Greed, Debt and Matt Taibbi

[jk]

Re: What is the meaning of Romney?

If Taibbi is correct, what does it mean that someone as unethical as Romney has just been nominated by the Republican party, and may soon win the presidential election ?

i'm not aware that ethics has ever been a requirement for nomination, or election either. i can think of great many presidential actions over the years which to my mind involved questionable ethics.

[FrankL]

Re: Greed, Debt and Matt Taibbi

Can someone cut and paste this? or supply the IP number?

rolling stone is still blocked in Thailand.

Computer question: What does it mean if I replace www.rollingstone.com with "64.147.122.110
and can get through to the website. Is rollingstone being blocked in Thailand, or is rollingstone denying access to computers with Thai IP numbers?

the DNS server you use probably does not resolve www.rollingstone.com

try using a different DNS server (you can usually set them manually in the network connection properties). e.g. change them to Google's DNS (if you don't mind allowing Google to be able to profile you based on the websites names you request), or to OpenDNS

[Raz]

Re: Greed, Debt and Matt Taibbi

I have to say, I do like the convention he seems to have adopted: Green for agreement, red for disagreement. It allows for much more nuance in responses, and encourages one to not only consider the points one disagrees with, but to search for common ground.

I may just borrow the convention myself, if there's no objection.

Imitation being the sincerest form of flattery, I'd be honored to see my method of reply adopted!

[Raz]

Re: What is the meaning of Romney?

Taibbi's basic idea is that Bain/Romney exploited tax breaks and leveraged finance to loot companies.

He backs this up with examples including Ampad, KB toys, Hertz, Dunkin Donuts.

Does anyone dispute this basic claim ?

If Taibbi is correct, what does it mean that someone as unethical as Romney has just been nominated by the Republican party, and may soon win the presidential election ?

I suppose it means he'll replace the corrupt RepubliCrat that's presently occupying the Oval Office.

[BadJuju]

Re: What is the meaning of Romney?

The odds of Romney winning aren't looking particularly good.

http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/

[Raz]

Re: What is the meaning of Romney?

The odds of Romney winning aren't looking particularly good.

http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/

The odds of Reagan winning didn't look particularly good in August of 1980.

The overwhelming majority of "undecideds" will vote for Romney.
Count on it.

[BadJuju]

Re: What is the meaning of Romney?

The odds of Reagan winning didn't look particularly good in August of 1980.

The overwhelming majority of "undecideds" will vote for Romney.
Count on it.

538 takes those into account in its predictions, though.

[astonas]

Re: What is the meaning of Romney?

538 takes those into account in its predictions, though.

Well, it does so as best it can. But more significantly, there are very few voters that fall into that category this time around, compared to previous elections.

My own suspicion is that whoever isn't decided at this point, is undecided for a reason: they don't like either option. I would guess most will stay home, or vote third party.

Barring dramatic circumstances (which could still be arranged, via action in the Middle East.) I suspect that nearly no voters will actually change their votes from now until November. Both campaigns have been going for about 5 years now (with minor brief interruptions for governing). Is it really reasonable to expect that there are people still to be reached, or convinced, that will actually turn up to vote?

[Raz]

Re: What is the meaning of Romney?

...My own suspicion is that whoever isn't decided at this point, is undecided for a reason: they don't like either option. I would guess most will stay home, or vote third party.

Excellent point. I certainly fall into that category.

[Thailandnotes]

Re: What is the meaning of Romney?

http://billmoyers.com/content/third-...coln-to-nader/

[flintlock]

Re: What is the meaning of Romney?

i'm not aware that ethics has ever been a requirement for nomination, or election either. i can think of great many presidential actions over the years which to my mind involved questionable ethics.

No kidding. Been a while since any "pure souls" have occupied that office.

[Polish_Silver]

some better than others?

Isn't there some ethical difference, though, between Johnson, Ford, Carter on one side

and Bush II, Romney on the other.

I could go either way with Nixon, Reagan, Bush I, clinton.

It just seems to me that Romney would be almost worse than any of them, judging by his business practices.

[flintlock]

Re: What is the meaning of Romney?

Isn't there some ethical difference, though, between Johnson, Ford, Carter on one side

and Bush II, Romney on the other.

I could go either way with Nixon, Reagan, Bush I, clinton.

It just seems to me that Romney would be almost worse than any of them, judging by his business practices

Yes, but how much of a douche bag is allowable? Its like saying its okay if they only molested a few kids. Romney is small potatoes in the realm of business crooks, if you can call what he did crooked. Its really more an ethical question. Is it okay if a president merely lets others do his dirty work for him, and maintains the air of purity? All these hacks accept campaign money from dubious sources. Something is always expected in return. You do not get to that level in politics without dancing with the devil, I assure you. Every recent President is in debt to the Banksters who screwed this country. So who is the bigger crook?

[flintlock]

Re: What is the meaning of Romney?

My hunch is Romney will win, but then I am often wrong. I just think the luster has gone away from Obama and the excitement that drove people to the polls to vote for him last time won't hold up. Polling for Obama is not the same as getting to the polls and voting. The Anti-Obama sentiment out there seems a lot more motivated this time around. Sometimes people just vote for a change, regardless of who it is.

[BadJuju]

Re: What is the meaning of Romney?

My hunch is Romney will win, but then I am often wrong. I just think the luster has gone away from Obama and the excitement that drove people to the polls to vote for him last time won't hold up. Polling for Obama is not the same as getting to the polls and voting. The Anti-Obama sentiment out there seems a lot more motivated this time around. Sometimes people just vote for a change, regardless of who it is.

As much as I may not like Obama, he at least lives in this century. If Romney is elected, I cannot see myself wanting to live in what is becoming a Christian theocracy. Even the DNC has adopted god into its platform officially now with the recent addition of the Jerusalem BS and 'God-given' rights. I might just pack up and move somewhere, but no clue where or how.

You do not get to that level in politics without dancing with the devil, I assure you. Every recent President is in debt to the Banksters who screwed this country. So who is the bigger crook?

A politician will usually try to hide this as much as possible, but Romney practically oozes his corrupt, double-dealing nature from every pore. Politicians, while always suspect, can generally keep their nefarious dealings hidden. Romney, on the other hand, is plugging holes left and right to prevent the dam of lies from bursting. How much is he hiding beneath that extremely thin veneer of legitimacy that he still retains? Just how much of a crook is he that he can barely stem the tide?

ps. a year from now this post will be deleted by order of Herr Romney.