Not looking good for United (Reuters)

[BLUE BAYOU]

Remember that Obama promised no new taxes of any sorts for those who make under $250K? Now two of his top aides are backtracking officially from that promise as they consider the cost of health care. You thought the wait was long now for the emergency room-- it will be the new lets go see the doctor room very, very soon... Start investing in private hospitals folks, cause that's where people who want to live will be going...

 

[igneousy2]

I don't see how re-regulation is going to solve anything. You better be careful what you wish for. If this industry gets re-regulated, we will all be in a world of hurt. The Airline industry as a whole is about 3 times as large as it was at the peak of regulation. Chances are pretty good that if the industry had stayed the same size which is essentially what regulation did 2/3rds of us here wouldn't have any airline job at all. You want to talk about stagnation. If we get re-regulated we will all be stuck where we are and would have to rely on attrition to get anywhere. I guess depending on where you are now this could be a good thing or a bad thing but in my opinion it is overall a bad thing.

The overall problem isn't that we need to be re-regulated, it's that we need to let the free market work. The problem with most american's now-days is that we want all of the benefits of a free market without any of the pain or any of the responsibilities. If we would just stop the bail-outs we could stop this viscious cycle that we are in.

If one of the big carriers were to fail...the remaining airlines would be fine.

 

[Splert]

Remember that Obama promised no new taxes of any sorts for those who make under $250K? Now two of his top aides are backtracking officially from that promise as they consider the cost of health care. You thought the wait was long now for the emergency room-- it will be the new lets go see the doctor room very, very soon... Start investing in private hospitals folks, cause that's where people who want to live will be going...

I thought the Savior already raised cigarette taxes.

Oopps!

But since he is addicted himself he is paying the tax too.

Nice...

 

[Sonny Crockett]

Thread return to course....

Can we get back to the UAL bashing?

 

[Daddy]

Obama to the rescue

I think a bailout of UAL under this admin is a scary possibility but being that he is from Illinois, he will do what it takes to protect his home team. Why not...the checkbook is endless...why would you stop writing checks if you still have more checks?

 

[Lear70]

The airline industry IS about 3 times larger than regulated size, but the population has also grown by 300%.

That said, with the video conferencing technology taking many of the business travelers, put regulation into effect, with the higher ticket prices, you'd probably see a 25-30% reduction in flying as soon as those prices wratchet up.

However, that's likely what you would get if you COMPLETELY deregulated the industry as well. Remove the safety nets of government interference in financial bailouts (bankruptcy protection REPEATEDLY), you'd end up with a carrier or two folding, and the same result - reduction in 25-30% of the work force with no jobs to go to.

Sometimes it's painful to heal. And one thing's for certain, limping along like this without the ability to raise ticket prices to cover the cost of producing the product is just prolonging the pain for everyone... except the flying public of course.

 

[20sx]

I guess porn stars are geniuses since they make a lot of $$$ also?

Porn stars are geniuses because of what they DO to make that money
)))

 

[Amish RakeFight]

Call me what you want....

Porn stars are geniuses because of what they DO to make that money
)))

I'd proudly PFT to get a job in the porn industry.

 

[General Lee]

Remember that Obama promised no new taxes of any sorts for those who make under $250K? Now two of his top aides are backtracking officially from that promise as they consider the cost of health care. You thought the wait was long now for the emergency room-- it will be the new lets go see the doctor room very, very soon... Start investing in private hospitals folks, cause that's where people who want to live will be going...

If he wants to get re-elected for a second term, he won't go back on his promises.(income tax raise) Now, if this was the start of his second term, he might do that.


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[Linedriver]

If he wants to get re-elected for a second term, he won't go back on his promises.(income tax raise) Now, if this was the start of his second term, he might do that.


Bye Bye--General Lee

Obama will be a one term president. He may want a second but he'll be done in 3 1/2.

 

[CRJ's suck]

Obama will be a one term president. He may want a second but he'll be done in 3 1/2.

I hope so. Unfortunately we'll probably still be paying off his term when my kids (they aren't born yet) are my age.

 

[Afixedwing]

I hope so. Unfortunately we'll probably still be paying off his term when my kids (they aren't born yet) are my age.

No, we may still be paying for the Bush administration's catastrophe though.

 

[General Lee]

Obama will be a one term president. He may want a second but he'll be done in 3 1/2.

Thanks Nostradamas. Anyway, tell that to the majority of people who voted for him. The Republicans had better put a better candidate up there and sell him/her better. IF not, it won't happen. Hey, put Gov. Sanford up there, since he was an "up and comer" for the party. Better yet, have Rush Limbaugh speak for you guys. Yeah, you will win alright....


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[SennaP1]

The REP. "Party" can put a Golden Retriever on the next ticket and "GUNS/ABORTION" crowd will vote for the dog.

 

[GoPats]

" The REP. "Party" can put a Golden Retriever on the next ticket and "GUNS/ABORTION" crowd will vote for the dog. "

Sad but true.

 

[T3700]

The Democrats could run a banana slug for president and the Socialist Left would vote for it. And ACORN would make sure it won via voter fraud.

 

[IAHERJ]

The REP. "Party" can put a Golden Retriever on the next ticket and "GUNS/ABORTION" crowd will vote for the dog.

Yep, no kidding. But hey, they have lots of American flag stickers on their cars....

 

[JumpJetter]

Isn't it interest what the bond holders are demanding after the bond holders got the shaft with regard to the GM bankruptcy......

 

[eyeamthechosen1]

I'd proudly PFT to get a job in the porn industry.

That is not much different from how you get laid anyway.

 

[ableone]

To paraphrase what has been said of banks:

"If an airlines' too big to fail, it's too big".

