Rep. Hinchey: Bush Administration 'Intentionally Let bin Laden Get Away' In Order To Justify Iraq War
Remember when, after Bin Laden got away from Tora Bora, after Bush had sworn to get him dead or alive, Bush began to say that Bin Laden wasn't that important - that it was the worldwide terrorist conspiracy that mattered? Considering that the military never provided the requested aid to catch Bin Laden when he could have been caught, and never seriously pursued him after that, Hinchey's explanation is the only one that makes sense.
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Monday, November 30, 2009
Rep. Hinchey: Bush Administration 'Intentionally Let bin Laden Get Away' In Order To Justify Iraq War
CBO: Three Quarters Of Stimulus Unspent
CBO: Three Quarters Of Stimulus Unspent
So why are people allowed to argue that the stimulus is breaking us? Somebody ought to be pointing this out.
So why are people allowed to argue that the stimulus is breaking us? Somebody ought to be pointing this out.
WILLIE HORTON MOMENT
Mike Huckabee commuted the 95 year sentence of the man who killed four cops in Washington yesterday. A similar event destroyed Michael Dukakis. But I don't think it will destroy Huckabee.
The reason? The outrage among those who manipulated Horton was not real. They didn't really think letting Horton out was a major mistake. They simply knew they could use Horton to trigger racism and generalized fear against Dukakis. They were brilliant at it, just as they were with swiftboating. Since there is no real outrage here, they won't be motivated to hurt Huckabee unless it has to be done in support of another Republican candidate.
The other side - the Democrats - are similarly not outraged. And since for whatever reason they're usually not willing to use this sort of tactic, there's no one left to punish Huckabee with it.
Lest you think that people who ARE outraged by what he did will hold it against him, I think the kind of people who fit that category are evangelical. They limit their judgment of their brothers to private ceremonies. They will not publicly judge one of their own. That spins off from their identification with early Christians. They are secretive and conspiratorial because they believe themselves to be persecuted as early Christians were. Like the church they carry that sense of victimhood into power when they attain it, much as the Nazis did. Their successes are cause for concern.
The reason? The outrage among those who manipulated Horton was not real. They didn't really think letting Horton out was a major mistake. They simply knew they could use Horton to trigger racism and generalized fear against Dukakis. They were brilliant at it, just as they were with swiftboating. Since there is no real outrage here, they won't be motivated to hurt Huckabee unless it has to be done in support of another Republican candidate.
The other side - the Democrats - are similarly not outraged. And since for whatever reason they're usually not willing to use this sort of tactic, there's no one left to punish Huckabee with it.
Lest you think that people who ARE outraged by what he did will hold it against him, I think the kind of people who fit that category are evangelical. They limit their judgment of their brothers to private ceremonies. They will not publicly judge one of their own. That spins off from their identification with early Christians. They are secretive and conspiratorial because they believe themselves to be persecuted as early Christians were. Like the church they carry that sense of victimhood into power when they attain it, much as the Nazis did. Their successes are cause for concern.
Les Leopold: Stimulus versus Deficit Reduction? Wrong Debate
Les Leopold: Stimulus versus Deficit Reduction? Wrong Debate:
"It seems as if the Congress and the Administration did everything possible not to create jobs directly. Instead, overall spending increases were supposed to make up for lost consumer demand and reboot the economy. All would be well as demand increased and bank lending resumed, especially to small businesses. But the lending is still stalled, in part that's because we no longer live in a unified economy. The wealthy and the large Wall Street banks seem to live in a world of their own."
Proposals like this for direct government action are cropping up everywhere - a little late. Obama will never never never do anything like this.
"It seems as if the Congress and the Administration did everything possible not to create jobs directly. Instead, overall spending increases were supposed to make up for lost consumer demand and reboot the economy. All would be well as demand increased and bank lending resumed, especially to small businesses. But the lending is still stalled, in part that's because we no longer live in a unified economy. The wealthy and the large Wall Street banks seem to live in a world of their own."
Proposals like this for direct government action are cropping up everywhere - a little late. Obama will never never never do anything like this.
ONE BIG KATRINA
So Obama wants to be Clinton. He's doing a good job of it. But he's going to have to accept another 1994. If things continue as they are, it's very possible we're going to see a party lose a majority in Congress faster than ever before.
The health care bill is not going to do it. Even if it was a great bill - which it's not - it wouldn't do it. The economy is likely to control the next election, and Obama doesn't have much to crow about. Politics is simple, on the whole: if you're in office and you suck, even if the other guy sucks worse, people are either going to sit it out or vote for the other guy. And the number of people who think Obama sucks - even if they're not quite sure why - is growing exponentially.
It didn't have to be this way. Obama could have made serious efforts to deal with jobs and mortgages other than by feeding money to the big guys and hoping it trickled down. Even had he failed, he would have been given credit for the try. As it stands, the country is one big Katrina (or it seems to be, which is the same thing) and Obama is in the White House partying with Larry Summers.
The guy who ran the smartest political campaign in modern times has become a political idiot since getting to the White House. People used to say about some presidents that once they got into the White House they figured their work was done. Obama seems to be one of those.
The Peter Principle is running rampant in the executive branch.
The health care bill is not going to do it. Even if it was a great bill - which it's not - it wouldn't do it. The economy is likely to control the next election, and Obama doesn't have much to crow about. Politics is simple, on the whole: if you're in office and you suck, even if the other guy sucks worse, people are either going to sit it out or vote for the other guy. And the number of people who think Obama sucks - even if they're not quite sure why - is growing exponentially.
It didn't have to be this way. Obama could have made serious efforts to deal with jobs and mortgages other than by feeding money to the big guys and hoping it trickled down. Even had he failed, he would have been given credit for the try. As it stands, the country is one big Katrina (or it seems to be, which is the same thing) and Obama is in the White House partying with Larry Summers.
The guy who ran the smartest political campaign in modern times has become a political idiot since getting to the White House. People used to say about some presidents that once they got into the White House they figured their work was done. Obama seems to be one of those.
The Peter Principle is running rampant in the executive branch.
Howard Schweber: Jobs, Mortgages, Food Stamps -- Where Is The President?
Howard Schweber: Jobs, Mortgages, Food Stamps -- Where Is The President?:
"People are afraid, and Obama is not addressing their fears. You can hear it any time you turn off the television. The voices saying: 'The Nobel Peace Prize? Climate change? I don't have a job. I can't send my kids to college even if I can figure out what they are going to have to eat at the end of the month ... I voted for you. $2 trillion in bailouts and stimulus packages and 2,000 page health care bills and Asian trips and beer summits with Harvard professors ... I voted for you. Are you kidding me??'"
"People are afraid, and Obama is not addressing their fears. You can hear it any time you turn off the television. The voices saying: 'The Nobel Peace Prize? Climate change? I don't have a job. I can't send my kids to college even if I can figure out what they are going to have to eat at the end of the month ... I voted for you. $2 trillion in bailouts and stimulus packages and 2,000 page health care bills and Asian trips and beer summits with Harvard professors ... I voted for you. Are you kidding me??'"
Michael Brenner: Afghanistan: Obama Drops The Other Shoe
Michael Brenner: Afghanistan: Obama Drops The Other Shoe:
"The country is ill served by a president who fails to meet his responsibility for the rigorous, open debate on matters of great consequence that he pledged and that is imperative for avoiding more dismal failure. What is the value of a 150 I.Q. when bereft of wisdom or conviction to guide it? Obama's audacity in pursuing his ambition is one thing; political and intellectual courage is quite another."
"The country is ill served by a president who fails to meet his responsibility for the rigorous, open debate on matters of great consequence that he pledged and that is imperative for avoiding more dismal failure. What is the value of a 150 I.Q. when bereft of wisdom or conviction to guide it? Obama's audacity in pursuing his ambition is one thing; political and intellectual courage is quite another."
Evan Bayh Burnishes His Fake Budget Hawk Persona
Evan Bayh Burnishes His Fake Budget Hawk Persona:
"So, Bayh is a 'big deficit hawk' whose idea of 'coming to grips' with deficits is to blithely assert the primacy of a war that he can't build a case for -- at the expense of other programs in the budget that he won't build a case against, other than to suggest that they are getting in the way of paying for the war, the cost of which he's already bent on pretending doesn't exist."
"So, Bayh is a 'big deficit hawk' whose idea of 'coming to grips' with deficits is to blithely assert the primacy of a war that he can't build a case for -- at the expense of other programs in the budget that he won't build a case against, other than to suggest that they are getting in the way of paying for the war, the cost of which he's already bent on pretending doesn't exist."
