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1. Kauffman John M

   
   1/6/2012 11:01 AM

   Melvin Waldron, CGCS said: Heck I'm already working for 75% of the normal salary of superintendents in Missouri, (venting again)....I agree maybe it's great that ExxonMobil is making all of that profit, because we all own stock through our retirement plans, kind of like a damned if you do, damned if you don't type of deal, too many things are tied to each other, certainly not making anything simple to fix. But in my comments, the question is, in order to make those kind of profits, raising gas prices like they do certainly does effect the economy, which in the long run isn't that good for the long term of the over all economy. Long term, did a company hurt itself by hurting the economy around them? Maybe oil it doesn't because eventully that runs out, and something else will be running our engines, making a product like tv's could be totally different, heck I hear this year they aren't making any money on their selling of tv's this year because they had to cut the prices to get us to buy them.

   
   
   Hold on, there. Did a company hurt itself by hurting the economy around them? We can't say that ExxonMobil hurt the economy around it any more than we can say that you hurt employment in your town by occupying a job and salary that could employ two people in your town if your pay was cut in half!
   
   Oil is certainly a finite resource and its price will increase as more of the resource is used up, unless it falls out of favor when a new fuel takes its place. This price increase serves to preserve the asset. It keeps fuel around for those who value it enough to pay for it.
   
   Consider the state-run fuel industries in China and Venezuela. Because prices are capped in those countries, the market can't function freely and information regarding scarcity isn't carried through price (hidden info, just like subsidies. In fact, fuel is subsidized in both China and Venezuela). Thus, as supplies run low, no indication of that is transferred to the market (prices are kept artificially low), and consumption continues or increases, leaving less for everyone else.
   
   I remember a gas station in my hometown that raised its gas prices to $3.50/gal on Sept. 11, 2001, when everyone else was raising prices. All other gas stations were at $2.75 (the normal price was $2.09) and running out of fuel – everyone and their brother was buying fuel, even if they didn't need it, and filling up numerous gas cans. Everyone thought there was going to be some shortage of fuel. I happened to need fuel that day to get home – I left the house with the "low fuel" light on and needed to travel 20 miles to get back! People were screaming at the top of their lungs about price gouging at the $3.50 station, but I'm glad they raised their price – nobody rushed that station like they did the other stations and that left enough fuel for me to buy gas and get home. I was willing to pay extra to get home. The other people weren't willing to pay extra for their lawn mower fuel. High prices got me home on 9/11.
   
   
   

   Melvin Waldron, CGCS said: Then why does a price rise $.28 cents per gallon? That is certainly more then .02 cents, you'll need to educate me on that one, as far as the gas taxes, I know in our state it is required to go to mainaining our roads and bridges, funny with the higher gas prices not as much gas is being sold, which means lower tax revenues, less repairs, more unemployment. I don't have much of a problem with our state sales tax, I have budgeted for it, and I know it is being used to improve the roads I use.

   
   
   Why did the price rise 28 cents? I don't know. But, I'm amazed at the how upset people get over such relatively small amounts. Sure, 28 cents on a $2.89/gal price is a 9% increase, but what did it cost you for the tank? My truck has an 18 gal tank. If the tank is totally dry, I've spent an additional $5.04 on that fill-up! That's what some people pay for coffee every day! Its also the cost of a cheap pack of cigarettes in most states. I usually full up three times a month, which puts my additional cost at $15.12/month – the equivalent of two fast food lunches!
   
   I don't like seeing gas prices go up, but to be realistic, this increase doesn't carry much of an impact for most people. Most of us uselessly waste more than the monthly increase each week!

   
   
   
   
2. Wallace Jeffrey V

   
   1/6/2012 11:01 AM

   "My spell check is screwing up again, so please don't hammer my spelling, Jeffy you can get me on my grammer though.
   
   Mel"
   
   Buddy,
   
   I wouldn't even think about correcting you. Except....it's "grammar", not "grammer". Oops....I corrected you. My bad. And I prefer Mr. Jeffy. Or just Mr., as Pete always addresses me.

   
   
   
   
3. Melvin Waldron

   

   43 posts
   
   1/6/2012 12:01 PM

   Sorry Mr. Jeffy, but hey that is a spell check issue. Spell check did work on this post. Maybe I was using smaller words that I knew how to spell?
   
