What will Kerry do for us?

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

I've noticed how many anti-Bush people there are here, so I'd like to ask, what do you think Kerry will do for the US?

No, not what he promises to do, what you think he'll do. And how. Don't say "he'll fix the education system" try to give a little explanation ("increase funding by yada yada" or whatever) so we can just see how feasible it is.

I'm expecting a large amount of interest in this.

[5614]

im not expecting that larger interest, only because there is another thread similar, although this is a hot topic, so maybe there will be interest.

 

i dont really like kerry much, i prefer bush... but what kerry says he'll do compared to what he will do is anyones guess.

[Phi for All]

Given how very few candidates ever fulfill all their promises, what makes you think speculation like this will be more than just time-consuming? The best we can do is hope that the new president will get us out of the problems the old president got us into. He should abide by the old medical practice, "Do no harm." I am tired after four years of iatrogenic politics.

 

One thing I would like to see him do: develope a secretive way of dealing with secretive terrorists and not tell the world about his intentions.

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

One thing I would like[/i'] to see him do: develope a secretive way of dealing with secretive terrorists and not tell the world about his intentions.

Actually that's something I really agree with. Bush always says "We are infiltrating them blah blah blah" and then they fail because the terrorists find them. Or they say "We will start a bombing campaign" and all the terrorists run into their caves and hide until it's over.

[Phi for All]

The Soviets never announced themselves in Afghanistan and they still couldn't win there either. Terrorists nip at the flanks of huge armies, hoping for a big expensive reaction, then scatter before the hammer falls. But politicians love things that are big and splashy, something that gets media attention. And helping mega-corp arms manufacturers keep our arsenal of smart bombs and fighter jets stocked helps them fulfill campaign pledges.

 

We had a governor once who spent millions in taxpayer money trying to get United Airlines to move their HQ to Denver. The move would have created 2000 jobs for Colorado. Imo, if he'd have spent the same amount of money on programs to help small businesses, he would have created 20,000 jobs. But courting a big airline everybody knows is so much more newsworthy than supporting a bunch of small businesses.

 

We need someone who's going to tolerate the media without courting it, roll up his sleeves and start fixing what's wrong. I don't know if Kerry is the guy, but I know Bush hasn't been. I hope the new president can bridge the gap that has grown between Americans. I hope the new president can use his power to make the UN the most effective it's ever been. I hope he can see that this time of crisis can be turned into an opportunity for progressive change, so our social furtherance can match our technological advancement.

 

It would be a real shame to come this far and end up losing it all over greed.

[Douglas]

What will Kerry do for us?

 

He'll pick your pockets.

[Phi for All]

I'm out of here. Good luck with your thread, Cap'n.

[Douglas]

I forgot to put quotation marks around info that I was quoting.

[Mad Mardigan]

I like the pick pocket version too.

 

The Kerry proposal to rollback the Bush tax cuts would raise the after-tax cost and reduce the post-tax investment return on capital by more than 54 ½ percent. Taking out the upper-bracket labor-income component — which is still investment capital — the Kerry tax hike would reduce investment incentives by nearly 47 percent and work-effort returns by more that 7 ½ percent. A big hit.

[Douglas]

What will Kerry do for us?

 

He'll pick your pockets.

The Kerry proposal to rollback the Bush tax cuts would raise the after-tax cost and reduce the post-tax investment return on capital by more than 54 ½ percent. Taking out the upper-bracket labor-income component — which is still investment capital — the Kerry tax hike would reduce investment incentives by nearly 47 percent and work-effort returns by more that 7 ½ percent. A big hit.

 

apropos my above post.

[Sayonara]

I don't see how any new administration can avoid tax hikes when they are faced with fixing the greatest deficit in history.

 

The "leave your successor a shit hole to look after so he'll look like a shit shoveller" routine is pretty damned old.

[Douglas]

I don't see how any new administration can avoid tax hikes when they are faced with fixing the greatest deficit in history.

 

The "leave your successor a shit hole to look after so he'll look like a shit shoveller" routine is pretty damned old.

Sayonara, you may be right. I'll check on the American deficit as a percentage of the gross national product (GNP) as see how it compares with other years.

 

As for your last sentence, I think Bush plans on being the successor of the shit hole that he left.

[Sayonara]

And I'm sure he will have a brilliant plan up his sleeve for appearing to be tackling the crisis, should it ever come up.

 

How many consecutive terms can a president sit in the USA? Is it two?

