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Politics : Stockman Scott's Political Debate Porch -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Lizzie Tudor who wrote (67506)	11/21/2004 4:37:17 PM
From: stockman_scott	Respond to of 89467

A Preview Of Four More Years _________________________________ by Harley Sorensen Monday, November 22, 2004 sfgate.com What will happen over the next four years? Will President George W. Bush be as destructive as the liberals expect him to be? Will he be as pliant as the arch-conservatives want him to be? Bush is a man who has defied all expectations, including his own. There was no way he should have won the presidency four years ago. The economy, although headed for a recession, was bringing prosperity to investors and workers alike. The Clinton-Gore team had eliminated deficit spending and accumulated a surplus. What remained of Ronald Reagan's national debt was gradually being paid off. We were at peace. All the social indicators, such as crime rates and unwanted pregnancy rates, were looking good. The trends were so favorable there was little reason to believe the voters would reject a member of the team that brought us all that good news. But that's exactly what the voters did. Vice President Al Gore got dumped in favor of an inexperienced and untested rookie from Texas and points East. Since taking office, Bush has done nearly everything wrong. Before Sept. 11, 2001, he did nothing to protect us from terrorist attacks, though he had been warned repeatedly and specifically that such attacks were coming. He lowered taxes while overspending. He led us into an unnecessary war that only dreamers believe can be won. He squandered the surplus left by the Clinton-Gore team and built a new record for national debt. He completely turned his back on science, ignoring man-made climate change and restricting medical research. The list is painfully long. Those are just some of the low points. So, did the voters throw the bum out? No, they reelected him by a safe margin. Now that he's in his final term, will Bush continue to pander to the lowest common denominator, or will he rise above his pettiest instincts and become the force for good he's capable of being? Will he respond to the demands of the far right or the prayers of the middle and the left? Will he be predictable or will he fool us once again? The predictable Bush would expand America's quest to control the world's waning supplies of oil. At the moment (subject to change), it looks like Iran will be our next victim. At the appropriate time, we will be told that Iran has become an intolerable threat and must be muzzled. America's list of nations needing destruction will continue to look remarkably like Israel's. A predictable Bush will soon prove to be his father's son when he breaks his solemn campaign promise to not institute a military draft. Read his lips. They're moving? Words are coming out? He's a politician? He's lying. Bush will continue his quest to privatize Social Security. He appears not to know why Social Security was created in the first place. It was created because, in a competitive capitalistic society with its ups and downs, private investment for retirement proved to be disastrous for too many people. Social Security provides a safety net for the unskilled or unlucky. Privatize its investments and you have a Los Vegas craps table, with a few winners and a lot of losers. Bush will continue to push for tax breaks to benefit people in his and his family's economic situation. If the air in Houston gets dirty enough, or if Bush's dude ranch in Crawford is flooded by the melting polar ice caps, Bush might notice some problems with the environment, but don't count on it. The predictable Bush will continue to put corporate profits above human life. Bush will continue to use homosexual men and women as the scapegoats he needs to satisfy the bigoted portion of his political base. At the same time, that portion of his base will be yapping at their hero for not being even more repressive. Those folks won't be happy until we return to stocks, floggings and witch trials. Bush judicial appointments will become more reactionary, thus sentencing the United States to a period of unprecedented judicial Dark Ages. The prison-building industry, inspired by Ronald Reagan, continued by Bush (41), and greatly accelerated by Bill Clinton, will prosper. In a surprise move, the U.S. Supreme Court, guided by precedent, will uphold Roe v. Wade. However, this prediction is subject to change if Bush is first able to pack the court with activist right-wing judges. In summary, the predictable Bush will, in his second term, be even more outrageous than he was in his first. But there is the chance, however slim, that his innate sense of decency will emerge, now that he has nothing to prove, and he will become a president who truly serves his people. That's a happy thought, but don't bet on it. POSTSCRIPT: Take heart, boys and girls. After Watergate the Republican Party was in such disarray that it couldn't even get good old Gerald Ford elected over Jimmy Carter. And Republicans in Minnesota were so disheartened that they changed the name of their party (to Independent-Republican). The worm turns, the pendulum swings. The South has risen again. But sooner or later morning will return to America.

To: Lizzie Tudor who wrote (67506)	11/21/2004 5:43:29 PM
From: SiouxPal	Respond to of 89467

Michael Scheurer was on Meet The Press today, and his interview so well explained the whole Islamic hatred of us, and of our impending mass attacks from UBL. I think Bin Laden's next attack with affect the Red states also. If you can get the transcript you will see how intelligent he has been. Sioux

To: Lizzie Tudor who wrote (67506)	11/21/2004 6:55:17 PM
From: jlallen	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 89467

the rednecks went for him. Well we're screwed now. I am hoping for evil to strike Bush and his entire family, so he can feel the pain that he has inflicted on the world. The man is total garbage. Classy post.....as always..... You're a very ugly person...inside and out....

