Lords of Death Forums Lords of Death Forums LoD General Discussion What is more dangerous overall

What I see as more dangerous overall, is the "Madrid Effect". In the days before the spanish election, simultaneous bombs detonated, killing scores, wounding lots more etc... etc...
Next thing we know, days later the govt is changed by the vote.
I see an extremely dangerous precedent here. Effecting govt elections through the use of terror, and/or economic terror.
I suspect there is a very high chance that the domestic US election is a target of terrorists. They may try to impose their election choice on us this way.
Also, if you've noticed that Wed/Thurs, OPEC reduced the flow of oil by about 8%. There is no glut right now, as a matter fact there is a shortage. Motive? Election pressure. By squeezing the US economy, they are trying to push swing voters into the "non-bush" camp by affecting pocket books.
That, I see is very dangerous. The US economy might be being used as an external election steering tool. And more violently, terrorists may try to take advantage of a vote situation to alter the peoples opinion.
The sad thing is that with current GDP growth in various countries (some of us do look globally, not just locally), there is 11 years left of US dominance economically.
Note: I am not American, but I care more for the US than many locals, and I feel that the US is a global model for governance. Yes, there is a bit of Ayn Rand in the healthcare area, but when you tally up the chips, I think it is #1. Sadly, so many foriegn influences and donor situations have weakened that strength from an economic standpoint.

Arioch i have been reading all of your posts surrounding world affaris and politics and it has really got me thinking...

OPEC and other oil producing countries are not necessarilly "squeezing" the US economy through oil restrictions. People have to remember the key variable; gold, oil, silver, and all other commodities are traded in US Dollars. Over the past 18 months the US dollar has depreciated against every major currency (with the exception of the Chinese Yuan and Japanese Yen, for which i will explain in a few sentences). A weaker US dollar increases other countries purchasing power for US goods and more importantly world basic materials. This leads to a natural increase in the price of gold (which people blame the inflation fears on its rise) and the price of oil per barrel.
The problem is that the US economy is tied so much to the rest of the world, i.e. when we sniffle the world coughs, and when we cough, countries like Japan and other developed markets puke. Despite OPEC slashing output, i can guarantee Russia will increase their output. Russia is second in net GDP growth next to China in local currency, over the past three years. Russia cannot afford to lose money for development of their own country by reducing their oil output at a time when the price of oil is so high.

The United States will always continue to dictate the economic policy of the world for my lifetime and those to follow. Everything pours out of the US that is used by every other country, from investments (buying US Treasuries) to purchasing out finished goods. Many currencies outside of the United States are pegged to the US Dollar (i.e. China). Remember when i had mentioned that the CHinese Yuan hadnt appreciated much in relation to the US Dollar? That is beacuase the Chinese government has been buying up US Dollars on the open market (to the tune of over 3 billion over the past 18monmths) so it can support its own growth and keep its output high. The Japanese have been doing the same thing, buying up US Dollars (over 2 billion) to keep the Yen high to support its exporting companies and to keep their GDP positive and to prevent another wave of deflation. If you look at those statistics, by having the Chinese and Japanese buying up dollars and purchase US Treasury Bonds, they have completely financed the Iraqi invasion for us.
Everyone can attempt to blame the Bush government for a poor economy etc etc etc, but in reality we are now just paying the hangover for the Clinton party. Any economic major can tell you that policies and economic environment has a lag effect. i.e. what you do today will not take effect until 3-5 years out. Also, one of the many different economic models state that to increase and improve growth, you must spend money short term to spark government spending and then trickles down to corporate then to common people through created jobs and an increase in payrolls. This is slightly taking effect right now as the latest job report and new farm payrolls increased by over 350k jobs.

Believe me there are no perfect solutions to any economic, political, or global solution. The problem i see it is that political agendas in America are FAR too short. What happens is current and future administrations are SO short term focused. They only care about what is going to affect them over the current 4 years and what they need to do to get re-elected so they can push more garbage down peoples throats.

