Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

Alright, Matt, you make your case and it`s an acceptable one. It`s not valid, but it`s an acceptable argument. The reason I assign blame not to you, but to your education is that you had no control over the way you were educated. The government defined that.

Your education failed, nonetheless.

At issue isn`t that you arbitrarily accept a doctor`s diagnosis. It`s that you are wise enough to at least get a second opinion when the diagnosis will dramatically affect your future life.

For example, if you break an arm and happen to be treated by an incompetent doctor, he or she might suggest an amputation. Regardless of the competency of the doctor (which you and I can`t initially judge), such a radical treatment should at least be worth a second opinion.

But the second opinion by an equally professional doctor (or expert) should either coincide with the first, or contradict the first. If it coincides, then you have a logical reason to trust the competency of the first doctor.

However; if the second opinion totally contradicts the first, and then calls into question the mental capacity of the first doctor, you should consider that a warning signal.

Where`s the second opinion to the proposed solutions we`re being given? Right now, the only second opinions are coming from conservative blogs, talk-radio, discussion groups, or editorials.

Conservative thinking has been so devalued that nobody (other than conservatives) even listen to the thoughts anymore. Liberals and politicians use slogans and platitudes to automatically assign such thinking to the dump.

How or why do those empty slogans work? The only possible explanation is a population devoid of critical analysis skills. And those come from education.

And so they`re left with a single opinion only, that coming from liberal progressives.

When conditions are set in place like this, then NO action will fix the problem. There won`t be a turnaround manager because nobody`s smart enough to know we need one. Like the single-opinion doctor, we`re about to get the arm amputated.

AFTER the drastic solution has been taken, after the consequences, that`s when people will have the regret, wishing for a do-over, and wailing about how "if only they`d known."

Life`s like that. There are times when there are irrevocable consequences. There are times when a course of events becomes inevitable. The time for changing or modifying the future has passed. It`s now nearly 99.9% probable that the US is headed for a complete economic meltdown.

It was predicted for over 50 years. During all those years, everyone had a chance to do something about it. All those efforts failed or were rebuffed. There aren`t any more chances left.

You might be right. Education today is geared for specialists. We`re a nation of specialists. As early as elementary school and fiercely in high school, you`re grilled, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Then you`re funneled into your niche. You go to college and, even for a BA, the 2nd lowest rung on the post graduate ladder, half your courses are for your niche. If you proceed past that, it`s nothing but insane specialization.

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Making limitless possibilities much more limited.

You are missing your calling Craig. Will is right. Matt, we are each doing what we can to help the country recover. We are also in a global economy, as you point out. The handwriting is on the wall. We take for granted that we will recover and that big government will do it for us. That is what our forefathers DID NOT intend. I heard a woman on Fox News last evening say that every person in the U.S. deserves the right to a house. She did not say she wishes every one had a house, or that she would like to see a country where every one has the right to a house. She said IT IS A RIGHT.  She was from ACORN.

The ultra-liberal mindset is blatant socialist. This president, who I originally thought would govern from the center, is so far left in his economic policies that pages of pre-revolutionary Russia jump our at me.

China is not the center of blue collar labor hun. They are the center of slave labor, human rights atrocities and a foreign policy that remains unfriendly to the Uniteed States. The mixture of communism and capitalism is a good lesson for us to take since evidence of such an economy is being reflected in the new administration.

We are the greatest country in the world. Obama has only been in office a little over 30 days. Where was every one during President Bush`s administration talking about what you have mentioned Matt. Now that Obama is in, it`s alright. "We`ll get through this"? We will get through this, but not because of Obama. Our children will be paying for this spending fiasco long after we`re gone. The Democrats and Republicans are to blame for letting it go this far. It is an atrocity of our political reality.

America will bounce back, but only because of hard working Americans, entrepreneurs and families who make it happen. Not because of Washington.

Alysyn Bourque, President/CEO
The Griffith Corporation
www.griffithcorp.com



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Alysyn Bourque
CEO, THE GRIFFITH CENTER

President Bush had eight years in office. If any president had the ability to prevent this fiasco, I think it was him. Unfortunately, his was an administration of war, fear-mongering, and human rights abuses that would make Stalin proud. If Bush had used more of his time in office to focus on what`s wrong in the US instead of waving guns at any nation that looked at him funny, we might not be in as bad of a situation. It should be noted though, in rebuttal to comments about how far left President Obama is in dealing with the economic crisis, that Bush`s first solution, and only contribution to solving this crisis was a bailout & stimulus plan. I think Obama brings more optimism to the table because this is a world crisis. Bush had alienated the US from the world. Obama is patching things up. We`re going to need help from our friends if we`re going to get through this.

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Making limitless possibilities much more limited.

Matt, for my positon on the war and the so-called human rights abuses by Bush, go to my profile and check out the dialogue under my blog post VETERANS ARE OUR MORAL OBLIGATION.

President Bush`s economic policies were rejected by an Democratic-controlled congress. And we didn`t invite the Jihadi`s to attack this country. You attack the soil of the United States and threaten American lives you`re going to get guns waved in your face. PERIOD!

To liken Bush to Stalin is simply not a valid comparison. When this crisis is over and our national and economic security is worse than ever before, then let`s compare Bush to Obama and see which one history vindicates.

Thanks again Matt.

