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Stimulus checks

Mama Mangia

Mama Mangia

Super Moderator
How nice - our government is bailing out all the big companies, banks, insurance companies and Wall Street.

The first thing the big CEO's are doing is lining their own pockets. After all they NEED their bonuses and perks.

So our government is jump-starting our economy.

So what do we get - $250.

Let's see - that can buy groceries for a week (maybe - depending on family size), or it can pay a monthly gas bill, it can pay for medications for someone for a month - maybe two (once again maybe depending on the meds), it may pay for having brakes repaired (not including rotors), or you can purchase 250 items from the dollar menu (as long as you have the money to pay the tax) - so do you think that is really going to jump start our economy?

Maybe we should send a big thank you note to the President for all his generosity - after all - it would be the best thing he would get - the unemployment rate is higher, more homes are being foreclosed (like his mortgage modification is working for anyone) and more businesses are closing down.

Gee - I wonder how his victory garden is doing? Maybe he should also give additional stimulus checks for everyone to have one of their own. But then again - the markets would scream that no one would buy their produce.

But that would also take away from the bailout monies needed for the banks, insurance companies, Wall Street and the car manufacturers. That would be a bloody disaster! (cough cough)

I wonder what country is going to bail us out so they can "own" us????

bye America..............

(we should have stuck to BUY America - and kept our jobs, businesses and manufacturing here instead of other countries.....)
 
It's a frustrating thing, mama- and I'm right there w/ ya.

I don't particularly lean strongly one way or another politically. I'm an odd mix and have attributes belonging to, and best served by both political "sides"... that said...

There was much about the last adminstration that left me wanting... and so far looks like there'll be things w/ this one that will leave me left wanting, too.

I was praying for some middle-ground, but maybe America is all done w/ middle-ground moderation?

If our future is extreme one way or the other, I'm afraid I'll be stepping back and taking interest less and less. I certainly don't feel my needs have been met at all on any level for quite a few years, now.

But I refuse to get angry over it like many I know do- lest I start soundling like some bitter, angry, whacko talk-radio nut-job w/ high blood pressure, and bulging veins popping out of his neck and forehead!... Ha! I have friends who I sometimes sense don't realize just how much they sound like the extremist radio-jocks most folks w/ real common-sense despise! Why can't our radio-waves make a graceful, tasteful, tactful return to wonderful, unbiased, honorable hosts like the late, great Paul Harvey?
 
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You know Kev - I don't give a rats hiney who our president is - what church he belongs to, if his socks match or if he doesn't wear any. I don't believe that birth control, gay rights, abortion, or what we eat is any concern to anyone - period. Our beliefs are our beliefs on many topics. Many things have no right being dicussed in politics. Tell me - does a person's thoughts, feelings and opinions on abortion have anything to do with the economy? And don't try to drag in anything like - it will efffect our population or anything stupid - think about it - really - do any of the topics our candidates "sway" towards have anything to do with our free country, economy, high interest rates, the high unemplyment rate, etc? Do you think a gay couple that wants to get married has anything to do with our jobs going overseas? Does a woman having an abortion have anything to do with trans fats in our diets? Are the animal rights group responsible for nuclear power? How a person/people chose to live their personal life is their own business. What goes on behind their doors is their business. If a candidate smokes 6 packs of cigarettes a day does that mean he would not be able to unscramble the mess we are in? If a candidate goes to a catholic church does that mean a jewish person has no right to worship their way?

To me - I may be wrong - it seems like our politicians are not doing enough for our country as a whole. I don't care if the person next door to me has 25 kids or they live on birth control methods not to have any.

At the rate we are going - (and I've said this for years) with all these merges in the corporate world and the views our candidates are into - soon this world will be owned by one discount store (WalMart or Target), one department store (probably Sears), one car dealership (Ford), one bank, one insurance company, one grocery chain, one drugstore chain (if the grocery chain doesn't take that over too), one phone/communications company, one utility company, etc. Then we are all screwed. No more shopping around for anything. Just pay the price and shut up.

We will have to think alike publicly or suffer the consequences and live like droids.


hmmmmmm - think about the movie Planet of the Apes...........evolution in reverse
(NO I do not think our ancestors were apes! - it's just a thought.......)
 
Y'know, politicians are going to pander to the emotions of the moment. Why? Simple, they want to get reelected. The condition of the country and the people is secondary at best. This bail out mess is never going to work simply because they're handing out cash to the producers while the jobs leave and the consumers can't afford to buy. At the same time they pander to the mob mentality hoping to get more votes for the next election.
 
mama and Bubba both make great points.

For me personally, the first answer in a very long line of many is this: smaller government.

And we hear this all the time- but WHAT does it truly mean?

It means expect nothing/want nothing/ask nothing of the governemnt.

Every time we decide we want money for this or money for that- we're asking for something from Uncle Sam.

So the gov't starts up a new dept. and needs millions/billions to staff it and get it off the ground. And pretty soon they're "doing this for us".