   John, you are correct that it was a small amount I saved, actually it was right about 10 gallons, saved myself $2.80, but I don't buy fancy coffees at the Starbucks, I don't buy fast food lunches when working for the most part, I will usually get one every two weeks on pay day, but all other days I pack. I drive a 99 Civic, so that $2.80 will take me pretty far, you say we easily waste that savings, but I will say it is a big deal to me. But it does go back to how we make choices, those are the choices I make, I get what you are saying about that issue.
   
   To answer the question about hurting the economy around them or themselves it could when it changes customers patterns or habits. You can just look at the golf business when golf courses sometimes raise their greens fees a $1, depending on the other golf courses around them, they might see a dip in play, what about those golf courses that fire that high paid superintendent and hire a cheaper assistant? Maybe it does work, but what if the new guy without the experience loses some greens, they have now lost business. Also if salaries are depressed in an area, it can affect the spending of those employees, and if that city relies on sales taxes....I know all big ifs but I just want to present something to think about. Businesses need to do what they have to do, but I think sometimes they do not look at the big picture, or at least the big picture I see, and I know I don't always see their big picture either.
   
   Mel

   
   Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
   
   
4. Peter Bowman

   

   11 posts
   
   1/6/2012 1:01 PM

   Jeffrey Wallace, CGCS said: "My spell check is screwing up again, so please don't hammer my spelling, Jeffy you can get me on my grammer though.
   
   Mel"
   
   And I prefer Mr. Jeffy. Or just Mr., as Pete always addresses me.

   
   
   Hey Mr.! Were you the one, back when I was in high school......
   
   http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.p ... y%20Mister

   
   
   
   
5. James Schmid

   

   1 posts
   
   1/6/2012 3:01 PM

   Melvin Waldron, CGCS said:
   
   To answer the question about hurting the economy around them or themselves it could when it changes customers patterns or habits. You can just look at the golf business when golf courses sometimes raise their greens fees a $1, depending on the other golf courses around them, they might see a dip in play, what about those golf courses that fire that high paid superintendent and hire a cheaper assistant? Maybe it does work, but what if the new guy without the experience loses some greens, they have now lost business. Also if salaries are depressed in an area, it can affect the spending of those employees, and if that city relies on sales taxes....I know all big ifs but I just want to present something to think about. Businesses need to do what they have to do, but I think sometimes they do not look at the big picture, or at least the big picture I see, and I know I don't always see their big picture either.
   
   Mel

   
   
   Businesses don't Need to do anything. It is not the job of a business to save the economy. The only reason there are businesses is to make money. People don't open businesses because they are instructed to do so as a mechanism to employ people. They are started voluntarily by persons who want to make money. If it was supposedly so easy, and supposedly every business is sitting on mountains of cash, then all of those occupy whiners out there should just open a business for themselves, rake in mountains of cash and then instead of sitting on it use it to fix all of the economic and social ills that are currently plaguing our society.

   
   
   
   
6. Wallace Jeffrey V

   
   1/6/2012 4:01 PM

   Peter Bowman, CGCS said:

   Jeffrey Wallace, CGCS said: "My spell check is screwing up again, so please don't hammer my spelling, Jeffy you can get me on my grammer though.
   
   Mel"
   
   And I prefer Mr. Jeffy. Or just Mr., as Pete always addresses me.

   
   
   Hey Mr.! Were you the one, back when I was in high school......
   
   http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.p ... y%20Mister

   
   
   Yup. That was me. But, I didn't realize that I'd made it into a dictionary. Can I upload a photo? We're talking major chick magnet here. Wait....carrying a dictionary into a bar....probably not a chick magnet. Do they still have libraries on college campuses? I've always been attracted to girls with glasses. Warning: Don't Google that. The links always ask you if you're over 18.....

   
   
   
   
7. Melvin Waldron

   

   43 posts
   
   1/6/2012 8:01 PM

   James Schmid said:

   Melvin Waldron, CGCS said:
   
   To answer the question about hurting the economy around them or themselves it could when it changes customers patterns or habits. You can just look at the golf business when golf courses sometimes raise their greens fees a $1, depending on the other golf courses around them, they might see a dip in play, what about those golf courses that fire that high paid superintendent and hire a cheaper assistant? Maybe it does work, but what if the new guy without the experience loses some greens, they have now lost business. Also if salaries are depressed in an area, it can affect the spending of those employees, and if that city relies on sales taxes....I know all big ifs but I just want to present something to think about. Businesses need to do what they have to do, but I think sometimes they do not look at the big picture, or at least the big picture I see, and I know I don't always see their big picture either.
   
