There was a primary in Michigan Yesterday. Republicans chose Romney, and Democrats chose Clinton. But unlike Romney who is fighting for his life to stay viable by winning something, Clinton had no serious opposition. For some reason Michigan doesn't get any electoral votes in the Democratic primary this year, so few of the other democrats bothered to get on the ballot. Kucinich got about 4% of the vote.
But mostly, this primary was Hillary vs 'Not Hillary'. And that actually made the results pretty interesting. Hillary won by 15%, meaning about 40% of people would rather vote for 'Nobody' than vote for Hillary.
According to this election and the exit polls Hillary's supporters are people who are over 45, uneducated, poor, white, and female. The biggest difference was among blacks 70% voted for anybody but Hillary, the next biggest difference was among people under 30.
You can read a brief analysis here
and see the exit polls here
If Hillary is the nominee, I am worried that we might end up with another Republican in the whitehouse. She will inspire the Republicans to come out and vote against her, and the Democrats won't bother voting at all.
The Democrats fail because they don't get people up off the couch. People don't vote because they don't see anyone worth supporting. They don't trust either of the 2 politicians in the presidential race. They don't think anything will change. Democrats and Republicans are part of the same corrupt system, and their campaign promises are a bunch of crap. So why bother to vote.
Democrats are supposed to be the party of the people, and the republicans are supposed to be the party of the wealthy. But the people don't vote, cause the democrats sound like republicans. And the republicans do vote, because they are protecting their assets. Meanwhile the candidates are just rephrasing the same BS and trying to be a better salesman to those ambiguous people who haven't made up their mind yet.
If a candidate stood up for the middle class, and spoke honestly, there would be no contest. We need someone honest and confident who can stand up for single-payer healthcare. And when someone shouts 'socialized medicine', tell them to take their HMO and shove it, because there's no such thing, and they are trying to scare you with bogymen.
Democrats usually try to steal voters from the republicans, by acting like republicans. The presidential race is usually a competition for the middle. Instead Democrats should inspire people to get off the couch, go to the voting booth, and demand to have their voices heard.
Clinton is not that candidate. If she gets the nomination, November will be too close to call, most Americans will stay home, and I will be voting for a third party again.
I'd like to see an Obama Edwards ticket, with Kucinich, Biden, and Dodd, as secretary of something in the cabinet.
I am excited by Obama. he gets young people to vote, and he gets record numbers of people out to the polls, and because he has that popular support he doesen't need to sell out to make money for his campaign as much as other people.
I'm a registered Democrat this year, and I will be voting in the primary on February 5th. This is my way of pretending we have a runoff election. Depending on the nomination, I might go back to being Green real quick.
Dcoffee's Journal
My Podcast Link
01/16/2008 11:10 #42910
Clinton beats 'none of the above' barelyCategory: politics
11/10/2007 11:38 #42069
New Music VideoCategory: business
Just wanted to share a video I made for the West Seneca Music Center. I created their website last January,
They wanted to update the photography on the website and add a video sideshow. Their inventory has improved quite a bit since the last photoshoot I did for them.
They have tons of guitars! they've just about run out of room to store them. If you know anyone in a band, they have some really stylish stuff, classy designs, and realy loud designs. You can see a bunch of stuff in the video. I was pretty impressed.
The video is pretty fun. I just created it from the photos I took, and animated the slides together. Youtube degrades the quality a little bit, it will look more crisp on their site..
They wanted to update the photography on the website and add a video sideshow. Their inventory has improved quite a bit since the last photoshoot I did for them.
They have tons of guitars! they've just about run out of room to store them. If you know anyone in a band, they have some really stylish stuff, classy designs, and realy loud designs. You can see a bunch of stuff in the video. I was pretty impressed.
The video is pretty fun. I just created it from the photos I took, and animated the slides together. Youtube degrades the quality a little bit, it will look more crisp on their site..
11/09/2007 09:54 #42056
Musharraf is an assholeCategory: political
I read the news with disbelief.
Pakistan suddenly jailing thousands of Musharraf's political opponents. Arresting members of the government and the courts, for no reason, other than their political opinions. He shut down the Supreme Court, and All independent news and TV stations. As of yesterday around 2,500 people had been arrested.
The US has given this asshole $10 billion dollars since 2001. And don't worry, we've agreed to continue funding his tyranny, regardless of the whole martial law thing.
The short explanation is that, Pakistan has no term limits for its prime minister, Musharraf has been in power for two 5 year terms. There was a recent amendment to Pakistani law that the Prime Minister could not simultaneously be a Military Leader. So General Musharraf was supposed to make a choice, Prime Minister OR head of the military. He said, Fuck That. He was reelected, and even though he promised to give up the military if he won, he kept both of his roles, and awaited the consequences. A few months back, he removed the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, but that didn't do the trick.The Supreme Court was about to hear the case, and determine whether or not this was legal (it's not) so a week before the Supreme Court was scheduled to rule on the issue, he shut the motherfucker down. Shut the whole country down.
One self interested Power hungry asshole terrorizing the entire population.
Luckily I don't have to research and summarize the whole thing for you, because there's a great synopsis on Huffington Post which gives a bunch of sources like I usually do.
Oh, almost forgot to mention, Musharraf says it's about terrorism. what a load of horseshit. That makes me hate him even more. A poor excuse for the rest of the world and America in particular. Were fighting terrorism, just like you, so were abandoning the constitution, just like you. Fuck off.
