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[Tamanon]

even though Obama's first few months are not perfect; seeing the insanity of Palin's actions as of late gives the American people a sigh of relief that she is not the VP.

the calm, smart and tactical thought process of Obama's brain compared to Palin's is a sigh of relief.

Makes us appreciate Obama even more when considering the thought a of McCain/Palin presidency in an alternate reality

I guess the only consolation is that Palin would've quit the vice presidency by now. For a fighter, she sure does give up a lot.

 

[Kittonwy]

Anything can happen. Obama was the star of the 2004 convention, but few gave him a chance to unseat HRC in the year leading up to the primaries. The same on the GOP side - even throughout 2007 it was thought that McCain was in shambles and that Gules held all the momentum.

The sad part is that neither McCain nor Gules was capable of mobilizing the conservative base, and Romney being a mormon is going to be the biggest obstacle even if now the field is pretty much cleared for 2012 on the GOP side, I don't see Jindal being a contender and Palin gets too much hate even if she's not in the governor's seat.

 

[gutter_trash]

You might want to wait at least a couple of years to see what kind of shape the country and the world are in before coronating him for a second term four months into his current term.

I raise you a Canadian with another (myself),
I bet you my account in 2012 that Obama will be re-elected in 2012

 

[polyh3dron]

Four months?

Canadian months are different from American months

 

[reilo]

Canadian months are different from American months

Inferior country, inferior time.

 

[speculawyer]

I raise you a Canadian with another (myself),
I bet you my account in 2012 that Obama will be re-elected in 2012

That is ballsy.

4 years is a lifetime in politics, anything can happen. I think the biggest thing is the economy. If it is still shit in 2012, Obama will be toast unless the GOP nominates a nutbag like Palin. And even then, it would be a struggle. When people can't find jobs, they'll toss out politicians that have one.

 

[Kittonwy]

I raise you a Canadian with another (myself),
I bet you my account in 2012 that Obama will be re-elected in 2012

I won't take the bet, conservatives in America have already lost, the damage has already been done.

 

[Kittonwy]

Inferior country, inferior time.

Yet america is trying to emulate our healthcare system and become what our country was during the trudeau era when it was basically a one party country suffering through tough economic times.

 

[Tyrone Slothrop]

The sad part is that neither McCain nor Gules was capable of mobilizing the conservative base, and Romney being a mormon is going to be the biggest obstacle even if now the field is pretty much cleared for 2012 on the GOP side, I don't see Jindal being a contender and Palin gets too much hate even if she's not in the governor's seat.

i think people are looking in the wrong places when prospecting the GOP candidates. it'll be a dark horse candidate like paul ryan or somebody.

unless things go really wrong for them. they could roll out romney or jindal, but pffft

 

[polyh3dron]

Yet america is trying to emulate our healthcare system and become what our country was during the trudeau era when it was basically a one party country suffering through tough economic times.

I coulda sworn that was the Mulroney era. And true to form, Mulroney, the conservative, raised taxes.

 

[scorcho]

Yet america is trying to emulate our healthcare system and become what our country was during the trudeau era when it was basically a one party country suffering through tough economic times.

I'll bite. Canada didn't invent government-sponsored health care, and we've already gone through several years of a Republican majority in DC.

Instead of further posts, could I offer you some delicious poutine and smiley faces?

The sad part is that neither McCain nor Gules was capable of mobilizing the conservative base, and Romney being a mormon is going to be the biggest obstacle even if now the field is pretty much cleared for 2012 on the GOP side, I don't see Jindal being a contender and Palin gets too much hate even if she's not in the governor's seat.

I think Jindal is doing what Palin should have done - lay low after a public embarrassment and build a resume to appeal to both the base and independents. From written accounts he knew not to latch onto McCain's sinking ship, and his anemic SOTU response is the only misstep he's had.

 

[Beer Monkey]

Yet america is trying to emulate our healthcare system

At this point American should be trying to emulate ANYBODY's healthcare system than our own. :lol

The grass is always greener, Kittonwy. Trust me, there's no reason you would want to be in our situation. You'd be spending almost double the percentage of your GDP on health care while having a shorter life expectancy. No developed nation is using their health care dollars less efficiently than we are. Only a lunatic ideologue would want to waste so much money in the name of pretending that the free market fixes everything.

