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Comment on: Backyard Grill Blog

A Letter to Congressman Pete Sessions, More of the Same

86 Comments
Saturday, December, 06, 2008 10:42 PM The Crawfish writes:

But Bob's Nephew

$35 billion here and there...just chump change, right?
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Sunday, December, 07, 2008 12:08 AM Darvin Dowdy writes:

I'm glad we have good congressmen...

...here in the Houston area. I have McCaul. He, Culberson and Ted Poe all voted "ag'in it" - the bailout that is. I'm assuming they'll do the same this time. Or should I assume that?
Just keep on 'em. All we can do at this point. Where is the 32 district? I was thinking Pete Sessions of AL. No relation I guess.
Stop by if you have time. DD
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Sunday, December, 07, 2008 12:22 AM Keith Arnold writes:

I Keep Asking This Question...

... and never getting an intelligent answer: by what right - based on what Constitutional authority - does Congress presume to transfer wealth from productive Americans, taken from them in the form of taxes, and transfer it to failing businesses and entities, be they the Big Three automakers, AIG, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, or anyone else? And for the record, I will NOT accept any answer that includes the phrase or any reference to the Commerce Clause.

Where is Davy Crockett when you need him, and why does no one presently in Congress remember him? (Five bonus points to the first person who can explain that reference, ten if you are actually presently serving in Congress and remember it).
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Sunday, December, 07, 2008 12:44 AM bob's my uncle writes:

Hey Crawfish

Or is it "Catfish" LOL. Gotta rib ya a little.
Yeah, Craw, its all just chump change anymore. It don't matter where it comes from. The printing press ain't broke yet.
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Sunday, December, 07, 2008 12:56 AM bob's my uncle writes:

Hi there, DD

Thanks for coming by. District 32 was created after 2000 census. Pete Sessions beat Martin Frost in the first election 2002 I think. North Dallas, Irving, Richardson (where I live), etc. Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama is who you were thinking of. No relation. Pete's a good guy. I like him a lot and he's solid on most issues, especially the border and immigration.
I used to live in Houston. Down in SW corner of town near Hillcroft and Belfort. Lets just say that was more than 40 years ago.
I'm gonna keep after them with emails, faxes, and phone calls, even though I have a feeling we're fixing to get steamrolled.
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Sunday, December, 07, 2008 1:04 AM bob's my uncle writes:

Keith, my friend

Thanks for taking the time and coming around the the Grill. Here's a Davy Crockett quote that I think applies.
"We have the right as individuals to give away as much of our own money as we please in charity; but as members of Congress we have no right to appropriate a dollar of the public money."
I did have to look it up, so maybe I cheated a little. But by Jove, he's right, isn't he. But I don't think there's one out of 535 in congress that believes it.
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Sunday, December, 07, 2008 12:18 PM Bobbie writes:

OK Bob's Nephew

I heard you making fun of Craw's new name. Better watch out or I'll re-name you too. (:-

Good letter. Succinct & to the point.
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Sunday, December, 07, 2008 2:54 PM stefano writes:

I think

that the liberals are astonished that all of this money can be created out of nothing. This new unrestrained spending is the opening of a pandora's box that we will regret for a long time. Next year when the Fed and the treasury begin to monetize all of this debt, we will either have 1970's style Jimmy Carter interest rates or inflation that will eat us alive or perhaps both. It will not be funny. Hold tight to your real assets guys.
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Sunday, December, 07, 2008 8:17 PM bob's my uncle writes:

Bobbie

Thanks. Hey, you know I only tease Crawfish because he's a sensitive guy.
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Sunday, December, 07, 2008 8:24 PM bob's my uncle writes:

Stefano

Thanks for commenting here. You sound like a man who knows whereof he speaks. I read your post on the subject today, and methinks you have some good insight on the subject matter. Personally I am minimizing debt and putting as much to cash as possible.
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Monday, December, 08, 2008 12:51 PM caday5 writes:

bob's my uncle

Of all the bailouts, I am more favorable to this one. That is because the people who could be helped the most are working class people.

Since American businesses have been dependent on gov't for a long time, think of the bailouts as the gov't coming out of the closet in helping businesses survive.
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Monday, December, 08, 2008 1:13 PM Klemkadiddle writes:

BOB, These books don't balance...

I have made quick calculation of all of the material wealth in the country, and the bottom lines don't make sense by several trillion.

