Comments on: Can’t We All Just Get Along?

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 19:45:48 +0000

Heather,
Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment. If you enjoyed this post, let me recommend one other for you. If you have the time, please read A Letter. http://www.ayewonder.com/2008/09/26/a-letter/
I’d be interested in your comments about that too.
All the best.

By: Heather

Heather — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 19:37:57 +0000

Hi Mike – I found your blog by a chance google entry! I think your last response hit the nail on the head. I make about $34,000 a year and would gladly pay more taxes if it would mean helping our country, so I guess I might be one of those mailing the government a check. Do I think it’s fair that people with more money get taxed more? NO, but I would switch places with you in a second. Last week I had $30 in the bank but I sent $10 in to help fund Obamas campaign. I know to alot of people $10 isn’t much but at the time it was (obviously) alot to me! This could explain Obama’s record breaking fund raising This election is driving me CRAZY. I’m so SICK of the arguing I can’t stand it. I didn’t vote for Bush in the last election but I thought, “Hey, I’ll deal with it, the majority spoke”. And I’ve put up with decisions for 8 years that I don’t neccessarily agree with. I guess the best way I can explain it is like this. This back and forth arguing reminds me of elementary school playground squabbles! “I’m right!” “You’re wrong!” “You’re stupid!” “No, you are!” “that’s not fair!” then comes the name calling “racist!” “terrorist!” “liar!” Does ANYTHING ever get resolved this way? I can answer that…NO, IT DOESN’T. So I’ll go back to the elementary way of explaining the answer: The Republicans have had 8 years of “their turn” on the swing. It’s time to allow someone else a turn. Just for kicks! I doubt we will end up in a worse situation than where we are now. Just because you don’t agree with my beliefs or opinions doesn’t make me stupid or un-American. Just like you or others have the right to believe what you believe. Please please please don’t try to impose your beliefs on me! But I guess either way the election winds up and whatever path our country takes whether it be for better or worse, someone will have the satisfaction of saying “Told you so!”.

By: Mike

Mike — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 14:23:12 +0000

Actually Holly, you’re wrong. The Iraq war’s cost represents 1% of GDP while Vietnam represented 2.3% and World War II, a whopping 36%. The Iraq war is a small part of the problem.

You’re also wrong about Obama wanting to raise taxes. He will lower taxes for 95% of the country. He will raise your’s & mine but I figure we will benefit by a more fruitful society. He is not anti-business as his proposal to invest $150 billion in the alternative energy industry proves.

How does pulling out of Iraq admit defeat. We should have never been there to begin with. We need to be in Afghanistan where the terrorists live and breed. Obama has said this from the beginning. This shows his incredible ability to grasp the facts and make judgment. That’s the type of president I want not someone who loses his temper and calls his colleagues f__ing jerks, shitheads and assholes. Nice. I won’t mention what he called his wife.

Your final comment about not caring about how other nations view us is the epitome of isolationism. If that’s what you want, I don’t want to live in an America that you envision.

Read the writing on the wall. We are in trouble and we are in trouble because of views like your’s.

God Bless America and God save America.

By: Holly

Holly — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 04:01:40 +0000

Hi Lota…. I think I used the phrase “dangerously close to Communism”…and no, not all Americans hate taxes. We hate EXORBITANT taxes. And those who don’t are free to send the government an extra check for whatever amount they’d like at any time. Trust me, they’ll cash it. And yes, I do want and all the things you listed (I call them the basics) to be paid for with taxes. I thought I made that much clear. It is the WASTEFUL government spending I want to see eliminated. And there’s plenty of it and I’m sick of financing it. Dems want BIG government. I would like to see SMALL government. Huge difference.

By: Holly

Holly — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 03:45:25 +0000

Sweetie, very quickly ’cause I’m tired… we have a deficit because we are in a war unlike any other war in history. The war will end as soon as we eradicate terrorism. We’ve gotten rid of debt before, and we will do it again, when we end the war and drastically reduce government spending. I agree people are panicking and we could be in better shape. I don’t see how obama will fix the problems with his proposal to raise our taxes and give illegals licences. He is anti business and pro big government. How will this change our situation? And please don’t say by ending the war now…that would be a discussion for another time because I feel the surge is working…Obama admitted to that much too. To pull out now would be admitting an untimely defeat. Yes this War has changed alot of things, including the way we are viewed by some other nations. Quite frankly, I don’t care if other nations look up to us or not. We are still the best God-blessed Country in the World! They are not the main target of the Terrorists and they’re not fighting this war with us because, (News flash), they’ve never gave a damn about us to begin with! It’s easy to kick us when we’re down isn’t it?
We will come back. Bigger. Better. Stronger. Even if Obama becomes our president. (Gag.) P.S. I do speak a little Chinese

By: Iota

Iota — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 21:25:23 +0000

Hm, interesting. Holly, I can’t really agree that any form of taxation and redistribution of wealth comes close to communism. I take your point, but I think it’s just socialism, not communism. (And I think if 5% of the population are paying 60% of the tax bill, it just shows how far apart the rich and the poor are, – but that’s a matter of opinion, and we’re not going to agree.)

You Americans HATE taxes, don’t you? I’m not saying we Europeans like them, but I think we live with them much more happily. Don’t you want your roads maintained, your army and navy functioning, your children educated, your prisoners held, your police force and judiciary manned? Who is going to pay for those things?

