Disqus - Latest Comments for tahut

Re: Not So Fast on Mortgage Solutions

tahut — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 09:41:29 -0000

I was wondering how long it would be before someone "suggested" raiding the SSTF to keep the economy floating above water. Makes me wonder how long this economic meltdown has been in the planning stage.

Re: How’s This for a Brilliant Energy Policy?

tahut — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 06:36:38 -0000

Too bad McCain hasn't the foresight to realize that when the summer ends, the taxes go back on again and he's right where he started .... no where. I sure hope this isn't a sample of how he would tackle more serious problem if he were elected.

Re: Obama Defends Foreign Policy, Attacks Bush, McCain

tahut — Sun, 18 May 2008 05:05:05 -0000

Okay ... you just scored a 3 point jumpshot.

Yeah, that a 3rd rated, lameduck president could actually frame the direction of an election he is not running in is a coup d

Re: Scuttled Tanker Deal Could Bring Back Lobbyist Questions

tahut — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 14:28:46 -0000

This wouldn't be an issue "IF" we still had other American aeronautical manufacturers involved. Too bad they all got eaten up by the merger mania. With only one to choose from, it should be obvious to the most casual observer the USAF is looking for variety that is no longer available in the USA. It reminds me of the quote by Ford (motor company). Consumers can have their cars any color they want, as long as its black. Seems the USAF has another color in mind and it isn't black. Nothing personal against the lazy B ... they just need more American aircraft manufacturers/competitors to keep the USAF eyes inside the US. Otherwise, they'll look across the borders to see if someone else has something to tickle their fancy with.

Re: Conyers to Rove: I Mean It This Time!

tahut — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 01:04:08 -0000

Welcome to the world of the Slim Majority. Just enough power to sit at the front of the bus, but not enough to tell the bus driver what route he should take.

I do wonder if the voting public recognizes the repug's hand, in both the Legislature and Executive branches, at sabotaging the Democrats attempts to change the Legislative Branch from a rubber-stamping agency of the Executive Branch to the independent Institution it was before the repug's took control.

Re: Government Rescues and Socialized Capitalism

tahut — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 06:23:20 -0000

I would guess a question more to the point would be how much are the repugs in both houses of Congress heavily invested in investment banks, like Bear Stearns, as well mortgage lenders, like Fannie and Freddie? If they have a significant stake in these institutions then it would explain the sudden concern and shift in the rules and regulations regarding aid/assistance/bail-out/relief forth coming from those whose stand to lose substantial sums of money. Too bad people caught up in the housing mess can't re-write the laws or stretch the rules to safeguard their investments in their homes.

Re: U.S.-Africa Relations to Militarize?

tahut — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 08:15:41 -0000

To steal a quote from the movie Time Bandits...this Administration is so mercifully free from the ravages of Intelligence.

If they wanted to have a covert military presence in Africa, then using the State Department Embassies would be their perfect cover. It amazes me how juvenile this group is when it comes to foreign relations in other countries.

When you use a military force to prosecute diplomacy you end up alienating everything you come in contact with. All stick and no carrot doesn't make friends you can count on. Iraq and Afgan are fine examples of what happens when force trumps diplomacy.

This country is like the Boy Scouts...in dire need of adult leadership.

Re: McCain’s New M.O.?

tahut — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 07:47:28 -0000

Who's the more foolish here? The old fool himself or the press corp of fools that follow the old fool?

If the press corp had an ounce of intelligence they would pack their bags and go find something else to occupy their time with. It's obvious to the most casual observer that the old fool thinks he can do this on his own without them, so let him. And when he does want them to listen to him, never give it the attention he thinks it deserves.

It's about time the press realize they're being played for fools.

Re: McCain Calls For Anti-Trust Investigation for Ohio Community Facing Job Losses

tahut — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 02:43:50 -0000

This is strange. DHL is a foreign-owned company with a foothold in the US and it's losing it's lederhosen because of the oil crunch and is doing what any red-blooded American company would do...tighten its' belt and cut loose unprofitable sections to stay afloat. There is nothing in their actions that one could view as 1) restricting free trade; 2) dominating the market; or 3) threatening market competitiveness to invoke an anti-trust inquiry. There have been many companies in the US that have pulled up stakes to go belly-up or move to more profitable locales, such as Mexico or Asia, and anti-trust action were never considered to stop them. And many American workers were left in the cold without gainful employment. So what's changed?

Re: Veteran Arizona Reporter Chronicles McCain’s Early Political Career

tahut — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 06:25:42 -0000

Ya gotta read the entire article to see the true John McCain in all his glory. He's the poster-child when soldiers suffering from post-dramatic stress syndrome don't get the medical attention they desperately need.

Re: Not a Happy New Year Ahead

tahut — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 04:36:21 -0000

Interesting that the government sees a need to give its citizens "stimulus checks" just to keep the economy floating until "a rescue ship arrives on the scene". Of course they, the government, is not the rescue ship for the people anymore. They're the liferaft for the large financial institutions that can't be allowed to collapse. The real problem that no one wants to confront is the economy itself. And from what I've seen, its torpedoed itself, taking on more water than it can pump out, and is slowly making its way to a shoal to beach itself and die.

