By GI Korea on November 2nd, 2010 at 9:09 pm

US Election Open Thread

• Thomas Lee
  3:04 pm on November 2nd, 2010 1

  Looks like we're stuck with Reid. I voted for Angle, but more so as vote against Reid than for her.

• kushibo
  3:27 pm on November 2nd, 2010 2

  I think there's a good chance Reid will be out as Senate Majority Leader.

• kushibo
  3:28 pm on November 2nd, 2010 3

  My post-election thoughts here. I'll have more later in the week, after some schoolwork is done.

• Leon LaPorte
  4:11 pm on November 2nd, 2010 4

  CALL ME SENATOR, DAMN YOU! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixiYZ9DPk8o

• Greg
  4:15 pm on November 2nd, 2010 5

  KORUS FTA resurrected.

• Retired GI
  4:19 pm on November 2nd, 2010 6

  Leon, sadly she is STILL a Senator. But it was close.

• Retired GI
  4:22 pm on November 2nd, 2010 7

  Wait—Carly Fiorina has not conceded yet. More to come, I'm sure.

• kushibo
  4:26 pm on November 2nd, 2010 8

  Leon LaPorte wrote:

  CALL ME SENATOR, DAMN YOU! <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixiYZ9DPk8o” target=”_blank”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixiYZ9DPk8o

  Wow, I didn't know Ron Howard's brother Clint (he who inspired Kim Jong-il's hair) was a Fiorina supporter.

• kushibo
  4:28 pm on November 2nd, 2010 9

  The FTA will likely get passed. Having 52 or 53 Dems instead of 59 or 60 makes it easier for Obama. That's seven or eight more Republican votes and if Boxer is back for six more years, she'll probably vote yes. KORUS FTA is good for high-tech jobs.

• kushibo
  4:29 pm on November 2nd, 2010 10

  This link is a better display of how Clint Howard inspired KJI's 'do.

• jslim
  5:20 pm on November 2nd, 2010 11

  yep 14.2 unemployment in nevada and 12.4 in CA

  so good luck with that vote people

  every poll showed angle up 3-4 points all last week and reid wins by 5

  interesting how that works out

  obamas old senate seat flipped which was a nice treat

  WA is 50-50

  CO is 50-50

  AK either way will be republican

  gonna be a long few weeks of recounts and possible law suits as usual!

• kushibo
  5:25 pm on November 2nd, 2010 12

  jslim wrote:

  every poll showed angle up 3-4 points all last week and reid wins by 5

  interesting how that works out

  I actually wrote a post on that.

• JoeC
  5:56 pm on November 2nd, 2010 13

  The STRATFOR article says: "Obama also has a third option, which is to shift his focus from domestic policy to foreign policy."

  That makes no sense to me.

  No one is yet sure what the Tea Party agenda is or how or if they are willing to work with the "mainstrean" Republicans. According to one of their founders, Karl Denninger, the original Libertarian/Constitutional focus had been hijacked by the crowd obsessed with guns, gays, and god.

  For most of the rest of the country, the fears center on the economy. More specifically on the national debt, the poor jobs market, and the still troubled housing situation.

  So neither party has the luxury to ignore all that and change the subject to foreign policy.

  I think the American people still expect proactive efforts to solve these problems, and will soon see through any stonewalling or petty and nonsensical distractions to avoid doing some serious work to address them.

• Teadrinker
  9:32 pm on November 2nd, 2010 14

  Proposition 19 didn't pass in California despite the fact that most voters claimed they supported it. The news are saying that voters re-evaluated their position, but I think people were just too stoned to vote.

• Tom
  9:49 pm on November 2nd, 2010 15

  I thought Americans didn't want FTA with Korea? I hope they don't sign it. I don't want Korea to sign a FTA with America. Korea has more to lose with this deal. The US is demanding all kinds of crazy concessions from Korea, including elimination of domestic green house policies like the tax on bad fuel consumption cars which should be discouraged in Korea. The Europeans seem much more reasonable, so I have no problems with signing with Europe.

• Tom
  9:55 pm on November 2nd, 2010 16

  My point is they signed the FTA like more than three years ago, but now they want to renegotiate? I think Korean officials are traitors to even entertain the thought of renegotiating something all over again, just to make the American rabid isolationist nationalists happy. Lee Myung Bak should be impeached for trying to give away the whole country to the US multinational companies who don't pay any taxes.