ACLU: Obama’s reversal on Patriot Act reform ‘a major travesty’ | Raw Story
ACLU: Obama’s reversal on Patriot Act reform ‘a major travesty’ | Raw Story:
"Key components in the USA Patriot Act are set to expire at the end of the year, but President Barack Obama is seeking to extend them, reversing his stark opposition in the past to the same provisions."
Who is this guy?
"Key components in the USA Patriot Act are set to expire at the end of the year, but President Barack Obama is seeking to extend them, reversing his stark opposition in the past to the same provisions."
Who is this guy?
California Divorce Ban Movement Underway, Led By John Marcotte
California Divorce Ban Movement Underway, Led By John Marcotte:
"The effort is meant to be a satirical statement after California voters outlawed gay marriage in 2008, largely on the argument that a ban is needed to protect the sanctity of traditional marriage. If that's the case, then Marcotte reasons voters should have no problem banning divorce."
"The effort is meant to be a satirical statement after California voters outlawed gay marriage in 2008, largely on the argument that a ban is needed to protect the sanctity of traditional marriage. If that's the case, then Marcotte reasons voters should have no problem banning divorce."
Obama Administration To Shame Lenders That Don't Offer To Modify Mortgages
Obama Administration To Shame Lenders That Don't Offer To Modify Mortgages:
"But the program, which the administration refers to as 'a primary focus of financial stability efforts,' has been a disaster according to consumer advocates, economists, housing experts and government watchdogs. It does nothing for those who have lost their jobs, because they have too little income to qualify, and could make things even worse in the long run for those homeowners who owe more on their mortgage than their homes are worth, because the plan does not require principal reductions."
"But the program, which the administration refers to as 'a primary focus of financial stability efforts,' has been a disaster according to consumer advocates, economists, housing experts and government watchdogs. It does nothing for those who have lost their jobs, because they have too little income to qualify, and could make things even worse in the long run for those homeowners who owe more on their mortgage than their homes are worth, because the plan does not require principal reductions."
CBO: Reform Will Save Insurers The Cost Of Figuring Out Creative Ways To Deny Coverage
CBO: Reform Will Save Insurers The Cost Of Figuring Out Creative Ways To Deny Coverage:
"By making insurance coverage more uniform and banning exclusions based on preexisting conditions and other industry tactics to reduce coverage, reform will reduce insurers' administrative costs, according to the report."
"By making insurance coverage more uniform and banning exclusions based on preexisting conditions and other industry tactics to reduce coverage, reform will reduce insurers' administrative costs, according to the report."
Today's GOP is both united and divided - washingtonpost.com
Today's GOP is both united and divided - washingtonpost.com:
"In the poll, taken amid the media whirlwind surrounding the release of her memoir 'Going Rogue,' more cite Palin than other Republicans as best reflecting the party's core values and as the top vote-getter in hypothetical presidential nomination contests. But on neither question did she exceed 20 percent backing among all Republicans."
"In the poll, taken amid the media whirlwind surrounding the release of her memoir 'Going Rogue,' more cite Palin than other Republicans as best reflecting the party's core values and as the top vote-getter in hypothetical presidential nomination contests. But on neither question did she exceed 20 percent backing among all Republicans."
What Happens When Your Country Drowns? | Mother Jones
What Happens When Your Country Drowns? | Mother Jones:
"The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has warned that low-lying island nations are particularly endang ered by rising seas and will also be buffeted by more frequent and more violent storms. Already, warmer ocean temperatures are eating away at the coral reefs that form Tuvalu's archipelagic spine. Tuvaluans themselves point to more tangible indicators of trouble—the 'king tides' that increasingly sluice their homes, the briny water oozing up into the 'grow pits' where they used to cultivate taro and other vegetables. As Julia Whitty predicted in this magazine in 2003, the prognosis has become sufficiently dire that the residents of Tuvalu and other low-lying atoll islands 'are beginning to envision the wholesale abandonment of their nations.' Around one-fifth of the 12,000-some inhabitants have already left, most bound for New Zealand, where the Tuvaluan community has nearly tripled since 1996."
"The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has warned that low-lying island nations are particularly endang ered by rising seas and will also be buffeted by more frequent and more violent storms. Already, warmer ocean temperatures are eating away at the coral reefs that form Tuvalu's archipelagic spine. Tuvaluans themselves point to more tangible indicators of trouble—the 'king tides' that increasingly sluice their homes, the briny water oozing up into the 'grow pits' where they used to cultivate taro and other vegetables. As Julia Whitty predicted in this magazine in 2003, the prognosis has become sufficiently dire that the residents of Tuvalu and other low-lying atoll islands 'are beginning to envision the wholesale abandonment of their nations.' Around one-fifth of the 12,000-some inhabitants have already left, most bound for New Zealand, where the Tuvaluan community has nearly tripled since 1996."
Senate Bill Contains A Gift For Big Banks
Senate Bill Contains A Gift For Big Banks:
"Despite bipartisan consensus on Capitol Hill that the size and interconnectedness of major financial institutions poses a grave risk to the system as a whole, Senate banking reform legislation includes a provision that will help them get even bigger."
"Despite bipartisan consensus on Capitol Hill that the size and interconnectedness of major financial institutions poses a grave risk to the system as a whole, Senate banking reform legislation includes a provision that will help them get even bigger."
Forty Percent Of Democrats Say They 'Probably Won't Vote' Next Year: Poll
Forty Percent Of Democrats Say They 'Probably Won't Vote' Next Year: Poll:
"The poll, which surveyed 2,400 Americans nationwide between Nov. 22 and Nov. 25, found that self-identified Republicans were three times more likely to say they were going to vote next year. The results suggest perilous fights for Democrats in the midterm elections, where the president's party typically lose seats."
"The poll, which surveyed 2,400 Americans nationwide between Nov. 22 and Nov. 25, found that self-identified Republicans were three times more likely to say they were going to vote next year. The results suggest perilous fights for Democrats in the midterm elections, where the president's party typically lose seats."
Krugman: Deficit Hawks Trying To Scare People With Big, Out-Of-Context Numbers
Krugman: Deficit Hawks Trying To Scare People With Big, Out-Of-Context Numbers:
"The point, of course, is that everything about the United States is big. So you have to interpret numbers accordingly. As the graphic above shows -- it's taken from an article that managed to maintain a grim tone while reporting numbers that actually weren't all that grim -- what we're talking about is a debt-service burden roughly comparable to that under the first President Bush. How many of the people now warning about the impossible burden of currently projected debt were issuing similar warnings back in 1992? Not many, I'd guess."
"The point, of course, is that everything about the United States is big. So you have to interpret numbers accordingly. As the graphic above shows -- it's taken from an article that managed to maintain a grim tone while reporting numbers that actually weren't all that grim -- what we're talking about is a debt-service burden roughly comparable to that under the first President Bush. How many of the people now warning about the impossible burden of currently projected debt were issuing similar warnings back in 1992? Not many, I'd guess."
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Whose side is Obama on?
Whose side is Obama on?:
"It's fair to say that Geithner's credibility has been so tarnished in the eyes of Congress and the public that President Obama will now have to devote more personal attention to these issues."
Don't bet on it.
"It's fair to say that Geithner's credibility has been so tarnished in the eyes of Congress and the public that President Obama will now have to devote more personal attention to these issues."
Don't bet on it.
GOP Wages Internal Debate Over Tax Increase For Afghan War
GOP Wages Internal Debate Over Tax Increase For Afghan War:
"But I think this goes to a fundamental value that I think we lost, which is that we can get things for nothing. That we can go to war and not have to pay for it either by cutting the budget or doing something else. We have a war; we don't have a draft. All of these sorts of things, that we think, 'Oh, by way, we can go fight the most important war in the history of our country, but we're not going to have a draft, we're not going to pay for it, we're not going to do anything that causes anybody to sacrifice.'"
"But I think this goes to a fundamental value that I think we lost, which is that we can get things for nothing. That we can go to war and not have to pay for it either by cutting the budget or doing something else. We have a war; we don't have a draft. All of these sorts of things, that we think, 'Oh, by way, we can go fight the most important war in the history of our country, but we're not going to have a draft, we're not going to pay for it, we're not going to do anything that causes anybody to sacrifice.'"