   Mel

   
   
   Businesses don't Need to do anything. It is not the job of a business to save the economy. The only reason there are businesses is to make money. People don't open businesses because they are instructed to do so as a mechanism to employ people. They are started voluntarily by persons who want to make money. If it was supposedly so easy, and supposedly every business is sitting on mountains of cash, then all of those occupy whiners out there should just open a business for themselves, rake in mountains of cash and then instead of sitting on it use it to fix all of the economic and social ills that are currently plaguing our society.

   
   
   James, you are 100% correct that businesses are there to make money, but if the economy isn't healthy what good does it do to open a business? I suppose some businesses do get opened because people want to be their own boss, maybe because they can't find a job, (I think that is how over half the lawn care businesses get started?). Maybe someone finds that they are good at something, (I think caterers), maybe someone opens a business to get a schedule that allows them to do things with their families, (certainly not those in the restaurant business). Wait, what about those private golf clubs, did they open to make money? I think it was more that like minded individuals could be together.
   
   But James why do you attack the 99's? Where to they fit into this discussion? I don't think I have brought them into this discussion, (except in the comment about the "worst of America" in Rush and Beck, and I don't know if that was in this thread or not). I don't think I have said every business is sitting on mounds of cash, it is mostly big businesses that make large profits that would be paying more in taxes if the percentage was raised on the 2nd million. That percentage raise doesn't affect many of the small businesses that are the back bone of the economy.
   
   To bring this back to the discussion of our latest issue, gas prices rising, and now I know this is starting to get very off topic to what this started as "payroll taxes" but when the oil companies raise their prices, it affects everyone, and the consumers two or three fold, because they have to pay more at the pump, cost of products they buy rise because of the cost of getting goods to market, but maybe some of the food prices will come down with corn prices coming down? I'm just trying to point out what that one industry can do to the economy, yes they can do what they want, but at what price?
   
   Mel
   
   Mel

   
   Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
   
   
8. James Schmid

   

   1 posts
   
   1/7/2012 8:01 AM

   James, you are 100% correct that businesses are there to make money, but if the economy isn't healthy what good does it do to open a business? I suppose some businesses do get opened because people want to (Make money while they) be their own boss, maybe because they can't find a job (and need to make money), (I think that is how over half the lawn care businesses get started?). Maybe someone finds that they are good at something (and wants to make money), (I think caterers), maybe someone opens a business to get a schedule that allows them to do things with their families(while making money), (certainly not those in the restaurant business). Wait, what about those private golf clubs(most of these are not for-profit entities or "businesses"), did they open to make money? I think it was more that like minded individuals could be together. All of these activities can be engaged in without opening a buisness. If I like to mow grass I can do so at my house, If i like to cook I don't need to open a catering business to do so. It is only at the point that someone wants to be PAID for these activities that they open a buisness that engages in said activities, therefore people open businesses to make money.
   
   But James why do you attack the 99's? (I'm not attacking the 99's, whatever that means)(I am attacking the occupiers, who rather than doing anything productive about their perceived problems sit around and whine about it) Where to they fit into this discussion? I don't think I have brought them into this discussion, (except in the comment about the "worst of America" in Rush and Beck, and I don't know if that was in this thread or not). I don't think I have said every business is sitting on mounds of cash, it is mostly big businesses that make large profits that would be paying more in taxes if the percentage was raised on the 2nd million. That percentage raise doesn't affect many of the small businesses that are the back bone of the economy.
   
   To bring this back to the discussion of our latest issue, gas prices rising, and now I know this is starting to get very off topic to what this started as "payroll taxes" but when the oil companies raise their prices, it affects everyone, and the consumers two or three fold, because they have to pay more at the pump, cost of products they buy rise because of the cost of getting goods to market, but maybe some of the food prices will come down with corn prices coming down? I'm just trying to point out what that one industry can do to the economy, yes they can do what they want, but at what price? So you are saying that they are raising the price because they want to, and that it has nothing to do with supply or demand or any other market forces? Mel - what would you say is the lowest price that Exxon/Mobil could charge for a gallon of gasoline and still stay in business?
   
