K-9

No worries on the resentment issue. Sometimes two-dimensional type on a monitor doesn't translate in these partisan debates. Just a couple points: 1.) The weak dollar is directly attributable to Fed policy. In short, the Fed has been printing money and flooding the market place with dollars since the Reagan administration and in each administration since. It increased printing of money exponentially during Bush II, especially in his second term and that's carried right on through to the Obama administration. Here's my point: no president can be held accountable for Fed policy as it's monetary decisions don't have to be approved by the President or anyone in the legislature. It's powers are derived by laws passed by Congress and the Fed is subject to congressional oversight only. In summary, the weak dollar is a result of flooding the marketplace with greenbacks, which is determined by Fed policy, which are not in the purview of the President. 2.) I'm not sure that "US oil production/demand" can be separated in the equation of "global" oil supply and demand. Heck, the US is also an oil "exporter." Anyway, US oil production, from both private and public land, is at it's highest since 1996 so again, lack of "domestic" output can't be a contributor to higher prices. So the question boils down to oil production on "public lands" (public 'lands' includes off shore) It was up in Obama's first two years and down in 2011 due to the Deepwater Horizon disaster. But compared to Bush's last three years, production on public lands was way up and, while Romney was correct in citing a 14% dip last year, it was cherry picked. http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2012/oct/16/mitt-romney/mitt-romney-says-oil-production-down-14-percent-ye/

As much as he insisted that "the numbers add up" the other night, they actually don't even come close. Even if he eliminated all deductions, it wouldn't come close to offsetting his proposed tax cuts. Here's something from the Tax Policy Center, a non-partisan group (although, since this doesn't cast his plan in a favorable light, the right would disagree). http://taxvox.taxpolicycenter.org/2012/10/17/how-much-revenue-would-a-cap-on-itemized-deductions-raise/

There has been a movement lately to forge a larger national focus on a broad spectrum of women's issues, particularly health related ones. Perhaps the most visible one is the coalition between Colorado and Texas known as COTEX. BA DA BING! BA DA BOOM! I'll be here all week. Try the veal.

Finally, Romney has agreed to share details of his tax plan. http://www.romneytaxplan.com/

Read a good one from the shoutbox over on TSW: The Bills are still undefeated when giving up less than 45 points per game this season. That's priceless. GO BILLS!!!

I remember this rumor from a few years ago. And nutjob Glenn Beck got some mileage out of it. There is not one ounce of truth to this absurd notion. The only collateral for our national debt is the "full faith and credit of the United States government." Period. End of story. Touche, pretty lady.

You know Ghost, for all the crap you took over there, your thoughts on China were prophetic as things look to be shaping up. I agree the tipping point will be when China's gains in another currency outweigh it's losses in dollar holdings. But it cuts both ways in that there is a TON of foreign investment in China and they can't be reckless with those investors. Then again, I don't think Western companies, US companies included, would give two schits about going turncoat if those gains realized through the Yuan or whatever they end up pegging to prove to be so much more lucrative. Romney is living the Chinese dream as we speak. Has been since 1998. Maybe it's time for some radical protectionist measures. I honestly don't know anymore. Almost forgot to link this article. Like you said though, China is nothing if not patient. 5,000 years as an evolving society kind of forges that character trait. http://blogs.marketwatch.com/fundmastery/2011/04/25/can-china-really-dump-the-dollar/

http://www.bloomberg...ace-demand.html http://www.forbes.co...falling-dollar/ http://www.forbes.co...ice-per-barrel/ There are numerous other articles on the subjects as well. It's not a function of the dollar weakening vs. the currency values of oil producing countries but rather the fact that the price of oil is pegged to the dollar internationally. Not to digress, but if that ever changes, the crap is really gonna hit the fan. There are rumblings of Iran and China threatening to do that and, while I think it's just rumblings simply because China holds so many US dollars in investments, it serves notice. As to speculation, it's a market factor across all commodities and always has been. That is not a liberal bogeyman and I resent your attempt to pigeon hole my attempt to cite speculation as a contributing factor to higher prices as such. A good recent example is the refinery fire in California. Speculation of supply shortages as a result produced a spike in prices the next day. Same with the political strife in Syria. Hell, the entire Middle East for that matter. Now that I've given a global perspective on my viewpoint on the issue, would you be so kind as to bolster your own opinion upthread that Obama's "vilification" of the oil industry and "constriction" of supplies has directly impacted gas prices in the US other than in a speculative manner? If US production has increased during his term, how could that constrict supply?

What was worse: banks giving out loans to unqualified buyers or banks betting on those borrowers to fail? I'm betting it's my "upthread assertion" you're referring to. So I will attempt to clarify. I never said gas prices were not affected by supply and demand. What I said was that in the absence of increased demand or lower supply, there has to be a reason for higher prices. Supply has outstripped demand this year. Why haven't we seen a corresponding drop at the pump given that dynamic. The major driver of higher gas prices at the moment is the weak US dollar and speculation. You can make of that what you will. But you can't dismiss them as major factors in the equation. Especially when supply and demand dynamics would indicate a drop in prices.

