Just out of curiousity, what % interest rate is the war in Iraq getting our government?

I'm not talking about the huge profits that Bush-affiliated oil companies will make in the next 15-30 years, but if we're going to use profitability as a yardstick of government performance, I think that one is the biggest loser out there.

I always was taught that one of the roles of government was to fund certain things that WOULDN'T be profitable but are still in the best interest of society. . . Presumably until such time as the markets could adapt and support them without government intervention or subsidy. . .

The "borrowed" SS funds have been replaced with government backed bonds.(Special issue Treasury bonds)

In essence, interest bearing "IOUs".

I would posit that there isn't anything "that WOULDN'T be profitable but are still in the best interest of society. . . " that should be done without a marketability factor. In other words, if there isn't a market for a "thing" or "service" then that "thing" or "service" shouldn't be done at all. To do otherwise implies that there is a "intellectual elite" that knows better than the market what is good for us, and uses government violence to get that, whatever it may be, that they've determined we need.

It's a crackpot idea, a leftover from the days of progressives and sociofascists of the 1900-1950 era.

It's well beyond time to get rid of it as a viable concept, it never was, and never will be.

So "The New Deal" was a bad thing from your estimations Pat?

It wasn't only bad, the "New Deal" was catastrophic for America, all a result of the unique fascism of Franklin Roosevelt. Roosevelt's policies were the primary cause of the Great Depression.

Wasn't the depression (a) global and (b) in place when FDR took office?

I realize it really did not end until the advent of WWII.

It was Clinton's Treasury Secretary that ran to Enron's defense, interestingly from one of Enron's financiers (cushy job he was awarded for his work for Enron during Clinton's reign)...Bush never wavered from enforcing the law, even when it was his associate Ken Lay that was on the chopping block.

This is weirdly funny. I have a "snail mail" pen pal...we've been playing shrinks for each other since the 1960's. In some ways we know more about each other than our wives know. He's said throughout this that Ken Lay would never serve prison time. I just added a "P.S." to the back of an envelope leaving here today, admitting that my pen pal sure was right about this one. :D

Going off topic a bit here, but treasury issues aren't a bad place to place your "chicken money"...money you don't want to place at risk. They become even more attractive if you live in a state with high income taxes, such as Oregon. That is because, by federal law, Treasuries interest is exempt from state income tax.

Couldn't have happened to a "better" person. Too bad he didn't get to spend any time in prison. I doubt that any of these criminals will ever spend a day in jail. I felt so much safer when the wicked, evil Martha Stewart was in prison!!!

Hahaha. THe same thought crossed my mind.

Don't you think the feds are going to be all over the place and do DNA samples before they plant him?

I never said anything about Bush not enforcing the law. He could very well have granted Lay amnesty and it would have been within the law. That's all I was saying. WTF are you talking about???? I just made the observation that if GWB had been approached regarding amnesty, he obviously declined. There!

My knee jerked...involuntary really.


It appeared that you were implying if the political mood was "less hot", Kenny boy would have seen freedom quickly.

You do that all the time Mul.....

Perhaps you should try to remain calm and level-headed for a change?

He's spring-loaded, as they say.

That's OK, I edited my post to some extent before I finalized it. I almost dumped my bucket as well but thought some before hitting "enter".

No harm, no foul....regards

That is absolutely the case. He is one of dumbo and dick's oil buddies, hell, dumbo probably would have gone to work for him if those votes were counted correctly in Fla.

gee, isn't that convenient for the regime. big sigh of relief. i bet skilling is watching his back. casey kicked during the iran contra affair.........hmmm.

Nah, it was the Clinton regime who kept killing off anyone who they did not like.

God is good...I couldn't imagine the Unabomber's inspiration inhabiting the White House. I know it would have been one term, but who knows what kind of damage that nutbag could have wrought.

FYI...Gore lost the election and tried to steal it. To cover the theft they had to make up a story. In typical Democrat-speak the accusations from the Gore camp illustrated nothing more than what the Gore camp was doing..."There is a speeder born every second." (to paraphrase P.T. Barnum)

Apparently a "dumbo" trumps a party of jackasses...how embarassing for Democrats.