Malchik Posted November 22, 2004 Share Posted November 22, 2004 Whilst I have no time for Bush, I'm not convinced Kerry would be any better on the international scene. There is no true left wing option in the US, no doubt a permanent hangover from McCarthyism. To many in the US there is no 'real' world beyond its borders. They focus on what Bush does in the US and many obviously like it. Even the majority of those who voted for Kerry will have been voting on the national issues of gay-rights, abortion, etc. The rest of the world is very low in the US priorities in the average American psyche. Europe is much more internationally aware. The countries are much smaller and yet many have had sizeable empires in the past. It gives a different perspective. Bush's international record is an unmitigated disaster to most Europeans. But I doubt if that had more than minimal effect on the US voting public. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abramul Posted November 22, 2004 Share Posted November 22, 2004 he is anti-abortion, anti-gay rightsCome on, we all know the politically correct terms are 'pro-life', 'pro-marriage', and stuff like that. Of course, all that PC stuff is stupid, but se la vive(sp?) To many in the US there is no 'real' world beyond its borders. They focus on what Bush does in the US and many obviously like it. Even the majority of those who voted for Kerry will have been voting on the national issues of gay-rights, abortion, etc. The rest of the world is very low in the US priorities in the average American psyche.Three words.OPEN THE BORDERSFree immigration is what made us great in the past, and can work again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malchik Posted November 22, 2004 Share Posted November 22, 2004 he is anti-abortion, anti-gay rightsCome on, we all know the politically correct terms are 'pro-life', 'pro-marriage', and stuff like that. Of course, all that PC stuff is stupid, but se la vive(sp?) Maybe one should start a debate on the extent to which the terms 'freedom of speech' and 'political correctness' are compatible! Or 'if tolerance towards the intolerant breeds intolerance, does intolerance towards the tolerant breed tolerance?' On topic, I'm not sure opening the borders would help. With a country the size of the US it is natural that concentration is on national issues. What does not help is the absolute absence of awareness that the US is totally dependent on the rest of the world for its economy. It needs the them to finance its debt (currently it is heavily in hock to China). It relies on Europe and Japan to take its exports and it imports more than merely oil to produce power etc. The alienation of its friends is met with (from many) 'well the USA is great it can support itself' - and people have posted that way on these forums - showing a lack of understanding of reality that borders IMO on criminal negligence. Of course every country has its share of blinkered idiots and not everyone can be an economist but the US seems actively to promote this misassumption. It becomes terrifying when the president himself believes it! To quote him 'the problem is that many of our imports come from abroad'. :huh: This is one reason why the rest of the world is scared! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abramul Posted November 22, 2004 Share Posted November 22, 2004 Odd, I would have sworn that ALL our imports came from abroad. Why don't we just elect Bush the Court Jester, and get someone SMART for a change? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyjet3 Posted November 23, 2004 Author Share Posted November 23, 2004 I second that motion... Can you imagine Bush in a jester's costume?? The hat with bells... oh boy... funny stuff... I would have to agree with Peregrine about the economics thing... tax cuts might not be a permenant fix, but it works when the country's economy is in a bind... I just realized something... That pic with the food spelling out "WERE SORRY"... they for got the ' in "we're... come on... they can't be so stupid that they take a picture of the comment "were sorry" when it sounds like it's in past tense... oh boy... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImmortalSnafu Posted November 23, 2004 Share Posted November 23, 2004 tax cuts might not be a permenant fix, but it works when the country's economy is in a bind...Sometimes, but not generally. Bush's tax cuts, for example, did almost nothing to improve things, and they cost us over a trillian dollars. <_< Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyjet3 Posted November 23, 2004 Author Share Posted November 23, 2004 Bush's tax cuts, for example, did almost nothing to improve things, and they cost us over a trillian dollars. No, the tax cuts helped a lot. The WAR is what is costing us money... How in the world is a TAX CUT going to make the public poor??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marxist ßastard Posted November 23, 2004 Share Posted November 23, 2004 ...By eliminating services, increasing the national debt, and shifting the distribution of wealth more towards those who are already rich. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malchik Posted November 23, 2004 Share Posted November 23, 2004 The WAR is what is costing us money... True but irrespective of the war the US economy is heavily debt financed at the moment. As a separate point, it is not unusual in the history of the world for a country to get involved in international conflict to hide national malaise. The words 'needing to find a scapegoat' come to mind. tyjet, don't fall for government spin! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThetaOrionis01 Posted November 23, 2004 Share Posted November 23, 2004 There is more than one economic theory, and not all of these models favour tax cuts. One theory is - in a very simplified version - that if you cut taxes, people will have more disposable income. They'll spend this extra income, which will create increased demand for goods and services, which will generate more jobs. Of course... this theory has the drawback that if people don't spend this money but hang on to it instead the economy won't benefit from the tax cuts. Another point worth making is that if the extra money is spent predominantly on imported goods, then the economy won't get the maximum benefit from the tax cuts. Another model takes a more or less opposite approach - if instead of cutting taxes a government increases expenditure. This creates new jobs in the public sector, which results in lower spending on social benefits, and in increased tax income for the government. Also, the people who are now no longer unemployed, or have better jobs than before, have more disposable income, which as in the previous theory, will stimulate demand. To fund tax cuts, the government can either decrease expenditure, or increase borrowing.... so tax cuts always come at a price. Oh... and one thing to remember about wars..... they are very good for the economy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.