I think McCain just became the frontrunner

[Grogger31]

I just find it strange that so many people are considering and analyzing things based on the prospect that he could die! That's kind of funny, he'll be alright though.

Considering the current, average life expectancy for men in the U.S. is 75.15 years, it is ignorant to say it's a non-issue.

pretty much we're picking the lesser of two evils but I cant stand how people say "the economy is in a recession (which it is not), we need jobs (we continue to have an incredibly low unemployment rate), people are losing their homes (well, dont buy a 600K house when all you can afford is a morgage for a 450K house), gas is high (have fun with opec and the middle east, no one is ever going to see a 1.50 again, period)

I'm totally of the mind that if you are happy with the current state of the economy and the direction of the country, you should vote for the candidate that voted 91% with the current administration. As you can tell, I'm not.

[DDBowdoin]

It's just not as clear as you're trying to make it out... there are several factors that make up our economy and I've never understood why people associate the economy with the current administration. Business cycles and presidentail initiatives take a great deal of time to make a long term impact on the economy. It is also very difficult to study these cycles because there is no method of analyzing the time frame in which they impact the economy.

It is indeed ignorant to assume that the state of the economy is a direct result of the Bush adminstration... peel away from the main stream media, as many newspapers write about the economy as if their audience are a bunch of 4 year olds.

Financial Times / WSJ ... the only media source I truly trust

[Grogger31]

It is also very difficult to study these cycles because there is no method of analyzing the time frame in which they impact the economy.

That's a fair statement, but the common person, including myself is not an economist and can't study these cycles. If it was the economy alone, I'd take it with a grain of salt.

Let's me restate my previous preface: I'm totally of the mind that if you are happy with the current state of the economy, the hundreds of billions of dollars we spent in Iraq in order to ... achieve ... something ... and the direction of the country in general, you should vote for the candidate that voted 91% with the current administration. As you can tell, I'm not.

[bigoak]

voting with administration is not totally condemning because even though I thoroughly dislike George W. and his daddy, the administration has been right some of the time. We need a law that no more Bush family members may run for office. I just hope that Obama doesn't turn out to be a black Jimmy Carter. I wish that the Hollywood types would stay out of this thing and let's vote for political reasons and not because some personality likes him.

[DDBowdoin]

That's a fair statement, but the common person, including myself is not an economist and can't study these cycles. If it was the economy alone, I'd take it with a grain of salt.

you are correct in your assessment, luckily I was an economics major in college and currently work in the financial sector. however, the main stream media acts like every time a job is lost its Bush's fault... instead of analyzing how companies, including my own are doing this for several reasons... to stay competitive and to increase profits for shareholders

a principal this country was built on, greed

[joshtpa]

you are correct in your assessment, luckily I was an economics major in college and currently work in the financial sector. however, the main stream media acts like every time a job is lost its Bush's fault... instead of analyzing how companies, including my own are doing this for several reasons... to stay competitive and to increase profits for shareholders

To further this statement, some parties (i wont name names) keep preaching change. Change can and may be good. But with no experience and no details about what will be changing, it is a slippery slope. Change just for the sake of change, is not the right move.

[Grogger31]

Change just for the sake of change, is not the right move.

It could get worse then the current Administration?

I'm happy to settle for anything that will get the "war-mongering right" out of the white house.

[joshtpa]

They are leaving the white house. But you are obviously a little biased. But to blame the "Right" for everything going on is absurd. Changing for the sake of change with no plan in sight, is the WRONG MOVE

[Grogger31]

They are leaving the white house. But you are obviously a little biased. But to blame the "Right" for everything going on is absurd. Changing for the sake of change with no plan in sight, is the WRONG MOVE

I didn't blame them for everything, I specifically blamed them for the war. Are you going to tell me that the Iraq War debacle wasn't caused by this "far Right" administration and George W's vendetta for Saddam?