Multiply this by millions- 'cause sooner or later danged near every citizen has something they want the gov't. to fund or take care of- and soon you have a HUGE government that needs damned near every dollar we all make to keep it all going.

AND to top it off- they can't manage any of it even semi-correctly ($1000.00 toilet seats for the Pentagon, and $800.00 hammers, anyone?)

So the bottom line is, we as individuals need to stop asking things of the government. The less the feds do for us, the less $$$ they need to do it. The more money we keep in our own pockets. The less of a chance they have to fail us.

But folks don't get this. They just keep asking and keep asking... One of the prettiest things in this world is a group of a thousand people all standing on the street- without a single one of them holding their hand out!
 
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Smaller government and stop the hand outs.

Back during 9/11 I just couldn't understand why our government was paying insurance claims. Giving money to families that lost loved ones, gave money to air line companies, out fitted airports with security, paid for and installed all types of machinery in airports and the list goes on and on.
I feel that with all the hand outs our government made during that time period has led us to where we are today. How can you give some people money and then say no to the next person that walks up looking for a hand out. It's not even the average person getting help, it's mega corporations, banks, insurance companies. auto manufacturers. These businesses have been ripping off the average person for so long and now we just hand them money because, boo hoo, they want to pay out their bonuses. The money being handed out isn't helping America.

Where does ones stand on abortion effect the economy> When the President of this country wants to fund abortions in other countries it will. For Planned Parent Hood or other social service and welfare programs paying for abortions it comes out of tax dollars. When they can take a minor child to have an abortion without parental consent, it's just plain scary. Especially due to the fact that the parents whom may not even know the child is pregnant gets the surprise bill in the mail for the procedure and that any medical procedure can put a life at risk at some percentage.

To much goes on behind closed doors in government. What is good for the people isn't decided on by the people. When you take every law maker or political figure and give them something to vote on and that vote is determined by the fact that every Republican votes one way and the Democrats another, that's not representing the people. It's representing the party that wins the vote.

Giving up isn't the answer. Maybe that vein popping irate talk show host will get people fired enough to eventually admit that they are fed up with the way this country is operated and to not just lay down and be walked over. I was taught in school that so many Jews died during the Holocaust because so many were pacifist and refused to defend themselves. We as Americans are allowing our government to do what it pleases and like a run away train, it's going to take a lot to stop it.
Smaller government. Just an example. Right now in the state of NJ, a very small state. Maybe 200 miles from top to bottom by 60 miles wide. The government in this state is the biggest employer in the state with 8000 plus employees. That is not including political appointees. For a state of approximately 18,000 sq miles that's close to 4 government employees per square mile. Throw in whatever federal employees and municipal employees in this state and that number jumps drastically. I think government needs to start getting smaller but know that most likely, that will never happen. Most elections, maybe ten percent of the people vote. In the state of NJ, there are about 4 million voters. I wonder how many of that 10 percent that shows up at the polls to vote are employed by the government one way or the other.
 
RE: "Maybe that vein popping irate talk show host will get people fired enough to eventually admit that they are fed up with the way this country is operated and to not just lay down and be walked over."

IC- I respect your views and it appears we feel similarly about many things... but I think you might posses far more trust and comfort with talk radio hosts than I. If our senators and congressmen being so partisan is a non-productive, awful thing- then surely it's the same w/ these whacko, sensationalist radio jocks. There isn't a one that's remotely middle of the road or truly objective- they've all got a strong bias- and if you ain't with'em then you're against'em... either they're so far right they suspect Lincoln shot himself in the back of the head- or they're so liberal they think Mary Todd did it so she could date others! I don't think talk radio's purpose is to inform or solve. They're there for the sole-purpose of stirring the pot, creating news & controversy even where there is none, and gettin' folks' dander up. Talk radio cronies were goin' nutz when there was a Republican in the oval office- and they're still doing it now- even moreso. Like mama always said- some folks just ain't happy unless there's some b#tching, whinin' & hollerin' to be done!
 
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Let me add something here - regarding abortion/birth control (for instance).
Since it is a "woman's choice" then let her pay for something like this out of her pocket. I don't think the government should be funding any of this.
and abortions should only be paid for by insurance companies if it means there is a danger to either the mother or the fetus -
sorry - that is my opinion
then we don't need all the government employees in that department

and I do believe we have way too many government employees - and they have way too many benefits and perks
 
Here-Here, mama!

As a guy who ain't got no women pregnant to date- I prefer it when abortion remains none of my business- but when it's funded publicly by tax-payers, then it becomes the business of tax-payers, and I resent that. And not just abortion- but all the danged "private-life" issues that goverment funding brings out in the open for public airing. I don't like it one bit- and don't approve.

Plus- when abortion stays out of the public concern- then that leaves us all more time and attention to focus on important crap like Miss California's breast implants, her nudey photos, and whether or not she supports gay marriage (WHO gives a sh@t?) HA!
 
Kev - LMAO!

Hey - Trump to the rescue - what that money-god says goes!

too bad he wasn't our president - he's got brains - that's why his hair looks like it does - LOL

and Rosie O'Donnell for VP - what a match that would be!
 
