Is the Obama Administration Over?

[Neil]

Palin is hot and all, but Tina Fey is way hotter.

[Admiral Yi]

You usually make sense, Yi, but I don't understand you on either point.

Look at the objections Republicans and blue dogs are raising about health care.  It will hurt insurance companies.  It's a big part of the economy, we shouldn't rush into this.  No one is even disputing any more the central principal that the federal government should subsidize coverage so that the currently uninsured will be insured.

As to recessions helping Democrats, what are Republicans going to say?  Elect us and we promise to spend less?

[derspiess]

Look at the objections Republicans and blue dogs are raising about health care.  It will hurt insurance companies.  It's a big part of the economy, we shouldn't rush into this.  No one is even disputing any more the central principal that the federal government should subsidize coverage so that the currently uninsured will be insured.

I think the GOP is just trying to pick its battles.  Are they actually advocating that principal?  They haven't really come up with a plan of their own, but they might not have to in order to 'win'.

As to recessions helping Democrats, what are Republicans going to say?  Elect us and we promise to spend less?

How do recessions help Democrats in power?  Anyway, I think promising to spend less will help the GOP in red states & maybe even some blue areas.

[Razgovory]

I don't understand the recession thing either.

[Hansmeister]

You usually make sense, Yi, but I don't understand you on either point.

Look at the objections Republicans and blue dogs are raising about health care.  It will hurt insurance companies.  It's a big part of the economy, we shouldn't rush into this.  No one is even disputing any more the central principal that the federal government should subsidize coverage so that the currently uninsured will be insured.

As to recessions helping Democrats, what are Republicans going to say?  Elect us and we promise to spend less?

Actually, a lot of Democrats representing wealthy districts have also come out in opposition to the rape-the-rich part of the plan.  53% of the public already opposes the plan and that without knowing all the craptacular shit in it.  A plurality also already supports cancelling the stimulus.  I don't know where you're coming from on this Yi, but you badly are misreading public sentiment on this.  The deficits are sucking the money out of the economy in order for it to be spent by politicians on nonproductive endeavors.  people aren't quite as stupid as politicians believe they are and are increasingly aware of this.  A wise woman once that socialism fails because eventually you run out of other people's money.

[Kleves]

People aren't quite as stupid as politicians believe they are...

Oh yes they are.

[Sheilbh]

Possibly so. Bush is a special case. But with all the hyper-scrutiny public figures get now, I think we'll continue to see an overall decline in the average approval ratings. Before, those guys could have affairs and nobody would know. Now, they can't even accidentally walk into a window or hit their head getting into a helicopter without the whole world laughing at them.

What's interesting is that after Clinton, a President's early approval ratings have been instantly very polarised (and Bush, weirdly, did better than Clinton): so people either approve or they don't.  Prior to that very few people, early in a term, disapproved of the President they said they 'didn't know'.  I think the only exception is Nixon.

But I think there's something to this.

I agree with Yi on healthcare and I'd add that I think the Republicans saying this is their 'Waterloo' might have the effect of driving some loyalist but mildly unhappy Democrats back into the fold.  I disagree on the economy because I think Obama's ratings and those of the Democrats in general are very tied to the success of the economy.  They need a recovery.

[Eddie Teach]

Palin is hot and all, but Tina Fey is way hotter.

Not when adjusted for occupation. Fey is either an average actress or a hot comedienne, while Palin is a superhot politician.

[Sheilbh]

Palin is hot and all, but Tina Fey is way hotter.

Not when adjusted for occupation. Fey is either an average actress or a hot comedienne, while Palin is a superhot politician.

WHAT?

[Iormlund]

Just wondering..

if the US said we're going to make an independent Kurdistan..

What could Turkey, Syria or Iran do about it?

If the US/UN could create Israel of all countries in the heart of Arabdom, doesn't that basically say we could create any state the fuck we want anywhere we want and if the locals don't like it - its just too damn bad.

Heh. The U.S. did little to help Israel. Most of the weapons that were used in 1948 were Czech. If you are going to give credit to any superpower, that should be the Soviet Union.

[Jaron]

Just wondering..

if the US said we're going to make an independent Kurdistan..

What could Turkey, Syria or Iran do about it?

If the US/UN could create Israel of all countries in the heart of Arabdom, doesn't that basically say we could create any state the fuck we want anywhere we want and if the locals don't like it - its just too damn bad.

Heh. The U.S. did little to help Israel. Most of the weapons that were used in 1948 were Czech. If you are going to give credit to any superpower, that should be the Soviet Union.

If I did that, Hans and Derspiess would have me dragged before the Tribunal.

[derspiess]

Just wondering..

if the US said we're going to make an independent Kurdistan..

What could Turkey, Syria or Iran do about it?

If the US/UN could create Israel of all countries in the heart of Arabdom, doesn't that basically say we could create any state the fuck we want anywhere we want and if the locals don't like it - its just too damn bad.

Heh. The U.S. did little to help Israel. Most of the weapons that were used in 1948 were Czech. If you are going to give credit to any superpower, that should be the Soviet Union.

  Might as well give the Nazis credit, too, since a lot of the 'Czech' armaments were Nazi production.

[Jaron]

Just wondering..

if the US said we're going to make an independent Kurdistan..

What could Turkey, Syria or Iran do about it?

If the US/UN could create Israel of all countries in the heart of Arabdom, doesn't that basically say we could create any state the fuck we want anywhere we want and if the locals don't like it - its just too damn bad.

Heh. The U.S. did little to help Israel. Most of the weapons that were used in 1948 were Czech. If you are going to give credit to any superpower, that should be the Soviet Union.

  Might as well give the Nazis credit, too, since a lot of the 'Czech' armaments were Nazi production.

Nazi fanboism is best left to the pros like you.

[Darth Wagtaros]

Palin is hot and all, but Tina Fey is way hotter.

[dps]

Just wondering..

if the US said we're going to make an independent Kurdistan..

What could Turkey, Syria or Iran do about it?

If the US/UN could create Israel of all countries in the heart of Arabdom, doesn't that basically say we could create any state the fuck we want anywhere we want and if the locals don't like it - its just too damn bad.

Heh. The U.S. did little to help Israel. Most of the weapons that were used in 1948 were Czech. If you are going to give credit to any superpower, that should be the Soviet Union.

  Might as well give the Nazis credit, too, since a lot of the 'Czech' armaments were Nazi production.

Yeah, their first fighter squadron was equipped with Me-109s.