| Author | Message | ||
     Luftkoph |
jeez and I thought I was going to learn some trash about HD | ||
| Jandj_davis |
Here's an interesting thing I did when I was applying for a home loan. I did a little grade-school math and a little high-school math (compounded interest) and decided for myself what I could afford in a home loan. I knew I would qualify, since it was WAY under the two-thirds of your monthly income limit. I made sure I had a 10% down payment and a nice little nest egg to sit on for emergencies. And that is after 6 month of unemployment, making an average wage at my previous job for 4 years with no wage increase. I can comfortable afford my home, and while it is not lavish or fancy, I have space for my kids to play and a warm roof over my head. If people would just take a little personal responsibility and get rid of this "I gotta have it ALL, and I gotta have it NOW" attitude, I'm pretty sure the whole picture would be a little less bleak. I'm also in the camp that feels CEO's making $100M a year are is little stupid, but I don't really have any reason they shouldn't. The only reason I would want to be CEO or president of a company would be to make the big money. I know the job is not nearly as fun as doing real work. | ||
| Court |
>>>jeez and I thought I was going to learn some trash about HD Read carefully . . you may. Some of the instant thinking with the HD executive offices emulates, in some ways, what is being described. | ||
| Swordsman |
I have a relative that's a VP at Wells Fargo out in San Fran. If I remember the story correctly, the NAACP or some such group levied a lawsuit against WF because they wouldn't give loans to people that didn't qualify. They won the suit, and WF had to lower their standards to include these high risk individuals. THEN The same bunch turned around and sued WF for repossessing these homes when the people failed to pay their mortgage, claiming that WF had practiced predatory lending, and won AGAIN! When you have that kind of mentality in seats of power, you're simply •••••• very which way. ~SM | ||
| Court |
I have a hunch that Wells Fargo in San Fran may have some surprises in store for their lending practices. . . .gonna be an interesting year. Wells Fargo has demonstrated some very strange underwriting practices. | ||
| Court |
>>>>>>The recovery, slow as it is By the way . . . your "slow recovery", as unemployment continues to rise and set records after 23 months of failure to respond to "stimulus" . . is REALLY slow. Today \General Motors announced the closing of it's largest plant the fabled "Home of the Turbo-Hydromatic Transmission?
What a shame. http://www.insideline.com/chevrolet/end-of-era-as- gms-willow-run-plant-equipment-auctioned-off.html You'd think . . if anyone would understand the futility of throwing money at a problem that Barack Obama would. For years, while he was a neighborhood organizer on the South Side of Chicago . . no city in the world has more money pumped in in an attempt to "social engineer" change and to redistribute wealth. Things, and not even he argues otherwise, has gotten not better . . but much worse. As I used to tell my kids . . any time you think money will solve a problem. . . you probably don't understand the problem. Great recovery, eh? | ||
| Reindog |
Unemployment will now be extended another 13 months. My engineer friend who has been without a job for 16 months was so stressed out about the possible cessation of his UI benefits, that he actually updated his resume for the first time since losing his job. He can relax now... for another 13 months at $475/week. I realize that some people truly cannot find a job . I sympathize with them as I was out for 12 months and it sucked, but many are gaming the system. The taxpayers are footing the bill for those who sit back and don't make their full-time job to find a job. Yeah, I know... the Dems are friends of the helpless victims and the Repubs want old people to eat dog food. | ||
| Sifo |
I was training a new lady at work on Monday. Had some time to just chat, and I asked what she used to do and what brought her to this job. She told me flat out that she had to find a job because her unemployment had run out. There's no way for me to put a number to the percentage of people that will collect a check from the government rather than find a job, but there's zero doubt in my mind that they really do exist. She's probably kicking herself today, because if she were to just quit right now, I don't think she would be eligible for benefits. | ||
| Sayitaintso |
Unemployment will now be extended another 13 months. Plus the extension of the tax cuts........ Both of which are being funded by MF'n DEBT. Pisses me off to no end. I'm to the point now where I dont care what the current "pain" would be. I'm tired of seeing the future of MY country flushed down the crapper. | ||