Iotas last blog post..Sidewalk chalks

By: Mike

Mike — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 19:46:58 +0000

Where do I begin? Holly, I am going to start with my fundamental disagreement with you, whether we are in decline or not. You say our country is experiencing a cyclical decline and that it will sort itself out. You likened it to the four seasons, the ocean or a good marriage. I completely agree with you except for this, we are not in a cyclical decline we are on the precipice of a secular decline. A secular decline is a powerful long term directional move whereas a cyclical decline is shorter term swing around the primary trend (25 year as a money manager, at least I learned that).

The reason I think we are at the brink of a secular decline is because we are ignoring the blatant facts. Start with our country’s financial health. We are in deficit both from a trade and domestic budget perspectives. I support that we can carry some debt (like a mortgage) but now we are spiraling out of control. You may want to learn some Mandarin Chinese. Or wait for a united Europe to start flexing its muscles. By the way, a united Europe makes the United States the 4th biggest marketplace. Hmmm…weren’t we first not too long ago?

I’m the biggest optimist you’ll ever meet but I am also a realist. When I said in 1994 that the balance of the decade would provide Americans with the single best time to accumulate wealth in the history of the country that was an optimist’s perspective of a cyclical bull market. When I said in 1996 that China’s industrialization would cause energy prices to skyrocket, that was a realist’s perspective of a secular move.

Here’s why I say we are on the brink of a secular decline. Our worldwide reputation has never been worse. Statesmanship has been replaced with brinkmanship, diplomacy with saber rattling, the truth with pretense. We are no longer looked up to but instead we are mocked. Yes, we have a powerful military but it is badly stretched in all the wrong directions. Look at the major issues in our country today; the economy, our security, education and health care. With the exception of security, which I do think has improved, hasn’t every other main issue deteriorated over the past 8 years? Don’t just look at your own circumstances, look out the window. I read yesterday that the economy hasn’t been this bad for 60 years. Interestingly, 1948 also marked the first year in a nearly 50 year secular bull market in gold. People buy gold when they don’t know where else to turn. Look at what gold is doing now.

Your facts about Obama are a little confused. I would suggest that you visit FactCheck.org or Politifacts.com to get the straight, non-partisan skinny on him. From what I can tell, Obama seems above reproach.

Yes, we disagree but I still love you too. All I can say is thank God that Zak is on the same page with you! I am proud of my country, her past and her present and her future. But unless we act now and act decisively, our future will not shine nearly as great or as brilliantly as our past.

By: Holly

Holly — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 17:53:32 +0000

What kind of human would deny another human…or even animal in my case, medical help if they needed it? This is what the dems would have you believe…that all we evil conservatives want to see the uninsured dying on the sides of roads. The whole discussion came about because of immigration. There are tens of thousands of people crossing our borders every day. Some of them come to work and make a better life for themselves. I welcome them…if they follow the right procedures and wait in line like their fellow immigrant counterparts. Some come here to make money, send it to their families and friends at home instead of pumping it through the economy here, and simultaneosly take advantage of the free healthcare at our hospitals. The ILLEGAL immigration is the problem, not the legal immigration. Again, we are a nation of immigrants, but we are a nation of Laws. We must ALL follow them.
I think you had a great idea…An ammendment to our health care law is an option. Perhaps we could treat illegal aliens for imminent health issues and then send them to INS to process papers for applications to become citizens LEGALLY. It should be a simpler process to get hard working people here, but also easy to get the troublemakers out. No more “Anchor Babies” would be nice too. Unfortunately nobody in government wants to touch this issue with a ten foot pole because it is politically incorrect. As you pointed out, it is we who pay ultimately. The question now is how much longer will we be able to afford the bill?

By: Stacey

Stacey — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 15:19:01 +0000

In the interest of full disclosure I will say up front that I am not as well versed on the candidates’ stands on the issues as I would normally be this close to a presidential election (I had no idea being a Mom is so time consuming…), but I am interested in all this political discourse.
Holly, in regards to your comment about the long lines at the ER and the law mandating nobody be denied treatment even if they can’t pay, are you advocating that law be abolished all together or amended to include only US cititizens and legal immigrants? I would be behind amending the law. I couldn’t in good conscious support a measure that would deny American citizens access to healthcare even if they couldn’t pay. Particularly in light of the current economic situation and the daily headlines about layoffs, plant closings, and poor fiscal earnings (except the still record-setting oil profits!)
I’m not to the point of closing our borders to everyone, but I do think that something needs to be done about immigration. I live in a small city in northeast Massachusetts. It’s right next to a city whose population is made of mainly immigrants — a large portion of who are on public assistance. I’m all for allowing people to come to America and try to make a go of it, but if you’re not willing to take responsibility for your own welfare then you shouldn’t be allowed to stay.

Staceys last blog post..Curb Appeal

By: Holly

Holly — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 13:38:05 +0000

By the way Lota, the free healthcare is evident in the exruciatingly long lines in the Emergency rooms across the United States…It is mandated by law that anyone without health insurance must not be denied medical treatment…and about the education…just look at our Great Governor Deval Patrick’s plans to grant scholarships to illegal aliens in the state of Massachusetts while passing over student citizens. Appalling.