Disqus - Latest Comments for JasonW

Re: Our view: Obama's cut amounts to little

JasonW — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 20:12:36 -0000

Perhaps the editorial board should read the editorial that they wrote on 1/7/2009 titled "It's not the money, it's the message".

The editorial complained that some local communities spent up to $4500 for school officials to an educational conference. It's not a lot of money, but the E-T board reminds us that times are tough, and every expense must be scrutinized.

Re: Sound Off

JasonW — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 15:45:30 -0000

If you don't agree with what I've said, please attack the content! Show us some facts!

Re: Sound Off

JasonW — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 15:38:56 -0000

Patriotic would be discussing the issues instead of immediately dismissing anyone with a dissenting opinion.

By the way, if the mortgages aren't going to foreclose... THEN YOU DON'T NEED THE HEDGE! That's the whole point!

Re: Sound Off

JasonW — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 14:58:07 -0000

Are you kidding? Do you really have no idea of the kind of greed that has turned a few mortgages into asset-backed securities and crazy derivatives, which were hedged by overly leveraged companies issuing credit default swaps, all of which was given AAA ratings by greedy rating agencies?

It boggles the mind that you can type a complete sentence of such ignorance, let alone the nonstop stream of it that infects the comment sections ehre.

Re: Letter: We're subsidizing irresponsibility

JasonW — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 20:48:53 -0000

To be clear, I'm advocating for a discussion of the actual economic situation.

A lot of people are disappointed with the media coverage of the current crisis. But I think it's not productive to respond by saying things are awful and offering the local restaurant business as your datapoint.

Much the same, you're criticizing the politicians and media for not presenting the facts properly, and your entire rebuttal is... a link to an article in the media.

Re: Letter: We're subsidizing irresponsibility

JasonW — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 14:07:25 -0000

So we're no longer supposed to believe the raw numbers on how bad the economy is because the restaurants that Lynne Dube of Haverhill visit are busy?

The massive slowdown or negative growth of the CPI, the GDP, the Baltic Dry, the sad unemployment numbers, industrial and manufacturer output, real estate transactions... we're supposed to pretend these don't exist because the parking lot was full at Friendly's?

Remember: the plural of anecdote is NOT data.

Re: Bulletin: Dissent no longer patriotic

JasonW — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 08:56:08 -0000

Aside from the woeful misreading of the Shrum/Sessions incident... how short is our memory nowadays? Does anyone remember what it was like trying to voice a dissenting opinion beginning on September 12, 2001? Anyone want to try disagreeing with the Patriot Act the first time around? Or disagreeing with President Bush in general? How about pointing out the inconsistencies in Colin Powell's presentation to the UN? We've eased up on disagreeing with all of this recently, but at the time it was tantamount to treason. Just ask the Dixie Chicks!

Re: Letter: Saving money helps as much as spending

JasonW — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 08:44:24 -0000

Deposits are different from the government help because the banks balance sheets are way out of whack. The rapid and steep fall in the housing market means that bank assets such as mortgages, foreclosed homes, and mortgage-backed securities have made their overall assets much less valuable.

Direct capital from the government helps boost the assets. Deposits from bank customers just adds to their liabilities. True, they can then lend some of this money out, but it still doesn't translate into the same amount. Aside from that, we're in a bit of a recession right now and there isn't a lot of spending going on.

So consumer saving is not necessarily a bad thing, but to address what Mr Rabson "cannot understand", it adds to a banks liabilities directly and may not trickle over to their assets in the same was as an equity injection from the government or investors will.

Re: Forum: Early voting is a boon for fraud

JasonW — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 05:46:40 -0000

Huh?

There are no facts about voter fraud in this opinion piece. There was a reference to an AP story about transporting poor voters, and inferring that they may not be legitimate - but that would be a problem no matter WHEN they voted.

The only real argument in this column is about voting before all of the possible information is revealed - but that may as well be an argument for pushing election day to December. What if we find out on November 5th that John McCain is really an alien from Jupiter?

No, this column is just another excuse to get the idea of "voter fraud" in a headline, more scare tactics for this urban legend. Is anyone ready to discuss arsenic in the Halloween candy?

Re: Our view: Economic crisis has roots in region

JasonW — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 06:53:29 -0000

You need to learn a little bit more about this crisis. Bad mortgage loans would have caused some mortgage brokers and thrift banks to fail.

When the Republican Congress forced through the GLBA in the late '90s, repealed the Glass-Steagall Act, and is allowing what should be a confined mortgage situation into having the potential to bring down the entire economy.

In any case, I'm not sure why you think yelling about the Clinton administration is going to change anything now, just as yelling about the Phil Gramm Republicans in 1999 isn't going to change anything.

This is a dire circumstance for the global economy.

Re: Our view: Political cover is their highest concern

JasonW — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 06:24:48 -0000

So now the Eagle-Tribune is PROMOTING partisanship? Awesome.

Re: Aspiring director sets horror movie in North Andover

JasonW — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 10:08:32 -0000

Darn... I thought somebody was making a documentary about the Old Town Center construction.

Re: Our view: Paris Hilton's energy plan makes sense

JasonW — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 10:04:04 -0000

A comprehensive energy plan is absolutely the way to go. But it is a disservice to your readers to continue to hype the impact of the offshore drilling announcement on oil prices.

Both fiscally conservative and liberal newspapers, think tanks, and economists worldwide acknowledge that a dip in global demand, particularly from China and India, and an upswing in the strength of the dollar, are the primary factors in the recent drop in crude prices.

It would be more credible to claim that trading Manny to LA is the reason why gas prices are dropping.

Re: Letters to the editor

JasonW — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 08:31:01 -0000

How many times will the myth of Obama snubbing troops in Germany be repeated on these pages?

Follow closely:
-the press is NEVER allowed in during these hospital visits. When Obama visited wounded troops at Walter Reed in late June, the reporters were not allowed inside. When he visited a combat support hospital in Baghdad, no reporters.

-McCain and Obama are both welcome to visit troops in their official capacity as Senators. Partisan campaign type activities are not allowed by the military or DOD. Obama's team cancelled the visit when it was told that it may be viewed as a campaign visit and in violation of DOD policy.

-Pentagon spokesman reiterated that official visits are welcome, but "it is not acceptable to do so as a candidate".

Stop believing everything you hear on talk radio and Fox News. (And don't tell anybody, but they're part of the big bad media that you're whining about in your letter.)