“ Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering. ”
Posted on 07/14/2008 10:57:25 AM PDT by Dukes Travels
It says a lot about the current state of affairs in America – and nothing good – that people get offended and outraged when someone tries to tell us things are really not so bad.
Former U.S. Sen. Phil Gramm of Texas has apparently lived too long and done too much to care. We need more people like this. It would be fantastic if the presidential candidate Gramm is advising – John McCain – would think and talk like this. (He isn’t. Oh well.)
In an interview last week with the Washington Times, Gramm said what needs to be said about the economy, and perhaps more importantly, about the state of mind of the American people. Labeling the supposedly horrid economy a “mental recession,” Gramm placed responsibility squarely on the backs of those whose mush-filled minds simply believe whatever they hear about the economy. As the Times reports:
(Excerpt) Read more at northstarwriters.com ...
Try trillions, actually.
I hold the narrower definition of "politician." But you are entitled to yours, much like people are entitled to whine about what Gramm said.
Did you note that they never take that head-on, but instead complain about his personal background? Just like David Horowitz says, people who hold strong feelings (that they cannot articulate) about a subject will question the motives of the person challenging them, because there's nothing else that they can do.
“ Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering. ”
You certainly have a right to gripe, but when you cross the line to, um, complaining that you will “be too busy shivering and tripping over things in the dark,” that’s a touch too melodramatic for mere griping.
Yes, your definition of a politician being someone who is currently holding an office is quite narrow. And thanks, but I know I'm entitled to an opinion. Apparently Phil Gramm doesn't think so.
Did you note that they never take that head-on, but instead complain about his personal background? Just like David Horowitz says, people who hold strong feelings (that they cannot articulate) about a subject will question the motives of the person challenging them, because there's nothing else that they can do.
I don't know who "they" are. If you're referring to me, it's really passive aggressive.
I don't believe that Phil Gramm residing as a co-chair of one of the more powerful banks around is "personal background".
I think that people ( taxpayers, including myself) hold "strong feelings" when the government steals their money and lobbyists push for more government protection. And there's nothing we can do. Except listen to Phil Gramm tell us to shut up.
You are entitledto complain about whatever bad news (energy prices, etc.) you choose, but you are not going to get away with claiming that Gramm must necessarily speak of bad news when speaking of good news in order to calm your delicate sensibilities.
Think about it. Does the MSM operate in reverse? Does it balance-out economic bad news with the good? In an election year? There's a guffaw for you.
The truth smarts apparently.
I’ve been trying for a day to find the Gramm interview. All I can find are mentions of it, and it really looks as though the people originally howling about what he said (I don’t have a problem with calling it a “gaffe,” but it’s a minor one) were mostly from the Obama campaign.
In an interview with the Washington Times, Phil Gramm, a former Texas senator who is now vice chairman of UBS, the giant Swiss bank, said he expects Mr. McCain to inherit a sluggish economy if he wins the presidency, weighed down above all by the conviction of many Americans that economic conditions are the worst in two or three decades and that America is in decline."You've heard of mental depression; this is a mental recession," he said, noting that growth has held up at about 1 percent despite all the publicity over losing jobs to India, China, illegal immigration, housing and credit problems and record oil prices. "We may have a recession; we haven't had one yet."
"We have sort of become a nation of whiners," he said. "You just hear this constant whining, complaining about a loss of competitiveness, America in decline" despite a major export boom that is the primary reason that growth continues in the economy, he said.
"We've never been more dominant; we've never had more natural advantages than we have today," he said. "We have benefited greatly" from the globalization of the economy in the last 30 years.
Mr. Gramm said the constant drubbing of the media on the economy's problems is one reason people have lost confidence. Various surveys show that consumer confidence has fallen precipitously this year to the lowest levels in two to three decades, with most analysts attributing that to record high gasoline prices over $4 a gallon and big drops in the value of homes, which are consumers' biggest assets.
"Misery sells newspapers," Mr. Gramm said. "Thank God the economy is not as bad as you read in the newspaper every day."
Did you figure out yet that 10% is less than a majority? Or that Japan holds more than China?
"The evidence we have been able to obtain breaks through some of the wall of secrecy to show that these two banks have employed banking practices that facilitate, and have resulted in, tax evasion by US clients," said Democratic Senator Carl Levin, who led the six-month US investigations.
Well whaddya know. UBS, the bank that ol' Phil is Vice Chairman of.
Let me know when he’s indicted . . . say did you see yesterday’s Gramm/Enron/MTBE conspiracy thread? Guilt-by-association is a refuge of weak minds.
Oh c’mon. Really. Do you think Phil doesn’t know the score.
I used to think Gramm was an asset to our country. I don’t anymore. I think he’s as crooked as most.
I won’t bother you with these details anymore.
Be prepared for all the stories about the seniors who are going to have to choose between: paying their utility bills; eating; and prescriptions.
The rest of us will have to choose between paying our utility bills and eating.
But we better not whine about it!
The question is more properly constructed, "do you think Gramm did something illegal?" But since you didn't reason yourself into your position, you can hardly be expected to reason yourself out of it.
“But we better not whine about it!”
Don’t worry. I’m a changed person. I wish the gas company would raise prices 100 percent instead of 50 this winter.
“You certainly have a right to gripe, but when you cross the line to, um, complaining that you will “be too busy shivering and tripping over things in the dark,” that’s a touch too melodramatic for mere griping.”
Exaggeration is a long accepted way to make a point.
Yes, and if not used carefully, opens one to the accusation that one is whining. See how that works?
“Yes, and if not used carefully, opens one to the accusation that one is whining. See how that works?”
Ah, but Gramm opened the way for it with the absurdity of some of his comments.
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