Thank God for Obama

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   StormRyderposted 14 years ago

   I think I found the answer of why republican conservatives don't like Obama::
   
   
   He has a bigger package than them!

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      Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      That was referring to Michelle

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   theirishobserver.posted 14 years ago

   Good morning fellow Hubbers - 8.30am here in Ireland - rain - will Obama visit Ireland and if he does may we keep him?

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      Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Please do.

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      jjmylesposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Oh Please do keep him! We would be ever so grateful to be rid of him.

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   theirishobserver.posted 14 years ago

   Sab Oh - your consistent - that has to be said - consistent

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   Ralph Deedsposted 14 years ago

   Federal Elections Committee Report on GOP Lavish and Bizarre Spending at Bondage Strip Club in L.A.
   
   http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/201 … id=topnews
   
   
   FEC report details lavish Republican spending, including nearly $2,000 at Voyeur West Hollywood
   
   By Dan Eggen and Philip Rucker
   The Republican National Committee spent tens of thousands of dollars last month on luxury jets, posh hotels and other high-flying expenses, according to new Federal Election Commission filings, including nearly $2,000 for "meals" at Voyeur West Hollywood, a lesbian-themed nightclub that features topless dancers in bondage outfits.
   
   The RNC spent more than $17,000 on private jet travel in Febuary as well as nearly $13,000 for limousines, according to the documents. The GOP's main political committee also ran up tabs at numerous posh hotels, including the Beverly Hills Hotel ($9,000); the Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons ($6,600) and the W Hotel in Washington ($15,000), and spent more than $43,000 on its controversial midwinter meeting in Hawaii, not including airfare.

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      Padrinoposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Let us know when they actually spend tax payer money on this kind of stuff, until then who cares what they do with the money, I mean its stimulating the economy. That's a good thing right?

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      Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      And democrats spent a bunch of money at a nudie bar in D.C. Suprise! Rich donors are taken out to look at the nice lady parts and get drunk so they'll open their wallets. I'm sure this was a big shock when it first happened 3000 years ago or so.

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   theirishobserver.posted 14 years ago

   Good morning fellow hubbers

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      alexandriaruthkposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      morning Irish

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   theirishobserver.posted 14 years ago

   can you send some good weather it is snowing in Ireland right now

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   theirishobserver.posted 14 years ago

   Obama seems genuinely interested in improving Health care or is that political spin

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      LiamBeanposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      By 2014 congress will no longer have it's own health plan. They will have to participate and abide by the new law...just like everyone else.

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   theirishobserver.posted 14 years ago

   This discussion is very informative and clearly holds deep feeling for many interested parties -

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   LiamBeanposted 14 years ago

   Way too many of you are objecting to the bill without bothering to read the contents.
   
   http://www.opencongress.org/senate_health_care_bill
   
   None of this would have been necessary if;
   
   * Insurance companies had provided the services they advertised or had been sued or shut down for playing a shell game with client premiums.  I have yet to hear of one company having it's charter pulled. That a state can issue a charter and never ever retract one makes the charter itself meaningless.
   
   * HMOs and PPOs had not been allowed to form as business entities. This is the direct result of legislation. The end result is that private practitioners saw their reasonable profits siphoned away to corporate interests. Which explains why so few doctors go into primary care; they can no longer support themselves as "family doctors."
   
   The response has been more bad law following bad law. It's not surprising, even though it is disappointing.

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    Ralph Deedsposted 14 years ago

    A call for decency from POLITICO'
    
    There are two comments in particular that caused me great concern.
    
    First, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) recently told bankers not to let “little punk staffers take advantage of you.”
    
    Subsequently, Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), quoted by the McClatchy News Service, said that Democratic staffers are “staff thugs,” who allegedly intimidate members of Congress.
    
    All of us in Congress know the important role that staff play for Republican and Democratic lawmakers alike, and the dedication they show, day in and day out, to our constituents and to public policy.
    
    In fact, members of Congress from both parties, in House and Senate alike, have just finished expressing their sincere appreciation for the talent and dedication of their staff throughout the health care reform legislative process.
    
    Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/03 … z0jfuGaUaf

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    LiamBeanposted 14 years ago

    Had the states that issued corporate charters had the cajones to yank a charter due to corporate misconduct none of this would have come about. Had the courts insisted that insurance companies actually adhere to the business model none of this would have been necessary.
    
    This country is founded on free enterprise. But when someone's health is dependent on someone elses bottom line nasty things are bound to happen.
    
