They knowingly committed a crime when they screwed the bondholders.

There is no reason to think they'll be tossing you any crumbs.

The politicians and bankers are following the same scripts we've seen play out in Argentina and other nations.

Already many people are finding out that they can't withdraw their 401k funds. At some point the bankers will be stealing those outright. And say goodbye to pensions.

The problem is that too many people are going to retire at once. The sheer volume of withdrawals for retirements, will result in tremendous losses in the banking profits and in the markets.

Our politicians will let the banks simply seize those accounts, to keep them profitable.

My politics are limited to what we should do to make us better and more efficient and competitive with the Germans, to the Chinese, and they look at it from the perspective of getting rich off the massess. Until we change our thinking, we will die a slow death economically, with each downturn in the economy a bit worse than the last. We see that now do we not?

You are correct. I wanted to keep it short and understandable.

Most importantly, we forgot we needed each other,(democrats and republicans) workers needed a job, and business needed workers. Workers thought they were irreplacable. They found out the hard way, they were replaceable, unfortunately, many other businesses and workders also suffered as the cornerstones to communities relocated to other countries, support businesses folded and more jobs were lost.
Let me make this clear, I am the grand daughter of immigrents. They came, they learned the ENGLISH language, they worked hard, they became educated, the lessons that were passed along to me were profound. One of which is 'Don't cut your nose off to spite your face', if only more people had learned that lesson.
For any of you who have your doubts as to what you can accomplish, I would suggest you get ahold of a series of tapes and books by Nedo Queban. He was an immigrent who came to America at 17, not knowing any English, but with a burning desire to learn. The story is all inspiring, and can be the key to unlock our potential as human beings, no matter what our background. No matter. Yesterday is gone, tomorrow is not here yet, but today, today we can choose to make a difference in our lives and those around us, by simply putting jealousy aside, and start with me. When I improve me, then we can do many great things together.

I find your type amusing. Since the democrats are just about equal with republicans, and democrats represent the poor and oppressed, unions, and immigrants who now have the right to vote, and those on welfare and minorities, in particular hispanic and black, and republicans represent the wealthy, business, white collar workers, white middle america correct? Then I think we can break that down into the fact that statistically (according to) that blacks make up 12 percent of the population, vote about 93% democrat, make up 67% of all highschool dropouts, and hispanic are close behind, that labor and blue collar workers are typically labor not educated beyond high school, and immigrants are also not educated either, I think then we can conclude other than a few snob intellectuals the democratic part is NOT the party of the educated. Obviously white collar, business and weathy are more likely to have higher education. So who are the so called liberal intellectuals? Probably some degree in political science, or psychology or history or some education that only requires time and money and not much intelligence. My degrees are in both Nuclear Physics and engineering and dude I am a republican. If you wish to compare intelligence I will gladly take you on. This year alone I have been to Moscow, St Petersburg, Novosibersk, Fukuoka, Toyko, Nagasaki, Kiev, and a number of other cities. I also know history quite well, and geography as well. Whatever your degree is in, I could easily get it if I so chose to do so, but willing to bet a sizeable sum you could not reciprocate. You liberal dems constantly attack republicans as being stupid, yet your part is largely made up of the least educated, and most easily manipulated people. You attack republicans for their power and greed, yet say we are stupid? How can you get power (eg money) and be stupid? Can't have it both ways. We are all waiting to hear what your degree is in. I have a feeling I have already come close. Intellectually you do not even stand on the podium with me and never will. Look at a map of the world and wonder why we, our tiny bit of land became so wealthy once and so powerful? Why? And then ask yourself if those values that got us to that level are still strong in America today. Even you have to intelligence to know the truth to that question. Mary was on the most part correct, although a bit simple in her explanation. We are a country living off the backs of our ancestors, and that will last only so long. The values that made us strong are now making China strong. Obama asked them what they are doing right? The answer is just about everything the opposite of what Obama wishes to do. And I do not blame Obama, Bush was not a lot better. As long as we keep electing Attorneys to run things we will decline. Does not matter which party. We need liberals and conservatives who have accomplished things in their lives, who actually know how important it is to build wealth. I think what Mary was trying to say, was that we have pushed a huge percentage of wealth building jobs overseas, and I think anyone can figure out if you keep spending more than you make, that leads to trouble.

