What's the price of gas in your area ?

[racerx]

Originally Posted by arceeguy

Geez, you guys in CA are still paying more than 2 bucks a gallon? You can thank your politicians for that one! Unfortunately, our low fuel prices are due to a glut in supply because of weak demand. Weak demand caused by a world economy that has retreated. Typical "do you want the bad news first, or last" scenario. Wifey lost her job a couple of weeks ago. Her company does a lot of business with health insurance, pharmaceutical companies, and Wall St. firms. Once it became apparent that Obama was going to win, they cut their projected spending with my wife's company - and in turn, her company had to let people go. Good job with the class warfare Obama! When are you douche rockets going to realize that "big evil" companies employ thousands of people, and that "Main St." and "Wall St." are connected.

Regret to inform sir that the class warfare began many decades ago. Yes indeedy, we can blame politicians...that were bought and paid for by megalithic insurance & investment conglomerates...for removing all of those nasty safeguards that kept the current mess at bay for a couple of decades. I know, where would we be without altruists like the former CEO of Washington Mutual? I'm sure that all 3 weeks of his tenure there were worth many times the $19 mil he pocketed...before taking off like a streak of sh**. Depending upon your point of view, the first shots were either "wage & price controls", the "war on drugs", "WIN" (whip inflation now, which should have been LOSE - let's oust the senate entirely), the cash cow known as the national 55mph speed limit, or Reaganomics. Since then, we've been
"trickled down" upon, laid-off, "downsized", "rightsized", "outsourced", "globalized", "NAFTA"ed, marginalized, "vetted", "redacted", "bought out" and more to the point SOLD OUT. The "cheap" gas (and with the price of oil still triple where it was when president numbnuts and vp toejam took office, I have to wonder just how many days that will last) is at best a pyrrhic victory. That a president-elect could wreak decades of class warfare before even taking office is very scary indeed. So, I have to ask which is more plausible: the current economic collapse being brought about by our new president-elect or through macro-manipulation of a relatively small number of overly-powerful individuals, hiding behind faceless corporations, who are still ultimately incapable of keeping the Ponzi scheme going forever?

My wife and I have burned through more jobs, courtesy of runaway corporate power, than you can imagine over the last eight years. And that didn't come from something that began overnight either. I hate to see our country take it's deserved beating. Yes, I said it...deserved. That's what happens when the lessons of the last gilded age & subsequent collapse (a teensy blip known as the great depression; it was in most newspapers for a little while) are forgotten. The only options are to learn from the mistakes of the past or repeat them. The nation became indolent and complacent, until it was too late. I mean, 300mil+ population and only 2 political parties, both of which suck!? All it would take is pulling a third lever or checking a third party box. Or, better yet, doing away with partisan politics altogether. But sheep don't behave like that and there's a lot of sheep out there. That would require independent thinking and that's uncomfortable. It means missing a few hours worth of dumbed-down, intellect-killing, "reality TV" and finding out what at least some truth of what's going on in the world. Sadly, it seems most people would rather be wrong and stand together than be right and risk standing alone. So, keeping on listening to horses asses like Beck, Robertson, Scarborough, Coulter, Limbaugh, Hannity etc, it's your right. (funny, though, that so many right-wing neocons instantly come to mind when "the media" is completely left-wing...just ask any of the aforementioned individuals. We're still all free to agree to disagree, at least for the next four years (though God only knows what downsides we'll see in the meantime). For now, I'll end this rant with a useful rule of thumb: when the side in power blames the victims for their failings, that's not a good sign...not by a longshot.

Let's hope that gas prices keep dropping and things get turned around soon. That'd be a miracle and those happen sometimes. From what I've learned, it takes a major crash to break complacency and bring about positive change. FWIW, I actually hope that history ends up proving me wrong.

[dennis d]

Reg. Unleaded $ 1.69 gal.today in west Houston

[rmhrc630]

Originally Posted by arceeguy

Geez, you guys in CA are still paying more than 2 bucks a gallon? You can thank your politicians for that one! Unfortunately, our low fuel prices are due to a glut in supply because of weak demand. Weak demand caused by a world economy that has retreated. Typical "do you want the bad news first, or last" scenario. Wifey lost her job a couple of weeks ago. Her company does a lot of business with health insurance, pharmaceutical companies, and Wall St. firms. Once it became apparent that Obama was going to win, they cut their projected spending with my wife's company - and in turn, her company had to let people go. Good job with the class warfare Obama! When are you douche rockets going to realize that "big evil" companies employ thousands of people, and that "Main St." and "Wall St." are connected.

wwhoa there tough guy.

I've looked at your current administration from a buegtary point of view and quite frankly the current US govt has wrecked the once strong US economy.

I recently visited the states and had continual argyuments with "apparent" right wingers (I say apparent cos they really support higher taxes but they wont admit it) when I asked "you bag abama for mentioning that he has to raise taxes (on people earning more thna $250K FFS!!) yet tell me how you balance the books of the country when its in deficit"?

