Hard Light Productions Forums

Off-Topic Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: azile0 on February 01, 2009, 06:28:51 pm

Title: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: azile0 on February 01, 2009, 06:28:51 pm
I just don't know what to say. All of the Republicans in the Senate voted NO on the Stimulus Package. Some of those people wanted to pose for pictures with Obama at his inauguration. It's like they voted no just to spite him, as there was no way for them to win the vote. ALL Republicans voted no.

I'm thinking, now, that Obama is going to be less bipartisan, when Republicans do crap like that. It's like they don't want to spend money on things that won't blow up.
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: blackhole on February 01, 2009, 06:31:04 pm
No i think it has more to do with the republicans being stupid douchebags who can't figure out how to run the country without having it blow up in their face.
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: iamzack on February 01, 2009, 06:58:27 pm
I wasn't totally pleased with the thing anyway. Maybe they'll try again, and put the family planning provisions back in. (http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2009/01/27/stimulus-finalized-without-medicaid-family-planning-expansion)
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: Nuclear1 on February 01, 2009, 07:26:42 pm
*facepalm*

That's it, I'm becoming a Democrat now.
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: Solatar on February 01, 2009, 07:51:10 pm
Or maybe they just don't think more government spending will make banks start lending money?

I know this will get a trite and hostile response full of name calling on this board, but somebody has to post it.
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: Kosh on February 01, 2009, 07:57:11 pm
If Bush had proposed a stimulus package, the Republicans would be all onboard.
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: iamzack on February 01, 2009, 07:59:52 pm
:\

I thought MOAR GOVT SPENDINGS was the Republican solution to all economic ills.

Democrats in office right now are probably all relieved that they aren't going to have to take any responsibility for anything for a long time yet, since we're all still in the mood to distribute blame. You know, as opposed to being in the mood to get started fixing.
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: Nuclear1 on February 01, 2009, 08:10:53 pm
I don't know how to say it.

I really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really hate my party right now.

Actually, that sounds about right.
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: Scotty on February 01, 2009, 08:22:39 pm
Quote
If Bush had proposed a stimulus package, the Republicans would be all onboard.

And every single democrat would have voted NO.  Keep in mind that things work both ways.

Quote
I thought MOAR GOVT SPENDINGS was the Republican solution to all economic ills.

And most democrat.  See:  FDR and the New Deal

Quote
Or maybe they just don't think more government spending will make banks start lending money?

Thank you for making sense.  If the government passes a package to keep anything afloat, it promotes bad economic practices, which will lead to even worse problems in the future.

Quote
republicans being stupid douchebags who can't figure out how to run the country without having it blow up in their face.

Yeah, because of course all of this is the republican's fault.  :rolleyes:

http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/hotproperty/archives/2008/02/clintons_drive.html

Eat it Democrats.
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: Polpolion on February 01, 2009, 08:32:26 pm
Sectionalism.

It caused the Civil War.

Stop. It.

It may not be states you're loyal to, but it seems as though people would rather be right than have America not suck, and that's why America is sucking.
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: iamzack on February 01, 2009, 08:42:26 pm
It would be kinda cool if there was a massive overhaul of our elections process so that you don't have to be a millionaire to have a shot in hell at winning.
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: blackhole on February 01, 2009, 08:44:15 pm
Yeah, because of course all of this is the republican's fault.  :rolleyes:

Yes, because the republicans spoon whole grain bull**** into the mouths of all those willing to listen just so they can get all touchy feely with the business CEOs and cause the Rich/Poor gap to grow to astronomical proportions.

I don't care if this economic downturn is the republican's fault. They're too f*cking stupid to fix it.
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: Scotty on February 01, 2009, 08:52:55 pm
Quote
I don't care if this economic downturn is the republican's fault. They're too f*cking stupid to fix it.

You should damn well care, you (not specifically) just elected the root cause of the problem (not Obama, a democrat) to out highest office!

It's not that they're too stupid to fix it, it's that fixing it means removing the source of the problem, not smoothing over the symptoms.  The source of the problems is bad business practices, and the stimulus just rewards the offending companies.  Throwing money at it WILL NOT HELP!
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: blackhole on February 01, 2009, 09:43:02 pm
It's not that they're too stupid to fix it, it's that fixing it means removing the source of the problem, not smoothing over the symptoms.  The source of the problems is bad business practices, and the stimulus just rewards the offending companies.  Throwing money at it WILL NOT HELP!

