2008 Presidential Election

[JRScott]

Which ever candidate wins is going to inherit a ton of problems (National Debt, Economy, Healthcare, Social Security,Environment, Crumbling Infrastructure, etc) that our country is facing. I don't believe either party or candidate has the will power to make any drastic changes in the status quo. I hate saying this but the US is in the decline, kind of like the fall of the Roman Empire 1800 years ago...

Very True Scot, we are in danger of diminishing because our leaders were shortsighted and sadly we have been to.

We have not planned well, we have demanded cake and pie. They have given it to us but at the expense of the future. No real major change will come regardless of whether Obama or McCain is elected. Their politicians. If they were serious about the changes they are proposing they'd be in Congress everyday putting forth their ideas and garnering support. Instead they are ignoring their elected duties and running around the country telling people visions of how they will make it better, when they already have the power to make it better if they would.

Congress currently has a 52% disapproval rating and its approval rating is lower than President Bush, yet we think by electing one of these people things will improve. It's crazy.

[WhatMoney]

Congress currently has a 52% disapproval rating and its approval rating is lower than President Bush

Congress has an 82% disapproval rating, JR, just a typo on your part. People blame the Democrats when they still don't have enough of a majority to get anything passed. Too many Republicans left in Congress are the right-wing Newt Gingrich spawn, unwilling to compromise - all confrontational. Get these jerks out of Congress so something can get done next year.

[Scott50]

Both parties are to blame equally for this mess our country is in.. I'm in favor of a major shake-up in the way our country is run- how about we get rid of both political parties??

[fltoo]

[QUOTE=JRScott;173981]fltoo you do realize that if McCain was to die while President his Vice President would become President and the Speaker of the House would become Vice President right?

LOL, I guess my sarcasm went over your head JR.
What money, your rantings are so naive. You sound like Rush Limbaugh.

[WhatMoney]

What money, your rantings are so naive. You sound like Rush Limbaugh.

Why Thank-You! Now if only I could get paid his new salary.

[robivi3]

Odd, blood pressure issues have canceled my political game. I no longer argue or really care to debate. Not very excited either, so for me the whole Prez. thing is a backburner issue. Really wierd in my life.

[FLBK7]

[QUOTE=fltoo;174033][QUOTE=What money, your rantings are so naive. You sound like Rush Limbaugh.[/QUOTE]

My observations are that WhatMoney usually corrects OTHER people's uninformed rantings by posting facts and links supporting those facts. Limbaugh rants and rants to entertain his audience of puppets with no facts whatsoever. In fact, I still clearly remember how years ago he claimed that "global warming is a left-wing hoax." LOL

If he had any shame he would have since apologized for his utter ignorance.

But we all know that will never, ever happen.

[fltoo]

I guess you missed my point. Rantings of any kind can be backed by tons of info. The "corrections" are in the eye of the beholder.

In agreement robi, the presidential election is on the back burner with me also.

[banca rotta]

Odd, blood pressure issues have canceled my political game. I no longer argue or really care to debate. Not very excited either, so for me the whole Prez. thing is a backburner issue. Really wierd in my life.

Pretty disgusting if you ask me that no one cares anymore. I feel the same way as you and it bothers me that whoever wins does not make any difference. More of the same! I too love my country and at the same time cannot vote for either one of the idiots currently running. Big shame!

[JRScott]

Congress has an 82% disapproval rating, JR, just a typo on your part. People blame the Democrats when they still don't have enough of a majority to get anything passed. Too many Republicans left in Congress are the right-wing Newt Gingrich spawn, unwilling to compromise - all confrontational. Get these jerks out of Congress so something can get done next year.

The problems of our nation are the two party system. George Washington warned of partisan politics when he was president. (He is also the only President never to have been part of any political party).

The Republicans and the Democrats equally obstruct progress in anything. They are so hardened against one another that they do not ever want anything to come about that might make the other look good, especially in election years. So basically under the current system we get 1 year of work and 1 year of nothing, 1 year of work, 1 year of nothing (unless they choose to run for President when we generally get 2 years of nothing.....).

They are so close minded in Washington that they are simply not willing to compromise or work together effectively. Take George Bush for example, he promised when elected he'd reach across party lines and get things done. It hasn't worked. He went in with high hopes and found that it simply didn't work in Washington, yes events like 9/11 and Katrina threw him into the fire but in all he's probably done the best he could, the ship was sinking long before he became president. I think Obama and McCain whichever is elected (though I still hope the 3rd parties might could upset the election and we see real change) will find the situation similar. Both have claimed they will reach across the aisle. Obama has no history of doing so (much like Bush prior to his election) which makes one wonder if he can. McCain has mostly done so on bills that are generally hugely unpopular with the American people and not on matters the people really wanted accomplished.

Also I was citing the Rasmussen Poll if your interested.

52% Poor Rating to Congress
36% Fair Rating to Congress
7% Good Rating to Congress
2% Excellent Rating to Congress

The Poll was done July 1st.

So if you take the Poor and Fair and assume both are disapproval then yes its in the 80+%, however fair does not necessarily mean they fully disapprove.

[JRScott]

My observations are that WhatMoney usually corrects OTHER people's uninformed rantings by posting facts and links supporting those facts. Limbaugh rants and rants to entertain his audience of puppets with no facts whatsoever. In fact, I still clearly remember how years ago he claimed that "global warming is a left-wing hoax." LOL

If he had any shame he would have since apologized for his utter ignorance.

But we all know that will never, ever happen.

WhatMoney sites primarily only part of the data needed to make an informed decision while ignoring data or refusing to acknowledge data that does not support it. I learned that long ago which is why I don't bother with links etc. If someone wants to find out the real economic troubles our nation faces they can do their own research it isn't that hard.

The first place to start would be the budget which is published and sent to Congress by the Office of the President every year. It includes projections or at least has in recent years going out to the 2080s on just our current obligations. Its a real mind opener if you sit down and look at it.

The dollar is already deflating and it will continue to do so because our Government ignores debt. They spend like there is no tomorrow. Those who have loaned us the money are becoming worried because they see no real way for us to pay it back. At some critical junction they will stop loaning us money. When I can't say, it could be tomorrow, next week, next year or ten years down the road. It most likely though will occur in the next two decades unless we can reign in our spending and show some serious effort on repayment of our current debt obligation.

[fltoo]

OMG JR, lol, edit your post. I did not say that nonsense.

[JRScott]

sorry mate , it was a bug I guess with the board.

[fltoo]

I'll bug ya!

[WhatMoney]

Well there are many polls - mine was from Gallup:

A recent Gallup Poll confirms what many lawmakers say they're hearing from their constituents: that confidence in Congress has never been lower. Only 12 percent of Americans say they have a "great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence in Congress as an institution – the lowest level ever for any US institution since Gallup began asking the question 35 years ago. Congressional job approval, a slightly different question, has dropped to 18 percent.