• archieb
  10:29 pm on November 2nd, 2010 17

  Tom, why blame LMB? The Korean leftists negotiated the FTA and now they claim they oppose it and will riot in the assembly if it comes to a vote. Talk about open hypocrisy!

• JoeC
  10:48 pm on November 2nd, 2010 18

  #15 & 16

  Hmmm?

  You must be unfamiliar the term ratification. Not matter what Bush and President Lee said was agreed to in their meetings, U.S. presidents don't have the authority to finalize trade agreements. The results of their negotiations must be ratified by Congress. That may even be true under the Korean constitution too.

• Tom
  11:23 pm on November 2nd, 2010 19

  #17, the Korean left party negotiated the deal, but the US wants to go back on the deal and renegotiate and want more concessions from Korea. I say hell no! What Lee wants to do is to give into every American demands that Korea completely eliminate domestic laws that has nothing to do with trade.

• Tom
  11:25 pm on November 2nd, 2010 20

  #18, don't bet on Korean assembly to ratify the deal, just because US does (which I don't think they will anyway). This is a raw deal for Korea if it's signed, a lot of Koreans are not going to want it.

• archieb
  8:00 am on November 3rd, 2010 21

  Tom, you keep on blaming LMB for FTA when it's the leftists that gave yoiu FTA.

• Tom
  8:52 am on November 3rd, 2010 22

  It's LMB who wants to give even more. First time it was bad enough, now he wants even more given away.

  Japan bashing was fashionable 20 years ago, now it's China bashing, blame others for pigging out and not saving, that's the American way.

  http://www.worldaffairsjournal.org/new/blogs/bhag…

• kushibo
  8:55 am on November 3rd, 2010 23

  archieb, although I see where you're going with this and Tom's stuff about impeaching Lee over this is clearly agitprop, the fact is that the FTA was given us by a leftist, not leftists in general. Like Clinton with NAFTA, Roo Moohyun bucked his power base to do something he knew was good for Korea in the long run (or rather not doing it would be bad for Korea in the long run).

  Most leftists don't like the KORUS FTA, or any FTA, and they will make that known.

  What's odd here is that Tom has claimed that South Korea should cleave its long and successful relationship with the US and cleave to China for trade reasons but he claims to be against the FTA that would increase trade. Hmm…

  Can't trust Tianjin Tom and his cleavage arguments.

• kushibo
  8:59 am on November 3rd, 2010 24

  now it’s China bashing, blame others for pigging out and not saving, that’s the American way.

  No, Tom, people bash China because your country is swinging its arms and trying to force all its neighbors into its grip.

  Your country made a big mistake with coordinating its students in South Korea to react violently to anti-Beijing protestors, and it made an even bigger error by hinting it would withhold rare earth metals from Japan (and by extension, anyone else who pissed China off). This has been a wake-up call to China's neighbors: they are emboldened not to become satellites of the Middle Kingdom again.

• someotherguy
  10:18 am on November 3rd, 2010 25

  I'm happy that Republicans took majority in the HoR but Demos have the Senate. This should make it so that laws actually get passed now instead of a big GoP block on anything and everything.

  Previously with Demos having a majority in both parts of congress but not a super majority meant that each and every piece of legislation was a "Dem" bill which went the GoP had to block it, even if it was originally their idea, just to deny Dem's any political points. Now with the GoP being able to put their name on a bill they should be sponsoring / voting for more legislation. Seeing as Dems still have the senate any legislation that is done up will have to be a compromise piece.

  Its really really sad that our government now runs on who can score the most political points and not on getting the job done.

• Thomas Lee
  10:34 am on November 3rd, 2010 26

  dude, the last thing we need are more laws. Don't you realize that the more laws passed means the less liberties we have? I don't understand people that push for new laws. One law leads to another that leads to another and they all lead to an erosion of liberty. Google the term "Expressio Unis est Exlusio Alterius". In doing so, hopefully you'll be directed to an article written by Martin Armstrong that explains why passing more laws really just erodes what makes the United States "great".

  That's what has made the "Tea Party" attractive to guys like me. I don't like what the Republicans did under Bush, but I'm hoping the Tea Party Republicans will stick to their stated principals of following the Constitution.

