Recent comments

  • Economic abortion indeed. Sacrificing the next generation to the current profit is at the center of both our trade agreements and the practice of abortion.

    Having said that, no, I don't see Obama as any different, nor could I vote for him. Couldn't bring myself to vote for McCain either. So I took the only conservative on the ballot who actually seems to both believe in the free market *and* have a plan to reign it in: Chuck Baldwin.

    Reply to: Manufacturing Tuesday: Special Election Issue   16 years 1 month ago
    EPer:
  • I'm very well aware of some Republicans wanting to oppose those free trade agreements, I was one of those in that party who went from being a free-trader to later seeing how bad it was. Nor did I give Clinton a pass either, Robert. Once more, all I did was highlight the damage that had been done via our past trade deals, and noted that we had Democrats and Republicans in charge. But once more, also taking note that the folks are aware and they are tired of it. You don't have to cite me all that you did, I'm fully aware of them. Obama may not have stated this or that about PTNR, but niether did McCain, and between the two of them either or would become President. Once again, the main theme of my article was highlighting the past damage of our unfair trade deals.

    Reply to: Manufacturing Tuesday: Special Election Issue   16 years 1 month ago
    EPer:
  • and not a really serious comment, esp. on the eve of the election, I know the Obamanots are going to be jumping for joy so it's ok....just a general comment.

    So, congratulations to you! (I'm sure this will be true tomorrow, might as well say it).

    Myself, I can't wait for this absurdly long election to be over so votes, policy, agenda are finally actually examined.

    Obama doesn't have policy positions for the renegotiation the China PNTR or even NAFTA for that matter. No VAT, no renegotiation of the treaties, no challenging of the WTO, which should be interesting since many of his own policies could be challenged as "illegal" by the WTO and probably the biggest, which is dealing with global labor arbitrage and putting US citizens, workers first just isn't present.
    He has never endorsed a Congressional Trade Office or considered an automatic review with the trade deficit reaches 5% GDP (a ceiling) and what really needs to be done which is a line by line review of each trade agreement to renegotiate many of the clauses which often were stuck in there by corporate lobbyists How about something as simple as taking off of the "emerging economies" list China (which is to supercede the US as the world leading economy in 5 years) and India. Their PPP is next to the U.S.'s already so having completely biased trade status as a EE is pretty absurd. EE's can set their own tariff schedule.

    Take a look at Chinas
    (first image example) if you want to get really freaked out.

    The same token "labor, environmental standards" were run by Bill Clinton, a talking point by the DLC, Robert Rubins even espoused those, all the while crafting the Commodities Futures Moderization Act, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and note that Citigroup was a "preferred" lender to China, such a coincidence. Jason Furman, Rubin's personal clone, is the lead Obama economic adviser and if you read Goolsbee's work, well, gee wiz, Internet taxes is obviously the background to craft international multilateral trade policy in the national interest.

    It wasn't just good ole Phil Gramm and assuredly not just a Republican thang going on.

    We know from the Jordanian trade agreement, are not really enforceable and as it is the U.S. losses almost all of it's cases in the WTO.

    Don't take my word on that one, check out the trade reform groups and see their own comments.

    Also, you might not be aware of this but in the conservative wing of the Republican party they too want major renegotiation of trade agreements. This is a huge deal with them and they often work with the Progressives in Congress on this.

    Reply to: Manufacturing Tuesday: Special Election Issue   16 years 1 month ago
    EPer:
  • RO

    40% seem to be. Nothing wrong voting third party, wish they did better to be honest. But the gist of my piece was more of a showing of why the past free trade policies had been harmful to the nation.

    Reply to: Manufacturing Tuesday: Special Election Issue   16 years 1 month ago
    EPer:
  • NDD has a post on here about Calvinball economics. Maybe a tracking post on what they have spent. I know the CBO got into seemingly a little political stink for they implied the bail out might exasperate financial turmoil.