   Mel
   
   Mel

   
   
   
   
9. Melvin Waldron

   

   43 posts
   
   1/7/2012 11:01 AM

   James Schmid said: James, you are 100% correct that businesses are there to make money, but if the economy isn't healthy what good does it do to open a business? I suppose some businesses do get opened because people want to (Make money while they) be their own boss, maybe because they can't find a job (and need to make money), (I think that is how over half the lawn care businesses get started?). Maybe someone finds that they are good at something (and wants to make money), (I think caterers), maybe someone opens a business to get a schedule that allows them to do things with their families(while making money), (certainly not those in the restaurant business). Wait, what about those private golf clubs(most of these are not for-profit entities or "businesses"), did they open to make money? I think it was more that like minded individuals could be together. All of these activities can be engaged in without opening a business. If I like to mow grass I can do so at my house, If i like to cook I don't need to open a catering business to do so. It is only at the point that someone wants to be PAID for these activities that they open a business that engages in said activities, therefore people open businesses to make money.I see what you are saying, and to a point can agree, but in some cases I see that they open the business because it is something they do, they have to make money to keep the business going and to live, just like I go to work for someone else to make money for my family and myself. I see making the money as a by product of starting the business.
   
   But James why do you attack the 99's? (I'm not attacking the 99's, whatever that means)(I am attacking the occupiers, who rather than doing anything productive about their perceived problems sit around and whine about it) But James, if there were jobs I believe most of them would be out there working instead of occupying, The 99% is the occupy movement.
   
   To bring this back to the discussion of our latest issue, gas prices rising, and now I know this is starting to get very off topic to what this started as "payroll taxes" but when the oil companies raise their prices, it affects everyone, and the consumers two or three fold, because they have to pay more at the pump, cost of products they buy rise because of the cost of getting goods to market, but maybe some of the food prices will come down with corn prices coming down? I'm just trying to point out what that one industry can do to the economy, yes they can do what they want, but at what price? So you are saying that they are raising the price because they want to, and that it has nothing to do with supply or demand or any other market forces? Mel - what would you say is the lowest price that Exxon/Mobil could charge for a gallon of gasoline and still stay in business? James, they raise prices because they can, what option except for switching to a bike do we have, I have acknowledge they need to make money and profit, According to John, they only make .02 cents per gallon, but most of their profits are made elsewhere, so if they can still make a profit at .01 cents per gallon, and continue to make profits on other things, maybe that still helps the consumer. Part of it is to vent, because it is something that happens that is out of our control except to drive smart and not use as much.
   
   Mel
   
   Mel

   
   Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
   
   
10. James Schmid

    

    1 posts
    
    1/7/2012 12:01 PM

    Melvin Waldron, CGCS said:

    James Schmid said: James, you are 100% correct that businesses are there to make money, but if the economy isn't healthy what good does it do to open a business? I suppose some businesses do get opened because people want to (Make money while they) be their own boss, maybe because they can't find a job (and need to make money), (I think that is how over half the lawn care businesses get started?). Maybe someone finds that they are good at something (and wants to make money), (I think caterers), maybe someone opens a business to get a schedule that allows them to do things with their families(while making money), (certainly not those in the restaurant business). Wait, what about those private golf clubs(most of these are not for-profit entities or "businesses"), did they open to make money? I think it was more that like minded individuals could be together. All of these activities can be engaged in without opening a business. If I like to mow grass I can do so at my house, If i like to cook I don't need to open a catering business to do so. It is only at the point that someone wants to be PAID for these activities that they open a business that engages in said activities, therefore people open businesses to make money.I see what you are saying, and to a point can agree, but in some cases I see that they open the business because it is something they do, they have to make money to keep the business going and to liveIf you agree that they need to make money to live then why are you going so far out of your way to disagree that businesses are in business to make money, and no significant amount of people would be running businesses if they were not making money? - businesses are in business to make money, just like I go to work for someone else to make money for my family and myself. I see making the money as a by product of starting the business.[color]
    
    But James why do you attack the 99's? (I'm not attacking the 99's, whatever that means)(I am attacking the occupiers, who rather than doing anything productive about their perceived problems sit around and whine about it) But James, if there were jobs I believe most of them would be out there working instead of occupying, The 99% is the occupy movement.Thats the reason there are no jobs, because sitting around whining does not create jobs. What creates jobs is creating jobs through such activities as producing a product and selling it. These people want to blame everyone else for their misfortunes. Why don't they start businesses and create jobs instead of bitchingthat no one else is doing it for them.
    