Yea, and the US, still giving him funding, no worries. Condi Rice said we're "disappointed" in what he has done.. wow, tough words. I'm disappointed when the Bisons lose. And the Whitehouse is disappointed when a tyrant abandons democracy and arrests thousands of political opponents. nice.
I'm going to write a letter to the foreign relations committee and call my representatives. This has to stop.
If you're interested, don't forget to read the article from the Huffington post, Tyranny and Terror in Pakistan, by Ali Eteraz
Joe Biden talks about it too.
tinypliny - 11/10/07 16:33
I hope your govt wakes up. :(
I hope your govt wakes up. :(
dcoffee - 11/09/07 13:19
Jason, both of your comments are great, the first one had me rolling. Thanks for pointing out the nuke issue, and the fact that the former prime minister is barricaded in her house by the military. Her house arrest is a perfect example of why the prime minister and the military should be separate.
The other thing you reminded me of was the elections, Musharraf "compromised" and promised elections on February 15. What happens until then? 4 months of Millitary rule with no independent media? come on.
Jason, both of your comments are great, the first one had me rolling. Thanks for pointing out the nuke issue, and the fact that the former prime minister is barricaded in her house by the military. Her house arrest is a perfect example of why the prime minister and the military should be separate.
The other thing you reminded me of was the elections, Musharraf "compromised" and promised elections on February 15. What happens until then? 4 months of Millitary rule with no independent media? come on.
james - 11/09/07 13:04
On the bright side, he said he would give up his position in the military before starting his next term and he just released Bhutto...
But seriously, I don't know why we are buddy buddy with Pakistan when Iran is more democratic. It is just amusing when rhetoric and action don't match up.
On the bright side, he said he would give up his position in the military before starting his next term and he just released Bhutto...
But seriously, I don't know why we are buddy buddy with Pakistan when Iran is more democratic. It is just amusing when rhetoric and action don't match up.
jason - 11/09/07 11:25
A couple more points, if you will indulge me. I read the articles you've given to me. Normally, I am really apprehensive of HP, but that article is really fantastic, and is really persuasive - it details why the relationship with Musharraf has been a bad deal. He's right - instead of going after the extremists, he appeases them, and goes after the moderates.
And, I have to say it again, Biden is the only Democratic that makes any sense at all. He isn't a partisan bloviator, and he isn't gratuitous and cheap in how he talks about Bush (normally Congress absolves themselves of sins they themselves have commited, being the hypocrites they are, and people eat it up like Marzipan).
Biden understands exactly why we cannot just get all emotional and do something that will make the situation worse, and Eteraz also touches on this. There just cannot be a power vacuum. The extremist element must absolutely not get their hands on those nukes. There has to be a realistic plan in place to get those elections moving, and to protect the vast majority of people who just want to live and work from being intimidated or killed.
Of course, reading the comments below Biden's article, you have a mix of reasonable comments from Dems who agree with me about Biden's strengths, and utter irrelevant tripe from far-left softheads who probably should be medicated. I mean, really, this Bush Crime Family, impeachment, jail time, that shit has nothing to do with the situation and anyway it is opinion that has already been relgated to nothingness by the rest of America, including most of the left. I just don't see the point.
Oh, one other thing you didn't touch on - Bhutto has been placed under house arrest. Got razor wire and men around her house. She can't leave. It's getting worse. Bush has to re-iterate his demands, and Congress (who actually control the purse strings, not Bush) have to be willing to do the right thing too. Elections have to happen ASAP, and I think (as does Biden) that we can do a lot to help.
Sorry about the novella
A couple more points, if you will indulge me. I read the articles you've given to me. Normally, I am really apprehensive of HP, but that article is really fantastic, and is really persuasive - it details why the relationship with Musharraf has been a bad deal. He's right - instead of going after the extremists, he appeases them, and goes after the moderates.
And, I have to say it again, Biden is the only Democratic that makes any sense at all. He isn't a partisan bloviator, and he isn't gratuitous and cheap in how he talks about Bush (normally Congress absolves themselves of sins they themselves have commited, being the hypocrites they are, and people eat it up like Marzipan).
Biden understands exactly why we cannot just get all emotional and do something that will make the situation worse, and Eteraz also touches on this. There just cannot be a power vacuum. The extremist element must absolutely not get their hands on those nukes. There has to be a realistic plan in place to get those elections moving, and to protect the vast majority of people who just want to live and work from being intimidated or killed.
Of course, reading the comments below Biden's article, you have a mix of reasonable comments from Dems who agree with me about Biden's strengths, and utter irrelevant tripe from far-left softheads who probably should be medicated. I mean, really, this Bush Crime Family, impeachment, jail time, that shit has nothing to do with the situation and anyway it is opinion that has already been relgated to nothingness by the rest of America, including most of the left. I just don't see the point.
Oh, one other thing you didn't touch on - Bhutto has been placed under house arrest. Got razor wire and men around her house. She can't leave. It's getting worse. Bush has to re-iterate his demands, and Congress (who actually control the purse strings, not Bush) have to be willing to do the right thing too. Elections have to happen ASAP, and I think (as does Biden) that we can do a lot to help.