| Sifo |
The idea that these tax cuts will cost us money is pure BS. 1) It's not a tax cut, we just aren't raising taxes. 2) When these tax cuts were originally done the economy responded positively and tax revenues actually went up. That is pretty solid evidence of being on the wrong side of the Laffer curve. Raising taxed right now would hurt the economy, thereby hurting actual tax revenues. 3) Hopefully at this point we can put to rest the myth that these were only tax cuts for the rich. If you want to control debt you need to control spending. Simply raising taxes will never be a solution to the debt problem. Ignore the realities of the Laffer curve at your countries peril. | ||
| Sayitaintso |
Let the tax cuts expire.....keep them where they are/were....cut the hell outta spending (cutting everywhere, nothing should be a sacred cow)......pay down/off the debt.....cut the hell outta taxes. We didn't get into this mess overnight we aren't going to get out of it overnight either. Which ever way its looked at, we need to run a surplus for a time to pay off the accumulated debt. | ||
| Sifo |
Why do you think raising taxes would be a good thing. When they were cut tax revenues went up. Take them back out and you can expect tax revenues to respond accordingly. Is the Laffer curve really that difficult to understand? | ||
| Reindog |
Sayitaintso: You are free to give this Wonderful Government more of your income. Make the check out to the IRS and explain what it is for. They will accept your money. We will NOT get out of this mess by going deeper into debt. Reduce spending by eliminating all departments of this Wonderful Government that are not Constitutionally mandated. Lower taxes will produce greater revenue and lowered unemployment for those willing to work. It is actually pretty simple. | ||
| Moxnix |
Citizens who wish to make a general donation to the U.S. government may send contributions to a specific account called "Gifts to the United States." This account was established in 1843 to accept gifts, such as bequests, from individuals wishing to express their patriotism to the United States. Money deposited into this account is for general use by the federal government and can be available for budget needs. These contributions are considered an unconditional gift to the government. Financial gifts can be made by check or money order payable to the United States Treasury and mailed to the address below. Gifts to the United States U.S. Department of the Treasury Credit Accounting Branch 3700 East-West Highway, Room 622D Hyattsville, MD 20782 | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Oooh, I bet their mailbag is huge. NOT! | ||
| Sayitaintso |
Why do you think raising taxes would be a good thing. When they were cut tax revenues went up. I hope you dont believe that its a one to one relationship and there are not a myriad of other factors that are constantly in flux and changing the dynamics of governmental revenue. Is the Laffer curve really that difficult to understand? Its actually quite a simple concept......if you can tell exactly where we currently are on the overall curve, how any changes in government policy/spending will change the shape of the curve, what public and corporate perception of the current state of the economy is and how changes to them will impact the shape of the curve, and so on. The Laffer Curve is a theory thats makes a hell of a lot of sense. The problem is defining exactly where it lies. Its not a simple; cut taxes, revenues will increase, unemployment will decrease and we'll all live happily ever after My point was: Do something about the deficit and debt or we're rapidly on our way to losing our prosperity that many generations have worked to lay the foundation for and build. Edit: I just re-read my first post that you guys all worked up, I didn't explain myself completely. Its not just the extension of the tax cuts that has me pissed. If anything the unemployment extension pisses me off exponentionaly more. But if "they" want to extend the unemployment and the "Bush era" tax cuts, at the very least, make them overall budget neutral cut someplace else to fund them. (Message edited by sayitaintso on December 07, 2010) | ||
| Court |
That's an accurate statement. I was actually kinda looking forward, if the taxes went up, to taking a couple years off, doing the unemployment gig (I can easily live on $475 a week) and helping Erik for a couple years. It was a no loose deal for me. If you raise taxes on anybody at this point (with the longest period of elevated unemployment in our history) you can't believe how ugly it would get. We have idiots at the controls I fear and you'd think, of all folks, that Barack Obaam . . a community organizer from the South Side of Chicago . . would have seen the utter nonsense of "wealth redistribution" and throwing money at a problem. 20 years ago the South Side of Chicago was terrible. No place in the nation has had more money, federal funds, grants and programs tossed at it. It's far worse now (that's at least one thing they all agree on) than it was 20 years ago. We deserve better leaders. | ||
