en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/3822738 Comments by Iamin99 http://www.komonews.com/news/business/Homebuilder-confidence-vaults-to-5-year-high-162742606.html#IDComment403706758 They are referring to the BLUE line in the chart and you are referring to the RED line. Nobody is trying to twist the numbers. Only you are twisted out of shape, hearing some good news from housing sector and economy, which of course scares the crap out of you, given the fact that Romney has no leg to stand on other than his Bain capital (non)credentials, which by the way, was the Pioneer of outsourcing American jobs and factories to China! Tue, 17 Jul 2012 21:29:24 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/business/Homebuilder-confidence-vaults-to-5-year-high-162742606.html#IDComment403706758 http://www.komonews.com/news/business/Economy-appears-weaker-as-retail-sales-slump-162591366.html?clmob=y#IDComment402937666 It will take guts to renegotiate all trade pacts. Only president who can do it is somebody who is not beholden to businesses and their lobbyists that make HUGE profits my making a shirt in china for $12 and sell it to you for $80. I will bet my bottom dollar Mitt Romney is not that guy. Now, US spends as much money in Defense as rest of the world combined. It is primarily to support the military industrial complex and NOT the required defense capability of this country. Finally, people making less than $250K a year pay more in taxes as % of their income than everybody making more than $250K. It is only fair for them to pay at least the same % of their income in taxes including income from their capital gains. Yes, I refuse to accept Mitt Romney to pay 15% of his income in taxes while I paid 29% of my income in taxes last year. Mon, 16 Jul 2012 21:50:58 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/business/Economy-appears-weaker-as-retail-sales-slump-162591366.html?clmob=y#IDComment402937666 http://www.komonews.com/news/business/Economy-appears-weaker-as-retail-sales-slump-162591366.html?clmob=y#IDComment402834852 WH have proposed budget each year, which has no value if not passed by both congress and senate. Only Congress has spending power. I would fault Democrats for not passing the budget in 2009 and 2010 when they had both chambers of congress. And I would fault both dems and repubs for the gridlock since 2010. Even when Congress does pass a budget and required spending bills, they only control about 38 percent of total federal spending — and that percentage is declining. The rest is “mandatory” spending, and it’s on autopilot — largely Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and interest on our national debt. So, even though it is important to pass a budget for 38% of our spending, we do need a plan to pay for the other 62%. What are your proposal to tackle the 62% of our spending? Mon, 16 Jul 2012 18:07:53 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/business/Economy-appears-weaker-as-retail-sales-slump-162591366.html?clmob=y#IDComment402834852 http://www.komonews.com/news/business/Economy-appears-weaker-as-retail-sales-slump-162591366.html?clmob=y#IDComment402806789 And what is your solution? Here are few of mine.. a. Scrap and re-negotiate all trade pacts in vavor of businesses that produce in America b. Cut defense spending 50% c. Remove all deductions for businesses with more than 50 employees and $500M inrevenue d. Remove all deductions including Mortgage interest for individuals making over 1M e. Tax capital gains at the same rate as wages I have may be 40 other ideas to make this country great again. And none of those ideas are to bash republicans!! Mon, 16 Jul 2012 17:11:46 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/business/Economy-appears-weaker-as-retail-sales-slump-162591366.html?clmob=y#IDComment402806789 http://www.komonews.com/news/business/Economy-appears-weaker-as-retail-sales-slump-162591366.html?clmob=y#IDComment402787841 Does your brain ever think anything else other than bashing democrats in general and Obama in particular? Every post I read from you is about that. Nobody is attacking wealth. Wealthy are asked to pay their fair share and not buy politicians to make laws in their favor. It is about fairness and giving everybody a chance! Why don't you propose taxing capital gains at the same rate as wages? 90% of wealth of all wealthy people comes from capital gains. 