Democrats and Republicans forgot they needed each other, and with comments like those above, it is evident.

Getting past that. Traditionally, Republicans were more conservative, and yes, capitalistic. Democrats were more liberal, anti-capitalistic and unionized - purporting to be in 'support' of the labor class.

But let's look to see what's happened. Unions pushed too far, demanded excess for little effort. Allowed workers to be high and drunk and asleep, and yet have union representation and 'a paycheck'.
Democrats forgot they need capitalists to invest in business so that thier 'workers' would have jobs.

Republicans, being capitalists, got tired of paying for sub standard work, and bickering, and found new ground to invest in - out of the country.

So now what? I think a start is to stop calling names and insinuating such nonsence.

Don't get mad. Get even. How? Become a better employee instead of a bitter employee. Buy American made, support yourself, your neighbor, your friend, your family member whose job depends on it.

Remember, Bill Clinton signed NAFTA, which has gutted our country of jobs.... why? Because nearly everything can be made cheaper (not necessarily better) in third world countries where slavery (sorry .25 and .50 and hour is slavery) is acceptable. What's amazing though, is the worker's attitude of gratitude for a job, which has been lacking in our country for decades.

Many Nazi were allowed to escape by the Allies because they were considered assets to fight the Soviets in the next war.

Because you are as uniformed as most Republicans, you probably didn't know the Berlin Wall wasn't built until the 60s.

Again, some reading would help you know that McArthur specifically left Hirohito in place because by showing dominance over the emperor the psychological power to control the population was more easily established. That is why the emperor was compelled to speak over the radio for the first time to tell the Japanese they were defeated.

Funny that you thought I meant Bush Jr when I wrote "pretended to be elected president and his family are all crooks." that may be true, but I was referring to Karzai and his brother.

Republican's adore ignorance. Sarah Palin, Bush Jr, Hannity...
...after Buckley died you guys sure are lacking intellectual heft, and obviously prefer invective and bluster.

You still haven't answered "what does a victory look like in Afghanistan?"

The United States lost the war in Iraq twice.
Round One:
The first time is when the US returned control of Kuwait to the degenerate royal family and left Saddam in power, leaving his helicopters and mechanized divisions to kill massive amounts of the Shia population in the south and Kurds in the north, all while continuing his reign of torture.

Round two:
Bush Jr. unleashes the chaos that has been let loose currently. Nothing has been won or solved. Saddam is gone, but he had was ready to leave in 1991 except Bush the elder didn't want him deposed. He was the considered the strategic cork on Iran.
The clear winner in Iraq is Iran and oil companies in other countries that has just inked oil deals with the Iraqi and Kurdish governments.

In Afghanistan, the Taliban is not a foreign force, they are a political party of sorts with a vast following. You'd have to kill 1/3 of the country in order to "win." And the guy who pretended to be elected president and his family are all crooks. What's does victory look like?

You must be doing your research by watching Glenn Beck.

The financial issue is that every cent of these ill conceived wars have been paid for with money borrowed from China, money they have because we have exported our industry to increase the margins for companies like WalMart.

I am calling you out – why do you even bring up the two wars? You are trying to redirect because you have nothing else constrcutive to say.

Also, dolt, we won the iraq war, it is being transitioned to the iraqis now. – we would also win the war against the taliban if the president put half as much effort into the war campaign as he does thinking up ways to dig us deeper into dept with wasteful domestic policies.

Yes, companies raise cash by selling stock, but as that stock is traded over and over, the company no longer makes money on the trades.

After that initial sale, speculators place bets as to whether the stock price will rise or fall.

When more money is going in than going out, the price rises. When more money is going out than going in, the price drops.

This is the reason the government is funneling a river of the taxpayers money through GS into the markets. Only a continuous flow of exponentially increase debt can keep this bubble going. the taxpayers are losing their jobs fast, and with that the funds that used to prop up pensions and 401ks.

Only rapidly expanding debt can keep the market from imploding now. America will have to be hollowed out to nothing , to save the markets.