Originally Posted By ecdc >>This is why we should NEVER have CEO's as president. We're just tools to an end.<< That's what gets me. Americans love to praise capitalism and business. We worship money and business. But most people haven't even bothered to take Business 101, and find out that a basic tenet of running a company is that employees, on a balance sheet, go under liabilities, not assets. Employees sit alongside shipping costs and building leases.
Originally Posted By Tikiduck That reminds me of a Steinbeck phrase calling business "ritualized thievery". Ritualized lying is a part of the game as well. Ruthless attitudes toward employees are a hallmark of top executives. So, qualities we detest in normal people are admired in the business world. They may have served Romney well in his career up to now, but they would be disastrous as President. People are just numbers to this guy. Lying is totally acceptable. Empathy is for the weak. Half the nation are bloodsucking leeches. Build up that military! This election really is a no-brainer!
Originally Posted By EighthDwarf <<That's what gets me. Americans love to praise capitalism and business. We worship money and business. But most people haven't even bothered to take Business 101, and find out that a basic tenet of running a company is that employees, on a balance sheet, go under liabilities, not assets. Employees sit alongside shipping costs and building leases.>> You make a very interesting point, ecdc. The concept of "stakeholders", which would include employees and shareholders, is discarded in favor of the interests of only shareholders in our country. If there were a way we could incorporate stakeholder representation instead of shareholder on boards it would change things quite a bit. They do it Germany.
Originally Posted By fkurucz >>But most people haven't even bothered to take Business 101, and find out that a basic tenet of running a company is that employees, on a balance sheet, go under liabilities, not assets.<< Employees do not appear in any corporate balance sheet. Their wages are an expense, and expenses do not appear in a balance sheet either. Liabilities in a balance sheet are things like accounts payable, short term debt, long term debt and shareholder equity. Employees are neither an accounting asset nor liability.
Originally Posted By fkurucz >>You make a very interesting point, ecdc. The concept of "stakeholders", which would include employees and shareholders, is discarded in favor of the interests of only shareholders in our country.<< And this is why CEOs make poor presidents. A CEO is used to having dictatorial powers,in other words, the boss can pretty much do whatever he pleases (within the limits of the law). The president cannot do so. And that's the thing. The role of president is very different from CEO. A CEO has a very singular objective: to make money for the shareholders. The President's job is not like that at all. His duty is to all Americans. And its not to make money.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan One thing I can predict with certainty. If Romney is elected, he will come up with various stimulus packages that miraculously, his Republicans cohorts will now support fully and enthusiastically. They've held the US economy hostage with their nonsense because their stated prime directive has been "MAKE OBAMA FAIL." What wonderful American patriots they are.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt Not only, that unemployment will decrease. Oh, wait, that's already happening.
Originally Posted By ecdc I had a very vivid dream that Obama lost last night. It was awful. I think I need to cut back on the news cycle
Originally Posted By skinnerbox <<I had a very vivid dream that Obama lost last night. It was awful. I think I need to cut back on the news cycle>> I'm having similar dreams, and waking up with headaches. 8^( The mood in our household is somber. We know what a Romney administration would do to the country, and it's a very depressing thought. MSNBC rarely gets turned on anymore. The Daily Show and Colbert are about the only political content we tune into now. This truly is the 'make or break' moment for democracy. That's not an exaggeration. Why else would all of these conservative billionaires be spending hundreds of millions of dollars to help elect Republicans? And at all levels of government? They know that this is their last shot at full control of Washington for a generation, with two, possibly three Justices retiring during the next four years. If the billionaires can put their political soldiers on the front lines and install some young Scalia/Alito/Thomas clones on the bench for life, then they know it's all over for the liberals and the middle class for decades. That's why they're fighting so hard for control now. It's their last chance before their old white fart voting base dies off for good.
Originally Posted By andyll <<Not only, that unemployment will decrease. Oh, wait, that's already happening. >> Unemployment, manufacturing, the housing market... All are improving and Romney will get credit for it.
Originally Posted By TomSawyer If Romney wins we'll know that facts carry no weight whatsoever in an election
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>we'll know that facts carry no weight whatsoever in an election<< That he is even the nominee already illustrates that. Won't release his taxes. No matter. Makes up new positions daily. No matter. Recorded saying disgusting things about nearly half of the country. No matter. Campaign dismisses the importance of fact checking. No matter.
Originally Posted By skinnerbox Yes indeed. The Romney supporters have done a really good job of conveniently ignoring pertinent facts for just about every single topic Romney has mentioned. Donny's omission in the Letterman thread (<a href="http://mb.laughingplace.com/MsgBoard-T-125050-P-1.asp" target="_blank">http://mb.laughingplace.com/Ms...-P-1.asp</a>) about Romney's insistence that a government loan to GM would be the death knell for the American automotive industry (thanks, Dabob for mentioning that) is a good case in point. Romney got it flat out wrong! But do his supporters notice that? No way. That would taint their fantasy image of the man. If Romney were acting exactly like this as the sitting President running for re-election, we'd never hear the end of criticism from his current supporters. Just because the guy is a conservative Republican, he gets a free pass on everything. Everything! I don't give a free pass to any politician, no matter what folks like Donny believe. When I voted for Obama on my mail-in ballot the other day, I was holding my nose. I'm afraid the guy is going to raise the Medicare age to 67, which will have a significant impact in our household, given how high premiums are now for folks between 60 and 65. Those two extra years of individual health insurance premiums vs the cost of Medicare Advantage premiums for the same HMO coverage (Kaiser) would buy a new car. I'm not kidding. But what's the alternative? Oh yeah... voting for a snotty rich brat who wants to voucherize the whole enchilada. Keep swimming in delusion, Romney supporters. At least it lets you sleep at night. For now.
Originally Posted By Supa_Freak The facts are pretty hard to gloss over. I voted for Obama the first time around. My own personal life is worse than 4 years ago.I won't be voting for him again, in fact I don't think I am going to vote at all. What difference does it make?
Originally Posted By Dabob2 Oh look. Another troll who joined a Disney site just today and miraculously found his way to WE first. 2 posts, both WE.
Originally Posted By Tikiduck At this point, the thought of Romney as President is too much to deal with. Anything could happen, but I hold little to zero optimism. I do find that the public's apparent amnesia toward this constant line of crap does seem to work in all the Republican's favor. Going out on the wire, I could see some instances of civil unrest in the future, when or IF this guy starts gutting social programs. I see the mindset of a lot of people darkening. I see the mega rich laughing and congratulating themselves on being the Kings of the world. But he has to win first, so lets think happy thoughts...like an Obama landslide victory!
Originally Posted By TomSawyer I voted for Obama in 2008 and my dog died and my wife done left me. I ain't voting for him ag'in.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 I think if Obama wins, it won't be by much, certainly in the popular vote (the electoral vote may look better if he wins most of the battleground states, even if not by much). So that means: DON'T be disheartened, people. 1). Make sure you vote yourself; 2). Get all your friends to vote; 3). Do what you can in these closing days to help... volunteer for phone banks, get-out-the-vote efforts in key states, etc. Many people have unlimited cell plans, for instance, that will let them call people in swing states even if they themselves live in "safe" states.