Total every item of value on the North American Continent and throw in Canada and Mexico. You still fall trillions short of underwriting the checks and IOU's being hauled out of Washington.

"Funny Money" has been a fact life since John Maynard Keynes seized the world; but this exceeds the idiocy of "Funny Money by as stale joke or two.

Wasn't it about Christmas 1988 that the Soviet premier stepped up to the mike and said, "we're busted" ?
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Monday, December, 08, 2008 1:16 PM American Sweetheart writes:

bob's nephew

Very nice and to the point.
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Monday, December, 08, 2008 1:24 PM bob's my uncle writes:

C5

Yeah, it scares me to death. All large corporations sucking at the government teat. All small business vying for the leftovers. Since the government will hold the checkbook, no independent business decisions can be made. It will all have to go through Congressional committee. It's a Socialist's wet dream. Good for you?
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Monday, December, 08, 2008 1:27 PM bob's my uncle writes:

Klem

I'd like to see your figures, but don't know if I could make heads or tails of them. I'll take your word for it. Common sense, (there's that word again), tells me you got the straight poop.
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Monday, December, 08, 2008 1:29 PM bob's my uncle writes:

Am Sweet

Thanks. You are indeed a sweetheart. Hey, I just signed up with Twitter and I saw some of your pics over there. Good one of Sarah Palin.
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Monday, December, 08, 2008 1:38 PM Klemkadiddle writes:

I confess that i might br off a bit...

I used the Obama method of adducing and deducing.
But my columns are straight.
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Monday, December, 08, 2008 1:48 PM American Sweetheart writes:

bob's nephew

Oh man! I haven't checked my Twitter in so long! I have to do that!

I'm sure you've noticed I've been scarce lately. Work is super busy and the kiddo is keeping me well occupied and some other personal stuff.

Hopefully soon I can get back into things. I started writing a blog last night. I hope to finish it today because right now I am not happy with how it sounds :(
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Monday, December, 08, 2008 2:01 PM bob's my uncle writes:

LOL, Klem

Hey, if your columns are straight, who cares if the numbers are correct.
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Monday, December, 08, 2008 2:08 PM bob's my uncle writes:

.Am Sweet

Looking forward to your next one.
You sure do have a handsome little man calling you Mama. I have no clue how you do all you do and blog as profusely as you do, too. You are a triple threat. I'm just glad we're on the same side.
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Monday, December, 08, 2008 8:09 PM caday5 writes:

bob's my uncle

It is corporate welfare, not socialist welfare which would provide more help and support to the individual. But this corporate welfare has been going on for decades, it just had facade in the past.
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Monday, December, 08, 2008 8:30 PM Jimmy Carter writes:

How can this government...

....consider giving billions upon billions to corporations when they have been at "war" with poverty for fifty years and have yet to win?
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Monday, December, 08, 2008 11:01 PM bob's my uncle writes:

No, C5

You got it all wrong. You're not even a good socialist. This is exactly the kind of socialism I had always envisioned and was taught to be evil and anti-American. Government taking over all banking and industry, thereby controlling most if not all facets of the economy, and ultimately, the people. Need a job? Swear allegiance to the United Socialist States of America, then you can have a job. If I can exercise free enterprise, or enough people can, there is freedom and liberty. When the government owns or controls all means of production, the individual can do nothing alone. When these bailouts all go to sh**, the government takes over. They bought it. They own it. They control it.
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Monday, December, 08, 2008 11:03 PM bob's my uncle writes:

Jimmy Carter

The government wins when they own everything, and you got bupkis.
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Monday, December, 08, 2008 11:24 PM Sue writes:

Congress

I wrote my two Senators, Feinstein and Boxer. Not a lot that will do, but maybe they might read it before turning it into a paper airplane or playing basketball with it to go into the trashcan.
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Monday, December, 08, 2008 11:49 PM bob's my uncle writes:

Aw, Sue

I feel bad for you Caulifornians. You do have a few solid congressmen in the house, though. Who's your rep?
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Tuesday, December, 09, 2008 9:57 AM caday5 writes:

Bob's my uncle

I'll pose the same question for you that I posed for someone else on another blog.