Kev, the biggest radio station here in this state is all talk radio. NJ 101.5. Not the Rush Limbo types though. This radio station does an excellent job giving informative information to the listeners and the listeners take up a good amount of the daily program calling in and expressing their opinions on all news worthy matters. A lot of government crap here was stopped dead in it's tracks due to the attention this radio station personnel/talk show host have brought to many issues. I'm personal glad they are their because their like watch dogs for the public.
 
Sounds like your region is blessed w/ an entirely different sort of commentary programming, IC. That's a good thing.

Here in central Illinois and up in Alaska we had a station that played: Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, Glenn Beck, Rusty Humphries, Michael Reagan, Michael Savage and Dr. Laura. I listened for years and believed much of what they all had to say until I learned better. Once I realized these folks' programming focused as they do on screaming angry negativity, fear and partial-truths... I realized it was okay to think for myself, do my own varied research, and come to my own conclusions, I had to give them all up like a bad habit!

Funny- no longer playing talk radio in my home- my plants grow better and are more vibrant, and even my cats are constipated far less! Hee-Hee!
 
We might talk about smaller govt but it ain't gonna happen. Parkinsons Law is the operative force here.
 
I am not trying to step on anyone's toes here yet I would love to interject the following thoughts:

One thing we must never forget most Gov. employees are just citizens such as us, they do their job, pay taxes and eat, drink and live out their daily lives just like any of us. Just 'cuz they are mostly civil servants makes them no more or less citizens no more or less important than the "average Joe". They are our neighbors and they are police, firemen, water workers, garbage collectors, and all the way up from the accountants who crank out their payroll checks to the Governor. They have jobs to perform to keep OUR lives running smoothly, without them where the heck would we be? There must be order and there must be civil servants and thus govt. employees! May God Bless them too as they perform their sometimes very thankless jobs, and what with everyone who does not have a govt. job yammering on about them stinkin' govt. employees!!! Next time your mail arrives don't forget the govt. workers for the US post office who made that possible.

I know ther are plus's and minus's and negatives and positives to everything under the sun, but do not become blind to reality and remember there has to be balance. If you feel things have or are becoming unbalanced voice your opinions to the proper authorities your Congressmen and Senators and exercise your rights, most esp. your right to vote on those who are to serve US. Do not give up that basic right and
adopt an attitude of apathy or OUR country will hit the road to hell a whole lot faster....WE are the ones with the POWER IF WE EXERCISE IT!!!!!!!! And if we don't use it (OUR POWER) we will loose it!!!!
 
Cathy, the key word in your long post was "balance." And that's what is missing.

When the government is so bloated that it accounts for 40% of the GNP there is something radically wrong.

Go look at Thomas Jefferson's organizational plan if you want to see how government could be at least semi-rational.

Unfortunately, the Federalists were too powerful, leading, inexorably, to the centrist government that we have.
 
not to start anything - but have any of you ever worked for the government?

I did - four years - and too many employees in each department - yes they are our neighbors, etc. and yes I do appreciate the services provided by those that we need - but there is no reason for 36 employees to be sitting in one department all doing the same job at a pace that would turn your stomach.

And if no one did a thing - no one cared - and no one cared to know.

That particular department really needed 4 to 6 people who were interested in performng the job duties at a decent pace.

nuff said
 
Cathy, I do appreciate any individual that actually works for a living. The Government employees that tick me off are like a school bus driver here that made 250,000.00 last year, a police chief that resigned before he got fired and collected 380,000.00 for un used sick and vacation days because he claimed to have never taken a sick day or had a vacation during his entire career or a school administrator who had to top the police chief.
When I drive down the road and have to go through several miles of road construction and lane closer before actually seeing work being done and it's 1 guy with a shovel and another 6 are standing around bull ****ing, Those are the people I have no respect for.
I don't have any respect for all the people on government payroll because they are a relative of someone and ended up with a nice job as a supervisor of absolutely nothing. I had better stop cause this rant could get way to carried away.

I do appreciate services and individuals that suit a legitimate purpose and get paid accordingly for that service.
 
Yes, Cathy, as others have offered, I am grateful to and thankful for the necessary government worker. There ARE indeed many that we DO need.

But the government never seems to be held to the same practical standards that most businesses need to, to stay afloat. They sometimes tend to over-staff, mismanage funds (tax-payer money) and create depts. that there really is no real need for.

In my personal experience, most employees tend to work at peak performance when a dept is understaffed very slightly. When this occurs- most folks kick it up a notch, pitch-in together and really perform well, even over-perform. This doesn't always seem to be the case w/ government, though. Also- when a business begins making less profit and finds it needs to trim, it has no choice but to cut fat and become more efficient. But when it's the government that finds itself in that situation, too often they simply raise taxes, rather than doing these alternative, creative things that make small business inovative and successful.

It's all in the management of tax-payer funds, human talent, and other resources...

But again, like you said- postal workers, police and fire and other emnergency folks- golly moses- we're glad we gott'em!
 
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