    If you've read the bill you realize that the title "The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act" is not as descriptive as it could be. It might be better to call it "The Insurance Industry Smack-down and Chastising Bill."

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    Ralph Deedsposted 14 years ago

    For Evan and Felicity--An article by David Leonhardt, a very good contemporary economist:
    
    [ I. Why We Need Regulation ]
    The New York Times
    
    REGULATORY MAN Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner after a meeting with business, university and elected officials at Research Triangle Park in North Carolina in February.
    Readers' Comments
    
        A public good is something that the free market tends not to provide on its own, to the detriment of society. Pollution laws and police departments are classic examples. In the case of finance — and of the crisis of the past two years — this missing good has been strong regulation. A weak system of regulation allowed Wall Street firms to take on enormous debt. Those debts let the firms make more and riskier investments than they otherwise could have, lifting their profits. But when the value of the investments began falling, the firms had little margin for error. They were like home buyers who made a tiny down payment and soon found themselves underwater.
    
    More:
    
    http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/28/magaz … f=magazine

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       EmpressFelicityposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Totally with him on the "public good" bit - the police and fire service *should* be nationalised, for reasons which Liam explained.
       
       But I take issue with the sentence "A weak system of regulation allowed Wall Street firms to take on enormous debt" - it's the fractional reserve system which encourages and even necessitates debt.
       
       The question is, are banks a "public good"? Would the free market be able to provide a banking system?
       
       I think it would.  But part of the free market/no regulation deal is that when a bank fails, it fails and there are no bail-outs. A lot of people might well balk at putting their money in a bank at all, under such a system.  And possibly banks would have to charge everyone a fee, regardless of whether they went into the red or not.
       
       As I've said, the fractional reserve system encourages (necessitates) borrowing/debt, so that when failure happens, it happens on a far more epic scale than it would have done otherwise.
       
       If you didn't have banking regulations, didn't have bailouts for failing banks and didn't have a fractional reserve system, our society would look a lot different to what it does now.

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       Evan G Rogersposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Public goods providing things that aren't provided by the market is a nonsense statement.
       
       you're telling me, that without the government to do something like "create a road between New York and buffalo to help with trade", NO entrepreneur anywhere would create such a road? despite the fact that he could make millions?
       
       Anyone claiming that any enterprise that is profitable HAS to be provided by the government is spouting nonsense.
       
       "Who would bother to build parking garages without the government to force greedy businessmen to stop building McDonald's and starbucks everywhere?! we need the government to build parking garages!!" ... obviously this is lunacy.
       
       
       
       1st - this is nonsense - the community reinvestment act - an act by our lords and saviors, the Congress - created a HUMONGOUS list of regulations that thoroughly screwed with the cause and effect of natural business cycles. "No credit? no collateral? NO PROBLEM!!" became the motto.
       
       2nd - He's doesn't justify his answer! There has been nothing but regulation in wall street and in banks. His argument is nonsense. Next he's going to tell us that people 'extra-greedy' all of a sudden and things went bad.

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    theirishobserver.posted 14 years ago

    This debate will go on for many years I think - well done everyone here who has made a well considered and informative comment on the Obama Health Care issue

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    Ralph Deedsposted 14 years ago

    Words of wisdom from Leonard Pitts, Jr.
    
    Anonymity brings out the worst instincts
    By LEONARD PITTS JR.
    lpitts@MiamiHerald.com
    
    It must have seemed like a great idea at the time.
    
    There was this new medium, the Internet, and newspapers were posting stories on it, and someone decided to create a forum where readers could discuss and debate what they just read. It must have seemed an inspiration kissed by the spirit of Jefferson: a free public space where each of us could have his or her say.
    
    Unfortunately, the reality of the thing has proven to be something else entirely. For proof, see the message boards of pretty much any paper. Or just wade in the nearest cesspool. The experiences are equivalent.
    
    Far from validating some high-minded ideal of public debate, message boards -- particularly those inadequately policed by their newspapers and/or dealing with highly emotional matters -- have become havens for a level of crudity, bigotry, meanness and plain nastiness that shocks the tattered remnants of our propriety.
    
    For every person who offers some trenchant observation on the point at hand, there are a dozen who are so far off point they couldn't find their way back with a compass and road map. For every person who brings up some telling fact, there are a dozen whose ``facts'' are fantasies freshly made up to suit the exigencies of arguments they otherwise cannot win.
    