  People forget we are a Representative Republic and NOT a Democracy!

• ChickenHead
  12:08 pm on November 3rd, 2010 27

  Gridlock in government is the best.

  While both parties seek legislation which increases government intrusion and control, protects and promotes big business, supports re-election assisting spending at the expense of long-term responsibility, etc., they generally approach it from their own ideological viewpoint.

  Gridlock keeps this at a minimum.

  Truly important legislation, which everyone recognizes to be beneficial, has a better chance of being passed with the radical elements canceling each other out through forced compromise.

  It is a function of the checks and balances built into the American system of government.

  …at least that is the way is is SUPPOSED to work.

  It certainly works better than letting one party have control of the house, senate and presidency, where they quickly promote legislation heavily influenced by the radical ends of their parties.

  As for the Tea Party, what started as a broad libertarian expression of rage against acquisition and abuse of government power, corporate/government collusion, run-away entitlements, coddling of illegal foreign invaders, gross financial irresponsibility and the whacked-out self-serving (mostly Democratic) crooks in Washington, it has been cleverly hijacked by radical fake Republican neo-cons who are pushing an opposite-yet-equally-whacked-out agenda that seems to revolve around hating gays, Muslims and Mexicans, making war on Iran and promoting the baby Jesus… among other misdirecting fluff.

  People need to pull themselves away from Dancing With the Stars and take a strong look at what is best for the nation… as, what is best for the nation, will likely be best for them in the long run.

• Tom
  12:27 pm on November 3rd, 2010 28

  So Kushibo, do you really think it's acceptable that Korea has to give in and give more concessions to the US, AFTER the FTA was agreed upon? Do you really think Korea should give in to the US demands for Korea to buy 500,000 American cars (whether Korean consumers buy them or not) in exchange for Koreans selling 500,000 cars in the US? Well, they are out of their minds, to even entertain this insult. But I'm sure you think Koreans are screwing Americans on this (as always Americans blaming Asian countries for their ills). I'm sorry, but Americans can take this deal and shove it up their you know what. We aren't that desperate to get a deal with them. We'll just give all the business that would have went to the US, to the Europeans who signed the deal.

• kushibo
  12:51 pm on November 3rd, 2010 29

  Tianjin Tom wrote:

  So Kushibo, do you really think it’s acceptable that Korea has to give in and give more concessions to the US, AFTER the FTA was agreed upon?

  No, I don't. But I also recognize the political reality, and that's that some give and take will have to be done.

  This is an important issue to me. Important enough that I withheld my vote for Obama over it, and I even declared that I would end my Democratic Party affiliation if it fails.

  Do you really think Korea should give in to the US demands for Korea to buy 500,000 American cars (whether Korean consumers buy them or not) in exchange for Koreans selling 500,000 cars in the US?

  Nope. And I've spoken out against that, too. I can't include the link right here (Google Dodd+Detroit+kushibo) lest this get stuck in the spam filter, but I've been calling out on this b.s. for years.

  Anyway, the 500K for 500K is not going to happen either. That's b.s. Detroit rhetoric, and we'll call them out on it.

  Well, they are out of their minds, to even entertain this insult. But I’m sure you think Koreans are screwing Americans on this (as always Americans blaming Asian countries for their ills).

  You have no idea what I believe. I'm a moderate Korean constituent, while you're a Chinese agitprop.

  I’m sorry, but Americans can take this deal and shove it up their you know what. We aren’t that desperate to get a deal with them. We’ll just give all the business that would have went to the US, to the Europeans who signed the deal.

  Except that this deal would, even with such concessions, would be a tremendous boon to the South Korean government. It's best to keep the concessions down, but even if the Detroit stuff and the beef go through, it's still very good for South Korea (and very good for Americans). Win-win.

• kushibo
  12:54 pm on November 3rd, 2010 30

  Here's the link about my Democratic Party affiliation.

  Detroit and a number of unions have been acting as if we're stuck two decades ago. They talk about things that got resolved after the WTO and the Uruguay Round — things like the automatic audits on those who bought foreign cars — as if they are still going on. That's on top of the fiction in the earlier link where US-made Hyundai and Kia automobiles are counted as Korean while Korea-made GM vehicles are as Korean, giving a tremendous distortion in the number of American cars sold in Korea versus the number of Korean cars sold in America.

