What do you think of our current President?

mkloby · 07-21-2007, 08:26 AM

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Originally Posted by FLYBOYJ

Right on Pb! That's why I laugh when I hear folks say, the dollar is falling, your national debt is too high, the US economy is going to collapse....

That's why I posted some other nations' public debts. The US national debt, in terms of GDP, is no worse than many other nations supposedly going down the "right path" of social-democracy with "healthy economies."

davparlr · 07-21-2007, 09:54 AM

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Originally Posted by syscom3

Bush's legacy is going to be written is his dismal failure in domestic politics.

His epitaph will be written as "squandered golden opportunities for change"

There's no doubt that he had opportunities that he let slip away. However, his greatest domestic achievement was a BIG one. Two conservative judges! This is always the biggest impact a president can have on you and me. I am sure we will always be ingraciated to him for that, and, in my mind, if he achieves nothing else, makes him a great domestic success.

syscom3 · 07-21-2007, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davparlr

There's no doubt that he had opportunities that he let slip away. However, his greatest domestic achievement was a BIG one. Two conservative judges! This is always the biggest impact a president can have on you and me. I am sure we will always be ingraciated to him for that, and, in my mind, if he achieves nothing else, makes him a great domestic success.

True, but his failures are (and I dont buy the excuse the democrats blocked them all):
No national energy plan
No tort and liability reform
No health care reform
No tax code reform
Tax cuts were not made permanent
Federal response to Katrina
Immigration reform

Bush is no doubt a loser. A Jimmy Carter!

Njaco · 07-21-2007, 11:17 AM

And Carter has been looking like a gem as time goes on. Maybe misplaced but you know how history is written. That said I believe Bush's legacy will be balanced by his achievements at least among those who are objective. Slick Willie I believe will be exposed as the worst especially if his ..ummm.. "better half" gets in.

renrich · 07-21-2007, 06:38 PM

We have a national erergy plan, it is called the free market, except for the idiotic bio fuels program. Tort reform, Bush got that done in Texas but with the US Congress, you have to be kidding. We have the finest health care in the world, no one goes without a modicum of health care, you get what you pay for. Tax code, you have to be kidding, reminds me of sissifus. Tax cuts permanent, so that is Bush's fault. If they had been permanent they would never have happened with the slim GOP majority. Just like the dems can't have their way today in Congress. Katrina, LOL, do you honestly think the federal, state and local response would have been better if Clinton or Reagan had been president. If you like the FEMA action in La, you will love it when we have national health care. Immigration, sometimes conservatives can be their own worst enemy.

mkloby · 07-21-2007, 07:04 PM

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Originally Posted by renrich

Immigration, sometimes conservatives can be their own worst enemy.

I see that issue as nothing more than political parties salivating over the possibility of securing millions of votes in the future of these potential "citizens" down the road. In order to attain their votes in the future, many individuals in the two parties will ignore the will of the American public - which is overall rather hostile towards illegal immigration.

davparlr · 07-21-2007, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by syscom3

True, but his failures are (and I dont buy the excuse the democrats blocked them all):
No national energy plan

Yeah, I was disappointed in the lack of one. I'm all for free enterprise, but the biggest threat to our national security is our dependence on oil. I am tired of us jumping through loops for people who hate us.

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No tort and liability reform

You expect reform from a cabal of lawyers? That's how they make their money.

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No health care reform

I think this was overcome by war. And I am not sure anyone wants to take this on.

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No tax code reform

I suspect this is a battle he could never win. He did reduce taxes, which is what Reagan did.

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Tax cuts were not made permanent

He tried hard. What could he do?

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Federal response to Katrina

Everybody failed that. The biggest failure was city and state governments. They had the ultimate responsibility. Also, every federal and state government (including Reagan) since the fifties when they knew the levees would never hold a cat four storm but bet on the future instead of preparing for it.

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Immigration reform

This I agree on. But remember what Reagan did.

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Bush is no doubt a loser. A Jimmy Carter!

