Promote your business or product on 700level.com. For
more information about advertising with us CLICK HERE!

FD, asking sincerely for you to show me 4 references by 'credible' (I'll even give you the Limbaugh's and Hannity set) that claim Obama may be a muslim.

I heard it here, in a link to a bunch of aged retirees in Fla.

Other than that?
Nothing.

Um, where does "pop appeal" stem from?
TSZ declares someone the "it girl" and thats it?

No. PUBLICITY- you were innundated with Jessica Simpsons mug on mag covers etc a couple yrs ago, she did some TV stuff as a guest and then gets her own MTV show.
The media decides Pop Appeal, this is as old as the hills. Not NEWS only- but the means of TV and Print to create an appeal, justifiable or not.

Circle man- not a clear cut result of some mysteriously created pop appeal.

Obama wasn't expected to win and the media all assumed Hillary would take the nomination. His popularity and the groundswell of support from young voters is what got him the pop appeal.

The media didn't pick him out of a hat to be the popular candidate...he just was and the snowball started going downhill for a period of time. The media, at that point, fed the organic popularity he had and turned him into a "sensation" for about a month or two.



Im not the victim of anything here- i told you where i came up with my opinion.

I know it kills you and you won't ever believe it, but you were not the first one to say "Hey...why is the media anointing this guy". You came to "realize it on your own" the same time everyone did...after the story was written and passed out.

That's when the coverage turned on him a little bit, though. It might have been a fair criticism of the media for a few weeks, because they did "fall in love" a bit. That was so long ago and it's such old news at this point, I'm surprised people still bring it up. I think the field has definitely settled down at this point.

FD, asking sincerely for you to show me 4 references by 'credible' (I'll even give you the Limbaugh's and Hannity set) that claim Obama may be a muslim.

I heard it here, in a link to a bunch of aged retirees in Fla.

Other than that?
Nothing.

They used to "ask the question" rather than answer it, not they just point to "questions about his religious affiliation". The point, and you know this, is they don't want to go on record as being idiots. They want to "raise the question" and "let their listeners decide".

National polls as recently as a month ago show 13% of the country thinks he's a Muslim. They didn't come up with that on their own.

Obama’s Social Security plan:

Create a lockbox, like Gore floated in 2000. Essentially, the government has collected more for Social Security than it’s needed since it began. Rather than save or invest it, they’ve spent the remaining amount every year. Obama wants to end this practice. This would, on paper, explode the national debt. That’s only because he wouldn’t be using the SS $ as a crutch to hide existing federal expenditures.

He’ll raise the SS tax for people making over $102,000. Don’t know how much.

Will not make the personal retirement accounts/privatization part of SS.


National polls as recently as a month ago show 13% of the country thinks he's a Muslim. They didn't come up with that on their own.

f-d, the guy’s name does sound Muslim and Americans have Muslims on their brain since 2001. I think 13% is low, considering what some people convince themselves of. I think the Elis is alive crowd polls at 10%.

Anyone know McCain's Social Security plan (other than spending it on Tums and hard candy)?

NC, can you posts links with the comments when you are discussing policies?

No offense, but the last few things people have just posted as opposed to linking have had stuff seriously wrong.

f-d, the guy’s name does sound Muslim and Americans have Muslims on their brain since 2001. I think 13% is low, considering what some people convince themselves of. I think the Elis is alive crowd polls at 10%.

That's a fair point. I also listen to Sean Hannity in the afternoons sometimes when I'm on the road and he mentions "questions" about religious affiliation daily.

Anyone know Obama's stance on reparations?

Perhaps some folks think he's a Muslim because there is information that refutes/questions Obamination's statements when asked about a possible Muslim upbringing.

I think it was some guy at the LA Times who dug into all of this.

So do you think he's Muslim, BMA?

Thanks, fd. The clarification helped. What Obama stated is technically a tax increase on those making over $102,000, but there's a twist. next year, only the first 103K is taxed for SS. The remainder is untaxed. Obama wants to raise the income limit. No specifics, but when he talks about 3-4% going untaxed, you get the sense he may want to remove the cap and tax all income for SS.

http://www.ontheissues.org/Economic/Barack_Obama_Social_Security.htm

MSNBC, confirms the tax increase pledge:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21739271/

His own site goes into related issues, but pretty much covers the same ground:

http://www.barackobama.com/issues/socialsecurity/

No, I don't think he's a practicing Muslim at all. However, I do believe he was exposed to and, to some extent, practiced the religion at a young age, despite his denials.

NC, I was just watching "Maxed out" on Showtime which has had this flurry of documentaries recently. The "collecting" more social security was to insure the ability to PAY people down the road what they'd paid into it. Now, the use of social security funds has been approved and placed at risk considering the budget deficit and debt that the country continues to expand. That raiding of social security completely precludes that it will be "invested". The Guvmint is so behind in its budget that any money freed up will be used to allow that deficit to increase.

They were pretty explicit about how social security funds were being used. The International Monetary Fund explained how, as it currently stands SS was being used up at a rate equal to collection (dated 2002) and that it would ultimately be underfunded within several years if nothing changed. Well, nothing has changed. The result is that we now spend more than we collect in social security. We spend more than we collect in taxes. The "lock box" is to prevent fucking over those people who paid into a fund that was supposed to allow them some security after a lifetime of service. If you don't agree with that and feel that the everyman for himself policy is in effect consider this:

Average cost to keep a parent in a full service nursing home = at least 3k per month, now closer to 5k. It starts by raiding their "savings" and then reverting to social security. Currently, financial estimates suggest that you need anywhere from 400k to 1 million to retire today. Do you think you will really have that kind of scratch? All it takes is one catastrophic health issue and you can kiss that good bye. All the personal savings accounts in the world won't change shit. It is easy to dispense with the social responsibility as a form of socialism to be avoided at all costs, but helping out neighbors is a distinctly american theme that propagated by all our pundits/candidates. It also matters more when it happens to you.

