THE POLITICAL ARENA!!! Political Gladiators Inside!!

[songsmith]

Could JFK be in today's Democrat party?

This is going to be especially funny as the proposed Obama Tax Break for Business takes effect... he's beating the wingers at their own game. Wait 'til they see their tax bills....

[Banned]

[ more viewers than Fox Business, but not even half the viewers of Fox News itself. I don't know anyone who watches Fox Business. I watch CNBC for all my stock market updates. Call me when MSNBC isn't so bias.

joe watches Fox Bidness. CNBC is obviously owned by Microsoft and (gasp) NBC. You know, the "liberal lamestream" media.

Fox gets more viewership on cable because moderates and the vast majority of liberals don't need the constant barrage of propaganda to formulate an opinion, nor the constant validation and indoctrination. MSNBC just isn't as necessary. As for bias, if Fox is biased, you should have no problem with MSNBC... if you're a free-thinker.

stumpy has given himself omniscient powers because he thinks he knows what I watch. Liberals don't need MSNBC because they get their indoctrination from NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN, PBS, Time, Newsweek, NY Times, Washington Post, LA Times, Chicago Sun, US News and World Report........

But MSNBC does give them that tingle down their legs.

[f.sciarrillo]

I just hope all the liberals are wearing lose shorts for Obama's speech tomorrow.

[songsmith]

The "Obama gives me shivers up my leg" crowd has refused to acknowledge that after more than three years into his term, Obama is not responsible for anything that is wrong.

...And I bet that galls your ass. Good. He isn't. A corrupt media, an obstructive conservative party, and an unchecked plutarchy are responsible for our predicament. Frustrated? GOOD. You should be.

Apparently, all that's bad in the world is the making of George W. Bush in absentia. I agree that there are a few things that happened on his watch that caused some problems that still linger, but to blame anything that happened after Obama took office on Bush policy is a huge fallacy.

IF ONLY the Obama-deranged only blamed him for things that happened AFTER he took office. He's regularly blamed by the hard-right misinformers for TARP, Iraq, Afghanistan, Fast & Furious, and numerous other things that started before he was president. Since then, simply opposing everything he's done has been JOB ONE for the right, not job-creation, education, fair taxation, etc. It doesn't take a genius to to see who's trying, and who's trying to stop the one trying. I will repeat this point as needed, forever. Frustrated? Good.

When Obama took office, his party had a congressional supermajority that could overcome a filibuster with cloture for a full year and a huge majority for his 2nd year. The fact that his party lost the House majority after those two years is completely irrelevant. If Bush policies were a problem, then it was up to Obama to CHANGE them as soon as possible and while he could do so with little problem. Correct me if I am wrong, but didn't Obama mention something about "change" during his campaign?

There is still a system of checks and balances in place. The GOP House has seen fit to oppose everything from the other side of the aisle, instead opting to dawdle with stupidity like making In God We Trust the official motto, and such. If ONLY Obama would exercise his power to check and balance those criminals more often, we'd be further along... but America thinks Obama's doing a far better job than Congress, which is why he'll be re-elected, and we all know that. Frustrated? GOOD. You should be.

There are only three possibilities:

1) Obama did not want to change Bush policy
2) Obama did not try to change Bush policy
3) Obama failed to change Bush policy

Because of this inaction, today's federal policy is OBAMA's policy, not BUSH's policy.

4) Congress cock-blocked all attempts to change Bush's policy.
We all understood what "I want him to fail," actually meant... "I will cause him to fail." We all also know that Obama's wide victory in 2008 resulted in the now-failed Tea Party, a media-invented reaction to having their asses whipped. People showed up at town-halls with guns, the dogs of war were baring their teeth. The underachieverjoe's of the world screamed to high heaven at the slightest perceived sin against them, and STILL DO. The 'Trust still gets a boo-boo-lip on a daily basis, as if Obama has never ever accomplished anything. Anytime I want to piss off the elite here, I bring up an Obama accomplishment... within minutes, I have lots of denials and blog-links.
The fact is, Lonewolf's post (which elicited no small agreement from conservatives here) is itself a denial of Obama's accomplishments.
Despite all the bluster of the neocon media...despite rightwing political obstructionism... despite unlimited corporate soft-money... Americans are favoring a second term of Obama presidency.
Frustrated?
GOOD.