This is not even worth commenting on.

pbfoot · 07-22-2007, 02:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davparlr

Yeah, I was disappointed in the lack of one. I'm all for free enterprise, but the biggest threat to our national security is our dependence on oil. I am tired of us jumping through loops for people who hate us.

.

What loop has Canada made you jump through as your biggest supplier of oil

DerAdlerIstGelandet · 07-22-2007, 07:03 AM

He is talking about the Arabs and I agree with him. Once the world switches to another source of energy they are screwed and honestly I cant wait.

mkloby · 07-22-2007, 08:40 AM

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Originally Posted by DerAdlerIstGelandet

He is talking about the Arabs and I agree with him. Once the world switches to another source of energy they are screwed and honestly I cant wait.

I agree. Can't wait either. Then they can revel in their worldly irrelevance just like from 1700-1900.

Njaco · 07-22-2007, 08:48 AM

I can only guess that the world will never leave king oil. Look at the dynamics. Oil companies, Auto makers, etc, all big lobbists. And who would want to change or destroy their market? And these corn cars or battery bombs they sell us won't mean a thing. I laugh how they "honestly" try to come up with alternatives.

Oil will always be king.

Heinz · 07-22-2007, 08:54 AM

Oil may be king but it cant last forever.

Intergrated use of oil and other fuel sources could definitely prolong its existance though.

FLYBOYJ · 07-22-2007, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Njaco

I can only guess that the world will never leave king oil. Look at the dynamics. Oil companies, Auto makers, etc, all big lobbists. And who would want to change or destroy their market? And these corn cars or battery bombs they sell us won't mean a thing. I laugh how they "honestly" try to come up with alternatives.

Oil will always be king.

There has to be a weening off of oil. As you stated those in the auto and oil industry don't want to see their industry immediately destroyed. Even by some chance if a miracle energy source suddenly emerges, what do you do wit the 6 million people currently employed in the oil industry???

Njaco · 07-22-2007, 09:16 AM

Exactly my point. I agree we have to wean off oil but I don't see the companies making that much of an effort and what has come out I suspect has been under some threat of some kind,(reduced tax breaks, sanctions, etc.). Their hearts aren't in it.

I remember in the very early 80s a guy in Calif. came up with an idea. He said switch the power source on cars. Instead of the battery charging the engine use the engine to charge the battery. He took a small (lawn mower, I guess engine) to charge the battery of his electric car. Even put it in a Chevy Vega and got it up to 75mph on the highway. Sound idea.

Except the auto makers shut him down! Refused to provide or even let him buy parts. The Government turned its head, etc. This was on the news and I never forgot it. Now Detroit says "look what we made" and its the same concept from 25yrs ago! To me, it just shows how indifferent they are to it.
Reminds me of the cig guys testifying to Congress.

mkloby · 07-22-2007, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Njaco

I remember in the very early 80s a guy in Calif. came up with an idea. He said switch the power source on cars. Instead of the battery charging the engine use the engine to charge the battery. He took a small (lawn mower, I guess engine) to charge the battery of his electric car. Even put it in a Chevy Vega and got it up to 75mph on the highway. Sound idea.

I don't understand what you mean. You bat provides power to your starter motor to crank over the engine. After that - your alternator runs off your drivebelt on your engine, providing your elec power and charges your battery. The problems noted regarding batteries are the same today that they were back then - impractical regarding power production and the necessary charging times; plus they are expensive, bulky, and lose ability to hold a charge over time. Maybe they have made some major strides, but to my knowledge they are still overall impractical.

I looked into purchasing a hybrid last year. One major problem with them, that I had never thought of, was the issue of air conditioning. Your compressor is run by the engine drivebelt. So, in order to run your A/C your engine must be running. In this case - you are paying several thousand more for the hybrid technology and supposed "fuel efficiency," yet in reality you will get an extremely slight increase in fuel economy. Obviously, this is much more of an issue as you get further south than, say Canada.