Is There No Longer a Shared ‘American Way of Life”?
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On today’s edition of Coffee and Markets, Brad Jackson and Ben Domenech are joined by Francis Cianfrocca to discuss the Fed’s interest rate announcement, the divided cultural experiences of America’s upper and lower class, and whether or not “the American way of life” still exists.
We’re brought to you as always by BigGovernment and Stephen Clouse and Associates. If you’d like to email us, you can do so at coffee[at]newledger.com. We hope you enjoy the show.
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38 Comments
There's high class, middle class, low class, no class, and finally we come to the toddler's class- sitting in the corner, facing the wall, wearing a gigantic dunce cap..
Reminds me of the GOP
"no debt deal if there are any sign of the slightest revenue increases"
…then we got downgraded.
the no class part was when the GOP said we could borrow money to pay billions to the pharma companies, trillions for war BUT no dime for extending unemployment insurance for americans that are hurting… that has to be paid for.
"BUT no dime for extending unemployment insurance for americans that are hurting.."
Bullshlt!
100 weeks of unemployment is not unemployment.
It is a Career.
Was there ever?
Or was it merely a pretense of media pap and the intellectual musings of nativists pontificating against foreign "invasions" or socialists propagandizing for a homogenized trans-culture?
Was the sublime agrarian Southern way of life really the same as the frontier taming Western way of life, and both the same as the mercantile Eastern way of life?
Indeed was the mercantile Eastern way of life truly the same as the Industrial Eastern Way of life?
Certainly we were all Americans, but to say we all had the same way of life seems in stark contrast to the differences that have always been obvious, and does a rather severe disservice to both our individual and regional distinctions as well as our ability to transcend them in times of need.
Of course you've been told that everybody who is unemployed for a long time is by choice. Couldn't have anything to do with the worst recession since depression. It's all poor people trying to game the system.
"Was the sublime agrarian Southern way of life really the same as the frontier taming Western way of life, and both the same as the mercantile Eastern way of life? "
I always figured you for a deep thinker.
It has everything to do with this administration deliberately prolonging the decline of the economy by thwarting any attempts made by those who will reverse it's downward slide.
Not prolonging purposely enacting policies to kill jobs. From shutting down Gulf Oil drilling to fishing moratium in Massachuetts, North Carolina to Florida. The plan destruction of the coal industry.
Americans — and much of the rest of the world — have been deprived of one of the most important means of establishing and maintaining a free society, namely, federalism or states' rights. It is not just an accident that states' rights have either been relegated to the memory hole, or denigrated as a tool of racists and other miscreants. The Jeffersonian states'-rights tradition was — and is — the key to understanding why Thomas Jefferson believed that the best government is that which governs least, and that a limited constitutional government was indeed possible.
spoken like a true ditto head
Some day you'll think for yourself.
Your logic is so ridiculous when you look at it.
First, Obama wants to be reelected
It's very rare incumbents win in a bad economy, so he has no reason to keep the economy bad you idiot.
The republicans are the ones that shoot down every single idea because wisely they know that if the economy gets better they're screwed.
btw
Can you name specific policies that Obama has proposed that deliberately prolong the decline?
That would be great
Thanks
Thank you! I got off unemployment by going into debt for grad school so I can get on a better career path and (I hope) never ever need to leech off the government again!
Can you name one, just one that has resulted in an increase in the GDP and in employment that has not cost the citizens more than it produces?
Yup: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-aLcbr63ME Obama came out and said he wants to bankrupt people who build power plants that burn coal. Apparently, we're going to charge our Volts on his hot air.
The first 15 seconds of this video not only provide an example, but also illustrate Obama's philosophy of ideology over economic growth: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-aLcbr63ME
That's what I said.
we've been deficit spending since Bush came to office. W e don't have the money to cover most things, like your boys precious medicare program, his wars
So why NOW all the sudden are you worried about spending more money then we bring in?
Hypocrite much?
Thought so.
I think unemployment steadied because of the stimulus, but didn't bring it back to where it was obviously. The whole idea behind the stimulus was to look at our history, see what hoover did and do the opposite.
You might not understand it, but there is a school of thought that says injecting liquidity into a liquidity starved economy could help and it did slightly but not enough.
Why now, all the sudden when we're in crises and people are hurting do cons say "hey, you have to pay for that"
But before when your guy was in unpaid for spending to big pharma, military contractors ect was A okay?