Sorry about the novella
jason - 11/09/07 10:45
I agree. Congress should yank the funding right this second. If they don't, I'll kick them in the balls, if they have any.
I agree. Congress should yank the funding right this second. If they don't, I'll kick them in the balls, if they have any.
01/11/2008 10:34 #42837
Debt, Loans, Feudalism & CorruptionCategory: politics
I took a good look at my college loans yesterday. It kinda made me feel like a slave. Maybe not that extreme, but the Worker-Master relationship started to become apparent to me.
I pay $200 per month, I've paid about $6,000 so far, and I've only paid off $2,500 of my principal balance, which was only $27,000 to begin with, because I was part of the most generous government program I've seen for poor people like myself, EOP.
So let me get this straight, I'm paying double?!?! These assholes Own me.
There was no question in my mind about going to college, and living in Buffalo I'm glad I did. A lot of my friends have a high school diploma or less, and it is a real pain in the ass for them to find a job. My one friend went back to Boces for a trade, he's still only making $10 per hour, and he's driving all over the county in his own truck.
If you're in the lower middle class in this country, they basically grab onto your nuts and squeeze. Your part of the Worker class, and they Own you. Same for women, they're squeezing your nuts too.
Let's compare my situation to my fiance, who was born a little above my class. her parents could afford to pay her college in full, no loans. She went to a SUNY school with me, not too expensive, if you call $50,000 a bargain. But still, no loans, that means she can keep her money. I had to sell my body to start making more than $10 per hour.
Here's the kicker, She puts $200 into her retirement account each month. I take that same $200, and flush it down to toilet. Or to be more specific, I give it to my masters at the student loan company.
Meanwhile, you know what the government is trying to do with my retirement account? You know Social Security? They want to give it away to the same blood-sucking companies that are already squeezing my nuts. They're trying to convince me that Social security is going to run out, and all that money I already paid into the system since I started working at 15, belongs to them, not me.
Ironic, they call this the "Ownership Society" all I own is hand-me-down furniture and a bunch of electronics. but THEY own ME.
Here's a pleasant thought, I don't have health insurance either. I had Healthy NY, that super affordable government program which costs $270 per month, and is somehow tied to the SCHIP federal program which the Republicans refused to expand a couple months back. Yea, I had that for about 4 months, and I still had to pay $40 for a doctor to look in my ear and tell me to take claritin D. that probably would have cost about $80 without my budget ass Healthy NY.
No health insurance. That means I'm one broken arm away from being better off in jail. Isn't that a peachy little thought. Maybe that's why we have more violent crime than any other nation in the world, besides some of those that are in a state of civil war. People are so fucked, that jail doesen't seem much worse than 'freedom'.
Yes, America, this is what we have become. We have betrayed our country. FDR is rolling over in his grave.
You know... I didn't learn much in my social studies classes growing up. But there's one thing that sunk in, they told me this is a land of opportunity. You can't control what class you're born into, but if you're smart, and you work hard, you can have a good life, and maybe even become the president.
They also told me I'd be better off if I went to college. They didn't mention the fact that I'd be paying double, because I was born in the lower middle class.
What happened? When did we become a nation of Masters and Workers? This doesn't look like the America they told me about.
But this isn't about my story. This is the story of America. I don't even have credit card debt, and I have 4 times more savings than my mother. How many Americans have $2,000 in the bank, and are making minimum payments on over $10,000 worth of credit card debt?
You know that the top 1% of Americans own 40% of the wealth? and the bottom 80% of people own a pitiful 8%.
What the hell is going on here, and why aren't we more pissed off about it?
We have been fooled.
How long will it take for us to realize that they lied to us about opportunity, they lied about freedom, lied about equality, lied about fairness, lied about justice, and they lied about America being a society of upward mobility, withouth classes. They lied about the American Dream. They made us thankfull to live in the most just, fair and democratic society on earth. And it is all bullshit.
I'll tell you how we can get our country back. I hate leaving people pissed off, without a solution. That ultra rich 1% is buying more than just resort homes, helicopters and private islands.
They have bought our government. Our representatives care more about money, than they do about the public. Because it takes so much money to get elected, donations are more important than votes. Elections must be free and fair. When I say free, I mean no cash.
I don't care how we do it, but the bottom line is that money has corrupted our political system. That is the one issue that is more important than everything else. We are divided... global warming, war, security, national debt, health care, these are real issues. Why aren't politicians addressing them, when they talk about them in campaigns all the time? Because if they act, it will change the system, and the system is making some people a lot of money, they don't want change, they don't want uncertainty. Change won't hurt the economy, but it could hurt individuals who are making a lot of money in the current system. That's why we get such minor changes in policy, they're trying to appease us, and obey their masters, our masters.
Here's to having a debate about campaign finance in 2008, instead of flag burning.
I pay $200 per month, I've paid about $6,000 so far, and I've only paid off $2,500 of my principal balance, which was only $27,000 to begin with, because I was part of the most generous government program I've seen for poor people like myself, EOP.
So let me get this straight, I'm paying double?!?! These assholes Own me.
There was no question in my mind about going to college, and living in Buffalo I'm glad I did. A lot of my friends have a high school diploma or less, and it is a real pain in the ass for them to find a job. My one friend went back to Boces for a trade, he's still only making $10 per hour, and he's driving all over the county in his own truck.