In the Shadow of Hoover
In the Shadow of Hoover:
"Blaming this on his center-right advisors--Timothy Geithner, Larry Summers, Rahm Emmanuel--is too easy. Obama picked them. He obviously agrees with their reluctance to go full bore in behalf of the real economy. Geither and Summers, meanwhile, are taking victory laps for saving the country. Ordinary citizens wonder what they are talking about. Obama should tell them to shut up with their self-congratulations (better still, he should replace them with more imaginative policy thinkers)."
"Blaming this on his center-right advisors--Timothy Geithner, Larry Summers, Rahm Emmanuel--is too easy. Obama picked them. He obviously agrees with their reluctance to go full bore in behalf of the real economy. Geither and Summers, meanwhile, are taking victory laps for saving the country. Ordinary citizens wonder what they are talking about. Obama should tell them to shut up with their self-congratulations (better still, he should replace them with more imaginative policy thinkers)."
Disinfected | The New Republic
Disinfected | The New Republic:
"These sort of hospital infections kill as many as 20,000 people a year. And they cost a lot of money to treat. Each episode requires about $45,000 in overall spending, which adds up to more than $2 billion a year by some estimates. Getting doctors and hospitals to adopt the anti-infection strategy should be, as Atul Gawande has observed in the New Yorker, a “no-brainer.”"
"These sort of hospital infections kill as many as 20,000 people a year. And they cost a lot of money to treat. Each episode requires about $45,000 in overall spending, which adds up to more than $2 billion a year by some estimates. Getting doctors and hospitals to adopt the anti-infection strategy should be, as Atul Gawande has observed in the New Yorker, a “no-brainer.”"
The Case For Deficit Spending | The New Republic
The Case For Deficit Spending | The New Republic:
"If the administration does block a new stimulus program--either directly or by reinforcing Republican complaints about government spending--that will have severe repercussions, not only on the economic recovery but also on Obama’s political standing."
"If the administration does block a new stimulus program--either directly or by reinforcing Republican complaints about government spending--that will have severe repercussions, not only on the economic recovery but also on Obama’s political standing."
Jeff Cohen: Get Ready for the Obama/GOP Alliance
Jeff Cohen: Get Ready for the Obama/GOP Alliance:
"As he glides from retreats on civil liberties to health reform that appeases corporate interests to his Bush-like pledge this week to 'finish the job' in Afghanistan, an Obama reliance on Congressional Republicans to fund his troop escalation could be the final straw in disorienting and demobilizing the progressive activists who elected him a year ago."
"As he glides from retreats on civil liberties to health reform that appeases corporate interests to his Bush-like pledge this week to 'finish the job' in Afghanistan, an Obama reliance on Congressional Republicans to fund his troop escalation could be the final straw in disorienting and demobilizing the progressive activists who elected him a year ago."
TV Exec: Michaele And Tareq Salahi Want Money For Interview
TV Exec: Michaele And Tareq Salahi Want Money For Interview:
"The woman, who was pictured at the dinner greeting both the president and Vice President Joe Biden, is a reality TV hopeful trying to get on Bravo's 'The Real Housewives of D.C.'"
Reality shows are destroying reality. If there is any left. People sure have learned what those shows have taught us about how to become a celebrity with no discernible talent. The triumph of image over content is a lot of what's wrong with us.
"The woman, who was pictured at the dinner greeting both the president and Vice President Joe Biden, is a reality TV hopeful trying to get on Bravo's 'The Real Housewives of D.C.'"
Reality shows are destroying reality. If there is any left. People sure have learned what those shows have taught us about how to become a celebrity with no discernible talent. The triumph of image over content is a lot of what's wrong with us.
MIT analysis backs Obama - Mike Allen - POLITICO.com
MIT analysis backs Obama - Mike Allen - POLITICO.com:
"A new analysis by a leading MIT economist provides new ammunition�for Democrats as the Senate begins formally debating the historic health-reform bill being pushed by President Barack Obama."
He's actually pushing? News to me.
"A new analysis by a leading MIT economist provides new ammunition�for Democrats as the Senate begins formally debating the historic health-reform bill being pushed by President Barack Obama."
He's actually pushing? News to me.
The Safety Net - Across U.S., Food Stamp Use Soars and Stigma Fades - Series - NYTimes.com
The Safety Net - Across U.S., Food Stamp Use Soars and Stigma Fades - Series - NYTimes.com
Been to the market lately? I don't know about where you live, but here in Florida food prices are going through the roof. But we have no inflation, though. These prices are just a mirage.
Been to the market lately? I don't know about where you live, but here in Florida food prices are going through the roof. But we have no inflation, though. These prices are just a mirage.
Treasury to Pressure Mortgage Companies to Cut Payments - NYTimes.com
Treasury to Pressure Mortgage Companies to Cut Payments - NYTimes.com:
"Mr. Barr said the government would try to use shame as a corrective, publicly naming those institutions that move too slowly to permanently lower mortgage payments."
Who remembers shame any more?
"Mr. Barr said the government would try to use shame as a corrective, publicly naming those institutions that move too slowly to permanently lower mortgage payments."
Who remembers shame any more?
White House Plans To Step Up Pressure On Lenders To Help Homeowners
White House Plans To Step Up Pressure On Lenders To Help Homeowners:
"The Obama administration, battling a foreclosure crisis that shows no signs of relenting, will step up pressure on mortgage companies to do more to help people remain in their homes, officials said Saturday."
Yup. Like they pressured the banks to loan and they pressured employers to hold onto employees. They've got no pressure left. How come they don't know that?
And here we have the anthem of the Obama administration: "You do it."
"The Obama administration, battling a foreclosure crisis that shows no signs of relenting, will step up pressure on mortgage companies to do more to help people remain in their homes, officials said Saturday."
Yup. Like they pressured the banks to loan and they pressured employers to hold onto employees. They've got no pressure left. How come they don't know that?
And here we have the anthem of the Obama administration: "You do it."
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Truthdig - Arts and Culture - Fred Branfman on ‘The Making of an Elder Culture’
Truthdig - Arts and Culture - Fred Branfman on ‘The Making of an Elder Culture’:
"Although he believes aging can transform individuals, however, Roszak aims far higher, urging boomers to rekindle their youthful idealism and remake America: “I seek ... above all, to create a new paradigm for aging that will enable the baby boom generation to live out its history with moral courage and high expectations.”"
Oh, God willing.
"Others, while sharing Roszak’s hopes, will see them as being as naive as his overblown depiction of baby boomers in his best-selling 1969 book, “The Making of the Counter Culture.” Roszak himself writes now that “perhaps I would have [had] less hope of rapid social change if I could have foreseen how many members of the younger generation would eventually wind up as cultural conservatives or evangelical Christians [or] settle for lucrative business careers.” Also, of course, many formerly liberal boomers have grown politically disengaged over time."
"Although he believes aging can transform individuals, however, Roszak aims far higher, urging boomers to rekindle their youthful idealism and remake America: “I seek ... above all, to create a new paradigm for aging that will enable the baby boom generation to live out its history with moral courage and high expectations.”"
Oh, God willing.
"Others, while sharing Roszak’s hopes, will see them as being as naive as his overblown depiction of baby boomers in his best-selling 1969 book, “The Making of the Counter Culture.” Roszak himself writes now that “perhaps I would have [had] less hope of rapid social change if I could have foreseen how many members of the younger generation would eventually wind up as cultural conservatives or evangelical Christians [or] settle for lucrative business careers.” Also, of course, many formerly liberal boomers have grown politically disengaged over time."
Op-Ed Columnist - Taxing the Speculators - NYTimes.com
Op-Ed Columnist - Taxing the Speculators - NYTimes.com:
"But bad investments aren’t the whole story of the crisis. What turned those bad investments into catastrophe was the financial system’s excessive reliance on short-term money."
"But bad investments aren’t the whole story of the crisis. What turned those bad investments into catastrophe was the financial system’s excessive reliance on short-term money."
Obama's Secret Climate Pact - The Daily Beast
Obama's Secret Climate Pact - The Daily Beast:
"By leaving early, Obama has drawn some European criticism since he will not be present for the later-stage arm-twisting that could be decisive in reaching an international agreement. Yet that scheduling decision also avoids any potential embarrassment in case Copenhagen ends up with no agreement whatsoever – a possible repeat of the Olympics fiasco. Speculation has already surfaced that the President might jet back to Copenhagen if a deal is within reach a week later. “Let’s hope there’s good karma in Copenhagen this time,” says one White House official."