    To bring this back to the discussion of our latest issue, gas prices rising, and now I know this is starting to get very off topic to what this started as "payroll taxes" but when the oil companies raise their prices, it affects everyone, and the consumers two or three fold, because they have to pay more at the pump, cost of products they buy rise because of the cost of getting goods to market, but maybe some of the food prices will come down with corn prices coming down? I'm just trying to point out what that one industry can do to the economy, yes they can do what they want, but at what price? So you are saying that they are raising the price because they want to, and that it has nothing to do with supply or demand or any other market forces? Mel - what would you say is the lowest price that Exxon/Mobil could charge for a gallon of gasoline and still stay in business? James, they raise prices because they can, what option except for switching to a bike do we have, I have acknowledge they need to make money and profit, According to John, they only make .02 cents per gallon, but most of their profits are made elsewhere, so if they can still make a profit at .01 cents per gallon, and continue to make profits on other things, maybe that still helps the consumer. Part of it is to vent, because it is something that happens that is out of our control except to drive smart and not use as much.
    
    Mel
    
    Mel

    
    
    
    
11. Steven Kurta

    

    2 posts
    
    1/8/2012 2:01 AM

    Well said..

    
    
    
    
12. Melvin Waldron

    

    43 posts
    
    1/8/2012 11:01 AM

    Thanks Steve for the post,
    
    Ms. Warren, said is so few words what I was wanting to point out. Businesses are in the business to make money, but is that all there is? I think not, and one sees it when many businesses get involved in their communities. Some of that probably comes from tax deductions but I'm sure some of it comes from business leaders who understand Ms. Warren's statement. And hey it's makes for good advertising.
    
    Mel

    
    Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
    
    
13. McCallum David K

    
    1/9/2012 8:01 AM

    See Mel.......once again, as in your congressmen............your's is BAD......vote him out.......mine is GOOD and I want to keep him. I see it's the same way with political commentators.........yours is good those you disagree with are bad. That is exactly why NOTHING GETS DONE IN DC..........that attitude.

    
    
    
    
14. Wahlin Scott B

    
    1/9/2012 8:01 AM

    What part of the comment don't you like David?

    
    
    
    
15. Melvin Waldron

    

    43 posts
    
    1/9/2012 10:01 AM

    David, I would love to vote my congressman out but with all the republicans down here voting for the R instead of the candidate, we end up with an auctioneer. All he can say is he is fed up and he was a businessman because he signed the front of checks, well I sign the back of a check and he is doing me no favors.
    
    I will say that when we send someone like that to congress, it really puts him in an unfair position, he isn't a lawyer and probably doesn't understand a bill that he votes on. But honestly I don't know if I would be able to do any better. That is something that needs to be fixed if we want to follow what some are wanting, citizen politicians. Bills need to be written simpler and do not add things to the bill that has nothing to do with the main focus of the bill. Of course we need to get the money out as well.
    
    Mel

    
    Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO
    
    
16. McCallum David K

    
    1/9/2012 1:01 PM

    My comment to Mel, Scott was a repeat of mine to you about Sandy's. Mel agreed with you about Rush, Beck, Hannitty etc being bad Americans, bad for America because the two of you disagree with what they say. On the other hand the left wing liberal commentators he praised because, like you he agrees with their agenda. He made no comment that I disagreed with per se................I was merely pointing out his contradictions ........the other guy always has the bad idea, the bad plan, the bad congressman.........and you always have the good one. It's the liberal thought process.My way or the highway. The left has as little desire to compromise as does the extreme right.

    
    
    
    
17. Wahlin Scott B

    
    1/10/2012 6:01 AM

    When you've got the top Republican in the Senate saying his party's No. 1 priority is not to create jobs, not to fix the economy, but to beat me -- that gives you a sense of the mentality here. Things aren't on the level. - President Obama

    
    
    
    
18. Sandy Clark

    

    0 posts
    
    1/10/2012 9:01 AM

    When you believe the President is so far off base and potentially so damaging for the long-term good of the country, of course they feel beating him is #1 priority. Obama has ignored every bit of advice from his committees and with the help of the democrat dominated senate, shot down everything proposed by the house. Many of those house bills could be benefiting job creation right now but they were all DOA with Harry Reid and the senate. 15+ trillion and rapidly growing national debt and Obama basically ignores it in favor of his agenda. You can't label the house as do nothing or obstructionist when you never allow any of their work to even get to a vote or vote down every idea. The senate earns that title hands down. The democrats feel being bipartisan is when conservatives cave 100% to the democrats way of thinking.