| Blake |
>>> Unemployment will now be extended another 13 months. ... >>> Plus the extension of the tax cuts........ >>> Both of which are being funded by MF'n DEBT. I'd just say that the budget is funded by debt. Give me a red pen and the deficit will disappear in a flash. So will a LOT of gov't jobs and gov't benefits including pensions. Postman of eight years driving a route and making $60K base in Dallas? Amazing benefits to boot? WTF! To deliver mostly junk mail that I don't even want!!!??? It is outrageous. | ||
| Sayitaintso |
I'd just say that the budget is funded by debt. Give me a red pen and the deficit will disappear in a flash. So will a LOT of gov't jobs and gov't benefits including pensions. It is outrageous. Agreed. Give me a pen too and we can get it done in 1/2 the time. Its not just the deficit though...we need to reduce/eliminate the debt also. The national debt hangs over our country like a Sword of Damocles. If the right international issue arises dont think for a moment that China or some other large holder of our debt won't threaten to dump it and completely destabilize our country if we dont do what they want. We did it to the British over the Suez Canal in the '50s. They folded like a cheap lawn chair and did what we wanted (leave the Suez to the Egyptians). I'd rather have it happen on our own terms than have it done to us by someone else (Message edited by sayitaintso on December 07, 2010) | ||
| Blake |
The one mitigating factor concerning China is that they are as much if not more dependent upon America as we are on them. For instance, isn't our government/Fed Reserve now printing money to pay debt? Wish I could do that.  If the deficit is eliminated, then as long as our economy continues to grow, debt will disappear into oblivion as a percentage of our GDP, as long as our economy continues to grow. Big "if." | ||
| Buellbozo |
"We deserve better leaders". Heck, Court, we've screwed it up so bad I'm not sure if we actually deserve better or not. IMHO, we've created the lousy leaders we've got. You can't imagine how it sucks to be of my political leaning and see the disaster BO's administration has turned out to be. Quote me on that. It's like the P**** principle goes to Washington. I have a deep personal belief that a Divine Providence of some sort did indeed affect the birth of this nation. The same beliefs tell me that if said Providence becomes displeased enough with our behavior, at home, in our homes, and on the world stage, He/She/It may well find us unworthy in our roll as "leader of the Free World, and we'll find ourselves no longer in that position of blessing and trust. I said it before...I truly wish the Republican party would give this DemLib the opportunity to vote for Sen. Coburn of Oklahoma for President. We need him, about 536 others like him, and an electorate with the self honesty and balls to make it happen. Just for those who don't know, unemployment payments aren't quite the same state to state. That $475 in NY or Ohio is $212 in Mississippi. And the only time I've been on it was for 6 wks after Katrina when the boat I was working on restoring for a local business owner (trickle down at work) disappeared off the planet. (Message edited by buellbozo on December 07, 2010) | ||
| Sayitaintso |
For instance, isn't our government/Fed Reserve now printing money to pay debt? I may not understand it perfectly but it kinda makes me laugh that we are doing this, paying back the Chinese with "funny money". They keep their currency artificially low by pegging it to ours. We borrow from them to buy their artifially cheap goods. We make money out of thin air to pay them back for what we've borrowed. Like I said earlier, it makes me laugh....because the only alternative is to cry. If the deficit is eliminated, then as long as our economy continues to grow The trouble is, we dont make very much (as a nation) anymore, we consume and provide services to each other. Its not the recipe for long term growth. Like Court said elsewhere.... We deserve better leadership. | ||
| Sifo |
