Politics As Usual

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
Friedman is doing a really bad job of plagarizing from Gregg Easterbrook, who himself did a pretty poor job (yesterday) of plagarizing from Kerry, or really, the same economists that struck Kerry 10 years ago as the appealing flavor of the month.

Friedman has never had an original thought in his life, or at least none that I'm aware of. He's responsible for mixing the potions that others concoct, and injecting it into the vein of the Zeitgeist.

There is simply no way that had we imposed a 50c gas tax last year we would not see gas prices that are, approximately, 50c higher today. Maybe 47c higher.

Stop trying to confuse us all with your economics mumbo-jumbo.

Toyota can't turn out enough Priuses (no, not Prii) as it is.

Which is all the more remarkable if you've ever seen one of the recent models and have an appreciation for just how ugly they are. (FB cross-post!)

And, BTW, why they hell do we have to spend any gas tax revenue on something, other than cutting other taxes?

That $200 billion we spent on Iraq? An opportunity missed for another tax cut!

(ETA: I'll note, only out of curiousity, that a gallon of milk runs $2.50 to $3.00, and a gallon of spring water is upwards of $1.99 most places. Where's the outrage? Where?)

In Wisconsin, where they have cars that run on milk, they are quite outraged, I tell you what.

[Not Me]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
That $200 billion we spent on Iraq? An opportunity missed for another tax cut!

The increase in defense spending to supply the troops with bombs, armor, bullets, and food results in more corporate and individual income, which increases the revenue to the treasury, which in turn provides another opportunity for a tax cut!!

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop


Which is all the more remarkable if you've ever seen one of the recent models and have an appreciation for just how ugly they are. (FB cross-post!)

BTW, I forgot to critique (i.e., slam) your prius parking proposal. It's lousy. It subsidizes driving. the reason CAFE has been such an utter failure is that people are willing to spend a certain amount on gas, and better gas mileage makes driving cheaper. Making parking cheaper is a disaster as well.

The only possible justification is that we feel sorry for people driving such dorky cars. But, hey, if you chose it, swim in your own pee.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
BTW, I forgot to critique (i.e., slam) your prius parking proposal. It's lousy. It subsidizes driving. the reason CAFE has been such an utter failure is that people are willing to spend a certain amount on gas, and better gas mileage makes driving cheaper. Making parking cheaper is a disaster as well.

The only possible justification is that we feel sorry for people driving such dorky cars. But, hey, if you chose it, swim in your own pee.

I don't agree with everything Friedman said, and I can't see how you would make that one happen. But it seemed like a way to save people the bother of paying at parking meters. Although then they'd tie the spaces up, and merchants would be pissed. Though this would discourage driving.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
But it seemed like a way to save people the bother of paying at parking meters. Although then they'd tie the spaces up, and merchants would be pissed. Though this would discourage driving.

surely you've read the economics parable about the misguided approach of making meters free at Christmas (duh--the spaces never open up).

I really like the European system of parking discs. Put one in your window set to the time you arrive. Better be back within 2 hours (or whatever the rule for the location is). Alternatively, if you need, revenue, the ticket machine that spits it out is superior to the individual meters.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Bush Announces Twelve Step Plan For Iraq

President George Bush, speaking at the Army War College in Carlisle, Pa. yesterday, unveiled a new twelve-step plan to address the deteriorating situation in Iraq.

"First, I will admit we have a problem," Bush said, signaling a stark departure from the administration's current position. "Then I will recognize that we need help, I will seek the aid of other nations, and I'll make a searching and fearless moral inventory of our policy of preemption." He went on to outline the plan's eight additional steps during the 90 minute speech.

Speaking to reporters earlier today, John Kerry, the presumptive Democratic nominee, called the plan "completely unworkable." "I mean, do we really expect George Bush to take steps eight and nine: 'make a list of all persons I have harmed' and 'apologize to those I have wronged'? Even if he did, it would take months."

The President, however, was unfazed by such criticism. "Don't worry," Bush reassured doubters, "I've done this before."


from here

[SlaveNoMore]

Tyrone Slothrop
Bush Announces Twelve Step Plan For Iraq

From now on, everytime you post one of these....


