We The People have spoken, to USA Today at least:
WASHINGTON – Despite concerted Democratic attacks on his business record, Republican challenger Mitt Romney scores a significant advantage over President Obama when it comes to managing the economy, reducing the federal budget deficit and creating jobs, a national USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds.
By more than 2-1, 63%-29%, those surveyed say Romney's background in business, including his tenure at the private equity firm Bain Capital, would cause him to make good decisions, not bad ones, in dealing with the nation's economic problems over the next four years.
It's not all grim for the Hopers and Changers:
To be sure, Obama retains significant advantages of his own. By 2-1, he's rated as more likable than Romney.
And that would be even more important if Obama were running for Jay Leno's job.
Good grief. Its bad enough we have to deal with him in regular season. Now we get him in playoffs?
Posted by: Sue | July 23, 2012 at 07:07 PM
He always outperforms against us.
Posted by: Sue | July 23, 2012 at 07:08 PM
We have our own O'Reilly type, for reasons passing understanding, for the Drive time hour, on our local Clear channel, and it seems he's always getting his news from Xeta Reticuli B on tape delay, (that's the star system of the Alien Universe) What Dennis, Tammy,and even Laura share is a sense of the absurd, because you can't take the news straight, Laura coined the 'but monkey' the perfect explanation for the Dem evasion, and dubbed 'Is Larry King; Alive, although his successor Piers, is like every lounge lizard Python ever parodied,
Posted by: narciso | July 23, 2012 at 07:10 PM
Sue-
As you know, "Bar" English, as a function, has a positive time component. It's very powerful, as is the inverse time function on the tongue, which is connected to the knees, surprisingly.
I've done the research. The paper's a bit hard to read though. It's around here somewhere....
Posted by: Melinda Romanoff | July 23, 2012 at 07:12 PM
Mel
Uh...what? ::grin::
Posted by: Sue | July 23, 2012 at 07:16 PM
Ichiro on the tube right now giving a very respectful, apparently sincere speech to Seattle about the trade.
Have no idea what he us saying but he sure is saying it with class and dignity.
Very nice job Ichiro. In my view, very well done. Looks like he is full of emotion but holding it in and handling it well.
Posted by: daddy | July 23, 2012 at 07:17 PM
There have been a series of statements, DoT. Going off of memory, an election official in Honolulu said there was no record at all. It was pointed out that he had no official capacity to make such a statement or even the ability to access the records.
Then an actual official claimed to have seen the "vital records" and she went above her paygrade and declared Obama a "natural born citizen". When questioned she explained that such information is confidential and she could not discuss it any further.
Bill Orielly claims his "guys" went to Hawaii, checked out Tue birth cert, and found no problems for the "folks."
Then Abercrombie was elected Governor of Hawaii and said he would put the matter to rest. What ensued was mass confusion. It was reported that he could find no record. They quickly defended with "he found a record of a record.". Still no contents could be shown to the public without Obama's approval.
Then Trump. Then "certified copies"(the statement does not discuss the specifics of the cert, just that it was certified) are placed in a sealed envelope, handed to Obama' attorneys. Then a hodgepodge cert gets dumped on a .gov site. Then Arpaio.
After an exhaustive investigation, the same Hawaiian official that placed the copies in the envelope will not tell a law enforcement officer if what she put in the envelope matches what is on the website. I would think protection of privacy would be out the window for certified copies that were ordered for the purpose of being put on display on the world wide web.
To date there has been no official claim that the website image is an exact representation of the original.
What we do know is the 5 time elected Sheriff of the fourth largest county, by population, has declared the image to be a complete fabrication. He has also determined that Hawaiian birth registration is in conflict with federal law. Anyone can get a bc in Hawaii no matter where in the world they were born. So, even if there is a valid bc on file in Hawaii, it would not be substantive enough to prove birth location without matching documents from the hospital.
We also know the selective service card is a forgery. Federal law states that an individual who has not registered for selective service can not hold an elected position in the government.
Posted by: Threadkiller | July 23, 2012 at 07:19 PM
Hearing the translation now.