If you're in the lower middle class in this country, they basically grab onto your nuts and squeeze. Your part of the Worker class, and they Own you. Same for women, they're squeezing your nuts too.
Let's compare my situation to my fiance, who was born a little above my class. her parents could afford to pay her college in full, no loans. She went to a SUNY school with me, not too expensive, if you call $50,000 a bargain. But still, no loans, that means she can keep her money. I had to sell my body to start making more than $10 per hour.
Here's the kicker, She puts $200 into her retirement account each month. I take that same $200, and flush it down to toilet. Or to be more specific, I give it to my masters at the student loan company.
Meanwhile, you know what the government is trying to do with my retirement account? You know Social Security? They want to give it away to the same blood-sucking companies that are already squeezing my nuts. They're trying to convince me that Social security is going to run out, and all that money I already paid into the system since I started working at 15, belongs to them, not me.
Ironic, they call this the "Ownership Society" all I own is hand-me-down furniture and a bunch of electronics. but THEY own ME.
Here's a pleasant thought, I don't have health insurance either. I had Healthy NY, that super affordable government program which costs $270 per month, and is somehow tied to the SCHIP federal program which the Republicans refused to expand a couple months back. Yea, I had that for about 4 months, and I still had to pay $40 for a doctor to look in my ear and tell me to take claritin D. that probably would have cost about $80 without my budget ass Healthy NY.
No health insurance. That means I'm one broken arm away from being better off in jail. Isn't that a peachy little thought. Maybe that's why we have more violent crime than any other nation in the world, besides some of those that are in a state of civil war. People are so fucked, that jail doesen't seem much worse than 'freedom'.
Yes, America, this is what we have become. We have betrayed our country. FDR is rolling over in his grave.
You know... I didn't learn much in my social studies classes growing up. But there's one thing that sunk in, they told me this is a land of opportunity. You can't control what class you're born into, but if you're smart, and you work hard, you can have a good life, and maybe even become the president.
They also told me I'd be better off if I went to college. They didn't mention the fact that I'd be paying double, because I was born in the lower middle class.
What happened? When did we become a nation of Masters and Workers? This doesn't look like the America they told me about.
But this isn't about my story. This is the story of America. I don't even have credit card debt, and I have 4 times more savings than my mother. How many Americans have $2,000 in the bank, and are making minimum payments on over $10,000 worth of credit card debt?
You know that the top 1% of Americans own 40% of the wealth? and the bottom 80% of people own a pitiful 8%.
What the hell is going on here, and why aren't we more pissed off about it?
We have been fooled.
How long will it take for us to realize that they lied to us about opportunity, they lied about freedom, lied about equality, lied about fairness, lied about justice, and they lied about America being a society of upward mobility, withouth classes. They lied about the American Dream. They made us thankfull to live in the most just, fair and democratic society on earth. And it is all bullshit.
I'll tell you how we can get our country back. I hate leaving people pissed off, without a solution. That ultra rich 1% is buying more than just resort homes, helicopters and private islands.
They have bought our government. Our representatives care more about money, than they do about the public. Because it takes so much money to get elected, donations are more important than votes. Elections must be free and fair. When I say free, I mean no cash.
I don't care how we do it, but the bottom line is that money has corrupted our political system. That is the one issue that is more important than everything else. We are divided... global warming, war, security, national debt, health care, these are real issues. Why aren't politicians addressing them, when they talk about them in campaigns all the time? Because if they act, it will change the system, and the system is making some people a lot of money, they don't want change, they don't want uncertainty. Change won't hurt the economy, but it could hurt individuals who are making a lot of money in the current system. That's why we get such minor changes in policy, they're trying to appease us, and obey their masters, our masters.
Here's to having a debate about campaign finance in 2008, instead of flag burning.
jenks - 01/17/08 16:55
I consolidated in... 04? 05? when loans were at a "record low". i THINK it's like 2.85 but i'd have to double check... So now I just have one monster loan, which makes it a little simpler.
ok, i checked- 2.875.
but the current total is 180K not 150. makes me want to cry.
I consolidated in... 04? 05? when loans were at a "record low". i THINK it's like 2.85 but i'd have to double check... So now I just have one monster loan, which makes it a little simpler.
ok, i checked- 2.875.
but the current total is 180K not 150. makes me want to cry.
dcoffee - 01/17/08 10:13
I just got all uppity about people having 3% interest rates and called around. They told me that the interest rates on student loans have gone up over the past 4 years to 7.5% !! So if I were able to consolidate or refinance, I'd probably have a higher rate than I did before. That's messed up, over the past 4 years the need to go to college has gone up, These loan companies must be making a killing.
I just got all uppity about people having 3% interest rates and called around. They told me that the interest rates on student loans have gone up over the past 4 years to 7.5% !! So if I were able to consolidate or refinance, I'd probably have a higher rate than I did before. That's messed up, over the past 4 years the need to go to college has gone up, These loan companies must be making a killing.
dcoffee - 01/17/08 09:49
Mine is about 5%, how do you get yours down to 3?
Mine is about 5%, how do you get yours down to 3?
drew - 01/16/08 23:01
Mine are, too. I am paying them back as slowly as possible.
Mine are, too. I am paying them back as slowly as possible.
jenks - 01/16/08 20:33
my loans are <3%... what are everyone elses?!
my loans are <3%... what are everyone elses?!
ajay - 01/16/08 19:07
Student loans are a racket.
