robi2106's Journal: "New Direction For America" - Down Apparently

Spotted this letter to the editor thanks to this post by ncc74656.

To the editor:

        So, the Democrats promise "A New Direction For America."

        The stock market is at a new all-time high. America's 401(k) plans are back in positive territory. A new direction from there means, what?

        Unemployment is at 25-year lows. A new direction from there means, what?

        Oil prices are plummeting. A new direction from there means, what?

        Taxes are at 20-year lows. A new direction from there means, what?

        Federal tax revenues are at all-time highs. A new direction from there means, what?

        The federal budget deficit is down almost 50 percent, just as predicted over last year. A new direction from there means, what?

        Home valuations are up 200 percent over the past 3.5 years. A new direction from there means, what?

        Inflation is in check, hovering at 20-year lows. A new direction from there means, what?

        Not a single terrorist attack has taken place on U.S. soil since 9/11. A new direction from there means, what?

        Osama bin Laden is living under a rock in a dark cave, having not surfaced in years, if he's alive at all, while 95 percent of al-Qaida's top dogs are either dead or in custody, cooperating with U.S. intelligence. A new direction from there means, what?

        Several major terrorist attacks have already been thwarted by U.S. and British officials, including the recent planned attack involving 10 jumbo jets being exploded in mid-air over major U.S. cities in order to celebrate the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. A new direction from there means, what?

        Just as President Bush told us on a number of occasions, Iraq was to be made "ground zero" for the war on terrorism -- and just as President Bush said they would, terrorist cells from all over the region are arriving from the shadows of their hiding places and flooding into Iraq in order to get their faces blown off by U.S. Marines rather than boarding planes and heading to the United States to wage war on us here. A new direction from there means, what?

        Now let me see, do I have this right? I can expect: The economy to go south; illegals to go north; taxes to go up; employment to go down; terrorism to come in; tax breaks to go out; Social Security to go away; and health care to go the same way gas prices have gone.

        But what the heck. I can gain comfort by knowing that Nancy P., Hillary C., John K., Edward K., Howard D., Harry R. and Obama have worked hard to create a comprehensive National Security Plan, Health Care Plan, Immigration Reform Plan, Gay Rights Plan, Same-Sex Marriage Plan, Abortion-On-Demand Plan, Tolerance of Everyone and Everything Plan, How to Return all Troops to the United States in the Next Six Months Plan, A Get Tough Plan adapted from the French Plan by the same name, and a How Everyone Can Become as Wealthy as We Are Plan.

        I forgot the No More Katrina Storm Plan.

        Now I know why I feel good after the elections. I am going to be able to sleep so much better at night knowing these dedicated politicians are thinking of me and my welfare.

        Mark Wilson
        HENDERSON

Re:

[account_deleted]

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Re:

[Red_Foreman]

and yet, like a dumbass, you didn't post a single refutation. your post consists of "i don't like it so it was be wrong."
lazy, lazy, lazy.

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[account_deleted]

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[Red_Foreman]

I can't believe I'm replying to Red_Foreman.

Wow, you went to a lot of effort to respond to me, too.

I almost feel bad for not reading a word of it. No - no, I don't feel bad, it's just the urge to take a shit.

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[account_deleted]

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[Red_Foreman]

Nice backstroke, good form, good balance. Let's see what the judges think:
USA: 9.1
Pakistan: 8.9
France: 9.4
Poland: 4.3

Oh, apparently the Poles still hold a grudge - that's going to cost him a medal.

Re:

[robi2106]

ok, so i'm not one to go all ape shit on someone i don't agree with..... but i don't like trolling in my journal, even if it is trolling someone that holds opinions in conflict to my own. Actually, especially if it is someone in that situation. Why? Because I WANT conversation about the topics i post, not a chorus of "me-to."

So lets leave the crap to other journals and converse like sam did, ok red?

jason

Re:

[WilliamSChips]

He did forget Poland...

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[robi2106]

Wait...taxes are *down* but tax *revenues* are *up*? Methinks doth not compute.

This one has been verified. Largely due to corporate profits (which are taxed) the fed income has increased far above expected levels reducing the national debt more than expected.

But like you mention, many of the letter writer's other claims are too vague to be quantifiable. It is just that after all, a letter to the editor from some guy.

jason
not to be confused with some woman's someguy [slashdot.org]

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[account_deleted]

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[tomhudson]

Home valuations are up 200 percent over the past 3.5 years.

Inflation is in check, hovering at 20-year lows.

Housing costs are up 200% in less than 4 years. That's some serious inflation. Or is 40% annual inflation "in check"? If you're living in a cardboard box, you're not affected. Everyone else is, either directly or indirectly.

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[Dannon]

Wait...taxes are *down* but tax *revenues* are *up*? Methinks doth not compute.

It can compute, just follow me a moment.

A store owner lowers his prices. His profit on each item he sells goes down. You'd think that his net profits would go down. But lo and behold, more people buy at the lower price. Enough people that his net profit actually goes up. If he kept lowering his prices, sure, there'd come a point where the increased sales wouldn't make up for the losses per sale. But it's all about finding that ma

Re:

[robi2106]

Nor does the letter to the editor cite facts (not likely unless the author has some academic background).

informally, oil prices are at historic lows (check any news outlet) and stocks are up up up (check the S&P), unemployment figures can also be checked almost anywhere.

But I don't expect everything he said to make sense. What I did find interesting was the list of all the things that from his perspective are going well.

jason

Re:

[ces]

But I don't expect everything he said to make sense. What I did find interesting was the list of all the things that from his perspective are going well.

Funny thing is a Hell of a lot of people out there don't feel things are going particularly well. That was not the feeling I got during the late-90's boom.