Arkansas Blog

That is why the Soviet Union is the world's strongest economy. 100% of their economy was government directed activity, stimulus if you will. What's that you say, they went bankrupt? They misallocated resources and produced shoddy goods? Oh, well I guess a government-directed economy does that.

Our economy is like a debt-junkie. Borrowing to stimulate the economy is not a cure, just the next fix. We cannot solve this problem with more government stimulus, we have go through a rough patch while we "break the habit" of using debt to drive growth. Like a junkie, it will require more and more debt to get a positive response from debt-stimulus, until we get to the insane situation we are now in. Trillions in new debt don't even reverse our slide, it just slows it for a while. Then when the bills come due for that debt we are in even worse shape. We start rebuilding two-trillion more in the hole.

I think most of folks on here know that I am a conservative and have been highly outspoken against Obama and the liberal POS's on this site. I have had several of the liverals on this site chastise me, make fun of me, and basically subject me to your typical cyber bullying. Because of this, I think I have seen the light. I think I have had a change of heart and I owe this to the liberal POS folks on this blog. I have decided to renounce my conservative views, which were embeded in me my whole life, and switch to your line of thinking. That is right, I have decided to become a liberal POS.

Before I do, I just need a few of you to confirm our liberal agenda. I think I have them, but please feel free to correct/add/delete any issues of our liberal agenda. I know I can't get them all, but hese are the main ones:

1. Bush = Devil
2. Obama = God
3. Republican = Bad
4. Democrat = Good - and the ONLY way to go
5, High Taxes = Good
5a. High Unemployment = Good
5b. Massive Government Social Programs = Good
6. Government Control of Everything = Good
7. Freedom for business to make their profits = Bad
7a. Letting Job Markets and Demand dictate salaries of Executives = Bad
7b. Government Control of Executive Pay = Good
8. Heavy Dependence of the Government = Good (see No. 5, 5a, and 5b)
9. Forced Socialized Medicine on our country = Good (See No. 5 and 6)
10. Anything that has even the slightest effect on the environment = Bad

Also, I need some help on the lotter issue. I assume that we are against it since it was Bill Halter's idea, it gives people too much free choice to participate or not, and it will hurt the environment with all those extra pieces of paper being printed for the tickets.

I think that is it. I want to thank all of you for showing me that the liberal way is the way to go. Now...let's attack some Republicans.

Signed...

Catfish,
The Liberal POS

Hell no, Obama ain't god...he's simply better than the two alternatives, Dubya/McCain. But, sure, Republicans (of the last 8+ years) have acted very very badly. Good lord...they tossed out every viable healthy conservative notion about fiscal restraint/balanced budgets and non-nation building. They tossed them out and did the happy dance on top of em...then went off to screw something/someone they shouldn't be screwing. And, our Democrats are JUST ABOUT equal to Republicans in their greed/abject disregard for Democratic principles and the wishes of their constituents. In many ways, they're worse than the Republicans because they pretend to be other than they are while Republicans tend to be proud of their nutty ways.

Saying 'we' like high unemployment/etc. is the same nonsense that declared we wanted to lost in Iraq/Afghanistan. It's LOL ridiculous and insulting to all of us who sent our loved ones to fight/die. NO ONE wishes more than I that I had been completely wrong about Dubya and the war/our economy. My life, and the lives of my loved ones, would be immensely better if Dubya/Republicans had governed according to their 'fine' conservative values rather than like drunken frat boys who knew they'd never have to answer for any of their debauchery.

Blanche must be feeling the heat 'cause her staff actually replied to my 'reply' to one of her healthcare mumbo jumbo releases. Vague crap about the media twisting her words and that she hadn't tossed 'universal healthcare' off the table. Ha.

More than any other factor, Arkansans haven't 'felt' the horrid economy as bad as much of the country because we're already poor and never lived any differently. Such is the nature of consistently living with Mississippi at the bottom of the economic pool.

"He who doesn't study history is doomed to have to keep studying it."

"Save a penny."

Just two of many pithy quotations from Benjamin Franklin.

