AC comps

[Tedlark]

  I'm sorry DaBurglar but I just thought that, with a degree in economics, that you'd be better with numbers. I on the other hand have had such things as: "technically proficient and accurate"  written in fitness reports by former superiors.
 
  This may very well be why I have been so hard on you and as I have recently stated: I will resolve in the new year to show more grace and quarter toward you, my hope is that you and I can mend broken fences with something more than a wing and a prayer. My family is originally from the east coast and I still have many relatives in the Boston area as well as Erie and CT.
 
  And for managing as asphalt plant at such an early age just goes to show that someone saw some talent in you at an early age.
 
  And again may I offer you a laurel, and a hearty, 2014.

[BillyJoe]

[QUOTE=Tedlark]
I was originally Harvard class of 1989, but I actually earned my degree (double major in Economics and Government) in January of 1992.[/QUOTE]
Hmm - Government and economics.. impressive.
Please consider going to work in Washington, and straightening out our country's economy... Oh, wait - academics as Presidential advisors.. That's how our country got to this economic situation..
Never mind, Burglar... carry on..

[DaBurglar]

[QUOTE=DaBurglar]
[QUOTE=Tedlark]
I was originally Harvard class of 1989, but I actually earned my degree (double major in Economics and Government) in January of 1992.[/QUOTE]
Hmm - Government and economics.. impressive.
Please consider going to work in Washington, and straightening out our country's economy... Oh, wait - academics as Presidential advisors.. That's how our country got to this economic situation..
Never mind, Burglar... carry on..[/QUOTE]
  Well, now that you opened this vein of thought of Billyjoe..... You state that its our President(s) and their economic advisors that caused our economic problems.....actually they are merely one component of a extremely huge and complex series of problems, but because Presidents are lightning rods and receive far more credit and blame than they deserve (or cause), people always tend to blame them.   Kinda like a Big league baseball manager or football head coach....they receive too much credit when the team wins and too much blame when the team loses. The main federal governement culprit to our current economic mess has been the Congress....ONLY congress has the power to actually SPEND the government's revenue, and ONLY congress has the power to levy and collect taxes.   Presidents offer and suggest and reccommend Budgets and priorities, and can Veto congressional bills, budgets and taxes (once), but ultimately congress can override any presidential veto and pass whatever it is regardless of what any president thinks.   This is important to remember because people, in their efforts and haste to blame presidents overlook the real culprits, when in actuality their congressional representatives are far more accountable to the people than any single president because every state and every district has a representative and a senator assigned to them and only them, whereas the president is elected by and represents the entire country.    If you look at the progression of the National Debt and the governement deficits year to year, you will see that things first got out of control during Reagan's two terms.  But it was not Reagan's fault, it was the CONGRESS.....they approved massive increases in defense spending while cutting taxes and also increasing other forms of government spending such as on law enforcement (DEA and FBI and ATF all grew huge during the 1980s).....it was a Democratic controlled congress with a VERY popular republican president, and the "compromise" or bipartisan agreement(s) they came up with in the 1980s were to give Reagan his massive increases in defense so long as certain democrats got what they wanted in terms of social programs.....but know this:  any liberal democrat who happened to have some Defense plant in his or her district, you bet your boots they approved the defense funding for that!   My point is it was a democratic controlled congress who approved all that defense spending when its the "perception" of people that democrats are "doves" and republicans are "hawks"....hogwash. The fact is, congressman and senators can have far longer tenures in government than any president....presidents have four to eight years MAX to do what they want and then they are powerless (actually its less than 8 years since the final 15 to 18 months a president is lame duck and cant do much of anything.)   Currently there are no term limits on congress, which is why some people want to change this.    Today, nobody (economists, business people, congressman, senators or presidents) has the stomach to actually say what must be done nor to do it.     The solution is more painful than the disease, but unfortunately the disease is ultimately fatal so........  Part of this is due to the HUGE population bubblr caused by the baby boom, where we now have an overly large number of seniors who are living longer (and thus contributing less and less while consuming more and more).    This is a Huge problem NO ONE wants to talk about but is central to all the issues!   If you dare even speak of it, you are labeled "anti-senior citizen" and that is political poison.    We need to accept that we need to take care of our citizens, all of them, and find the best balance of benefits and taxes to fund them, and if that means that we need to tinker with social security so that EVERYONE can get benefits in their lifetime rather than just those living and collecting NOW, then so be it......life is not fair, but life is LIFE! Democrats and Republicans all want to spend the governments money....they just disagree on what to spend it on!   And no congressman, either Democrat or Republican, will go along with any spending cut(s) that impact people in their particular state or district, or else they will find themselves looking for a new job next election.   The system is killing itself.

[BillyJoe]

Great post, Burglar. I do agree with what you say regarding congress. Where I believe we fall short, however, is in the leadership department.


 
The President is the de facto leader of his/her party. If he/she chooses, the ship's course can be corrected over time. There will always be partisan views regarding spending, but what we have today is totally out of control.
 
When I was working, we had a rule that no new Corporate Directive could be created that was not more beneficial than the one that existed. The result was fewer rules, and more opportunity for creativity at every level.   


 
The 'quick fix' would be to place all Congress on the same plans as American citizens: healthcare, Social Security, and pensions commensurate with their years of service. In doing that, I believe our Federal Budget would look a lot different.  

[DaBurglar]

Great post, Burglar. I do agree with what you say regarding congress. Where I believe we fall short, however, is in the leadership department.


 
The President is the de facto leader of his/her party. If he/she chooses, the ship's course can be corrected over time. There will always be partisan views regarding spending, but what we have today is totally out of control.
 
When I was working, we had a rule that no new Corporate Directive could be created that was not more beneficial than the one that existed. The result was fewer rules, and more opportunity for creativity at every level.   


 
The 'quick fix' would be to place all Congress on the same plans as American citizens: healthcare, Social Security, and pensions commensurate with their years of service. In doing that, I believe our Federal Budget would look a lot different.  
 I'll drink to that!   especially about how congress is "paid" or rewarded....currently, when a person is elected to congress (either the house or senate) its like winning the lottery.....along with having the benefactors who helped get them elected in the first place, while serving in Washington D.C.  a member of congress has access to all kinds of fringe benefits and perks too numerous to name.   They get the absolute BEST healthcare possible, live in posh townhouses and eat at the best restaurants with numerous luncheons and dinners mixed in, all on the taxpayers dime....and this is regardless of whether they actually accomplish anything. While in congress, a senator or congressional rep is regularly visited by a parade of lobbyists and representatives from all kinds of industry groups and special interests, many of whom INDIRECTLY offer or imply that if the congressman/woman  can see their way to act/vote in the best interests of whatever group or industry or company they represent, then that congressional member, when he or she decides to leave congress (or loses re-election) will have a nice secure well paid position as a board member or executive at whatever company or organization they helped.....its a dirty little non-secret that nobody wants to change.   I find it appalling......and as you said Billyjoe, our national debt and economy would be very different if this system worked differently.