    Why have message boards failed to live up to the noble expectations?
    
    The answer in a word is, anonymity. The fact that on a message board -- unlike in an old-fashioned letter to the editor -- no one is required to identify themselves, no one is required to say who they are and own what they've said, has inspired many to vent their most reptilian thoughts.
    
    So, some of us are intrigued by what recently happened in Cleveland. It seems someone using the alias ``lawmiss'' had posted provocative comments and scathing personal attacks on the website of The Cleveland Plain Dealer.
    
    Some of those comments and attacks evinced an unlikely familiarity with cases being heard by a local judge, Shirley Strickland Saffold. When lawmiss made a comment about the mental state of a reporter's relative, the paper decided to trace the nickname. It found that the postings came from Judge Saffold's personal e-mail account.
    
    Saffold claims her 23-year-old daughter authored the comments. Sydney Saffold, who lives in another city, supports her mom's story. Believe them if you choose.
    
    Meanwhile, the paper has been criticized by some observers for unmasking lawmiss, and there is some merit to that. It's wrong to offer anonymity, then yank it away. But it would've been more wrong to have evidence that a judge viewed an attorney appearing in her court on a capital case as ``Amos and Andy'' -- to use one example -- and do nothing about it.
    
    The larger point is that the paper should not have offered its message posters anonymity in the first place. No paper should. A confidential source necessary to break the big story is one thing. But the only imperative here is to deliver more eyes to the website.
    
    As any student of Sociology 101 can tell you, when people don't have to account for what they say or do, they will often say and do things that would shock their better selves.
    
    That's the story of the mousy, mosque-going school teacher swept up in the window-breaking mob during the big blackout. It's the story of the milquetoast accountant who insults the quarterback's mother from the safety of the crowd. And it is the story of newspaper message boards, which have inadvertently licensed and tacitly approved the worst of human nature under the guise of free speech.
    
    Enough. Make them leave their names. Stop giving people a way to throw rocks and hide their hands. Any dropoff in the quantity of message board postings will surely be made up in the quality thereof.
    
    That's my opinion. If you don't like it, well, at least you know who to blame.
    The Miami Herald
    
    Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/31/1 … z0jwdgzxe8

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       EmpressFelicityposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Ralph, presumably you're using your real name on this forum and yet I'd consider you to be responsible for a lot of what this bloke is writing about - not out-and-out insults so much, but certainly ad hominems and what I've heard described elsewhere as "logical rudeness".
       
       It might be true that anonymity has a tendency to bring the nutters out of the woodwork, but it's also true that using one's real name is no guarantee of debating quality.
       
       To borrow a religious metaphor (something I don't do often) I think you should look at the beam in your own eye before criticising the mote in other people's.
       
       But you can ignore me if you like.  I mean, I'm just a cat, right?

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          Ralph Deedsposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          I try to confine my insults to birthers, Tea Baggers and Republican legislators, refraining from insults to participants in these forums. I plead guilty to having no patience with racists, homophobes, etc. However some take my political comments personally. That's their problem. If the shoe fits...Occasionally, when provoked I respond in kind. I'm in favor of friendly discussions, not insults and invective. (That was my purpose in posting Pitts' article.) But U.S. politics ain't very polite these days. Also, I try to supply a few facts and a bit of logic along with my opinions. I don't knowingly post lies and unfactual material. Tis and taint discussions aren't very illuminating.

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       JWestCattleposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Most definitely many of the contributors to hubpages, whether overtly anonymous or not, like presumably yourself, should re-read this on a daily basis...........perhaps there would not be so much bogus trash and baseless attacks in the forums.

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    Ralph Deedsposted 14 years ago

    

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       Evan G Rogersposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       the comic makes no sense and is thus funny...
       
       ... unless you've studied history.

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    theirishobserver.posted 14 years ago

    Has the economy turned in the right direction as claimed by the White House?

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    theirishobserver.posted 14 years ago

    Obama may well believe that he can save America with his policies

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       Ralph Deedsposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       America will recover. It would take longer without Obama's policies. And his policies would be more effective were it not for GOP opposition.

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          Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          ................. 

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    theirishobserver.posted 14 years ago

    Has Obama got a real plan for the economy

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       Niteriterposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       It's good to see you up on your feet so early, irish. And you're stirring the pot already I see. (How are things?)