[lonewolf]

The "Obama gives me shivers up my leg" crowd has refused to acknowledge that after more than three years into his term, Obama is not responsible for anything that is wrong.

...And I bet that galls your ass. Good. He isn't. A corrupt media, an obstructive conservative party, and an unchecked plutarchy are responsible for our predicament. Frustrated? GOOD. You should be.

Doesn't bother me at all. I do not care what kind of fantasies you and the rest of the uber-left 5% believe and neither does the rest of the population.

I just know that most people are fed up with excuses and lies and I just wanted to post a clear and concise post that sums up that view on the subject.

As for the rest of your mumbo jumbo:

What is it about a filibuster-proof democrat majority that you do not understand?

[Banned]

Obomunism has accomplished quite a bit:

-terrible economy

-terrible unemployment

-record high price of gas (2011 avg. a record)

-record housing market destruction

-record class warfare, never before directed from the presidency

All of stumpy's koolaid has totally driven him insane. Maybe some liberals should arrange a benefit for the loss of his mind.

[Hawk]

I don't believe it is big oil keeping the prices high for second. Especially since they make so little in profit. I feel it is the embargo in the gulf and the fact that dipshit obama is insisting on getting it from other countries.

I know you barry lovers will never admit to that. You get too much of a shiver up your leg every time he talks.

According to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, 37 million offshore acres were offered in the Gulf of Mexico for oil and gas exploration and production. The current 2011 average for U.S. petroleum production (through October 2011) is 7,782 thousand barrels per day, actually the highest in more than a decade — since the average of 8,011 thousand barrels per day in 1998, according to figures from the Energy Information Administration. And EIA estimates that the current 11-month average for U.S. dependence on foreign oil for 2011 is 45.4 percent. That’s the lowest since 44.5 percent in 1995.

Frank, why don't you get it ? Big oil has too much oil, they are exporting fuel. You continue to think increasing production will lower prices when they ALREADY HAVE TOO MUCH. Demand in down in the US.

[Hawk]

Obomunism has accomplished quite a bit:

-terrible economy

-terrible unemployment

-record high price of gas (2011 avg. a record)

-record housing market destruction

-record class warfare, never before directed from the presidency

.

Companies are making record profits, the economy is great. They just won't let it trickle down.

The top % are hoarding nearly two trillion dollars (remember they are making record profits) yet are doing all they can to lower wages. By creating less jobs they have a choke hold on laborers. They are doing everything they can to destroy unions. Unions only make up about 12% of the workforce.

Record price for gas ? Big oil has so much they are exporting fuel rather than lower prices due to a decrease in demand.

Housing has yet to recover from the great housing bubble.

Class warfare was is the heart of the conservative agenda. The president is finally defending the middle class.

[lonewolf]

Companies are making record profits, the economy is great. They just won't let it trickle down.

In the business cycle, excellent company profit is always the 1st thing that comes out of a recession. Because of layoffs, companies are leaner & meaner and that translates into lower operating expenses. While profits may be up, sales are not up as much as profits.

Also, there are some companies that are harbingers of certain industries or the economy in general. WalMart is such a company. Generally, when you see Walmart doing better and more upscale retailers like Macy's doing worse, it denotes the beginning of slow growth or a recession.

Yesterday, the opposite happened and that portends signs of growth in consumption and the economy. Macy's beat estimates and WalMart did not.

I wouldn't call the economy "great", but there seems to be more consumin' goin' on.
{written with a really bad Texas drawl}

[lonewolf]

Never confuse oil with gasoline. They are mutually exclusive. We still import about half our oil, but we are a net exporter of gasoline.

