10,000+? For how long?

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Sandy G

Don't go talkin' 'bout States' Rights...WE lost a little argument over THAT one 145 years ago..

Rights???????

I'll trade a "right" for a "freedom" any day.

Chas

[merrylander]

Originally Posted by Sandy G

Don't go talkin' 'bout States' Rights...WE lost a little argument over THAT one 145 years ago..

Maybe that little girl I heard reciting the Pladge of Allegience had it right " . . . one nation invisible . . ."

[Fast_Eddie]

Dow at almost 10,400. Every time I see a little jump I just think it will give me a little more buffer to get out if it starts down again.

[BlueStreak]

Everytime I see it rise I think, "Maybe 11,000 by Christmas, then unemployment starts dropping next spring?" Uh, there I go with that damned optimism again.

Sorry.

Dave

[Fast_Eddie]

Originally Posted by BlueStreak

Everytime I see it rise I think, "Maybe 11,000 by Christmas, then unemployment starts dropping next spring?" Uh, there I go with that damned optimism again.

Sorry.

Dave

I'm with ya brother. Can't help it. I want this thing to turn around. Scarry watching what happend over the last two years. I got a couple of kids and would like to see them get the shot I had.

[d-ray657]

Originally Posted by Charles

Haven't noticed any lobbyists being overly concerned with making sure that Ol' Chas gets a square deal.

Isn't corporatism grand???

Chas

No one wants to talk about how blatantly illegal the conduct of the providers is, and that the conduct of the insurance companies in those transactions was likely illegal as well (if the courts were to determine that they had monopoly power as a result of their control of a substantial number of subscribers). Of course, Sam Walton loved to play that game too. It certainly appeared that there was some price fixing going on on Wall Streed before the market collapse as well. The crisis also resulted in a greater concentration of banks, with the big ones swallowing up other big ones. While treasury interest rates are around 1-2%, the banks are offering a 10.5% rate to their BEST customers.

The anti-trust laws have essentially been ignored for decades, but they are still on the books. I'm sure the DOJ is pretty busy with GITMO and trying to pick up the slack for the huge backlog of civil rights cases that had been ignored, but I sure would like to see a renewed focus on antitrust laws.

Regards,

D-Ray

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Fast_Eddie

I'm with ya brother. Can't help it. I want this thing to turn around. Scarry watching what happend over the last two years. I got a couple of kids and would like to see them get the shot I had.

I would imagine that everyone is in favor of a strong economy. Well, maybe not everyone, but I certainly am. I'd like to give my boys a big raise.

The Dow at 11,000? Sounds good to me. But after the tech bubble, and the housing bubble, I can't help but fear that we may see a government spending bubble next.

But I'm in, lets see another card.

Chas

[Fast_Eddie]

Originally Posted by Charles

The Dow at 11,000? Sounds good to me. But after the tech bubble, and the housing bubble, I can't help but fear that we may see a government spending bubble next.

I agree, but would characterize it differently. We aren't spending too much, we're just not paying enough. Less of a spending crisis than a revenue generating crisis. You can guess how I’d go about fixing that.

There are those who have said democracy will ultimately fail because sooner or later the voters discover they have the keys to the cookie jar. (I do love a good mixed metaphor) It’s looking more and more like we’re getting there. Lower taxes, then lower taxes. After that, we need a tax cut. We’re not the most responsible lot. And if anyone were stupid enough to run on a “we need to pay the bills” ticket, I’d not count their chances of getting elected as very high.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by d-ray657

No one wants to talk about how blatantly illegal the conduct of the providers is, and that the conduct of the insurance companies in those transactions was likely illegal as well (if the courts were to determine that they had monopoly power as a result of their control of a substantial number of subscribers). Of course, Sam Walton loved to play that game too. It certainly appeared that there was some price fixing going on on Wall Streed before the market collapse as well. The crisis also resulted in a greater concentration of banks, with the big ones swallowing up other big ones. While treasury interest rates are around 1-2%, the banks are offering a 10.5% rate to their BEST customers.

The anti-trust laws have essentially been ignored for decades, but they are still on the books. I'm sure the DOJ is pretty busy with GITMO and trying to pick up the slack for the huge backlog of civil rights cases that had been ignored, but I sure would like to see a renewed focus on antitrust laws.

Regards,

D-Ray

I'm not sure as to what this GITMO thing really is. Just how long does it take to have a trial?

Perhaps GITMO and things like it are simply the ruse, keep everyone's attention focused on the left hand, so that they don't notice what the right hand is, or isn't doing.

Chas

[d-ray657]

Originally Posted by Charles

I'm not sure as to what this GITMO thing really is. Just how long does it take to have a trial?

Perhaps GITMO and things like it are simply the ruse, keep everyone's attention focused on the left hand, so that they don't notice what the right hand is, or isn't doing.

Chas

I probably shouldn't have mentioned GITMO in this context. My point is that the DOJ has criminal and civil jurisdiction to pursue price-fixing and other monopolistic behavior, and for years, corporations have been getting a wink and a nod instead of enforcement.

Regards,

D-Ray