Heck, ripping students off is an industry in this country.
When I was in India, student textbooks used to be significantly cheaper than other books. Heck, even today, you can buy the same version of a textbook from Amazon UK for much less than what it costs here.
Student loans are basically the vultures preying on the weak. There is _no_ reason why students can't be given very-low-interest loans (like 3% or something). It is in this country's interest to have an educated pool of people. We can subsidize the 100000-acre factory farms, but we can't offer cheap loans to students? I was lucky to do my undergrad in India, where the tuition was $100/semester; room was $1/semester (yes, you read that right); meals were $50/month.
I agree with you, (e:dcoffee) . We are headed back to the middle ages, with fiefdoms (corporations), serfs (you and me), etc.
Student loans are a racket.
Heck, ripping students off is an industry in this country.
When I was in India, student textbooks used to be significantly cheaper than other books. Heck, even today, you can buy the same version of a textbook from Amazon UK for much less than what it costs here.
Student loans are basically the vultures preying on the weak. There is _no_ reason why students can't be given very-low-interest loans (like 3% or something). It is in this country's interest to have an educated pool of people. We can subsidize the 100000-acre factory farms, but we can't offer cheap loans to students? I was lucky to do my undergrad in India, where the tuition was $100/semester; room was $1/semester (yes, you read that right); meals were $50/month.
I agree with you, (e:dcoffee) . We are headed back to the middle ages, with fiefdoms (corporations), serfs (you and me), etc.
metalpeter - 01/12/08 12:55
First of all everyone makes a lot of great points and Dcoffe I agree with pretty much all of your post. The thing that I want to add is about student loans. First of all you can go to school with out them. You only take classes you can pay for. Yeah It might take you ten years to finish but that might be better then paying loans off for 30 years. Some jobs have programs where you pay for school then based on how you do they reimburse you. You would be surprised how many people don't use that program. Back in the old days (wish I would have thought of this) Credit card companies where allways at schools. Why not pull education version of what Kevin smith did with clerks and pay for it all on credit cards. Then when you can't pay one of the bills for 6 months and they send a bill collector after you file for Bankrupcy. If people where to think of ways to pay for school before hand than things would be more manageable. But that is hard when the press gotta go to colloege at ya in High School.
Paying off the school loan: One reason why people owe so much is the way things happen. Your first year most people get grants and schoolerships so the loan isn't that much. But by at least the 2nd or 3rd year those aren't around anymore. Also Tution goes up every year so what started out (depending on shcool) at say $3000 loan is up to around $10,000. As long as you are a fulltime student you don't have to pay your loan back or pay anything on it. But maybe it would be a good idea to start paying on some of it in that last year to start getting it down some. The people I had my loan through don't care if you pay just the interest every month. In fact if you do that they make out like bandits because you will never get it paid back. The key thing to look at is how much in interest are you paying a month. If you take that amount away from your payment then you can tell how much money is beeing taking of your principal. The student loan people aren't as bad as the credit card people but it is the same idea really. You take so much money and each month they charge you interest well that interest is counted as money you owe so it gets put on top of the money you owe and then if you don't pay all the interest when they go and do the interest the next month that money is counted to, I think that is called compond interest so that is why it is good to pay them as much money as you can so you can get the prinicpal balance down.
First of all everyone makes a lot of great points and Dcoffe I agree with pretty much all of your post. The thing that I want to add is about student loans. First of all you can go to school with out them. You only take classes you can pay for. Yeah It might take you ten years to finish but that might be better then paying loans off for 30 years. Some jobs have programs where you pay for school then based on how you do they reimburse you. You would be surprised how many people don't use that program. Back in the old days (wish I would have thought of this) Credit card companies where allways at schools. Why not pull education version of what Kevin smith did with clerks and pay for it all on credit cards. Then when you can't pay one of the bills for 6 months and they send a bill collector after you file for Bankrupcy. If people where to think of ways to pay for school before hand than things would be more manageable. But that is hard when the press gotta go to colloege at ya in High School.
Paying off the school loan: One reason why people owe so much is the way things happen. Your first year most people get grants and schoolerships so the loan isn't that much. But by at least the 2nd or 3rd year those aren't around anymore. Also Tution goes up every year so what started out (depending on shcool) at say $3000 loan is up to around $10,000. As long as you are a fulltime student you don't have to pay your loan back or pay anything on it. But maybe it would be a good idea to start paying on some of it in that last year to start getting it down some. The people I had my loan through don't care if you pay just the interest every month. In fact if you do that they make out like bandits because you will never get it paid back. The key thing to look at is how much in interest are you paying a month. If you take that amount away from your payment then you can tell how much money is beeing taking of your principal. The student loan people aren't as bad as the credit card people but it is the same idea really. You take so much money and each month they charge you interest well that interest is counted as money you owe so it gets put on top of the money you owe and then if you don't pay all the interest when they go and do the interest the next month that money is counted to, I think that is called compond interest so that is why it is good to pay them as much money as you can so you can get the prinicpal balance down.
dcoffee - 01/11/08 16:04
Seems like I struck a nerve with this loan thing. It just bugs me that I shop at Aldi and the Salvation Army, I don't use credit cards, I don't buy anything until I absolutely have to, and still my savings account creeps upward. Then I get something like car repair, or insurance payment, or damn, if I get a cold. And everything I saved that month is gone. And I live in Buffalo! The least expensive city in the country. That extra $200 per month would help, especially since I realized I am paying back double what I borrowed, that just bugs me.