 

[Kittonwy]

i think people are looking in the wrong places when prospecting the GOP candidates. it'll be a dark horse candidate like paul ryan or somebody.

unless things go really wrong for them. they could roll out romney or jindal, but pffft

The field is wide-open but basically it's Romney's game right now, I just don't know whether the conservative base of GOP would fully back a mormon, he can't win without being able to mobilize the conservative base. Anyone else within the GOP would need to out-fundraise Romney to win the nomination regardless of how charismatic the candidate is, and Jindal simply doesn't have the charisma.

 

[Tamanon]

Romney's probably going to win, but then he's going to run into Kerry syndrome. The guy that people really don't like, even on his own side. Unless the economy's in the absolute shitter or a city gets hit, Romney'll get crushed.

of course this is all assuming Giuliani doesn't make another go at winning Florida!

 

[Kittonwy]

At this point American should be trying to emulate ANYBODY's healthcare system than our own. :lol

The grass is always greener, Kittonwy. Trust me, there's no reason you would want to be in our situation. You'd be spending almost double the percentage of your GDP on health care while having a shorter life expectancy. No developed nation is using their health care dollars less efficiently than we are. Only a lunatic ideologue would want to waste so much money in the name of pretending that the free market fixes everything.

If the grass isn't always greener, america wouldn't be trying to inject more government into healthcare and just about everything else.

I think the point is to make sure it's fiscally manageable (Canada has a shorter life expectancy than Macau and Hong Kong and both have strong private sector healthcare), having health insurance companies competing against each other isn't a bad thing, having the government as one of the players is, because the government doesn't need to run a profitable business or even break even, they're subsidized by the public, it's not a fair competition, not to mention health insurance companies aren't evil money grabbing entities, the public are the investors of such companies, with them out of the picture (why would anyone pay more to be with a private health insurance company when government insurance is cheaper?) you would have to raise healthcare dollars out of higher taxes. At the end of the day it all depends if you want to pay higher taxes because that's what's going to happen.

 

[speculawyer]

The sad part is that neither McCain nor Gules was capable of mobilizing the conservative base, and Romney being a mormon is going to be the biggest obstacle even if now the field is pretty much cleared for 2012 on the GOP side, I don't see Jindal being a contender and Palin gets too much hate even if she's not in the governor's seat.

Where is the sad part?

 

[speculawyer]

I coulda sworn that was the Mulroney era. And true to form, Mulroney, the conservative, raised taxes.

Canada is on a different scale. The conservative party in Canada is pro-choice.

 

[Kittonwy]

I coulda sworn that was the Mulroney era. And true to form, Mulroney, the conservative, raised taxes.

Mulroney replaced the 13.5% manufacturer's sales tax with the GST (7%), instead of taxing canadian made manufactured goods at the wholesale level, the tax was shifted to retail, people hated it because it's more transparent but you were already paying a higher tax on goods even before the GST replaced the MST.

 

[Kittonwy]

Canada is on a different scale. The conservative party in Canada is pro-choice.

We're just not as hung up on the abortion issue, it's simply not a big issue in my country, we've got bigger fish to fry, fiscal responsibility and the economy should always be the main priorities, our government is big enough as it is, at the end of the day people need to make a living before worrying about anything else.

 

[polyh3dron]

Mulroney replaced the 13.5% manufacturer's sales tax with the GST (7%), instead of taxing canadian made manufactured goods at the wholesale level, the tax was shifted to retail, people hated it because it's more transparent but you were already paying a higher tax on goods even before the GST replaced the MST.

I see. (I was pretty young back then and didn't really know all the details) But i didn't remember anything getting any cheaper once GST came into play.

 

[gutter_trash]

Canada is on a different scale. The conservative party in Canada is pro-choice.

the Conservative party in Canada has no legs, it is in eternal minority.

1st (new) Consevative Minority win came off after 13 years of Liberal rule with a Sponsorship Scandal hounding the Liberals

2nd (new) Conservative Minority win came off after have one of the weakest Liberal leaders as their opponent (Stephane Dion who is unpopular in Quebec and unknown in the Rest-Of-Canada)

the present day (new) Conservetive party is unable to win majorities when their main opponent the Liberal is having a scandal or a poor leader at the helm.

with a strong Liberal Leader.... the Conservatives have no chance next time.

The abortion debate in Canada is closed and shut. Any attempt to re-open it will cause a major backlash from women and centrists, the Conservatives are forced to play in the middle

 

[speculawyer]

We're just not as hung up on the abortion issue, it's simply not a big issue in my country, we've got bigger fish to fry, fiscal responsibility and the economy should always be the main priorities, our government is big enough as it is, at the end of the day people need to make a living before worrying about anything else.