What a great ambassador he is for Japan and for MLB.
Excellent job Ichiro. Now that you're a Yankee I hate your guts:)
To the dogs...
Posted by: daddy | July 23, 2012 at 07:19 PM
Ichiro has had a spectacular career, and should go into the Hall of Fame. Hard to imagine what his stats would be had he spent all of it in MLB.
At this point, however, he is possibly the most overrated player in the game: a corner outfielder with no power, batting .261 with an OBP under .300.
Now watch him hit .420 for the rest of the year....
Posted by: Danube of Thought | July 23, 2012 at 07:23 PM
daddy, have you ever done anything like this? http://www.walb.com/story/19093493/huge-jet-lands-at-small-airport
I'm amazed they could get that barge airborne in such a short space; those engines obviously pack a *lot* of thrust.
Posted by: Captain Hate | July 23, 2012 at 07:33 PM
I bet Michelle Jenneke could kick his ass.
Posted by: Extraneus | July 23, 2012 at 07:33 PM
Is the person with the silver nails holding the Good Samaritan note over a pair of alabaster thighs?
Posted by: Danube of Thought | July 23, 2012 at 07:34 PM
TK, I'm talking about a statement confirming that the short-form info corresponds to that on the long form.
I don't think we will know that the draft card is a forgery until that has been established to the satisfaction of a court.
Tell me quickly: who are the sheriffs of the three largest counties, by population?
Posted by: Danube of Thought | July 23, 2012 at 07:38 PM
"found a record"
http://sweetness-light.com/archive/govt-sells-dead-people-names-ss-numbers-for-10?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sweetness-light%2FsURR+%28Sweetness+%26+Light+-+Articles%29
You need a record? Our government will sell you one. Just send $10 or buy them all for $995.
"US Sells Dead People Names, SS Numbers For $10"
--------------------------------------
If that doesn't scare you look at this.
"Russia’s Top Cyber Sleuth Foils US Spies, Helps Kremlin Pals
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/07/ff_kaspersky/
You may recognize that name.
"Today Kaspersky Lab employs about 200 virus researchers—some in the US and China, but the bulk of them in a converted electronics factory 6 miles northwest of the Kremlin."
Posted by: pagar | July 23, 2012 at 07:42 PM
Not only will I not tell you the names of the Sheriffs of the 3 larger counties, by population, I will also not tell you the names of the Sheriffs of the 3000 smaller counties, by population.
;-)
Posted by: Threadkiller | July 23, 2012 at 07:44 PM
What did Sally Ride die of?
Posted by: Jane - talk is cheap! | July 23, 2012 at 07:44 PM
Pancreatic cancer accd to Twitter. It's not on Drudge yet.
Posted by: Jane - talk is cheap! | July 23, 2012 at 07:47 PM
Pancreatic cancer.
Posted by: Sue | July 23, 2012 at 07:48 PM
"Sally Ride, who blazed trails into orbit as the first American woman in space, died Monday of pancreatic cancer. She was 61."
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2012/07/23/sally_ride_first_us_woman_in_space_dies_at_61/
Posted by: pagar | July 23, 2012 at 07:49 PM
There is so much great humor on the internet. This is a commenter at HotAir following a story about ABC News v. Mrs. Holmes:
Posted by: centralcal | July 23, 2012 at 07:51 PM
I don't remember any official statement that confirmed the contents of the short form and the long form, DoT.
I will check the files.
Posted by: Threadkiller | July 23, 2012 at 07:51 PM
This is what happens when you drink from the Vizzini goblet, of course,the ironies are rather extensive,
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/scott-whitlock/2012/07/23/ex-newsweek-editor-fineman-romney-appeals-xenophobic-nativist-gop-ba
Posted by: narciso | July 23, 2012 at 07:52 PM
From her official website:
Pancreatic cancer is horrible, and treatment is exhausting. I hope the waves of her suffering were short and few.