I predict the return of regulation. Soon.

Failure to properly manage their business, their employees future, corporate greed and lack of fiscal responsibility on the part of airlines has attracted the attention and ire of the public and regulators.

Your thoughts, anyone?

None of the air carriers are too big to fail. Chrysler, GM and the large banks all had, and have, the potential to damage the economy as a whole.

There is not an airline out there whose failure will imperil the economy as a whole. In fact the opposite is true; a major failure would do more to shore up the survivors and stabilize the industry than anything else would.

I don't think President Obama is going to even give a failed major more than three minutes of thought. He has had to spend political capital to save GM and Chrysler, there is no way he is going to take a hit to keep a limping airline alive.

Remember when people used to hate the phone company? Well now they hate the airlines.

You can always tell when the airlines raise their fares because every news outlet with a camera starts doing five minute pieces about the "dramatic rise in airfares". This in an industry that has been on life support for ten years.

No politician in any party is going to do jack to save one of the evil, price gauging, worst service in the world - every other adjective you can think of - airlines.

 

[Benhuntn]

Energy and healthcare will do more damage to the economy than the loss of any auto maker or bank.

To the idiot on Bush costs: Bush left us 435 Billion in Debt. Obama already is pushing 3 Trillion. Add Energy and health it jumps to 8-9 Trillion.

 

[jimcav]

Yep, no kidding. But hey, they have lots of American flag stickers on their cars....

What I'm sick of is all the Obama tshirts I see in the airports. I wish they would stop rubbing it in that he won. I didn't run around in a Bush shirt after he beat Kerry. Just goes to show the level of class of some of his fanclub.

 

[Hair-on-Fire]

Energy and healthcare will do more damage to the economy than the loss of any auto maker or bank.

To the idiot on Bush costs: Bush left us 435 Billion in Debt. Obama already is pushing 3 Trillion. Add Energy and health it jumps to 8-9 Trillion.

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2008/09/29/couricandco/entry4486228.shtml

On the day President Bush took office, the national debt stood at $5.727 trillion. The latest number from the Treasury Department shows the national debt now stands at more than $9.849 trillion. That’s a 71.9 percent increase on Mr. Bush’s watch.

The bailout plan now pending in Congress could add hundreds of billions of dollars to the national debt – though President Bush said this morning he expects that over time, “much if not all” of the bailout money “will be paid back.”

But the government is taking no chances. Buried deep in the hundred pages of bailout legislation is a provision that would raise the statutory ceiling on the national debt to $11.315 trillion. It’ll be the 7th time the debt limit has been raised during this administration. In fact it was just two months ago, on July 30, that President Bush signed the Housing and Economic Recovery Act, which contained a provision raising the debt ceiling to $10.615 trillion.

 

[ableone]

Energy and healthcare will do more damage to the economy than the loss of any auto maker or bank.

To the idiot on Bush costs: Bush left us 435 Billion in Debt. Obama already is pushing 3 Trillion. Add Energy and health it jumps to 8-9 Trillion.

We already have a nationalized health care system. It's called the Emergency Room and it is incredibly expensive and inefficient.

A Bush supporter has ZERO credibility when it comes to deficit spending.

It was Dick Cheney who dismissed deficits as a political problem that was unimportant; "Deficits don't matter." Apparently they did not matter to the Bush administration.

 

[Whataburger]

damn, yall'er f'ed.

 

[nwaredtail]

Energy and healthcare will do more damage to the economy than the loss of any auto maker or bank.

To the idiot on Bush costs: Bush left us 435 Billion in Debt. Obama already is pushing 3 Trillion. Add Energy and health it jumps to 8-9 Trillion.

What a frickin idiot, 10 years of war and only 435 billion in Debt? Get your military head out of your butt and recheck your math.

"The Bush administration, supported by the Federal Reserve and congress, went on a spending binge after 2001 to pull the economy out of its tailspin after the stock market crash. The national debt was $5.5 trillion in 2001 when Bush took office and will be $10 trillion when he leaves. After the 2001 market crash, he will have doubled the US national debt in 8 years to prop up the financial markets. The money was spent on his Iraq war, tax cut programs and any other pork project congress could dream up. No spending bills were vetoed. Loan standards were dramatically loosened and consumers were induced to borrow money and spend it."

But, at least we were "safe"

 

[Hair-on-Fire]

and not a peep about deficits during the last 8 years from you guys.

 

[Flying the Line]

Exactly why I hate BOTH parties.

 

[NEDude]

Republicans are becoming more hypocritical every day.

Bush more than doubles the debt in office and the "fiscal conservatives" are silent. Obama is in office less than six months and they are already losing their voice over all the screaming about debt. Look in the mirror guys.

Family values and fiscally conservative Governor Sanford is being investigated for taking state money to fund trips to Argentina to see his mistress.

Ardent anti-Gay rights Senator Craig gets arrested for soliciting gay sex.

My favorite, defacto leader of the Republican party Rush Limbaugh mocks drug users and addicts on his radio show for claiming it is a sickness, only to get arrested for prescription drug abuse. His excuse - "its a sickness".

Of course there are many others as well.

I am becoming more convinced the more vocal you are in beliefs, the more likely you are to be hiding a skeleton in your closet.

 

[General Lee]

Energy and healthcare will do more damage to the economy than the loss of any auto maker or bank.

To the idiot on Bush costs: Bush left us 435 Billion in Debt. Obama already is pushing 3 Trillion. Add Energy and health it jumps to 8-9 Trillion.

Oooops, you forgot Iraq cost us $1 trillion.(thanks Bush) Your numbers don't add up. Go back to MAF.


Bye Bye--General Lee