Dumbest decision ever...

[240 is Back]

Dumbest decision ever is when...

You just lost your job because it was outsourced overseas.
You just got your home foreclosed because rates jumped.
You just lost your second home (and all retirement savings) because your renter jumped to half-price rent elsewhere.
You have a lump you can't get checked out because you lost health insurance with your job.

...and you select your Presidential candidate based upon what church he attends, not what he'll do to either continue, or reverse, the trends that put you in this tough spot

[Weez]

Dumbest decision ever is when...

You just lost your job because it was outsourced overseas.
You just got your home foreclosed because rates jumped.
You just lost your second home (and all retirement savings) because your renter jumped to half-price rent elsewhere.
You have a lump you can't get checked out because you lost health insurance with your job.

...and you select your Presidential candidate based upon what church he attends, not what he'll do to either continue, or reverse, the trends that put you in this tough spot

Ya know, none of those things have happened to me, because I am responsible for myself, and I don't rely on you, the taxpayers, or the government to rescue or bail me out whe I make a stupid or greedy, or irresponsible decision. By the way, I do have a small problem with a candidate that chooses a fool like Jeremiah Wright as his spiritual advisor. This was admittedly bad judgement by Obama. What if he portrays the same bad judgement when appointing cabinet members, or secraterys, or judges, or advisors. I forgive the guy for making a mistake, but he's gotta show better judgement of character in the future......

[Slapper]

Ya know, none of those things have happened to me, because I am responsible for myself, and I don't rely on you, the taxpayers, or the government to rescue or bail me out whe I make a stupid or greedy, or irresponsible decision. By the way, I do have a small problem with a candidate that chooses a fool like Jeremiah Wright as his spiritual advisor. This was admittedly bad judgement by Obama. What if he portrays the same bad judgement when appointing cabinet members, or secraterys, or judges, or advisors. I forgive the guy for making a mistake, but he's gotta show better judgement of character in the future......

Duuuuude, I think you missed his point. Completely.

[headhuntersix]

This might be the dumbest thread ever. If u bought too much house..thats not Uncle Sam's fault. If u were lucky enough to have asecond house and the renter left...find another guy or sell the house...sorry can't feel sorry for someone owning two homes. Lump...ok does the government have to solve all ur problems.  I'm not paying to have ur lump checked out. I worked hard enough to make sure I can get my own lumps checked out. Obama makes mistake after mistake...then u want to nominate this guy. He's got a naive world outlook, no grasp of history and he wants ur money. Also he thinks he knows better then u do and will make decisions for u.

[Slapper]

You know, the situation is getting worse. No doubt about that. But the problem is not whether we make the right desition as to who to vote for or what influences our decision to vote for someone. I think it it pretty much clear that the candidates that are now in the running, on both sides, are system-friendly candidates, not people-friendly. Obama keeps talking about change and all this shit, but he is careful not to articulate what NEEDS a changing. That is a warning sign not to vote for him. He is in the game for power and not for people. Noam Chomsky says that if you want to find out who is going to win an election in the US all you have to do is look at the funding as well as how the candidates are portrayed by mainstream media.

Also, since you tied up work and voting in the same subject, I gotta tell my story, cause I think it portrays precisely how these corporate motherfuckers think. I work for a huge foreign financial firm in the US who lost a looooot of money because of the mortgage fiasco. The company is undergoing major labor restructuring (layoffs) and this past week, upon receiving various nasty anonymous emails from concerned employees, the head of the department I work for (a 500-person department) dediced to hold a town hall to inform us of what the "leaders" had in mind.

Needless to say there was a lot of mumbo-jumbo, nothing specific, although he did say something that is worrysome. Our company is also inmersed in a huge offshoring initiative, and because of it, as he said, the "capacity" lost (layoffs) here in the US is going to be filled by a huge surge in capicity in India (where we have our other offices). Now, at this point people were looking at eachother like "what the fuck is this guy talking about"?. But the conversation ended with the most eye-opening remark yet. He said that they had no plans of closing down the department here in the US because they felt they had a good "crew" and because of regulatory constraints. Meaning "you've got a job just yet because we can't break the SEC's statutes".

UN-FUCKING-BELIEVABLE.

[Slapper]

This might be the dumbest thread ever. If u bought too much house..thats not Uncle Sam's fault. If u were lucky enough to have asecond house and the renter left...find another guy or sell the house...sorry can't feel sorry for someone owning two homes. Lump...ok does the government have to solve all ur problems.  I'm not paying to have ur lump checked out. I worked hard enough to make sure I can get my own lumps checked out. Obama makes mistake after mistake...then u want to nominate this guy. He's got a naive world outlook, no grasp of history and he wants ur money. Also he thinks he knows better then u do and will make decisions for u.