Indeed . . . that is why it is mind-bending to see a huge political figure in American politic be someone who admits to getting a 'D' in college macroeconomics.

 

[Kittonwy]

I see. (I was pretty young back then and didn't really know all the details) But i didn't remember anything getting any cheaper once GST came into play.

And it was Harper's Conservative government who lowered the GST, I think right now Canadians need to make sure that our government is fiscally sustainable, our banking sector is one of the few in the world that didn't need to be bailed out and have remained profitable, because we don't hand out loans like candy and people have to actually qualify for a mortgage, home ownership should never be the rule.

 

[Kittonwy]

Indeed . . . that is why it is mind-bending to see a huge political figure in American politic be someone who admits to getting a 'D' in college macroeconomics.

I'm not sure whom you're referring to.

 

[speculawyer]

I'm not sure whom you're referring to.

Really? Go back to the gaming side.

 

[Kittonwy]

the Conservative party in Canada has no legs, it is in eternal minority.

1st (new) Consevative Minority win came off after 13 years of Liberal rule with a Sponsorship Scandal hounding the Liberals

2nd (new) Conservative Minority win came off after have one of the weakest Liberal leaders as their opponent (Stephane Dion who is unpopular in Quebec and unknown in the Rest-Of-Canada)

the present day (new) Conservetive party is unable to win majorities when their main opponent the Liberal is having a scandal or a poor leader at the helm.

with a strong Liberal Leader.... the Conservatives have no chance next time.

The abortion debate in Canada is closed and shut. Any attempt to re-open it will cause a major backlash from women and centrists, the Conservatives are forced to play in the middle

The problem is there isn't a strong liberal leader right now despite the CBC really trying really hard to make Ignatieff likeable. Ignatieff couldn't even win on his own when he first went up against Dion who was basically a boob, and he has no real platform but the liberal party never really had much of one, it has always been the party with no true economic and political identity and that's what Canada has been, a country with no true identity. The problem with Ignatieff is that he's just not the kind of person that is remotely approachable or likeable.

 

[Trurl]

I'm not sure whom you're referring to.

He's referring to John Kerry.

 

[Kittonwy]

Really? Go back to the gaming side.

You mean Palin? it's not like she needs to be the fed chairman or anything. I think it's much more important to pick the right people for the right jobs. No, right now I don't believe Palin would be a viable candidate given how much the media absolutely detests her, she can mobilize the conservative base of the GOP unlike everybody else though and the GOP needs to find someone with that ability.

 

[scorcho]

Considering her base level of discourse and seeming aversion to policy issues I don't think there's much hope that she'd surround herself with competent technocrats or advisers. Judging from her record in Alaska, she burns bridges, carries personal vendettas and keeps a small inner circle.

 

[platypotamus]

You mean Palin? it's not like she needs to be the fed chairman or anything. I think it's much more important to pick the right people for the right jobs. No, right now I don't believe Palin would be a viable candidate given how much the media absolutely detests her, she can mobilize the conservative base of the GOP unlike everybody else though and the GOP needs to find someone with that ability.

The problem is the GOP needs to find someone to mobilize the base, while at the same time not scaring the living shit out of absolutely everyone else. Palin sure isn't that person. I'm not really sure if that person exists, as the GOP has worked rather tirelessly to shift their base further and further to the right. We're often called a center-right country, and if we're going to roll with that, it puts the Dem's base a lot closer to the center than the GOP's base, which makes it much tougher for a republican candidate to both excite the base and have the support of the middle ground necessary to win a national election.

 

[Tamanon]

You mean Palin? it's not like she needs to be the fed chairman or anything. I think it's much more important to pick the right people for the right jobs. No, right now I don't believe Palin would be a viable candidate given how much the media absolutely detests her, she can mobilize the conservative base of the GOP unlike everybody else though and the GOP needs to find someone with that ability.

Well, one of the things you also need is that once you pick the right people is to follow their advice. She pretty clearly ignored her advisors at will during the campaign.

 

[Sleeker]

Obama needs to do something really big and theres no way he wouldnt be re-elected
like announcing et disclosure or something.

 

[Gaborn]

Obama needs to do something really big and theres no way he wouldnt be re-elected
like announcing et disclosure or something.

I gotta admit, if he did THAT even I'd be sorely tempted to vote for him.

 

[Ignis Fatuus]

Why am I getting "Re-Elect John McCain" banners in this thread.