Expanding oil production in North America may not have much effect on gasoline prices because of export, but i promise you that a drop in oil production definitely will have an effect...and not one that you or I will appreciate.

[Banned]

In 2009, a record 49.5% of tax filers did not pay income taxes.

http://blog.heritage.org/2012/02/19/cha ... ome-taxes/

A percentage of those then receive an Earned Income Tax Refund even when they pay no income taxes.

[f.sciarrillo]

I don't believe it is big oil keeping the prices high for second. Especially since they make so little in profit. I feel it is the embargo in the gulf and the fact that dipshit obama is insisting on getting it from other countries.

I know you barry lovers will never admit to that. You get too much of a shiver up your leg every time he talks.

According to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, 37 million offshore acres were offered in the Gulf of Mexico for oil and gas exploration and production. The current 2011 average for U.S. petroleum production (through October 2011) is 7,782 thousand barrels per day, actually the highest in more than a decade — since the average of 8,011 thousand barrels per day in 1998, according to figures from the Energy Information Administration. And EIA estimates that the current 11-month average for U.S. dependence on foreign oil for 2011 is 45.4 percent. That’s the lowest since 44.5 percent in 1995.

Frank, why don't you get it ? Big oil has too much oil, they are exporting fuel. You continue to think increasing production will lower prices when they ALREADY HAVE TOO MUCH. Demand in down in the US.

Demand is down because of the prices and price. So naturally they would sell to those who want it. I am just waiting for the fowl cries to obama for the price. They did it with Bush, why aren't they doing it with Obama.

[f.sciarrillo]

Obama sang with BB King. Look for MSNBC to have a special on it, and watch out for the stampede of liberals getting in line to buy his cd when it comes out

Here -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhO1DnNKYbo

[Hawk]

I don't believe it is big oil keeping the prices high for second. Especially since they make so little in profit. I feel it is the embargo in the gulf and the fact that dipshit obama is insisting on getting it from other countries.

I know you barry lovers will never admit to that. You get too much of a shiver up your leg every time he talks.

According to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, 37 million offshore acres were offered in the Gulf of Mexico for oil and gas exploration and production. The current 2011 average for U.S. petroleum production (through October 2011) is 7,782 thousand barrels per day, actually the highest in more than a decade — since the average of 8,011 thousand barrels per day in 1998, according to figures from the Energy Information Administration. And EIA estimates that the current 11-month average for U.S. dependence on foreign oil for 2011 is 45.4 percent. That’s the lowest since 44.5 percent in 1995.

Frank, why don't you get it ? Big oil has too much oil, they are exporting fuel. You continue to think increasing production will lower prices when they ALREADY HAVE TOO MUCH. Demand in down in the US.

Demand is down because of the prices and price. So naturally they would sell to those who want it. I am just waiting for the fowl cries to obama for the price. They did it with Bush, why aren't they doing it with Obama.

Go ahead, explain to me what Obama is doing to keep gas prices high. Don't forget that he has increased US drilling since he took office.

According to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, 37 million offshore acres were offered in the Gulf of Mexico for oil and gas exploration and production. The current 2011 average for U.S. petroleum production (through October 2011) is 7,782 thousand barrels per day, actually the highest in more than a decade — since the average of 8,011 thousand barrels per day in 1998, according to figures from the Energy Information Administration. And EIA estimates that the current 11-month average for U.S. dependence on foreign oil for 2011 is 45.4 percent. That’s the lowest since 44.5 percent in 1995.

EDIT:

Forbes:

America's largest oil and gas companies recently announced their earnings reports for the first quarter of 2011. The figures were eye-popping: Exxon Mobil alone posted $10.7 billion in profits. Chevron and ConocoPhillips--the next two biggest U.S. firms in the industry--posted smaller but still impressive numbers of $6.2 billion and $3 billion, respectively.

All these results reflected large increases from last year's numbers.

Huffington: (while you don't like this source, you will NOT be able to dispute the factual numbers in any research you might choose to do.)