Posted by: AliceH | July 23, 2012 at 07:55 PM
I think Theo was making a legitimate point about the narrow issue of what Barry meant by "that". It is hardly beyond the realm of possibility for the yo-yo who thinks corpsemen named Or-ee-on speak Austrian in all 58 states to say 'that' when referring to roads and bridges.
Recognizing that doesn't dilute from the leftwing claptrap the entire message shouted at us.
The real problem with his message is the logical idiocy of him saying that lots of people are smart and lots of people work hard with one breath and then with the next telling us everyone has the same advantages in the brilliant American system of roads and bridges and internets and collective projects. His premise does not explain why some smart and hard working people succeed wildly while others do not; they all use the same bridges, etc.
The real answer almost always is risk. Those who take it and are smarter or harder working or more perceptive or even occasionally luckier (Mark Cuban comes to mind) make it big.
Risk and the commensurate reward, whether a reward of riches or failure, are the genius of the American system, not roads and bridges, which after all the Soviet Union had a great many of as well.
Posted by: Ignatz | July 23, 2012 at 07:55 PM
Of course, next year they will say there was no such threat.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/24/world/middleeast/chemical-weapons-wont-be-used-in-rebellion-syria-says.html?_r=2
Posted by: narciso | July 23, 2012 at 07:55 PM
Also, apparently in her official obit, Sally confirms her 27 year lesbian relationship with her childhood friend Tam.
Posted by: centralcal | July 23, 2012 at 07:57 PM
Sorry, should have said "Sally's family confirms..."
Posted by: centralcal | July 23, 2012 at 07:58 PM
This is the disabilities treaty I was referring to.
http://www.fpif.org/articles/ratify_the_un_disability_treaty
"Holistic view of human rights"--just what the Senate does not want to ratify.
Right now it is only the homeschool lobby stopping.
And the Maverick is leading the way for the Bipartisanship.
Posted by: rse | July 23, 2012 at 07:59 PM
As far as establishing a forgery to the Court; good luck.
"The new privacy rules, published on September 20, 2011, four days after World Net Daily announced the opening of the “Cold Case Posse” investigation of Obama’s selective service registration records, reworded language that might have previously been interpreted as permitting local and state law enforcement agencies to access the records. The new wording appears to allow only federal law enforcement agencies such access.
The new privacy rules also replaced the phrase “microfilm copies” with “microfilm non-record copies,” which changed microfilm copies from “federal records” to “nonrecords”. Nonrecords are subject to disposal.
The Selective Service System, in its most recent response to Sheriff Arpaio and the Cold Case Posse, is now arguing that microfilm copies of registration records are off-limits to local law enforcement agencies, such as the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office."
http://c.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/freedom-press-not-free/2012/may/17/president-obama-draft-card-selective-service-block/
Posted by: Threadkiller | July 23, 2012 at 08:00 PM
That is probably all that will.be written about her in California textbooks, ccal.
Posted by: Threadkiller | July 23, 2012 at 08:03 PM
The only good thing about pancreatic cancer is that it is relatively fast. It seems to be developing into a more widespread occurrence, but perhaps it's just anecdotal that it seems to rear larger in my sights these days.
Didn't Ichiro play 10 years in Japan before coming over? He's been a pretty good leadoff man for years, and I love his grace out on the field. Now I imagine the Japanese networks will have to make a deal with the Yankees to broadcast their games.
Posted by: matt | July 23, 2012 at 08:06 PM
If it's a federal court, the US Marshals shouldn't have a problem.
Posted by: Danube of Thought | July 23, 2012 at 08:06 PM
A mixed bag, but not entirely useless;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Carr_%28Australian_politician%29
Posted by: narciso | July 23, 2012 at 08:10 PM
http://www.americanthinker.com/2012/07/m-obamas_passport_breach_unanswered_questions_and_an_unsolved_murder.html
This article deals with the passport and SS# of Obama.
Posted by: Jd | July 23, 2012 at 08:13 PM
It's risk, Iggy, but it's also innovative insight and dogged determination, all in some combination.
