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stevemcgarrett
Joined: 24 Mar 2006
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 Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 2:04 am Post subject: |
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BJWD:
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| Look to Scotland and Ireland to see the potential paths a state may take. |
The malaise affecting England and France is socialism. But Big Bird likes socialism, although she doesn't live under it at the moment. Socialism sounds and looks great--from a comfortable distance.
EFLTrainer:
Just when I think you've made the most hyperbolic post possible, you top yourself. Can you be any more repetitive and tiresome?
Now go have some fun poking the Pillsbury Doughboy. A few giggles might rid you of your histrionic state. |
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Kuros
Joined: 27 Apr 2004
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| Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 2:07 am Post subject: Re: America's Bad Rep. |
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| demi wrote: |
Yet it�s more than just simple dislike. A Harris Interactive/Financial Times survey released Monday found that 36 percent of Europeans view the United States as the world�s greatest threat to �global stability.� By comparison, 30 percent of those polled named Iran as the biggest threat, while 18 percent named China.
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It just goes to show you that the bulk of Europeans don't understand American politics that well. The GOP got spanked for their policies by the electorate last Fall.
Still, Europeans aren't stupid. Schroeder fell to Merkel and it looks like Sarkozy will best Sego. Anti-Americanism as a foreign policy platform only works in a few Latin American countries right now. |
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Rteacher
Joined: 23 May 2005
Location: Western MA, USA
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| Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 4:46 am Post subject: |
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Rather than start a new thread, I'll just post this link here because it relates to why America's reputation has declined - largely due to incompetent leadership and management at all levels:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18341744/
It's astounding how much international aid (over $850 million in cash and in oil...) pledged for Hurricane Katrina relief has been almost completely wasted, leaving even allies "mystified" ... |
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stevemcgarrett
Joined: 24 Mar 2006
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| Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 4:49 am Post subject: |
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Rteacher:
Why are you astounded? Louisiana is governed by Democrats who expect handouts. It is notoriously corrupt as a state, regardless of party affiliation.
Remember: in today's liberal America, everybody's a victim! |
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thepeel
Joined: 08 Aug 2004
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| Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 5:04 am Post subject: |
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Steve,
It is fair to say, in my opinion, that all levels of government from both Republicans and Democrats screwed up almost as much as possible in New Orleans.
LA is a very poorly governed state. That is very true. Ray Nagen is a race-baiting idiot. He is incompetent. The Democrat party has, in their modern history, used race-baiting and a culture of racial-entitlement to win elections in majority black areas. No disagreement from me. They are not fully alone in this, though (as we see in Bush failing to deal properly with the Mexicano situation).
But Steve, I trust you agree with me that the Federal government is also responsible for that mess, and the continued mess. FEMA is Federal, after all. The leader of FEMA had no business in that position.
This was a failure of government from top to bottom. Full stop. Everybody in government failed. Dems and Repubs. All of them.
Right? |
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EFLtrainer
Joined: 04 May 2005
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| Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 5:50 am Post subject: |
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| stevemcgarrett wrote: |
Rteacher:
Why are you astounded? Louisiana is governed by Democrats who expect handouts. It is notoriously corrupt as a state, regardless of party affiliation.
Remember: in today's liberal America, everybody's a victim! |
Troll. When what you claim is a known falsification, can you be anything else?
Steve, you know nothing of liberty. Nothing of honesty. Nothing of citizenship.
Nothing, really. |
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demi
Joined: 23 Mar 2006
Location: London
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| Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 6:59 am Post subject: |
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I repeat:
A shocking 37 million Americans live in poverty. That is 12.7 per cent of the population - the highest percentage in the developed world. |
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thepeel
Joined: 08 Aug 2004
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| Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 7:12 am Post subject: |
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Poor, eh?
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# Forty-six percent of all poor households actually own their own homes. The average home owned by persons classified as poor by the Census Bureau is a three-bedroom house with one-and-a-half baths, a garage, and a porch or patio.
# Seventy-six percent of poor households have air conditioning. By contrast, 30 years ago, only 36 percent of the entire U.S. population enjoyed air conditioning.
# Only 6 percent of poor households are overcrowded. More than two-thirds have more than two rooms per person.
# The average poor American has more living space than the average individual living in Paris, London, Vienna, Athens, and other cities throughout Europe. (These comparisons are to the average citizens in foreign countries, not to those classified as poor.)
# Nearly three-quarters of poor households own a car; 30 percent own two or more cars.
# Ninety-seven percent of poor households have a color television; over half own two or more color televisions.
# Seventy-eight percent have a VCR or DVD player; 62 percent have cable or satellite TV reception.
# Seventy-three percent own microwave ovens, more than half have a stereo, and a third have an automatic dishwasher. |
http://econlog.econlib.org/archives/2004/01/poverty_and_inc.html |
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Pligganease
Joined: 14 Sep 2004
Location: The deep south...
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| Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 2:09 pm Post subject: |
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| First, demi wrote: |
ok:
A shocking 37 million Americans live in poverty. That is 12.7 per cent of the population - the highest percentage in the developed world. |
| Next, cosmo wrote: |
http://www.oxfamgb.org/ukpp/poverty/thefacts.htm
How many people in the UK live in poverty?
Just under 1 in 4 people in the UK � or nearly 13 million people � live in poverty, according to the latest figures.