And I am budgeting for our wedding, not to mention the honeymoon. Hey honey let's go to Italy and Croatia, sweet, oh wait, what the hell happened to the US dollar? it's going to cost $250 for a cheap hotel room? So we'll probably fly to some tourist trap cause it's cheap, and try to escape as quick as possible.
The wedding industry is crap too, trust me, I've been to about 150 of them. There's no point to all the expenses, it distracts you from the people, the family and the humanity of the whole thing. And I didn't buy a diamond either.
James is right, some of these jobs shouldn't require a 50k degree. I wonder what year the government started providing High School education, probably during the depression. If everyone needs college to get a job maybe we should fund it like other countries do.
Jason, I hear you on the new car, I have a 93 Camry, and the rust is starting to bug me. And I really wish more people realized election financing is the biggest source of corruption in our system, and that's why politicians don't listen to us.
Paul, my degree is Political Science. also not a practical degree, doesn't qualify you for anything. unlike nursing, or something.
Suddenly you Need a degree to get a job, so those who don't have 50k lying around, become property of the lenders.
Seems like I struck a nerve with this loan thing. It just bugs me that I shop at Aldi and the Salvation Army, I don't use credit cards, I don't buy anything until I absolutely have to, and still my savings account creeps upward. Then I get something like car repair, or insurance payment, or damn, if I get a cold. And everything I saved that month is gone. And I live in Buffalo! The least expensive city in the country. That extra $200 per month would help, especially since I realized I am paying back double what I borrowed, that just bugs me.
And I am budgeting for our wedding, not to mention the honeymoon. Hey honey let's go to Italy and Croatia, sweet, oh wait, what the hell happened to the US dollar? it's going to cost $250 for a cheap hotel room? So we'll probably fly to some tourist trap cause it's cheap, and try to escape as quick as possible.
The wedding industry is crap too, trust me, I've been to about 150 of them. There's no point to all the expenses, it distracts you from the people, the family and the humanity of the whole thing. And I didn't buy a diamond either.
James is right, some of these jobs shouldn't require a 50k degree. I wonder what year the government started providing High School education, probably during the depression. If everyone needs college to get a job maybe we should fund it like other countries do.
Jason, I hear you on the new car, I have a 93 Camry, and the rust is starting to bug me. And I really wish more people realized election financing is the biggest source of corruption in our system, and that's why politicians don't listen to us.
Paul, my degree is Political Science. also not a practical degree, doesn't qualify you for anything. unlike nursing, or something.
Suddenly you Need a degree to get a job, so those who don't have 50k lying around, become property of the lenders.
paul - 01/11/08 14:01
For a while I had epeeps keep a tally of their student loans here. This is the only link I could still find (e:news,30113) - it went over 1 million dollars in no time. I own about $70,000 still which seems totally ridiculous considering my worthless MFA is what really caused it. On the other hand it got me into what I am doing now and it will pay off someday? I hope at least.
Like, you I paid for it all myself.
For a while I had epeeps keep a tally of their student loans here. This is the only link I could still find (e:news,30113) - it went over 1 million dollars in no time. I own about $70,000 still which seems totally ridiculous considering my worthless MFA is what really caused it. On the other hand it got me into what I am doing now and it will pay off someday? I hope at least.
Like, you I paid for it all myself.
jenks - 01/11/08 14:01
oh yeah and janelle- I am soooo with you on the diamond industry. Those ads make me want to puke.
oh yeah and janelle- I am soooo with you on the diamond industry. Those ads make me want to puke.
jenks - 01/11/08 13:59
Ugh. Loans. I am in major denial about mine. I think my principal is $150. They're in deferment right now, so they're just accumulating interest and not being paid. I got a statement a while ago- I'm on (or will be once I get into repayment) some "income sensitive" plan that lets me just pay interest for the first few years, and then it goes up to like $750/month- until the year 2037. I wanted to cry.
And that's just med school loans! thank god I don't have any undergrad/credit card debt!
Ugh. Loans. I am in major denial about mine. I think my principal is $150. They're in deferment right now, so they're just accumulating interest and not being paid. I got a statement a while ago- I'm on (or will be once I get into repayment) some "income sensitive" plan that lets me just pay interest for the first few years, and then it goes up to like $750/month- until the year 2037. I wanted to cry.
And that's just med school loans! thank god I don't have any undergrad/credit card debt!
janelle - 01/11/08 12:24
Tru dat (e:James). In my field, people slave away gaining experiencing in direct care positions and some of these individuals have the skills and abiities to move up in the chain but can't because they don't have a degree. So, they have to go into debt to get the AA or BA to move up the chain. But the pay increase is probably offset by the student loan expense!
Tru dat (e:James). In my field, people slave away gaining experiencing in direct care positions and some of these individuals have the skills and abiities to move up in the chain but can't because they don't have a degree. So, they have to go into debt to get the AA or BA to move up the chain. But the pay increase is probably offset by the student loan expense!
janelle - 01/11/08 12:18
$10,000 for a ring, that's ridiculous imo. That's what our entire wedding cost when all was said and done and if we had less money, we would have pulled it off with less money(not including honeymoon). We spent no more than $1,000 on my engagement ring and wedding ring combined and both are quite lovely. The engagement ring, btw, is a pearl...don't get me started on the diamond industry and the whole diamond engagement ring scam! If some chick tells you that you need to buy her a $10,000 engagement ring, run the other way. And that bs about an expensive ring being proof that a man can provide...well, the chick better pony up $10,000 to prove she can provide too, imo.