The *real* problem here is the complete and total failure of the audit companies, IMO.
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: BloodEagle on February 01, 2009, 09:58:46 pm
Could someone post a link to the actual bill?

:EDIT:

By the way, Republicans used to be for small government, with Democrats being for big government. Just sayin'.
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: Nuclear1 on February 01, 2009, 10:02:16 pm
That's a result of neoconservatism.

Yeah...nothing neo or conservative about that.
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: iamzack on February 01, 2009, 10:56:14 pm
"big" government and "small" government don't mean ****. it's how well the government is regulated, how well it does it's job, how not-corrupt the people in office are, etc.
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: Nuke on February 01, 2009, 11:46:17 pm
and it doesn't help that most elected officials cant see beyond the length of their term. its ok if the **** hits the fan if its on someone else's term.

i think the stimulus is a joke i mean why not just cut taxes all across the board.
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: Bobboau on February 02, 2009, 04:21:22 am
I thought MOAR GOVT SPENDINGS was the Republican solution to all economic ills.

"big" government and "small" government don't mean ****. it's how well the government is regulated, how well it does it's job, how not-corrupt the people in office are, etc.

you seem to not know anything...

at least on the subject of politics.
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: DeepSpace9er on February 02, 2009, 05:59:40 am
Wait a second here.. slow down. Why do you care that republicans didnt vote for it? There was still a healthy majority of democrats who did.. well enough to pass it though. And now, when this bill works, the republicans will have egg on their face and the democrats will be the heroes.

Why does it matter what they do anyway?
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: Grizzly on February 02, 2009, 06:14:08 am
Why do people never realize that having just 2 (or 1) parties making (or not making) all the decisions in the country is extremely stupid, and that the next time they elect their 4-year dictator they should vote for one who decides to change things like that?
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: iamzack on February 02, 2009, 06:34:02 am
Our system wasn't intended for two parties. It just ended up being two-party because that's what England had, and we fear change.
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: Nuke on February 02, 2009, 09:29:38 am
if we fear change then how the **** did obama get elected?

or do people hare republicans that much now?
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: Nuclear1 on February 02, 2009, 09:50:49 am
Yeah, they hate Republicans that much. I don't think the Republicans had any chance of winning this election, especially John McCain.
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: Solatar on February 02, 2009, 10:20:31 am
Obama isn't as much of a change as people around here think he is. Certainly he is better than Bush and McCain, but I hate the cult that has appeared at his feet...
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: Janos on February 02, 2009, 10:23:40 am
Yeah, they hate Republicans that much. I don't think the Republicans had any chance of winning this election, especially John McCain.

well they've only been have had the presidency for 8 years and the the congress was republican from 1995 to 2007

and what did they accomplish?

:p

Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: Nuclear1 on February 02, 2009, 10:55:09 am
That was the exact reason they lost.
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: darkone on February 02, 2009, 11:08:01 am
Ah Politics... I think I put way too much common sense into my thinking. This so called Stimulas Package is just bloated spending for programs that are not needed in the first place. People want to get the economy going they need to look in the mirror and that is where you start. Government is not the answer to your problems.

Here was a WSJ article I came across http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123310466514522309.html

Trying to find a breakdown of the whole bill but having trouble finding it.... that should be a sign! The American people should have a right to see what is in this bill before our wonderful elected officials make it into law. This is the problem today. The people need to be responsible again and not trust the judgment of their officials so blindly.

Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: azile0 on February 02, 2009, 11:15:31 am
I think that the Stimulus package will help, because it's this adrenaline rush that'll HOPEFULLY lead to more jobs being created. My dad made his company $2,000,000 last year. He gets paid $60,000 a year. You'd think he'd get a raise, but NOPE, his CEO gets a $5,000,000 bonus.

It infuriates me.
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: Janos on February 02, 2009, 11:34:53 am
Ah Politics... I think I put way too much common sense into my thinking. This so called Stimulas Package is just bloated spending for programs that are not needed in the first place. People want to get the economy going they need to look in the mirror and that is where you start. Government is not the answer to your problems.

Here was a WSJ article I came across http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123310466514522309.html

Trying to find a breakdown of the whole bill but having trouble finding it.... that should be a sign! The American people should have a right to see what is in this bill before our wonderful elected officials make it into law. This is the problem today. The people need to be responsible again and not trust the judgment of their officials so blindly.