Benjamin Franklin was one of our country's fondling Fathers. He also said, "A nimble rod is the Devil's workshop for an idol's hands."

A lot of stuff he said is so deep it doesn't make sense. Many of his statements are found today inside fortune cookies. That's him on your $100 bill.

He also discovered electricity on his kite (which led directly to Alfred E. Edison's invention of the light bulb and Con-Ed) as well as having had a hand in indoor plumbing.

History is something everybody should know a little bit about so they aren't doomed to keep studying it instead of celebrating the Fourth of July.

Thanks for clarifying Zelda. I am new to this liberal line of thinking and am still learning.

But, one question...doesn't high unemployment play right into our plan to create a society that is completely dependent on the Government (i.e., Socialism)? Just curious.

Maybe the answer is high unemployment in the PRIVATE sector, but low unemployment in the PUBLIC sector and CLEAN ENERGY sector. Also, I think more people should volunteer or work for free if they can afford it.

Oh...one other thing...I found out yesterday that I will likely be laid off in my job in about 3 months. So, I will become dependent on the Government like the other liberals.

So, rather than wishing happy INdependence day....I can now say...

Happy Dependence Day everyone....

The posts by Achbani and Catfish Eater attest to the accuracy of Paul Krugman's insight. In his column published June 26th he said one side of Barack Obama is "the Policy Wonk, whose command of the issues...is a joy to behold." His other side, however, is "the Post-Partisan, who searches for common ground where none exists...."

Krugman could not be more correct when he speaks of Obama's need to get tough with such "moderates" in his own party as our Blanche and Mark. They are not going to listen to our plebian plea for universal health insurance that includes a public option policy that will require rabid champions of the efficiency of the private sector to put up or shut up, nor will they support EFCA to give workers leverage to extract a just share of the fruits of their labor, -- not when so damned much election money comes from major stockholders and management of Wal-Mart, ConAgra, Tyson Foods, Murphy Oil, International Paper, and Stephens, Inc. The change we need can be brought about only by someone with the ability and disposition to kick butts, take names, recruit primary opponents, and then raise money to fund their races.

Debating economics with a conservative is about as rewarding as debating astronomy with those fine folks at Fixed Earth. (blue name) Both groups are equally sure of themselves.

The massive intervention into 0.32% of the economy sure indicates that the government is making every decision. Now if that other 99.68% will just get in line.

Those who want GM, Crysler, and Ford to fail (which must be their hope if they think we shouldbn't have done anything), certainly are wishing for more unemployment and it won't all be in Michigan as attested by the lay-off here in Arkansas recently. Of course, this will reduce the GOP desire for more wars to help their corporate friends as we won't have manufacturing capability left and it is hard to go to war if you don't have the skills and facilities to manufacture the needed materials.

It might help the economy if the GOP would adopt a posture of seeing this as an American problem since their president started the problem and spent the last 6 months of his term doing nothing except giving his banking buddies $350 million for "being there" with no requirements to do anything. As Bush once said, "these are his base".

It might be well on this July 4th week-end to remember that it took only one 8 year presidency to overturn 9 of the 10 basic rights outlined in the Bill of Rights. I guess, if he could have found a way to do it, we would have been quartering British soldiers to make it all ten.

Holy Cow, The bottom feeder sees a ray of light.

Welcome to the real fiscal conservative side of the isle, you KKK dot com reader. Admitting when you hit bottom government is your best if not only resort is a major step.

Now get on that phone, call every single AR congresscritter... demand good governance instead hate governance and governance for the rich only. Tell them single payer health care is the only way in terms of cost and care that they can possibly call themselves fiscally conservative. Tell them job creation should be equal priority to health care for every citizen. Millions want to work but they cannot! Tell them stimulus spending should be applied to investments in America on buildout of our health care infrastructure, broadband, green grid, (not coal), higher education, holding onto industry, not shipping it out, and so on. Stimulus should not build one prison or weapons program. Stimulus should go towards things which will provide a return far longer than the time it will take to just spend it now.