"By leaving early, Obama has drawn some European criticism since he will not be present for the later-stage arm-twisting that could be decisive in reaching an international agreement. Yet that scheduling decision also avoids any potential embarrassment in case Copenhagen ends up with no agreement whatsoever – a possible repeat of the Olympics fiasco. Speculation has already surfaced that the President might jet back to Copenhagen if a deal is within reach a week later. “Let’s hope there’s good karma in Copenhagen this time,” says one White House official."
Huff TV: Arianna Discusses Obama's Afghanistan Decision On Charlie Rose (VIDEO)
Huff TV: Arianna Discusses Obama's Afghanistan Decision On Charlie Rose (VIDEO):
"Arianna argued that Obama's reported decision to escalate the war in Afghanistan calls into question his whole leadership. He stood before the country during the Democratic National Convention in 2008 and told voters that the greatest risk for the U.S. in Afghanistan would be to do the same old thing, play the same old politics, with the same old players and then expect different results. And yet here he is, Arianna explained, poised to do just that."
"Arianna argued that Obama's reported decision to escalate the war in Afghanistan calls into question his whole leadership. He stood before the country during the Democratic National Convention in 2008 and told voters that the greatest risk for the U.S. in Afghanistan would be to do the same old thing, play the same old politics, with the same old players and then expect different results. And yet here he is, Arianna explained, poised to do just that."
Arianna Huffington: Will The Unemployment Disaster Be Obama's Katrina?
Arianna Huffington: Will The Unemployment Disaster Be Obama's Katrina?:
"Just as Katrina exposed critical weaknesses in the priorities and competence of the Bush administration, the unfolding unemployment disaster is threatening to do the same for the Obama White House."
"Just as Katrina exposed critical weaknesses in the priorities and competence of the Bush administration, the unfolding unemployment disaster is threatening to do the same for the Obama White House."
Thursday, November 26, 2009
SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED, I'M YOURS?
Listening to Stevie sing Obama's theme song, and I'm thinking: we definitely signed, sealed and delivered -but he didn't. We were definitely his, but he was not ours.
You could hate a man for doing that to you.
You could hate a man for doing that to you.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Whose Recession Is It, Anyway? - Opinionator Blog - NYTimes.com
Whose Recession Is It, Anyway? - Opinionator Blog - NYTimes.com
"Given the precarious state of the economy and widespread concerns about unemployment, common sense suggests concerns over the deficit should wane. But the poll found that a whopping 67% of respondents want the emphasis to be on deficit reduction, while 30% see the deficit as necessary under the circumstances. Those results are very similar to those from an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll taken a few weeks ago.
"It’s probably worth noting that the majority is hopelessly wrong. I’m not even sure if the majority fully understands what the deficit is, why it’s large, what would be needed to make it smaller, and how it fits into the larger economic landscape. For many, it seems the “deficit” is just an amorphous concept that loosely means “bad economy.”
"Which is why it’s important that policymakers not base policy decisions on illiteracy. Americans say they want a stronger job market and a better economic growth. They also say they want less spending, lower taxes, and an immediate focus on deficit reduction. The inherent contradictions are lost on far too many."
This one really, really gets it.
The End of Music - Opinionator Blog - NYTimes.com
The End of Music - Opinionator Blog - NYTimes.com
"For more than half a century we’ve seen incredible advances in sound technology but very little if any advance in the quality of music. In this case the paradigm shift may not be a shift but a dead stop. Is it that people just don’t want to hear anything new? Or is it that composers and musicians have simply swallowed the pomo line that nothing else new can be done, which ironically is really just the “old, old story.”"
Glenn Branca has composed 13 symphonies: six for electric guitars, three for harmonic series instruments, three for orchestra and one, No. 13, for 100 guitars.
Whiner. The immediate above should explain why Branca's in the mood he's in.
Since 1960 there's been "very little if any advance in the quality of music"? Mr. Branca must have been living in some other world than the one I've been in. Or maybe he doesn't consider anything but a symphony for 100 guitars to be music.
He would be right if he limited his criticism to the period beginning in the 1990's - although even there, electronica has made a promising debut, notwithstanding there's very little sustained quality in it. We do seem to be in a dead zone. But I remember another dead zone - 1960 to 1964, when what we got was a lot of retread crap other than the advent of the twist. This one just seems to be running longer.
And I suspect the reason for that is that computers have made real musical collaboration unnecessary, since now one person can do it all himself. The best stuff always came out of cross-fertilization. There are no good ideas out there now, other than re-exploitation of old stuff - like "Jersey Boys". If they're writing stuff now like Gaudio did then, it ain't where I can hear it.
But that doesn't mean that music is dead. It does mean that you can't get much adventurous stuff played on the radio (that's just another example of the downside of corporatism). But, as always, creative people find other ways of getting their stuff heard, whether on the internet, live or whatever.
What Branca, who no doubt considers himself a "serious" musician, forgets is that what's classical to us was pop to the people around when it was made. You just never know what's going to catch on. You just have to keep putting what you've got out there - and hope America can get itself off the emotional Quaalude addiction it seems to be on right now, so that when something passes their ears which can trigger excitement and joy, they'll have enough emotional hearing left to recognize it.
Op-Ed Columnist - Thanks for the Memories - NYTimes.com
Op-Ed Columnist - Thanks for the Memories - NYTimes.com
What Obama did was to squander the moment when he could have taught America what government is supposed to do and what it is capable of doing.
The problem with getting old is that you don't understand that it has been so long since we had a government which was interested in anything besides money and war that most Americans, through no fault of their own, do not have a clue what productive government is. They think government is what they see the Republicans doing in Congress. They don't know that, in the far distant past, people used government to make things better for most everyone.
Those of you who claim to be surprised by Obama's behavior have no right to be. You should have known when he surrounded himself with Clintonites and pushed progressives aside that he was in no way what he had sold himself as. You should have known when Larry Summers became Secretary of the Treasury. You should have known in a hundred little ways which have been obvious over the past year, if you looked.
What's really annoying right now is Obama's sense that he's royalty. I keep wondering what he's going to do when it all comes crashing down on him - and, sadly, I think he, like Marie Antoinette, will have no idea why he deserves his fate.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
TUESDAYS WITH DIOGENES (11/24/09)
10.
“Obama came by here yesterday,” he said.
I was astonished. “You mean he stopped his motorcade and came over to you?”
“Yep.”
“Really? Why? What did he want?”
Diogenes shrugged. “Good photo op.”
“Did he talk to you?”
“He said words.”
“What did he say?”
“He asked if there was something he could do for me.”
“And what did you say?”
“I told him to get the hell away from me, before I caught his disease.”
“What disease?”
“Big talking. It’s infectious, you know.”
“Don’t like him much?” I laughed.
“I call him Cutie.”
“Cutie?”
“Yeah. Because he thinks he’s cute.”
“Why don’t you like him?” I wanted to know. “Think he was born in
“Wherever he was born,” he scoffed, “he came packed full of shit.”
“Explain.”
“Cutie’s a fraud. He wants you to think he believes in things.”
“And he doesn’t?”
“Oh, hell, no. You know, during the campaign, his talk about wealth inequality? He wouldn’t have said a word if Edwards hadn’t brought it up. It never would have occurred to him. Health care, too – he stole that from Hillary. You know that speech he gave where he read a letter he got from Teddy Kennedy?”
“Sure. But how do you know about it? You don’t read the papers.”
“Some of the bars with TVs, they let me in.”
“And?”
“He talked about concern for others being a moral obligation. If Teddy hadn’t written to him, he’d never have thought of that, either. He’s a user, a pretender. Like I said, a fraud. And the proof is that, for all his talk, he hasn’t done one good thing.”
“Did you vote for him?” I asked him.
Dio laughed. “People with no fixed abode don’t vote.”
“You never vote?”
“No. I can’t.”
“You could if you settled down someplace.”
“Settle down so I can vote? I don’t think so. But not voting – that’s the only thing I don’t like about myself.”
I asked: “Would you have voted for Cutie if you could?”
“Nah. I knew he was a fake from the gitgo.”
“You would have voted for Bush?”
“That would have been suicide. No, Bentley, I think I would have voted for you.”
“You didn’t know me then,” I said.
“You weren’t running, either.”
“So is there any politician you actually liked?” I asked.
“Yeah,” he smiled. “Jimmy Carter. I loved that guy. Man, was he connected to the soul of the world.”
“What do you mean?” I wondered.
