Topic: The War On Terror and the White House Poll: Part Five (Read 4865 times)

Demosthenes · « **on:** May 27, 2004, 10:50:10 AM »

Round five.

Fight!

hackess · « **Reply #1 on:** May 27, 2004, 10:52:01 AM »

Some, but there are other issues I care about as well: education, health care, the economy. It seems like these other issues are being glossed over because of this conflict in the Middle East.

gorgeous_si · « **Reply #2 on:** May 27, 2004, 10:59:02 AM »

As a non-US resident, we don't really hear much about his political stance. Therefore his most recent actions are pretty much dominating my view of him. When I got the chance I voted against Tony Blair, there's no way I'd vote for Bush!

Min · « **Reply #3 on:** May 27, 2004, 11:29:31 AM »

I'd like to say "some", but it's pretty darned hard to do that.

MISTER MASSACRE · « **Reply #4 on:** May 27, 2004, 12:25:43 PM »

Obviously the two wars are a big factor, but you still have to look at the overall picture. 'Cause, y'know, he supposedly runs the whole country.

I can't really speak for the internal stability of the ways things are being run, as I don't live in the States and most of our press covers the war(s).

pbsaurus · « **Reply #5 on:** May 27, 2004, 02:59:28 PM »

Some is my response. Other important issues are the administrations fiscal irresponsibility, they're dismantling of enforcement in the EPA and SEC, they're IRS policy of going after the 'deadbeats' below the poverty line while the billionaires have no chance of being audited, Pork barrel spending on all sorts of shrub pet projects, funneling public money to christian churches, subsidies to the petroleum companies, irresponsible science policy, forbidding stem cell research, bypassing congress and appointing radical fundie judges to federal positions, patriot act, their anti-abortion stance, the no-child left behind act which is transforming schools into test training rather than educational facilities, treatment of prisoners at Guantanamo, the stupid drug war, their blatant attempts to break the wall between church and state, using the FCC to censor "in the name of the children", allowing Clear Channel to become the Standard Oil of musical entertainment, various attacks on the freedom of speech. And their smug attitudes also piss me off to no end.

Law · « **Reply #6 on:** May 27, 2004, 03:00:32 PM »

How exactly is there a dismantling of enforcement in the SEC?

Demosthenes · « **Reply #7 on:** May 27, 2004, 03:01:36 PM »

You said it, Pb.

pbsaurus · « **Reply #8 on:** May 27, 2004, 03:16:16 PM »

Quote from: Law

How exactly is there a dismantling of enforcement in the SEC?

Well first Pitt was installed as dictator, then after he left, the budget for enforcement has steadily declined. First with the Gingrich Contract ON America and steadily since then. Bush's budget keeps cutting enforcement each year.

biggyfred · « **Reply #9 on:** May 27, 2004, 03:52:19 PM »

"Fixing" domestic problems is never seriously difficult. Reforms in one form or another are a plank of every prospective campaign. People accept that change will come in some form every time a new president takes office.

Foreign issues are the crucible. The image of the state is something that can be damaged for decades if not centuries without real hope of repair. This has been by far the greatest damage created by the Bush admin. This damage is going to be his legacy, nothing else.

DiscipleOfChaos · « **Reply #10 on:** May 27, 2004, 04:27:48 PM »

I voted 'a lot' but this is conditional - if the privacy and rights violations in the US from the PATRIOT act (among others) are included as part of the 'war on terrorism'.

Otherwise, I would have to say that they are the major deciding factor of my opinion and that the botched war on Iraq is just icing on the cake.

Law · « **Reply #11 on:** May 27, 2004, 06:14:58 PM »

Quote from: pbsaurus

Quote from: Law
How exactly is there a dismantling of enforcement in the SEC?

Well first Pitt was installed as dictator, then after he left, the budget for enforcement has steadily declined. First with the Gingrich Contract ON America and steadily since then. Bush's budget keeps cutting enforcement each year.

So Sarbanes-Oxley, dramatically increased reporting requirements, elmination of broker ratings and scores, overwhelming reform to accounting standards and reporting, stricter conflicts guidelines for lawyers, accountants and brokers, new rules for regulation of mutual funds and full disclosure in options grants and exercise for corporations are signs of weaker enforcement?

pbsaurus · « **Reply #12 on:** May 27, 2004, 06:39:49 PM »

Sure it's law, but the SEC has no budget to enforce this law. Also the administration reluctantly signed Sarbanes-Oxley into law and barely has the funding necessary to prosecute those cases that have been widely covered-Worldcom, Enron, Tyco, Adelphia, etc. Sure the good companies will comply, as they already pretty much were honest, but the Enrons will continue to slide because the SEC doesn't have the budget to investigate them. Follow the money.

xolik · « **Reply #13 on:** May 28, 2004, 04:41:08 PM »

Voted alot with a slight change in the definition. It isn't the deciding factor, but it's up there. How he handles this shows his ability as a leader. So far, I'm not terribly impressed. And I have very strong Republican\Libertarian leanings.

Law · « **Reply #14 on:** May 28, 2004, 08:46:44 PM »

Quote from: pbsaurus

Sure it's law, but the SEC has no budget to enforce this law. Also the administration reluctantly signed Sarbanes-Oxley into law and barely has the funding necessary to prosecute those cases that have been widely covered-Worldcom, Enron, Tyco, Adelphia, etc. Sure the good companies will comply, as they already pretty much were honest, but the Enrons will continue to slide because the SEC doesn't have the budget to investigate them. Follow the money.

In most of the cases I cited enforcement is paid for by the registrant. As for the amount of SEC officers and analysts crawling all over every public company (NYSE or OTCBB), I think they're doing just fine on the affording enforcement. I know several law firms who are being forced to hire additional securities lawyers to keep up with the enforcement actions.

pbsaurus · « **Reply #15 on:** June 01, 2004, 07:08:49 PM »

Thanks for the explanation. I'm glad to hear that it seems to be working. But I still reserve my skepticism.

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Author Topic: The War On Terror and the White House Poll: Part Five (Read 4865 times)