    
    
    
    
19. Dennis Cook

    

    1 posts
    
    1/10/2012 12:01 PM

    Why in the world would we pass a payroll tax cut in the first place. It is social security tax. They call it payroll tax to make it sound good. Social Security is bankrupt and just to buy some votes they pass this payroll tax cut that is gonna mean a whole 40 bucks a month, for two months. Pass some real tax reform and drop the marginal rate of income taxes to 28% and see what kind of economic stimulus gets created. Businesses will be spending all the capital they have been saving and interjecting it into the economy. This means they will hire more people, which means more tax payers.
    
    Our problem in this country is not a deficiet of taxes. We take in almost three trillion dollars in taxes per year. Our problem is that our govt can't live within a budget and their answer is "tax the rich". Well the rich are paying the bulk of the taxes in this country already. I would rather have a rich guy paying my neighbor to produce a good or service, so the govt doesnt have to use my tax money to pay the guy because he is unemployed.
    
    There are so many regulations and burdens on the "rich guy" or businesses that they dont want to hire anybody. Get the govt out of their way and let rich people do what they do and create jobs.
    
    I cant remember the last job created by joe schmo who is sitting at home on the govt dole. But i do know a lot of wealthy people that employ thousands.
    
    Oh and by the way, govt does not create jobs, it just creates policy to stiffle them

    
    
    
    
20. Spotts David A

    
    1/10/2012 4:01 PM

    yeah, those rich guys have it bad. Guess I was wrong thinking they were just sitting on their $ until that socialist is out of office. They had tax breaks and breaks in the regulations put up after the 1990's savings and loan debacle and guess what. They created few jobs except out of the USA and took advantage of the relaxing banking rules and created another mess. Now they resent people who want the regulations back in place. Give me the good old days when the rich guy bet all his own money on wall street and when he lost it he jumped out the window without a golden parachute or the Bush sponsored TARP. Guess I'm just a romantic.

    
    
    
    
21. Wahlin Scott B

    
    1/10/2012 6:01 PM

    We already saw Romney-style vulture capitalism in action at the White House. GWB replaced the Clinton-era budget surpluses with record debt in a massive giveaway to the rich. It's like Mitt's running for a third term...

    
    
    
    
22. Spotts David A

    
    1/10/2012 10:01 PM

    I didn't cause this deficit. Old people who got sick didn't cause this deficit. Hungry children whose homes were foreclosed on illegally didn't cause this crisis. Your damned war profiteering did, tax cuts for the super rich did, corporate welfare did.

    
    
    
    
23. McCallum David K

    
    1/11/2012 6:01 AM

    Damn you guys are angry.....even David's avatar is angry......take a deep breath, relax, smile, play with your dog, grab your wife on the butt and make her day

    
    
    
    
24. Jon Gansen

    

    1 posts
    
    1/11/2012 7:01 AM

    David Spotts said: yeah, those rich guys have it bad. Guess I was wrong thinking they were just sitting on their $ until that socialist is out of office. They had tax breaks and breaks in the regulations put up after the 1990's savings and loan debacle and guess what. They created few jobs except out of the USA and took advantage of the relaxing banking rules and created another mess. Now they resent people who want the regulations back in place. Give me the good old days when the rich guy bet all his own money on wall street and when he lost it he jumped out the window without a golden parachute or the Bush sponsored TARP. Guess I'm just a romantic.

    
    
    Well Dave I think your little bird flying in the wind next to your posts says it all. One thing I do agree with is the TARP but you left out the Dem congress with nothing to say of the current regime that has done nothing but stimulate??? the car companies, freddie and fannie. Look up a few Barney Frank videos when he says freddie and fannie are in great shape leave them alone. Look up the book All the Devils are Here, very interesting. Let me know what you think. I will say capitalism has its criminals but socialism is criminal from the beginning.