  And then there's the illogical idea that because trade is not fair we must not ratify a free-trade agreement. Isn't the FTA meant to be a means to resolve the problems you perceive to exist? Get this ratified now and then work on tweaking whatever's wrong with it.

  I honestly never thought I'd see the day when it was the South Korean government insisting that a major agreement be followed while the US side insisted on renegotiating it after it was signed.

• Glans
  1:04 pm on November 3rd, 2010 31

  Thomas Lee 26, it's "unius", not "unis".

• Tom
  1:37 pm on November 3rd, 2010 32

  "But I also recognize the political reality, and that’s that some give and take will have to be done."

  Well, the deal was signed in 2006, either honor the deal or leave it and walk away. Don't come back and demand a renegotiation.

  We have nothing more to talk about, the deal was signed.

  "Except that this deal would, even with such concessions, would be a tremendous boon to the South Korean government"

  I fail to see how Korea forced to import practically third of its entire auto market from the US car manufacturers, while at the same time, letting GM sell 100,000+ more cars in Korea to boot – will be a good deal for Korea. What's Korea get out of this deal when most of Korean cars are already made in the US plants with US workers? And what's Korea going to do with all those excess American cars? Give them away for free by the Korean government who bought them? Americans are really out of their minds, I'm afraid.

  Having said that, I don't think I have anything to worry about. The US is not going to ratify this deal, I'm sure of it. I've been watching the US news for a long time, and Korea US FTA doesn't even register. When it does, Korea doesn't even get mentioned without Panama and Columbia, then comes Korea. If Korea's going to be in the same breath as Panama and Columbia, forget it, the US side is not even seriously thinking about this. Hell with the US. We will do OK without them, Korea is the nineth largest trader in the world, and it's signing FTA with a lot of countries, so Korea's in a sweet position.

• Leon LaPorte
  2:16 pm on November 3rd, 2010 33

  Keeping it real, senator.

  /TTIBB

• someotherguy
  2:25 pm on November 3rd, 2010 34

  @26 Chickenhead,

  I agree that is how the system is supposed to work, the lefts keep the extreme rights in check, the rights keep the extreme lefts in check and what comes out is a moderate government. Ever since the nation went crazy at 9/12 that hasn't been the case. Extremism has taken over both political party's with the moderate's being either forced out or marginalized.

  And be careful with the "control of all three" type statements, for years the GoP had lock down on the legislative and executive pieces of government. What came out is the financial meltdown, two wars, the patriot act, abuse of extraordinary rendition, and TARP, although that last one was at the very end. The Dems have had it four years but haven't done nearly as bad, the monster that is the health care bill and all the eco-nut BS. Dems are mostly talk, they get too divided when it come time to actually create legislation. Dems aren't a party with a singular goal like the GoP is. Its more like a collection of people with a general agreement on political philosophy, they break down on how to actually go about doing things.

  My personal preference as a moderate libertarian is to have a balanced government that is not ruled by extremists of EITHER side. And to the above poster, most laws we don't need but some we do. And a paralyzed government, whether by controversy or by filibuster is a dead government.

• kushibo
  2:25 pm on November 3rd, 2010 35

  Tianjin에 있는 Tom wrote:

  I’ve been watching the US news for a long time, and Korea US FTA doesn’t even register.

  Hmm… you say it like you are watching it from afar, like in a computer room somewhere in Beijing or Shanghai. Or maybe Toronto.

  But whether it's Tianjin or Toronto, how would you get the zeitgeist or the daily read of what the mood is for or against the Korean FTA. Here in Hawaii, it gets talked about a fair amount. Ditto in California.

  You're right that South Korea is in a sweet position. Better (and better trusted) than your beloved China. But you must also realize that concessions had to be made with the EU and other countries to get those FTAs passed as well.

• Glans
  6:53 pm on November 3rd, 2010 36

  Obama and the Democrats prevented the Great Recession from becoming the Great Depression II, but they didn't achieve recovery. The Republicans will prevent recovery.

• Retired GI
  8:21 pm on November 3rd, 2010 37

  #36 Abit BITTER are you?