Is the gov't under Corporate control (and thus the bailouts) or is the gov't holding corporations accountable for their actions?
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Tuesday, December, 09, 2008 9:57 AM Snow Knight writes:

well put

and very true. The unions were good at the beginning but they have really scued things up for the real working joes. The big three should sell their jets and buy mopeds.
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Tuesday, December, 09, 2008 10:00 AM Snow Knight writes:

Bob's nephew

my well put comment was about your letter!!not to a certain C5.
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Tuesday, December, 09, 2008 11:31 AM bob's my uncle writes:

C5, I thought my position was obvious

From an article in the WSJ today entitled "US Could Take Stakes in Big 3"

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122875608562688401.html

"In the case of General Motors Corp., such a move could give the government a large stake in the company and may hurt existing shareholders. GM is seeking about $10 billion in short-term loans and has a market capitalization of about $3 billion. The legislation didn't specify what kind of stock the government would take, leaving open the option it could be preferred, common, voting or nonvoting."

Everyone is panicking, the gov't is buying, (or loaning), but when the Big 3 default, or come back for more, gov't will OWN them.

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Tuesday, December, 09, 2008 11:40 AM bob's my uncle writes:

SK

Thanks, but I don't care if the Big 3 have corporate jets or multimillion $ compensation packages. If they want to do that, fine, but they need to keep their hands in their own pockets, not mine, not the gov't. If they want to pay their employees more than $2,000 per car, or $70/hr and pay 95% retirement + health care and bennies for 50 years each, fine, but don't expect me to buy a car from them if they're not competitively priced. If they are in financial trouble and can't pay their debts and obligations, they need to go the Chapter 11 route and reorganize.
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Tuesday, December, 09, 2008 12:09 PM davecatbone writes:

No to Socialism No to Bailouts

Corrupt Unions demanding their payback for electing Obama. No way. Restructure the union contracts or no deal. This is still America, not the Soviet Union as the Liberals around here want to believe.
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Tuesday, December, 09, 2008 12:14 PM bob's my uncle writes:

Davecat, Yes

this is still America, but for how long? If we keep going down THIS path, it absolutely won't be. We'll be Europe.
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Tuesday, December, 09, 2008 3:20 PM American Sweetheart writes:

bob's nephew

Well the profuseness of my blogging has waned lately because of the type of blogs I am attempting to write now. Lots of fact checking involved and I simply don't have time between work and the kiddo to put in the effort I would like. But I am glad you enjoy my stuff. I like reading yours as well!

And thank you! I am very proud of Jordan. He is an incredible gift!
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Tuesday, December, 09, 2008 6:28 PM Gunny "knuckles" G© writes:

NEVER LET UP!

Dog those b*stids when they need it and never let up!

Good one.
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Tuesday, December, 09, 2008 11:06 PM bob's my uncle writes:

GunnyG

Hittin' 'em with all I've got. Thanks.
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Wednesday, December, 10, 2008 12:33 AM caday5 writes:

Bob's my uncle

And I guess that means that the countries we go to for loans, like China, owns us. After all, that is how we are financing our military ventures.
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Wednesday, December, 10, 2008 1:06 AM bob's my uncle writes:

C5

That is my understanding of debt. What you owe, you must pay. If you go to a loan shark and neglect to pay him back, your knees will break. Whatever we're borrowing from China, I assume they will want to be paid back. If we default, don't you think they'll want to take it out of our hides?
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Wednesday, December, 10, 2008 12:47 PM caday5 writes:

bob's my uncle

I think it is more complicated because they have investments here. So on the one hand, they can't afford for us to fail and, on the other hand, we have lost a degree of independence.
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Wednesday, December, 10, 2008 1:04 PM bob's my uncle writes:

I have always lived by the principle

"If you can't pay it back, don't make the loan." This country is CRAZY with borrowing money it can't pay back. At some point, it's all just going to be worthless paper. Who knows when that will be. It didn't take long for the world economy to contract when they found out our sub-prime mortgage market wasn't worth the paper it was printed on. When the facade comes off of our National Debt, (ie. if we can no longer service the interest payments) there will be trouble. BIG TROUBLE.
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Wednesday, December, 10, 2008 2:17 PM Klemkadiddle writes:

BMU. Gorbechav learned

Chaos came to Moscow when President of the USSR, Mikhail Gorbachev, discovered that he could no longer borrow beg or steal credit backed by only his "integrity." To keep his Communist paradise afloat, he needed negotiables. That means something people would pay hard cash to acquire.
Finally, in the morning of Christmas Day, 1991, Gobachev resigned and ceremonially lowered the Soviet flag. Gorbachev then told the world that the Soviet Union no longer existed.

