Montgomery Burns

Hey now. Don't tarnish the entire thread. It was going well until the third post. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Actually it was the 10th post that made this thread jump the shark.

The liberal Washington Post titled this article "Many Evacuated, but Thousands Still Waiting" with a deplorable subheading titled "White House Shifts Blame to State and Local Officials" and in typical WaPo fashion buried some interesting facts in the middle of the article: Louisiana officials refused Bush's help This appears to be another political stunt by the Democrat governor and mayor to refuse federal help simply because the White House is in the Republican's hands. Disgusting. :angry:

Canada's per capita GDP: $31,500 USA per capita GDP: $40,100 (27.3% higher) USA unemployment rate: 4.9% Canada's unemployment rate: 6.9% (38.8% higher) Maybe Canada needs another annual $16 dollar "tax break" to stimulate the economy.

Cartman, You really think that Canadians should not have the option of saving their lives by opting for private healthcare? You are comparing a life and death situation to vegetarianism? Cut the strawman arguments and be serious.

Argus: But we are still furious at Bush for overthrowing Uncle Saddam. :angry: Says dictator-loving Jimmy Carter

Okay, Bush is to blame - for single-handedly causing Global Warming, Global Cooling, Global Climate Instability, AIDS, and the Black Death. Katrina was just a fiendish plot to kill all the blacks in the USA, and to make oil for Bush's greedy multinational buddies from the rotting corpses. I freely confess to being a mindless dupe who has sold my soul to KKKarl Rove, and take complete responsibility for using my Evil Jooish Kabbalistic powers to steal the election for my Neocon Zionazi masters. And I did it all the way from Canada too. I am a leech, a Neocon, and not fit to live. I throw myself down on the floor and beg for that compassionate tolerant liberalism that I always hear about.

What a pile of pure stinky crap. And ditto for your claim that "Canadians pay less taxes than Americans when healthcare is factored into the calculations for both countries. The lower 50% of Canadians pay less in taxes altogether than the lower 50% of Americans" would get you laughed out of any serious think tank. Let's just ignore the fact that Canadians are flocking down to the US for work. Indeed, I believe that 1975 was the last year where more Americans came to Canada (Vietnam War), than vice versa. One judges the value of a country by how many people want to get into said country. Canada is the country who is importing prostitutes and strippers from Eastern Europe. That's what Paul "we lead the world" Martin and the Liberal Party want. American families with a $31,000 income pay NO taxes, thanks to Bush's tax cuts. Canadian families aren't so lucky. :angry:

I would argue Bush was elected to spend money wisely, not to cut taxes by borrowing money which will have to be paid off in future years. You would argue wrongly. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Then as I previously suggested, the people who voted for him are idiots. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> All 62 million of them. If only they had heeded the wise words of Argus.

Argus: I have noticed your repeated red-hot super-nova hatred of religious people. Why is that? 60% of Americans attend church at least once a month. Why does that make you seethe with rage? Does following a moral guide anger you that much or what?

Bush Jr has been a disappointment in his spending; his so-called "compassionate conservatism". Why did he give millions to the "arts community" which is mostly a bunch of drug-addled Berkeleyites? However he is far more preferable than his weak father, Bush Sr, ever was. Bush Sr hardly excited the base but Bush Jr does. Had Bush Sr been a good leader, the US would not have had to suffer through 8 years of the dope-smoking Clinton; highest tax increase in history and the embarrassment of a President shoving cigars up an intern's wazoo - and the massmurdering Saddam would have been overthrown. Reagan never appeared in the White House unless he was wearing a tie; Clinton walked around the White House in his underwear. What an embarrassment he was. And Toro, John "Rino" McCain will never be the GOP candidate for 2008. Never. Trust me on this. If there was never a Ross Perot, the Democrats would have never won the popular vote since 1976. Is the Democrat Party doomed? Until they rid themselves of the LLL, yes they are doomed.

I would argue Bush was elected to spend money wisely, not to cut taxes by borrowing money which will have to be paid off in future years. You would argue wrongly. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Grrrr. I'm so envious of your tax cuts. Canada had a federal election on June 28/04. Ironically this was Canada's Tax Freedom Day. America's Tax Freedom Day was April 11/04 - eleven weeks before Canada. Ergo, Canadians have to give 21% more of their annual salary for "free healthcare". Who in the hell spends that much on healthcare - unless you are 70+ years of age? It's a frickin' joke. This is what Hillary wants for America.

Argus: I'm busted so let's ignore my previous idiotic comments blaming everything on Bush. Damn! You caught me again. Ignore my previous comments, you bible-thumping, gun-loving, gay-hating rightwinger. Reichwing hatemonger. I HATE YOU!! Damn those arrogant facts! Says the illiterate one. Says the bigot who calls all Republicans racists (and incredibly denies the Democrat Party's racism. One has to wonder what flavor Kool-Aid Argus is drinking. I suggest Argus put away the bong for a day or so.