• kushibo
  8:32 pm on November 3rd, 2010 38

  I'm not bitter about the Republican takeover. I'm truly worried that if they get their agenda passed the weak recovery will get totally derailed.

• JoeC
  8:49 pm on November 3rd, 2010 39

  So far, some Republicans are only talking about repealing healthcare. If they think most Americans are looking forward to another year of healthcare debates and not about jobs, they are mistaken.

• Glans
  8:57 pm on November 3rd, 2010 40

  Retired GI 37, watch out! The economy will stagnate as the Republicans cut the budget. Your benefits are a government program.

  Kushibo 38, you can count on a derailed recovery.

  JoeD 39, Republicans say Obamacare is a job-killer.

• Retired GI
  8:58 pm on November 3rd, 2010 41

  38, what is their Agenda?

  JoeC 39, you do not watch Fox. If you did, you would not have said THAT.

• kushibo
  9:03 pm on November 3rd, 2010 42

  Among other things, stop any stimulus, especially if it involves Keynesian government spending, and cut taxes, including on the wealthiest. For good measure, cut regulation that would help prevent crises like the one in 2008 in the future.

• Retired GI
  9:27 pm on November 3rd, 2010 43

  42, Stop stimulas. A good start. Sounds great. Keynesian gov spending is not working. Another good idea.

  Cut taxes, A very good idea. I don't hate the wealthiest americans. They are usually the business OWNERS and creat jobs. Fred Smith is a good guy. Created Fed Ex. Created thousands of jobs right here.

  Cut Regulation. Have to ask Barney Frank and Chris Dodd about that one. The lending to those that would not normally qualify for a homeloan caused 2008.

• Tom
  11:51 pm on November 3rd, 2010 44

  Folks, it doesn't really matter who is in power. They will continue to pump money into a broken system to plug up a gaping hole which is getting bigger everyday. They will pander to the voters. The US needs severe austerity measures to cut spending. But the US government can't because the people will form a revolution on the streets if their welfare spending is cut. Remember, this is a society which thinks they have the right to have the same high living standards just because they are Americans. As much as Americans think their culture is superior, and Korean culture inferior (I've heard this from them many times), this is your weakness. You have no unity to sacrifice for your country, only selfish individuality. Even the 1930's America was much better than 2010 version of America. At least back in the thirties, Americans had unity to recover from depression. Today's version of 2010 however is totally different, since so many people were born with silver spoons in their mouths. They won't know how to handle poverty, nor would they know how to work themselves back up again. The US is like a Titanic, which nobody thought would be possible to sink, but it is now slowly sinking, while the people above play their fiddles.

• Dragonfly
  11:56 pm on November 3rd, 2010 45

  Thomas Lee, #26: One question about the Tea Party objective of sticking to the Constitution – whose interpretation? If there were only one way to interpret it, wouldn't we only need one Supreme Court Judge? Everyone I've talked to about "sticking to the

  Constitution" wants it sticking to the way THEY see it.

• Retired GI
  2:02 am on November 4th, 2010 46

  #44 Ask Hines Ward which Culture is "superior".

  Just ask anyone: In which culture does a mixed race have the best chances for success?

  Enough said.

• Tom
  2:13 am on November 4th, 2010 47

  Who cares about mixed race? I'm talking about Koreans. And look who's broke and look who's not.

  Enough said.

  

• Tom
  2:25 am on November 4th, 2010 48

  South Korea is the 12th best place to live in the world, only behind Japan by one place. According to the UNDP Human Development Index. US is at fourth, but the gap between US and Korea is now only 8 places. Which basically means there's not that much difference in quality of living. But once all the US bailout money runs of the US economy, I'm betting my money the positions will reverse overnight. Only 50 years ago the first American general in Korea said, this country will always be a basket case. Now look what's happened.

  http://news.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2010/11…

• Jeff Fisher
  2:45 am on November 4th, 2010 49

  #26 Thomas Lee. You hit that comment out of the park. A home run.

  #42 RETIRED GI. Ditto for your comments!!

• Retired GI
  3:16 am on November 4th, 2010 50

  40, glans, I'm watching. Market is up at noon 190. My blue chips look good.

  As for my retirement check, I'll be happy to match whatever % reduction that congress takes itself in pay. Not worried. Sky not falling.

