SORRY everybody!

[!EEK]

Me too!

Canada should apologize too to the rest of the world

[!EEK]

Hmm . . . I thought that was still being discussed. Odd that it would happen with so little outcry. Either way, I have no qualm with you. You're making legitimate arguments about the validity of this war. My problem is with these simpletons that are convinced Bush is the epitome of evil and stupidness and is intentionally ruining the economy of the US and disrupting world peace so that his friends can profit. Because, you know, there aren't easier ways to make money.

Bush's decision was made a year ago about drilling there and it should have mad a quake since then, unless he plans to de-protect another zone out there.

Anyway, I'm not saying Bush is stupid because he still influences the whole planet and usually makes things happens the way he wants to, for good or ill. Alot of people can't make the difference between intelligence and general knowledge...that's why we so often read about Bush's stupidity. We also must not forget that Bush has a legion of counsellors and his decisions aren't always "his". That's not an ode to Bush's greatness, in fact I don't really like him but it's to make things clear, especially for most of europeans.
Because there are none here, my message falls on deaf ears

[xBaron Dants]

Me too!

Canada should apologize too to the rest of the world

Good point. Had we stayed in Washington after invading it in 1812, none of this would have happened in the first place.

On behalf of Canada...SORRY EVERYBODY!

[patlajan]

Well, as one of the people to whom all these people are apologizing....it did make me feel a little better. Thank you.

Let me the first to detract that apology......

Dear rest of the world,

Kindly give us all our money back.

[xBaron Dants]

Let me the first to detract that apology......

Dear rest of the world,

Kindly give us all our money back.

With its rising budget deficit and ballooning trade imbalance, the United States is running up a foreign debt of such record-breaking proportions that it threatens the financial stability of the global economy, the International Monetary Fund said in a report released Wednesday. The report ? nearly 60 pages of carefully worded analysis ? was unusually harsh, raising a loud alarm about the shaky fiscal foundation of the United States and the rapid decline of the dollar. It also questioned the wisdom of Bush?s tax cuts and warned that large budget deficits pose ??significant risks,?? not just for the United States but for the rest of the world. The report warned that the United States? net financial obligations to the rest of the world could be equal to 40 percent of its total economy within a few years, creating ??an unprecedented level of external debt for a large industrial country?? that the Fund said could play havoc with the value of the dollar and international exchange rates. The dangers, according to the report, are that the United States? voracious appetite for borrowing could push up global interest rates and slow global investment and economic growth. The report added that an excessively steep decline in the dollar ??could possi bly lead to adverse consequences both domestically and abroad?? given that U.S. net external debt is at record levels and an abrupt weakening in investors? faith in the dollar, the ??abrupt weakening of investor sentiments vis-a-vis the dollar,?? the IMF said, according to Agence France-Presse. White House officials dismissed the report as overly alarmist and said the IMF had been wrong before in criticizing the wisdom of Bush?s tax cuts. They said they were already bringing down the budget deficit and were not worried about the declining dollar. Though the IMF has criticized the United States on its budget and trade deficits repeatedly in the past few years, its latest report was unusually lengthy and critical.

Edited by loseyourname: The second paragraph was a copy of the first.

[patlajan]