Again… hypocrite.
I don't believe that there ever was. One of the favorite pastimes of those who remained behind has been to look down their collective noses on America and her citizens for our lack of an identifiable culture that compares to their own. What made this country great has been our diversity and our ability to unify, not to mention that the immigrants come here to find what their own countries do not offer and they remain. The socialists attempt to homogenize us and divide us at the same time according to their rules.
You mean to tell me that some one who produces all that pollution will have to pay for it? Not just be allowed to pollute our country at will?
The agony!!!!!!!
Are you serious for two of his four in office he held majorities in both houses. The Democrats controlled two third of the government and they still whine like little kids. He has failed to introduce a budget for 1000 days.
His wikipedia page for his presidency will read see Bush's fault.
To paraphrase Larry Elder: I realize fact to liberals are like krytonite to Superman.
Obama polices that prolong the decline:
Shutting down the Gulf Oil drilling. This is the largest industry for the gulf oil states. The gulf oil states are Florida, Missippi, Alabama, Louisana, and Texas.
His moratium on red snapper fishing which hits every fishing community from North Carolina to Florida.
His stated plan to increase the cost of using coal. Which resulted in First Energy announcing the closing of six coal power plants.
His energy policy which has gas prices at $1.86 when he came into office to $3.44. Which equates to $4,000.00 out of pocket for every American family. Ask yourself what you could have done with an extra $12,000.00.
Sad part this is just off the top of my head.
Answer the question.
""To paraphrase Larry Elder: I realize fact to liberals are like krytonite to Superman""
Elaborate on which "facts" you speak of… any facts. because everything below is easily debunked.
"""Shutting down the Gulf Oil drilling"""
The problems that caused the last terrible spill have not been fixed.
Our economy runs on off shore drilling?
"""His moratium on red snapper fishing which hits every fishing community from North Carolina to Florida"""
How will effect them when it's extinct.
"""His stated plan to increase the cost of using coal"""
It's a reverse of the Bush administration that wanted exempt power plants from controls for toxic air pollution. Yeah, real safe right? he wasn't in the pocket of big energy at all
From the AP
Two factors have made it easier for utilities to shut old coal plants in recent years. Power demand has been weakening in recent years because of the slow economy and energy efficiency programs. And natural gas prices, which have fallen to decade-low levels in recent weeks, have allowed utilities to switch from coal to natural gas without impacting customer bills. Meanwhile, demand from China and elsewhere has driven up the price of coal.
Sure
he has taken on more debt, not paid for it. Like in every other time in our history when there is crises. Whats your point?
Oh can you answer my question?
we've been deficit spending since Bush came to office. W e don't have the money to cover most things, like your boys precious medicare program, his wars
So why NOW all the sudden are you worried about spending more money then we bring in?
Exactly.
And let us note, we are not talking about moral and cultural relativism.
There are indeed ways of life that are quantifiably superior to others.
We are talking about a particular set of ways of life, the various American wayS of life, which are all distinct, but which are all absolutely essential to the overall quality of each other, and thus contribute to their very real superiority to those other ways of life.
I cannot imagine living the Western or Southern or Midwestern or the various other American ways of life that are not my Eastern City Boy way of life.
Equally I cannot imagine my Eastern City Boy way of life being as great as it is without all the people living those others ways of life as part of the same country.
Imagine a house made of only one material. Certainly it possesses its own particular quality of "purity", but I doubt anyone finds a stone bed as comfortable as stone walls, or would prefer porcelain walls to go with their porcelain "throne".
Likewise we have more than one team in each sports league, not to mention more than one sports league, an army has more than one MOS, a meal has more than one food, with a stew certainly having more than one ingredient, and our government has more than one branch.
We are the United StateS, not the United StatE.
And that's something the usual crew of social scientists cannot understand, and so always fear and hate.
What part do you not understand. We can't fish for red snapper but are allowed to import red snapper from Brazil. The ideal of becoming extinct is a fantasy. We are paying higher cost for the fish and are fisherman are not allowed to fish.
Our economy runs off oil as I mention Oil drilling specifically the off shore is the largest industry in the gulf state. Oil and Gas interest generate $124 billion a year. Our second largest industry is tourism at $100 billion.
Electricity has to come form somewhere and considering this adminstration will not even approach nuclear energy to generate electricity. The coal is a pollution is a carnard. The air has never been cleaner I know this a fact which libs fail to grasp.