This includes nearly 1 in 3 children (almost 4 million).1 |
| Amazingly, demi again wrote: |
I repeat:
A shocking 37 million Americans live in poverty. That is 12.7 per cent of the population - the highest percentage in the developed world. |
Which is it?
a. demi failed math, and doesn't realize that 20-25% is higher than 12.7%.
b. demi can't read and failed to understand that he was getting ruined.
c. demi doesn't think the UK is part of "the developed world."
d. demi is an idiot.
e. all of the above. |
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EFLtrainer
Joined: 04 May 2005
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| Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 4:43 pm Post subject: |
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Having grown up in poverty, let me enlighten a few of you. While much US poverty does not compare to, say, Somali poverty, everything is relative. Somali's, for example, don't watch those around them buying what they wish when they wish, being able to participate in what we consider basic activities like movies, sports at school, etc. Not an excuse, but do bear it in mind as the typical American kid knows nothing of Somalia. They only know their two pairs of pants are ragged and the other kids' aren't.
Poor in America can mean going days without food.
It can mean never participating in extra-curricular activities.
It can mean having your utilities turned off on a fairly regular basis.
It can mean not having a TV or CD or going to the movies... being out of the loop socially.
It can mean never inviting friends over.
It can mean literally having one or two pairs of pants to get you through a year.
It can mean the stigma of Free Lunch.
It can mean Christmases and birthdays with no presents.
Etc.
Worse are the social deprivations, the potential shame, the lack of self-esteem, the hopelessness.
I don't want to get dragged into the issue of poverty in America, but let me say this: the great flaw of capitalism is that there truly is only so much pie. Not everyone gets a piece large enough to fulfill their needs. Further, all people are not created equally in terms of ability. The question is simple: social darwinism or humanism?
And, no, I do not have a pat answer. But let's not ignore the reality and claim it's OK that there is poverty in America because Somalis are poorer. Social relativism doesn't really work here. For example, is a tribe that lives in huts, hunts for its food, forages for food, has no TV, cars, or electricity, poor? If they all have homes, enough to eat and the clothes they require... are they poor? |
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seoulunitarian
Joined: 06 Jul 2004
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| Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 5:40 pm Post subject: re: |
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| demi wrote: |
I repeat:
A shocking 37 million Americans live in poverty. That is 12.7 per cent of the population - the highest percentage in the developed world. |
You would make a good DJ.
Peace |
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demi
Joined: 23 Mar 2006
Location: London
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| Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 10:19 pm Post subject: |
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Come on ppl, piggy hates not having attention....show him some love! 
Piggy, I know you have an inferiority complex. Not surprised though. You're an older guy who hasn't made much of his life. It's not my fault mate.
Oh...did I mention.....
"A shocking 37 million Americans live in poverty. That is 12.7 per cent of the population - the highest percentage in the developed world." |
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Big_Bird
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Location: Sometimes here sometimes there...
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| Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 10:41 pm Post subject: |
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| Gopher wrote: |
| Big_Bird wrote: |
| One reason poverty has increased in Britain... |
Translation: "Do not dare suggest that we deviate from the allegation-driven, U.S.-centric discourse." |
Cute.
| Gopher wrote: |
Interesting chain of events, Big_Bird: Britain invents industrialization and modern capitalism and exports it to America, which experiences "the Market Revolution"; American capitalism eventually outperforms British capitalism; indeed, British capitalism collapses after two world wars shake it to its foundations; Britain and others insist on and follow American leadership following the war, esp. in regulating the international capitalist system; America rebuilds Britian (and the rest of Western Europe after 1945); and now, after America prevailed in the Cold War, Britishers like Big_Bird blame America for capitalism and its dark side.
Ever read E.P. Thompson's Making of the English Working Class, Big_Bird? Classic text on British capitalism -- whose pattern predates the Thatcher govt and the so-called Reagan Revolution.
Do not get me wrong. America is the hegemon and certainly influences events. But how decisive is this influence? Particularly with respect to British capitalism and labor relations? |
It's not capitalism, rather the particular direction economic policy took after the Tories took power which I feel spoiled Britain. And I don't necessarily blame the yanks for it either. Let's give credit where credit's due. Here is one of the main culprits:
and perhaps:
I was going to say that he was Australian, not American....but I just rememered he is now American too!  |
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Pligganease
Joined: 14 Sep 2004
Location: The deep south...
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| Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 1:53 am Post subject: |
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| demi wrote: |
Come on ppl, piggy hates not having attention....show him some love!
Piggy, I know you have an inferiority complex. Not surprised though. You're an older guy who hasn't made much of his life. It's not my fault mate.
Oh...did I mention.....
"A shocking 37 million Americans live in poverty. That is 12.7 per cent of the population - the highest percentage in the developed world." |
Spoken like a true loser who keeps getting his ass handed to him by Americans. What's wrong demi? Come to the mental challenge unarmed? |
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ariellowen
Joined: 19 Apr 2006
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| Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 2:12 am Post subject: |
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| EFLtrainer wrote: |
Having grown up in poverty, let me enlighten a few of you. While much US poverty does not compare to, say, Somali poverty, everything is relative. Somali's, for example, don't watch those around them buying what they wish when they wish, being able to participate in what we consider basic activities like movies, sports at school, etc. Not an excuse, but do bear it in mind as the typical American kid knows nothing of Somalia. They only know their two pairs of pants are ragged and the other kids' aren't.
...
And, no, I do not have a pat answer. But let's not ignore the reality and claim it's OK that there is poverty in America because Somalis are poorer. Social relativism doesn't really work here. For example, is a tribe that lives in huts, hunts for its food, forages for food, has no TV, cars, or electricity, poor? If they all have homes, enough to eat and the clothes they require... are they poor? |
And you, too, apparently. You do not find such casual usage of "fascism" and "tyranny" irrational? You do not find references to the American Revolution "revolutionary?" Or that it is ironic that people of your ideological slant rant against W. Bush's "you're either with us or against us" dichotomy while spewing "it is us few true patriots against the evil fascists -- aka 'all Republicans'" dichotomy at the same time...? |
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