    Reply to: $900 Billion in government borrowing before March   16 years 1 month ago
    EPer:
  • All of the CBO's projections from July and August were blown out of the water in a matter of weeks. I suspect they're a bit shell-shocked. Also, it's hard to make accurate projections when the Fed and Treasury are playing Calvinball.

    I've reread the Treasury statements about their borrowing needs and noticed that they claimed they would need $550 billion for the entire three month period from October through December. I originally interpreted it as being the remainder of the three month period. I should have known better. If there's one thing the Bush Administration has taught us, it's "don't trust the government". As of October 31, they passed the $550 billion mark. I suppose that politically, it's a bad idea to tell Congress that you're not going to be able to make it to Christmas without raising the debt ceiling. But honestly, this is just weird. They've already borrowed the entire amount they said they're going to need. In the last two months of calendar year 2007 they borrowed 150 billion. Somehow, this year, it's magically not going to happen?. Or for that matter be much, much worse? Of course they are smart people and there is Calvinball; they could just put it "off the books".

    Reply to: $900 Billion in government borrowing before March   16 years 1 month ago
    EPer:
  • JV

    Not on EP can you assume Obama voters.

    I just voted and not only did I not vote a straight Democratic ticket, most of my votes were 3rd party, including for President.

    This is a nonpartisan site and the reason is so people can analyze actual policy positions objectively and to not alienate those folks with partisan bickering.

    Just look at the poll, bottom right hand corner, you'll see voters all over the place.

    Reply to: Manufacturing Tuesday: Special Election Issue   16 years 1 month ago
    EPer:
  • you would think the CBO would have issued a major report and they really haven't. Probably muzzled.

    Welcome to EP seed!

    Reply to: $900 Billion in government borrowing before March   16 years 1 month ago
    EPer:
  • It will be much more than that. Consider that the Treasury borrowed $880 billion between Sept 15 and Oct 27. That extrapolates to a brisk $8.8 trillion per year. Were those exigent circumstances? Yes, but what evidence is there that we should expect significant changes? The Treasury took a break last week, but there's precious little news to suggest that borrowing won't take off again. A huge recession is steaming down the pike so Federal receipts should be taking a dive, the official Bailout has yet to commence in major form, Federal guarantees of the money market have not been invoked, the Banks are only just beginning to deal with the underwater option-ARMs that will be bleeding off for the next 3 years, etc., etc. I certainly hope it won't reach the $9 trillion a straightline projection suggests, but it is very unlikely that the real deficit (not Enron.gov calculations) will be 2 trillion or less. Only the famous Wall Street firms that got us into this mess could project a deficit of $980 billion when the government has already borrowed $500 billion in the first month and is planning to borrow an additional $920 billion in the next 6 months! And the Wall Street Bond firms, being so much better with their math, are projecting $1.4 trillion, which is what the Treasury says it will borrow by the end of March. With math skills like that, it's no wonder we've had an epic fail on Wall Street. Is anyone watching the numbers?

    Reply to: $900 Billion in government borrowing before March   16 years 1 month ago
    EPer:
  • Just a FYI, for graphs, you can use the zoom on EP.

    I couldn't read this image and while the zoom is yes more work, it's really handy for those complex graphs.

    All are completely focused in on this election so robbing the people blind can go on with this almost as a distraction.

    Reply to: $900 Billion in government borrowing before March   16 years 1 month ago
    EPer:
  • "The U.S. tax code is the most political law in the world" - Jonathan Blattmachr - Tax attorney for the super rich.

    People cannot balance their checkbooks so understanding how this all works is incredibly daunting.

    On the other side of what you hear, I just heard how Obama is going to stop offshore outsourcing and I was like, uh, no....

    A really good Congress representative on this issue is Rosa DeLauro. She introduced a slew of legislation in the 2002/2003 time frame and of course was buried, but she keeps fighting.

    So is Sen. Byron Dorgan.