“Easy, bro. He never did nothing he didn’t think was a moral thing to do. And he knew what a moral thing was.”
“He wasn’t a very good president.”
“No, you right.”
“Maybe being moral is not a good thing in a president. Maybe we just need people who can do what has to be done.”
“The last one thought he was doing what had to be done. No better way to get messed up. I tell you what,” he said. “I’ve been looking for years for a man who can get things done, but won’t do them unless they’re the moral thing to do.” He pointed behind him, into the tube. “That’s what I use the flashlight for.”
“Haven’t found him, huh?” I laughed.
“Only thing I can tell you is he ain’t in
“Are you going to explain to me about the soul of the world?”
“Yeah, I promise, Bentley. Next time you come.”
Monday, November 23, 2009
Gilad Schalit Deal: Israel May Swap 1,000 Palestinian Prisoners For Soldier Held By Hamas
Gilad Schalit Deal: Israel May Swap 1,000 Palestinian Prisoners For Soldier Held By Hamas
Wouldn't this suggest that the Israelis are holding an awful lot of people for not very good reasons? I think it's commendable that they're willing to trade at 1000 to 1 - but they don't get to kvell over their moral judgment and concern for their own without us taking a look at why releasing 1000 prisoner does not constitute a security risk. And why the ratio of prisoners held by both sides is at least 1000 to 1.
Norman Lear: Lyndon Johnson, His National Security Advisor and His Secretary of Defense Say All
Norman Lear: Lyndon Johnson, His National Security Advisor and His Secretary of Defense Say All
Bill Moyer's program on LBJ and Vietnam was, among other things, very touching. You don't need to get the DVD. The program is available as a podcast on iTunes. Just search on Bill Moyers' Journal.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Analysis: Fed Under Fire As Public Anger Mounts
Analysis: Fed Under Fire As Public Anger Mounts
The Fed is a simple minded target. Sure, it did some stupid things - maybe even nefarious ones. But I doubt anyone knows what will happen if some of its powers are removed and not placed with another trustworthy authority. Politicizing control of finance is a very bad idea. It's the fact that finance has been politicized outside the Fed which has led to the current disasters. I think we need an intelligent analysis of exactly what the Fed now does and good reasons for not allowing it to do them in the future.
Op-Ed Columnist - The Pit Bull in the China Shop - NYTimes.com
Op-Ed Columnist - The Pit Bull in the China Shop - NYTimes.com:
"The fact-checking siege of “Going Rogue” — by the media, Democrats and aggrieved McCain campaign operatives alike — is another fruitless sideshow. Palin’s political appeal has never had anything to do with facts — or coherent policy positions. The more she is attacked for not being in possession of pointy-headed erudition, the more powerful she becomes as an avatar of the anti-elite cause. As Rich Lowry, the editor of National Review, has correctly observed, “She represents less a philosophical strain on the right than an affect and a demographic.”"
Tom Friedman Explains Causes Of America's 'Sub-Optimal Solutions' (VIDEO)
Tom Friedman Explains Causes Of America's 'Sub-Optimal Solutions' (VIDEO):
"Holding us back, Friedman argues, is a political system too closely connected with money and well-funded interests. Gerrymandering on the part of politicians makes it so that our leaders practically pick us, not the other way around. Friedman also thinks cable news television distorts the truth and that the internet (at its worst) can be a terrible thing for our nation's politics. He also says American businesses have gone AWOL, and hover over America, participating only when it suits their industry's needs.
Friedman says that better citizens--not politicians--can solve our nation's problems."
Friedman says that better citizens--not politicians--can solve our nation's problems."
Fair Game - Revisiting a Fed Waltz With A.I.G. - NYTimes.com
Fair Game - Revisiting a Fed Waltz With A.I.G. - NYTimes.com:
"Mr. Barofsky says the Fed failed to strong-arm the banks when it was negotiating payouts on the A.I.G. contracts. Rather than forcing the banks to accept a steep discount, or “haircut,” the Fed gave the banks $27 billion in taxpayer cash and allowed them to keep an additional $35 billion in collateral already posted by A.I.G. That amounted to about $62 billion for the contracts, which the report describes as “far above their market value at the time.”"
Saturday, November 21, 2009
STRAIGHTEN ME OUT
I don't understand economics, but where am I wrong on this?
Wall Street makes huge profits by huge leveraging - in other words, they borrow a ton of money and play with it. Companies leverage heavily to expand. None of them could do what they do if they had to rely on money they actually had.
Yet when the government does the same it's attacked as deficit spending by the same people who've done all the borrowing.
Somebody straighten me out on this.
THE GOOD OLD DAYS
Here's a new application of The Shock Doctrine for you:
California is defunding its public universities. Already a lot of Berkeley's better professors have moved on to private schools. In other words, California is privatizing higher education. A Republican dream fulfilled.
Sometimes I think Americans have no memory of what this country used to be. Or maybe they didn't like it much as it was. But if so, why are they the good old days?
Conservatives say the country has moved hard to the right. Yet the public still supports things like the public option, definitely a left project. How do you reconcile the two?
It's easy. The public does not understand that if it wants things from government it has to be taxed to pay for them. As long as the public is unwilling on principle to be taxed, it's hard right and it doesn't matter what its social dreams are.
And that is the great triumph of Reaganism. It seems the only justifiable government expense to those on the right is for the military. Oh, and also to pay their salaries, if they happen to work for the government. Like ... um .... Rep. Louie Gohmert, for example. Oh, and also any payout that goes into right wing hands.
I don't see why we can't take their ideas all the way. If you want to sit in Congress, you're not going to be paid. (But you can hold a second job as a lobbyist and lobby yourself. Or cut out the actual effort and just take bribes.) If you want to be protected from Islamic militants, you can hire your own army. If you want protection from burglars you can hire your own cop. If you're afraid of fires you can volunteer to fight them. Why not? That's anomie - where conservative principles lead.
Op-Ed Columnist - The Big Squander - NYTimes.com
Op-Ed Columnist - The Big Squander - NYTimes.com:
"So here’s the real tragedy of the botched bailout: Government officials, perhaps influenced by spending too much time with bankers, forgot that if you want to govern effectively you have retain the trust of the people. And by treating the financial industry — which got us into this mess in the first place — with kid gloves, they have squandered that trust."
Dave Lindorff: Obama Must Dump The Bums In Treasury, End The Wars And Start Leading
Dave Lindorff: Obama Must Dump The Bums In Treasury, End The Wars And Start Leading:
"This president is well on the way to rescuing President Hoover from history's crap heap by one-upping him in the realm of economic mismanagement. We already have Obamavilles springing up around the country. We haven't started calling them that, but Naming Day isn't far off."
Norman Goldman: Where Are The Shareholders?
Norman Goldman: Where Are The Shareholders?:
"Goldman Sachs is planning to use $20 billion to pay bonuses. TWENTY BILLION DOLLARS!!! The investors (big ones) are mad and want that cut to $10 billion. TEN BILLION IS A CUT!!! How wonderful of them! Insanity reigns and there are no adults in the room to stop the greed-fest."
He thinks bonuses should be submitted to shareholder approval. Great idea - but shareholders haven't yet figured out that what gets paid to execs could be distributed as dividends. Or, God forbid, be productively invested.
Joe the Plumber Hits Media Coverage, Tells 'E&P' He Hopes Palin Does Not Run in 2012
Joe the Plumber Hits Media Coverage, Tells 'E&P' He Hopes Palin Does Not Run in 2012:
"'I mean, quite honestly, I think it’s absurd that I got the notoriety I got for asking an elected official a question.'"
We all do, Joe. Except McCain, Palin and the press.
COOPERATION
Obama told this to the Chinese: "Indeed, because of our cooperation, both the United States and China are more prosperous and more secure."
What a bizarre thing to say.
Is China more prosperous and secure because of our "cooperation"? You bet. Are we? Depends who "we" is.
1) Our "cooperation" with China has given them technology with which to undercut sales of American technology. What "we" is more prosperous here? Some American corporations.
2) It has built their manufacturing capacity while destroying ours. Who prospers? Some American corporations.
3) It has enabled them to employ Chinese by unemploying Americans. Who prospers? You need to ask?
4) It has provided them with money winkled out of middle class pockets to purchase the goods they make.
5) It has enabled them to loan our own money back to us so we can buy more from them. They earn both the profits and the interest.
6) It has enabled us to create a political system essentially mirroring their allegedly Communist system, in which a small oligarchy makes all the important decisions. The difference between us, it seems to me, is that while China seems intent on passing on the benefits to its citizens, our oligarchy keeps them all to itself.
