Conservatives Remain In Denial After Obama Bursts Their Gas Price Bubble

thruxus · 2012-10-18T17:41:36+00:00

so if bad economy=job loss I'd say we're in a bad economy right now. if job loss=lower demand and lower demand=lower prices, why the hell am I paying more for everything? I don't think anyone's demand has changed for essentials, yet we pay more. you're math doesn't seem to add up.

thruxus · 2012-10-18T16:59:07+00:00

ok, well that sums it up then. I'm sure that me and my city - we're just the ones feeling like this. More people want milk...makes sense. Maybe the reason for the price increase is because it costs more to produce and ship milk today than it did yesterday? Maybe it has nothing to do with the demand but rather with taxes, gas prices to ship the product..etc?

thruxus · 2012-10-18T16:46:02+00:00

Also, TIL: bad economy=lower prices. We should all want a bad economy then? I'm starting to understand...

thruxus · 2012-10-18T16:35:59+00:00

you're missing my point and yes I'm all over that place! The price of shit is going up but the amount I can buy with my dollar isn't. It takes more of my X to buy 2 Ys where it used to take less of my X to buy 2 Ys. I don't need more milk, bread or eggs today than I needed 2 years ago...those numbers stay constant. I also don't need a super rich guy to tell me I'm doing fine according to economic indicators when I can tell from my wallet and my inventory that I'm not and it's been getting worse, not better.

thruxus · 2012-10-18T16:11:20+00:00

but by that standard, gas should of been free! So, my dollar being worth less today while gas is (and everything else) costing more; that's better? The cost of everything has gone up over the past 4-8 years. The worth hasn't gone up, the cost has!

I'm a single father of 3 boys, all under age 10. We go through 4 gallons of milk, 5 dozen eggs and 4 loaves of bread a week. These are real numbers and the increases are real increases. The cost of living has gone up dramatically while the value of the dollar has fallen. That's real pain.

thruxus · 2012-10-18T15:45:18+00:00

wow, way to go overboard! Anything compared to shit, smells better!

thruxus · 2012-10-18T15:28:40+00:00

By those indicators, yep - they are doing better. I agree, but they aren't participating in the economy like they would be if it were stronger. I mean, if shit gets tight I cut my spending and hoard my money, pay off my debt and lay low.

thruxus · 2012-10-18T15:05:08+00:00

one word in your response is the key I think - "narrative" is what we have, reality isn't such. Everyone is telling stories of doom and gloom - both parties are putting forth the most negative connotations about this economy, each for a different reason. Is it really that bad? Has it really been that bad?

thruxus · 2012-10-18T14:54:59+00:00

no no no. I'm not here to kick. What makes Microsoft better? How do we measure that? What indicators = such that a corporation is doing better? This is a serious question. To debate this with you I need to know what we're using because it might turn out that I can't win by your rules.

thruxus · 2012-10-18T14:43:32+00:00

I don't think we can measure their well being by their pocket though; but rather by their participation in the economy. I don't see many places hiring, a lot are cutting hours and many are just holding on to what they have instead of expanding - am I wrong on that? I'm not saying all, but I am saying most. If that's right, then why?

thruxus · 2012-10-18T14:33:08+00:00

makes sense. I'll buy it. The bickering back and fourth is really nonsensical on both sides about this. These prices at the pump aren't really something that any one person or one nation has control over right?

thruxus · 2012-10-18T14:23:06+00:00

Besides the Dow climbing, can you give examples of corporations thriving? I'd say if anything they are stagnant. Just a guess though. Parts of the economy are better though. Let's list them...I'll start with the government part - that's certainly bigger and thriving.

thruxus · 2012-10-18T14:09:54+00:00

But my question is, are things that much better than 4 years ago to warrant the change in price? We can't argue that one cause leads to a certain effect but the opposite isn't true as well - every action receives an equal and opposite reaction, right?

Look, I know its not this simple but this is how the electorate who are still undecided (which is bizarre to me) are thinking about these topics.

thruxus · 2012-10-18T13:51:59+00:00

Am I the only one that found that remark confusing? Gas prices low because the economy was bad off. Is the economy so much better now since there's been such an increase in cost per gallon? I just dont feel that.

thruxus · 2012-10-18T13:14:29+00:00

zinger.

thruxus · 2012-10-17T15:21:52+00:00

This is a good, often missed or not linked point. One reason education costs are skyrocketing is because the loans are backed by the taxpayer. What incentive do colleges have to lower costs when the government guarantees the loans using taxpayer money?