100% of capital gains are somebody else's money. Mon, 16 Jul 2012 16:33:43 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/business/Economy-appears-weaker-as-retail-sales-slump-162591366.html?clmob=y#IDComment402787841 http://www.komonews.com/news/business/JPMorgan-traders-may-have-sought-to-conceal-losses-162470226.html?clmob=y#IDComment401948180 I don't hear the war cry from folks who are all about the free market, no to regulation, no to SEC, no to Fed, no to Glass-Steigal, no to Dod-Frank and no to everything where Govt is involved? Sun, 15 Jul 2012 05:47:27 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/business/JPMorgan-traders-may-have-sought-to-conceal-losses-162470226.html?clmob=y#IDComment401948180 http://www.komonews.com/sports/Lawmakers-furious-over-China-made-Olympic-uniform-162249945.html#IDComment400599988 Lot of people doesn’t understand the economics of why big American apparel manufacturers are manufacturing in China, Mexico, India or Thailand. It's nothing other than greed, profit and large executive bonus and compensation motives. Pure and simple. A shirt by a big brand manufacturer costs $12 to make in china including material and labor that can be sold in USA for $60 and for a profit of $48. They can still make a profit manufacturing it here, but profit will be half that. It has nothing to do with minimum wage, unions or any other BS, some people are spewing on this board. Sad part is, our government allows it to happen by trade pacts it has signed and our people are happy to save a few bucks to wear made in China shirt with American pride! Thu, 12 Jul 2012 21:03:16 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/sports/Lawmakers-furious-over-China-made-Olympic-uniform-162249945.html#IDComment400599988 http://www.komonews.com/news/business/Fitch-Ratings-keeps-US-at-top-AAA-credit-rating-162078905.html#IDComment399968243 Debt managed well for the purpose of lifting up the living standards of a country by long term investment in education, research and infrastructure etc will do wonders. Problem is when money is spent that has no return on investment like tax cuts for the rich, make up for the SS/medicare shorfall, wars and bridge to no-where. Wed, 11 Jul 2012 20:13:45 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/business/Fitch-Ratings-keeps-US-at-top-AAA-credit-rating-162078905.html#IDComment399968243 http://www.komonews.com/news/consumer/Report-Some-lose-homes-over-as-little-as-400-161951685.html#IDComment399402121 This sounds like a state and county issue. VOTE for people at local, state and federal level who have YOUR best interest in mind and DO NOT buy into democrat vs. republican garbage. Both are two sides of the same coin, bidding for the highest bidder. Given a chance everybody will exploit you and take advantage of your vulnerability no matter who it is. That includes people, corporations and government alike! Tue, 10 Jul 2012 23:30:20 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/consumer/Report-Some-lose-homes-over-as-little-as-400-161951685.html#IDComment399402121 http://www.komonews.com/news/business/US-unemployment-aid-applications-little-changed-159871545.html#IDComment387553320 Astronomical current national debt is the result of poor economic policy;Tax breaks for the rich, unfunded wars, high defense spending and poorly managed SS/Medicare/Medicaid programs over last 30 years, spanning both Democrat and Republican administrations. Time is now to come together and address the issues and NOT just point fingers at one party or the other! Fri, 22 Jun 2012 22:38:54 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/business/US-unemployment-aid-applications-little-changed-159871545.html#IDComment387553320 http://www.komonews.com/news/business/US-unemployment-aid-applications-little-changed-159871545.html#IDComment387548183 Well, there will always be a minority who will always blame the government for everything that is wrong in a society with no idea or involvement regarding how to fix it. It’s like a father coming home drunk every night and yelling at his kids, how worthless they are, with no ability or interest in shaping their future. No Government agency held a gun to the bank and told them to handout mortgages to non-credit-worthy borrowers. Continued.. Fri, 22 Jun 2012 22:26:42 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/business/US-unemployment-aid-applications-little-changed-159871545.html#IDComment387548183 http://www.komonews.com/news/business/US-unemployment-aid-applications-little-changed-159871545.html#IDComment386709926 It is not as black and white as you want everybody to believe. There are many breakthrough scientific inventions and discoveries happened in NASA and DRDO in its hay days! Key is prudent investment (by public or private sector alike). Recent melt down in private financial sector is a great example, how TRILLIONS of dollars will go up in smoke faster than you can blink your eye and wipe out the wealth of entire middle class of the whole nation, earned over many years of blood, sweat and tears! Thu, 21 Jun 2012 22:46:20 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/business/US-unemployment-aid-applications-little-changed-159871545.html#IDComment386709926 http://www.komonews.com/news/business/Fed-extends-Twist-program-to-drive-rates-lower-159737745.html#IDComment386494468 If you have the money in the bank, how is Dodd/Frank bill stopping you from investing in what ever you want? Thu, 21 Jun 2012 16:48:47 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/business/Fed-extends-Twist-program-to-drive-rates-lower-159737745.html#IDComment386494468 http://www.komonews.com/news/business/Fed-extends-Twist-program-to-drive-rates-lower-159737745.html#IDComment386189675 Make education free upto