Okay, I totally sidetracked but the whole wedding industry pisses me off and when Christians buy into the wedding industry it pisses me off more. It's just another example of how fucked up finances are in this country which goes back to (e:Dcoffee)'s point that we need change.
$10,000 for a ring, that's ridiculous imo. That's what our entire wedding cost when all was said and done and if we had less money, we would have pulled it off with less money(not including honeymoon). We spent no more than $1,000 on my engagement ring and wedding ring combined and both are quite lovely. The engagement ring, btw, is a pearl...don't get me started on the diamond industry and the whole diamond engagement ring scam! If some chick tells you that you need to buy her a $10,000 engagement ring, run the other way. And that bs about an expensive ring being proof that a man can provide...well, the chick better pony up $10,000 to prove she can provide too, imo.
Okay, I totally sidetracked but the whole wedding industry pisses me off and when Christians buy into the wedding industry it pisses me off more. It's just another example of how fucked up finances are in this country which goes back to (e:Dcoffee)'s point that we need change.
james - 01/11/08 12:17
School and student loans are such a racket. Way too many people are going to college. College is great and good and all that, but so many people go just so they can get a job, a job that really shouldn't require a Bachelors or Associates degree. Most people aren't in school for the education, they are in it for the job. Just cut out the expensive 50k middle man I say. I am sure the paralegal will be able to look up a file without that anthropology class.
School and student loans are such a racket. Way too many people are going to college. College is great and good and all that, but so many people go just so they can get a job, a job that really shouldn't require a Bachelors or Associates degree. Most people aren't in school for the education, they are in it for the job. Just cut out the expensive 50k middle man I say. I am sure the paralegal will be able to look up a file without that anthropology class.
jason - 01/11/08 12:02
And, PS, Janelle, shoot. Think about if you're single and in our generation. I'll never be able to afford to get married. I'll never be able to afford some $10,000 ring, or even probably one half that amount. And the costs of the wedding itself? UGH.
But you're so right on about the Student Loans. I'm absolutely dying here. I don't have as much as grad students but it still hurts. I want a new car.
And, PS, Janelle, shoot. Think about if you're single and in our generation. I'll never be able to afford to get married. I'll never be able to afford some $10,000 ring, or even probably one half that amount. And the costs of the wedding itself? UGH.
But you're so right on about the Student Loans. I'm absolutely dying here. I don't have as much as grad students but it still hurts. I want a new car.
jason - 01/11/08 11:57
I completely agree that elections should be pubicly funded.
I completely agree that elections should be pubicly funded.
jim - 01/11/08 11:15
This is totally off topic of the substance of your actual post, but if you pay a little extra each month, that'll go straight to principal and shave a bunch of interest off over the years.
This is totally off topic of the substance of your actual post, but if you pay a little extra each month, that'll go straight to principal and shave a bunch of interest off over the years.
janelle - 01/11/08 10:54
College loans are definitely the economic monkey of our generation that will make a large impact on our economy. Our generation can't afford to buy homes, afford health insurance or start families. It's part of the whole middle class crunch.
Harvard and a few other Ivy League schools are really making interesting strides in college tuition. Students whose parents make under $60,000, I believe go for free and students whose parents make between $60,000 to $120,000 pay a percentage of their income. I hope other universities hold them up as an example, because just Harvard and a handful of others isn't enough to solve the problem.
Personally, I prefer the German model of placement into different types of educational settings via testing with a strong philosophy of not everyone has to go to college and one can make a good living from learning a trade. And not just a trade as in plumbing, but also jobs that often in the US you would have to have a college degree to do. Of course, there are problems with that model too.
College loans are definitely the economic monkey of our generation that will make a large impact on our economy. Our generation can't afford to buy homes, afford health insurance or start families. It's part of the whole middle class crunch.
Harvard and a few other Ivy League schools are really making interesting strides in college tuition. Students whose parents make under $60,000, I believe go for free and students whose parents make between $60,000 to $120,000 pay a percentage of their income. I hope other universities hold them up as an example, because just Harvard and a handful of others isn't enough to solve the problem.
Personally, I prefer the German model of placement into different types of educational settings via testing with a strong philosophy of not everyone has to go to college and one can make a good living from learning a trade. And not just a trade as in plumbing, but also jobs that often in the US you would have to have a college degree to do. Of course, there are problems with that model too.
10/24/2007 19:38 #41786
Laughing my ass offCategory: political
Ok, it's the president, doing standup, about himself!! it's from the Radio correspondents dinner. Last year Steven Colbert roasted the president, this year the president is the opening act, and he's roasting himself!!
paul - 10/25/07 19:07
I seriously cannot believe how much he has to check his cue card for those simple one liners.
I seriously cannot believe how much he has to check his cue card for those simple one liners.
dcoffee - 10/25/07 15:44
My favorite part "Speaking of subpoenas, it's good to see Speaker Pelosi here tonight."
man, I was on the floor.
