Disqus - Latest Comments for ChrisWWW

Re: Dollar May Be Dropped In Oil Trade (Guest Voice)

ChrisWWW — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 08:23:18 -0000

"Against this backdrop America should be strengthening its own economic foundation instead of expanding government entitlements and running up record deficits. "

Of course if we cut government spending and welfare now, our economy will plunge to depths not seen since we last tried these Hooverite policies. Not to mention the human suffering that will ensue.

Re: I don’t care who Letterman has sex with.

ChrisWWW — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 14:58:38 -0000

DLS,
I forgot, have the "values voters" excommunicated Newt Gingrich, John Ensign, or Mark Sanford yet?

Re: Obama’s Odd Olympic Odyssey

ChrisWWW — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:31:53 -0000

And if Obama didn't go, our conservative friends would be on here complaining that Obama wasn't pro-American enough, that he's thrown Chicago "under the bus" and so forth.

How about we just remember that in the grand scheme of things, this trip and the site of the Olympics are unimportant. Move along...

Re: Defending Polanski; or, How the Hollywood Left Has Completely Lost Its Marbles

ChrisWWW — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:26:31 -0000

AR,
Since there are ~25 conservatives in all of Hollywood, I don't think you're being fair. Rather the burden is on you to explain why this is ideological.

Re: Defending Polanski; or, How the Hollywood Left Has Completely Lost Its Marbles

ChrisWWW — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:03:54 -0000

I don't think this issue comes down on the Left or Right. It just so happens Hollywood is mostly liberal, but this seems like a matter of entertainment types closing ranks rather than ideology.

Re: Newsmax Calls for a Military Coup in U.S.

ChrisWWW — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 09:06:55 -0000

Leonidas,
Of course the difference is that Vidal is clearly wary of the idea of a dictatorship, whereas Perry is practically salivating at the idea of a coup. Nice try though.

Re: Newsmax Calls for a Military Coup in U.S.

ChrisWWW — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 08:52:53 -0000

Leonidas,
Other than that single sentence, the author is clearly fantasizing.

Re: It Will Soon Be Time For A New New-Deal

ChrisWWW — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:26:28 -0000

mikkel,
That's probably true. Not only do big businesses get to write the laws (see the Baucus health care plan and the bankruptcy "reform" from a few years back) but they also have the money to hire the lawyers and accountants that can game the system. The idea that the US government isn't friendly enough to these guys is laughable.

Re: It Will Soon Be Time For A New New-Deal

ChrisWWW — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:59:46 -0000

Leonidas,
See my reply to PWT.

DLS,
"Sensible people want spending reductions, or at the very least, critical review of all spending, in addition to seeking better taxes than income or wealth taxes (especially such taxes that are progressive)."
I didn't say I didn't want that, but it doesn't make sense to start being fiscal conservatives in the middle of a d*mned recession. Cutting spending and government jobs now, when there is nowhere else for people to go, will only make things worse and increase human suffering.

"The theory that the federal government needs to spend more now and even borrow now is predicated on its doing these things well"
No, it's predicated on things getting worse if we do nothing, or follow your advice and cut spending. No stimulus is going to be perfect, the same as tax cuts, but I would much rather you help me convince the thieves in Washington to do a better stimulus than to do none at all.

Re: It Will Soon Be Time For A New New-Deal

ChrisWWW — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:23:40 -0000

PWT,
I very specifically said "effective" tax rate. The GAO puts our "effective" corporate tax rate at 25.2% which is below Germany, China, India and others: http://mediamatters.org/research/200902030003

Re: It Will Soon Be Time For A New New-Deal

ChrisWWW — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:50:25 -0000

Lowering the corporate tax rate is fine, as long as the revenue is captured on the other side through personal income taxes.

But by the same token, we already have very low effective corporate tax rates and I'm not sure how effective lowering it further would be.

Re: It Will Soon Be Time For A New New-Deal

ChrisWWW — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:56:51 -0000

Mikkel,
It's undeniably true that the deficit spending should be targeted for maximum efficiency. But the choice back in Jan. & Feb. was between no bill and a crappy bill. Without more than 2% of Congress acting in a sane and selfless way, these are the choices we're left with.

Re: Spitting Nails Over Indefinite Detention

ChrisWWW — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:20:35 -0000

Count me among those who think this is a major betrayal by Obama and the Democrats. If you can't prove these detainees are terrorists, then you have to let them go.

Re: It Will Soon Be Time For A New New-Deal

ChrisWWW — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:18:47 -0000

Good post. We have to stop the economic bleeding, even if that means running more deficits. Once we've recovered we should cut back on spending and start building a rainy day fund for when the next recession hits. But that is going to require fiscal discipline from all parties, which seems unlikely...

Re: My, How Dickensian You Are Looking Tonight, Mr. Cantor!

ChrisWWW — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 13:14:31 -0000

DLS and Leonidas,
Your so called "moderate" health care reform is nothing but a gift to the odious health insurance industry (mandates with no meaningful check on the quality of insurance we're required to buy). We'd be better off with the more "extreme" reform, be it a rightwing system like Singapore, or a leftwing system like France.

Re: Eric Cantor and Republican “Compassion”

ChrisWWW — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 13:07:49 -0000

Michael
What you wrote seems undeniably true. It's also true that the idea of a government safety net is not unprecedented. After all, we have public police departments, fire departments, and a military all based on the notion that the health and survival of *all* Americans is important regardless of personal wealth.

Re: Biden Remarks About Democrats and 2010 Midterm Elections Likely To Help Republican Fundraisers

ChrisWWW — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 09:52:33 -0000

Joe,
Seems like you're blowing up the significance of this quote. I don't see how it changes the Republican strategy or gives them anything they don't already have.

I mean come on, it's common sense that winning seats away from the opposition will help your cause or harm theirs.

Re: Why Obama is Right to Avoid/Ignore Fox News

ChrisWWW — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:41:16 -0000

Alright... fair enough.

One bit of info to throw out there, Obama has gone on Fox and faced O'Reilly before.

Re: Why Obama is Right to Avoid/Ignore Fox News

ChrisWWW — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:27:36 -0000

Fox News long ago abandoned any attempt at being fair source of news. Although maybe I'm wrong to think they ever were one in the first place.

PWT,
Would you consider Bush a coward for never speaking to directly to The Nation?

Re: Are Health Insurance Profits Really A Problem?

ChrisWWW — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:28:24 -0000

If we force all the health insurance companies to do everything the same way, then what value is there in having private insurance companies? At that point, any profit is a complete waste. Insurance companies aren't offering anything of value in return.

Also, the profit motive, while not necessarily profits themselves, lead to lovely industry practices like recission,

Re: Quote of the Day: Barack Obama on News and Blogs

ChrisWWW — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 10:23:27 -0000

Alex,
Not always. How would a black slave respectfully disagree with their owner's contention that said slave was sub-human?

Re: Did Barack Obama Read the Baucus Bill?

ChrisWWW — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 10:15:50 -0000

*Presses the "like" button on Jazz*

Re: Did Barack Obama Read the Baucus Bill?

ChrisWWW — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 10:04:45 -0000

Fair enough LL. I retract that point.

But I still think the question of is this a tax or not obscures the actual policy questions at stake.

Re: Did Barack Obama Read the Baucus Bill?

ChrisWWW — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 08:03:20 -0000

Still playing gotcha I see.

One thing, the Baucus Bill is not the only Democratic bill under consideration, and it wasn't written by the President.

Re: Renewed Controversy Over Patriot Act

ChrisWWW — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 20:24:14 -0000

Some kind of mechanism to donate to folks that are fighting for the passage of the bill.