A very successful businessman client once instructed me that "Business is like getting a pig from A to B. How do you get a pig from A to B?. You build two parallel fences, separated by a few inches more than the width of the pig and standing as high as the pig's shoulder, running from A to B. Then you put the pig between the fences at A, facing B, and you get behind him and push."
Posted by: Danube of Thought | July 23, 2012 at 08:13 PM
I heard Obama say the words" You didn't build that" Context does not enter into it.
Enlightened, Janet and sue have it right. He was determined to NOT give credit to people who have built their own businesess. He subscribes to the "No Man is an Island" groupthink.
Posted by: maryrose | July 23, 2012 at 08:14 PM
Now I imagine the Japanese networks will have to make a deal with the Yankees to broadcast their games.
They can probably re-up the one they had when Hideki Matsui was playing for them.
Posted by: Captain Hate | July 23, 2012 at 08:15 PM
The only good thing about pancreatic cancer is that it is relatively fast"
17 months is fast?
I think one reason one hears about it more now is it used to be 3-6 months median survival from diagnosis, and there really wasn't anything that could be done. Not a lot of "fighting cancer" stories to be made out of that. (My dad died of it - 14 months after diagnosis, and it was awful every single day).
Posted by: AliceH | July 23, 2012 at 08:16 PM
TK:
You are fighting the good fight wrt the Birth Certificate. I have to say after years of information something just strikes me as wrong about people changing and covering up information. It's like hiding your grades and test scores. As a former guidance counselor I would really like to know how he managed to get into Columbia and Harvard. My brother-in law who is an orthopoedic surgeon went to Columbia. Somehow Obama seems to be less smart than he is.
Posted by: maryrose | July 23, 2012 at 08:18 PM
--It's risk, Iggy, but it's also innovative insight and dogged determination, all in some combination.--
Yes but Postal workers sometimes have dogged determination and guys loafing on couches sometimes have innovative ideas. Until someone puts capital at risk to make those ideas real nothing happens, no matter how many roads or bridges or basic research the government produces.
That's the essence of the entrepreneur and the freedom and latitude for entrepreneurs in the US is the difference.
Posted by: Ignatz | July 23, 2012 at 08:23 PM
Great. Colby Lewis out for the season.
Posted by: Sue | July 23, 2012 at 08:27 PM
Torn flexor tendon in right elbow. Surgery later this week.
Posted by: Sue | July 23, 2012 at 08:29 PM
I forgot Barkin was in Diner and Tender Mercies and she was good in those, too.
Sean Penn has shown you can be a fine actor and a complete moonbat. I used to think Barkin was smokin' hot, with that crooked "come hither" smile. Like Faye Dunaway, recently evicted from her rent-controlled Manhattan apartment, she hasn't aged well, unfortunately, and I don't mean physically.
Posted by: jimmyk | July 23, 2012 at 08:29 PM
Our bullpen is fading fast.
Posted by: Sue | July 23, 2012 at 08:30 PM
--I think one reason one hears about it more now is it used to be 3-6 months median survival from diagnosis, and there really wasn't anything that could be done.--
Median and five year survival has not changed significantly. Gemzar adds a couple of months depending on the stage but the five year survival for anything other than Stage I, which is less than 10% of cases, is still under 5%.
For locally advanced and metastatic cancer its still only 10 and 6 month median time of survival.
Posted by: Ignatz | July 23, 2012 at 08:30 PM
Ellen Barkin always looked to me like a gal with a fine body but who had gone more than a few rounds in the ring and had a propensity for dropping her right.
Posted by: Ignatz | July 23, 2012 at 08:33 PM
She was good in "Sea of Love" too.
Yes, where she performed the most screamingly sexy four-foot semi-naked stroll in the history of modern cinema.
Posted by: Charlie (Colorado) | July 23, 2012 at 08:37 PM
Faye Dunaway, recently evicted from her rent-controlled Manhattan apartment
Whoa; obviously it all started going downhill when she divorced Peter Wolf.