Will Griffith
www. griffithcorp.com



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Will Griffith
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS TRIBUNAL

My position on the wars is 110% support for the war in Afghanistan, because there was just cause, Bin Ladin admitted to masterminding 9-11, and Mullah Omar refused to hand him over, acknowledging Bin Ladin was indeed residing in Afghanistan as a guest. The war was a retaliatory war, and to be frank, when 9-11 happened, I wanted blood. Nothing made me support Bush more than his quickness to rip the Taleban to shreds. I hate the Taleban more than any other regime because of how they treat women. It was a just war, and I was behind it all the way.

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Making limitless possibilities much more limited.

Just a bit off topic here .... I read news online, some blogs and website forums, many areas where people can interact with original posts/articles, and usually when politics is involved, it is almost always a "We`re right / you suck " atmosphere between people taking part in it .... so far, although opinions can differ, I personally appreciate the fact that the people here are respectful enough of each other to actually be able to talk and discuss the topics .... agreeing to disagree is always a nice thing.


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M Hall
Website Critique Community
International Society of Curmudgeons

Mr. Hall, it is refreshing sir to hear from someone who has an appreciation for civil dialogue. We will never ALL see eye-to-eye on every issue, and without debate, the soul of a free country dies.

Matt, my statements regarding why I supported the action in Iraq are outlined in the aforementioned blog in my profile OUR VETERANS ARE A MORAL OBLIGATION.

I am not here to vindicate George Walker Bush. History will do that for us.

President Obama will soon find himself confronting the Axis of Evil so many wish had never been mentioned. National Security experts are in agreement that if Iran doesn`t already have nuclear weapons capability, they will before the year is out. They have it on fast-track status.

With regard to Bin Laden`s admission of masterminding 911, the war on terror has been centralized in a region other than New York and our own backyards. While the threat is a constant fixture and Hamas has rooted itself on our college campuses and Jihadi extermists continue to give life and breath to terror cells and training camps in the U.S., President Barack Obama has his hands full for certain. Whether we voted for him or we didn`t, it is the responsibility of every American to support the efforts of our commander-in-chief in combating this threat. By President Obama`s admission the surge has worked and continues to do so. By President Bush and even John McCain`s own admissions, mistakes were made, indeed. That is what happens when a nation is not prepared for the unthinkable. Now we are prepared. Now we hunt down those threats against our nation and remind these extermists that we remain on the offensive.

You remain passionate about what you believe Matt. It is important for you to do so. It is important for our people to remain passionate, even when we disagree over an issue. Without that, the soul and spirit of liberty is quickly extinguished.

I am grateful to have this conversation with you, because it reminds me of the passion and zest of the next generation who will probably do it better than we did it during our tenure at the wheel of the ship-of-state.

Will Griffith, Chairman
The Griffith Corporation
www.griffithcorp.com



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Will Griffith
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS TRIBUNAL

I think the reason arguments on politics here don`t degenerate into name calling and whatnot is because this website attracts a higher brow of membership. I hate to stereotype, but I don`t think the "u suck" crowd is interested in the conversations this site has to offer. I`ve learned quite a bit since I joined SUN.

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Making limitless possibilities much more limited.

The problem here is that given the poor educational system, too many people really believe that the president has the power to actually do something. In fact, the president has far less power than the congress. The only real power he or she has is to make a final decision in times of emergency.

The president can propose legislation, which then goes to congress. That would be the Senate, and the House of Representatives. They either write up a bill, or take something he may have written. The president rarely writes a bill, but uses members of congress to do so. A separate version must be written for both houses.

When the bill has been through a complex process, it`s brought for a vote. If that actually happens, the vote takes place. The president can accept it, or veto. To support a veto, the congress then must re-pass the bill on a defined majority.

When legislation is first created, it`s done in committees. That`s done both in a House version, and a Senate version. The two rarely match.

Legislation then is voted on by the committees. If it passes, and exits into the main congress, there must be a reconciliation between the two versions. For a fascinating look at how congressional aides actually control our daily lives, you can read a really exciting drama novel, "The Zero Game," by Brad Meltzer.

Elected senators and representatives almost never read any legislation at all. There`s too much of it, and each bill is so huge it would take forever. This just-passed stimulus bill was over 1,400 pages long.

Only when the reconciliation committees` work is done does a bill get voted on by the full Senate, and full House.

A president can declare an intention of war, but that then must pass the "advise and consent" process. Congress must agree.

To say that George Bush caused much of anything is foolish and naive. Just as foolish is it to believe that Barack Obama will cause anything. The real scare-factor is congress, particularly now with Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid.

Politicians enter the process to either try and make a difference or to become millionaires or to become powerful. They`re regular people, and rely on experts to write reports. Politicians rarely read the reports, leaving that to their aides.

As such, there are NO experts actually making decisions and writing legislation! There only are recommendations, and the value of those recommendations are only as viable as the political ideologies and need to be re-elected set by each politician.

Lots of people write blogs, talk about politics, and pretend they`re making sense when they blame George Bush for everything, or Bill Clinton for everything. They mean to blame the administration as a whole, but none of it matters.

The actual blame lies in the combination of the Republican and Democrat sessions of congress. At issue is whether or not that group of 500+ politicians give a damn about what the American people want, or what`s in the country`s best interests.

Based on 50 years of observation, congress has only 1 thing in mind: getting re-elected and beating out any opponent. That`s done by scandal and attack marketing. It`s the ignorance of the average American that makes it appear as if the politicians are actually watching out for our concerns.

There won`t be a turnaround manager because nothing is in place to allow for such a "king" of the country. And as many people have said, "America has the best government money can buy."