Tell them to quit protecting banks and Goldman Sachs... and help folks with their mortgage (nice little cramdown would be a perfect start) instead.

Tell them you already know how to fish and that they better start cutting bait today. That's their damn job.

Finally tell all your miserable republican friends that it's time they understood... progressive liberal governance is what they must support now... not the politicians who would rather profit off government while drowning it (meaning all of us) in a bath tub.

Sorry to hear that, Catfish Eater. Hang in there.

As ES previously remarked the stimulus is falling flat because HALF of it was by way of tax cuts,
or trickle-down which has never produced more than .03 stimulus. It was fodder for the "moderates" and the likes of Achbani who do not understand the basics. Achbani if you think gubbermint debt spending is out of control you need to look at private debt numbers. Staggering.
When things are growing and circulating debt loads are readily liquidated.

Soviets had a "command" society vs our "demand" economy. They also were spending huge amounts of their limited budget on defense, a non-productive exercise which feeds few but it stoked their fears just as R's and their huge military deficits have stoked our fears for generations.

The Stimulus graph is on my blue name.

I thought Reagan conservatives would be in a wet dream heaven by now. Just like 1982-1987 we're in high deficits, high military spending, falling employment and all the result of huge tax cuts coupled with increases in spending and we have TWO WAR FRONTs to keep things jiving and keep the fear levels high.
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Catfish, in remaining true to your core conservative principles, why would you even consider filing for unemployment benefits? Or is it only 'sucking from the socialistic government teat' when it's someone else cashing the check?

And every single American should read the Declaration of Independence (easy free text on a google search) out loud with friends and family this weekend!

It's better than fireworks.

As ES previously remarked the stimulus is falling flat because HALF of it was by way of tax cuts,
or trickle-down which has never produced more than .03 stimulus
************
Obama loves Reagan and trickle down. TARP and the trillions of $$ infused into the financial system by the Fed and treasury, isn't quite making it to the middle class. They had to make sure that the big money boys got their money back from all of those toxic assets. Krugman said, when the STIM pkg. scam was under consideration, that it wasn't enough and wasn't being spent correctly. He also pointed out that Obama and the Dems burned so much political capital and gave away the store with tax cuts that when more money was needed, public confidence would be shot. If the WH had listened to people like Krugman and Stiglitz and not worried about kissing Republican a**, then maybe things would be different.

catfisheater...you sound bitter over losing your job. In fact, 'bitter' is the only emotion Republicans know anymore. Seriously, besides that bubble-headed Republican that flew to Argentina for nookie, do any of you know a Republican that is not 'bitter'?

Heck, I am not Republican and I really do wish you guys had some good, honest, thoughtful leadership instead of these bitter old fools you have right now.

Interesting story: I was at the casino this week. In the restroom was six black gentlemen, me, and this old white guy lined up doing our business. The old white guy's phone goes off....it is a RUSH LIMBAUGH ringtone!!!!! I just shook my head and finished my business and left. As I was leaving I heard one of the black dudes say "Yeah, I bet you would like that MF'er to be in office!"

If all things were the way they appear, the seating of Al Franken in the Senate would be the end of our problems with the lunatic Republican Party. But it's them damn centrists, of which Arkansas has 2 in the Senate that is the fly in the ointment. With the help of the American voters we've got the Republicans bottled up, but we'll never put the cap on that bottle as long as we have Lincoln & Pryor in the Senate.

If only we'd catch Lincoln & Pryor off "hiking their own Appalachian Trail", we be rid of them and could send some help to Obama. It's just terrible we have no recall ability for Senators. The only recall ability we have is to catch our Senators in bed with a live girl or a dead boy ranked according to their seniority, don't ya know. It is a lie to state that the Democrats will now hold 60 seats in the Senate. That Gang of 14 mentality has sunk our ship of state. But I should be a little kinder to Lincoln & Pryor because they're only voting the way their corporate owners tell them to. But haven't they had enough of living that way? I have!

