TPS

Excuse me, but where in all of those quotes are the words "great blocker"?

I think you are stretching it by trying to make a jump from inefficient government to a government that's involved in all facets of our lives, and blaming the latter on the economic troubles here. Changing the number of town board members or consolidating towns into regional governing units to save money doesn't really impact what government's do or will do. In addition, cutting the number of reps doesn't cut the number of patronage jobs that are given out in the city or county. Reducing the size doesn't necessarily mean reducing its scope. You can have a more efficient (smaller) government, but it will, or can, be just as involved in our lives (as it is in California, for example). The problem here in WNY isn't government's involvement so much, it is how much WE spend on doing the same thing governments do everywhere else at lower costs. It's a specious arguement GG.

JfH, As I read about this draft I was reminded of the year we took Mike Williams (assuming my memory serves, and that's big ASSumption). I was desperately hoping we'd take the safety R. Williams because he would supposedly be a wrecking machine in the backfield. After that draft I was doubly dissapointed because the Boys also drafted a lineman I wanted A. Gurode--he was described as a mean SOB. After Wade left, we stopped drafting mean SOBs, rather we went for finesse players. I am extremely happy the front office realizes we need a tougher attitude on the lines. I am optimistic again. Postscript: while Roy Williams hasn't been the safety most thought, we would've been better off with him instead of that miss USA Williams at RT...Also, while our #2 pick has turned out to be ok, the boys took that mean SOB Gurode with the next pick. I wanted the Cowboys draft that year...

Nothing like a good Greenspan Bubble to pump up an economy!

I read elsewhere that the Bills did investigate moving up for Pettigrew, but "it cost too much," as most teams wanted their second.

That's always been my medicine of choice! Gracias amigo.

Oh crap! If that's the criteria, then I'm going to be quarantined... Been down on the Yucatan since Wednesday. No cases reported here yet, but each day more restrictions. Working at a Uni, and they cancelled all classes as of yesterday. Today people are wearing masks. Was supposed to stay until Sunday, but will return Thursday. The colleague I have been working with has a cold, and I'm starting to get the sniffles....crap...

I know it's only the IMF and not some right-wing radio blowhard, but.... Worst recession since the great depression

You must be one of the 47% if you think what's happened over the past two years is anything like those mentioned above. In the US alone, over the past 14 months, more than $12 trillion has been used to prevent a depression. The sum of the real costs from all those things you mention doesn't even come close to that.

You are also insinuating that the crisis is/was overblown.

Do you know how much has been spent/committed from the Fed/Treasury/and fiscal stimuli, and how much of it Obama is responsible for? Uhhh...yeah, the crisis was a little exaggerated, only somewhere in the neighborhood of $12 trillion over the past 14 months...

Oh, I didn't realize that government "spending" a few trillion dollars to bailout the financial sector was part of the rules of capitalism. I feel stronger already.

A former IMF economist draws parallels from crises with emerging market economies to the US. The essential point: it doesn't matter if it's Paulson-Bush or Geithner-Obama, financial interests still win out over public interests. The financial oligarchs

This is what people find objectionable?

maybe you didn't understand my last sentence which states my position, not the government's.

The government, meaning Paulson and a few democrats and republicans crafted a plan to save their buddies; not once, but three times. "The government" decided to make all of AIG parties whole, while countless other investors have taken losses. Why? Because it's a corrupt system, but there is honor among theives. Besides, contracts are renegotiated all the time. With enough public pressure, I am sure those 73 guys at AIG financial will find it in their hearts to accept a renegotiation...

No. People are advocating not using taxpayer bailout money to pay bonuses. The auto workers were asked to renegotiate contracts, why not those who actually lost the money? Sorry, when they took the money, all bets and contracts were off. Despite that whore Dodd allowing it in the agreement. When someone takes $100,000 in contributions from a firm like AIG, he has no business being in the negotiation. It's also been nice for the likes of GSachs to get paid in full from taxpayer money too as a counterparty to AIG. There is no risk when you are connected. Nice work Hank!

How is "superior" defined? Average level of health or more specialists who can treat those who can afford to pay? I'll have to remember this argument too: one data point to make a generalization.

There is a lot of blame to pass around, and a lot of people ought to be investigated. It is important to go after those who created this mess, and who walked away from it with millions. As usual, there will be a poster boy (Madoff) who gets thrown to the media wolves. Financial manipulation and fraud will never end until some more drastic penalties are enacted. Maybe the death penalty is a bit severe, but I think it's time to end limited liability. E.g. Cassano's assets should be fair game for investors trying to recoup losses...

The stock market has increased 623 points in the past 3 days because of Obama!* * Note: this logic is based on similar logic by posters here blaming Obama for any decreases.

C'mon, he thinks he's rush limbaugh now. He's just happy people are responding.

Is this some kind of assinine reference to your hero Limbaugh? Gee, you got me there RKKKfast.

Only an ignorant A$$ would post something like this.

Sully is creaming his corduroys on this one. He's the guy who loves pushing players' buttons. He's thinking it's national spot light time for himself the first time he gets TO to rant...

I never said you didn't believe in regulation, as I recall we had a brief agreement about capital standards. Just as I am not saying that deregulation was the only cause, but there were ample opportunities for the government to prevent this from turning into the worst crisis in history--Wall Street's contributions and lobbyists ensured it did though. Maybe you can expand on the first part. Seems like a sweeping "I am right and everyone else is wrong" statement. That is, you say everything without saying anything. Capital standards were a consequence of the international debt crisis, not some kumbaya agreement by banks saying please regulate us with consistent standards. Hmmm...how does a perfect regulatory system have a flaw? That's just a dumb statement. CDSs were fine in their original context of insuring debt, but spun out of control when you no longer insured the underlying security. The market got totally abused because it was unregulated. I don't deny there were many factors. And I believe there still would've been a recession with regulation--regulations have never stopped fraud, speculation, and financial crises; but they can restrain fraud and speculation, and therefore dampen the severity of any crisis. Warnings began in 2004, but Wall Street paid to ensure the party continued.