    
    
    
    
25. Spotts David A

    
    1/11/2012 8:01 AM

    the socialism part of my post was called sarcasm. Regulations on bankers and wall street I do not consider a socialist agenda. Even some of the best capitalists (which I am all for) say the same. I don't think the super rich drive our economy, I think it is small business owners who right now are having trouble getting the super rich to lend them money to start or keep their business running, do. I am not nor do I want to be in on their reasons but I picture the two wall street guys in "trading Places" making a $1 bet that if they sit on their $ long enough they can get that black guy or insert liberal or insert socialist out of office and too bad if the country and the middle class go down a notch.
    I never meant to imply, and don't think I did, that I am a socialist or think Freddie and Fannie are blameless. After all, they are practically congressmen. Aren't congressmen the ones that lock up people like Martha Stewert and yet become millionaires because they can be insider traders that are exempt from the regulations? Republican or Democrat, I am an equal opportunity basher. It might piss you off to learn that I am quite happy and productive and don't require anybody elses money to keep me that way. I just call it as I see it. I have always been anti-war and anti-corporate greed. Seems to me that many times the two are connected. that being said, I would not vote for Ron Paul because I don't think he would try to protect us. I don't believe in war for money but I think we need to keep up on military intelligence and defend ourselves when necessary. I just don't think we should be the military Jehovah's witnesses of democracy or the policemen of the world. For one thing, we can't afford it. I also don't believe in borrowing money to give to people who will never be true allies or throw money at a war that was being fought before Christ was born. insert Iraq, middle east, etc.

    
    
    
    
26. Jon Gansen

    

    1 posts
    
    1/11/2012 9:01 AM

    Maybe term limit is the answer. How should you be allowed to make a career out of politics. How bout 2-3 terms on policy. Lets face it who goes to Washington and leaves a beggar.

    
    
    
    
27. Rodney Crow

    

    0 posts
    
    1/11/2012 9:01 AM

    I agree with Jon. I'm sick and tired of the same incompetent people making the same incompetent decisions over and over.....on BOTH sides of the political spectrum. When our democracy was created by the founding fathers, the overall intention was that the lawmakers would be your average, everyday citizens that would come together for a few weeks per year, then go back home to do their REAL jobs. Since our lawmakers never have a "real" job anymore, they never go home to get a true feel for how their constituents are living or the real-life struggles that we have. Term limits should be next big issue that gets discussed, followed by a statute that says whatever law is passed for the "common folk" MUST apply to congressmen as well.

    
    
    
    
28. Dennis Cook

    

    1 posts
    
    1/11/2012 11:01 AM

    So you guys dont consider running without a budget since the dems took over to be a problem? They just keep passing these things to keep the govt open and blame it on the repubs at the last minute. How about coming up with a budget that lives within what we take in in taxes and having to abide by it. My gosh what a concept. If I overspent what my golf course took in by double, i would be fired in two seconds flat. The problems are not the rich guy, its the govt who is out of control and does not have to police itself and spend within its means. They just keep spending more and saying lets tax the rich

    
    
    
    
29. Spotts David A

    
    1/11/2012 4:01 PM

    Dennis Cook said: So you guys don't consider running without a budget since the dems took over to be a problem? They just keep passing these things to keep the govt open and blame it on the repubs at the last minute. How about coming up with a budget that lives within what we take in in taxes and having to abide by it. My gosh what a concept. If I overspent what my golf course took in by double, i would be fired in two seconds flat. The problems are not the rich guy, its the govt who is out of control and does not have to police itself and spend within its means. They just keep spending more and saying lets tax the rich

    
    Dennis, I don't consider it a republican OR democrat thing. I consider it as both a republican ANDdemocrat thing. At this point the parties are so far apart, nothing to help the people will get done. I think that being rich isn't bad, being greedy is. I think there is a difference between profit and obscene profit. One example might be you could charge $5 a gallon of gas right now because people need it but I don't think that makes it right to do so when you can make a decent living charging $2.50 a gallon and let the economy and average joe and small business and our country make a recovery. These prices are no longer mostly market driven(capitalism) but instead are set by speculators. If you or I went to an outdoor event where the temperature was 110 and we had bags of ice and water that we sold for a profit(capitalism) we wouldn't have a problem. If we sold them for $50 a glass while people around us fell, we would be arrested. Just because you can[b]do something doesn't necessarily mean you [b]should. As a society, that is why we have laws.

    
    
    
    
30. McCallum David K

    
    1/12/2012 9:01 AM

    I've only been preaching that's it the fault and problem of both parties........both are hard headed and have their own agendas and not always in their constiutents best interest at heart. And just recently I made a comment in a post about gas and oil prices......everyone and I mean everyone makes money off of $75 a barrel oil and it keeps gas at a price people buy it....the ole supply and demand theory. At $ 100+ a barrel commodities traders get rich.
    I sit in on a montly meeting on our entire company operations of agriculture, banking, timber, hunting leases, oil & gas........the black sheep at the table right now is golf and real estate. Everyone loves $75 oil.