Hmm! My fellow scientists!
I think I smell something here, something familiar! I might have encountered this kind of behaviour before, somewhere in the dark jungles of Internet.

Let's test it, my fellow scientists! This is a litmus test only. Fear not!:
What do you think of Reagan?
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: BloodEagle on February 02, 2009, 12:12:28 pm
Trying to find a breakdown of the whole bill but having trouble finding it.... that should be a sign! The American people should have a right to see what is in this bill before our wonderful elected officials make it into law. This is the problem today. The people need to be responsible again and not trust the judgment of their officials so blindly.

Hell. Yes.  :yes:

--------------------

Let's test it, my fellow scientists! This is a litmus test only. Fear not!:
What do you think of Reagan?

 :lol:
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: redsniper on February 02, 2009, 03:08:50 pm
you seem to not know anything...

at least on the subject of politics.
.... and that's why she can't vote. :)
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: iamzack on February 02, 2009, 03:17:44 pm
I tell my mum how to vote.
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: Janos on February 02, 2009, 04:04:14 pm
I tell my mum how to vote.

she lies to you

she votes for ron paul...
... even if she couldn't
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: redsniper on February 02, 2009, 04:29:49 pm
Your mom voted for McCain. :p
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: Janos on February 02, 2009, 04:34:52 pm
Your mom voted for McCain. :p

hahaha not american :cool:
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: iamzack on February 02, 2009, 04:54:04 pm
She hated McCain. She thought he was too liberal. BUT since she wasn't going to vote at all, I convinced her to vote for Obama.
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: Solatar on February 02, 2009, 06:15:41 pm
She thought he was too liberal and you convinced her to vote for Obama instead?

I applaud your obviously exquisite rhetorical skills.
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: Polpolion on February 02, 2009, 08:02:46 pm
She hated McCain. She thought he was too liberal. BUT since she wasn't going to vote at all, I convinced her to vote for Obama.

 :lol:
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: Scotty on February 02, 2009, 08:09:01 pm
Quote
I think that the Stimulus package will help, because it's this adrenaline rush that'll HOPEFULLY lead to more jobs being created.

I'm sorry, but things don't work that way.  The first one didn't work.  Why should another.  Better to just hand the offending businesses out to dry.  It will be better in the long run.  By giving money to failing companies, it encourages them to do the bad things they did before because, hey, what the hell, they'll get paid if they mess up again anyway.  That isn't the way the country should run.

What I say is **** politics.  Republican/Democrat arguments are stupid and just perpetuate more arguments.  Do what works, not what makes you popular.  (Btw, I support Bush for doing exactly that.  Don't argue this statement.  This is not meant to start a flame war.  That is what I think, deal with it.)
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: Nuke on February 02, 2009, 08:22:25 pm
i realized that if there is one thing liberals are good at its backstabbing and slander.
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: BS403 on February 02, 2009, 08:47:55 pm
She hated McCain. She thought he was too liberal. BUT since she wasn't going to vote at all, I convinced her to vote for Obama.

Either your mom's retarded or your lying, because nobody would ever do that if they knew anything at all about the candidates. (edit:Meaning no one would switch to a more liberal candidate when they thought the other was too liberal.)
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: Nuclear1 on February 02, 2009, 08:57:58 pm
What--isn't doing what's popular--i.e., what you're people want you to do--the whole point of a republican system of government?
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: Scotty on February 02, 2009, 09:02:30 pm
a republican system of government also tends to fall over quite rapidly if the leader ONLY does what is popular.  Take ALMOST EVERY SINGLE LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRY for example.  Besides, it's an open secret that the vast majority of people have no idea what it takes to run a government, and therefore dislike every single decision that is not in their most direct and immediate interests.
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: Nuclear1 on February 02, 2009, 10:57:16 pm
Of course the public can't be trusted to make all the decisions--not being elitist or anything, but people as a whole are just uninterested in dedicating all their time to making decisions. That's partly why republican systems exist for large countries, so representatives can make decisions.

But if Bush was going to do unpopular things, they could have at least been necessary. Fighting an unnecessary war of which over 50% of your population disapproves isn't one of these examples. Nor is violating the sanctity of nearly every rights charter or human rights convention in the name of "anti-terrorism". 