• Dragonfly
  3:21 am on November 4th, 2010 51

  Tom #44: You're right. America has become much less of a "We" or "Us" and is now much more of a "if you're not one of us, you're one of them" type of society. The politicians don't do what's right for the country, they do what's right for them to maintain power. None of our leaders (red or blue) have the guts to do what might be necessary to get us out of debt because it might adversely affect a supportive voting bloc. How ludicrous is it to enact laws that make it easy to send jobs overseas and then say they support the American working class? Not many of us were born with silver spoons in our mouths, as you'd like to believe. But not many young Americans, or Koreans for that matter, would want or be able to do the type of work that their grandfathers had to do in order to survive. That's the price and the peril of living in an affluent society.

• Tom
  3:22 am on November 4th, 2010 52

  Enjoy your profits while it lasts, and before it sinks again.

• Jeff Fisher
  3:22 am on November 4th, 2010 53

  #48 Tom. The USA is without question the most desirable to migrate to. Google

  WIKIPEDIA: Discussion, "Immigration". US then Canada,UK,France,Spain, Germany.

  Review "The International Organization for Immigration".

• Tom
  3:23 am on November 4th, 2010 54

  #51, finally a comment that makes some sense, instead of the usual insults. I respect you for that.

• Retired GI
  3:23 am on November 4th, 2010 55

  Now when the welfare babies in the inner cities lose their free money, I might be concerned about my retirement. There will be riots in NYC before that happens.

  I think I might enjoy seeing that, by the way.

• Tom
  3:26 am on November 4th, 2010 56

  #53, that's because your leaders are dumb. You got an open door policy for Mexicans, at the expense of the citizens. Simple word: dumb. Thankfully, Korea isn't that dumb. Korea's land is not big enough nor have any natural resources for immigration anyway. We're already full to the brim.

• Retired GI
  3:35 am on November 4th, 2010 57

  #56 tom, I agree with everything you said .

• Jeff Fisher
  4:02 am on November 4th, 2010 58

  #40 GLANS. ALL historical data shows that cutting government largess (spending,

  socialist programs, taxes, has always increased revenues to gov't, resulting in

  low unemployment. Latest examples are JF(ask not what your country can do for you…) Kennedy and Reagan slashing programs,cutting taxes after the debacle of

  the Carter admin. Remember the "misery index" he created? Lost 48 states in his

  reelection bid. The government/politicians do not ever create jobs. When they

  get out the way, off the backs of business does the country flourish economically.

• Leon LaPorte
  9:00 am on November 4th, 2010 59

  #56, 57 Ditto, bummer.

  /TIBB

• Jeff Fisher
  9:40 am on November 4th, 2010 60

  #56 Tom. Why are you bringing up the illegal immigration in the U.S. That is not

  what your cmt #48 was about, was it? The issue was where people would want to live if not in there native country, right? I do completely agree with you about

  how insane the powers that be here have allowed this to happen. I was in Korea

  2003, went back in 2008. Was surprised to the Africans, Filipinos, Russians in

  Seoul. Never went to where the club areas were in Itaewon or any other club

  areas. Just Seoul. They were not the business class type of guys. I have the

  impression they came there on some tourist visa, whatever and over stayed which

  would have made them illegal. If so then the Korean government is not taking care

  of it's best interest either albeit not to the degree the US has fallen. Tell me

  my assumptions in your opinion are correct or wrong. I am going back to Korea

  in Jun next year and will query my chums about this subject.

• Tom
  10:51 am on November 4th, 2010 61

  #59, well I'll answer that.

  As the world's 12 best place to live (according to the UN HDI 2010) and 15th "best country" (according to Newsweek 2010), of course, other countries will want to come and live in the ROK. These are all mile stones for Korea because the country was never expected by anyone to come this far, and Koreans have to be proud.

  Korea is like a secret place kept well hidden. And as the word gets out, more and more poorer country foreigners will want to come. You cannot eliminate them all, but their numbers can be controlled. Do you see Korea giving citizenship to foreigners who are born in Korea? No. Do you see a system of mass immigration to bring in foreigners who can't speak Korean? No.