That announcement was made in the foyer of The Kremlin with the new Democrats beside him, the persons from his own freedom party who had eviscerated him. It's Obama's expectant supporters who pose the threat of a coup.

Gorbachev had raised "expectations" to levels impossible to achieve. Only a few "right wingers" in the U.S. had pointed out that the USSR's central planners had never understood how
hard currency rules the world.

China is no different. As a creditor those ChiComs will be the same as any other creditor.
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Wednesday, December, 10, 2008 2:36 PM Klemkadiddle writes:

BMU. To clarify

I mean that the ChiComs will want their hard cold cash. Like any other debtor, we probably will seek a refuge some legalistic dodge.

But the ChiComs won't buy that any more than good a good banker.

Now, maybe by that time Obama's UN secretary will have hooked into a UN global court that will
permit us to declare bankruptcy and stiff the ChiComs with a compromise of ten per cent on the dollar.

You have it straight. We're in a rapidly gaining centrifuge of economic idiocy. Have been for decades.
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Wednesday, December, 10, 2008 2:58 PM bob's my uncle writes:

Thanks for the context, Klem

You, having been a journalist, sifting through the news for a living, have a great insight to many of our current situations. History does repeat, does it not? You are rapidly becoming one of my favorite commenters.
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Thursday, December, 11, 2008 3:24 PM davecatbone writes:

The GOP Senate

is holding the line, I wonder how far they are willing to go?
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Thursday, December, 11, 2008 4:56 PM Snow Knight writes:

Dave and BMU

I believe the senate will dig in and hold on.
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Thursday, December, 11, 2008 7:43 PM Jackpine Savage writes:

Let 'em eat Lugnuts

I say give the big 3 nothing.
Let them file chapter 11 and force the UAW to face the reality, that turning the cash cow into hamburger is hazardous to your financial future.

Of course it will never happen, the unions own the democrap party lock stock and acorn.

and yes, I live in MI


Great letter Bobs Nephew!


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My first Politically Incorrect card of the season!
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Friday, December, 12, 2008 9:56 AM davecatbone writes:

HOLD THAT LINE!

for equal cost per worker as the foreign companies.
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Friday, December, 12, 2008 11:46 AM bob's my uncle writes:

Dave, SK

Senate Republicans did the job, but it looks like the Bush Admin. is going to run the "end around" play. "King of the Money" Hank Paulson is going to just use some of that $700 bil he's got under his control to do the UAW bailout anyway. Sheesh! George Bush is SUCH a disappointment.
We the People, are stupid. (according to them)
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Friday, December, 12, 2008 11:49 AM bob's my uncle writes:

Jack

Aren't you afraid that your whole state will just collapse if they don't get them some bailout money? Be afraid! Be very afraid!
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Saturday, December, 13, 2008 6:22 PM Conservabear writes:

Get Out Your Red Caps Kids!

Notice Folks: How in Communism everything is claimed to be owned by the people. It is always the People's Republic of Something. These intellectuals on the Hill keep talking about the Peoples money but they could give a rats gluteus about the people. Me thinks they use "We The People as an excuse.
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Saturday, December, 13, 2008 8:31 PM caday5 writes:

Perhaps

the fact that there has been such an across the board need for bailouts indicates that Capitalism isn't all that it is said to be.
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Sunday, December, 14, 2008 1:02 AM dawndawn writes:

Just Want To Say ....

Dear Bob`s Nephew! Thank you for your provacative but somewhat threatening and disconcerting letter to Congressman Sessions. Be advised, you are under surveillance and the Congressman lives and breathes DC and could never, maybe never has ever worked for a living, like what normal people like you, could call a real job. But he is there for the people of Texas, except for what he has to do for himself .... The Congressman has read your letter, considered it and has agreed to take your concerns under advisement. He also thanks you for your support and will be sending you that special envelope that will surely hold your very generous contribution. Fight the good fight! Live the good life! Breathe and pray ... The rest of my remarks are censored ....
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Sunday, December, 14, 2008 1:13 AM bob's my uncle writes:

