CNN Breaking News

“whoops, wrong on my part
last edited: 1/16/08 12:07:36 PM”

“It's Clinton's Fault! I'm gonna enjoy saying that for the next four years if Hillary! wins.”

“oh oh, doesn't sound like a real republican. Looks like a terrorist and/or islamist hid his real agenda and got himself elected. Good thing we caught him before he ran for president.”

“Wasn't there a thread about what if this would happen posed?”

“Anything in there about the non registered lobbyist for Dubai?”

“Sounds like a real republican alright.......money, money and more money.”

“Republican dipwads assisting terrorists, anyone?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080116/ap_on_go_co/ex_congressman_indicted;_ylt=Agcp_IrAdmzQ7Ttc0RFio16s0NUE”

“If he were a Democrat, this would all blow over and he could run for office again. Maybe he can change parties.”

““If he were a Democrat, this would all blow over and he could run for office again. Maybe he can change parties.”
NoProb
6:02:18 PM
1/16/08

Are we playing "Bush World" where we imagine an alternate universe in which Bush's world view makes sense?”

“well if we are playing rosey world where we imagine an alternate universe where republicans support islamic terrorism, why not?”

“Former Michigan Rep.

That may be why he's an ex Rep.

*************************************

To bad he couldn't be homosexual too. MArKo, tiltypoo, and rosey would have orgasmed all over TT.
last edited: 1/16/08 4:36:18 PM”

“That's not my bag, baby. But to each their own.

Hey, I can't help it that a Republican got nailed for supporting terrorism. Just seems to be a trait of the leadership...”

“That's Funny. � I've seen the spiel about this guy on CNN twice and they haven't said what party he was with yet.”

“What if he was the UNREGISTERED LOBBYIST FOR DUBAI...and his wife were running for...Oh I don't know, President?”

“http://money.cnn.com/2008/02/12/news/companies/gm/index.htm?iref=topnews

Interesting, to say the least.”

“Taxpayer beware. But the profit in the most recent quarter was due primarily to a $1.6 billion tax benefit.CNN.

Capitalism with corp. hand in the Tax jar.

Should we keep rewarding failure???
last edited: 2/12/08 10:16:22 AM”

“this is what labor unions have done to this country. it's terrible.”

“Imagine the harm they're doing to our children. sad”

“NEW YORK (CNN) -- When it comes to our economy, politicians on both sides of the aisle are quick to say that a stimulus package shouldn't have anything to do with political ideology. But while that's nice in theory, it's impossible in practice because economics and ideology go hand in hand.


"Debit cards also would have another big benefit over rebate checks: a deadline," says Beck.

Show me an economist who thinks that giving tax rebate checks to our poorest citizens is the best idea and I'll show you two economists who say that business tax cuts provide the most bang for the buck. Show me a statistic that proves stimulus packages keep an economy out of recession and I'll show you two that prove they do nothing but stimulate the deficit.

It reminds me of that old saying, "statistics don't lie, but liars use statistics" because, when it comes to the economy, almost everyone is a liar. People simply find the statistics and studies that prove their economic plan is the right one. It's just a coincidence how that plan happens to match up nicely with their own political ideology.

The stimulus package awaiting the President's signature is no different. Instead of spending weeks having ideological debates about whether the rich or poor, individuals or businesses are more likely to spend their rebate checks, our politicians should instead have been focusing on finding a way for it not to matter.

And I have one.

After Hurricane Katrina, FEMA needed to get money to victims fast, so they tried something new. Instead of issuing checks, they issued $2,000 emergency debit cards for evacuees to use for food, water, and supplies.

As you probably remember, 2005 wasn't exactly a banner year for FEMA. Along with food and water, some hurricane evacuees also bought Louis Vuitton purses, diamonds, and even breast implants. That caused major embarrassment for the government (at a time when they weren't exactly in the market for any more of it) and the debit card program was scrapped.

Don't Miss
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Glenn's new book: "An Inconvenient Book"
But while purchasing frivolous items may not have been what FEMA was hoping for, it's exactly what the government is hoping for now. Frivolous items have far higher profit margins than boring necessities like food and water, and it's that profit that will (at least in theory) trickle down to help create more jobs and eventually stimulate economic growth.

Debit cards also would have another big benefit over rebate checks: a deadline. One major concern about the checks is how much time it will take for the IRS to issue them (they're a little busy processing 140 million tax returns right now), then for people to cash them and eventually for that money to be spent. But all of those problems could be avoided by issuing debit cards with an expiration date. Give people three or six months to use up the value of the card and, after that, it's worthless. Use it or lose it.

Just so we're clear, I actually hate this idea. I believe the government should stay out of the way and let the markets correct themselves. I also happen to think that the only economy that will benefit from this package is China's. But let's face it: the stimulus ship has sailed and I hate this idea a lot less than the one that was just jammed through Congress.

Issuing tax rebate checks will not only cost us billions of dollars that we don't have, but there's absolutely no guarantee that the money will ever actually be spent. Issuing debit cards would also cost us billions of dollars, but at least we'd know that every single one of those dollars would be put back into the economy. And debit cards also have the advantage of looking exactly like credit cards, which will reinforce the behavior that got us into this mess in the first place.