Bush is in the pocket of big oil. After this president took us to war in Libya for oil. You really want to try and make that argument, or how about the Clinton adminstration selling most of or stragtic reserve to Occidental Petroleum which is own by the Gore Family.
so you seem to think we can fish for something when it's extinct and you're saying I don't understand?
fact is the red snapper population is dwindling. we have a moratorium they might once again flourish off our costs. ya know, the SMART THING TO DO.
How do you not get that?
""Oil and Gas interest generate $124 billion a year. Our second largest industry is tourism at $100 billion""""
Thats why its not nearly a full moratorium. nor will it be banned for ever.
"""The coal is a pollution is a carnard. The air has never been cleaner I know this a fact which libs fail to grasp""
Yes, the chinese, who have been increasing coal power, are swimming in cleanliness, right? no pollution there.
"""""Bush is in the pocket of big oil. After this president took us to war in Libya for oil. You really want to try and make that argument, or how about the Clinton adminstration selling most of or stragtic reserve to Occidental Petroleum which is own by the Gore Family"""""
Yes, bush gave in to the interests of the energy companies throughout his who 8 years. Just look at the shady back room dealing in the 2002(3?) energy bill. They still wot release who was at those meetings.
I never once said clinton wasn't beholden to special interests. They all are. Only conservatives are in denial. Libs know Obama has sold out to corporate interests.
However I never knew lybia was for oil. thats news to me. Boggles the mind then why conservatives didn't cheer the idea.
China will be polution free long before we are debt free and far more people will suffer here because of our fiscal policies then will suffer in China because of their environmental policies.
Think a little further ahead. When they go bankrupt, where will we get our energy? And how long will we have to wait for someone to come up with something else – and won't it be difficult for people to do experiments while trying to come up with something else if they can't afford the electricity required to do so?
Glad you posted this. Patrick McGoohan would be proud.
So I answer your question but you run away when I ask you to answer mine
We're relying on coal for our future energy needs?
I have not run away. This is me ignoring you, ignoring you because you are a tremendous boor.
You presume to ask a question based on a canard of your own making.
You claim that you answered my question when you did nothing of the sort, (Can you name one, just one that has resulted in an increase in the GDP and in employment that has not cost the citizens more than it produces?).
You believe or propose that obama's RECORD deficit spending was the result of some mythical crisis (of the dem's own creation for the purpose of expanding government) and attempt to tie Bush's spending to that of obama's.
I have viewed your comment stream, you are just a troll with nothing of value to bring to a conversation. You only intend to disrupt and waste others valuable time. Enjoy your solitude troll it is the only defense you have.
#6 would appreciate your memory.
you chose the childs way out when you've got no good answer and backed into a corner you say "im ignoring you because…" (insert lame reason)
I answered your question we've been deficit spending for a decade Obama included. So his plans have added to the debt. I can't make that any clearer.
Now to get an answer out of you is like talking to a child (reference your reason given for not answering me)
Runaway, I'm a scary troll!!!!
""""obama's RECORD deficit spending was the result of some mythical crisis (of the dem's own creation for the purpose of expanding government)"""
See this is what I'm talking about. I'd ask you to back up how our deficits woes are solely the cause of one political party… but I guess you'll just runaway again like a scared child.
Simple fact is, Obama has not introduced new spending that has amassed 5 trillion more in debt. If you believe that show me what the programs were.
no go hide under your bed again, the scary troll is making you look foolish.
exactly…
Have fun with that talking point. Malkin would be proud.
Don't you love being able to throw sht out and not have to back it up?
That is a world only a right wing retard like you would love since thats all you do.
Every time I ask you to back something up yo run away like a scared child hiding under your bed.
So don't worry I won't ask you to back up this latest hilariously retarded comment of yours.
you've hidden under your bed from me enough.
thats the way most people on unemployment feel.
The great right wing myth that you suckers buy all the time is that everybody receiving assistance from the government is living on easy street having a great time scamming the taxpayers. The amount of fraud in the system is real, but very low.
We're relying largely on coal NOW. With what should we replace it? Nuclear? That's not particularly clean, and, as of 2008, only provided 19.6% of our electricity (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_power_in_the_United_States). Wind? That won't meet the need – it's too inconsistent (it also chops up birds into little pieces – oops!). Nothing we have now is perfect, so it would be GREAT to have a better source of energy, but we don't have it YET, and bankrupting the coal industry will not make it appear.
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