I presume a malign lump in the left side of your brain and losing your job have to do with bad judgment too.

Dude!! Why?

Ah, fuck it. It ain't worth it.

[drkaje]

A while ago I started a thread asking people to explain how the presidency affects them and no one had a lucid answer. I bet less than 10% of Americans a directly affected (I mean financially) by the presidency at this point. Ross Perot warned everyone about NAFTA/GAT and you all called him a moron.

As far as the mortgage thing goes... that's the direct result of the unhealthy mix of greed and stupidity.

People got houses they couldn't afford. Instead of saying "I can't afford the house" they let commissioned sales people feed them several lines of bullshit. "Just pay interest only for a few years. Within that few years something will improve for you financially and you'll be able to afford regular payments". If that didn't work the old "the housing market is so strong right now you'll be able to refinance at a higher amount or sell and make money on the deal". It was just stupidity on the part of a lot of people and a false sense of entitlement, to live beyond our means, that was financed by living on credit finally caught up with people. They were giving people mortgages for 100K with credit scores too low to get approved for certain cell phone contracts. The brokers (interesting job description  also had the banks convinced that losing money in such a strong real estate market was impossible so there was really no downside to writing high risk loans.

At any rate, the current mess is so big that a new broom can't sweep clean. Even re-examining NAFTA/GAT wouldn't be possible because people are so in debt/broke that tariffs or penalties would translate into goods being even less affordable.

I do find people's willingness to believe changing presidents will make their lives better entertaining. It would be nice, though, to have someone actually defend the position in a lucid manner that could be backed up.

[youandme]

lol, what you think the outsourcing is going to stop with Obama?

Then explain why outsourcing cities overseas have "Vote for Obama" sings in their yards, and they have NO part in US politics.

[headhuntersix]

I presume a malign lump in the left side of your brain and losing your job have to do with bad judgment too.

Dude!! Why?

Ah, fuck it. It ain't worth it.

Why do i need to pay for somebody's lump...and why does anybody else have to pay because people bought more house then they could afford. IF u don't plan to move every few years..an arm is stupid.

[240 is Back]

No matter how smart you are, and how much you are prepared, there are 300 million other Americans who are NOT prepared for desperate times.

They will affect you shortly.

Crime goes up.  Police quality goes down.  Stores raise prices.  Your city economy will drop and you will suffer, no matter how great you're doing.

That is the point people miss.  Many people don't mind a recession because "I'm doing fine now".  They don't realize that the tens of millions of soon unemployed folks with kids to feed, will soon be sticking a pistol in your well-to-do face at the grocery store because they're rather cap you than watch their kin starve.

[Dos Equis]

Ya know, none of those things have happened to me, because I am responsible for myself, and I don't rely on you, the taxpayers, or the government to rescue or bail me out whe I make a stupid or greedy, or irresponsible decision. By the way, I do have a small problem with a candidate that chooses a fool like Jeremiah Wright as his spiritual advisor. This was admittedly bad judgement by Obama. What if he portrays the same bad judgement when appointing cabinet members, or secraterys, or judges, or advisors. I forgive the guy for making a mistake, but he's gotta show better judgement of character in the future......

Agree.  Well said. 

[drkaje]

with all due respect, gasoline and oil for home heating are UP 300% (not to mention food ) since "douchebag Bush" took office.

thinking that less than 10% of americans have been affected.......is fvcking delusional.

care to tell us what planet you live on ? 


NT

Do you honestly think the president directly controls the cost of gas at the pump? US energy policy has been screwed up for a long time. In '99 Richardson said we weren't paying enough for gas. Basically, since we haven't built new refineries in forever US producers can't make money below a certain barrel price. Also, China is using gas like crazy so the demand has risen.

I digress. Point is you and millions of others wouldn't be any better off if Jesus Christ himself were president. Aside from the very top of our society, people will still have the same financial issues after the election.

[240 is Back]

Basically, since we haven't built new refineries in forever US producers can't make money below a certain barrel price.

Bush and congress had total repub control for 6 years, and didn't move an inch to build new refineries, even as gulf states started dropping the dollar and we knew china would be hogging the oil.  Bush preferred to war for it, than to build to dig for it.

[calmus]

  @ Jake.

Among other things, such as starting wars that drain the treasury, the president appoints the heads of various agencies and thus determines their policies and agendas.... If you don't understand what that means, find someone to explain it to you.  I can't believe you have the gall to keep asking your question as if you've reached some higher plane of awareness. people are probably not responding to your "brilliant" question because they can't believe you're for real. 