So, Barack - tell me you don't really believe what you said.
WHAT OBAMA DESERVES CREDIT FOR
Obama, mostly through his speeches, stirred up progressives and gave them a reason to activate. That's what I give him credit for. As for anything which happened after that, the credit goes not to Obama but to the progressives themselves, and particularly those in Congress, who have finally realized that he can't be counted on and are moving on their own to press their agenda.
Senate Health Care Vote Saturday
Senate Health Care Vote Saturday:
"A crucial first Senate vote on President Barack Obama's health care overhaul in a rare Saturday night session looms as a test of Democratic unity and the president's prestige."
That anyone would call this "President Barack Obama's health care overhaul" is truly bizarre. It's the Democrats in Congress who made this bill, with minimal help from Obama.
It is not a test of Democratic unity; it's a test of the persuasive powers of Harry Reid. If Lincoln votes for cloture, and you tell me that it was Obama who got her to do it, then I might give him some credit for this.
Some may see this as a test of Obama's prestige. But I think for most everyone he's already failed that test. For Obama, there is only a downside here. If the bill fails, it will be (in large part) his fault. If it goes through, he gets no credit.
EUREKA!
I think I have found proof that Obama has secretly been involved in shaping the health care bills.
Neither of the health care bills provide for a new system to kick in before 2013. That means that through the 2012 elections Obama can claim health care success without anyone being able to judge whether it's any good. He thinks he's going to run for reelection on it.
I think he's wrong. We'll know long before 2012 whether it will work or not. But that's the same miscalculation he's made in so many areas. Like I said, it doesn't look like he's all that bright.
Neither of the health care bills provide for a new system to kick in before 2013. That means that through the 2012 elections Obama can claim health care success without anyone being able to judge whether it's any good. He thinks he's going to run for reelection on it.
I think he's wrong. We'll know long before 2012 whether it will work or not. But that's the same miscalculation he's made in so many areas. Like I said, it doesn't look like he's all that bright.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Palin Booed By Book Tour Crowd
Palin Booed By Book Tour Crowd:
"'We gave up our entire workday, stayed in the cold, my kids were crying,' one man was quoted saying. 'They went home with my wife. She was out here in the freezing cold all day. I feel like I don't want to support Sarah.'"
What do Americans stand in long lines for hours for? Movies. A new iPhone. Black Friday sales. I.e., they'll do it for entertainment or to get something cheap. And since they mostly don't need what they buy for cheap, that's really entertainment too - the thrill of the bargain.
Conclusion? Sarah Palin is entertainment. That's why she'll be up there in 2012.
'The New Republic': Bad for the Jews
'The New Republic': Bad for the Jews:
"Personally, I would prefer that J Street redouble its efforts to reclaim 'pro-Israel' from the Jewish jingoists, as the group represents a potentially crucial counterweight to the neocon-dominated world of American Jewish institutional politics, whatever the price to its membership. In the meantime, perhaps anyone who considers him- or herself to be a genuine friend of Marty Peretz or his magazine might suggest that he consider a long, restful vacation. It would be good for The New Republic, good for American liberalism and, believe me, good for the Jews."
Will Bunch: The 26 Percent Solution
Will Bunch: The 26 Percent Solution:
"Because as if you ever needed proof that 26 percent of America -- that would be one out of every four people you see walking down the street, plus someone else's right ankle -- is totally bat-guano out-of-their-freakin'-minds crazy, check out this new poll just out:"
Landrieu, Nelson Win Goodies As Reid Seeks Their Vote On Reform | TPMDC
Landrieu, Nelson Win Goodies As Reid Seeks Their Vote On Reform | TPMDC:
"That appears to be a more justifiable offer from Reid than a separate concession to Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE), another health-care fence sitter. In a move that appears designed to win Nelson's initial procedural votes, Reid decided not to include a measure ending anti-trust exemptions for the insurance industry."
Let's see how the progressives deal with this.
IF I WERE OBAMA
If I were Obama, and I wanted to save my ass, I'd get rid of every Wall Street stooge in my administration immediately. Okay, maybe I'd keep one, just so I could keep hearing that point of view. I'd turn on a dime and go populist - though it may be too late for that.
But he won't, because all his advisors are Wall Street stooges. Except maybe David Axelrod, and to tell the truth, I don't know how Axelrod has the stomach for what his guy has and hasn't done.
Maybe Obama's a Wall Street stooge himself. Sure looks like it.
ANNIVERSARY
I just realized that the first anniversary of what was supposed to be a world-changing election has passed without a single mention in the press. Even the Democrats didn't have the balls to bring it up. Believe me, if anyone out there felt there was something to celebrate, they would be celebrating it.
That's how far Obama has fallen. And he's only half-way down.
His appearances are mostly unreported. He isn't even trying to defend himself. I think he's in shock, and I don't think he's going to come out of it.
Peter DeFazio, Dem Rep.: It's 'Pretty Embarrassing' That Dems Now Identified With Wall Street
Peter DeFazio, Dem Rep.: It's 'Pretty Embarrassing' That Dems Now Identified With Wall Street
"There is, the congressman concluded, "an anger" among the working class that could be a major factor in 2010. And without a new focus on jobs and small business from the White House, DeFazio warned, "a faux populist" Republicanism will fill the void."
The sad thing is that with a weak president Congressional Democrats cannot protect themselves. They could pass the most popular far-reaching measures with huge benefit to the middle class and it would avail them nothing - because the public face of the party is the president. Bush killed the Republicans. Of course they helped a lot. But even if they hadn't, they'd have gone down. In 2010 progressives are going to have to run on the slogan: "Don't blame me. I did what I could. It's that jerk in the White House you need to get rid of, not me."
This, by the way, will not work.
California College Tuition Costs To Increase 32 PERCENT Due To State Budget Crisis, Students Protest Hike
California College Tuition Costs To Increase 32 PERCENT Due To State Budget Crisis, Students Protest Hike
So that's what it takes to get Berkeley kids back on the barricades. Well, it was always self-interest that got them up - the draft in the '60's, tuition now.
California may yet return to its former trend-setting status. If these kids understand that their problem is due to California's idiotic anti-tax referenda - that you can't have government if you won't pay for it - maybe they'll widen their protest and get into the whole question of why Californians wanted to put themselves into the mess they're in. It's a core political question, and the protests could spread.
Gallup Poll: Obama Job Approval Falls Below 50%
Gallup Poll: Obama Job Approval Falls Below 50%:
"The ongoing, contentious debate over national healthcare reform has likely served as a drag on his public support, as have continuing economic problems. Americans are also concerned about the Obama administration's reliance on government spending to solve the nation's problems and the growing federal budget deficit. ..."
The above is insider bullshit. You can't explain Obama's fall as due to concerns about the deficit when the growing populist backlash is based on contentions that Obama has not done enough for the average guy. If federal money had been spent on creating or protecting jobs, nobody outside of DC would care about the deficit. And with public support for the public option still clear in the polls, you can't say the majority are worried about what it's going to cost.
That being said, if Obama doesn't get off his ass his approval ratings will drop to Bush range soon. Sure, some people didn't like him from day one. But his drop in popularity is due to the fact that he hasn't done a damn thing he promised to do.
SEXISM?
Fascinating, isn't it, that Olympia Snowe had to be coddled to get the health care bill out of committee and Mary Landrieu and Blanche Lincoln are the only problems getting past a filibuster.
Don't know what it says, but it says sumpin'.
Don't know what it says, but it says sumpin'.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Fed Beaten: Bill To Audit Federal Reserve Passes Key Hurdle
Fed Beaten: Bill To Audit Federal Reserve Passes Key Hurdle
Really big - not least because it was pushed by an alliance of the left and the right. As I've said before, these financial issues are going to be big and are going to capture the populist imagination. The question is which party is going to benefit. Grayson at least put the Democrats at parity. Not the White House Democrats. The real ones.
And it's a huge kick in the teeth to Geithner. I think it's fair to say that if Obama had not put Geithner in the position he now holds, this bill would not even have been presented. Obama pays the price here. It's the first of many to come.
FiveThirtyEight: Politics Done Right: 10 Reasons That Sarah Palin Could Win the Republican Nomination
White House Rebuke: Angry Dems Shut Down Vote
White House Rebuke: Angry Dems Shut Down Vote
"The refusal to vote for the package, a key priority of the administration, and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner in particular, was portrayed as a direct rebuke of the White House's "lack of response to the economic situation.""