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    theirishobserver.posted 14 years ago

    Ireland is also in economic difficulty - dont see any cure any time soon

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    theirishobserver.posted 14 years ago

    Irish banks are demanding more money from the Tax Payer - will America continue to recapitalise the banks or can recovery be seen

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       Ralph Deedsposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Apparently a slow recovery is underway. I haven't heard of plans for more bank bailouts. The FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) continues to deal with failed small banks.

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    theirishobserver.posted 14 years ago

    Good morning fellow Hubbers

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       Ralph Deedsposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Top of the morning to you.

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    theirishobserver.posted 14 years ago

    Any sign of recovery in American economy ?

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       earnestshubposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Plenty of signs actually. Obama has made friends with other countries, which will drive peace initiatives, the banks are recovering loan capacity, and controlls put in place to stop future melt downs, housing has hit bottom and is rising, other economies that are related are recovering, the health care bill will save billions long term as it has elsewhere, hiring in new industries is under way.
       
       Most importantly America has regained the respect of other countries with a president who is educated articulate and knows where to take America.
       For the first time in a long time America has a way forward. The haters and thinly hidden racists will not get their way.

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    theirishobserver.posted 14 years ago

    Great comic - how do you up load this - well done

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       Ralph Deedsposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       I saw the cartoon in my morning paper, located it on the internet and uploaded the image to the forum.

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    theirishobserver.posted 14 years ago

    With Joe Biden by his side it has to be all good

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    tobey100posted 14 years ago

    I don't think it's God you should be thanking and this is not Europe.

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    theirishobserver.posted 14 years ago

    tobey100 - there are more Europeans in America than there are Americans - so we are all as one

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       Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Say wha...?

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    earnestshubposted 14 years ago

    Americans are like Australians. Invaders.

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    cgavicposted 14 years ago

    I must disagree with a lot of you.
    
    Obama's intent is to drive america and her healthcare/finances into the ground.   Socialism.
    
    He has said horrible things about people who disagree with him.
    
    He has said deplorable things about the tea party movement.  He has bad company.
    
    he apologizes to other countries for america.
    
    most importantly, he has ridiculed and put down Israel, our closest supporter.
    
    he is deceitful.
    
    bottom line.
    I'd be more than happy to debate with someone.
    
    why is it that his approval rating is in the basement.
    the majority of americans say he is bad for our country.

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    theirishobserver.posted 14 years ago

    Will Obama be able to work with a Conservative Government if Cameron is elected in Britain ?

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    theirishobserver.posted 14 years ago

    Obama appears to have got over the Health Care problem - is he doing a good job?

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       Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Got over it? Hardly. The majority of Americans are still opposed to it and the democrats are going to get a beat-down in November because of his arrogance and over-reaching.

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       Ralph Deedsposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       He's doing the best he can with a very thin Democrat majority in the Senate some of whom are quite conservative Blue Dogs. He got health reform passed and signed a nuclear disarmament treaty with Russia. A finance reform bill is likely to be passed this week. And the economy is showing signs of coming out of the big hole dug for us by George Bush. His Achilles heels are the wars dragging on in Iraq and Afghanistan and plans to send troops to several more countries in Africa--Yemen, Somalia and others. Some "advisers" are already there. And of course the deficit left by Bush and increased in the past year and a half. The GOPers in the "Party of No!" are criticizing Obama for not keeping his promises while at the same time trying to block his every initiative.

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    theirishobserver.posted 14 years ago

    let there be love among the nations

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    theirishobserver.posted 14 years ago

    Sab Oh - easy there - how are yee all this fine Monday

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    theirishobserver.posted 14 years ago

    Folks - is it time to allow Obama to get on with the job of making America great once again ?

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       Sab Ohposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Sit down, shut up, and let the 'big man' do what he wants? Is that it? You misunderstand the nation you are dealing with.

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          lovemychrisposted 13 years agoin reply to this

          This is what we did from 2000-2008, with your blessing too.
          We are much better off now...
          And it's the arrogant hypocrits__Gods On Pedastals who are going to do themselves in.
          All Obama has to do is keep moving forward.
          Let the sore losers denigrate to their hearts content.
          Any true reform-minded conservative would not be caught dead with this bunch of maniacal hyenas. (no offense to hyenas)
          
          Shot to the heart and you're to blame---you give America a bad name!