It's win-win! Or, is it lose-lose?

Debit cards come with one other benefit as well: we wouldn't have to debate who's more likely to spend them, because it wouldn't matter. If they're not spent, they cost us nothing. That means neither party will have to needlessly grandstand in front of the television cameras about how they're fighting for [insert political base here] -- and that's also exactly why an idea like this was likely never even considered.



An expiration Date and a requirement they be used for DURABLE GOODS!

Yes, DURABLE....no Mickey D's, clothes or bling...TV's VCR's and Washing Machines.
last edited: 2/12/08 11:13:55 AM”

“It reminds me of that old saying, "statistics don't lie, but liars use statistics" because, when it comes to the economy, almost everyone is a liar. People simply find the statistics and studies that prove their economic plan is the right one. It's just a coincidence how that plan happens to match up nicely with their own political ideology.


This could be posted on soooooo many fuego threads, lol!”

“Should we keep rewarding failure???
last edited: 2/12/08 11:16:22 AM�
uncliff
11:11:13 AM

UM...so I take it you are opposed to Government Handouts?”

“average credit card debit in this country is $8500 and 60% of all credit cards are not paid in full each month. this is where i think many of the rebate checks will wind up going... that or for worthless crap made in china that people really don't need.

the debit card idea? i love it! not only can the government dictate how much i have to pay but also tell me how much they took that they didn't need in the first place, how much of this they want to give back, and then with whom and how i have to spend it!

as far as the free market dictating the future i'll say two things. first, i don't think many people realize that the free market is a cruel and merciless engine that will grind a great many people underfoot before it has "run it's course". that said, i think the fed needs to stop playing with the interest rates like a kid that found their fathers handgun. the prime rate is to the economy what a sledge hammer is to brain surgery... a blunt and imprecise instrument. in the hands of people that don't know how it really works (like the fed) the end results are predictable and ultimately disastrous.

so in a sense i agree that the economy needs to run it's course. i don't believe any of these nimrods trying to manipulate the system really know what they are doing and their mechanisations are more harmful than the problems they are trying to avoid. one day they will make a correction, cross their fingers (as always) and it simply won't come back.
last edited: 2/12/08 11:44:41 AM”

“and a requirement they be used for DURABLE GOODS!

And how would that work? At first flush I don't see how that can be enforced. Debit mechanisms are agnostic of what it is being bought however they can be aware of where they are used if they are set up to be gift cards.”

“i don't believe any of these nimrods trying to manipulate the system really know what they are doing

Nope, and I doubt that our government will ever fess up to the fact that the subprime situation was created by them in the first place under the guise of "fair lending" practices.”

“Do you have a clue of what Ron Paul stands for? If you really did you would never ask such a stupid question.

Blame the unions only. GM had so many execs on their paroll they were ashamed to publish it in a single list, their cars are and have been crap, but the unions caused it all.


sure the unions sucked as bad as the cars ,

but the whole outfit needs blame for their condition.

The gov. should not hand out money to individuals, companies or foreign countries.
last edited: 2/12/08 11:56:34 AM”

“I don't like the debit card idea. If the "rebate" is a tax credit, the government should not have a say in how it is spent and when it is spent. I plan to save my "rebate" and not spend it right away.”

“Stop withholding from paychecks one week per month for people that make less than 100k, if you must give Wel'repair'fare.”

“changes in payroll process are even more gruesome to implement than tax rebates. i owned my own company for 5 years with a handful of employees and payroll was easily my biggest nightmare. i was constantly terrified of screwing up my employees withholding and making a mess of their taxes. it never happened but it was an awful mess to sort through. unless you have had to go through the details of cutting payroll for state/federal (yet alone payroll witholding for a judgement like a divorce) you have no idea how complex it is.”

“That brings to mind a payroll accounting couse I took many years ago that was a pretty exhaustive simulation. � They even had an employee die in a drunk driving accident on St. Patrick's Day.”

“Please Help New York Find A Democrat Governor Who Doesn�t Cheat On His Spouse!

The new York Democratic party is now searching frantically for a monogamous member to take the office. Early insiders include:

Emo Phillips
Big Bird
Billy Joel
Camille Paglia
Tucker Carlson
Feivel Mouse
Pee Wee Herman

Any suggestions would be gratefully accepted. Please email Idontscrewaround@NYDNC.net”

“You Stovie, then you wouldn't bother us and you'd look good doing it.”

“CNN reporter in sex, rope and drug scandal

A well-known CNN reporter has been arrested in New York's Central Park with drugs in his pocket, a rope around his neck that was tied to his genitals, and a sex toy inside his boot.

Richard Quest - who is known for his boisterous and quirky style - was arrested at 3.40am on Friday, almost three hours after the park's 1am closing time.

He was initially arrested for loitering, the New York Post said. However, a search by police uncovered the oddly configured rope, a sex toy inside Quest's boot, and a small bag of methamphetamine in his left jacket pocket, the Post said.

It wasn't immediately clear what the rope was for, the paper said.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/cnn-star-caught-with-drugs-rope-and-toy/2008/04/21/1208629776034.html”

“old news is old”

“Don't you know the past doesn't count for libbies, Nigal? LOL”