Look at the DOW, look at all economic indicators. How can we afford more war?

[Political Heretic]

How can we afford NOT to pack up and bring our troops home from nearly every place in the world?

The economy is in FREE FALL.

This isn't just a recession anymore.

[OhioChick]

1. I keep asking the same thing.

:shrug:

[leftofthedial]

2. forget the Dow. It is irrelevant.

It (they) has its own agenda.

[glinda]

4. Yes but until their manipulation is addressed, everyone is affected.

[Political Heretic]

9. I understand what you are saying and why, but I wouldn't call it irrelevant.

Yes, absolutely it has its own agenda. I'm completely with you there. However, the DOW has a connection to companies decisions to layoff, or their ability to stay in business at all, which impacts the economy.

The DOW isn't irrelevant just because it has its own agenda. It has a very strong impact on the economy.

[leftofthedial]

20. But that's not our economy any more, don't you see.

That economy is dying of cancer. Terminal.

We need to focus on the next economy, one that is not subject to the agenda of a few manipulators, speculators and money-lenders, one that is sustainable and serves our interests.

[Political Heretic]

23. Ah, I gotcha

I see what you're getting at

[TWiley]

24. Unfortunately .... the dow is relevent

and, I do mean unfortunately.

Probably close to 300 Trillion dollars evaporated when the dow collapsed to 7100 from 14500. That is a whole lot of cabbage to take out of circulation dont ya think?

They have tossed a couple trillion into the hole (circulationi) which hopefully will start to turn things around.

[Captain Hilts]

Closet Keynesianism. "The New Deal didn't solve the Depresson, WWII did!" nt

[TWiley]

25. Hawks clearing their throats to justify the Iraq war.

They know the end is close if there is no money for an unpopular war. Suddenly, the republi-turds will sing in the streets that spending (war spending) is neccessary to solve the economic crisis.

[SammyWinstonJack]

27. HA!

:evilgrin:

[SpiralHawk]

3. "Shock and awe, baby. Smirk." - "conservative' Republicon Homelanders

"As we follow the Idiotlogical Directives of our Uber-theoretician Rush 'DraftDodger' Limbaugh, we are doing our best to see that America FAILS. Smirk."

- "conservative' Republicon Homelanders

[Common Sense Party]

5. Of course, when those troops come home they'll add to unemployment.

I know it's cheaper than continuing to pay for all the military equipment, housing, etc.

But a few hundred thousand more guys back here, looking for work in an economy in the crapper...

[Political Heretic]

10. That's a brilliant rationale for keeping them engaged in illegal wars costing hundreds of billions

Well done, sir!

[Common Sense Party]

15. Of course, I did nothing of the kind.

Merely pointing out the facts. Sorry if that bothers you.

[Political Heretic]

18. They are "facts" without context. And they remain a rationale for continuing illegal wars.

The cost to the economy of bringing our troops home is less than the cost of funding our foreign wars.

That a fraction of the money we are currently spending in Iraq and Afghanistan and put it into transition assistance for a 6-12 month time period to help soldiers make the change over.

The notion that we should keep soldiers in harms way on the front lines of immoral wars so that they can "have jobs" is asinine.

[Winterblues]

14. Just because they are no longer in Iraq doesn't mean they are out of the Military

It isn't like in days past when we had a Draft and once the troops came home everyone was released. This is a volunteer Military and they usually are there for the duration.

[Common Sense Party]

16. When a large chunk of them are National Guardsmen, they'll

come home and go straight to civilian life. Unfortunately, civilian life ain't so civil right now.

But you're exactly right about enlisted and career military.

[Political Heretic]

19. So let's keep them in harms way getting shot at instead.

Woot! :party:

[Common Sense Party]

22. You have a reading comprehension problem.

Seek help.

[Political Heretic]

28. I think I'm drawing fair implications from what you are saying

Implications being the key.

I certainly think you can draw this implications from the premises.

[Common Sense Party]

29. I believe the word you seek is "inferences."

You are infering a meaning that I never implied. I never once stated that the troops should stay there (though, of course, they will) merely because there is an economic recession here at home.

I simply stated the obvious fact that having thousands of troops returning to civilian life during a recession WILL compound the unemployment problem. One would have to be an ignorant jackass to ignore or deny that.

[Political Heretic]

30. Yes and no.

In terms of you personally (its not always about YOU by the way) then yes, inferences would be correct.

However, what I'm doing is moving beyond you to policy implications that we can make from certain premises. Which is both fair and appropriate to do.

One more thing - having our troops return home will barely make a dent in the overall employment rate, given the number of troops deployed. It would be a problem for the individual soldiers, which is why I suggested the transition plan I did. It would not be an impact in the economy that would even hit 1%

[leftstreet]

6. Tear up the Defense Dept's credit cards! n/t

Actually it's Offense Dept

[xxqqqzme]

7. Finally a like mind.

I've been calling it the DoO for years now. We defend nothing. We protect and advance corporate interests. Once we invaded Iraq for no reason at all, we ceased to be defense anything.

[Peace Patriot]

8. We will beg, borrow, steal, starve, give up TV and movies, beer and lattes, gladly tolerate

American children with big bloated hunger bellies, see the streets littered with garbage and bodies, and crawl on our knees to kill more Afghani civilians, cuz that's what we do.

[Political Heretic]

11. That's how we roll.

:(

[Winterblues]

12. But but but War is supposed to be GOOD for business

Supposedly war is what has saved our economy in the past. If you believe the Republican Pundits that is anyway..FDR created the Depression and only WW II saved us from it..

[Political Heretic]

21. Old War, with mass production. New wars are expensive to the public, lucrative to private business

[Winterblues]

32. You may have to explain the difference to me

Are you saying the production during WW II was not Private? And when most of the employees were women making less than half the wage menfolk made at the same time, how does it spur the economy? Not to mention the Ration factor. Many if not most goods were rationed to the general public so not much money was spent to stimulate the economy. After the war now that was a different story. GI Bill, lots of homes being built and bought, cars that had been unobtainable now flooded the markets. Remember rubber, steel, sugar, nylon, copper, almost anything you can nmae was rationed and very little was to be had.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

13. By suckering us into paying for it by playing the Bogeyman Card.

Or, cards. Step right up! Take your pick! Taliban? Al Queda? Chavez? China? Putin? Fidel?

[Warren DeMontague]

17. How can we afford to spend $40 Billion a year fighting pot smoking?

Legalize and tax it.

[SammyWinstonJack]

26. The MIC doesn't give a rat's ass, nor do the PTB who gain from War Profits.

They will drain the last drop of tax dollars to support their war profits. We are so screwed!


Hope and Change my a$$!

[quaker bill]

31. I agree

but this one will not end until bin Laden is dead. Perhaps the new administration will find him quickly.