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    theirishobserver.posted 13 years ago

    Sab - your on fire brother - let the games begin

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    theirishobserver.posted 13 years ago

    hail Obama

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    theirishobserver.posted 13 years ago

    I just love this thread - I learn so much on it

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    theirishobserver.posted 13 years ago

    12.15pm here in Ireland on this wet Friday morning - where are all you Obama lovers

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    cherryrainbowsposted 13 years ago

    I love Obama and I love Michelle too and his beautiful daughters.  I think they are a godsend in anyone's language. The mysteries of the world are something the mediocre cannot understand or comprehend.  Keep the love flowing xxx

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       Sab Ohposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Do you know them well personally?

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          cherryrainbowsposted 13 years agoin reply to this

          Of course not, you can know people from a higher level of understanding.  The light of Obama and his family shine bright through all of the invisible worlds as we all shine however, most people have forgotten their purpose and their light have dimmed.  Most people are ASLEEP and all they can see is see darkness in the actions of others but they dare not look at their own actions

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             JWestCattleposted 13 years agoin reply to this

             I think both Barbara Bush and Laura Bush still shine like a beacon, neither age nor denigrating anti-Bush rhetoric has changed that one little bit -- so I must agree -- people shine from a higher level of understanding. As for George Sr. and Jr. shining, I generally don't think of men as shining, but for certain they are stoic and strong and unchanged by the rhetoric of the day.
             
             But I would have to disagree that most people are ASLEEP and mostly see darkness in the actions of others -- instead I would argue that most people have been AWAKENED during the waning years of the last Bush Administration and don't even need an ALARM or a "higher level of understanding" in this first year of the Obama Administration, and they are looking more closely than they have in some years at the actions of their ELECTED representatives shining in that glow of higher level understanding.

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                cherryrainbowsposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                It dosn't matter what you agree or disagree with, the truth is what it is.  For example, if I said I believed in past lives, reincarnation and karma and a million people said, "bullshit" that is not the truth - it wouldn't matter - the truth is that in the lower worlds it does exist whether you believe it or not.
                
                Anywayz, as far as being asleep, most of the world are being kept asleep with propaganda and threats that cold wars present, so we are kept busy talking $%^& about what is right and wrong and what is good and bad and what others are doing yet, forgetting; being asleep to the fact that we are all from a higher existence and that we are here to learn from these experiences, not to judge, not to opinionate, just to give personal love to those we are brought here to love or choose to come here with, and give impersonal love to the rest of the world.
                
                Every one shines with a light male and female, because as soul this is us, a bright shining light and guess what, we do not have control, it has already been determined and OBAMA is very much part of the processes needed for the world to prepare for change on a massive scale.
                
                The world is taking a complete right hand turn, and the world as we know it will be lost forever.  Our youth are moving into a very uncertain, rapid, unstable consciousness and all we WILL have to give them is the TRUTH - WE ARE SOUL - AND "IN SOUL I ARE FREE" because the world we live in is the ILLUSION but as human beings we must live, survive, prosper and learn from it, in it, with it, because the lower worlds is the school yard for learning.
                
                Whatever OBAMA does, it will be the right thing for the way the world has to go - we have all already decided where and how and why and what.  We are all responsible, we have all focused on this, so this is what is being created. 
                
                It's just like BUSH, he took over from CLINTON because it was not CLINTON'S path, character, purpose or journey to do what BUSH had to do to push the world along its journey home as OBAMA is now.

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             Sab Ohposted 13 years agoin reply to this

             "Of course not"
             
             
             Didn't think so.
             
             

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                cherryrainbowsposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                So why ask, do you like to waste time with questions you already know the answer to..or do you think you prove something to yourself

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    theirishobserver.posted 13 years ago

    The European papers appear to be rowing in behind Obama on his economic reforms

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    theirishobserver.posted 13 years ago

    I think Obama may well have saved the day

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    theirishobserver.posted 13 years ago

    sab - always with words of wisdom

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    Alotaposted 13 years ago

    we might get Browne again according to the latest poll

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    theirishobserver.posted 13 years ago

    does it really matter lab or tory

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    theirishobserver.posted 13 years ago

    i see labour up 8%

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    theirishobserver.posted 13 years ago

    Obama may prefer Gordon Browne

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    theirishobserver.posted 13 years ago

    Johnny Depp for President

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    theirishobserver.posted 13 years ago

    Is Obam going soft on terrorism

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       Sab Ohposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Oh no, he is fully prepared to offer terrorists a firm apology if he has to.

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    theirishobserver.posted 13 years ago

    Sab - love it

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    theirishobserver.posted 13 years ago

    Can Obama face down the terrorist threat on home soil.

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    earnestshubposted 13 years ago

    

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