With its rising budget deficit and ballooning trade imbalance, the United States is running up a foreign debt of such record-breaking proportions that it threatens the financial stability of the global economy, the International Monetary Fund said in a report released Wednesday. The report ? nearly 60 pages of carefully worded analysis ? was unusually harsh, raising a loud alarm about the shaky fiscal foundation of the United States and the rapid decline of the dollar. It also questioned the wisdom of Bush?s tax cuts and warned that large budget deficits pose ??significant risks,?? not just for the United States but for the rest of the world. The report warned that the United States? net financial obligations to the rest of the world could be equal to 40 percent of its total economy within a few years, creating ??an unprecedented level of external debt for a large industrial country?? that the Fund said could play havoc with the value of the dollar and international exchange rates. The dangers, according to the report, are that the United States? voracious appetite for borrowing could push up global interest rates and slow global investment and economic growth. The report added that an excessively steep decline in the dollar ??could possi bly lead to adverse consequences both domestically and abroad?? given that U.S. net external debt is at record levels and an abrupt weakening in investors? faith in the dollar, the ??abrupt weakening of investor sentiments vis-a-vis the dollar,?? the IMF said, according to Agence France-Presse. White House officials dismissed the report as overly alarmist and said the IMF had been wrong before in criticizing the wisdom of Bush?s tax cuts. They said they were already bringing down the budget deficit and were not worried about the declining dollar. Though the IMF has criticized the United States on its budget and trade deficits repeatedly in the past few years, its latest report was unusually lengthy and critical.

Edited by loseyourname: The second paragraph was a copy of the first.

1. You're copy and pasting.
2. You don't know what I'm talking about.


The U.S. pours rediculous amounts of money in foreign aid around the world. Egypt would be a smoldering crater if it wasn't for U.S. support. Same thing for Russia and the former socialist republics, Kenya, Isreal, the Palestinian authority and all the other slackers from around the world that use up my tax money.

Now let me not start schooling you in economics because it will take too long. Japan runs an admitted defecit of 170% of GDP. I don't know the figures but the Europeans are running similar terrible numbers. Canada's defecit to GDP ratio is something like 73%. The U.S. defecit ratio, altough troubleing is a little less than Canada's.

[loseyourname]

1. You're copy and pasting.
2. You don't know what I'm talking about.


The U.S. pours rediculous amounts of money in foreign aid around the world. Egypt would be a smoldering crater if it wasn't for U.S. support. Same thing for Russia and the former socialist republics, Kenya, Isreal, the Palestinian authority and all the other slackers from around the world that use up my tax money.

Yeah, the only difference is that US aid is not in the form of loans, and so technically no one is in debt to us. Anyway, I thought most of the money borrowed by the US is borrowed from US citizens in the form of government bonds.

Now let me not start schooling you in economics because it will take too long. Japan runs and admitted defecit of 170% of GDP. I don't know the figures but the Europeans are running similar terrible numbers. The U.S. defecit altough troubleing is nothing close to that.

Yes, that is a much more important figure, as it speaks to the nation's ability to pay off the debt, exactly what I was saying before.

[xBaron Dants]

I think it was pretty clear that I was copy-pasting an article.

Regardless of debt, if the USA hadn't given all that aid, they would've been nothing more than a smoldering crater.

Consider the aid given as an out-of-court settlement for all the economic and political turmoil the States have created around the world, as well as all the pollution (36% of global emissions of greenhouse gases, if I'm not mistaken) that is quickly driving the world to its own end. I still think you got off cheap.

[patlajan]

Yeah, the only difference is that US aid is not in the form of loans, and so technically no one is in debt to us. Anyway, I thought most of the money borrowed by the US is borrowed from US citizens in the form of government bonds.



Yes, that is a much more important figure, as it speaks to the nation's ability to pay off the debt, exactly what I was saying before.

That's an interesting point. I'm not sure if most of the defecit is internal. I would imagine there are more than a few big time foreign banks that stock up on U.S. bonds as part of their portfolios.

In any case a rising defecit is not a disaster but certainly not a good thing. I'm not up to date and how all that treasury stuff works. Maybe I should go to graduate school, but then I would have to go into a personal defecit.

[patlajan]

I think it was pretty clear that I was copy-pasting an article.

Regardless of debt, if the USA hadn't given all that aid, they would've been nothing more than a smoldering crater.

Consider the aid given as an out-of-court settlement for all the economic and political turmoil the States have created around the world, as well as all the pollution (36% of global emissions of greenhouse gases, if I'm not mistaken) that is quickly driving the world to its own end. I still think you got off cheap.

Whaaa whaaa whaa whaa enough already.