 

[Milabrega]

I think with the current death spiral of the republican party there is nothing stopping a strong third party candidate from being Obama's main opposition in 2012. Right now, seeing how Bloomberg is running his campaign for mayor, it feels like a warm up for 2012. He did a smart political move last Spring and left the republican party which lead many at the time, myself included, to believe he was going to make a run that year. He's got the money to finance a national campaign on his own, even before getting any backing, and seriously who ever is running his current campaign is doing an excellent job.

 

[Ignis Fatuus]

I think with the current death spiral of the republican party there is nothing stopping a strong third party candidate from being Obama's main opposition in 2012. Right now, seeing how Bloomberg is running his campaign for mayor, it feels like a warm up for 2012. He did a smart political move last Spring and left the republican party which lead many at the time, myself included, to believe he was going to make a run that year. He's got the money to finance a national campaign on his own, even before getting any backing, and seriously who ever is running his current campaign is doing an excellent job.

He's rejoining the Republicans.

 

[Deus Ex Machina]

[Obama] Administration plans for end of ‘too big to fail’

Source: MSNBC

They are the biggest of the big — the Citigroups, the Goldman Sachses, the AIGs and other financial behemoths. The Obama administration doesn't want so many around anymore. Financial regulations proposed by the president would result in leaner and simpler institutions that don't carry the weight of the system on their marble columns.

Around Washington and Wall Street they have come to be known as TBTF — too big to fail. It's not just size, though. These companies are so far-flung, so intertwined and so precariously leveraged that a single one's collapse can create systemwide tremors that imperil the finances of millions of Americans.


Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31711461/ns/business-stocks_and_economy

 

[platypotamus]

Why am I getting "Re-Elect John McCain" banners in this thread.

Do you live in Arizona, and is it referring to his senate seat?

 

[Gallbaro]

He's rejoining the Republicans.

No, but he is lobbying for the republican ballot if I recall.

I think with the current death spiral of the republican party there is nothing stopping a strong third party candidate from being Obama's main opposition in 2012. Right now, seeing how Bloomberg is running his campaign for mayor, it feels like a warm up for 2012. He did a smart political move last Spring and left the republican party which lead many at the time, myself included, to believe he was going to make a run that year. He's got the money to finance a national campaign on his own, even before getting any backing, and seriously who ever is running his current campaign is doing an excellent job.

A rich NYC Jew would be harder to elect than a black terrorist was.

 

[Tamanon]

Do you live in Arizona, and is it referring to his senate seat?

I live in Carolina, and it's about his Senate seat. I think his campaign bought some internet ads unwisely.:lol

 

[The Librarian]

I just got the ad. I think you guys talking about it brought it up for me.:lol

Spoiler

 

[The Crimson Kid]

The problem is the GOP needs to find someone to mobilize the base, while at the same time not scaring the living shit out of absolutely everyone else. Palin sure isn't that person. I'm not really sure if that person exists, as the GOP has worked rather tirelessly to shift their base further and further to the right. We're often called a center-right country, and if we're going to roll with that, it puts the Dem's base a lot closer to the center than the GOP's base, which makes it much tougher for a republican candidate to both excite the base and have the support of the middle ground necessary to win a national election.

I don't necessarily think that the Republican base will be looking for the pure ideologue as much as many people think. After their (projected) big losses in 2010 and three years of Obama, I think that first and foremost, they will be looking for someone with the best chance of beating Obama. Whoever can prove they could do that will get the nomination.

Personally, I think Romney has the best chances as of now. Even though everything about him screams "corporate America," he looks like a guy who can get things done, which after three years of bad news for conservatives (with Dems controlling the White House and the Congress, and through the filter of right-wing pundits and preachers, how could the news be any good?), that will be the biggest thing on their minds. He would probably face a weak field of competitors, considering that most of the more formidable competitors will wait it out until 2016, due to Obama's campaigning skills and his newfound advantage in experience. His opponents in the primaries will tear Romney up over some of the things he did in the past, but if he can live through that, it'll be a nice fight between him and Obama in 2012. Plus, he is in the best position to capitalize on any economic mistakes Obama makes.

 

[speculawyer]

Think Limbaugh & Cheney will pull his card now.

Colin Powell attacks critics of Sotomayor

WASHINGTON – Colin Powell, one of the nation's most prominent African-Americans, is going after people who attacked Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor because of her stand in favor of affirmative action.

Powell, who's from the same Bronx neighborhood in New York as Sotomayor, said she should face "a spirited set of hearings" in the Senate. But he said the federal appeals court judge, who would be the first Hispanic justice, shouldn't be condemned for ruling against white firefighters who contended they suffered reverse discrimination.

