The Inauguration

[Whale of a Wash]

Today Obama hired Sam Kass as a white house chef. NBC said kass had been obamas chef at his house in chicago. The senators must do really well to have their own chefs.
I have a renter from azerbijan, I asked him how he liked obama, and he said he and a group from their country spent many days with obama back in 1999. He said obama was there with oil executives. He also says the ecconomy is really bad in his country, with alot of people losing jobs.
So with all the world in a slump, how does the gov't think we can buy our way out, without causing inflation.

 

[Patrick H. Crowe]

Bill:

Allow me to inform you about the cost of college education, especially at the super expensive Ivies. They have what is called a "Needs blind" admission policy. I don't know where they got the name but I have first hand experience with exactly what it means and it offers a very clear answer to your sarcasm about Obama being a "doper".

If a student is accepted to Harvard, yes, just accepted, then he, if independent or his parents if a minor, must file "financial aid forms". Based on these forms his costs are ALL PAID by the university, unless he or his parents have tons of money. I know it sounds too good to be true but believe me it is, plain and simple.

Here's what happened to me. I had my older son at Harvard and my younger son at University of California, Santa Barbara. Both required that I file financial aid forms. Harvard gave me very gererous financial aid because of the "needs blind" policy. U of C sent back the application telling me I had "unmet needs". That meant I (my son) was eligible for financial aid but there was no money in their system to provide it. In short, Crowe, pay up or don't come. Dah?, I hear you. Bottom line: I spent more getting the younger son through U of C that I did getting the older one through Harvard.

So Bill, there's the answer to how Obama got the money.

I'll add a footnote if space allows. There are a very few excellent executive MBA programs. University of Michigan has one. By excellent I mean those from which the world's top firms will interview. At U of M the tuition for all students, in or out of state is $27,000 a year - - as of 9 years ago. Here's the irony - - that's tuition ONLY, not room, board books and so on. The school will loan the students the full $54,000 (two year program) because they know these folks will almost certainly be in very high six figires with just a few years. So be it. My son did it.

Patrick H. Crowe

 

[Patrick H. Crowe]

Dear Cebo:

IMO it was the deregulation which led to the S & L crisis; same for the more recent banking crisis. These folks need regulation just like the auto industry or we'd still not have air bags.

The "fair tax": What spin, at least call it the flat tax, that's what it is. We have had one for decades, right? Except in a very strange fashion, defying all reason, totally non-progressive, if you make over $96,000 then you are exempt from it, right (I could be off on the top limit).

It's the payroll tax. Many critics tell us it has now produced unfunded liabilities of staggering amounts and though Bush, with his own congress did nothing to fix it, you want more of it?

Here's my attitude on the flat tax. 1. It will never be enacted, so forget it. 2. We have one already and it has not worked well. 3. Progressive taxes are necessary; moreover I'll happily pay more than the folks who work for so much less. To me it is a simple moral obligation. The guys who constantly bitch about how much tax they pay needed a father like mine: "Shut up you little $hit, just thank God you made so much money that you GET to pay all these taxes - - you're one mighty lucky kid."

Patrick H. Crowe

 

[ted mcmeekin]

It is not a simple moral obligation to have a bunch of unethical politicians determine how I should help others. I am more than capable of fulfilling my moral obligations and do so generously.

On college, WV started a prepaid tuition program a few years back ( funds transferable to any accredited institution in the country). We bought 5 for grand children which are transferable at our discretion. A couple years ago, they started the PROMISE program --any student who maintains a 3.0 or higher average gets free in state tuition. Dumb idea considering the state is not wealthy and the new program does not evaluate need. We have one in state grand daughter so we can use our prepaid program for room and board if she takes the Promise tuition.

Makes jobs for useless administrators.

 

[pitzerwm]

Class warfare has begun

Read your history books about the results of class warfare and the sad results combine that with the protectionism that is also being insisted on. It lengthened the depression and it will be worse this time. Did you happen to hear Biden welcome the union "back into the whitehouse". Let the fun begin.