Tighten that belt
I agree with Jonathan that not enough has changed in how we "do business," as it were.
I believe that Obama and Bernanke and others have helped us avoid the economic collapse that the best experts feared early this year. No one really knew where the worst downward spiral in eight decades would end.
To shift the metaphors, the overly obese patient was saved from the life-threatening heart attack. But I do suspect a return to gluttony, or at least an insufficient resolve to tighten that belt or that lap band.
Here, I'm disappointed in Obama. He had the opportunity to use his bully pulpit not just for Nobel-Prize winning discussions of international reconciliation, but for even more important discussions of what it means to be an American who produces more than he or she consumes. He had a chance to point an anxious nation -- especially receptive younger people who don't tar him as a Marxist African -- toward a higher set of values than mass consumerism. He missed his chance, and may have only forestalled the heart attack that kills.
Obama and Bernanke have helped us avoid an economic collapse? That's rich. What they've really done, if we continue using your analogy, is keep shoving cream puffs into the obese patient while insisting that an all cream puff diet is the real route to health. The patient, apparently blessed with good genes, has not collapsed yet. But he will if we keep stuffing him with cream puffs.
And who, pray tell, is "tarring" our poor president as a "Marxist African"? Is this your way of saying that people (rightly) recognize that anyone who says things like "we need to spread the wealth" ... and advocates Marxist policies... is certainly a guy with some Marxist tendencies? Because yeah, he is and yeah he does. But really. I haven't heard anyone calling him a Marxist African so I don't know what you're talking about.
I have, on the other hand, heard quite a few people calling a certain famous radio personality a "racist" with absolutely no evidence save some apparently made-up quotes. Let's get real here. Was it REALLY racist to point out that the media might be hoping a black quarterback would do well, for the reasons Rush indicated? Why are liberals so schizophrenic? They say they want to have a "real conversation" about race, but when anyone actually points out what WE ALL KNOW IS TRUE, he gets taken to the woodshed. Pathetic.
Dailynews 11/8/09 Re: Jobless suffer more than in the 1980s...and they will keep on suffering.
Manufacturing jobs are disappearing, American jobs are disappearing and keep on disappearing, helped by the obtuse attitude of American buyers who keep on buying every new crappy technological gadget dumped on us from abroad, courtesy of the idiocy of people, past and present, in charge of this country.
To give an example. When Hummer, Vans and Rubbermaid closed their shops in the USA and moved to China, China started producing those items and sold them to the rest of the world. These products were not obsolete or China would not have bought them.
The loser was the American worker, the winner was the American CEO and the government sat and watched.
Prior to these deals was there any kind of meeting held with all those american workers who were going to see their jobs disappearing for ever and ever? Did anyone offer them an alternative as: The only way we keep on manufacturing is by all of us (from top to bottom) to take a cut on our salaries and keep working.
Was there any talk, meeting, any vote taken before the ax fell chopping jobs left and right?
Where was our government while this was happening and where is our government while this keeps on happening?
And while our current President gave cash for clunker why didn't he used part of that money to open here, in the USA a manufacturing shoes company, a manufacturing coat company, a pants company, a shirt, coat, socks, gloves, etc., etc., with the same principle used for old cars.
Bring in your old clothing and buy a new item made in USA. I repeat, Made in USA.
Mister President, are you listening? Do you have anything better to offer to the disappearing American worker?
Warning! Del Monte is importing cans food of orange & mandarin Made in China. This is another reason of our economy meltdown.
Warning! Dole is importing cans food of pineapple chunks Made in the Philippines. Another reason for our economy meltdown.
Warning! The melting of USA.
Gillette is manufacturing its products in Poland. Fruits Of The Loom is manufacturing underwear in Mongolia.
Warning! I already said that DEl Monte is importing canned Oranges an Mandarins from China. Last October my wife and I travelled Highway 5 going to San Francisco. Alongside the 5 we saw acres and acres of citrus land totally dead with sign saying "Congress created dust bowl."
Now, I am by nature a suspicious fellow and I was thinking that...COULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE THAT DEL MONTE LOBBIED TO HAVE ACRES OF CITRUS LAND LET TO DIE, SO THEY COULD GO TO CHINA AND IMPORT THE CHEAPER PRODUCTS WE SEE NOW IN MANY GROCERIES STORES?