cavegal's Comments (176)

“Thank you and I agree we are in real trouble here.”

“Agreed. Especially with your last paragraph. I am extremely suspicious of any numbers coming out of Wall Street. I think they are trying to create another sucker rally. The middle class being the suckers!”

“The Chinese economy is completely dependent on foreign markets for it's manufacturing exports. I highly recommend reading articles by Gordon Chang and Jim Chanos. Gordon Chang wrote "The Coming Collapse of China" in 2001 and Jim Chanos owns Kynikos Associates, the world's biggest short selling hedge fund. Chanos was the investor that predicted Enron would implode and shorted the stock. He was right. Here is an excerpt of a story on Chanos from New York Magazine:

Chanos was excited that afternoon. He had just read a report that China’s electric consumption had dropped 4 percent, despite official government statistics that the Chinese economy was growing at 8 percent. He relished the implications. “I think they’re making up the numbers!” he said. As Wall Street picks up the pieces of the broken financial system, Chanos is already one step ahead. He sees China as the next domino to fall in the global meltdown. In recent months, Chanos has loaded up short positions on the infrastructure companies that have rushed to build China’s new highways, bridges, and tunnels. Now he is waiting for their share prices to tank.

http://nymag.com/news/business/52754/”

“Chanos is reportedly attempting to short the entire Chinese economy. What's fueling the short case against China?

The $4.3 trillion Chinese economy is under-performing despite a $900 billion stimulus program.

China seems to be cooking its books. For instance, it reports that car sales are surging while gasoline consumption is flat. Is that realistic? Or are state run Chinese companies just stock-piling cars?

China may have too much capacity. The central planners built out productive capacity for a booming economy but China is stalling. In nearly every sector of the economy, China is in danger of producing huge quantities of goods with no buyers.

China's economic and political posturing signals that its leaders have no idea what is in store for them. The result may be a surprising economic collapse, akin to what happened when the housing bubble popped in the US.

http://www.businessinsider.com/jim-chanos-china-is-headed-for-a-huge-crash-2009-11”

“We live by the mantra of the Wall Street quarterly profit report. It is decimating our economy. You are right in that we are a country that does not think strategically 50 years into the future. We are not prepared to compete on a global playing field and are now scrambling for some positioning.”

“The weakness of the Chinese economy is that it's export-dominated, which accounts for 38-42 percent of its GDP. With developed countries not being able to purchase Chinese goods at the rate that they had been in the past, you'll see a continued decline in the Chinese economy. In essence, the Chinese leaders can do everything right and yet they still don't control their own destiny. And that's a problem you see in all the export-dependent economies, such as Russia, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Germany.

China has decided to try its own stimulus program in which they are trading short-term growth for long-term decline. Whereas when China opened up in December 1978, they grew their economy by developing a private sector. Now they're going in the opposite direction: renationalizing industries, choking off China's engine of growth and creating bad loans. They're going down the wrong path.

http://www.realclearworld.com/articles/2009/07/23/interview_with_gordon_chang_96972.html”

“LMAO!! Just make sure they are over your threshold when you shoot. Then it is self defense! Since i would prefer not to kill anyone, I keep a 22 and aim for the genitals. Two rounds should keep them from moving until the police arrive.”

“Way to go Huffington Post!”

“I definitely identify with your comment about the whole rosy convictions during the campaign. I voted for Obama because the alternative was mind numbing. That being said, I found the whole "hope and change" of the campaign pretty much standard political rhetoric. I think the American people were so happy to hear a President speak without mangling the English language that they gave Obama a pass on living up to his campaign promises.”

“That's a ridiculous statement. Republican incumbents are being challenged by their own party members or other conservatives. Look at NY23. In the Texas Governor's race Kay Bailey Hutchison is running against Perry and leading in the polls.”

“Excellent comparison to previous Presidents.”

“My brother is a vet and if it weren't for VA healthcare he would have none at all. I do think this is a good thing that passed.”

“In the works also is 60 billion to the coal industry for carbon capture and sequestration, to date an unproven technology, and 20 billion for alternative energies, many of which are tested and fully developed such as wind and solar. If change were really the mantra other than a campaign slogan, those numbers would be reversed.”

“Very interesting comment”

“One year represents 25% of his term.”

“Just because we voted for Obama and recognized that a McCain/Palin ticket was disaster for the country does not mean we have forgotten what we voted for. At some point the American electorate has to wake up and recognize they should be participating in their Democracy. That is how you get things done.

We are in two wars, we very nearly brought the global economy to a standstill and we are still one of the very last leading industrial nations with no comprehensive healthcare for all of it's citizens. The changes that we voted for require us to keep them at the forefront of the President's and Congress's agendas.”

“Fanned and faved. That was a very good comment. I have to admit when Rahm Emanuel was announced as Chief of Staff the glow from the campaign win wore off.”

“I couldn't agree more. I would highly recommend that everyone get in the habit of calling and or writing their congressional representation on a weekly basis. After a while they get to know you. And don't forget to call when they make a good vote. They never get thanked. It is important for the legislators that are standing up for the public's rights here some thank you messages from their constituents.”

“I agree with a lot of your comment and would like to add that Obama is also the undisputed head of his party as President. He should be corralling the Democrats in Congress under an agenda of legislation that he would like most to see pass. It appears (this may or may not be true) that Obama is more concerned with passing bi-partisan legislation than focusing on the reform that was promised in his campaign.”

“For the most part I agree with you but instead believe that Arianna is doing as much as she can to help educate and inform the electorate. She does do her part by showing us where reform legislation is being weakened. I am sure, when you consider her body of work, that Ariana would like nothing more than to see the middle class rise up as it's own powerful lobby.

By maintaining a constant pressure and focusing on imminent elections we can further press for the reforms we have been seeking for decades. I received an email from Move On regarding a health care meeting and march in front of Senator John Cornyn's office in the city where I live. It is being held tomorrow. I will be participating and taking pictures. I believe there are others scheduled across the country. I would urge those that have the time to give a percentage of that time to assisting in maintaining the pressure on our elected officials. It's time these Congress critters starting experiencing discomfort from an awakened electorate.”

“And who do you think the GOP has, other than Romney, that might appeal to moderate voters?”

“In order for any progressive agenda in this country to succeed, the middle class has got to get away from the keyboards and onto the street. We have to participate in being heard. Writing letters and calling consistently are necessary as well as participating in any marches or protests in cities around the country. Congress and the Administration have to be reminded constantly that we are tired of getting the shaft. We are tired of being bled dry and it is time for some serious reform of our government and our economic markets.

By maintaining a constant pressure and focusing on imminent elections we can further press for the reforms we have seeking for decades. I received an email from Move On regarding a health care meeting and march in front of Senator John Cornyn's office in the city where I live. It is being held tomorrow. I will be participating and taking pictures. I believe there are others scheduled across the country. I would urge those that have the time to give a percentage of that time to assisting in maintaining the pressure on our elected officials. It's time these Congress critters starting experiencing discomfort from an awakened electorate.”

“I do not think it is wrong for progressives, liberals, centrists, conservatives or republicans to be questioning some of the weakened legislation that is coming out of Congress. Especially the bills that our being discussed on the business page in relation to financial regulations. At every turn we are seeing the platforms that we campaigned for being stripped to service the greediest among us on Wall Street.

Obama has to start remembering the middle class that is being hosed that got him elected.”

“The interesting thing was they didn't even need her vote..”

“Cheers to your comment!”