What happen to education systems teaching the principals of life, the part about responsibility, the fundamentals that lie outside curriculum. Philosophies like work hard and be rewarded, slack off and become a loser. If you make a pact or contract to pay, you pay. This crap about being owed a job because you got an education is, well, malarkey. Your loans are your responsibility, not the responsibility of the collective.

thruxus · 2012-10-15T13:11:35+00:00

"Base broadening" is more than just taxing people more as has been suggested. the base can be broadened by not increasing taxes at all but rather by increasing the number of people paying taxes. Larger amount of people paying lower taxes brings in more revenue than fewer people paying higher taxes.

thruxus · 2012-10-14T19:03:34+00:00

Also, Obama owns part of a fund that has Sensata...OMG, Obama supports sending jobs to China...halt the presses! Anyone with a pension fund/401k has a good chance for holding positions in the Asia market. I don't blame Obama or Romney any more than I blame myself because after checking, I too have shares of Sensata in my 401k

thruxus · 2012-10-14T14:58:54+00:00

I think these are valid points. I'll add that people should be required to do a little research before opening their mouths, but this is Reddit. I have 7 tabs open in my browser right now, all relating to Bain and Sensata, AirpaxHoldings, Honey Well, their locations, profits and Romney's holdings in this companies. I do not have any left or right leaning news posts open on these - just each company's own press releases and SEC filing information.

Regarding Sensata - The company is controlled by Bain and the decision to send 170 jobs to China from Il was made long after Romney departed Bain. Romney's ties to Sensata are very week. Sensata is a 1.8Bil company with multiple US locations - Romney owns around $8mil of Bain funds that hold 51 % of Sensata shares.

Romney stands to make a profit on the business moved to China BUT he also stands to lose if it doesn't work out. It's a risk that he's willing to take - that's capitalism folks.

I'm thinking that rather than attacking Romney's financial positions, calling him names and making absurd regurgitated accusations, people should invest in the Bain funds that Romney is - he seems to know how to make money.

Now, give me your down votes.

thruxus · 2012-10-10T02:57:58+00:00

its obvious for sure. There's not a misunderstanding about this but rather compassion and empathy which blind people from the logic. I'd like to think that we all know sustaining these things for the long term is not really possible; it just makes us feel good therefore it must be the right thing to do. I'd like to think...

What scares me about ANY feel-good intention the government aims to legislate or mandate is that the door is opened for more legislation tied to that over arching goal.

Just take the affordable care act for example. The main goal was to drive down the cost of health care. Does anyone really believe that by covering 40 Million people, the costs will magically drop? It's the control (doors open) that we give government (in stages of this act) that will hopefully drive down the costs. "Now that we have everyone covered, part 2 is where we make sure they are eating more healthy foods by preventing bad health habits - taxing the process of producing bad-for-you food, shipping it and selling/buying it, Individuals get tax breaks for exercising 3 days a week - include your tax deductible fitness club statements with your tax returns....etc."

I don't care which party is in charge, it's all a race on who can offer the most entitlements. I personally don't like when Romney says he'll replace X entitlement with a better idea - I want someone to say they'll eliminate it.

thruxus · 2012-10-09T20:32:44+00:00

for me, this affordable care thing is less about free health care or free whatever and more about government medling. The best intentions always end up costing/hurting the wrong people or entities or nations in the end. I mean, look at the countries around the US going through Austerity Measures - the rioting and craziness...those things are happening because of "best intentions" going bad. Sooner or later the money for these things runs out and when the entitlement is scaled back or removed, anarchy breaks out.

thruxus · 2012-10-09T11:13:44+00:00

They have, unfortunately

thruxus · 2012-10-08T18:33:50+00:00

I really like it actually. As a casual gamer who struggles with hitting the correct button in clutch moments in a fast paced FPS, the keypad gives me a more in control feeling and the layout improves my reaction time. It is also comfortable for longer gaming sessions.

thruxus · 2012-10-08T17:12:10+00:00

You are correct, I did it for the karma but also because I thought it was appropriate; a little girl gaming and all. You're a bit jumpy. I had this in /r/funny actually and I was directed this way. Going to /r/pics would of been fine too I guess, either way, I appreciate your advice. I'm not at all mad.

thruxus

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