Tim Russert's Office Newseum Exhibit Set To Open
Tim Russert's Office Newseum Exhibit Set To Open
Oh please, please, please.
I know. It's good for NBC - and the media as a whole - to canonize someone who can't screw up any more.
Hamid Karzai Sworn In For Second 5-Year Term As Afghan President
Hamid Karzai Sworn In For Second 5-Year Term As Afghan President:
"'We are determined that by the next five years, the Afghan forces are capable of taking the lead in ensuring security and stability across the country,' Karzai said."
Now you know what Obama is going to do.
Political satire show has Afghans glued to their TVs - Asia, World - The Independent
Political satire show has Afghans glued to their TVs -
Asia, World - The Independent
Asia, World - The Independent
This is the first thing I've read which gives me any cause for hope for Afghanistan.
We tend to think of the country as not even having TV. What else do we not know about Afghanistan? Our ignorance must be enormous.
Torture Memo Author Sets Up Defense Fund to Fight Possible Impeachment - Declassified Blog - Newsweek.com
Fred Thompson: Afghan war 'has been lost' - Ben Smith - POLITICO.com
Fred Thompson: Afghan war 'has been lost' - Ben Smith - POLITICO.com
Obama asked for this, and now he's gonna get it. Not only will he be tarred with what inevitably must be some retreat from Afghanistan, but he'll take his party down with him. All he had to do to avoid this was to let the public know what was in his mind.
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
Poll: Majority Of Republicans Don't Think Obama Won 2008 Election
Poll: Majority Of Republicans Don't Think Obama Won 2008 Election
This simply cannot be helped. Which is why I think it's time for Democrats and progressives to disengage from these Republicans and from talking with and about them publicly. There's only a short time window in which progressives can get things accomplished. Do them, and let them speak for themselves. Arguments cannot be won.
CLEAR YOUR HEAD
Re Afghanistan, Obama seems to think that the American people want due deliberation from their president. And they do. But if the deliberations go on too long, people begin to think he's just ducking the issue.
He could have avoided that by explaining in detail what he was thinking, or at least what he was weighing. The public debate on the issue could have begun long ago. But not only is he saying nothing - he's condemning those in his administration who have revealed any details. This is a clear indication that we have an administration which doesn't remember that Obama is going to want to get re-elected. That the administration has the corporatist mentality that they are going to do what they want and fuck everybody else. But the public gets to vote on who is America's CEO. You ought to clear your head, Rahm, before you stick Obama's in the toilet.
I think it is now fair to say that this is the worst Democratic administration in modern times.
Geithner Asked To Resign; 'Mr. Secretary, The Public Has Lost All Confidence In Your Ability To Do Your Job' (VIDEO)
CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN?
Possibly.
When Obama was elected, we all sat back and said: Okay - do all those things you promised you would. Of course, he did none of them. Wounded by that massive betrayal, our first response is to retreat away from hopeless politics. But now it's different.
That betrayal has made people understand that change will have to be forced from below. I have to credit the teabaggers for some of that. Although teabaggers want the opposite of change, they have reminded us that protest can be effective. Now the left is getting out there more. And unlike the teabaggers, for whom it is impossible to measure positive results, they're beginning to get things done.
Any progress that has been made toward social justice so far must be credited to some progressive congresspeople and to the people who have been pushing them and to whom they have been responsive. I don't think Nancy Pelosi is a particularly effective spokesman for progressive causes, but I think it's clear by now that she believes in them and is doing her damnedest to get them through. Even Harry Reid is doing better than I ever thought he would - probably pushed by Nevadans, so God bless them.
It will be a long, awful process to take the country back from the aristocracy we have enabled for so long. But momentum seems to be shifting now. We have to keep the pressure on. Because sensible people know what's going wrong, and will be behind real efforts to change the way the system works. We know that because they voted for Obama. Now we have to get them to ignore him, move around him and accomplish change.
The Virtue Of Shutting Up | The New Republic
The Virtue Of Shutting Up | The New Republic:
"To respond to an opponent, even harshly, even rudely, is to accord her a certain respect—to treat her as worthy of a response. But Palin is worthy of no such thing. She stands for nothing beyond her own self-promotion. She craves attention, and negative attention is a form of attention. Even ridicule can be a form of flattery. Better to bow out, to decline the provocation, since responding to her perpetuates and legitimates the illusion that she’s a serious player in our nation’s politics."
She's a political O J Simpson. They'll talk about her endlessly. To expect the media to do otherwise is absurd.
But she does stand for something. She stands for the wild desire of the unremarkable to be lionized. For the acknowledgement that talent and intellect are meaningless. For the denial of the value of quality. She stands for the mediocre - and there are a lot of them. She has value as a symbol of how many Americans think. As a constant reminder that there is a reason why those in power don't fear the average guy, as they should in a democracy. She is a great lesson to be learned. But the media won't teach it.
Rep. DeFazio: Fire 'Timmy' Geithner
Rep. DeFazio: Fire 'Timmy' Geithner
"[Obama] is being failed by his economic team," DeFazio concluded. "We may have to sacrifice just two more jobs to get millions back for Americans."
Maybe he's just being polite. He has to know Obama is getting from Summers and Geithner what he wanted.
HOODWINKED
John Perkins' book Hoodwinked may be simplistic, but if you believe what he writes (and I do) you have to conclude either that Obama was always a Friedmanite (after all, he and most of his administration come from Chicago, the home of Friedmanism which is called the Chicago School - a fact I ignored until recently) and a disciple of Reagan (or, certainly, Clinton) - or that sometime along the path to his election he was taken aside and read the riot act by the people who really run this place. What they told him I don't know - someone with real ethics, which Obama does not have, would have had to have been injected with an obedience-inducing drug - but they put Rahm Emanuel next to him to make sure that he never actually did what he had promised us he would do during the campaign.
Whichever is true, Obama is certainly a Friedmanite now - or if it can't be put so specifically, he is certainly a supporter of the Masters of the Universe. To be honest, I can't rule it out that when he realized what was expected of a president, Obama just threw up his hands and turned it all over to Rahm, contenting himself with making speeches and taking adulation (which there has been a shortage of of late).
If any attempt is being made to overturn Friedmanism, it's in the Congress and not the White House. To the extent that any socially responsible legislation is actually passed, it would be nice to hear, even after the fact, that Obama had pushed for it. I, however, am not holding my breath.
Read the book - a generalistic companion to The Shock Doctrine - and tell me where Perkins got it wrong.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Brian Williams Accepts Cronkite Award, Says Cronkite Wouldn't "Have Cracked Through" In Today's Media Landscape
Brian Williams Accepts Cronkite Award, Says Cronkite Wouldn't "Have Cracked Through" In Today's Media Landscape:
"'I am convinced that had he come along today, I don't think he would have cracked through. I think there's too much noise, too much to cut through for a modest man from Missouri,'"
Oprah has certainly cracked through, although her focus is not on news. Beck, Limbaugh and Hannity have cracked through, although their focus is on the cracked.
It cannot be possible that someone as staid, stable and credible as Cronkite could not crack through today. He might not look like Cronkite, but if he's trusted he could crack through. What Williams is saying, really, is that there's no one out there now who commands that trust. And he's right, including himself. With the possible exception of Jon Stewart, who has definitely cracked through.
Find the right non-comedian and it will happen. The finding is the toughest part.
Because America does not produce a lot of trustworthy people, particularly among those who want more than anything to make it big. Texas' gay marriage ban may have banned all marriages - Politics AP - MiamiHerald.com
Texas' gay marriage ban may have banned all marriages - Politics AP - MiamiHerald.com
If there were any courts in Texas which weren't political.
Fox News Runs Old Palin Campaign Footage, Reports It As Book-Signing Crowds
Fox News Runs Old Palin Campaign Footage, Reports It As Book-Signing Crowds:
"I think this appears to be little more than a momentary disconnect between newsreader and news producer than a conscious attempt to mislead."
Oh.
MORAL OUTRAGE?
Why were Americans so angry about Bush's indifference to Katrina? Because Americans love moral outrage - it gives them something to do - and that immorality of that indifference was obvious. But Americans need to be led to moral outrage by media, and maybe need some hints that what they're seeing is outrageous. Which explains why there is no moral outrage whatsoever over the fact that nothing promised for New Orleans has been done.
Actually, I'm not sure it's possible to create moral outrage over that. The compelling video isn't there. It's much too difficult to understand what's not happening if the story has to be told in words.
