This is a debate site, and he is one of the moderators. If he's not willing to back up his side of the debate with the "small details" and simply rely on generalisations to get people to "just accept the general point" then he should not be posting his generalisations in the "on topic forum". It's that simple really, Times.
You won't get any arguement from me on that point, but IWS has this thing with holding grudges and taking stuff personal, I don't really understand that myself because I find it impossible to get angry over someone who does not agree with me.
On the one hand, you and IWS are demanding action from the prez, on the other hand, you are accusing him of "extortion" when he demands action. Australians in general abhor hypocrisy. If you can't see the hypocrisy inherent in your demands and recriminations on this point, nobody has a hope in **** of showing them to you.
What is the point of that last part? Why do you feel you have to be insulting? So if I don't agree with you I am stupid or something? Why do you assume your superior to anyone who does not agree with you?
I will let that go because it seems to me your doing that to avoid the fact you made a horrible comment before your insult and you want to not have that pointed out. I don't want Obama to "act" for the sake of actions, I want him to do what he is supposed to do, nothing more. Extorting $20 billion is not action, it is self-serving politicial games, nothing more.
Action is conducting a fast but accurate study of what went wrong and putting the people who let this happen in jail for not doing their jobs.
Your possition Builder seems to be "any" action is okay, I give you an example, if I have a bad infection in my right foot that cannot be cured, how does the action to cut off my left foot make the situation better? Well that is exactly what this administration is doing, cutting off the left foot and ignoring the right that is infected.
20 billion is a drop in the ocean compared to what the final bill will be for this fiasco. Name the "latest Czar" anointed by your prez to oversee this paltry amount, and I'll name the "Czars" appointed by your last prez to "rebuild" Iraq. How many billions went there, Times? It's there for all to see now. That's the "accountable" sums.
The guys name is Kenneth R. Feinberg.
And you could certainly find a few czars in previous administrations and while I did not like them either, and for the same reasons, I still would like you too see that if you compare one-to-one with the current administration you will see that Obama has many, many more than Bush did and not just the number but to me the bigger story is "what these people have power over" that makes the bigger difference. Even a few middle of the road Democrats have expressed concern over how many Czars Obama has.
And one other thing, didn't Obama campaign on "CHANGE"? Why is it the only excuse people come up with is "well the last guy did it, or something similar"? If the reason people turned to Obama was to get "CHANGE" from what Bush was doing, why is Obama still doing those things and then some?
Slush funds? Twenty bill? That amount wouldn't cover the losses of the shrimp fleet.
The amount and your opinion of it being big or small is irrelivent, the point is was it right or wrong? You asked for an example of a loss of freedom, this is an example, and as already pointed out, your trying to dodge the significance of this very good example. That is why IWS does not want to waste time talking to you because you ask a question, given a great exampl then you pretend like the example is nothing.
Let's talk about your previous prez bullying his way into invading Iraq, and the subsequent "slush funds" for his buddies in Kellog Root and Brown, Halliburton et al. It's in the trillions now?
Start a new thread if you want to talk about old and irrelivent news, I may even agree with you a little bit because I did not like everything Bush did while in office either. But that has nothing to do with the loss of freedom your said you wanted to talk about, you seem to be trying very hard to change the subject.
Besides, what is your point in trying to bring up previous administrations? It is your possition that if Bush took away 1 freedom that it is now okay for Obama to take away 20? This is the here and now, blaming everything currently happening on an old President solves nothing.
Our gov tried that ages ago. Don't buy it. Make a choice. We did.
Again, as IWS pointed out, you ask a question, are given an answer and you dodge admitting the point has been made.
We made a choice, almost all Americans expressed concerns over this plan and Obama ignored the people and did what he wanted to do, sure we can vote against him and the other liberals who passed this garbage but how does that change what is already done? Anyone who thinks this can be completely "fixed" is an idiot, this is how true socialist beliefs get put into effect against the wishes of the people, baby steps, sure many aspects will be changed, but they got their foot in the door, now all they have to do is keep pushing to get that door opened wider.
If the taxes aren't on consumables, you still have the choice of hedging your investments to minimise tax. Don't be thinking a decent investment advisor isn't already figuring a way around it. Like I've said elsewhere here. "Embrace your capitalism. Don't expect it to save your ****".
Again, your dodging the point you asked for and that is an example of loss freedoms, if the American has to jump through hoops to keep his own money then that is another loss freedom, why should these liberals (Socialists) want to take what I earned in the first place? If they believe their money is not earned than give it up themselves, don't try to impose those heavy taxes on me because I don't agree in the concept of "social justice". We are promised equal opportunity, not equal results.
The points were made, but never backed up with evidence. I believe you understand that word?
How much evidence do you need? We give you an example and you don't refute the example but you instead try to downplay or sidestep the examples given and claim no evidence was offered.
IWS gave you a great example in the first post but still you will not admit the example was given and you ignored it.
Funny. At the moment, we are taking them in by the boatload. Flying them into remote areas to work in our sheep abattoirs. You want some links, just ask.
Taking them by the boatload? Well a boat only has a couple seats so don't bragg too much there Builder, and yes your Country is at odds with that tiny number being allowed to stay. I remember this story from 2001:
http://www.danielpipes.org/50/australias-crisis-of-illegal-immigration
I loved this part "When the Australians realized the Tampa was coming their way on August 27, Prime Minister John Howard forbade it from entering the country's territory, saying that Australia cannot be seen "as a country of easy destination." The captain obeyed, stopping just nine kilometers outside Australian waters."
Builder, that was only 443 people and you guys refused to accept them, so don't preach to Americans about our illegal immigration issues.
Less than two percent of our "illegals" arrive by boat. The rest fly in on a visa, and don't leave. Your problem seems larger because of your proximity/land border with your arrivals.
No, our problem "IS" larger because it involved millions of illegals costing us trillions of dollars to support them.
My point about australia is even you guys complain and you have almost no illegal imigration problem in comparison.
What did your previous adminisration do about the border security issue?
Would you like an Australian to tell you?
As with most issues like this, the laws are passed but the next administration blocks the funding, in this case spending bills and cutbacks in the homeland security department took away the money from the project approved by the Bush administration.
Builder, the only "CHANGE" we are resisting is the change to reduce freedoms and serve Obama's personal political agendas instead of serving the American people as he is supposed to be doing.