Dr.OlympiaLiu: Obama323;Romney191

一剪梅发布于 2012-09-26 09:43 22 楼^#

      I disagree with you on the government's role. I do believe government has responsibility to setup a minimum safety net for orphans, elderly, disabled (mental or physical). As rich as America, it's a shame to leave these people perish/languish on their own or under the mercy of some voluntary charity. That's not a modern, civilized society should be. Even elephants wouldn't leave their crippled ones behind. We human beings should be better than elephants. The problem is we include too many people under our safety net, almost up to the 47%. That's obviously an abuse. We should tighten up the safety net coverage, and fix the tax loopholes/unfairness to the super rich. This way the losers spend less, the winners cough out more, so we middle class can get a real big break. Right ow, middle class are screwed both front and back and a t the verge of collasping.

Dr.OlympiaLiu 发布于 2012-09-26 06:50 21 楼^#

The current view of the 2012 presidential election. BARACK OBAMA   MITT ROMNEY   343    191 WASHINGTON -- Americans are more confident in the economy than they have been in seven months, an encouraging sign for President Barack Obama with six weeks left in the presidential race. A new survey of consumer confidence rose Tuesday (09/25/12) to its highest level since February on expectations that hiring will soon pick up. And a separate report showed home values rising steadily, signaling sustained improvement in housing. "This is like an opinion poll on the economy without the political parties attached," said John Ryding, chief economist at RDQ Economics, a consulting firm. The confidence survey "says people are feeling better. If so, they are less likely to vote for change." The Conference Board's index of consumer confidence shot up in September. The jump surprised many economists because the most recent hiring and retail sales figures have been sluggish. The increased confidence could help explain recent polls that show Obama with a widening lead over Mitt Romney in some battleground states. The consumer confidence index is closely watched because consumer spending drives nearly 70 percent of economic activity. The index jumped from 61.3 for August to 70.3 for September. It remains well below 90, the level that is thought to signify a healthy economy. Economists point to some key reasons why consumers have grown more confident. Stocks are up: The Standard & Poor's 500 stock index has surged nearly 15 percent this year. Gas prices have leveled off after rising for several months. And the broad increase in home prices is likely giving would-be buyers more confidence. When prices rise, buyers don't worry so much that a home might lose value after they bought it. National home prices rose 1.2 percent in July compared with a year ago, according to the Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller index released Tuesday. That was the second straight month in which year-over-year home prices have increased. Some economists question whether the higher level of confidence is sustainable. They've seen the index spike briefly before since the Great Recession ended more than three years ago. Some say confidence could be affected by negative campaign ads that focus on the economy. But others note that even a weak economy doesn't feel so bad to many consumers once it begins to make steady improvement. "The economy is perceived in relative rather than absolute terms," noted St. Louis University political scientist and pollster Ken Warren. Mark Vitner, a senior economist at Wells Fargo, suggests that former President Bill Clinton might have helped boost confidence with his rousing speech on Obama's behalf at the Democratic National Convention in early September. The Conference Board's consumer confidence survey was conducted Sept. 1-13. Clinton "rekindled memories of better economic times" and assured voters that the U.S. economy was on the right track, Vitner said. The rising home prices could also help Obama's prospects. Prices are rising in many large cities in swing states such as Florida, Colorado, Michigan and North Carolina. Prices have risen 3.6 percent in Tampa, Fla., in the past year, for example. And they're up 5.4 percent in Denver, 6.2 percent in Detroit and 2.2 percent in Charlotte, N.C. A Washington Post poll out Tuesday showed Obama leading Romney among likely voters in Ohio, 52 to 44 percent. The president also had a slight edge in Florida, 51 to 47 percent among those most likely to vote. Obama is also gaining the upper hand on which candidate is better able to handle the economy. Registered voters in Ohio preferred Obama on the economy by 50 percent to 43 percent, and in Florida by 49 percent to 45 percent.