...I will respond with one of these

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Now that we've cut a deal with Sadr in Najaf like the one we cut in Fallujah -- we back off, and let the bad guys go, in exchange for which we don't have to take the PR hit of leveling their cities -- can we pause to remember Bush's rhetoric about having the resolve to stick with the fight? Sistani said blink, and he blinked. So much for the warrant for Sadr's arrest -- it's been "suspended:"

• The agreement, hammered out between Mr. Sadr and Iraqi leaders and approved by the Americans, calls for the Mahdi Army, whose fighters have held the city since April 5, to put away their guns and go home, and for the American forces to pull most of their forces out of the city. Under the agreement, the Americans can maintain a handful of posts inside the city and may still run patrols through the city center.
  
  ....In a major concession to Mr. Sadr, the Americans and Iraqi officials promised to suspend the arrest warrant issued against him for his suspected involvement in the murder of a rival cleric in April 2003.
  
  ....The agreement fell into place after the Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the country's most powerful Shiite leader, delivered a stern message to the Americans urging them to get behind the deal.
  
  According to two Iraqi Shiite leaders, American officials signed onto the agreement with Mr. Sadr only after they received a forceful note from Ayatollah Sistani and other senior clerics, passed to them by Iraq's national security adviser, Mowaffak al-Rubaie.

But we got them to agree that we can "run patrols through the city center", so that'll show them who's boss, right?

Why anyone thinks that Bush's speeches have any relationship to what we actually do on the ground is beyond me.

etfs -- t.s.

[Not Me]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
so that'll show them who's boss, right?

I didn't realize our mission in Iraq was to "show them who's boss." I thought it was to oust SH and establish self-government.

[SlaveNoMore]

Tyrone Slothrop
According to two Iraqi Shiite leaders, American officials signed onto the agreement with Mr. Sadr only after they received a forceful note from Ayatollah Sistani and other senior clerics, passed to them by Iraq's national security adviser, Mowaffak al-Rubaie.[/list]
But we got them to agree that we can "run patrols through the city center", so that'll show them who's boss, right?

Why anyone thinks that Bush's speech have any relationship to what we actually do on the ground is beyond me.

You know, this is such fucking bullshit.

Cutting a deal with Sistani and Sadr gets us (1) out of Najaf with less casualties, (2) makes us look "better" in the eyes of the Arab Street because we won't be blowing up their "sacred sites" (sacred because that's where they hide their snipers), and (3) further points us in the right direction of (A) getting out and (B) handing over the reins.

But you don't see this, right?

Let me guess - all of sudden you and your cronies are NOW saying we should go in there guns blazing, killing anyone in the way and take over the town. Which, of course, if we did, would be just horrible.

Just face it. it doesn't matter what anyone does over there - be it good, bad or ugly, you guys will find fault with it.

[sgtclub]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
You know, this is such fucking bullshit.

Cutting a deal with Sistani and Sadr gets us (1) out of Najaf with less casualties, (2) makes us look "better" in the eyes of the Arab Street because we won't be blowing up their "sacred sites" (sacred because that's where they hide their snipers), and (3) further points us in the right direction of (A) getting out and (B) handing over the reins.

But you don't see this, right?

Let me guess - all of sudden you and your cronies are NOW saying we should go in there guns blazing, killing anyone in the way and take over the town. Which, of course, if we did, would be just horrible.

Just face it. it doesn't matter what anyone does over there - be it good, bad or ugly, you guys will find fault with it.

Slave, don't waste your energy, it's pointless.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

"In Fallujah, coalition forces have suspended offensive operations, allowing members of the Iraqi Governing Council and local leaders to work on the restoration of central authority in that city. These leaders are communicating with the insurgents to ensure an orderly turnover of that city to Iraqi forces, so that the resumption of military action does not become necessary.

They are also insisting that those who killed and mutilated four American contract workers be handed over for trial and punishment.

In addition, members of the Governing Council are seeking to resolve the situation in the south. Al-Sadr must answer the charges against him and disband his illegal militia."

-- President Bush, April 13

eta: If he's going to say these things, and not follow through, it makes us weaker, not stronger. I'm not saying we cut a bad deal today, all things considered, but if that's the case he shouldn't have been talking out of his ass like that on April 13.

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
From now on, everytime you post one of these....


...I will respond with one of these

CUrses! What a diabolically brilliant plan . . . as we all know, there are no goofy pictures of George Bush on the internet.

[sgtclub]

http://www.nationalreview.com/rosett...0405262134.asp

[column on oil for food - critical of everyone involved]

[Gin Rummy]

Originally posted by ironweed
CUrses! What a diabolically brilliant plan . . . as we all know, there are no goofy pictures of George Bush on the internet.

Yes but nothing beats the Kerry-bin Laden connection: