patrick.net

Tot, you really need to read the whole article. From one of your links showing liberal stupidity
http://www.economist.com/blogs/freeexchange/2011/08/sps-credit-rating-cut

As important (to me, even more important) was the the reckless and divisive battle that preceded it:

(quote from the S&P downgrade)

The political brinksmanship of recent months highlights what we see as America’s governance and policymaking becoming less stable, less effective, and less predictable than what we previously believed. The statutory debt ceiling and the threat of default have become political bargaining chips in the debate over fiscal policy … [This] weakens the government’s ability to manage public finances …

This is crucial. Sovereigns aren’t like companies. They can’t go bankrupt, and creditors can’t seize their assets. Their creditworthiness depends as much on their willingness as their ability to pay. As Felix Salmon presciently noted before the announcement was made, it’s not our ability to pay that’s in doubt:

(another quote from s&p)

America’s ability to pay is neither here nor there: the problem is its willingness to pay. And there’s a serious constituency of powerful people in Congress who are perfectly willing and even eager to drive the US into default. The Tea Party is fully cognizant that it has been given a bazooka, and it’s just itching to pull the trigger. There’s no good reason to believe that won’t happen at some point.

Absent the toxic politics that infected the debate, we could have hammered out a deal that stabilized the debt without squeezing the economy too much in the near term. After all, Britain, Germany and even Italy seem able to do so, and we have in the past, too.

dude, you're as rare as BigFoot these days

elliemae says

Nomination for the SMARTEST thing said on patnet (sorry to yell, there):

This country is run on protecting people from the epidemic of their own willing ignorance.
- Austinhousingbubble 9/29/09

What is stupid about SillyMae's quote. (Thanx Ellie) The word ignorance should be replaced with "DENIAL". (NOT sorry for yelling) Ignorance implies not knowing. Gubmint is denying that real property is overpriced.

TMAC54 says

What is stupid about SillyMae's quote. (Thanx Ellie)

The quote said "willing ignorance." People purposely remain uninformed about issues, only to complain about them anyway. It's not denial, because people would have to become educated about issues in order to choose to ignore their existence.

Semantics. But I still like my quote better.

elliemae says

Semantics. But I still like my quote better.

Ellie, to be clear.
In afterthought I should not have titled it YOUR quote. My Thanx was for submitting that quote. I also love the quote, although I believe everyone in the free world is cognizent of falling real estate prices, many pretend it is not happening.
Ignorance defined excuses the uneducated; the state or fact of being ignorant : lack of knowledge, education, or awareness.
Denial Defined; disbelief in the existence or reality of a thing.
Should we send both to the fed asking which definition they prefer ?

TMAC. lots of visual impact !!

No offense taken, although I'm a little pissed that you posted a photo of me for the world to see.

Ok says

You weren't there for 6 billion years while the earth evolved, there is zero proof that it took that long, no one observed it and there are severe problems with that theory.

NOOO Ellie ! Ben will always look bald. But a frontal shot still shows that beard.
Christ. They even named a cereal after him.

marcus says

The fact that you have prejudice against a group who sees themselves as "other," in and of itself does at least border on racism.

not if my reason for prejudice is based on a broken law, a crossed border, and an invasion of my land. My skin is browner than most of theirs, so that makes me a racist?? That's a cop-out for those that support the invasion, in my opinion. I have no problem with light skinned people, I just would rather not have my country, state, county, town, block invaded by them.

Nomograph says

Honest Abe says

Patrick, I don't want to sound like a know it all. I like to learn, read, and expand myeslf. Perhaps thats why I talk about books so often.

I've been expanding myself since about age 20. It's all that damn fast food.

Wthefkr 80, I was putting on the poundage too, until I started rescuing dogs about 2 years ago. I walk them 45 to 60 minutes, twice a day. (My favorite breed is a rescue).

That helps, but I also stopped drinking all alcohol, and started eating smaller portions. Its a pretty easy way to lose weight. And I read a lot too. That increases muscle mass - between the ears.

Todays book: Delivering Happiness, By Tony Hsieh

xyzzyx says

Maybe the other 99% need to get up off their big fat black lazy ass and make something of themselves.

http://patrick.net/?p=1225321&c=966793#comment-966793