Posted by: Captain Hate | July 23, 2012 at 08:38 PM
--Whoa; obviously it all started going downhill when she divorced Peter Wolf.--
Or when she married him. :)
Posted by: Ignatz | July 23, 2012 at 08:41 PM
You're not imagining it Matt:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10353546
They suggest it's because we don't eat enough plants.
Posted by: Charlie (Colorado) | July 23, 2012 at 08:43 PM
If we could tax effluents like those emitted by this fellow, who still didn't get the memo;
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/239397-ex-lawmaker-facts-will-overwhelm-gop-on-climate-change
Posted by: narciso | July 23, 2012 at 08:44 PM
"Postal workers sometimes have dogged determination and guys loafing on couches sometimes have innovative ideas."
Well, sure. And stumblebums often take risks. You gotta put it all together.
Posted by: Danube of Thought | July 23, 2012 at 08:49 PM
My nephew's at NIH working on a cure for pancreatic cancer. Pray his idea works. It's a dreadful disease.
Posted by: Clarice | July 23, 2012 at 08:52 PM
I'm with Janet and Sue.
The better question might be: who would you rather be stranded on an island with; Mitt or Barry?
A person might survive with Romney but most likely not with Obama.
I've dealt with the public most of my adult life and met all kinds of people--rich, poor; good and not so much. Barry reminds me of many of the alcoholics I used to deal with. He's just got that look.
Posted by: glasater | July 23, 2012 at 08:58 PM
Who are these assholes that keep posting endless drivel?
Certainly seems like Ben's MO. He plagerizes stupid things with no links. Can someone check where they are coming from?
Posted by: Jane - talk is cheap! | July 23, 2012 at 09:00 PM
You would spend most of your time listening to Obama blame Bush for being stranded.
Posted by: Sue | July 23, 2012 at 09:06 PM
Well the first comes from here, and Barofsky
having tried to clean out the Augean stables is worth listening to,
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-07-22/bungled-bank-bailout-leaves-behind-righteous-anger.html
the other comes from Fire Hydrant Lake, and it offers the usual conbination of unicorn
dust, and basilisk entrails,
Posted by: narciso | July 23, 2012 at 09:11 PM
Maybe he was just using bad grammar.
That reminds me of the conversation I had recently in which my interlocutor expressed the view that there would be an effective October surprise from the administration. I suggested that Obama stringing together six grammatical, well-connected paragraphs in an extemporaneous utterance would get us across the threshold.
Posted by: Elliott | July 23, 2012 at 09:21 PM
I had experience with loved ones with breast cancer, which seemed to drag out for 5 years or more and realized that if you have certain strains, there is still not much to be done but get one's affairs in order.To watch it blow through radiation, and then chemo, and more chemo, and advanced treatments is pretty devastating. It was always back at the 6 month checkup.
As to pancreatic, I had one friend go in a week and two in under 90 days from date of detection. A lot of it is, I believe, the way it creeps up on one. Then it metastasizes very rapidly.
Posted by: matt | July 23, 2012 at 09:22 PM
"A person might survive with Romney but most likely not with Obama."
Breaking news: Obama would not survive with Yr. Mst. Obt. Svt. &c.
Posted by: Danube of Thought | July 23, 2012 at 09:27 PM
We had a friend diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. I guess it's just very hard to detect at earlier stages. She lasted about 9 months. Actually had a pretty good stretch during roughly months 5-8. But when it came back it was quick, maybe mercifully.
Posted by: jimmyk | July 23, 2012 at 09:30 PM
Elliott...so true!!!
Posted by: Clarice | July 23, 2012 at 09:31 PM
And, THAT is what we love about you DoT!
Posted by: centralcal | July 23, 2012 at 09:31 PM
That might be like Calvin Coolidge being challenged Dorothy Parker to say more than three words; 'you lose'
On a more serious note,
http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/07/23/2908436/cuban-dissidents-call-for-transparent.html
Posted by: narciso | July 23, 2012 at 09:34 PM
--The better question might be: who would you rather be stranded on an island with; Mitt or Barry?
