Git Sum Presidentin' (Republican primaries)

[meangreendork]

That's all I was saying. The decision was made based on the intelligence we had at the time.

Not that it made going into Iraq a strategically sound idea. Thankfully, the Iraqi army was more or less in shambles. The actual problem came in the postwar stage, which there wasn't a great deal of planning for. That was the major failing in the start of the 2nd Gulf War.

...but why are we still babysitting them after all this time? Al-Qaeda has been dismantled for years now...

I agree and disagree with this - Al Qaeda might be broken a bit in Afghanistan, but remember that it's also a decentralized group. It's power isn't in having a central command, it's that it's all cell-based, running off of a key ideology (blow up stuff for some bastardized version of Quran interpretation).

The Taliban are in a less hostile mood, but there are still problems to be solved in that country. But just like you, I know that occupation is a horribly expensive venture. I don't have a solution there.

[FirefightnRick]

US per capita debt now worse than Greece.

http://campaign2012.washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/us-capita-government-debt-worse-greece/391576

....."Using the most recent data available from the International Monetary Fund, the Senate Budget Committee found that U.S. federal government debt per capita is nearly $45,000. That is almost 15 percent higher than the per capita debt burden of Greece ($38,937).

The Senate Budget Committee also notes that our debt per capita would rise to $75,000 by 2020 if Presdient Obama's budget became law.

Earlier last month, the U.S. government's total out standing debt, $15,419,800,222,325, surpassed the nation's gross domestic product ($15,294,300,000,000)...."

Rick

[Coffee and TV]

You should see what it was in 1948.

[Coffee and TV]

Santorum for Amerca

[FirefightnRick]

State Department Quietly Warning Region on Syrian WMD's.

I predict our massive oil reserves will be tapped to force gas to fall below $2 a gallon, and a U.S. led conflict in Syria by September, maybe October, just in the nick of re-election time?

Rick

[Coffee and TV]

State Department Quietly Warning Region on Syrian WMD's.

I predict our massive oil reserves will be tapped to force gas to fall below $2 a gallon, and a U.S. led conflict in Syria by September, maybe October, just in the nick of re-election time?

Rick

I predict that's the worst prediction since Y2K.

[Coffee and TV]

Santorum received a BS From Penn State, an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh, and a law degree from Penn State Dickinson school of Law.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/NkjbJOSwq3A

[HoustonEagle]

This has to be the worst batch of candidates either party has put forth in modern history. Seriously....

Edited February 26, 2012 by HoustonEagle

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

State Department Quietly Warning Region on Syrian WMD's.

I predict our massive oil reserves will be tapped to force gas to fall below $2 a gallon, and a U.S. led conflict in Syria by September, maybe October, just in the nick of re-election time?

Rick

In 2008 the price dropped from $4.00 that summer to under $2.00 around election time...... but having to bail out banks, the having the DOW drop over 6000 plus the beginning of high unemployment, seemed a bit drastic... just to get the gas prices down.. hahaha

If Gasoline gets to $4.00 a gallon... it will be back to what it was in summer of 2008.... I remember because I drove to Florida that summer.... and the only time I paid less than $4 was in Texas and even then $3.90+. Four years later it is still cheaper than then... even with the troubles in the Middle East and increased usaage in Asia.

..

[Coffee and TV]

Back to the topic at hand:

Michigan will be really close tomorrow. Santorum will do better in more sparsely populated areas, so preliminary results might show him with the lead while Romney catches up with a stronger showing in Southeastern Michigan. It'll all depend on which precincts report when. Might be in for a long night there. Looks like a complete toss-up.

Arizona has turned for Romney, depending on the enthusiasm gap he might pull off a 10 point win there. Maybe.

If Romney wins both states tomorrow night its difficult to gauge whether that translates to Super Tuesday. So far Santorum is looking really good in those states but maybe people will perceive Romney as still the front-runner if he pulls it off tomorrow night.

Edited February 28, 2012 by Coffee and TV

[FirefightnRick]

In 2008 the price dropped from $4.00 that summer to under $2.00 around election time...... but having to bail out banks, the having the DOW drop over 6000 plus the beginning of high unemployment, seemed a bit drastic... just to get the gas prices down.. hahaha

If Gasoline gets to $4.00 a gallon... it will be back to what it was in summer of 2008.... I remember because I drove to Florida that summer.... and the only time I paid less than $4 was in Texas and even then $3.90+. Four years later it is still cheaper than then... even with the troubles in the Middle East and increased usaage in Asia.

..

So my prediction may not be that far off, you think?

Although Santorum did really well in Michigan, it was a night for Mitt. On to Super Tuesday.

Rick

Edited February 29, 2012 by FirefightnRick

[Censored by Laurie]

How did all you conservatives maintain your ardent convictions after being run through the liberal indoctrination mill that is UNT?

[UNTFan23]

How did all you conservatives maintain your ardent convictions after being run through the liberal indoctrination mill that is UNT?

I graduated with a Business degree.

[KRAM1]

How did all you conservatives maintain your ardent convictions after being run through the liberal indoctrination mill that is UNT?

We grew up, got real jobs, started paying taxes and raising families...and started paying attention.

[Censored by Laurie]

We grew up, got real jobs, started paying taxes and raising families.

All over-rated.

[UNTFan23]

All over-rated.

Some want fiction to become reality I guess ...

[Censored by Laurie]

Some want fiction to become reality I guess ...

So now I'm the official hippie-Communist Objectivist on the board?