Argus: I do not like to insult the police, but the fact is that some of them were caught on tapelooting along with the thugs in NO. I respect most of the police but I also live in the city with the highest burglary rate in Canada and the USA. Thank you NDP for breaking your promise of hiring another 200 cops, you socialist "criminals are victims of an unjust society" bastards! I had my bike stolen last night (second time this summer); it took the cops 9 hours to reply to my call. Granted, a stolen $250 bike isn't a high priority... Yes, do a google search for highest robbery rate in Canada and the US and you will figure out where I live.

Argus: Let's see what the FY2005 budget had in it for disaster relief, shall we? Hmm, no cuts there. Indeed, the vast majority of disaster relief funds are provided through supplemental spending bills after a disaster has been declared. Let's continue: Wow, look at that. Modernizing the flood insurance rate maps so everyone would know where the greatest need was for improved flood control. That proves that President Bush is a heartless bastard! And just how much money are we talking about? In 2004 spending was $3.8 billion. Estimates for FY2005 at the time were for $5.6 billion in spending. But what about the Corps of Engineers, allegedly the subject of massive funding cuts? FY2004 spending was $4.6 billion, projected spending for 2005: $4.7 billion. I don't know about the loony liberal left, but that sure looks like an increase of $1.8 billion for disaster relief and $100 million for the Corps of Engineers to me. And...what's this?! The west bank of the Mississippi in Louisiana listed as a priority for the Corps of Engineers?! That can't possibly be true! Oh, but it is. Gee, that changes things a bit, doesn't it? Apparently Argus is simply telling a bunch of lies. I am shocked, shocked I say, to discover that. Doesn't he realize how ridiculous he sounds?

Argus: And the Democrats are controlled by the secular left. How Soviet. After all, the Soviets had such a kind and compassiona te society. Let's just ignore those 100 million plus innocnets who were slaughtered by the communists in the 20th century. The f'ing nerve of those Republicans believing in the 10 commandments! John Kerry? Another Dan Rather fake memos talking point Unlike the brave heroic draft-dodging Clinton Cheney should have murdered the baby. "Pro-choice", baby. Woo hoo. And came back and became a traitor to his country by meeting with the VietCong in France and the infamous Winter Soldier hearings. Kerry's campaign admitted that 1) Kerry was "mistaken" when he claimed to be in Cambodia on Christmas Eve in 1968 under orders of President Nixon (even though Nixon was not yet the President), and 2) Kerry's campaign admitted that one of Kerry's Purple Hearts "might" have come from a self-inflicted wound. On my scorecard, that comes out to: Swifties - 2 Kerry - 0 But I thank you for playing.

You really cannot make this argument unless you are an anarchist. You are using an individualist anarchist argument by saying that people should not have to assist one another in emergencies (i.e. Alaska and NO). But then you seem to be a Bush supporter. Last time I looked, Bush spent tax dollars and he is certainly no anarchist. Do you not see how illogical this is?Maybe Argus has this "quaint" notion because they call themselves the United States of America not the Atomized Individuals of Anarchyland. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> The state is supposed to match federal funds. How difficult is this to understand? What part of this is so confusing to you?

Except that I supported Gore and Kerry. Oh, and BTW, yesterday I bought food and water and loaded food and water on a semi to New Orleans yesterday. I hope you've donated something. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Good on you Toro. I sent $100 to the Red Cross on Friday. It may not seem like much, but us Canadians aren't as wealthy as you Americans. The photos of those innocent black babies on Michelle Malkin's site touched me and convinced me to cough up a $100. I am quite generous on my own, but I resent it when I am forced - by high taxation - to contribute to causes, because some of these causes I disagree with. Eg, aid to Africa; I believe that most of the money raised for Africa is wasted because the dictators who run most of these countries keep the vast majority for themselves. Until these African countries become democracies, Africa will continue to struggle. I don't know much about you, but you seem like a reasonable person. Please take your (Democrat) Party back! I believe that the Democrat Party has been hijacked by far leftists (Michael Moore, George Soros, Moveon.org of Bush=Hitler infamy, etc) and the party is doomed if this continues. America needs a strong credible opposition to keep the governing party in line. This usually works the best because a party with so much authority can get drunk on power. This always happens, even though I support the Republicans. A good opposition is best to keep the balance of power. The Democrat Party has been hijacked by the far left. The US is a right-of-center country and there is no way that the far left will get into power, no matter how much the Bush-hating liberal-controlled media uses their bias to influence public opinion. I saw CNN's Jack Cafferty blaming Bush for not dropping sandwiches into the Superdome. I kid you not! The one thing I have noticed is that Americans are NOT stupid. They can see through bullshit. Hence their rejection of John Kerry, despite the greatest mass media campaign in favor of a Democrat in, probably, history. A Joe Lieberman or Evan Baydeh (sp?) would make the Democrats more credible in the eyes of the independents who swing one way or the other. The Loony Liberal Left is pushing most, if not all, of the independents to the Republican Party. Hillary may have name power and fund-raising ability, but she has much baggage after the scandalous 8 years in the White House. Take your party back from the LLL and elect a left-of-center candidate and you have a chance of getting the White House or at least Congress. If things go the way they are now, the Democrats have zero chance of winning.