A person might survive with Romney but most likely not with Obama.--
I visualize, just like in one of those Bugs Bunny cartoons, Barry looking at me and rather than seeing a Thanksgiving turkey or a Christmas ham he sees a Chinese New Year dog in his imagination and that's all she wrote.
Posted by: Ignatz | July 23, 2012 at 09:38 PM
Ellen Barkin? Rode hard and put away wet.
Posted by: MarkO | July 23, 2012 at 09:42 PM
--I had experience with loved ones with breast cancer, which seemed to drag out for 5 years or more and realized that if you have certain strains, there is still not much to be done but get one's affairs in order.To watch it blow through radiation, and then chemo, and more chemo, and advanced treatments is pretty devastating. It was always back at the 6 month checkup.--
If it doesn't respond to estrogen or progesterone there is little that can be done for breast cancer still. If it does respond to hormones, like my wife's, one can live many years even if it has gone to the bone. Once it's in the viscera though it's only a matter of time, but even then these days it can be more time than you think; quality of life becomes the issue.
--As to pancreatic, I had one friend go in a week and two in under 90 days from date of detection. A lot of it is, I believe, the way it creeps up on one. Then it metastasizes very rapidly.--
Once it reaches a critical mass it's pretty frightening how fast it overwhelms the body.
Posted by: Ignatz | July 23, 2012 at 09:44 PM
--Well, sure. And stumblebums often take risks.--
Well, leaving aside that stumblebums usually take risks on slow horses or crossing the street when a semi is bearing down on them, risk in the marketplace is the decisive factor not just because intelligence and good ideas are rewarded but precisely because stumblebums with bad ideas or who are lazy are punished.
Without the risk/reward/punishment cycle of new ideas in the free market, intelligence, hard work and the rest mean little. Without the risk cycle it's just which rat can get to the end of the maze quickest and then turn around and start all over again.
Posted by: Ignatz | July 23, 2012 at 09:53 PM
That was possibly the most distressing part of the Lehman collapse, their portfolio was almost entirely in CDS's
Posted by: narciso | July 23, 2012 at 10:01 PM
Oh, no.
iBama on a desert isle? Easy way to out-survive him.
Do. Not. Talk. To. Him.
He'll never find fire, food, shelter, or water, unless specifically told they are for him.
Me surviving my own guilt will be MY problem.
Posted by: Melinda Romanoff | July 23, 2012 at 10:02 PM
No, narciso, it wasn't.
If you want the full account of chutzpah, go read The Valukas Report.
I got through most of it.
Posted by: Melinda Romanoff | July 23, 2012 at 10:05 PM
Turns out the market is irrational. And, economists were slow to grasp onto this.
Blame Adam Smith. Who said the "group" would come along and make rational decisions.
While Barnum KNEW that people were paying good money to see the circus that came to town. For instance, he KNEW that first off the train was the tent. And, it was in place before the elephants started the parade.
Irrationality wins every time! Goes unnoticed.
Posted by: Carol Herman | July 23, 2012 at 10:05 PM
The fact that stumblebums who take risks without good ideas or who are lazy get punished in the marketplace is the point I am making.
Without the doggedness and innovation, risk-taking gets you nowhere. Vegas high rollers take risks. The guy who hid his kid away and pretended he was up in a balloon so he could hit it big on reality TV took a risk on a stupid idea. But he was a risk-taker.
The willingness to risk is necessary, but it's not sufficient.
Posted by: Danube of Thought | July 23, 2012 at 10:06 PM
I saw a facebook post today that there ia a $250000 fine for intentionally destroying a bald eagle's egg. Anyone know if that is true?
Posted by: Sue | July 23, 2012 at 10:09 PM
In 1972 McGovern crapped out so bad against Nixon, that Nixon won 49 states.
Then, in 1984 Reagan also won a landslide.
Nope. You don't gain voters through advertising campaigns. You gain them when your opponent bad.
Is Obama Carter? No. I don't think so. Different attitudes. Carter even micro-managed the tennis courts at the White House.
Obama?