Conservabear

Yes, indeed. We must remember, "It's all for our own good." Like it or NOT!
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Sunday, December, 14, 2008 1:16 AM bob's my uncle writes:

C5

Yeah, capitalism has been just one colossal failure for over 200 years, producing the largest most affluent middle class, and unparalleled national prosperity. What a bunch of s***heads we are.
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Sunday, December, 14, 2008 1:21 AM bob's my uncle writes:

dawndawn

Sorry, can't talk now. Country is swirling around the socialist drain. Being sucked in. Arrrrrrgh!
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Sunday, December, 14, 2008 1:35 AM Garnet92 writes:

Well done, BMU

The thing that bothers me the most is that in the current political environment, a group of truly qualified experts can't be named to provide accurate and honest advice on anything.

Congress is simply inept and bumbling whenever they attempt to "fix" anything - they're not qualified, yet they're the ones creating the committees who will "study" and reccommend actions.

It's time to let one or more of the Big 3 (prolly GM first) declare Ch. 11 and reorganize the UAW out of their current contract. The bankruptcy and loan method worked for Chrysler, no reason it can't work again.
G.
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Sunday, December, 14, 2008 1:57 AM str8_talk writes:

The Senate

Were the only voters on this I was told by both Congress and Senators. I called them all in my area and wrote them as well. I was assured the senators would vote against it. According to the latest news, it was voted down. Bush is still pushing for some kind of bailout tho' and I ask WHY?

Why give someone who can't manage money in the first place more money? It doesn't make any sense to me!
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Sunday, December, 14, 2008 3:10 AM bob's my uncle writes:

Garnet, thanks

I could not agree more. As far as I know, all of these bailouts for private business is unprecedented. Some have said that Roosevelt did this during the Great Depression. I don't know enough about that for comparison, but the argument has been made that gov't intervention then was what prolonged the G.D. for 10-15 years.
Congress is just wandering around up there, bumping into things, then declaring that they know what to do. They do not have a clue.
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Sunday, December, 14, 2008 3:18 AM bob's my uncle writes:

Str8

I know you're in Kansas. It appears that Brownback disappointed you and voted FOR the UAW bailout. Michelle Malkin had this posted:

http://michellemalkin.com/2008/12/12/final-roll-call-vote-o n-the-uaw-bailout/

Yeas, Nays, and Not Voting. One of my Texas Senators, John Cornyn abstained. He just won re-election. I don't know what he's thinking on this. The other, Sen. Hutchison voted against.
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Sunday, December, 14, 2008 8:38 AM caday5 writes:

Bob's my uncle

A few points here. First, have we, who have a more affluent lifestyle because of capitalism, become like the Eloi of HG Wells' "The Time Machine"?

Second, we haven't been practicing real capitalism for decades. Gov't has been supporting businesses for a while now using proxies like the Pentagon. The bailouts, again, is nothing more than the gov't coming out of the closet with this relationship.

Third, certainly we do have affluent people in the US. But we have had a growing number of poor (the first 6 years of Bush's Presidency saw the number of those living in poverty increase), including working poor. There is what is called an economic draft for the kids who either can't afford to or are unqualified to go to college. That is because working class jobs have been disappearing rapidly. In fact, our leading manufactured export is weapons. Some would like to say that our poor live like kings when compared to the rest of the world. That is true if you compare our poor with those of Africa. But if you compare the living standard of our poor with those from industrialized countries, you will find a different story.
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Sunday, December, 14, 2008 12:56 PM bob's my uncle writes:

C5, enough with the Eloi!

That really makes you sound like a crackpot.

Real capitalism disappears in socialist schemes.

Working class jobs disappear when we give them to illegal immigrants, instead of real citizens.
C5, I've been "poor". But poor is a relative term, and I remember one time when one day I was lower middle class, the next day I was poor, because some government bureaucrat redrew the line. Comparisons can be tricky between different countries, since different economies work differently for the citizens in each.
There is no place like America. But there are those who want us to become like Europe. I do not want us to become Europe. Europe SUX.
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Sunday, December, 14, 2008 8:16 PM caday5 writes:

Bob's my uncle

Science fiction writing often uses the fictional story to make excellent points. That complacency follows comfort is a warning Billy Graham sounded in some of his messages.