    Reply to: We're Going to Stop Offshore Outsourcing, Really, Swear!   16 years 1 month ago
    EPer:
  • One of my current talking points is....

    Corporations are not paying their fair share in taxes. To which the brain dead sheeple I'm speaking with sez...

    'Yes they are.'

    To which I reply, 'Is zero a "fair share" pal'?

    'Er...uh...er...yadda....yadda...that does not happen!'

    'Did in the 80s, when GE paid zip for a number of years, happens all the damn time, pal.'

    When, St. Ronnie took office in CA as Governor approx. 75% of all income taxes where paid by corporations.

    When he left it was the reverse...they paid 1/4.

    They also make out on Prop 13 big time.

    The Big Picture chart nails it.

    The dumb fuck citizenry is being sheered like the sheeple they are.

    Are they waking up?

    Nah, they are waiting for 'The Magic Man' to 'fix things'.
    And on alternate Tuesdays he is actually sounding like he'd take a shot at it. But if he dithers and goes 'Bi-Partisan' to appease The Villagers...

    ...the ReThugs will kneecap him. They'll kneecap him and play the 'dumb nigger' card.

    When the smoke from that clears, when the Big Picture chart for next year shows the same thing...or worse, look out momma!

    Katy bar the door! We gonna have us a revolution.

    No messin'.

    .

    Reply to: We're Going to Stop Offshore Outsourcing, Really, Swear!   16 years 1 month ago
    EPer:
  • which is all the more reason to focus on real cause and effect, promote experts who really are speaking truth to power, policies that would actually do something and if we can even find any, candidates who are not bought and paid for and stay out of the partisan fray and especially away from wedge issues.

    I've been warning on the advisers, the actual policies of Obama for so long, and if there was anything this election cycle has taught me is people are just friggin' oblivious to actual policy positions and what that really means...at least the political blogs to be frank.

    But hey, I know there are many other there who want real policy change so hopefully our space will help give voice to those paying attention.

    Reply to: Whom are you voting for in the Presidential Election?   16 years 1 month ago
    EPer:
  • And ignore the fact that if you REALLY wanted to stimulate the economy, you'd be giving jobs to the middle class who need them.

    Reply to: Shutting off the Power and Other Bad News   16 years 1 month ago
    EPer:
  • But with Obama nominating the architect of NAFTA to be his economics advisor, and McCain's support for trickle-down that never trickles, I have my doubts that either of the major parties want a strong middle class.

    Reply to: Whom are you voting for in the Presidential Election?   16 years 1 month ago
    EPer:
  • Just saying this is a nonpartisan blog, completely focused on what real policy, economics, data, stats, does what....

    as you know I don't want to go to the philosophies and especially forbade anything on social engineering agenda so we don't divide the site into partisan rancor and can simply join forces on what makes sense...for I'm fairly certain most want the US to be strong, working America strong, the nation strong.

    Reply to: Whom are you voting for in the Presidential Election?   16 years 1 month ago
    EPer:
  • At least a house will often appreciate (once this recession eases off in whatever number of years it may take.)

    Then there's a bank stock I'd like to talk to you about......it's only leveraged 300:1 loans to deposits.

    Reply to: 1 in 5 homeowners have negative equity   16 years 1 month ago
    EPer:
  • For one, McCain is a liberal, just of yet another "force the money to the billionaires" flavor. The rest, well, I think the Congressional Party Candidate explained it best.

     

    Reply to: Whom are you voting for in the Presidential Election?   16 years 1 month ago
    EPer:
  • But at least I'm smarter than the anonymous poster above- I know McCain is no conservative. Which is why I voted for Chuck Baldwin.

    Reply to: Whom are you voting for in the Presidential Election?   16 years 1 month ago
    EPer:
  • is now saying that IT spending won't recover until at least Q1'10- if then.  I think this might be the end of the beginning- but by no means is it the beginning of the end.

    Reply to: Are we at the bottom of the recession now?   16 years 1 month ago
    EPer:

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