The government can't be fickle and simply collapse at every whim, but it at least needs to be responsive enough to change somewhat after four or more years of protests. Otherwise, why bother with the election process or even call the US system republicanism at all? Representatives exist in the House and Senate to respond to their constituents' will. There's no arguing that.
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: Janos on February 03, 2009, 01:49:55 am
Quote
I think that the Stimulus package will help, because it's this adrenaline rush that'll HOPEFULLY lead to more jobs being created.

I'm sorry, but things don't work that way.  The first one didn't work.  Why should another.  Better to just hand the offending businesses out to dry.  It will be better in the long run.  By giving money to failing companies, it encourages them to do the bad things they did before because, hey, what the hell, they'll get paid if they mess up again anyway.  That isn't the way the country should run.

hmmm whyyy yeees let's let the US credit rating drop what a marvellous idea

and yes tens of millions of people would be severely affected by this company going down, i mean like "lose your home" affected but hey, eventually thing will be normal

and obviously the two stimulus packages are the only ones ever proposed. there have never been large public investations in markets both public and private before. nooooo.


Quote
What I say is **** politics.  Republican/Democrat arguments are stupid and just perpetuate more arguments.  Do what works, not what makes you popular.  (Btw, I support Bush for doing exactly that.  Don't argue this statement.  This is not meant to start a flame war.  That is what I think, deal with it.)

"MY STUPID ARGUMENT DO NOT ARGUE ABOUT IT"
- favour efficiency over popularity argument? right in the beginning!
- then favouring bush right afterwards :wtf: what ever did that guy do?
- if you think politics are stupid then why are you talking about them
- and if you don't want to someone to jump on your argument then hey, maybe you shouldn't post it, especially if the argument has the constistency and feels of diarrhea

Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: Scotty on February 03, 2009, 03:52:59 pm
My God, what did I JUST SAY in my last post.  That's my opinion, not an argument, I have a right to have it.  It was NOT meant to spark discussion.  I was merely referencing the popularity of his decisions.  Drop it.

Quote
hmmm whyyy yeees let's let the US credit rating drop what a marvellous idea

and yes tens of millions of people would be severely affected by this company going down, i mean like "lose your home" affected but hey, eventually thing will be normal

and obviously the two stimulus packages are the only ones ever proposed. there have never been large public investations in markets both public and private before. nooooo.


The people who lose their homes are the people who should not have been able to get a loan to get those homes in the first place.  They brought this on themselves.

Of course there have been large public investations, but they don't have a track record of working very well.  Don't feed me any BS that the New Deal was what helped us out of the depression.  All it did was pay people to do stuff like make parks and spend gov't money.  What helped us out of the Great Depression was the entrance into WWII and the patriotic fervor that lead millions of peolpe to volunteer for jobs they would not otherwise have volunteered for, and that weren't there before the war began.

Stimulus plans don't work.  They haven't yet, and they aren't going to. 
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: Janos on February 04, 2009, 03:01:02 am
My God, what did I JUST SAY in my last post.  That's my opinion, not an argument, I have a right to have it.  I was merely referencing the popularity of his decisions.  Drop it.

Hey seriously you have a right to say whatever you want but if you post your opinions then they're free for all. You are no one, you don't get to dictate whether people respond to your posts or not. Call a mod or something. Until then I will respond to your posts.

If you don't want to discuss, then don't post. Especially dumb **** that you refuse to quantify. What did you mean by Bush getting things done? You brought it up, it interests me!

Quote
It was NOT meant to spark discussion. 
So I take it that you have nothing to add to the discussion and and merely spamming for... no postcount?

Quote
The people who lose their homes are the people who should not have been able to get a loan to get those homes in the first place.  They brought this on themselves.

what the **** is wrong with you
Usually those who loan money are not the same people giving out the loan, so accusing people with low credit rating of getting loans that the banks marketed to them is hypocritical. Yeah, people are stupid and take out loans they cannot pay back, but what on earth causes banks and other financial institutions to think that subprime loans are a good thing?

An entire lifestyle built around housing, the entire residential economic scene built around loans backed by estate, aggressive marketing, a goddamn nation on a credit, and when it fails, well, **** the poor I got mine.


