Good point. I just don't understand why someone will say they don't follow something closely, and then go on to make what appears to be an analysis of that very thing. It would be like me saying "I'm no rocket scientist, but I think we should fill the coolant tanks with banana pudding".
^Very cute avatar. --------------------- I can't vote on this poll because I started watching the debate and then realized that it wouldn't matter because at this point I have a gist of the both of them and so it wasn't going to change my vote. I did read about it. Pretty sad what happened to Big Bird, though. At 43, it looks like he's been threatened with facing some of the same challenges the rest of America is.
About 50 seconds into the animated version of the debate, just after he punches Leher in the face, Romney cuts Big Bird in half with a chain saw, sending gobbits of meat and blood splashing on the muppets in the audience. [yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsyS3xVxTyU[/yt]
Maybe you should talk to some actual Socialists. They sure don't consider the center right Obama to be one of their own.
I have doubts about Romney cutting too much out of that. He sort of came up with Obamacare afterall. Most aid is about US geopolitical interests. Mubarak got plenty and i don't see given the tough state of the US why shouldn't the US keep that money and spend it at home. Romney is an imperalist so the money will keep flowing. I have no idea how would he had decided about the auto bailot since i don't belve a word of what he is saying. At some point these countries have to step up and make structural adjustments, they cannot live on bailouts forever. Obama is just as hawkish about Syria and Iran as Romney. Why are economic sanctions needed against Iran? Why not against israel if the same rules aply? It make no great difference which one gets elected.
With the Sesame Workshop having earned about 1.5 billion (with a B) dollars in profit from merchandising, Big Bird is not hurting for money. This does not surprise anyone who has raised kids and has spent money on toys, clothes and other merchandise with the Sesame Street characters. Edited to add: I noticed that a shopping link had been added to the words Sesame Street in my post. I'm not sure how long the link will be there but !
I do not think that this comparison is valid as such a mess could never occur in the US. Unlike the ECB the Fed would immediately indirectly finance the respective state if it had to face high interests rates on its bonds and were about to becomes bankrupt. But of course the Republicans have recently demonstrated that they are willing to fuck up public finances in the name of fiscal conservatism in order to implement their agenda (which has of course nothing to do with balancing the budget but reducing taxes on the rich, increasing military spending and so on). If I did not know for whom I should vote the last year's republican irresponsible balanced budget amendment nonsense which threatened to freeze public expenditures and basically make the state collapse would suffice to convince me to not vote for some Joker in the White House who does not mind to see the world burn.
that was a lame, lazy response, you are right, sorry. what I meant to say was you seem to have put a lot of thought into something you don't think matters very much.
Oh, Nellie, I know. When I read about this part of the debate, I also read a Sesame Street spokeswoman's quotes, letting everybody know that Sesame Street doesn't get a penny of public funding for its show. She mentioned that they are funded through licensing, philanthropic donations, and something else I can't remember, but it wasn't merchandise (which I think falls under licensing). What was mentioned, at least in my reading, is that its the stations (especially the smaller rural ones) that are going to suffer and real people are going to have a hard time keeping their jobs if PBS loses its funding under Romney. Like many, I was just using Big Bird to make a point. (And with their cuddly toy success, I imagine parents will be fighting each other come this Black Friday for the last Soup-Kitchen-Big-Bird and Fire-Me-Elmo, in stores soon! )
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64QHFF6l17g&feature=player_embedded[/yt] I think they might have a point.
I've always thought he speaks that way because he's actually thinking about what he wants to say, rather than vomiting out whatever talking points were handed to him that morning by his handler (like most politicians).
John Stewart said he also thought the same thing, but now realizes that Obama is thinking more along the lines of "I like food. My kids are nice."