If you're leaning toward voting for President Obama...

[SantaDora]

Romney likes to say that "Europe isn't even working in Europe". He's right when it comes to European countries who have tried austerity. Countries that have used stimulus have been fine. And among the most fine are the most "socialist" - particularly Sweden. And Paul Krugman has been saying all along that what was wrong with the stimulus was that it was too small.

In other words: what barfo said.

I am a big believer that the stimulus plan, while far from perfect, was the best option at the time - and all you have to do is compare Japan of the 90s (after the boom busted) to Japan of the 2000's - the first did not have any stimulus, had high interest rates and is basically called the "lost decade" - in 1998 they had a huge stimulus package and by 2003 (5 years after) the economy started to recover. This is exactly what we are seeing now, the US economy starting to recover after 5 years from the original stimulus (I am starting the stimulus with Bush's last year in office when he stated taking some steps in this direction).

These were tough 5 years - but it is much better than the alternative - losing a decade+ as the Japanese did.

I also believe that the Obama administration, despite the tough conditions, has shown more long-term thinking than we have seen since the Clinton days - with emphasis on energy research and efficiency, big-data movement - including making tons of government data available for everyone and tech and start-up friendly legislation.

I am not a fan of the relative lack of punishment to the financial sector and at times Obama seemed to try to please everyone instead of going with what he said he would do - which would have probably worked better - but if the option is Obama or Romney, it has to be Obama for me - I just do not think this country needs a banker to lead it.

 

[PapaG]

 

[donkiez]

You do realize that medicare for everyone would collapse the primary care system?

Medicare is a disaster that pays full (crazy) price for some services and as little as ten percent for others.

It simply can't work as currently constructed.

It wouldn't work as currently constructed. Thats the whole point of health care reform.

I'll vote for Obama for most of the reason listed here and that it will be his second term which means even less pandering to the other side in which case he has a better chance of accomplishing his objective.

 

[PapaG]

It wouldn't work as currently constructed. Thats the whole point of health care reform.

I'll vote for Obama for most of the reason listed here and that it will be his second term which means even less pandering to the other side in which case he has a better chance of accomplishing his objective.

What is his objective?

 

[donkiez]

What is his objective?

To take over the world!!!!!!!!!!!

Excuse me, it should have been plural. objectives.

 

[Denny Crane]

I am a big believer that the stimulus plan, while far from perfect, was the best option at the time - and all you have to do is compare Japan of the 90s (after the boom busted) to Japan of the 2000's - the first did not have any stimulus, had high interest rates and is basically called the "lost decade" - in 1998 they had a huge stimulus package and by 2003 (5 years after) the economy started to recover. This is exactly what we are seeing now, the US economy starting to recover after 5 years from the original stimulus (I am starting the stimulus with Bush's last year in office when he stated taking some steps in this direction).

These were tough 5 years - but it is much better than the alternative - losing a decade+ as the Japanese did.

I also believe that the Obama administration, despite the tough conditions, has shown more long-term thinking than we have seen since the Clinton days - with emphasis on energy research and efficiency, big-data movement - including making tons of government data available for everyone and tech and start-up friendly legislation.

I am not a fan of the relative lack of punishment to the financial sector and at times Obama seemed to try to please everyone instead of going with what he said he would do - which would have probably worked better - but if the option is Obama or Romney, it has to be Obama for me - I just do not think this country needs a banker to lead it.

I think you're mistaken. Japan pulled every trick in the fiscal and monetary play books right away. Lowered interest rates, taxes, printed money, etc. the lost decade would have been a lost 3 -5 years if they played it right. Housing bubbles seriously suck.

 

[VanillaGorilla]

Totally logical.

/green font

You don't like me, do you? At least I try to learn about politics by reading all these threads on the OT forum. If you knew any of my peers you'd be remarking upon how logical I am. I might well end up voting for Romney, but most of what I will learn about him comes from this forum, and in the Romney version of this thread, I haven't seen too many positives about Romney, except from mook. I haven't committed to voting for Obama either. It wouldn't take much to get me to vote for someone else. Hell, I can always just vote for Ron Paul, right?

 

[Denny Crane]

You don't like me, do you? At least I try to learn about politics by reading all these threads on the OT forum. If you knew any of my peers you'd be remarking upon how logical I am. I might well end up voting for Romney, but most of what I will learn about him comes from this forum, and in the Romney version of this thread, I haven't seen too many positives about Romney, except from mook. I haven't committed to voting for Obama either. It wouldn't take much to get me to vote for someone else. Hell, I can always just vote for Ron Paul, right?

I'm voting for Ron Paul. He's not going to be on the ballot, but we can write him in. If you don't see a place to do so on the ballot, ask the poll worker how to do a write in vote and they'll tell you.

Another good choice:
http://www.garyjohnson2012.com/front

 

[VanillaGorilla]

 

[VanillaGorilla]

I'm voting for Ron Paul. He's not going to be on the ballot, but we can write him in. If you don't see a place to do so on the ballot, ask the poll worker how to do a write in vote and they'll tell you.

Another good choice:
http://www.garyjohnson2012.com/front

That's probably what I'll end up doing. I've heard good things about Gary Johnson.