Quote
Of course there have been large public investations, but they don't have a track record of working very well.  Don't feed me any BS that the New Deal was what helped us out of the depression.  All it did was pay people to do stuff like make parks and spend gov't money.  What helped us out of the Great Depression was the entrance into WWII and the patriotic fervor that lead millions of peolpe to volunteer for jobs they would not otherwise have volunteered for, and that weren't there before the war began.

Yes, the economic scene of the world is wrong and you are right, New Deal did no jack. Prove your statement. I mean, if the US GDP only grew 43,4% from 1933 to 1937 and 104% from 1938 to 1944, it's pretty damn difficult to argue that A) the world war 2 didn't cause anything BUT as well that B) that ND didn't cause anything either.

Quote
Stimulus plans don't work.  They haven't yet, and they aren't going to. 

I can go to the goddamn wikipedia and find out this:
Quote
Economists such as Nobel Prize winner Joseph Stiglitz,[7] Martin Feldstein, Daron Acemoglu, Larry Summers and Nobel Prize winner Paul Krugman[8] favor large economic stimulus to counter the economic downturn. Some economists, such as Stiglitz and Krugman favor a much larger measure. While in favor of a stimulus package, Feldstein expressed concern over the act as written, saying it needs revision to address consumer spending and unemployment more directly[9].
This would that at least some people think that the current reincarnation of "stimulus package" works. I bet you can find people who disagree with them!

Government spending during times of economic recession has often skyrocketed. This is pretty standard Keynesian theory. What is a stimulus package anyways? Increased government spending during economic downturn? That has been a standard for the last... 50 years?




Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: NGTM-1R on February 04, 2009, 04:40:25 am
Of course there have been large public investations, but they don't have a track record of working very well.  Don't feed me any BS that the New Deal was what helped us out of the depression.  All it did was pay people to do stuff like make parks and spend gov't money.  What helped us out of the Great Depression was the entrance into WWII and the patriotic fervor that lead millions of peolpe to volunteer for jobs they would not otherwise have volunteered for, and that weren't there before the war began.

I call bull****. Janos cites the relevant statistics to prove the point, but I'm going to note that the New Deal built the infrastructure that made industry's accomplishments in WW2 possible. Pre-New Deal US could never have supported the efforts that went into building the USAAF and USN of World War 2, never mind concurrently building the atomic bomb (which, it must be remembered, was an achievement more or less equivalent to building the auto industry from scratch).
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: Solatar on February 04, 2009, 06:37:49 am
I'm not denying that a stimulus would help the economy. I'm 100% behind a stimulus, but what we have in Congress right now is not a stimulus; it's just spending.  There's money in there for the National Endowment for the Arts, Honeybee Insurance, new government cars, and a whole host of other things that aren't really going to grow the economy.

My dilemma is that while I would love money for the National Endowment for the Arts (I'm a violin major in college, I love the arts) or for mass transit (I would kill for Europe's train system) and I hope President Obama pushes those later in his presidency, it simply does not belong in a bill labeled "stimulus". Furthermore, one time tax cuts or returns are not going to help the economy any more than those useless stimulus checks half the country got last year. The industries KNOW it's a one time spending increase (that's if people don't just use it to pay down debt like that last time they got some extra cash from the government) and are not going to suddenly increase production and hire more people based on a spike they know will not continue. If you want to see sustained job growth, you have to convince people to spend more regularly.
Title: Re: Republicans and the Stimulus Package.
Post by: darkone on February 04, 2009, 02:58:38 pm
I'm 100% behind a stimulus, but what we have in Congress right now is not a stimulus; it's just spending.  There's money in there for the National Endowment for the Arts, Honeybee Insurance, new government cars, and a whole host of other things that aren't really going to grow the economy.

We need to cut some of our programs and lower a few taxes and we are back in business. Look at all the biggest democrat controlled states and see what there condition is (CA, MA, NY, NJ etc...) let me give you a hint they are all asking for HUGE ballouts for their states and proposing more taxes.

I'm not heartless but there is going to be some pain in this process because we let the government get this way. So state/govt jobs need to be cut or salaries reduced and programs not necessary for the state to run need to be trimmed or dropped entirely.

Now CEO's they are an issue in this whole thing and maybe some type of law on salary and bonus cap needs to be put into effect. We cannot just create money we don't have an expect everything to be ok. There will be a time if this continues that other countries will not loan money to us... Right now we owe China roughly 2-2.5 TRILLION dollars. What happens if they wanted to collect on that debt and image the interest that is getting charged the USA for that loan.