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America's Nervous Breakdown - And the World's
Townhall.com ^ | October 2, 2008 | Victor Davis Hanson

Posted on 10/02/2008 3:57:25 AM PDT by Kaslin

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1 posted on 10/02/2008 3:57:25 AM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

Millions for defense! Not one cent for paragraph tags...


2 posted on 10/02/2008 4:15:40 AM PDT by AndrewB
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To: Kaslin

Good article.


3 posted on 10/02/2008 4:16:42 AM PDT by livius
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To: Kaslin

VDH get’s it in a BIG way.


4 posted on 10/02/2008 4:20:02 AM PDT by roaddog727 (BS does not get bridges built - the funk you see is the funk you do)
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To: Kaslin
then eventually the sinews of the American military will likewise slacken. And then things could get ugly - real fast

And that is the real problem BUT if we are truely in a world wide economy then so will Russia and China's
5 posted on 10/02/2008 4:20:53 AM PDT by uncbob
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To: Kaslin; TigerLikesRooster; hedgetrimmer; Mase; 1rudeboy; Toddsterpatriot
Mase, 1rudeboy, Toddsterpatriot, you listening?

Crickets chirping in the background...

6 posted on 10/02/2008 4:22:30 AM PDT by mr_hammer (Checking the breeze and barking at things that go bump in the night.)
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To: mr_hammer
I am. What have you discovered? Government interference in the market? The business cycle? Election year politics?

If it's anything more profound, you'll have to elaborate.

7 posted on 10/02/2008 5:34:40 AM PDT by 1rudeboy
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To: uncbob

There is no longer any doubt that they intend to distroy us by destroying the moral essence of the country. I have kept the following quote for many years:

“Adversity employs great talents; prosperity renders them useless and carries the inept, the corrupted wealthy and the wicked to the top.

May they bear in mind that virtue often contains the seeds of tyranny. May they bear in mind that it is neither gold nor even a multitude of arms that sustains a state, but its morals.

May each of them keep in his house, in a corner of this field, next to his workbench, next to his plow, his gun, his sword, and his bayonet. May they all be soldiers.

May they bear in mind that in circumstances where deliberation is possible, the advice of old men is good, but that in moments of crisis youth is generally better informed that its elders.”

Denis Diderot
Apostrophe to the Insurgents, 1782


8 posted on 10/02/2008 5:41:03 AM PDT by Texas Fossil
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To: 1rudeboy
“But the bill for years of massive borrowing for oil, for imported consumer goods and for speculation has now has finally come due on Wall Street”

Note:
1)Imported goods
2)Bill finally due

Albeit, the meddling of the government has hastened or exacerbated the current crisis.

9 posted on 10/02/2008 6:12:55 AM PDT by mr_hammer (Checking the breeze and barking at things that go bump in the night.)
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To: mr_hammer
I should probably remind you that VDH is not the sort of person who will argue in favor of import-tariffs (Smoot-Hawley, anyone?). So when he speaks of the "bill" coming due, he's referring to decades over over-regulation, punitive taxes, and other governmental actions that have driven U.S. companies to either shut down or move overseas.

Much like the "bill" for for the energy crisis is the result of decades of governmental neglect of domestic exploration/production. And when do you think the "bill" will come due for the following?

Before approving a massive financial bailout package Wednesday, the Senate attached language that would hit the oil and gas companies up for higher taxes to help fund tax credits for renewable energy and other tax breaks.
[]
The legislation would freeze the tax deduction oil and gas companies receive for their domestic manufacturing operations at 6 percent, while other American manufacturers will see that deduction rise to 9 percent in 2010.
Houston Chronicle, Package includes bite out of oil industry, October 1, 2008.

The point is that you can't blame free-market economics for the sub-prime debacle (unless you're a Democrat), just as you can't blame it on me for buying imported beer. Nice try, though.
10 posted on 10/02/2008 6:30:07 AM PDT by 1rudeboy
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To: mr_hammer
I pay cash to fill up my tank with gas. Where am I in debt? I use a credit card to buy a DVD player made in Japan and then pay off the credit card at the end of the month. Where's my debt?