If he's re-elected ... then it means there's a majority of folk who'll decide NOT to change horses. Since the results are in the future, how do you know what's possible?
Posted by: Carol Herman | July 23, 2012 at 10:12 PM
Sue-
daddy would know.
Still, if they want "likable", yeah sure, whatever.
I have this overwhelming urge to open a facebook page and start friending people.
Posted by: RichatUF | July 23, 2012 at 10:14 PM
Sue-
Doesn't it depend on how they're prepared?
Posted by: Melinda Romanoff | July 23, 2012 at 10:16 PM
narciso-
If memory serves it was Repo 105 and securitizing helocs and auto loans that did them in.
Posted by: RichatUF | July 23, 2012 at 10:16 PM
Its true. A bird in an egg is a bird. A baby in the womb is a zygote. One is illegal to destroy. One is protected. Weird which one that is.
Posted by: Sue | July 23, 2012 at 10:18 PM
--The fact that stumblebums who take risks without good ideas or who are lazy get punished in the marketplace is the point I am making.--
The original point I was responding to was Barry's idiotic claim that government action is what has made the American system unique which is obviously an idea from the mind of a blithering idiot.
My contention is that what makes the US system unique is the freedom to take good or bad ideas to market most easily and have the voluntary exchange with others determine whether our risk was a rewarding or punitive one.
All sorts of people have good ideas and are very smart and work hard everywhere, including Iran and Venezuela and yes, J Fred, even Cameroon, but they do not operate in market economies in which the freedom to risk ones capital on a new idea even exists in many cases or the rewards are either puny or quickly confiscated.
Good ideas and hard work and intelligence are not unique to the US; the free wheeling ability of entrepreneurs to engage in creative destruction through taking risks in the free market is.
It's not completely unique to the US of course, but for several decades it has been here that that freedom has been most completely realized.
Posted by: Ignatz | July 23, 2012 at 10:19 PM
Nap. O. Li.
Posted by: Sue | July 23, 2012 at 10:22 PM
Carol, this is NOT a good thing:
Carol;
I love you.
Posted by: Ben Franklin | July 23, 2012 at 10:18 PM
Posted by: MarkO | July 23, 2012 at 10:23 PM
Run Carol run.
Posted by: Sue | July 23, 2012 at 10:25 PM
"And that would be even more important if Obama were running for Jay Leno's job."
Unfortunately, Jay Leno is a leftwingwacko anti-Catholic bigot. Obama may give him a run for the money in that department. Unfortunately, Leno is actually funny sometimes. Obama is never funny.
Posted by: BeeKaay | July 23, 2012 at 10:27 PM
--Check out the Banksters, you idiot.--
The marketplace was poised to and very dearly wanted to severely punish the "banksters", but the government stepped in and protected them.
Posted by: Ignatz | July 23, 2012 at 10:29 PM
Ok, so if I got this right, Barclay's (where have I heard that name before) and Bank of America, were integral parts of this mess,
and yet they might as well not exist, and
Sainz's decision also missed the mark. That's only Vol, 1.
Posted by: narciso | July 23, 2012 at 10:31 PM
Did someone leave the cough syrup sitting out?
Posted by: GMax | July 23, 2012 at 10:41 PM
narciso-
BofA would have survived the Countrywide stuff if it hadn't eaten Merrill. They were the real toxin in the soup. Now those geniuses have eaten it from the inside, calling themselves "the saviors" of BofA. You have no idea how these types of higher-ups can lie to themselves.
Posted by: Melinda Romanoff | July 23, 2012 at 10:42 PM
I'm hard put to find a point of disagreement, Iggy.
Posted by: Danube of Thought | July 23, 2012 at 10:43 PM
I'm getting an inkling, I can also why the Valukas report was very inconvenient to certain parties,
Posted by: narciso | July 23, 2012 at 10:46 PM
Ichiro 1 for 1 as a Yankee. My heart soars.
Red Sox, last place. Like a hawk.