I'm all for raising the social security ceiling by 50k-100k or so. Why not? The population demographics suggest an increasing aging population and one that utilizes more health care than any other demographic. One day all of us will belong to that demographic and I'm sure all of us won't have the savings to pay for it with social security savings accounts.

The best thing for everyone involved would be a flat tax without all the bullshit deductions. That way burden is accurately reflected as a percentage of income. Of course, it would be a miracle for a fair tax to take root.

Typo above. It's 102K.

The "lock box" is to prevent fucking over those people who paid into a fund that was supposed to allow them some security after a lifetime of service.

I know. I'm not against the lockbox thing. I'm just saying what will happen if it comes into effect. We get a true sense of how much it costs to run this country.

Do you think you will really have that kind of scratch?

Me? Likely. Joe Bag-o-donuts? No.



Look, I'm all for Christian charity. However, when people have decades to save and prepare and don't, why is it up to me to bail them out? I don't drive nice cars. I live in a modest house. I don't take the family on vacations and don't go out to dinner every week.

People are over-spending and have been for decades. This isn't a have/have-nots issue. This is people getting too used to gubmint bailing them out by taking from others who paid their dues, invested early and wisely, and saved for the rainy day.

know it kills you and you won't ever believe it, but you were not the first one to say "Hey...why is the media anointing this guy". You came to "realize it on your own" the same time everyone did...after the story was written and passed out.
-FD.

No, wrong. Fact.

Never claimed to be first, it doesnt kill me that im not, and again, i didnt come to that conclusion after a story was successfully spread by a pocket of right wing crazies with a show on the AM dial.

I cant make it any easier for you- IT WAS WITH MY OWN EYES.

No, I don't think he's a practicing Muslim at all. However, I do believe he was exposed to and, to some extent, practiced the religion at a young age, despite his denials.

Hate to be a dick, but do you have any links to him admitting or refuting that he was ever Muslim? I honestly don't remember whether he ever refuted it or not.

No, wrong. Fact.

Never claimed to be first, it doesnt kill me that im not, and again, i didnt come to that conclusion after a story was successfully spread by a pocket of right wing crazies with a show on the AM dial.

I cant make it any easier for you- IT WAS WITH MY OWN EYES.

Does it help if I believe you believe that?

fd, they actually put up a message on his website back in late 2007 to refute the reports of his early upbringing.

No, it doesnt help if you believe it or not.

I guess the part of Condescending KB is being played today by FD?

Its beyond your capability, you cant grasp, how ANYONE could say something (seemingly so harmless) as "Obama has rec'd favorable treatment in the media by and large".

Thats not even a criticism, really.

But you're up in arms and claiming that Ive been subconsiously brainwashed due to a successful campaign to influence by the right wing wackos.

By your admission- you have more access to said wackos than do i.
I dont listen to or read any of their stuff.

The link I got the other day from Rush's site?

I saw it linked on FARK. Id previously never been over there.

And i dont believe that credible media would allow any influence from said wackos either.

And Ive already cited that the MAIN factor in my coming to that conclusion is how he's treated on MSNBC, which Im exposed to nightly.

You yourself conceded they're 'slanted towards Obama".

OK, so, we agree then.

I guess the part of Condescending KB is being played today by FD?

Not at all, Seth.

I believe you believe it. I don't. I don't think you're lying or trying to mislead anyone. I also know you won't ever believe me, so we're at a bit a stalemate that won't be won by anyone.

I don't know where else to go with that particular line of discussion.

My point is you believe you figured out that the media was trying to control the masses by pushing Obama, but believe it's impossible opposing forces couldn't have helped you come to that conclusion because it was to their benefit.

To me, it's a paradox.

Should be "I believe you believe it. I do."

Dude, you got the campaign ads with Obama and Osama in the same picture. The imagery and intent was clear and utterly ridiculous.

NC, I agree that it shouldn't be a "bail out". The truth of the matter is that most people don't make enough money to get to that point. Many of the posters on this site probably do make enough. I also completely agree with needs/wants and how that often isn't factored into family financial planning. It is particularly problematic when you have people encouraging you to spend to stimulate the economy as well. Nevertheless, it still is an issue of personal responsibility.

As for health care, it costs money. You can bet that if costs keep going down, then at some point physicians will refuse medicare patient's entirely. That will become catastrophic. Medicine (mentioned it before) is the only profession that I can think of where you make less money every year for exactly the same thing you did the year before. Some of those drops in reimbursement are justified, but many aren't. Anyway, if nobody pays for that it will become quite a social and ethical nightmare that the wealthiest country on earth can't care for its elderly. There isn't a culture that I can think of that doesn't revere its elderly. Bottom line is that the utilization of social security will rise and there has to be some mechanism to buffer those rising costs. Cutting costs isn't exactly solving the problem, since it only solves the financial aspect of it while leaving the social aspect unresolved.

Can we ship em to Cuba? They gave us criminals in the 70s, if I'm to belive Scarface.

1 2 3 4 5 6  7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 
31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 
61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 
91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 
121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 
151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 
181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207