tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3098264341625381422.post3826665623034502506..comments2024-03-18T17:01:07.165-07:00Comments on The Provocateur: The Politics and Policy of the Dow and President Obamamike volpehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02999118519606254362noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3098264341625381422.post-55319272840308447462009-03-07T05:34:00.000-08:002009-03-07T05:34:00.000-08:00Markets are the current value of future cash flows...Markets are the current value of future cash flows. What that means is that everything you said was factored into the market when President Obama was elected and took the oath of office. <BR/><BR/>Furthermore, the market was down nearly 30% since September when he was elected and even more when he was inaugurated. <BR/><BR/>Of course, the general weakness of the market plays a factor, however ignoring Obama's policies and their effect on the market is what is "childish". At some point that excuse stops and Obama must be held to account for his policies. <BR/><BR/>The market started at 7700 when he was inaugurated and that was down from a high of nearly 13000. The wealth that speak of being lost was factored into the price decrease. Since then, the market responded to new factors. The weakening economy was only one factor. The other factors have everything to do Obama's policies.mike volpehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02999118519606254362noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3098264341625381422.post-80436399427352091312009-03-07T05:26:00.000-08:002009-03-07T05:26:00.000-08:00That's a nice speech but it is still social engine...That's a nice speech but it is still social engineering.<BR/><BR/>Last I checked, public education is free. <BR/><BR/>There are furthermore many ways to reduce health insurance rather than giving free health care to everyone that can't afford it. <BR/><BR/>We have increased education spending exponentially. So, while your bleeding heart liberal speech is nice, it is still social engineering.mike volpehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02999118519606254362noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3098264341625381422.post-89686436271900410872009-03-07T05:22:00.000-08:002009-03-07T05:22:00.000-08:00Maybe the markets are down because demand has drie...Maybe the markets are down because demand has dried up, because many of the nation’s biggest firms have imploded and because Americans are losing their jobs and their homes by the millions. Maybe a dose of reality is in order, as opposed to the childish desire to blame your political opponent.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3098264341625381422.post-85037938293534350892009-03-07T05:13:00.000-08:002009-03-07T05:13:00.000-08:00It is not social engineeringat all.Someone has to ...It is not social engineeringat all.<BR/><BR/>Someone has to pay for the improvements to health and education. Given that the gap between rich and poor has been widening, of course the rich should pay more than the poor. The money has to come from somewhere.<BR/><BR/>If a family cannot afford adequate health care what would you do?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3098264341625381422.post-46882026405557630102009-03-07T04:33:00.000-08:002009-03-07T04:33:00.000-08:00I say that tax systems don't promote greed. I don'...I say that tax systems don't promote greed. I don't know what this institute is and I don't care.<BR/><BR/>What I do know is that wealth was created in a major way all around all those years. I also know that 8 of those years the income tax was as high as Obama wants it now. <BR/><BR/>I also know that when the government attempts social engineering that is almost always a failure. you seem to think that it is the government's job to create equal outcomes. I disagree. I think the government should tax everyone as little as possible. You seem to think our tax policy should promote fairness. <BR/><BR/>More than that this debate should be held in another forum. Economic fairness is not going to make the Dow go up. I think your idea of economic fairness is loony but worse than that, it isn't going to do anything for the Dow.mike volpehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02999118519606254362noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3098264341625381422.post-69333816207312692022009-03-07T03:26:00.000-08:002009-03-07T03:26:00.000-08:00I think Obama's basic policies are right. The Dow ...I think Obama's basic policies are right. The Dow will follow in good time. <BR/><BR/>The tax system of the past eight years has promoted a greed-driven environment fueled by those at the very top of the income ladder. <BR/><BR/>http://www.epi.org/economic_snapshots/entry/webfeatures_snapshots_20080618/<BR/><BR/>The Economic Policy Institute has found that from 1989 to 2006, more than 90 percent of all income growth went to the top 10 percent; 59 percent of that growth to the top 1 percent; and 35 percent to the top one-tenth of 1 percent. Providing tax benefits to the wealthiest has undermined a sense of fairness in not only the tax structure but our economy in general. It's time for a major restructuring of our economy not just to rebuild but to end the disgraceful war on the middle class.<BR/><BR/>What do you say to this?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3098264341625381422.post-45163646888140674702009-03-06T17:21:00.000-08:002009-03-06T17:21:00.000-08:00Well that comment allows me the opportunity to use...Well that comment allows me the opportunity to use several great cliches.<BR/><BR/>First, in the long term "we will all be dead" as a famous economist once said. So, the long game needs to have some sort of end. President Obama only has just under four years, so at some point it will have to be short term. <BR/><BR/>Furthermore, I don't where you get the idea that Bush played the "short game". Obama should be playing the long game however he should also be concerned that the market has so thoroughly condemned in the short term. That was my points.<BR/><BR/>As for your second point, as a late friend of mine used to say<BR/><BR/>"if if was a fifth we'd all be drunk".<BR/><BR/>I don't know what I would have done if the market had gone up because the market didn't go up but down. To call me dishonest based on a hypothetical is rather silly.mike volpehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02999118519606254362noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3098264341625381422.post-83162396310596906552009-03-06T16:30:00.000-08:002009-03-06T16:30:00.000-08:00Unlike Bush, Obama plays the long game.If the Dow ...Unlike Bush, Obama plays the long game.<BR/><BR/>If the Dow had been going up in the short term, would you be praising Obama?<BR/><BR/>You sir are intellectually dishonest.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com