4:26 pm

“Jay, do you write these columns to enlighten us, provoke conversation or entertain us via absurd retorts posted on here by the right out there in your reading audience? I will give you the benefit of the doubt and say to enlighten us and provoke conversation, but the ridiculous retorts from the right are entertaining byproducts.”

Do you actually feel “enlightened” and “provoked” to conversation, or are you
making an addition to the ridiculous byproducts?

Joe Hussein Mama

November 29th, 2011
4:43 pm

williebkind — “Joe–I will!”

I’d like to see you try.

Joel Edge

November 30th, 2011
5:34 am

“How much protection does thousands of miles of ocean provide?”
Hopefully enough.