WASHINGTON -- The sputtering economy, high unemployment rate and punishing gas prices are taking a huge toll on average Americans, but at least somebody is doing well: The Big Five oil companies this week announced they had made a whopping $36 billion in profits in the second quarter of 2011.

According to second-quarter earnings reports, ExxonMobil alone made $10.7 billion in the most recent three months. That's a 41 percent increase over the same period last year and a 161 percent increase over 2009.

Shell nearly doubled its profits year over year, taking in $8.7 billion in the second quarter. Chevron's profits were $7.7 billion, up 43 percent. BP earned $5.6 billion, a far cry from its $17.2 billion loss a year ago. Only Conoco Philips, with $3.4 billion in earnings, posted smaller profits than a year ago, dropping 18 percent due to the jettisoning of some Russian assets.

A good chunk of these profits is coming right out the pockets of the American public, thanks in part to astronomical gas prices and to $4 billion to $8 billion a year in deficit-increasing tax subsidies that oil companies continue to get, long after the incentives those subsidies were designed to create ceased to make economic sense.

[Hawk]

Never confuse oil with gasoline. They are mutually exclusive. We still import about half our oil, but we are a net exporter of gasoline.

Expanding oil production in North America may not have much effect on gasoline prices because of export, but i promise you that a drop in oil production definitely will have an effect...and not one that you or I will appreciate.

I haven't confused oil with fuels. Given that our refineries are exporting fuel means that we should be importing LESS OIL. If our refineries imported less, according to the right wingers (and they are wrong) prices will go down. My point has always been that Big Oil will gouge us at whatever the market will bear. This just proves that an increase of oil from the US will NOT lower fuel prices.

[f.sciarrillo]

According to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, 37 million offshore acres were offered in the Gulf of Mexico for oil and gas exploration and production. The current 2011 average for U.S. petroleum production (through October 2011) is 7,782 thousand barrels per day, actually the highest in more than a decade — since the average of 8,011 thousand barrels per day in 1998, according to figures from the Energy Information Administration. And EIA estimates that the current 11-month average for U.S. dependence on foreign oil for 2011 is 45.4 percent. That’s the lowest since 44.5 percent in 1995.

Frank, why don't you get it ? Big oil has too much oil, they are exporting fuel. You continue to think increasing production will lower prices when they ALREADY HAVE TOO MUCH. Demand in down in the US.

Demand is down because of the prices and price. So naturally they would sell to those who want it. I am just waiting for the fowl cries to obama for the price. They did it with Bush, why aren't they doing it with Obama.

Go ahead, explain to me what Obama is doing to keep gas prices high. Don't forget that he has increased US drilling since he took office.

According to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, 37 million offshore acres were offered in the Gulf of Mexico for oil and gas exploration and production. The current 2011 average for U.S. petroleum production (through October 2011) is 7,782 thousand barrels per day, actually the highest in more than a decade — since the average of 8,011 thousand barrels per day in 1998, according to figures from the Energy Information Administration. And EIA estimates that the current 11-month average for U.S. dependence on foreign oil for 2011 is 45.4 percent. That’s the lowest since 44.5 percent in 1995.

EDIT:

Forbes:

America's largest oil and gas companies recently announced their earnings reports for the first quarter of 2011. The figures were eye-popping: Exxon Mobil alone posted $10.7 billion in profits. Chevron and ConocoPhillips--the next two biggest U.S. firms in the industry--posted smaller but still impressive numbers of $6.2 billion and $3 billion, respectively.

All these results reflected large increases from last year's numbers.

Huffington: (while you don't like this source, you will NOT be able to dispute the factual numbers in any research you might choose to do.)

WASHINGTON -- The sputtering economy, high unemployment rate and punishing gas prices are taking a huge toll on average Americans, but at least somebody is doing well: The Big Five oil companies this week announced they had made a whopping $36 billion in profits in the second quarter of 2011.