To which I never got a reply. The level of non thinking "apparent" conservatives is pathetic in the US right now. The current US govt has completely destroyed the US buget year after year. They have left nothing for any future govt to use to try to tackle any financial problems that exist.

So any of the repulicans ou there who crap on about "obama raising taxes" ask how your country got there in the first place. The bush admin is so far to the left of spending it's not funny. They have borrowed and spent billions and billions and not once flinched.

Why can a country keep spending and going into deeper debt and households cant?

The issue for most good amercians is that they are now burdened by the pathetic level of debt and that is not allowing any money to be spent on public infrastructure. There is no money left.

Over the last 8 years the size of the US defict and govt size have ballooned!!! That is not the thing a REAL conservative supports.

There are some real conservatives out there who know that budget deficets cant be run like the current conservatives have done and I side with them as long as they are not corrupt.

As for your wife losing her job because of Obama getting into power - what a load of claptrap.

Did you know they have also taken gullible out of the dictionary?

[TrailRyd3r]

$1.86 for reg, but I put 91 octane in my bike, so $2.06.

[XSIVE]

I filled for $2.39 today. I am sure the oil companies are not making gas currently so the price will go back up. We will never go green since if we no longer need oil, the Mafia will go broke.

[arceeguy]

Originally Posted by rmhrc630

wwhoa there tough guy.

I've looked at your current administration from a buegtary point of view and quite frankly the current US govt has wrecked the once strong US economy.

I recently visited the states and had continual argyuments with "apparent" right wingers (I say apparent cos they really support higher taxes but they wont admit it) when I asked "you bag abama for mentioning that he has to raise taxes (on people earning more thna $250K FFS!!) yet tell me how you balance the books of the country when its in deficit"?

To which I never got a reply. The level of non thinking "apparent" conservatives is pathetic in the US right now. The current US govt has completely destroyed the US buget year after year. They have left nothing for any future govt to use to try to tackle any financial problems that exist.

So any of the repulicans ou there who crap on about "obama raising taxes" ask how your country got there in the first place. The bush admin is so far to the left of spending it's not funny. They have borrowed and spent billions and billions and not once flinched.

Why can a country keep spending and going into deeper debt and households cant?

The issue for most good amercians is that they are now burdened by the pathetic level of debt and that is not allowing any money to be spent on public infrastructure. There is no money left.

Over the last 8 years the size of the US defict and govt size have ballooned!!! That is not the thing a REAL conservative supports.

There are some real conservatives out there who know that budget deficets cant be run like the current conservatives have done and I side with them as long as they are not corrupt.

As for your wife losing her job because of Obama getting into power - what a load of claptrap.

Did you know they have also taken gullible out of the dictionary?

Hello there. You do not know the circumstances regarding my wifes loss of employment. I do, and it was exactly as I described. Her former company has announced that they will be cutting even more people next week.

As far as government spending goes, yes - I agree this current administration has been dismal. But the incoming administration will likely be far worse. I personally think that the government needs to stop spending. They need to fix or get rid of the programs they already have in place before they create more. Wouldn't you agree? There's a lot more to "hope and change" than just flipping a lever for Obama and waiting for things to happen. I for one am doing things to improve my life and build wealth, but Obama thinks that people like me are "selfish". I may not make 250K, but at least I know that it isn't right to take from those that do because you are punishing success. I also suspect that taxes will rise for many families making a heckuva lot less than 250K. My family is one of those families, and when the Bush tax cuts expire, my taxes will go up significantly. Please note that Obama does not count that as a tax increase because rates will go back to the way they were under Clinton.


My whole point is that gas is cheap - for all the wrong reasons!

[rmhrc630]

Originally Posted by arceeguy

Hello there.

As far as government spending goes, yes - I agree this current administration has been dismal. But the incoming administration will likely be far worse.

How so?

The CURRENT administration has fiscally destroyed the budget.

I'll give you some statical facts based upon 80 years of evidence.

When the democrats are in power the returns from the stock market exceed those of the times when the repulicans are in power.

That analysis dates back to to the 30s.

So your blind faith in so called conservatives is malfounded. American conservatives are nothingf the sort these days - they stand for big govt and bigger taxes. Conservatives these days in the Amercian context are almost communists in my view. They support tax increases becuase they spend spend spend like no tomorrow.

Theres a lot of work to do righ now in the US. Blind fairy faith wont help. Hard work and less corrupt govt will. More regulaton of a decent nature will also assist. Travel to the rest of the world and see how good we have it.

[arceeguy]

Originally Posted by rmhrc630

How so?

"Universal Health Care" and "investment" in public works projects and the "investment" in "green energy" technology.

