I think I took a grand total of three sociology classes when I was in school. They tended to be pretty easy credits, you could attend class with a massive hangover and there were usually more than a few hot, wide-eyed girls in them. I don't think I learned very much. But one thing I did learn (that I think is accurate) is that those in power will tend to do that which is necessary to retain the majority of their power. While those out of power will tend to do that which is necessary to gain power. So this quote from MeesterPerfect makes no sense to me:
He ain't gonna do nothing but try to make it worse until he gets voted out.
Uhh... and just why would he
try to do that???
Though it's a sad commentary, I don't find it so hard to believe that "some" Republicans want to see the country and economy continue to struggle under Obama. I mean, let's face it... if we hit 4% GDP and the unemployment rate drops by a point or more just prior to the election, Obama's chances of being re-elected are not that bad... especially with none of the current crop of Republicans being all that popular among the general electorate. Even if you can't pin all the blame on Obama, for goodness sake, let's not let him get any credit for anything good.
"I got an idea, let's cut the budget and knock a point or so off GDP. Even though we don't mind borrowing money to fund tax cuts for those making over a million a year or so that hedge fund managers can call their regular income 'capital gains' /carried interest, we's gots to get a handle on Obama's socialism!"
Personally, I just admire the talent and self-control it takes for them to say that with a straight face. :thumbsup:
As for businesses and/or individuals not investing "until Obama is out"... me thinks some here don't actually understand the principles by which businesses and (real) investors live. In business, you react to demand and economic conditions, not who the President is. Other than that goofy TEA party woman, who claimed to be a "small business owner" (
riiight...
), no real business person would advocate not investing in their business just to derail the economy so that the "Black, socialist, communist, Marxist, Muslim, anti-Christ" would get booted out in 2012. Big businesses contribute to Democrats and Republicans alike. Right now, Obama is still getting donations from Wall Street, though at only half the amount that Romney is. But he's beating the hell out of Perry, Bachmann, Cain and Gingrich with the Wall Street crowd. And he's beating the hell out of Romney with the Silicone Valley crowd. So this idea that businesses all want Obama out and someone like Perry or Bachmann in, is just a fantasy.
During the budget battles, big business wanted a deal! Whatever it was, they wanted certainty, not uncertainty. Uncertainty (and lack of demand) is the actual reason why many businesses aren't investing or hiring right now. Increases or spikes in demand are largely being dealt with by increasing overtime. Only when OEE/productivity begins to fall is head count increased. One of the things that Obama has pushed through and supported, that I FULLY agree with, is the ability to apply accelerated depreciation to plant and equipment. A company I'm working with right now has bought several million dollars worth of CNC equipment. And since CNC's won't run themselves, employees have been hired to fill those slots. For those that don't follow (data driven) news, manufacturing has been doing fairly well vs. other parts of the economy. I guess those of us who work in the manufacturing sector didn't get the memo on not investing cause
Big Daddy O was Prez. And that, despite the fact that the National Association of Manufacturers is one of the most conservative groups in the United States. :dunno:
Go figure... $ > political philosophy.