We can't bitch and moan if we're responsible for sending these money whores to Congress. Sure 3/4th of the Arkansas voters don't have a problem with L & P, but it's only because they never pay attention. They think voting is their only responsibility. Cast your ballot then turn off the brain. Well, we can't operate that way any more. We need informed voters who stay informed after the election is over. You can't call yourself a Lincoln & Pryor supporter without giving away that you're either a Republican or stupid.

These dangerous times don't need stupid, or fake Democrats, or Ronald Reagan Republicans. We need reforms, we need A.C.T.I.O.N! The Bush tax cut huggers should be learning what 8 miserable years of Bush is gonna cost them. When they holler and scream, they should be screaming at Cheney-Bush....this ain't Obama's fault. He's having to clean up after the 8 year frat party and it's going to hurt us all. Dump Lincoln, there's a good start. We should all run against her.

But it's them damn centrists, of which Arkansas has 2 in the Senate that is the fly in the ointment.
***********
Centrist....another MSM brainwashing meme. When people like Lincoln, Pryor, Baucus, Nelson are called centrist Democrats, it just shows how far right this county has moved. No matter how much Obama talks about "green shoots" or turning the corner, this economic downturn is getting worse. I think the American people will have to make the same political decision that they made in the '30's; liberalism or continue to be victimized by big money and trans-national corps.

"America's Effective Unemployment Rate at 18.7%?"

"But now, I have been hearing more and more from senior Obama economic team members about the jobs they hoped for coming at the very tail end of an economic recovery. Others are talking about a GDP recovery -- but not a jobs recovery."
"And all this while Goldman Sachs and other financial houses have seen their balance sheets get cleaned up and bonuses surge."
http://www.thewashingtonnote.com/archives/2009/07/americas_effect/

And it's a "state secret" about how many trillions have been pumped into the financial sector to "clean up" the big political donors balance sheets.

Boy!
Mz Blanche is sure getting hit. She landed in NWA yesterday and not a mention on TV.
Stephens-owned The Moron News made no mention of Blanche's visit to NWA.

However the Northwest Ark Times gave her plenty of coverage.. You may clicky it since a couple of friends are there to greet her.

On my desk is a very slick mail-out to healthcare workers courtesy of my partner, the nurse.
The slick finish flier is full of BIG print but no big words. It plays on all the common misconceptions
and fears, job losses, restriction of doctor choices, waiting weeks for tests-months for treatment. Hey, I got news for them-that's the way it is now for millions of us!

It's from the Foundation for a Secure and Prosperous America has a large picture of a cop with billy club holding healthcare workers with their hands up while an Asiatic doctor, smiling, sits and reads a book.
It's a bleak, frightening picture they show you of what's to happen IF-

Blanche Lincoln votes FOR healthcare reform.

There's a tear-away postcard with a preprinted message to Blanche opposing "single-payer-government takeover of my healthcare."

Blanche is in treacherous waters. After her initial stop at Corporate Drake Field, a taxpayer funded facility for rich playboys and Razorback fans, she is off to UberConservative Benton County, to talk "job creation" and I'm sure some special meetings with her core supporters,
WAl-Mart folks.

Hey Hard headed...I am not conservative anymore...I am not a liberal POS.

But, yes, I think that since I will be joining the ranks of the unemployed, thanks to that bastard GWB, I will file for unemployment and maybe get a job working for ACORN or something of the sort. I was hoping some of the stimulus money would come to me...and when I get to the point of not working I will be ENTITLED to have my share of everyone's wealth given to me.

I am enjoying my first few days of being a liberal POS. Thanks everyone for your support. I look forward to bashing everyone and anyone who does not believe in our core values. By the way, I want to bash Sarah Palin...can anyone throw me some chum spur my feeing freenzy?

Catfish, sorry to hear about your job.

"Oh...one other thing...I found out yesterday that I will likely be laid off in my job in about 3 months. So, I will become dependent on the Government like the other liberals."

Sorry to hear about that, but all the good liberals I know have jobs and are not dependent on the Government. I would also suggest you THANK GOD that there is a social safety net that will be there to, hopefully, keep you and your family from going hungry and losing your home during your time of need. If you depend on conservatives, or God forbid, libertarians they would just as soon you "die and decrease the surplus population" if you can't pull yourself up by your own damn bootstraps.