To: Lizzie Tudor who wrote (67506)	11/21/2004 7:06:22 PM
From: stockman_scott	Respond to of 89467

ChartWatchers the StockCharts Newsletter: stockcharts.com

To: Lizzie Tudor who wrote (67506)	11/22/2004 4:19:18 AM
From: Proud Deplorable	Respond to of 89467

Keep up the good posts Lizzie. Yer rite mate!

To: Lizzie Tudor who wrote (67506)	11/22/2004 9:48:46 AM
From: tonto	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 89467

Lizzie, you are an angry person. You have issues to deal with. Hopefully you will seek help. yeah I was surprised by the initial poll results (thats what this post was from) but then surprised at the actual results. All the states with GDP went against Bush, the rednecks went for him. Well we're screwed now. I am hoping for evil to strike Bush and his entire family, so he can feel the pain that he has inflicted on the world. The man is total garbage.

To: Lizzie Tudor who wrote (67506)	11/22/2004 12:28:33 PM
From: stockman_scott	Respond to of 89467

Goldman Sachs Crunches Chip Stocks forbes.com 11.22.04, 7:00 AM ET Shares of semiconductor companies dominated tech trading late in the week, with Goldman Sachs lowering its sector view to "cautious" from "neutral" on Friday. The research firm expects disappointing fundamentals over the next few quarters as the industry deals with excess supply. On Friday, the Nasdaq Composite Index fell 33.65 points, or 1.60%, to close at 2070.63 Google (nasdaq: GOOG - news - people ) announced Thursday its fourth-quarter revenue growth rate would be slower than in previous quarters. The Internet search company cited increased competition and an "inevitable" slowdown resulting from expanding operations. Google also said fourth-quarter advertising revenue would be down sequentially due to the discontinuation of certain online ads. On Tuesday, shares of Google fell 6.7% as more shares became eligible for sale following the lock-up period. On Friday, shares of Google ended at $169.40, up $1.86, or 1.11%. Applied Materials (nasdaq: AMAT - news - people ) was one of several semiconductor companies that Goldman Sachs lowered to "underperform" from "in-line." Earlier in the week, Applied Materials announced sequentially lower earnings-per-share guidance for the first quarter of 2005. The company said earnings per share for the period would be in a range of 15 cents to 16 cents. Shares of the Applied Materials fell as wide as 3.80% on Friday. For the day, the stock was down 3.74% or 66 cents, to end at $16.99. Some analysts remained upbeat on the stock. Standard and Poor's Equity Research maintained a "buy" rating on Applied Materials, saying the company met fiscal fourth-quarter expectations despite a challenging operating environment. Goldman also lowered the rating on Micron Technologies (nyse: MU - news - people ) to "underperform" from "in-line," saying it expects the company's profitability to decline sharply in 2005, as Micron "is unable to cut costs fast enough to meet falling DRAM prices." Shares of Micron were down as wide as 4.1% on Friday and ended the day down 46 cents, or 3.78%, to close at $11.71. "Despite 6% growth in sales in calendar 2005, we estimate Micron's earnings per share will decline from 50 cents in calendar 2004 to 18 cents in calendar 2005," Goldman said. The research firm said Micron may be hurt more in 2005 than some of its global competitors, as its costs are higher than key global players including Samsung, Powerchip and Infineon. Hewlett-Packard (nyse: HPQ - news - people ) led a tech rally Wednesday after reporting fourth-quarter profits were up 26%. The PC giant announced pro-forma earnings per share of 41 cents for the quarter, up from 36 cents in the year-ago period. Revenue was $21.4 billion, up 8% year-over-year. HP said first-half fiscal 2005 revenue will be in the range of $41.8 billion to $42.3 billion, and first half pro-forma earnings per share will be in the range of 72 cents to 74 cents. On Friday, shares of HP fell 0.74%, or 15 cents, to end at $20.11. S&P Equity Research maintained a "hold" rating on the stock, saying fiscal fourth-quarter earnings and revenue exceeded expectations, while gross margins missed forecasts. "We are cutting our fiscal 2005 earnings-per-share estimate by 7 cents to $1.50 on [a lower] gross margin assumption," S&P Equity Research said. Network Appliances (nasdaq: NTAP - news - people ) also contributed to the Wednesday tech rally after announcing strong 2005 revenue and earnings guidance. The network-equipment company said 2005 revenue will likely be 35% to 37% higher than 2004 levels. It said pro forma earnings per share will range from 60 cents to 61 cents. On Friday, Network Appliances fell 3.28%, or 98 cents, to $28.93. Banc of America Securities reiterated a "neutral" rating on the company but raised the target price to $27 from $22. "Network Appliances delivered another strong quarter and we expect the stock to appreciate accordingly," the research firm said. "Network Appliances continues to find ways to exceed estimates despite investing in operating expenditures, and we believe the stock deserves to trade at a 1.5 times price/earnings-to-growth ratio." Banc of America raised its calendar 2005 earnings-per-share estimate to 71 cents, from 70 cents.