I hope you dont believe that its a one to one relationship and there are not a myriad of other factors that are constantly in flux and changing the dynamics of governmental revenue. . . . Its actually quite a simple concept......if you can tell exactly where we currently are on the overall curve, how any changes in government policy/spending will change the shape of the curve, what public and corporate perception of the current state of the economy is and how changes to them will impact the shape of the curve, and so on. The Laffer Curve is a theory thats makes a hell of a lot of sense. The problem is defining exactly where it lies. Its not a simple; cut taxes, revenues will increase, unemployment will decrease and we'll all live happily ever after No it isn't a simple relationship in the real world. The only way to really see if you are on the right side of the curve is to change policy and test it. Kennedy tested it, Reagan tested it and Bush tested it. Each test showed we were on the wrong side of the curve. What's that definition of insanity again? | ||
| Boltrider |
Don't forget that Obama and Pelosi think unemployment benefits and food stamps are economic stimulators. I mean geez....why didn't I think of that? And now Chairman Bernanke admits it might be another 5 years before unemployment rates fall to more normal levels of 5 or 6 percent. But not too long ago he thought he could quantitatively ease us into a turnaround. Hmmm...I guess his idea of forcing a recovery isn't working out so well.  (Message edited by boltrider on December 07, 2010) | ||
| Court |
I heard Pelosi blurt that out one day about "unemployment checks stimulate the economy" and I about puked. No kidding . . somebody really voted for her. . . likely on the same level as those who have elected Sharpton over and over for 40 years. You can't make this stuff up . . . More interesting reading . . Harley-Davidson (and others) played the American people for a bunch of idiots.
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| Sayitaintso |
I heard Pelosi blurt that out one day about "unemployment checks stimulate the economy" and I about puked. There was an "economist" on NPR this morning spouting the same thing. The "logic" given to support the assertion was that those on welfare and unemployment will spend the money (which will create demand and jobs) rather than save it like others would. My initial thought was...yea their going to spend it alright... (1) on cheap imported (i.e. Chinese) goods rather than quality stuff made at home, (2) further expand the trade deficit, (3) make them even more reliant on gov't handouts rather than self reliant. | ||
| Blake |
Gregory (Buellbozo), There are more and more old-school Democrats who feel as you do, that the party has left them via the nonsense of Pelosi and Reid. My mother and mother-in-law are two others. | ||
| Buellbozo |
Blake, The "nonsense of Pelosi and Reid" has nothing to do with my disappointment in the first 2 years of this administration. I said nothing whatsoever about feeling that the party has "left me". Your post says nothing at all about what I said. There really was no need to address it to me personally. Your homey, Hey man, there's lots of folks that feel like you is at the least, arrogantly presumptive, and shows itself for what it is...an agenda driven POV. I can assure you that as long as the Republican Party is run by folks like Haley Barbour (our Boss Hog Guv'nr and champion lobbyist supremo) they are in no danger of coming up with a candidate I would ever vote for. On another note...I'm getting older, 58, and I'm not real internet savvy. I knew about trolls, and have run into them on other forums I belong to. Just kinda slow to realize when I'm the one being trolled. I really appreciate this site. It has helped me enjoy the absolute BEST of 40+years of riding motorcycles, because it has helped me learn and enjoy my Buells. It's creation and administration must be a constantly demanding task. Thank you for that. I'm retiring to the tuber forum, where I belong. The short time and life I have left to me are too valuable to me to continue to try to participate in any "political discussions" on here. I'll save that for the Waffle House. Come by and get a cup sometime. You're welcome. We'll kick around that "Texas seceding from the Union" thing. Sounds good to me. Greg | ||
| Blake |
 Sorry to have misinterpreted your "we've created the lousy leaders we've got" comment. A simple correction would have been agreeable; the arrogantly presumptive troll accusations not so much. | ||
| Sifo |
Buellbozo, Excuse me for being confused, but... The "nonsense of Pelosi and Reid" has nothing to do with my disappointment in the first 2 years of this administration. Pelosi and Reid pretty much ran the agenda for the past 2 years. Despite Obama getting his name on Obamacare, BO really had little input beyond saying pass a health care bill. Perhaps you could explain how you are disappointed in the first 2 years of the BO administration, but somehow Nancy and Harry have nothing to do with it. Sorry, but I just can't see the disconnect of the three. |
