Monday, June 20, 2005
Puppies and ice cream!!!
I by no means want to end our spirited political debate, but I think I might relegate the continued discussion to the comments sections unless there's a new line of philosophy that the discussion inspires me to express. I think its way to schizophrenic to be talking about America-sanctioned torture in all its gory details and then switch over to something mundane. So let the "banter" continue. But let's all take a break...
I don't know if you know about NPR's A Prairie Home Companion, but I got to see it live last Saturday night. When my family still lived in Oklahoma, Dad told me about the show that was broadcast there that had some anti-Bush yarns that were so offensive that the public station down there cancelled this 30-year old show the next day after many subscribers complaints. Poor stupid REPUBLICAN Oklahoma... if they can't stand the liberal tyrades of Garrison Keillor (the mild-mannered host of Prairie Home Companion) I guess they have to look for humor elsewhere... yuck, politics sneaking up again... Anyone knows if its back on there?
So anybody it was really neat to see live and I saw at Ravinia Festival park. I got to take the Metro regional train for the first time which stops right at the festival gate on show nights. For a lawn ticket you can either sit on the grass and have a picnic while listening to the show on speakers, or you can stand at the very back of the outdoor theater and lean on an uncomfortable bar for 2 hours. It's not a bad deal and there was enough different skits and songs going on to not get too tired standing.
And now to make this post completely innocent here are some picture(s) of my cute little cousins. I only have 5 cousins on both sides total, so indulge me please. These ones are 10, 6, and 1.
awwww, actually that photos kind of tiny but I didn't take them. They live in Republican North Carolina... but are not Republicans, thank God. Well, my uncle is definitely not.
That's Corrie, Russell, and Dinah on the couch there. My Grandma just visited and says Russell's a huge baby and doesn't cry... he growls. Growling at his infant awareness of President Bush and how his policies are destroying his future country.
There I go again... anyway, you ladies out there can submit comments about how adorable my family is, ones there are devoid of any political bias.
Have a good Monday night.
I don't know if you know about NPR's A Prairie Home Companion, but I got to see it live last Saturday night. When my family still lived in Oklahoma, Dad told me about the show that was broadcast there that had some anti-Bush yarns that were so offensive that the public station down there cancelled this 30-year old show the next day after many subscribers complaints. Poor stupid REPUBLICAN Oklahoma... if they can't stand the liberal tyrades of Garrison Keillor (the mild-mannered host of Prairie Home Companion) I guess they have to look for humor elsewhere... yuck, politics sneaking up again... Anyone knows if its back on there?
So anybody it was really neat to see live and I saw at Ravinia Festival park. I got to take the Metro regional train for the first time which stops right at the festival gate on show nights. For a lawn ticket you can either sit on the grass and have a picnic while listening to the show on speakers, or you can stand at the very back of the outdoor theater and lean on an uncomfortable bar for 2 hours. It's not a bad deal and there was enough different skits and songs going on to not get too tired standing.
And now to make this post completely innocent here are some picture(s) of my cute little cousins. I only have 5 cousins on both sides total, so indulge me please. These ones are 10, 6, and 1.
awwww, actually that photos kind of tiny but I didn't take them. They live in Republican North Carolina... but are not Republicans, thank God. Well, my uncle is definitely not.
That's Corrie, Russell, and Dinah on the couch there. My Grandma just visited and says Russell's a huge baby and doesn't cry... he growls. Growling at his infant awareness of President Bush and how his policies are destroying his future country.
There I go again... anyway, you ladies out there can submit comments about how adorable my family is, ones there are devoid of any political bias.
Have a good Monday night.
Comments:
<< Home
Well, your cousins are very cute, especialy the growler, but I actually have a question about something else you wrote. (I am not trying to strike up a debate, but it is more curosity on my part.)
As the Clinton administration was winding down, I heard someone say (unsure whether they were rep. or dem.) that there is a usual economic decline at the beginning of a republicans presidency term and it slowly increases to the end (aka it does slowly improve). Then, during the democrates term, the economy is already on the rise, and by the end, it is in near-great, or even better, shape. -But- That last year of the Dem. presidency, it starts to show trouble, the signs of a recession to follow.