[Slapper]

Why do i need to pay for somebody's lump

Dude, you are (or were) in the military. If there is someone getting their lumps paid for is you. The military gets a blank check every year. WTF are you talking about?

[...]and why does anybody else have to pay because people bought more house then they could afford. IF u don't plan to move every few years..an arm is stupid.

Well, to give you an example, JP Morgan Chase, the same company that had enough cash to buy Bear Stearns got MILLIONS in tax breaks from Mr. Bloomshithead at the city of New York. Do I give two shits that the Jane and John Does of this country get bailed out? Not a fucking chance!

JP Morgan Chase needs cash to buy up Bear Sterns an the FED opens a "window of liquidity" for them to be able to fork up the cash and I need worry about the dumbasses who can't pay for their houses? Yes I do. Open your eyes my friend! Your pocket is getting taken for a ride. Not not mention your kids and your kids' kids.

[Camel Jockey]

Ya know, none of those things have happened to me, because I am responsible for myself, and I don't rely on you, the taxpayers, or the government to rescue or bail me out whe I make a stupid or greedy, or irresponsible decision. By the way, I do have a small problem with a candidate that chooses a fool like Jeremiah Wright as his spiritual advisor. This was admittedly bad judgement by Obama. What if he portrays the same bad judgement when appointing cabinet members, or secraterys, or judges, or advisors. I forgive the guy for making a mistake, but he's gotta show better judgement of character in the future......

As if someone who wants to start more wars and shove this country further down the drain has better judgement. 

Choosing your pastor is a personal matter, but when someone wants to put the country at further risk, then that's judgement we ought be questioning.

I agree with you on everything else.

[OzmO]

Dude, you are (or were) in the military. If there is someone getting their lumps paid for is you. The military gets a blank check every year. WTF are you talking about?

I get the idea that you think the military should only exists in time of war, they shouldn't be paid, and they can come and go as they please.

[youandme]

Choosing your pastor is a personal matter, but when someone wants to put the country at further risk, then that's judgement we ought be questioning. 

Since when did personal matters not trickle into public matters, that is off. Personal matters are the biggest factors in making decisons.hmmmmmmm

[youandme]

Choosing your pastor is a personal matter

You become what you behold.

You know Obama?

I don't think so.

So I'll take the cues of the people he surrounds himself with, in order to tell me the type of person he is.

He's not that great of a person, so he certainly is not going to be a good president for the country.

[OzmO]

It's hard to dismiss some of the points being brought up about Obama, But at the end of the day can a new direction really fvck things up any worse than what BUSH has done?

I seriously doubt it.

[youandme]

It's hard to dismiss some of the points being brought up about Obama, But at the end of the day can a new direction really fvck things up any worse than what BUSH has done?

I seriously doubt it.

new directions increase volatility. Increased volatile conditions led to revolt, and widespread hatred, of distorted perceptions. French revolution, 1968 revolution, etc etc, went from one extreme to the other. One thing history will tell you, is Obama does not know it, and Obama fits the characteristics of a charismatic leader that is on the fringe of radical views.

[kh300]

As if someone who wants to start more wars and shove this country further down the drain has better judgement. 

Choosing your pastor is a personal matter, but when someone wants to put the country at further risk, then that's judgement we ought be questioning.

I agree with you on everything else.

so if you want to become a police officer they talk to your friends and family to see what type of person you are and what your judgement is like.

but to do that with the most important person in the world is unfair?

[OzmO]

new directions increase volatility. Increased volatile conditions led to revolt, and widespread hatred, of distorted perceptions. French revolution, 1968 revolution, etc etc, went from one extreme to the other. One thing history will tell you, is Obama does not know it, and Obama fits the characteristics of a charismatic leader that is on the fringe of radical views.

eh he ain't that radical.  Most of his rhetoric is political and campaign oriented.

[Dos Equis]

Do you honestly think the president directly controls the cost of gas at the pump? US energy policy has been screwed up for a long time. In '99 Richardson said we weren't paying enough for gas. Basically, since we haven't built new refineries in forever US producers can't make money below a certain barrel price. Also, China is using gas like crazy so the demand has risen.

I digress. Point is you and millions of others wouldn't be any better off if Jesus Christ himself were president. Aside from the very top of our society, people will still have the same financial issues after the election.

I pretty much agree.  Governors, state legislatures, mayors, and city councils typically have a far greater impact on our day-to-day lives than the president. 

[Slapper]

I get the idea that you think the military should only exists in time of war, they shouldn't be paid, and they can come and go as they please.

Well, you said it yourself wth "I get the idea".