Absolutely agree on the economic hangover, I've always contended that bush inherited the dot-com hangover.
I never thought of the currency fluctuation as a peg on some of these things, thanks for pointing that out.
A few weeks ago, there was pressure (unsuccessfull in it's attempt) to get the Chinese to float the yuan. They of course are keeping it pegged to keep their exports flying out the door.
Just the same as the US decision to float the dollar (a wise decision I think) and let the domestic market get some more teeth globally (to the ire of so many others).
Do ya think the Japanese, Chinese are buying up dollars to cover the float by the US treasury? I know several EU countries were buying them up weeks ago when the float happened to try to stave off the effect on their domestic manufacturing and exports to the US.

Yes i think that is what the chinese and japanese were trying to do....
the funny thing is that economists and everyone always reapeats is thinking they can long term support currency by going to theopen market and buying...eventually the currency will move against them and they wont be able to stop it.
Europe is behind the US in fiscal policy by about 9-12 months. I think that mainly Euros were buying dollars to put into the equity and bond markets here. The 10-year treasury was up last week and i think yields will start to creep up here very soon, while at the same time, the yields on Euro bonds continue to drop. I also think that Euros are moving into dollars to take advanatge of a reversion to the mean in the currency market. I talked to a currency trader at a major investmnet bank late last week and their projection is the Euro to max at 120/125 and then creap back down to parity around 100....god that was a long paragraph...

I am actually taking economics this quarter, i start monday. Looking forward to it woot. I personally think we should send all the liberals from the United States to china, and tell them to rethink their Anti-war ideology. Let the women be decliterized, or send the guys to pick rice in cobra infested rice fields, while making only 2 dollars a month. Dont worry your government will give you your weekly rations. Commy pigs leave our country! *twinks out* &^%^*$)&*^%&^

Well, you can always have yourself shot at like the Taiwan President to get votes....lol
At least that is what I think he did anyway... haha

shit happens every ten years or so.

liberals on the political spectrum in a lot of areas, while liberals are on others. Not to mention I love how anyone who doesn't agree with your beliefs is a commie. Seems like you should be the head of a dictatorship.

negative sir, business cycles are made not just a random event
1) Interest rates were at a higher level starting in 1992. They began to raise after the mini recession of 1991. Bush Sr. had to raise rates to cool off the economy from the late 80s...Clinton implimented some nice fiscally responsible government spending. To spark the rally in 1994 Greenspan slashed rates at a very fast rate. This sparked an upsurge of growth and corporate spending (cheaper for companies to borrow).
2) The internet and technology made leaps in the early 90s and corporations needed to upgrade all their equipment. Government encouraged spending.
3) NAFTA was signed i believe in 1996 and this led to a huge slash in corporate costs and expenses. This cuased products to carry a lower price tag, thus keeping inflation at an all time low. This exporting of jobs that quite frankly, noone would do in the US for the wages we wanted to pay, led to an INCREASE in jobs in the service industry and sales industry....
4) Clinton benefitted from a conservative fiscal policy, backed by a surplus in spendable cash, supported by an EXTREMELY fixcally conservate Fed Board (Greenspan) who is the first Fed Director to be proactive versus reactive when it comes to the economy.
5) Clinton's momentus "I balanced the budget" was a complete smoke and mirror job in itself. it involved him selling 30 year treasury bonds to help offset the costs in the current year. He was essentially borrowing from Peter to pay Paul. Granted, as a Republican myself, i DO give Clinton MUCH props for doing an outstanding job with the economy and pocketbooks of Americans....

There was a lot of sarcasim in my post. I guess i should expect a stereotypical statement like that in return of my post. So i will say this. LIberals are the very termite, breaking the foundation of the United States. Do you notice Liberals go under several different Labels. Libertarian, green party, some hide "Independent" and a lot hide behind the democrat label as well.
Liberals want to use "Equal rights" to legalize all immoral issues. You unreligious finatics can back this up because your unsure where your morality came from. But, I am sure where I got my morals. Liberals want to put us through shock therapy, and desensitize us slowly but surely. Eventually every shocking nature will be accepted by society as, "well if it doesnt directly hurt me, then i guess im ok with it"
They are actually reversing everything America once stood for. Freedom of religion, not lets take religion completely.
Freedom of speech, lets use any slander, curse, or lies we can.
They use Equal rights as there backbone to legalize even the raunchiest behaviors. ACLU backing nambla, Peta attacking KFC with lawsuits, Special interest groups shooting for gay marriage, whats next Polygamy?
Why discriminate against one extreme if we can just skip to the worst.
Where do we draw the line?
Syphax does this answer your question better?