I cannot remember whether the speaker was making an observance (as an economist), or whether he was pointing out that one party contributes to this cycle - or that both do. He might have been justifying the recession during Bush's years...but I do not know. Any thoughts? I know you could take your party's side, but I guess I am looking more for economic policies for each party (as an educated international business professional I can tell you what the rest of the world sees/thinks of the two parties as, but domestically I know much less).
As the Clinton administration was winding down, I heard someone say (unsure whether they were rep. or dem.) that there is a usual economic decline at the beginning of a republicans presidency term and it slowly increases to the end (aka it does slowly improve). Then, during the democrates term, the economy is already on the rise, and by the end, it is in near-great, or even better, shape. -But- That last year of the Dem. presidency, it starts to show trouble, the signs of a recession to follow.
I cannot remember whether the speaker was making an observance (as an economist), or whether he was pointing out that one party contributes to this cycle - or that both do. He might have been justifying the recession during Bush's years...but I do not know. Any thoughts? I know you could take your party's side, but I guess I am looking more for economic policies for each party (as an educated international business professional I can tell you what the rest of the world sees/thinks of the two parties as, but domestically I know much less).
# posted by 
: 6:47 PM
: 6:47 PM
I don't know if there's a match between Presidencies and recessions, but I don't see a historical correalation between whether a Democrat or Republican President is in charge and the last economic cycles. Bush II's record of job growth is getting better, but it hasn't come close to make up for the jobs lost and the economy started going down at the very end of Clinton's term. There was also a massive recession at the end of Bush I's term, that partially helped Clinton get in, and I think the end of Carter's term there was another severe recession that made Reagan an attractive candidate.
I do know that when the Democrats had control of Congress and the Presidency before the Republicans took over in 1994, they passed a balanced budget that only passed by one vote, with not a single Republican voting for it. What followed was unprecedented economic growth for the country that only ended when the tech bubble burst in 2000. I'm not enough of an economics expert to know the connection between that and business growth, and the Republicans could be held responsible for some of that economic growth, because as the opposition to Clinton in Congress, they might have cut irresponsible government spending. Although Clinton cut lots of spending on his own accord too.
Since W. Bush has taken office, this "small government" (quotes because that's what people like to believe) conservative has increased government spending by billions and cut taxes for mostly wealthy Americans by billions, creating a massive deficit that from what I follow most of the Republican leadership just wants to ignore and pass along the problem of that to future generations, perhaps even a Democratic administration that can then be blamed for the mess Republicans caused.
Now this is not an issue I read all the details about, so you can trust me on everything I said. But that's my overall interpretation and my gut feeling says that when you have united party power-hungry leadership like this, deficits and long-term economic stability don't matter. Perhaps the best economic growth happens when Republicans and Democrats have to share power and govern responsibly in order to prove they are better than the other.
So anyway, before I speculate anymore, I'll stop. Is that what you were wondering about?
I do know that when the Democrats had control of Congress and the Presidency before the Republicans took over in 1994, they passed a balanced budget that only passed by one vote, with not a single Republican voting for it. What followed was unprecedented economic growth for the country that only ended when the tech bubble burst in 2000. I'm not enough of an economics expert to know the connection between that and business growth, and the Republicans could be held responsible for some of that economic growth, because as the opposition to Clinton in Congress, they might have cut irresponsible government spending. Although Clinton cut lots of spending on his own accord too.
Since W. Bush has taken office, this "small government" (quotes because that's what people like to believe) conservative has increased government spending by billions and cut taxes for mostly wealthy Americans by billions, creating a massive deficit that from what I follow most of the Republican leadership just wants to ignore and pass along the problem of that to future generations, perhaps even a Democratic administration that can then be blamed for the mess Republicans caused.
Now this is not an issue I read all the details about, so you can trust me on everything I said. But that's my overall interpretation and my gut feeling says that when you have united party power-hungry leadership like this, deficits and long-term economic stability don't matter. Perhaps the best economic growth happens when Republicans and Democrats have to share power and govern responsibly in order to prove they are better than the other.
So anyway, before I speculate anymore, I'll stop. Is that what you were wondering about?
Yes actually that is exactly what I was wondering about, thanks...I wish I heard the whole interview to learn the basis of his arguements, but the Carter stuff is good. Thanks for curbing my curiosity! :)
Post a Comment
# posted by : 8:43 PM
: 8:43 PM << Home