While higher employment would mean higher demand for gasoline and a subsequent price increase, supplies have been outstripping demand this year and the reason we don't see a corresponding decline based on those two market dynamics is simply because the major drivers currently are the weakened US dollar and speculation in the market place.

What is your point? You would be better served by looking at Fed policies over the last 40 years vs. trying to conflate presidential policies with rising gas prices, which is what nearly every item on the list you linked is attached to.

Thanks, Ink. Can't tell you how much I appreciate these first hand looks at prospects in Ra Cha Cha. I find this encouraging about Girgs. It seems to confirm that he has innate qualities as a player. The rest of his game will come around as he gets coached up and experienced. But that desire to battle and hit and be a pain in the ass to play against is already there from the sound of it. That's a hard thing to coach in a kid who doesn't have it to begin with. Thanks again.

Grocery prices are also directly tied to gas prices as well as environmental factors like drought, etc. Currently, the major reason for high gas prices is the weakened US dollar and speculation in the market place. Supply/demand issues are not affecting pricing at this time. Demand has leveled off as world economies have cooled. Anyway, this entire idea of increasing domestic production and lessening dependence on the Middle East has been a canard for a long time now. Simply put, oil companies have no vested interest in increased supplies in the market place at this time. And Western oil companies are simply too heavily invested in the Middle East. Been that way since the Brits discovered oil there over 100 years ago. There is also the question as to why oil companies haven't built additional refineries to produce more gasoline as well. I suppose we could talk about how deficit spending, printing money, and keeping interest rates low all contributes to a weak dollar but that will lead to too much finger pointing among us partisans I'm afraid. That is phucked up no matter how you slice it. Now, imagine being one of the millions of people out there that would have to choose between that and buying meds or paying rent or some other necessity? That's just not right and there is nothing partisan about my position on that.

I'm well reminded of our previous PM exchange. The agenda is plain to see. Ironically, Christ himself would have been the first person to advise us to get our heads out of the good book and into the fray. Just like numerous other religious political activists throughout history have done. He also would have loved Tutu's book, God is Not a Christian. But people like our friend here can't even get past the title.

Well, that was a short-lived ray of hope for a sooner than later end to the lockout. GO AMERKS!!!

Well, they can't all be Jim Lehrer. I know this will sound partisan but there were specific ground rules in place that forbade the candidates to address each other and ask each other questions and the minute Romney opened that pandora's box, Obama was cornered into having to respond in kind. Unlike in the first debate, he couldn't afford to let Romney get away with that tactic. I don't necessarily disagree with Romney's strategy as it was very effective in the first debate. I think he underestimated the level to which Obama would respond in kind. Bob Schieffer, if past performance as a moderator is any indication, will call both to the woodshed if they cross the line and I think we'll both appreciate how he will call both of them on their bull$hit answers.

So the issue is that Desmond Tutu wasn't and isn't Christian enough for you vis a vis your own particular brand of what that means. Given your ongoing agenda here, I think I understand your stance now. I would only add, that when Tutu not only forgave but actually embraced his oppressors as brothers after the fall of apartheid, it was about as Christian as it gets.

What are your impressions of his physical game? Does he hustle all the time? Is he making it a chore for opponents to play against, etc.? Does he hang his head after a screw up? I accept that he's gonna look lost more often than not for a while, but how he reacts to that challenge is important.

Please enlighten me as to your "views on apartheid." Only a racist could hold ANY view of apartheid that would seek to legitimize it in any way. Do you foresee a time when Indian and Chinese labor organizes like it did here?

I can't believe anything Romney says about his "get tough on China" policies when at this very moment Sensata is closing and moving to China. Another in a growing list of companies Bain has moved there over the years. This issue has been a major sore spot for me for years. I'll bow out now.

Romney looked bad in trying to pin a lie on Obama's remarks in the Rose Garden two days after the attack in Benghazi. Who prepped him indeed. And while Obama sidestepped the issue of the request for additional security, he did own the issue. And I liked how he looked Romney in the eye when he told him exactly why he owned it.

"As bad as Desmond Tutu made apartheid out to be?" You have no problem with the systemic and institutional suppression of the majority of S African people? You have no problem with the massacres of thousands of people and the wrongful imprisonment of thousands more under the apartheid system? Are you suggesting that S. Africa has no right to self-determination in its democracy? Are you suggesting that S Africa is NOT a multi-party system? Not as bad as apartheid was made out to be? Only a proud son of the confederacy and card carrying member of the Loy Mauch fan club could post such a ridiculous point of view.

Hell, I'd settle for the good old "agreement in principle" at this point. GO SABRES!!!

One might think that a healthy, educated populace would be one of the cornerstones of a strong national defense among other things. Not only are we a long way from getting to that point (and I don't think we ever will in this climate), our worldwide rankings in both areas have been in decline. But I can't hold the government responsible for that. We are getting exactly as we deserve as a consumer-driven society. We simply don't value health care and education enough. In fact, we demonize large segments of both.

Were we looking to bury anyone in the A this season? I honestly can't remember. GO SABRES!!!