Second, there is also no place like Germany, France, Sweden, Switzerland, India, and so forth. You will find that claiming to be special is normal. It doesn't matter that we try is unique; what matters is what we try is both moral and works. And if circumstances change so that what worked yesterday does not work today, then we need to change but to keep that change within moral parameters.

Third, you have failed to distinguish the different socialistic schemes. One form of socialism only proves that gov't is owned by business. That is when risk made public while reward is kept private. That is where corporations vacuum money from the public treasury for working capital so they can keep the rewards of such investments. That isn't the socialism that comes from the Left, that is the socialism that comes from a corporate first, rather than country first, business owned gov't. If you follow the plight of those third world countries who received loans from the IMF and World Bank, you get an ominous picture of what could very well happen to us.
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Sunday, December, 14, 2008 11:40 PM bob's my uncle writes:

Last time I looked

we haven't started eating poor people.

This is America, land of the free, home of the brave. It's not France.

I did not fail to distinguish between socialist systems, because that was never my intention. I'm against all of them, even the one we're getting. I didn't like FDR's, LBJ's, Jimmy Carter's, and I'm not going to like BHO's. Involuntary wealth transfers are against my religion, so to speak.
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Monday, December, 15, 2008 12:19 PM caday5 writes:

Who says

that we have more freedom than the French or that we are better than them? So we don't eat poor people, what are we doing to help them live?
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Monday, December, 15, 2008 12:32 PM bob's my uncle writes:

Well

What are you doing? I give to charities, and I pay too much taxes.
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Monday, December, 15, 2008 12:32 PM Snow Knight writes:

I say

We have more freedom than the french!!Anyone here-C5 can start their own buisness and make it work--It is the Socialst governments that rob the people of indavidualism. God made us to BE indaviduals to make indavidual choices-right or wrong--death or life. It is THAT freedom that has made America truly unique in this world. And it is that freedom that is in danger if the political climate continues as it has been going. THAT is the truth C5--the truth that so far you have just refused to believe.
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Monday, December, 15, 2008 12:41 PM Sensitive Voter writes:

we aren't bailing out the auto makers

we are bailing out the UAW.

GM has assets, plants etc. They can continue to build half the cars they have now, profitably if the Union gets out of their way. Keep in mind that the unreasonable high salaries for CEO's and white collar people, with huge bonuses for failure, must stop as well.

A bail out of the unions now, will bolster them to demand more and more pay and benefits, knowing full well that they have unlimited access to our hard earned money, tax dollars.

The UAW represents less than 1% of the population but demands that we pay them with part of our pay, thru taxes
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Monday, December, 15, 2008 12:56 PM bob's my uncle writes:

SK

You are correct, sir. And besides that, they're a bunch of pansies.
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Monday, December, 15, 2008 12:58 PM bob's my uncle writes:

Sensitive Voter

Thanks for stopping by the Grill, and your comments are dead on. I'll stop by your blog soon.
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Tuesday, December, 16, 2008 9:19 AM Snow Knight writes:

BMU

Thanks!! I just cannot be idle whyle horribly misguided propagandists like C5 spew thie brainwashing junk. He may try to drag his comments on forever but the God given truth of what made this wonderful country free -the genuis of our constitutional republic-still stands true as long as there are patriots who will stand up and fight for it.Be strong and be of good courage!!
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Tuesday, December, 16, 2008 3:50 PM caday5 writes:

Snow Knight

Perhaps if we were to equate the Constitution with the Bible, you have a point. I don't think that is wise. The American conservative Christian seems to be lost on the road between Syncretism and Polytheism
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Tuesday, December, 16, 2008 4:55 PM bob's my uncle writes:

C5

Don't you have anything new?
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Tuesday, December, 16, 2008 5:16 PM Snow Knight writes:

caday5

The genius of our constitutional rebublic allows us to believe in the faith of our choosing. It also allows those who do not believe in God to do so. This is called LIBERTY.This indavidual freedom(based on the Bible)is what kept America free and prosperous for over 200 years.Conservative christians CHOOSE to obey the Bible out of their love for the God who sent his son to be born in Bethlehem on his mission to save our sorry sinful butts!! we depend on Almighty God not an almighty government.. You mentioned Syncretism and Polytheism-well we have that choice do we not??? good greif C5 you make me sound like a repeating record here.
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Tuesday, December, 16, 2008 5:19 PM Snow Knight writes:

Bob's nephew

I will try to be online again this week-If I don't get to by Christmas-I wish you the best Christmas my friend!!(see my post!)
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Tuesday, December, 16, 2008 5:55 PM caday5 writes:

To both

Repetition implies nothing about the value of a statement. Though the Constitution allowed for change, a quick review of some of the amendments tell us the abuses that the Constitution also allowed and what extra efforts had to be taken just to provide for basic rights and equality.