Posted by: MarkO | July 23, 2012 at 10:49 PM
Sue - an interesting situation about bald eagles and assessing value of an art piece - Robert Rauschenberg's Canyon
It is part painting, part sculpture, part collage. One piece is a stuffed bald eagle. The owner died, and the estate was being appraised. Since it's not legal to sell it, it was appraised at $0. However:
The federal government forbids the owner of Canyon to sell it, and forbids anyone to buy it. But the tax for inheriting it? Plus a penalty for daring to declare its worthless? $29,200,000."
Posted by: AliceH | July 23, 2012 at 10:49 PM
To a LOT of parties. Mr. Valukas is rare, an honest Chicagoan, which, of course, is the most dangerous kind.
Posted by: Melinda Romanoff | July 23, 2012 at 10:49 PM
In this light. George RR. Martin, might have written a better yarn than Ross Sorkin,
Posted by: narciso | July 23, 2012 at 10:51 PM
G'night all.
Posted by: Melinda Romanoff | July 23, 2012 at 10:53 PM
--Bollocks.
Dereyoolashun stepped in a priori, and preempted any legal venues for their egregious behaviors.--
Wasting my time obviously, but legal venues are not the market, nor is regulation.
The marketplace was poised to bankrupt every irresponsible and imprudent bank and others like AIG and GM.
The government prevented the market from operating; the same government that you somehow expect to be our savior once it is filled only with the extraordinarily virtuous like yourself I guess.
Posted by: Ignatz | July 23, 2012 at 11:01 PM
--It is part painting, part sculpture, part collage. One piece is a stuffed bald eagle. The owner died, and the estate was being appraised. Since it's not legal to sell it, it was appraised at $0. However:
"Nonetheless, the IRS appraised it at $65M.
The federal government forbids the owner of Canyon to sell it, and forbids anyone to buy it. But the tax for inheriting it? Plus a penalty for daring to declare its worthless? $29,200,000." --
Geez, I wonder whatever happened to that perfectly mounted one my uncle had hanging on his wall?
If they ever got rid of the estate tax it might surface if it's worth $65 million, although I imagine whoever ended up with it had the good sense to burn it long ago.
Posted by: Ignatz | July 23, 2012 at 11:06 PM
as we sit here on our terminals it should be noted that Europe is in a stage of both denial and suspended animation.
The pin has been pulled. Spain is on a razor's edge, and in 7 days France will be invading the Costa Brava and Med in general with the world's largest traffic jams. I believe the ISS can photograph them from space. August is very scary but September is downright Friday the 13th. not a thing has changed, and the placebos of the EC, EMSF etc are junk.
The Olympics have become the largest "look Squirrel!" moment in history.
The Bernank and his associates have QE3 good to go and the crop report is not good. All of the classic forces at work here.
The topology will change once again before election day and this time it's for real. The Dems are backing themselves into a corner on the Bush tax cuts and triple witching hour along with holding the defense budget hostage.
With the president tanking in the polls and losing credibility at an accelerating rate I just keep hoping one of these numbskulls starts talking about the good of the country.
We have assholes like Hatch and Coburn living in the same alternate reality as Hollywood and the Left, and when the hurt comes down they will want to blame the usual suspects, but as Pogo said, "We have met the enemy and He is us".
I have an ex-pat euro-weenie friend who blames automatic weapons for the Colorado massacre. I tried to explain to him that it was semi-auto firearms and that it would have been six shooters with the madman but it is raindrops on a ducks ass trying to explain reality.
I was shocked to read the first chapter of The Wealth of Nations the other day and its description of primal societies and the way they leave their dead and young to the elements. Adam Smith in 1776 had it figured out.
How have we in the past 30 years become so stupid?
Posted by: matt | July 23, 2012 at 11:07 PM
Unbelievable.
Posted by: Sue | July 23, 2012 at 11:07 PM
Ig you are talking to a guy who passes feathers around to speak and lectures on anarchy as if its a serious subject for study and reflection. He has absolutely no private sector experience or common sense, so you are most definitely wasting your breath and your feather time...
Posted by: GMax | July 23, 2012 at 11:08 PM