post graduate level including engineering, medicine and all other advanced studies for every single child born in this country. Come back in 20 years and calculate the GDP growth and national debt. Govt does not and should not hand over money to private individuals. But it can make investments where no body else can and will have much greater impact than all billionaries combined. Thu, 21 Jun 2012 07:19:58 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/business/Fed-extends-Twist-program-to-drive-rates-lower-159737745.html#IDComment386189675 http://www.komonews.com/news/business/Fed-extends-Twist-program-to-drive-rates-lower-159737745.html#IDComment385872472 In my opinion, money is money in public or private. Most important aspect is, how it is used? Is it used to create wealth and lift people up or concentraded in few hands and does nothing or wasted with little to show for ( like in wars or bridge to nowhere ). Money invested wisely can do wonders and can return 1000 times the original investment. Return on investment alone will be enough to pay off the original debt and then some! Wed, 20 Jun 2012 21:44:29 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/business/Fed-extends-Twist-program-to-drive-rates-lower-159737745.html#IDComment385872472 http://www.komonews.com/news/business/Fed-extends-Twist-program-to-drive-rates-lower-159737745.html#IDComment385861695 May be you bought AAPL in 2002 for $19 a share or LVS in 2008 for $3 a share. May be you got lucky. I have been very fortunate with some of my investments as well. But, the point is, most people try to make a honest living by going to work everyday, not trying to play the roulet in wall street and make easy money. An economy should work well for everybody, not for few who are savvy with financial markets. Also, keep in mind, if you have gained in some of your investment, somebody else lost their money in it. It is their hard earned money, not yours! Wed, 20 Jun 2012 21:24:12 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/business/Fed-extends-Twist-program-to-drive-rates-lower-159737745.html#IDComment385861695 http://www.komonews.com/news/business/Fed-extends-Twist-program-to-drive-rates-lower-159737745.html#IDComment385857385 Going back to my original point, a functioning govt can make it happen. Limit banks how much treasury bonds they can hold, and how much of the deposits they can use for gambling. Bring back glass-steigel and they will have no choice but to lend to credit-worthy borrowers to get the economy humming again. Govt should use public debt at 2% wisely to make meaningful long term investment in education, research and infrastructure to make this country envy of the world again. Wed, 20 Jun 2012 21:14:45 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/business/Fed-extends-Twist-program-to-drive-rates-lower-159737745.html#IDComment385857385 http://www.komonews.com/news/business/Fed-extends-Twist-program-to-drive-rates-lower-159737745.html#IDComment385835410 Absolutely false! I have a 760 credit score and mid 6 figure income and looking for a suitable term to consolidate my paltry debt which I am perfectly able to repay. But, can't find a bank to do that without asking me for more than 10% in interest. Same goes with refinancing mortgages for many perfectly credit-worthy individuals. Banks want easy money. Period. Most of our public debt is held by foreigners at less than 2% interest rate. Your argument doesn't convince me how it is bad for our economy in any way. I will not hesitate to take a $5M loan at 2% to start a business in a heart-beat!! Wed, 20 Jun 2012 20:38:16 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/business/Fed-extends-Twist-program-to-drive-rates-lower-159737745.html#IDComment385835410 http://www.komonews.com/news/business/Fed-extends-Twist-program-to-drive-rates-lower-159737745.html#IDComment385757472 But only Govt has the power to force banks to make their money by lending and not by making bets in the exotic financial instruments. But, banks can afford to buy politicians to avoid that. Wed, 20 Jun 2012 18:33:33 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/business/Fed-extends-Twist-program-to-drive-rates-lower-159737745.html#IDComment385757472 http://www.komonews.com/news/business/Epic-clash-nearing-over-tax-boosts-spending-cuts-159738065.html#IDComment385752820 Choices are so simple but it baffles me why it is so hard to implement. 1. Make existing tax rates permanent for everybody making less than $250k and expire tax cuts for the rest. 2. Get rid of interest deductions for mortgages not used as primary residence and for those making over $1M a year 3. Get rid of all deductions for businesses with more than 50 employees and revenue over $500M 4. Tax capital gains at the same rate as income 5. Reform SS,medicare/medicaid and reduce pentagon budget by 10% every year for next 5 years. 6. Adopt balance budget rule, and fix the budget at certain % of GDP Wed, 20 Jun 2012 18:26:07 +0000 http://www.komonews.com/news/business/Epic-clash-nearing-over-tax-boosts-spending-cuts-159738065.html#IDComment385752820