You can spout your "statistical facts" and I can do the same. (Laffer curve, etc) I am not a registered Republican or Democrat. I am a fiscal conservative, and an American. I believe in smaller government, and this is not the way this country is headed under Obama. (and yes, the current administration has been guilty of spending like libs)

I have lost jobs to outsourcing, the "dot com" bust, and cheap offshore electronics. I personally "re-tool" myself and then go get 'em. No whining, no crying - I just do what it takes to keep my family in a home, and with a bright future. This is what my wife is doing right now. I am sure we will be just fine, because we are strong people that will find a way to flourish under any economic cycle. I was whining for her - call it sympathy pains. LOL You can go on and blame someone else, but me and my family will be doing things to "make it happen". Success in "Hope" requires sweat, too bad many Obama voters didn't get this message. All in all, it may seem that we are miles apart, but my guess is that we are only a handshake apart. At least we both drive mini's!

[rmhrc630]

Originally Posted by arceeguy

"Universal Health Care" and "investment" in public works projects and the "investment" in "green energy" technology.

You can spout your "statistical facts" and I can do the same. (Laffer curve, etc) I am not a registered Republican or Democrat. I am a fiscal conservative, and an American. I believe in smaller government, and this is not the way this country is headed under Obama. (and yes, the current administration has been guilty of spending like libs)

I have lost jobs to outsourcing, the "dot com" bust, and cheap offshore electronics. I personally "re-tool" myself and then go get 'em. No whining, no crying - I just do what it takes to keep my family in a home, and with a bright future. This is what my wife is doing right now. I am sure we will be just fine, because we are strong people that will find a way to flourish under any economic cycle. I was whining for her - call it sympathy pains. LOL You can go on and blame someone else, but me and my family will be doing things to "make it happen". Success in "Hope" requires sweat, too bad many Obama voters didn't get this message. All in all, it may seem that we are miles apart, but my guess is that we are only a handshake apart. At least we both drive mini's!

ah the laffer curve!!!

What does a nobel laureate say about it:

The Laffer-curve is central to supply side economics, as it provides an argument for why lowering taxation may actually increase tax revenues. Many economists have questioned the utility of the Laffer Curve in public discourse. According to Nobel prize laureate James Tobin, "[t]he 'Laffer Curve' idea that tax cuts would actually increase revenues turned out to deserve the ridicule with which sober economists had greeted it in 1981."[2]

You really are one of those tax and spend sort of guys arent you? YOu really do support bigger waste and more govtment.

How so?

Take your jib at universal health care. This is one which really highlights to me you are not of the real consevrative type but a new form of consevrative in name only - your real mantra is blind faith with gets you nowehere ion the long run.

The US currently spends 15% of its GDP on health care. Not fiction but fact.

15%!!!!!!

No universal health care either!!!!

In Australia we have universal health care and private if you want it.
EVERYONE in Australia is covered for emergency health care. They pay 1.5% of their taxable income per year. In fact if you are in any form of accident you get taken to the public hospitals and they do the same job as the private ones.

About 30% of Australians buy private insurance not becuase trhe care is better but it allows you to jump the queue and get your electice surgery done when you want.

So what does this cost?

8% of Australia's GDP.

8%. A lousy 50% less that what you currently get with your so called ""non universal system".

So you really ring home who the real commos and spend thrifts are out there - people like you who want to continually cripple the US taxpayer with costs that the system cannot and should not wear. if we got near 15% of GDP on health care, our govt would be voted out immediatley. Why arent you atatcking real issues intead of make believe ones like "let's ignore the buget and keep spending"

What's the current US buget deficit runnign at?

It's 7% of GDP. That my friend is unsustainable. For a conservative govt (again in name only) to get the US to that position is disgraceful and you should be far from trying to shift the blame to accepting the blame for where your views (along with other blind faithers) have taken the US over teh past few years.

Finally - what is wrong with a system that provides health care for all people?

Australia does it.

We do it for about 50% less of GDOP than you do it.

I am so sick of people bagging Obama when their own views and votes have supported a spend thrift govt. Not fiction but fact.

[arceeguy]

Originally Posted by rmhrc630

ah the laffer curve!!!

What does a nobel laureate say about it:

Yasser Arafat is a Nobel laureate, so you can take that trophy and stuff it.

Fact is that our president Reagan lowered taxes and increased tax revenue.

Originally Posted by rmhrc630

You really are one of those tax and spend sort of guys arent you? YOu really do support bigger waste and more govtment.

How so?

Australia does it.

We do it for about 50% less of GDOP than you do it.

About 30% of Australians buy private insurance not becuase trhe care is better but it allows you to jump the queue and get your electice surgery done when you want.

Hahahaha! You don't even live here and you are an Obama zealot! That really cracks me up. You just illustrated why socialized medicine sucks. If 30% of Australians buy private insurance, that means that only your "rich" people can afford BETTER coverage than the rest of the public so they can CUT IN LINE for elective procedures. My guess is that the 30% can also get critical treatment (like organ transplants) faster too. I thought universal health care was so that EVERYONE was EQUAL because EVERYONE has a RIGHT to EQUAL care? No better than what we have already with Medicaid and private insurance. If we used "your" socialist system, we'd be spending a lot more than we currently do. Canada has a socialist health care system too, and Canadians travel here to the USA to get critical medical procedures done so they don't have to wait in line in their own country. Yay socialized health care!