Good luck, I hope you find a job before you are laid off....

Sorry about your job loss, catfish, my hubby, brother-in-law (FedEx) and daughter-in-law (Axciom) have all been hit with some kind of pay cuts. Hubby. But I ain't buying your 'liberal' declarations and I ain't blaming today's economic crap on the guy/folks who've been in office for months, rather than for years. Republicans are to blame for the current financial mess. It's simple math, a Republican President/Republican dominated government were in control for the last eight years. Ane, unlike our spineless/turncoat Dems, Republicans didn't back up from cramming their so-called conservative' agenda down our throats. Then there's the REALITY that Bill balanced the budget/gave us a surplus...which idiot then pissed away on a based-on-lies war of choice while turning the corporate crooks/Wall Street bankers completely loose to pillage at will and without repercussions.

How do you manage to excuse Republican behavior for the last eight years, catfish. Are you so blinded by you liberal hate that you'll excuse anything/anyone rather than even consider that your team is not the team of your rhetoric?

elwood, Anyway you can photograph and post a copy of the mailer on the internet? I would very much like to spread news of their nefarious activity.

Those folks are up to no good with television ads too.

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Foundation_for_a_Secure_and_Prosperous_America

http://www.secureandprosperous.com/

God forbid, libertarians they would just as soon you "die and decrease the surplus population" if you can't pull yourself up by your own damn bootstraps.
**********
Social Darwinism, the core value of Republicans since the 1880's. ie. "Health Care is a privilege and not a right"

Are you so blinded by you liberal hate that you'll excuse anything/anyone rather than even consider that your team is not the team of your rhetoric?
***********
It is an interesting thing that many people will vote against their self-interest and be happy about it. The best explanation that I have read is the book "Deer Hunting with Jesus". Here is a short review:

http://hammeroftheblogs.blogspot.com/2009/06/deer-hunting-with-jesus.html

Wow this story is almost wierder than hearing about DEMOCRATIC SENATOR BLANCHE LINCOLN and her mystifying LACK OF SUPPORT for a public option in health reform. Well I guess it really isn't so mystifying considering she recieved over $1million in campaign contributions from health insurance companies and private hospitals. Let her know she NEEDS to support REAL HEALTH REFORM. without a strong public option it is pointless.
D.C. office: (202) 224-4843
Little Rock office: (501) 375-2993
Toll Free: 1-800-352-9364

Have you heard about DEMOCRATIC SENATOR BLANCHE LINCOLN and her mystifying LACK OF SUPPORT for a public option in health reform. People in Arkansas and all over the country are in dire need of affordable health care. The public option in health reform is important because it makes insurance companies play fair, like they should. She recieved over $1million in campaign contributions from health insurance companies and private hospitals. Let her know she NEEDS to support REAL HEALTH REFORM in order for her to be re-elected in 2010. Without a strong public option it is pointless.
D.C. office: (202) 224-4843
Little Rock office: (501) 375-2993
Toll Free: 1-800-352-9364

>>elwood, Anyway you can photograph and post a copy of the mailer on the internet? <<

I must fess' up ES. I have been lazy. I have a website but haven't developed it. I have a
My Space page but cannot recall my screen name or password. It's the shits gettin old.

I suppose I could scan the thing but I would have the learn to use yet another piece of new software for my new printer,scanner, copier, fax. All i do on it now is print and copy.

On their slick flier there's a website listed www.realhealthcareagenda.com
None of the links at the site work which is so typical of Rwingnuts. Nothing works for them.
.