[Pangloss]

Centrists.org has a good, non-partisan look at the deficit, along with a number of articles discussion scenarios regarding how to deal with it, on their web site here:

 

http://www.centrists.org/issue_summaries/budget_tax_baseline.html

 

 

Yes, it's two terms total for a US president.

 

I got a chuckle out of an anti-Bush extremist the other day when I suggested that if what he said was true, and Bush didn't actually get elected 2000, then he ought to be eligible to run again in 2008. He turned a bright shade of purple and I had to quickly find him a chair... (hehe)

[john5746]

Yes two terms, although Bush will probably try to make it ten since he is the only man on earth capable of fighting terrorism.

 

Two term presidents usually glide into the second term, have some scandel related to the first term - Monica, Iran/Contra and focus on foreign relations.

 

Maybe Bush can do the opposite and start worrying about domestic affairs, but I doubt it.

[Douglas]

Centrists.org has a good' date=' non-partisan look at the deficit, along with a number of articles discussion scenarios regarding how to deal with it, on their web site here:

http://www.centrists.org/issue_summaries/budget_tax_baseline.html[/quote']

It's a good site Pangloss. If it actually *is* centrist, it may be a baseline.

I noticed they had a baseline for the deficit as a percentage of the GNP

[Pangloss]

Skepticism is good, especially when it comes to special interest groups with 501 tax-exempt status, a formal Political Action Committee and an address in the Beltway. (grin)

[drz]

if I knew how to fix everything thats messed up myself, I'd be running for president.

 

I don't claim to know, and all I can tell you is what Kerry promised to do.

 

However, I know what Kerry won't do, and thats is involve us in another useless war, that will cost thousands more american lives, countless more foriegn lives, waste resources that could be better spent fighting terrorism, not aquiring oil and big rebuilding contracts for haliburton.

 

I like Kerry's stance on college, I like his stance on science issues, and in general I like a person who actually makes sensible statements when he speaks, as opposed to making up words like "misunderestimated"

[john5746]

How did Reagan free the Iran hostages? Just by becoming President. Just changing leadership sends a signal that things are on a new path. The world will be willing to give Kerry a chance. No, they won't be rushing into Iraq happily, but there will be a breath of fresh air.

 

I do think he would be able to get us out of Iraq quicker than Bush. Then he can concentrate on other things.

[Mad Mardigan]

How did Reagan free the Iran hostages? Just by becoming President. Just changing leadership sends a signal that things are on a new path. The world will be willing to give Kerry a chance. No' date=' they won't be rushing into Iraq happily, but there will be a breath of fresh air.

 

I do think he would be able to get us out of Iraq quicker than Bush. Then he can concentrate on other things.[/quote']

 

Reagan got the hostages out cause he had John Wayne as his advisor. Who was it that said dont cross this line, and drew a line in the desert, then Reagan had his front yard blown up. Reagan was no BS, and I still believe he is the best president of my generation. Iraq should of been finished many years ago when Clinton took over.

[Douglas]

Centrists.org has a good' date=' non-partisan look at the deficit, along with a number of articles discussion scenarios regarding how to deal with it, on their web site here:

 

http://www.centrists.org/issue_summaries/budget_tax_baseline.html[/quote']

This is similar to what Centrast.org says

 

Yes we have a federal deficit, but revenues are not the problem, undisciplined spending is. Neither candidate sounds intent on imposing fiscal discipline, so this issue is a wash. Besides, with the deficit around 4 percent of the GDP, I'm not fretting over it - my personal debt/production ratio is much higher, yours probably is too.

Good reading

http://www.marionstar.com/news/stories/20040922/opinion/1283456.html

[john5746]

Reagan got the hostages out cause he had John Wayne as his advisor. Who was it that said dont cross this line, and drew a line in the desert, then Reagan had his front yard blown up. Reagan was no BS, and I still believe he is the best president of my generation. Iraq should of been finished many years ago when Clinton took over.

 

What? BUSH I invaded Iraq and didn't get Saddam! Clinton should have responded more forcfully to Osama - forget Saddam already.

 

Reagan barely took office when the hostages were released. Unless he had already promised them weapons, I doubt he had anything to do with it.

[-Demosthenes-]

I think the worst part about Kerry is that the control of our country will be controled more by people not part of our country, like the UN. I don't want to give away control to the country to some organization.

[Phi for All]

Reagan got the hostages out cause he had John Wayne as his advisor.

Reagan took office in January of 1981. John Wayne died in June of 1979. Spooky.

[Pangloss]

Maybe Edwin Meese was channeling him.