- : Columbia University grad Navy Veteran
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..the distribution of power in the world has fundamentally altered over the two presidential terms of George W. Bush, both because of his policies and, more significant, despite them.
The opinions of a senior research fellow who equivocates (because...despite) on the impact of the two disastrous terms of George W. Bush, is a fellow who has little grip on what has happened the last seven years.
Posted at January 27, 2008 8:42 AM in response to America Diminished
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Outside aid to Gaza comes from UN relief programs. Israel built all the walls and fences around Gaza, including the fence on the Gaza-Egypt border. The population centers of Gaza are in the north of the strip. If USA/Israel wanted to re-route supplies paid for through the UN through Egypt, they could have done so. Clearly the Israeli preference is to control the aid by having it cross at their own check-points.
Posted at January 26, 2008 8:29 PM in response to Hamas Defeats Israeli Blockade. What Next?
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For the few on TPM who are not aware, the Gaza-Egypt Wall was built by Israel. The wall was not built by Egypt.
Posted at January 25, 2008 11:49 AM in response to Gaza: 350,000 Palestinians Cross Into Egypt For Food!!!
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Valdron, would you agree that to secure the survival and continued existence of the State of Israel, certain Gazans needed to be 'silenced'? I recall Sheik Yassin, blind, paralyzed, and leaving a mosque, struck down by an air-to-wheelchair missile in 2004. link
Posted at January 25, 2008 8:02 AM in response to Gaza: 350,000 Palestinians Cross Into Egypt For Food!!!
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The war??? Anyone think sinking a trillion in the sand of Iraq might be a drain on the US economy?
Posted at January 22, 2008 12:01 PM in response to The Housing Bubble Explodes: Fed Rushes for Fire Extinguisher
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...a capitalist will sell you the rope you use to hang him.
or, in the case of General Tommy Franks, they will start an unnecessary war, and then skim $100K from money donated for troops wounded in it. But what else would one expect? (see below-link to Army Times)
Posted at January 21, 2008 4:53 PM in response to America Must Avoid Presidents Who Will Use Conflict to Define His or Her Presidencies
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In 1999, Donald Trump proposed a one time 14.25% wealth tax on the net worth of individuals and trusts worth $10 million or more. Trump claimed that this would generate $5.7 trillion in new taxes, which could be used to eliminate the national debt.
Of course, the national debt is higher now, and if it was reduced, then the Democrats would want to spend more on health care , education and infrastructure. It's also a dangerous idea to even consider going to the people with money when the country really needs it. For those reasons, the Republicans would block any such plan. There are ample dollars around the world to readily buy up any assets if sold over a period of time. The NYSE has traded $100 billion a day in shares, the 5.7 trillion mentioned by Trump would be less than 3 months of similar trading volume. Discounting other assets, a 25% increase in share turnover on Wall Street alone for one year would be sufficient to pay the amount.
For the $10 million+ persons/trusts paying the one time tax, they would have the savvy to reduce paper losses from sales to a minimum. The federal government would not keep the money but use it to pay off government debt-it would go back into private hands for investment.
Posted at January 21, 2008 11:15 AM in response to Politics Trumps Economics...And It’s a Good Thing!
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But the Social Security Trust fund isn't anything but papers in a notebook!
April 6, 2005
WASHINGTON – Using a government filing cabinet as a prop, President Bush yesterday played to fears that the Social Security Trust Fund is little more than a stack of worthless IOUs.
'Physically, the trust fund consists of 8-by-11-inch sheets of paper, fastened inside two notebooks and tucked in a drawer of a four-drawer filing cabinet at the U.S. Bureau of the Public Debt in Parkersburg, W.Va.' USA Today link The real money Bush squandered in Iraq.
Posted at January 20, 2008 7:13 PM in response to Politics Trumps Economics...And It’s a Good Thing!
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America Must Avoid Presidents Who Will Use Conflict to Define His or Her Presidencies
Hopefully, America can avoid, or at least reduce, politicians and military brass using conflict to line their own pockets. Case in point:
Other expenses of the Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes Foundation:
-$17,000 country club membership,
-$444,000 condo for charity executives.
- less than 27% of money taken in went to wounded vet expenses (Army Times link above)
Posted at January 20, 2008 7:00 PM in response to America Must Avoid Presidents Who Will Use Conflict to Define His or Her Presidencies
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Of course the IDF would give ample warning, before sinking such a ship. They've run over unarmed women with bulldozers, shot UN workers, and used cluster bombs on civilian areas. Israel maintains 'the right to exist' and to 'defend itself' against all such threats.
Posted at January 18, 2008 3:54 PM in response to Israel's Policy Of Freezing Gaza