"What we can't continue to have is to have somebody like a Judge Sotomayor ... called a racist, a reverse racist and she ought to withdraw her nomination because we're mad at her," Powell said in an interview broadcast Sunday on "State of the Union" on CNN.

Powell made it clear that he was referring to critics outside the Senate.

"Fortunately, the senators who will sit on this hearing in the Judiciary Committee, after a few days of this kind of nonsense, said, `Let's slow down, let's examine her qualifications in the way we're supposed to at a confirmation hearing.'" The committee begins hearings July 13.

Powell said Sotomayor has "an open and liberal bent of mind, but that's not disqualifying. But she seems to have a judicial record that seems to be balanced and tries to follow the law."

Powell, a Republican who supported Obama, said his party still is not sensitive enough toward minorities.

He noted that Obama had a significant advantage with Hispanics and African-Americans in the November elections. He criticized Republicans who are not elected to office and "immediately shout racism" against Sotomayor, while accusing Powell of supporting Obama because both men are black.

"We still have a problem," he said.

Radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh has called Powell "just another liberal," said he should become a Democrat and charged that Powell endorsed Obama based on race. Powell said Sunday that Limbaugh "doesn't decide who I am or what I am no more than I decide who he is or what he is."

 

[Loudninja]

Bankruptcy judge OKs GM sale plan

NEW YORK (AP) -- A bankruptcy judge said late Sunday that General Motors Corp. can sell the bulk of its assets to a new company, potentially clearing the way for the automaker to quickly emerge from bankruptcy protection.

U.S. Judge Robert Gerber said in his 95-page ruling that the sale was in the best interests of both GM and its creditors, whom he said would otherwise get nothing.

"As nobody can seriously dispute, the only alternative to an immediate sale is liquidation - a disastrous result for GM's creditors, its employees, the suppliers who depend on GM for their own existence, and the communities in which GM operates," Gerber wrote in his ruling.

A spokeswoman for GM said early Monday that the automaker planned to release a statement soon.

The decision came after a three-day hearing that wrapped up Thursday, during which GM and government officials urged a quick approval of the sale, saying it was needed to keep the automaker from selling itself off piece by piece.

But attorneys for some of GM's bondholders, unions, consumer groups and individuals with lawsuits against the company argued for its rejection, saying that their needs were being pushed aside in favor of the interests of GM and the government.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_GM_BANKRUPTCY?SITE=PASUN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

 

[NetMapel]

Seems like the battle of healthcare has just intensified in the US. Watching CNN, GOP Mitch McConnell blasted the Canadian health system by twisting some stats and exaggerating wait time in Canada. He cited an example of a Canadian patient who came to the US for a brain tumor surgery but did not mention how much she paid for the surgery in the US: $100,000+, which she was able to borrow from friends and families.

Seems like the healthcare industry in the US is having some insecurity issues now.

 

[hukasmokincaterpillar]

Seems like the battle of healthcare has just intensified in the US. Watching CNN, GOP Mitch McConnell blasted the Canadian health system by twisting some stats and exaggerating wait time in Canada. He cited an example of a Canadian patient who came to the US for a brain tumor surgery but did not mention how much she paid for the surgery in the US: $100,000+, which she was able to borrow from friends and families.

Seems like the healthcare industry in the US is having some insecurity issues now.

The status quo is in relatively little danger at this juncture. A public option is framed as the 'lib left' option, and single payer is effectively censored from the "debate".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wOz23QZmqs

Obama checks progressives for their meddling...
http://crooksandliars.com/susie-madrak/obama-concerned-about-dfhs-attacking

There was a chance to move the Overton window on this, this admin certainly has the capital and rhetorical means. But Congress and the Executive bolted it down as fast as they could, lest their real constituents have a bit of a fit.

 

[Mrs. Manky]

Powell, who's from the same Bronx neighborhood in New York as Sotomayor

The Bronx protects its own, yo.

 

[stressboy]

Huffington Post is saying that Robert McNamara has died.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/06/robert-mcnamara-dead_n_226043.html

 

[LM4sure]

Yet america is trying to emulate our healthcare system and become what our country was during the trudeau era when it was basically a one party country suffering through tough economic times.

Americans are stupid. Canada's health care system sucks. Waiting six months to see a specialist? No thank you!

 

[Jonm1010]

Huffington Post is saying that Robert McNamara has died.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/06/robert-mcnamara-dead_n_226043.html

Sorry to hear. He was one of those rare people who managed to re-asses his past decisions and become a much better person for it and leave behind valuable lessons and insight in the process.