The reason why I said that the American conservative Christian has a choice between Syncretism and Polytheism is because of the conservative Church's support for patriotism and the idealistic view many conservative Christian Church's paint of our nation--especially with regards to American exceptionalism.

Repeating these matters implies nothing about the value of the issue. In fact, repetition is often needed when there is no acknowledgment of wrongdoing.
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Tuesday, December, 16, 2008 6:02 PM bob's my uncle writes:

We all cling to our ideals

even you, C5. If we did not, we would have no faith. I think there are many more options than the two you describe. I'm still trying to figure out what your ideal is. I think you know what mine is, except for mischaracterizations you make.
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Tuesday, December, 16, 2008 6:03 PM bob's my uncle writes:

SK

Thanks, and Merry Christmas to you. Be safe, warm and with those you love.
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Wednesday, December, 17, 2008 11:25 AM Snow Knight writes:

well said BMU

total agreement here. caday5---liberty is the value of the issue here-liberty to choose. -we the people- remember?? Our founding fathers knew the abuses of those in power with no checks and balences-even before that the Magna Carta was written because of abuse of power. Do we have abuses here in this country? wrongdoing?? you bet we have!!one just got voted in to the white house- I would be the first to preach on that!!-BUT that is part of the price we pay for our liberty. The key word here is liberty. that is why we conservatives and the consevative church in America is patriotic. That is why America is exceptional we have freedoms that other countrys just dream about--including the freedom of you to blow your smoke. The trouble you have the fair wind of freedom blows your junk away.
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Wednesday, December, 17, 2008 12:29 PM Snow Knight writes:

also...

We as conservatives are not tring to murge all religions together-we respect other beliefs as they should respect ours. Others believe in their one true god and that right is protected by our constitution. There are many who are not celebrating Christmas next week--just ask the ACLU. The facts still remain that this country was founded on the principles of the Bible-indavidual liberty-we the people not us the government.
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Wednesday, December, 17, 2008 12:31 PM Snow Knight writes:

and

My agreement is with Bob's nephew---not you.
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Thursday, December, 18, 2008 11:24 AM Snow Knight writes:

to all

let's take a break shall we? to enjoy and reflect in this Christmas season. There is more than enough to fill our hearts in the right spirit--As I said in an earlier comment God sent his son to be born in Bethlehem on a mission to save us -in that spirit - I wish the best to one and all!!and try not to eat too much turkey. See you after Christmas.
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Thursday, December, 18, 2008 11:53 AM Gray Ghost writes:

Who Was It That Said...

"50 million here, 250 million there, pretty soon you are spending some real dough"?

Bob's Nephew, you need to come up with the answer to the above; but seriously the madness must stop!
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Thursday, December, 18, 2008 1:48 PM bob's my uncle writes:

Gray Ghost, Dirksen I think

A comment similar to that, "A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you're talking real money." is widely attributed to Rep. Everett M. Dirksen (R) Illinois, but the Dirksen Center website reports that there is no evidence of that quote attributable to him. I have long believed Dirksen to be the originator of that quote.
It certainly strikes a chord with those of us who believe in smaller, limited government. Stop the madness, indeed. I fear that the madness will not stop until our economy and our individual fortunes are run upon the rocks of the socialist/communist agenda.
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Thursday, December, 18, 2008 4:32 PM caday5 writes:

bob's my uncle

My ideals neither include nor exclude capitalism. I see the need for systems like capitalism to be situational. And just because I believe in God's Word as being absolute and forever does not mean I believe that systems like capitalism as being absolute and forever. To do so would be to place capitalism alongside the Word of God.
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Friday, December, 19, 2008 6:59 PM Neotrotsky writes:

I hear you

Great blog
Come by I have some new posts
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Sunday, December, 21, 2008 11:53 PM bob's my uncle writes:

Hi Neo,

Thanks for stopping by the Grill. Looks like I'm a little behind in responding to you, but better late than never. I'll stop by and check your blog as soon as I can.
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