Dr.OlympiaLiu 发布于 2012-09-26 06:28 20 楼^#

<h2 class="leadin" style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: normal; color: rgb(30, 31, 32); text-rendering: optimizelegibility; font-size: 18px; line-height: 22px; width: 730px; min-height: 60px; font-style: italic; ">The current view of the 2012 presidential election.</h2><div id="electoral-votes" style="margin-bottom: 40px; border: 0px; clear: both; height: 110px; width: 940px; color: rgb(30, 31, 32); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; "><div class="big-head-row" style="border: 0px; width: 940px; height: 150px; "><div class="candidate obama" style="border: 0px; height: 95px; width: 320px; float: left; "><img alt="Barack Obama" height="95px" src="http://e.huffpost.com/elections/images/obama-head.png?fde55cf18dbfd230234ec58adf3b9900ab50630b" width="140px" style="border: 0px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; display: inline-block; height: 95px; float: left; "><div class="counts" style="margin-left: 6px; border: 0px; display: inline-block; height: 95px; width: 120px; float: left; "><h2 class="candidate-name" style="font-family: 'Open Sans Condensed', 'Arial Narrow', sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-rendering: optimizelegibility; font-size: 18px; line-height: 20px; text-transform: uppercase; ">BARACK OBAMA</h2><div class="electoral-vote-count democrat-blue" style="border: 0px; color: rgb(92, 107, 149); font-weight: bold; font-size: 54px; line-height: 58px; ">343</div><h5 class="electoral-vote-label democrat-blue" style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: normal; color: rgb(92, 107, 149); text-rendering: optimizelegibility; line-height: 14px; font-size: 12px; text-transform: uppercase; ">ELECTORAL VOTES</h5></div></div><div id="electoral-votes-needed" style="margin-top: 76px; margin-left: 471px; padding-left: 8px; border-width: 0px 0px 0px 2px; border-left-style: dotted; border-left-color: rgb(30, 31, 32); text-transform: uppercase; font-weight: bold; pointer-events: none; position: absolute; z-index: 99; height: 50px; "><div id="electoral-votes-needed-label" style="margin-top: -18px; margin-left: -130px; border: 0px; ">270 ELECTORAL VOTES NEEDED TO WIN</div></div><div class="candidate romney" style="margin-right: -6px; border: 0px; height: 95px; width: 320px; float: right; "><img alt="Mitt Romney" height="95px" src="http://e.huffpost.com/elections/images/romney-head.png?fde55cf18dbfd230234ec58adf3b9900ab50630b" width="140px" style="border: 0px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; display: inline-block; height: 95px; float: right; "><div class="counts" style="border: 0px; display: inline-block; height: 95px; width: 120px; float: right; "><h2 class="candidate-name" style="font-family: 'Open Sans Condensed', 'Arial Narrow', sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); text-rendering: optimizelegibility; font-size: 18px; line-height: 20px; text-transform: uppercase; float: right; ">MITT ROMNEY</h2> </div></div></div></div>

游客 IP:12.250.185.* 发布于 2012-09-26 05:56 19 楼^#

to 一剪梅, <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>  Yes I am the same person.  Most of the time, I don't like to get involved in 168 since majority the discussions here are uncivil.  Hoever, I do enjoy to discuss with someone like you though. <o:p></o:p>  I am an independent, fiscal conservative and socially liberal guy. I don't care much about all these "God Loving", anti abortion, gay hater social conservatives. I believe that everyone should be entitled to their freedom as long as their freedom no infringed with other people's rights. So you can love your God, but don't tell everyone else to do so with you. <o:p></o:p>  On the fiscal issue, I think government should only tax people for minimal government functions and shouldn't involve in social engineering where they take from one group of people and favor the other group of people. <o:p></o:p>  As I said, the government's responsibility is to create laws and regulations so that everyone can compete fairly. However, government shouldn't correct the outcome by forcing the winners to pay for the losers as long as the winners play it fairly. The government can also create an environment which encourage the winners to help the losers VOLUNTARILY through non government ways. <o:p></o:p>  In terms of Obama and Romney, I don't like either one. I voted for Obama in 2008 since he promised that he will cut the deficit in half. But he disappointed me with irresponsible fiscal policies. So I am going to vote him out. If Romney does the same in next four years, I will vote him out too until we found someone like Clinton. <o:p></o:p>  I am sure the country has learned a lesson from Iraq. Neither one of them will go into war as freely as Bush. So the risk is small for another war like Iraq. Romney does have some business experience especially rescue a failed business. Actually, I like his running mate Paul Ryan the best since he at lease honestly talking about our fiscal issues. It may cost him vote, but it is the right thing to do. We really need a honest discussion about our country's fiscal condition before it is too late like Greece.  We should do it for our children and our grandchildren. <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p>

一剪梅发布于 2012-09-26 05:11 18 楼^#

To 17楼:   Are you the same person that disputed with me on my other posting "<A href="http://www.atlanta168.com/forum/read.php?tid=12282">What If Gore Won the Election in Year 2000?</A> "? Do you have an ID? Why don't you use your ID to dispute with me? I like your rational, level-headed way of discussion? It would be more fun if I know your ID.   By the way, your English is excellent!   If the raised tax can only be used to pay off the debt, then we don't have to worry about the raised tax being abused.   Rominey's war expense can be more expensive than Bush's or Obama combined. Not sure which evil is lesser evil. If you ask me, I would rather spend on the lazy losers than spending on killing middle eastern people with missles, guns,

ELECTORAL OUTLOOK2012

Based on HuffPost Pollster charts and analysis

Romney

ELECTORAL VOTES

Obama

ELECTORAL VOTES