  Korea would be flooded with foreigners like Mexicans too, if Korea had the same immigration system like the US. But thank god Korea doesn't. If you're going to get Korean citizenship, you better speak Korean, and accept Korean culture as your own. None of this you keep your culture and you keep your language and we will be all happy and dancing around tippy toes. You Americans and Westerners lecturing Koreans about multiculturalism and anti-racism, wearing that badge on your sleeves so proudly as if it makes you better… look at your countries closely, why should Koreans follow your mistakes? Just because you say we have to follow your demands?

  Don't order us around, we will make up our own minds as to where we're going.

• someotherguy
  10:58 am on November 4th, 2010 62

  @all

  There will be no tax cuts stop deluding yourselves. What you will see is a small tax "cut" bandied about on TV, but on another bill they will create / modify a different tax and you won't hear about that one. The net rate of taxation will increase not decrease. There will be a token effort to "repeal" health-care but the GoP lacks both the power and the will to do that.

  Let me educate people about how that whole debacle went down and how the GoP straight up duped most of its members. When Obama first proposed health-care reform (a President can not write a law only propose one) it was going to be a joint democrat-republican effort. Both the democrats and republicans say down at tables and started debating different ideas. Democrat extremists wanted government paid universal health-care like what is in Europe, Republican extremists wanted not a single change saying most people were happy with what they had. The moderates of both sides wanted a toned down optional plan that would supplement not mandate health-case. So these groups got to talking and the GoP made several recommendations, one of which is the "government mandate" that several recent GoP politicians have blamed on Democrats. The requirement that companies pay for health-care was another GoP idea. In total near half of the proposed health-care reform was GoP sponsored ideas. Then suddenly the GoP party's stance changed to a "we will not support any reform" and they ordered their party members not to vote for it, but knew that Democrats had enough votes internally to pass it. The Democrats left most if not all of the original GoP proposals in the bill but had to add all that extra BS to buy all the Democrat votes. See votes like everything in life work on a supply / demand basis. The GoP pulling all supported dried up the supply of congressional votes while the demand for those votes skyrocketed because the GoP threatened to filibuster, a tactic which allows the minority to hamstring the majority. Further once the bill passed the house the GoP forced the dems into a bad political position, they had to do reconciliation and other tricks just to get it passed because the GoP would block it any other way.

  Now you have a bill that while maintaining multiple GoP ideas and concepts is also laden with tons of pork just to get it passed. The GoP can demonize and decry the entire thing without fear from repercussions from its more extreme voting sections. The GoP was able to disassociate itself from a piece of legislation it helped create while maintaining the parts that it wanted to keep. They can have their cake and eat it too. The Democrats fell right in with it and gave the GoP this talking point.

  Masterfully played by the GoP, they were gambling that by helping the Dems create this law then pulling the support out they could either create a defeat for the Dems (victory for the GoP) or an easy target for rhetoric / campaign platform for upcoming elections. This has been a theme behind their entire party strategy for the past couple years. Their playing a war of attrition by attempting to deny the Dems any political victory's. And the victories the Dems do get will be so expensive politically that support for them will slowly erode amongst the voting public. Or at least amongst the older population.

  The reason this is all possible is because people are sheep, they'll believe anything they see on TV. Its known as confirmation bias.

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cognitive_bi… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias

  The basic fallacy goes "Their an expert because I agree with them". Basically the rank of the person in question is not based on their credentials or abilities but on the perception of the viewer. Things like facts / truths are distorted to fit a preconceived belief rather then the belief being made to fit the facts. Thus by slightly altering and distorting not only ~what~ people here but ~how~ they hear it an individual or a collective may control the beliefs and actions of a much larger group of people. Ex.. "death panels"

• Jeff Fisher
  10:15 pm on November 4th, 2010 63

  #61 TOM. I live in Woodbridge VA, just outside of DC. Annandale just north of

  here is owned by the Koreans. Supermarkets, doctors, furniture stores and a

  TV station, radio, restaurants, and many specialty shops, they have a monopoly on

  all the dry cleaners in northern Virginia and a good percentage of the barber

  shops. They built a Catholic church in Chantilly that will blow your socks off!!

  My wife is Korean, we are Catholic. NYC,LA (Culver City) loaded with Koreans. If

  the immigration quotas permitted it, Korea would lose half of it's citizens to the USA. By the way, the colleges/universities have a fair amount of the student

  body Korean.

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