We have to send our dollars to countries who don't have our best interests in mind because we won't exploit the trillions of barrels of oil that exist on our own soil. Whose fault is that?

The government forces lenders to finance homes for deadbeats who will never be able to repay the loans and then demand the taxpayers bail them out when the worst occurs. Whose fault is that?

Now, as usual for you, you demand more government intervention to create a "level playing field" (like that ever exist anywhere) to appease your belief that America can't compete with the third-world. You've learned nothing from all of this and continue to do what you do best: whine. Will you be voting for change and hope in November? Maybe "The ONE" can protect you from the competition you fear so much.

11 posted on 10/02/2008 6:39:22 AM PDT by Mase (Save me from the people who would save me from myself!)
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To: Kaslin

I can’t read an article without paragraphs.


12 posted on 10/02/2008 6:48:40 AM PDT by Hawthorn
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To: Mase; mr_hammer
Now, as usual for you, you demand more government intervention to create a "level playing field"

As far as I can tell, Mr. Hammer is against the bailout.

13 posted on 10/02/2008 7:13:50 AM PDT by jmc813
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To: jmc813

Ok. But he’s against the freedom to trade and has argued here for as long as I can remember that we need protectionism to save our economy. Who implements economic protection? Yes, that’s right, the fedgov. The same people who got us into the financial mess we find ourselves today. Hammer is against government intervention to stabilize our financial system but will be the first to demand government tariffs and quotas to protect American industry from competition. As if the fedgov can make life fair. I can’t think of one example of a level playing field. That’s because it doesn’t exist. I’m simply pointing out the hypocrisy.


14 posted on 10/02/2008 7:32:36 AM PDT by Mase (Save me from the people who would save me from myself!)
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To: Mase

Gotcha. I guess I’m just a freaky libertarian who opposes all of that as well as the bailout. A lot of people like to talk the talk when it comes to “free markets”, but I like to think folks like me walk the walk.


15 posted on 10/02/2008 7:37:54 AM PDT by jmc813
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To: jmc813

Gotcha? I have no idea what you’re talking about. You must be assuming facts not in evidence. Whatever makes you feel better about yourself.


16 posted on 10/02/2008 7:42:51 AM PDT by Mase (Save me from the people who would save me from myself!)
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To: Mase
Gotcha? I have no idea what you’re talking about. You must be assuming facts not in evidence.

You're totally misunderstanding. By "gotcha", I meant, "understood". I was just acknowledging the points you made in the previous post.

17 posted on 10/02/2008 7:57:49 AM PDT by jmc813
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To: jmc813

That’s the point, though: what sort of a person, when casting-about to find blame for the mess we find ourselves in, focuses on economic liberty as the cause? Who sees regulation as the cure for regulation? Think about that for a minute.


18 posted on 10/02/2008 8:02:32 AM PDT by 1rudeboy
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To: 1rudeboy
That’s the point, though: what sort of a person, when casting-about to find blame for the mess we find ourselves in, focuses on economic liberty as the cause?

A confused person

Who sees regulation as the cure for regulation?

It seems like everyone but me sometimes. One one hand, you have people that want to tariff and regulate the hell out of everything, and then on the other hand, you've got people who support the bailout who are deluding themselves if they think that won't cause more regulation. And then you've got people like me who are considered libertarian kooks by all of the above for not wanting any of it. Go figure.

19 posted on 10/02/2008 8:16:30 AM PDT by jmc813
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To: jmc813
A confused person

A liberal. Same thing. LOL!

And then you've got people like me who are considered libertarian kooks by all of the above for not wanting any of it.

I didn't want any of it (Fannie, Freddie, CRA, etc) either. But now, unfortunately, we need to do something. They'll f*** it up, because that's what Congress does, but I think the alternative could be worse.

Term limits, now! I wonder, are term limits okay with libertarians?

20 posted on 10/02/2008 8:25:21 AM PDT by Toddsterpatriot (Let me apologize to begin with, let me apologize for what I'm about to say....)
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