Oh, ES, the slick anti public health option flier on my desk has its credit to

Foundation for a Secure and Prosperous America

SourceWatch says this:

The Foundation for a Secure and Prosperous America (FSPA) is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit corporation that "operates independently" from the 2008 presidential campaign of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), "but was set up and financed by his supporters seeking to help him as much as possible up to the limits of the law," Jim Rutenberg and David D. Kirkpatrick wrote November 12, 2007, in the New York Times.[1]

The Foundation was "started by Rick Reed, whose firm helped produce the 2004 Swift Boat advertisements that questioned Senator John Kerry's war record in a way that Democrats, and even McCain, said was unfair - but, also, in a way that both sides agree did great damage to Kerry's presidential campaign. Reed is also a long-time strategist for McCain, working for his 2000 presidential campaign and briefly for his 2008 campaign, before it ran short on money and trimmed its operations," Rutenberg and Kirkpatrick wrote.[1]
click it.

Well, Catfish, you got the POS right.
But liberal, you ain't.
How do you live with that much hatred in your heart?

Just for you, Cafish: a replay of part of an eLwood comment above, in case you didn't read all the way to the end.

"Just like 1982-1987 we're in high deficits, high military spending, falling employment and all the result of huge tax cuts coupled with increases in spending and we have TWO WAR FRONTs to keep things jiving and keep the fear levels high." -- eLwood

Sorry to hear your job may come to an end in a few months. You see, the same thing happened to hubby during those Reagan years eLwood referred to (and not in the first year either). We didn't have any official warning, although we had been holding our breathe for months. Just a call into the office one Friday afternoon and instructions not to come to work Monday morning. It was tough.
Did we blame the Reagan policies since he'd been in office almost three years at that point? You bet we did! Still do. Never did see any of that trickle down effect he kept touting.
So I can see how you might blame Obama for not turning the economy around in . . . How many months has it been? Not even six months?
Ummm, Catfish, are you sure you'll be able to find the unemployment office by yourself? I mean, if you think you might need a keeper, well, I suppose we could form a round robin of sorts to make sure you find your way in the ghastly liberal fog.
Whatever you do, do file for unemployment insurance. After all, your employer paid for it. Just think, if he hadn't had to do that, why, he might have paid you a little more each week. Right after he built that new home out in western Little Rock -- you know the one. And bought a really sweet yellow Hummer for his wife. And sent his kiddies to that new private school they built so your kiddies wouldn't have to feel deprived of so much. And took that ski trip last winter and came back home by way of Las Vegas. Oh, there was that little cruise around the Windwards too. And . . .
Gee, Catfish, nothing left. So sorry. Nothing extra to fatten your envelope.

Thanks so much Doigotta.

THe way I look at it now I will just be a liberal POS and vote for the most liberal Democrats that run. It is much easier than working. Thanks for helping show me the way.

FYI,

Y'all won't believe what this conservative dipship sent me. A joke against Obama. Well believe you me, I told him off. This guy is obviously a racist. Here is an example of the classless conservatives/repugs humor:

New Ice Cream Flavor:

In honor of the 44th President of the United States, Baskin-Robbins Ice
Cream has introduced a new flavor: "Barocky Road."

Barocky Road is a blend of half vanilla, half chocolate, and surrounded
by nuts and flakes.

The vanilla portion of the mix is not openly advertised and usually
denied as an ingredient.

The nuts and flakes are all very bitter and hard to swallow.

The cost is $100.00 per scoop.

When purchased it will be presented to you in a large beautiful cone, but
then the ice cream is taken away and given to the person in line behind you.

You are left with an empty wallet and no change, holding an empty cone
with no hope of getting any ice cream.

Are you stimulated?

Krugman is a fool. Sort of like the guy who lights a cigarette when he hasn't finished the last one. Instead of a second stimulus how about speeding up the spending of the last one first. Most of the money will not be spent until next year. Holding on the to money does not create a single job.

CE,
My regrets on your layoff. It's a hard adjustment for anyone. Since I am self-employed, I haven't had to face it in a long time, but the current environment takes a lot of marketing for one commission.

As for your, conversion. It wasn't very humorous, just sad. Why don't you just go back to being your normal negative-floor-mounted-doorstop that we either walk around or trip over occasionally? I don't really think you have the depth of understanding of either position nor ammunition for satire. }<;

Catfisheater, you are full of shit. I can smell it all the way to my house.