To: Lizzie Tudor who wrote (67506)	11/22/2004 3:54:15 PM
From: Proud_Infidel	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 89467

Compassionate, caring, blue-through-and-through Massachusetts has the second lowest per capita charitable giving in the nation. According to the Catalogue of Philanthropy, in 2004, the 10 states with the highest per person giving went for Bush, and the 10 stingiest states (per capita) voted for Kerry. frontpagemag.com

To: Lizzie Tudor who wrote (67506)	11/22/2004 3:56:02 PM
From: Proud_Infidel	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 89467

You are truly class-less, no other word for it. When will you ever learn that hate doesn't sell? I guess I should add clueless to classless.

To: Lizzie Tudor who wrote (67506)	11/22/2004 3:58:01 PM
From: Proud_Infidel	Respond to of 89467

Poll: Majority backs Bush after election Monday, November 22, 2004 Posted: 3:32 PM EST (2032 GMT) cnn.com Sixty percent of Americans have a positive opinion of President Bush, according to a recent poll. (CNN) -- Fifty-five percent of Americans like the way President Bush is handling his job, while the approval rating for his Iraq policies is slightly lower, according to the first full CNN-USA Today-Gallup poll following the November 2 presidential election. Forty-two percent of those polled don't believe Bush is doing a good job. Sixty percent have a positive opinion of Bush, versus 39 percent with the opposite view. Many of the poll questions targeted foreign affairs, especially the U.S. performance in Iraq. The responses showed that Bush's positive approval rating does not necessarily translate into a perception of military success, said CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. Iraqi general elections are set for January 30 to choose a national assembly, a Kurdish assembly and 18 provincial governing councils. Respondents were divided, with 51 percent saying the Iraqi elections will take place and 42 percent disagreeing. Forty-nine percent of those surveyed doubt the United States will able to keep Iraq on track toward democratic government, and 46 percent are confident it will be done. Responding to whether the United States made a mistake in sending troops to Iraq, 47 percent said yes, and 51 percent said no. Asked who was winning the war in Iraq -- the United States and its allies or insurgents -- 46 percent of respondents said neither side, and 44 percent said the United States and its supporters. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. U.S. and Iraqi military forces almost completely control Falluja, considered a hotbed of insurgent activity, but violence has spiked elsewhere. Sixty-one percent of those polled said they feel offensives in Falluja and elsewhere will make Iraq better. But nearly three-quarters of those polled said they are worried about Iraq, with 35 percent very worried and 39 percent fairly worried. On other foreign affairs questions: • 52 percent don't feel Iraqis will accept the election results. • A majority believe Iran (58 percent) and North Korea (60 percent) represent long-term, but not immediate, threats to the United States. Bush has identified both as part of an "Axis of Evil," citing nuclear threats. • Nearly two-thirds of respondents feel Israel and the Arab nations will never resolve their differences; 37 percent say they will. On controversial social questions, 63 percent believe openly gay men and lesbian women should be allowed to serve in the military; 32 percent don't. Forty-three percent oppose both same-sex marriages and civil unions. Regarding officials in Bush's administration, Secretary of State Colin Powell was most popular among poll respondents, with 87 percent saying they have a favorable impression of him. National security adviser Condoleezza Rice is viewed as favorable by 63 percent; Vice President Dick Cheney by 53 percent; Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, 51 percent; and Attorney General John Ashcroft, 50 percent. There was strong agreement, 72 percent, that the country is more deeply divided on issues than it has been in the past several years. Respondents also said they believe Americans are divided when it comes to values -- 65 percent say greatly divided, and 34 percent say united. The survey results were based on telephone interviews with 1,015 adults Friday through Sunday.

To: Lizzie Tudor who wrote (67506)	11/22/2004 6:21:37 PM
From: gpowell	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 89467

Wow, what a disgusting remark. If your hatred were just confined to Bush, I could understand - politics brings out the worst in some people. However, a while back you also wished the West Nile Virus on the elderly – simply because you thought they were getting a tax break. Here comes the west nile virus, btw. Anybody without medical coverage should get pay-as-you-go treatment in my view. Let the tough love begin! Oh rats, people over 50 are the most vulnerable. Message 19231297 I'm not sure what is wrong with you, Lizzie, but whatever it is, I feel sorry for you. I’ll ask St. Jude to intercede on your behalf.

To: Lizzie Tudor who wrote (67506)	11/22/2004 7:35:50 PM
From: SiouxPal	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 89467

Lizzie you sure opened a can of whoop-ass on 'em girlfriend. Maybe I'll amend your opinion this way. "May George Bush and his family enjoy the wonders of America as we will have to during his last 4 years. The good and the bad." Is that politically correct? :•) Don't you ever give up Lizzie. Sioux