Wow...the many layers of my ethos have more sublime contradictions than the Bible.

[Coffee and TV]

This is complete speculation, but I would bet that a dark horse candidate for the vice presidential nomination is Jan Brewer in Arizona. That is if Romney is the presumptive nominee.

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

We grew up, got real jobs, started paying taxes and raising families...and started paying attention.

---If you think during 2001-2009 was a conservative period... you weren't paying attention. We had the most liberal spending government ever.. spending so much the debt equaled all previous 42 Presidents..

---Spending more than you take in is not conservative....and that is exactly what happened ( I don't care what they claim ..what they do matters)...and we even gave tax cuts especially to the very high income people, which reduced federal income taken in..... I would not say those tax cuts helped the economy any.... look at it after as of Jan 2009....

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

So my prediction may not be that far off, you think?

Rick

...Nope ...dropping gas prices did them no good in 2008. I doubt they really meant to do all that happened anyway. Most of the increase is all about the international situation... and no President is ruler of the world. Part of the increase may be from the idiots on Wall Street speculating (again).... They and big banks (after so many regulations were removed) were responsible for the last big mess and we still haven't recovered.

Edited March 1, 2012 by SCREAMING EAGLE-66

[FirefightnRick]

This is complete speculation, but I would bet that a dark horse candidate for the vice presidential nomination is Jan Brewer in Arizona. That is if Romney is the presumptive nominee.

I predict Rubio, but I like Brewer too.

Rick

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

US per capita debt now worse than Greece.

http://campaign2012.washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/us-capita-government-debt-worse-greece/391576

....."Using the most recent data available from the International Monetary Fund, the Senate Budget Committee found that U.S. federal government debt per capita is nearly $45,000. That is almost 15 percent higher than the per capita debt burden of Greece ($38,937).

The Senate Budget Committee also notes that our debt per capita would rise to $75,000 by 2020 if Presdient Obama's budget became law.

Earlier last month, the U.S. government's total out standing debt, $15,419,800,222,325, surpassed the nation's gross domestic product ($15,294,300,000,000)...."

Rick

Maybe that is true about Greece BUT when Clinton left the Debt was $5.5 trillion.

When the next guy left after the tax cuts the debt was $11 trillion

The increase equaled the previous 200+ years.

Well it is now $15 trillion and Congress will not pass anything... partisian politics.. and all the tax cuts are still in place.. So who are you blaming and should get the blame????

Guess you want those guys back in... the ones that controled the White House and both houses of Congress when it all went to Hell ???? The truth just isn't what you want it to be. Real Conservatives don't spend far more they they take in.... and they did.

..

Edited March 2, 2012 by SCREAMING EAGLE-66

[UNTFan23]

Maybe that is true about Greece BUT when Clinton left the Debt was $5.5 trillion.

When the next guy left after the tax cuts the debt was $11 trillion

The increase equaled the previous 200+ years.

Well it is now $15 trillion and Congress will not pass anything... partisian politics.. and all the tax cuts are still in place.. So who are you blaming and should get the blame????

Guess you want those guys back in... the ones that controled the White House and both houses of Congress when it all went to Hell ???? The truth just isn't what you want it to be. Real Conservatives don't spend far more they they take in.... and they did.

..

So you are in favor of raising everyone's income taxes?

We really need to get away from expecting one group of people to fix our government deficit problems and look at ways for everyone to contribute/sacrifice to get our government's budget under control.

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

So you are in favor of raising everyone's income taxes?

We really need to get away from expecting one group of people to fix our government deficit problems and look at ways for everyone to contribute/sacrifice to get our government's budget under control.

---Everyone...NO .... but I do think those making millions each each year on capital gains should not just pay 15% while I and probably you, are paying 25% (or more) on any additional income that I am getting. Don't have a chart in front on me now but if you are making $68,000 or more after the usual deductions.... you are paying 25% on that part of your income.... maybe as much 35%...ie. much higher rate than those making millions.

I have no problem with paying 15% on a reasonable amount ($100,000 ?) but above that amount should taxes at a reasonable rate... it was just 20% on capital gains when Clinton left office and the debt was not growing over 2%. I WANT US TO QUIT GOING INTO MORE DEBT and firing teachers, and a lot of other needed personnel is not the answer.

No one likes paying taxes... and I don't even like paying my electric bill... but I have to maintain a decent standard of living.... also taxes to have a safe country with highways, police, hospitals, an educated public, etc.... We are not soaking the rich..... wake up... they are paying a smaller rate than YOU.... You are buying a false idea...

Edited March 2, 2012 by SCREAMING EAGLE-66

[Coffee and TV]

Super Tuesday is the make or break for Santorum probably. If he doesn't win Ohio, or even if he doesn't win it convincingly, the Romney bandwagon will only pick up steam. We've seen endorsements from one of the most powerful Republicans in Washington on Sunday, and a very prominent conservative Senator. If you thought the establishment was behind Romney already, wait until after today when he wins the majority of the delegates.

Virginia - Romney blowout.

Alaska - Who know/who cares

Georgia - big Gingrich win.

Idaho - toss-up. Santorum put time & effort into it, but it does have a significant Mormon population like Nevada.

Massachusetts - easily Romney.

North Dakota - who knows/who cares

Ohio - complete toss-up. I think Romney's momentum carries him.

Oklahoma - Santorum

Tennessee - Santorum

Vermont - Romney

Romney can probably come away with the majority of delegates, and if he does Santorum's path is clearly blocked. Gingrich will stick around, presumably for ego/clout.