What I find strange is no one has yet admitted that the real cause of the current economic problems is a result of employee wages remaining flat for the last eight to ten years while the business profits have been soaring. If that were not the case, then why are the stimulus checks necessary to pump money into the system?

From all indications, people have been "dipping" into the home equity as if it were a saving account to meet their financial needs. And with the price of homes rising as they did for the last eight years, money invested in a home appreciated more than if it were held in a saving account. Could explain why we have such low performance record in personal savings. No need to go into credit card debt cause its part of the same problem ... need for extra cash to meet expenses that a normal paycheck could not.

What really scares the business community is a President and Congress actively pursuing legislation to remedy the shortfall in employee wages and benefits at business's expense. They may even bring back the dreaded unions that business has all but drove into extinction. While many people have their objections to them, unions did keep business in check with workers needs and payscales for both union and non-union were close in order to keep a trained and qualified workforce.

In short, if trickle-down economics, which the republicans are so fond of, worked in practice as the theory implies, (the economic-political argument that the increases in the wealth of the rich are good for the poor because some of such additional wealth will eventually trickle down to the middle class and to the poor), we wouldn't been seeing this economic meltdown today. Seems the theory evaporated somewhere between the top and the bottom and we find ourselves in an economic morass of our own making.

Re: McCain Could Use Pronouncers in His Scripts

tahut — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 08:08:24 -0000

Why would mispronouncing the name of a foreigner to the American public be of concern?I distinctly remember Bu$h had more serious problems identifying the names of heads of states to quite a number of countries, much less pronouncing their names correctly. Pakistan was one of them and that didn't keep him from getting elected.

Sad fact, people who will vote for the old white-hair dude could care less. It's mind over matter ... they don't mind cause it doesn't matter; they're voting for him anyway.

Re: McCain’s Not Worthy

tahut — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 13:59:25 -0000

Seems to me this is a perfect opportunity to fillet the wrinkly old white-hair dude.

For the last eight years Bu$h acts as if rules and laws don't apply to him and his actions. Seems that McCain is following in his footsteps.

Obama needs to put out some ads identifying Bu$h's disregard for rules and laws and show how McCain's two most recent adventures are one in the same.

Something like ..."Do we need another President who will bend rules to suit his political purposes and agenda with complete disregard to those whose efforts are protected by copyright law?"

Re: More From the Latte Index

tahut — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 06:45:21 -0000

Your Latte Index is stupid.

I purchased an expresso machine while in Italy in the early 1980's and when I returned to the US all I had to do was find a shop that sold fresh ground coffee for an expresso machine. And this was before Starbucks! I'm in Germany now and I have a 3 cup electric expresso coffee pot and still enjoy a fresh latte every morning.

Point is, if you really like a specific beverage, it doesn't take much effort to learn how to make it yourself. Are people really so stupid that they can't take care of their own wants, needs and desires by themselves; they have to have someone else cater to their needs?

Re: Russia Invades Georgia: Defense Contractors Declare Victory

tahut — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 08:19:12 -0000

Pardon me, but I do believe the reason why the F-22 is being allowed to wither way is because the threat it was designed to counter no longer exists. Da Ruskies have a whole new generation of aircraft with new capabilities and none of which our current aircraft are capable of countering. Remember, the F-16 made its debut in the mid-70's and entered service in the early 80s. Same for the F-18's. And the F-15s and A-10s were in service in the late 70's. It sure would be a waste of the taxpayers money to buy a whole lotta F-22's that can't go toe-to-toe with the Ruskies in a furball. Beside, recent mishaps with F-15s breaking up in mid-flight should be a wakeup call our air fleet is still 20th technology.

Re: Obama to McCain: ‘Economic Disaster Is Happening Right Now’

tahut — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 05:30:44 -0000

Just think what it will take for the US to stand up to the Ruskies:

1) Re-instate the draft cause we don't have enough troops to fight to two hot wars we're currently engaged in. Remember, during the Cold War, the US had 300,000 plus troops stationed in Europe; it's now down to under 75,000.
2) Our fighter aircraft was designed in the 60's, tested in the 70's and put in service in the 80's. The F-22 was designed to defeat an Ruskie aircraft that no longer exists and the F-22 is still years away from seeing service.
3) Rummie didn't think too highly of heavy armor, so he pretty much trashed what we have in favor of light armor and speed. If you saw any of the pictures of the battles in Georgia, you saw a whole lotta heavies being used.
4) We got no money cause we don't got no taxes. Besides we have some heavy interest payments on T-bills held by the Chinese that have to be paid. And we got no surplus to spend. Just one huge deficit to pay off.

So before anyone goes off and threatens da Ruskies, ya better have something stronger than a big stick cause the US economy has been run aground.

Re: DNC Slams McCain as ‘Sen. Hothead’

tahut — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 05:53:32 -0000

Would it be asking too much of the MSM to go back and search old news files where McCain is having a temper-tantrum and over what issue? Also, old newspaper articles where he is venting off enough steam to put a boulder in a La Grange orbit. There has to be whole lotta dated material to create a personal profile on him.