My favorite part "Speaking of subpoenas, it's good to see Speaker Pelosi here tonight."
man, I was on the floor.
joshua - 10/25/07 13:47
People like Pelosi even say that on a personal level they like the president. For me he passes the beer test, although he doesn't drink anymore.
People like Pelosi even say that on a personal level they like the president. For me he passes the beer test, although he doesn't drink anymore.
jbeatty - 10/25/07 12:10
That was actually pretty funny.
That was actually pretty funny.
james - 10/24/07 20:22
I will give the man one thing, he has a sense of humor.=
I will give the man one thing, he has a sense of humor.=
The reason why Michigan had no delegates up for grabs is because they dared to move their primary date up previous to Super Tuesday, against the wishes of the DLC.
There are too many thoughts to go one by one, but suffice it to say I agree with some, disagree with some. One thing I do want to talk about is the poor, which will just have to come in journal form.
I have heard somewhere "the republican party is the party of bad ideas, and the Democrats is the party of no ideas". I do find that is true a lot of the time. One thing you have to give to the republicans is they are much better at the political process. i don't think we will ever have some address "The Middle Class". The reason is that as much as a good idea that it is, there won't be a middle class person running for office. It takes so much money to run for office that you have to be rich or have rich backers. If you where middle class and had those rich backers then you would owe them stuff when you got into office so there isn't much of a way for you to reform anything. Not to mention If you tried during your campain all your backers would leave. The way people run for office needs to change so more qualified people can run. I don't think it will happen. I think that there is this elitism that politicans want for them selves. Hey if any hero can run then there is no job security and also if the local union leader can run then you lose your power over the people.
I have to admit it frosts me when I hear people say that poor people voting for the GOP is "voting against their best interests." As if low taxes, strong national defense and keeping America's best interest in mind with our foreign policies have no place in determining who to vote for. That is an absolutely ludicrous statement when you get right down to it. Democrats have long taken the poor vote for granted - its an utter fallacy to suggest that the party of the poor is the Democratic Party when for the past 35 years the Democrats have largely IGNORED the poor on the federal level. The Dems have loooooonnnngg been eating their lunch from food made back in FDR's days.
As for the inheritance tax - that is not the government's money and never was, pure and simple. The inheritance tax is simply robbing Peter to give to Paul - at least theoretically. Ultimately the government will do whatever it wants with the money, which is why the whole thing is an utter scam. The idea that its a crime to be rich, and therefore when you die you have to give away 40% of your estate to artificially create some sort of social equivalence is silly to me.
Finally, w/respect to the primaries. Romney won in a state he spent time in as a kid when his dad was Governor. I would have been surprised had he not won. At this point, and things may change so I may have to revise this statement - if Hillary wins the nomination the Republicans will keep the White House, and if Obama wins the nomination he'll go through and take it all in November. AFAIC its as simple as that. If Obama were wise enough to pick Joe Biden as a running mate that might tip the scale for me in his favor. I don't like any of the GOP candidates really.
You're right that a lot of people vote for the GOP, and many of them are poor. But those people are voting against their best interests.
I'm amazed that Republicans can call the inheritance tax the "Death Tax" and get poor blue collar people to rally against it. Like they're about to inherit a 2 million dollar estate, anything less is not taxed at all.
And they swallow their $300 check from Bush's tax cut, while the wealthy pack away millions.
Personally I'm sick of hearing about taxes. "It's not the government's money, it's my money" well if you're making $300 per week, you're probably paying more for health insurance, than you are paying in taxes. And the top 1% in this country are getting more loopholes and tax breaks than you can count.
Republicans are the party of big business, they use wedge issues to get wider support, but their policies are for the wealthy elite. Democrats, have been going along with it, and that's their biggest problem.
It is also important to note that Clinton did not campaign in Michigan, as as no one will in Florida. So, no one had any reason to go out and vote democrat. So, Clinton's victory there was nothing but a publicly funded opinion poll with a ginormous margin of error.
If it hurt anyone it was John McCain. Democrats and independents should have forgot about the Dem primary and gone out to vote for their GOP flavor of choice, which should have been McCain. Instead, Romney beat the snot out of McCain in a state McCain handily won in 2000.
Keep tuned for the now three ring circus in the GOP primary.
Edwards & Obama explicitly pulled out of the Michigan race because of this early-primary kerfuffle. Michigan and Florida moved their primaries up without permission and will lose all their Democratic delegates and half their Republican delegates at the conventions (South Carolina has also lost half its Republican delegates). Edwards & Obama are spending their money where it will matter in a material way, letting Clinton, Kucinich, and Uncommitted vie for the moral victory in Michigan and Florida.
- Z
ya, I would disagree with your assessment of who votes for who. The poorest states in the country (Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, etc) and those with the least corporate interest (Kansas, Nebraska, etc) overwhelmingly vote for the GOP.
And Clinton is not a Republican and she will bring people out to vote for her in droves. Look at Iowa and New Hampshire. Both had record turn out. It is as likely that people will come out in November for her as they have in January.
Edwards wont be Obama or Clinton's VP pick either. Clinton would gain way more with Obama as her VP and Obama needs someone with defence experience. Biden is more likely to get on Obama's ticket than Edwards.
"Democrats are supposed to be the party of the people, and the republicans are supposed to be the party of the wealthy."
I guess it depends on who you call "wealthy" I suppose.