According to second-quarter earnings reports, ExxonMobil alone made $10.7 billion in the most recent three months. That's a 41 percent increase over the same period last year and a 161 percent increase over 2009.

Shell nearly doubled its profits year over year, taking in $8.7 billion in the second quarter. Chevron's profits were $7.7 billion, up 43 percent. BP earned $5.6 billion, a far cry from its $17.2 billion loss a year ago. Only Conoco Philips, with $3.4 billion in earnings, posted smaller profits than a year ago, dropping 18 percent due to the jettisoning of some Russian assets.

A good chunk of these profits is coming right out the pockets of the American public, thanks in part to astronomical gas prices and to $4 billion to $8 billion a year in deficit-increasing tax subsidies that oil companies continue to get, long after the incentives those subsidies were designed to create ceased to make economic sense.

You are still blaming the refineries for the prices. How can it be the refineries when they only get .06 cents profit a gallon? It can't. You don't want the refineries to make a profit at all. How much of a profit do you think is enough for the refineries? .01 cent a gallon? I know, 0.0 cents a gallon.

The government takes .40 cents a gallon. WHy aren't you complaining about how much they are getting? If the refineries are making record profits, then so is the government. They are taking 5 times more than the refineries. So start blaming them also. I know you can't.
edit:

http://www.factcheck.org/2008/04/gasoline-tax-profits/

[f.sciarrillo]

Slyndra top executives get a 300,000.00 bonus. Must be more money for the Obama campaign.

http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/02/22/ ... yndra.html

[Hawk]

Oil is making record profits. They could import less oil because of increased oil production from the US.

If oil prices came down so would gas prices. What is Obama doing to keep oil prices high ?

Now explain to me (you didn't in your posts) what Obama is doing that is keeping oil (high oil prices = high gas prices) high ?

If the refineries imported less from foreign countries, wouldn't the price of oil come down ? That's the right wing thinking.

[Hawk]

Slyndra top executives get a 300,000.00 bonus. Must be more money for the Obama campaign.

http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/02/22/ ... yndra.html

Totally sucks !

[f.sciarrillo]

Oil is making record profits. They could import less oil because of increased oil production from the US.

If oil prices came down so would gas prices. What is Obama doing to keep oil prices high ?

Now explain to me (you didn't in your posts) what Obama is doing that is keeping oil (high oil prices = high gas prices) high ?

If the refineries imported less from foreign countries, wouldn't the price of oil come down ? That's the right wing thinking.

He's not allowing more domestic production and won't quit buying so much from foreign countries. There is anwar, and there is the gulf, as well as other off sure areas throughout the country that could be getting drilled. Production may be a little higher, but it is only from the drilling of areas that are already up and running. That isn't helping. Obama is going along with the environmentalist and not wanting any domestic drilling.

I don't blame the refineries for selling to other countries, the economy here sucks and demand is down because of it, and the prices.

We need look to other means of energy, and do it soon.

What was Bush doing to keep prices so high? You blamed him for it as much as I blame obama for it.

[f.sciarrillo]

Taking heat on gas prices, Obama to defend energy policy but offer ‘no quick fixes’

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/ ... story.html

[lonewolf]

Never confuse oil with gasoline. They are mutually exclusive. We still import about half our oil, but we are a net exporter of gasoline.

Expanding oil production in North America may not have much effect on gasoline prices because of export, but i promise you that a drop in oil production definitely will have an effect...and not one that you or I will appreciate.

I haven't confused oil with fuels. Given that our refineries are exporting fuel means that we should be importing LESS OIL. If our refineries imported less, according to the right wingers (and they are wrong) prices will go down. My point has always been that Big Oil will gouge us at whatever the market will bear. This just proves that an increase of oil from the US will NOT lower fuel prices.

What sort of logic deduces that if you export more fuel, you should import fewer raw materials for that fuel? That makes zero sense, even if you disregard the reality of a world market and embrace isolationism.