[TheGasman]

I didn't blame them for everything, I specifically blamed them for the war. Are you going to tell me that the Iraq War debacle wasn't caused by this "far Right" administration and George W's vendetta for Saddam?

Didnt almost 30 Democratic Senators vote for the war? You cant blame it all on Bush.

[Grogger31]

You cant blame it all on Bush.

I just did. His administration brought the fraudulent WMD information to Congress. Maybe we should blame God, since apparently that's whose advice he took before sending us to War.

Nice to see Palin in line for the Presidency. Where would we be without another religious freak basing national security and other decisions on their personal discussion with the Lord?

[DDBowdoin]

It could get worse then the current Administration?

could it get worse.... of course it could! we aren't in a recession and we could easily plummet into one (two consecutive quarters of negative economic growth, people (esp in the media) are quick to toss that term around, but it had an actual definition)

[DDBowdoin]

I just did. His administration brought the fraudulent WMD information to Congress. Maybe we should blame God, since apparently that's whose advice he took before sending us to War.

I bet you also thought Saddam wasn't that bad of a guy as well, right?

my only criticism of the war is how it was executed, there was not enough clear force and we started to fight a politically correct war

[joshtpa]

It is comical to me that so many left wingers forget that 30 democrats voted for the war. Execution was poor, but the decision was the right one. I think Mr. Grogger needs to see both sides of the story before throwing blame. Or atleast do some research. The lefts current candidate wants Change. Nothing wrong with that. But he still has not said how he will implement change. Drastic change just for the sake of saying it to get elected is a HORRIBLE IDEA THAT ENDS IN DISASTER.

[immts007]

The Republicans have held the balance of power for 14 years between total control of congress and the Whitehouse, the Democrats have held congress for 2 by the slimmest of margins in the senate making it very easy for the the right to obstruct just about every attempt at meaningful legislation from the left by gratuitous use of the filibuster. The gop now holds the record for use of this tactic by a huge margin. I believe it is somewhere around 85 filibusters in the past 2 years.

So given all that, I personally feel very comfortable crediting the overall state of the nation, including the economy, our transportation infrastructure (atrocious), our global reputation, our income disparity (now at levels approaching pre-depression) to this Whitehouse and the republican party.

Over $500 billion of our taxpayer money has gone into this war in the last 6 years - can you seriously say that hasn't had a detrimental effect on our economy? Right now the cost is somewhere in the neighborhood of $440million a day!

Whatever. Nothing makes any sense anymore. I will not be at all suprised if we keep going down this path just like lemmings.

We will get what we deserve. And even if we don't deserve it, I'm afraid we will get it anyway.

[Grogger31]

It is comical to me that so many left wingers forget that 30 democrats voted for the war. Execution was poor, but the decision was the right one. I think Mr. Grogger needs to see both sides of the story before throwing blame. Or atleast do some research. The lefts current candidate wants Change. Nothing wrong with that. But he still has not said how he will implement change. Drastic change just for the sake of saying it to get elected is a HORRIBLE IDEA THAT ENDS IN DISASTER.

What's comical is the number of SandTrappers that thought the decision to go to war was a good one. There are lots of evil dictators in the world and you don't see us invading their countries. However, based on the right-wingers on this board, I wouldn't be surprised if you thought that would be a good idea too. Let me guess, you guys are fans of chanting "USA, USA!" too, right?

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that members of a golf message board are in favor of a political party that looks out for the rich and priviliged.

[immts007]

Can't we do this without getting nasty with each other? I'd love it we avoided directly blaming or casting aspersions on fellow board members. Keep the discussion aimed at policy and actions taking by the GOP, Dems or the Whitehouse. Facts or supported statements would be best. Name calling, or referring to the other side as 'comical' or 'deluded' or as 'right-wingers', 'wing-nuts', 'leftists', 'moonbats' or other ad-hominems is never constructive.

[DDBowdoin]

... Our global reputation

who cares!!!!!!