So Bush called the governor Thursday before the storm urging an evacuation. She did nothing. It's Bush's fault. Hundreds of New Orleans city and school buses sat unused in parking lots instead of taking part in the evacuation. It's Bush's fault. The levee that broke had just been upgraded. The levees' maintenance is a local responsibility. It's Bush's fault. Not one country anywhere in the world that did sign Kyoto is meeting its emissions targets. It's Bush's fault. The fan belt went on my car this week. It's Bush's fault. For the love of Gaia, people! We must not allow rightwingers to politicize this tragedy by refusing to hold Bush accountable for it!

Perhaps one of our American friends can answer if the federal govt comes on the scene at the invitation of local and state authorities, and if this is established under the Posse Comitatus Act. I believe this is standard stuff taught in highschool, maybe even in grade school. Perhaps that is why you are unaware of it.

That was August1991, not Argus, that linked to Moore. -k <{POST_SNAPBACK}> You're right. August1991 started this loathsome thread.

Y'know what? History doesn't matter. It's today that matters. The Republican Party of today is the party of rich white country club people, religous wackos, gun nuts and fat-cat corporate lobbyists. And it detests anyone not White and Christian. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I notice that while the incompetent, power-mad, oil-stealing, neocon Bush is up past his bedtime organizing disaster relief (for his next carrier photo-op probably,) the poor, exploited Kerry/Clinton supporters are burning down the city, looting and raping young girls. You would have thought they would look to Bubba and Teddy and John-Boy for examples of correct behaviour towards the helpless and needy. Oh, they did. Liberals. As a number of folks have pointed out on this thread, the problem is the failure of the Democrat Governor and the Democrat mayor to evacuate the Democrat voters of deep-blue New Orleans. Now they are behaving like typical Democrats; stealing from others, complaining that the federal govt isn't giving enough, and sowing division based upon race and class. I think it is best summed up by the "starving" woman who, upon receiving the same MRE meal supplied to US troops in the field, spit out the first bite and tossed the rest aside because it wasn't hot. Nothing is ever enough for you folks on the Left, whose philosophy is "Give me more and better -- I'm entitled." In the meantime, the folks over in bible-thumping, gun-loving, oh-so-red Texas are taking over 100,000 evacuees from the storm (those brought in via official efforts plus those who came on their own) - most of them in bible-thumping, gun-loving, oh-so-red Harris County and the surrounding counties (the most Republican metropolitan area in the USA). And since you wish to trash the religious beliefs of millions of Christians, please note that the biggest efforts to help the victims of this disaster are coming from the bible-thumping, oh-so-red churches of the Houston metropolitan area.

It's also supported by taxpayer dollars. Like Canada's CBC, conservatives are forced to pay for NPR's leftwing pap.

August1991: The sad thing is that their citizens are forced to pay that annual fee whether they want to or not. While the poor or elderly might want to put up with a few commericals instead of paying this fee, they have no choice. And then the BBC goes around the country with those vans checking out which houses are watching the BBC without paying the annual fee. If caught, you get a fine and possibly a jail sentence. A reasonable person would conclude that the vast majority of people who watch the BBC without paying are the poor and elderly, who end up paying a fine or even going to jail.

Personally, I like a high Canadian dollar since my 3 biggest suppliers are American companies. However I am not sure that a high Canadian dollar is that great for the country as a whole. Since Canada exports more than it imports, it seems that a lower CDN dollar would make your products lower-priced on the world market. Additionally, there is the tourism factor. A low CDN dollar forces Canadians to think twice about touring the US, and makes them think about maybe touring more of this vast country. It works the opposite for Americans. A low CDN dollar gives a higher exchange rate for them and encourages them to maybe visit Canada instead of spending their money exploring their own vast country. And a high CDN dollar encourages Canadians close to the US border to slip across and buy some of those cheap goods in capitalist America. The low CDN dollar put a stop to that habit. I get the feeling that Mirror thinks this is some kind of contest as to who has the highest rated currency. I remember the Europeans endlessly boasting how their euro was worth more than the US dollar. They've stopped doing that now because their own economists are complaining that the high euro is hurting their economy; tourism and exports, etc. And I noticed that Finfacts latest Cost of Living Analysis of the 144 worldwide cities that they rate each year, has shown all the European cities rising in cost of living versus the US cities dropping in cost of living compared to last year. They said that was because of the euro appreciating and the US dollar depreciating. It's a mixed bag, but I believe, on the whole, a lower dollar is better for Canada.

I'm not sure who is right on this one. But since the WTO is an agency of the thoroughly corrupt and inept UN, I have to side with the NAFTA ruling on this.