Importing less oil drives prices down? I don't know who ever said that, but that's just plain silly. Especially when you consider that imported oil usually costs a lot less to produce.

In a world market, gasoline goes to the highest bidder and apparently that's China. Big oil is in business to make a profit, not to provide US citizens with a lifestyle that is proving to be unsustainable. Contrary to popular belief, we Americans are not "special."
{holds nose to sound like PeeWee Herman}

Better get used to it.

We have actually been lucky here in the US where gasoline is still cheap compared to the rest of the world...we are just catching up.

The lifestyle based on cheap gasoline is over. Time to go to cheap natural gas.

[songsmith]

I do not care what kind of fantasies you and the rest of the uber-left 5% believe and neither does the rest of the population.

I just know that most people are fed up with excuses and lies and I just wanted to post a clear and concise post that sums up that view on the subject.

You'd better take another look at "the rest of the population."
As I do not represent the 5% uber-left, I can't really tell you what they think, and neither can you, but I can tell you those of us in the middle blame the right. Your party is still in freefall because each of you is more important than all of you. When I want excuses and lies, I go to you and the media you espouse.
I can also tell you that "the rest of the population," is laughing at you and all the other joes, and daily a new outrageous sound-bite or misstep adds fuel to the fire. You've lost authority on this forum, the national level, and around the world, and you have yourself and joe to blame. As for "clear and concise," you missed that boat, unless regurgitated Fox-talk is now considered clear and concise.

[songsmith]

I don't believe it is big oil keeping the prices high for second. Especially since they make so little in profit. I feel it is the embargo in the gulf and the fact that dipshit obama is insisting on getting it from other countries.

I know you barry lovers will never admit to that. You get too much of a shiver up your leg every time he talks.

Oil companies make the most profit of any business in human history. How much more profit do they need? You're looking at fake charts from some blog... or something. There is no embargo in either the Gulf of Mexico (where they're drilling like mad) or the Persian Gulf, where the US Navy picks up surrendering Iranian sailors on a daily basis... we own that gulf. Bill laid the figures out for the 'Trust, but it went ignored, because it didn't dove-tail with what your media is drilling into you this week.

The Braintrust, ever clueless to their own manipulation, is busy lately, hitting the right-wing agenda hard, gasoline, gasoline, gasoline... it's what's being served them, and look, Ma... nary a word about the EMBARRASSING beatings the right is taking on the social issues they chose a few weeks ago. Santorum is revealing himself to be even more of a dick than we thought he was, his platform has been anti-birth-control, anti-choice, anti-gay; and all the evening news has to do is run what he says. It turns out that his idea of "small government" is complete, hands-off freedom for business, and tight socio-religious control of the bedroom and the family. Romney's past as a corporate raider and trust-fund-baby have made him comically clueless as to what the underclass do/think/feel. Newt is an also-ran whose personal baggage and political past make non-hardliners wonder what the hell the wing-nuts were thinking, but hey, you're the party that gave us notorious losers like Sarah Palin, Christine ODonnell, Michele Bachmann, and Donald Trump.
Every single day, the rhetoric gets hotter from the right, and every single day, the reception gets cooler.
You're losing, and you may have already lost in November, and we all can sense it. As The Braintrust gets more desperate, posting 2 pages a day on this thread, you become less and less competent, which makes everyone else more confident.

[songsmith]

In 2009, a record 49.5% of tax filers did not pay income taxes.

http://blog.heritage.org/2012/02/19/cha ... ome-taxes/

A percentage of those then receive an Earned Income Tax Refund even when they pay no income taxes.

Most of us don't need a heritage.org blog to tell us that 2009 was a tough year, Jim Cramer. When you take a loss, you don't pay taxes on the loss. BP took a loss in 2010, and took the cost of the gulf cleanup off their taxes. But that's okay, huh. 2009 was ALL BUSH, baby. You can't blame Big Bad O for the devastation Bush caused the year before, but... you will, because you're told to.
Quick, Cramer, tell us how many corporations didn't pay taxes that year.