Although you would think the American black community might be a little bit outraged over the little the first American black president has done about New Orleans. But I'm not hearing anything about that.
Secret Service under strain as leaders face more threats - The Boston Globe
Secret Service under strain as leaders face more threats - The Boston Globe
But if they only understood who he was, Obama would be the safest man in America. His great danger is from people who don't get it. Maybe he ought to explain to them that he's the guy they want.
Book Review: Patience With God: Faith for People Who Don't Like Religion (or Atheism) by Frank Schaeffer - Blogcritics Books
Book Review: Patience With God: Faith for People Who Don't Like Religion (or Atheism) by Frank Schaeffer - Blogcritics
Books
Books
"At the core of Patience With God is Schaeffer’s discovery of the “gift of paradox” and his general worship of the uncertain. His faith in God is couched in not knowing what or who God is rather than in identifying the deity (or perhaps deities) with a number of self-serving characteristics. His exploration of faith is one of existing in the universe, of unity with other human beings regardless of personal faith and conviction, and of compassion with an emphasis on tolerance and authenticity."
A Year of Obama by Alexander Cockburn on Creators.com - A Syndicate Of Talent
A Year of Obama by Alexander Cockburn on Creators.com - A Syndicate Of Talent:
"If you want to see the year's political price for dropping the ball on the greatest political opportunity we'll see in our lifetime to curb the power of Wall Street and set a new economic course, just look at the recent election numbers in Virginia, which voted for a Democratic president last year for the first time since the Johnson sweep of 1964 and handed the Democrats three Republican House seats. In these same three districts earlier in November, Republican Bob McDonnell — running on a we-need-jobs platform and against a terrible climate bill built on junk science — clinched the governor's race by huge margins as independents, seniors, suburban voters and stay-at-home Democrats took out their disillusion with Obama."
It is fascinating, when you think about it. As many say, there is a battle on for control of the American right. But it's not between the Republicans and the Tea Party - the Tea Party doesn't want to control the right, it wants to be ideologically pure and doesn't much care who it controls. No, it's between the Republicans and Obama.
Don't forget that the real reason Republicans hated Clinton so much was that he horned in heavy on their territory. Obama is doing the same, and here's the mystery: since nominal Republicans have kowtowed so much to the radical right, why are not more sensible Republicans moving into line behind Obama? One obvious reason is the Democrats in Congress, who are not following Obama at all. But when the Republicans take Congress in 2010, the natural alliance would be between money Republicans and Obama, shoving the Democratic left and the radical right off into the distance as irrelevant. And considering the quality of possible Republican presidential candidates, that would be the smart Republican's move.
I'd look for signs of that in a few months.
EXCLUSIVE: Two Leading House Dems Will Close $50 Trillion Loophole In Derivatives Reform Bills
EXCLUSIVE: Two Leading House Dems Will Close $50 Trillion Loophole In Derivatives Reform Bills:
"Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank and Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson will insist that foreign exchange derivatives be subject to the same transparency and accountability rules as other derivatives. The legislation as proposed by the Obama administration had exempted them."
Obama CBS Interview: I'd Fire The Afghanistan Decision Leakers
Obama CBS Interview: I'd Fire The Afghanistan Decision Leakers
Like Bush fired the Plame leakers? Give you 100-1 nothing comes of this.
Rachel Maddow, Frank Schaeffer Discuss The Latest In Thinly-Veiled Evangelical Christian Obama Death Threats
Mike Lux: Winning the 2010 Elections
Mike Lux: Winning the 2010 Elections
If, if, if ... What are the odds?
The only thing I know for sure is that Obama cannot pull it off again. I really can't fathom why the White House doesn't understand that they are digging not only their own grave but that of Democrats in Congress.
Biden On The Bailout: 'Socialism For The Rich And Capitalism For The Poor' (VIDEO)
Biden On The Bailout: 'Socialism For The Rich And Capitalism For The Poor' (VIDEO)
Shoulda bin president.
Audit The Fed Effort Under Threat In House
Audit The Fed Effort Under Threat In House:
"Rep. Mel Watt, a Democrat from North Carolina, has introduced an amendment intended as an alternative to the measure to audit the Federal Reserve introduced by Reps. Ron Paul (R-Texas) and Alan Grayson's (D-Fla.) . But instead of increasing transparency, as the amendment claims to do, Watt's measure would instead make the institution more opaque."
Dems Want Unspent TARP Funds For Main Street Bailout
Dems Want Unspent TARP Funds For Main Street Bailout:
"A decision to spend the $210 billion in unused TARP money on a bailout for main street would pit congressional Democrats against president Obama, who hopes to use the leftover bank bailout funds to pay down the the nation's deficit,"
Truthdig - Reports - Who Are You and What Have You Done With the Community Organizer We Elected President?
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
David Hamilton Survives The Senate As Democrats Crush GOP Filibuster
David Hamilton Survives The Senate As Democrats Crush GOP Filibuster:
"Obama, however, has been much slower than Bush in sending the Senate nominees to fill court vacancies."
Nelson On Board For Second Round Of Spending
Nelson On Board For Second Round Of Spending
"January's State of the Union address, the report said, will focus on cutting the deficit. Democratsdid the same thing in 1937, as the economy was recovering from the Great Depression, and plunged the country back into recession."
Elizabeth Warren: Financial Rules 'Literally Don't Work Anymore,' Regulations Should Be 'Clear And Painful'
Major retailers reportedly selling Palin's Going Rogue below cost | Media Matters for America
Major retailers reportedly selling Palin's Going Rogue below cost | Media Matters for America
A book which is not out cannot have significant actual sales to actual readers unless pre-orders are massive. What puts a book like this to the top of the bestseller lists are two things: 1) it is purchased by organizations with a political interest in the book and then given away to its members and others; and 2) booksellers simply are not sure if anyone will want this book, but err on the side of caution by making huge orders, knowing the book can easily be returned for full credit.
By the time figures on actual sales to the public are available, the media will have no interest in printing them. But my guess is that Palin's readers will be those who read the Star and the Enquirer. Those are a lot of people, but I can't see them springing for a book.
Politicus - Why Europe Feels Rejected by Obama - NYTimes.com
Politicus - Why Europe Feels Rejected by Obama - NYTimes.com
I eagerly await revelation as to whether there is any way Obama can fail that he hasn't yet.
TUESDAYS WITH DIOGENES (11/17/09)
9.
They only kept me in jail for one night. The messiah dropped the charges, on my commitment never to bother her again. Because I was a well-known writer, the cops assumed I was harmless crazy, so I avoided a psych eval. Thank God, because I didn’t do well with those.
My ex had been a Catholic. I was not. So, as we planned the wedding, I had to present myself to the diocese so they could check me out. They handed me a questionnaire I had to complete – one of those documents which looked benign but the writing on which could damn you for the rest of your days.
They asked me what I loved. I named my wife-to-be. They asked me what I hated. I said “Asparagus.” They asked me to draw the figure of a man. For the life of me, I had no idea whether or not, in their judgment, a penis should be included. So I drew one in, and then I crossed it out. Not only did they not institutionalize me, they allowed me to go ahead and make the biggest mistake of my life.
When next I met with Diogenes, I gave him back his flashlight and told him all the details of that madcap night. He reached out and put his hand on my shoulder:
“Not bad, Bentley. Really. Not bad. So what have you learned? How can you tell a human from a replica?”
Well – a human does not spread or believe outrageous, incredible lies because they buttress his point of view. And certainly not when the lies are completely obvious. A human cares about the truth – to the best of his ability. A human does not make a living by screwing other people over. And certainly does not brag about it. A human does not think his looks matter more than his behavior. And certainly not more than his brain.
A human is not addicted to pointless talk. Even if it can win him a contract. A human does not brag on his superiority. Particularly when it isn’t true. A human does not attack someone else for no reason. Or even if there is a reason, as long as it isn’t necessary. A human does not care if he who dies with the most toys wins. He does not need lots of money just to one up his neighbors. He doesn’t betray his brothers for personal gain. And he surely doesn’t rape women through dangled offers of jobs.
“Well, no,” Diogenes answered. “Sorry. Humans do all of that.”
“Well, shit,” I said. “I guess I wasted a night.”
“If I had asked you to find me scumbags, you’d have hit one hundred percent. But humans guilty of none of those things are extremely rare. They could have been defined as “saints” before the church whored out that term.”
“So what did I miss then?” I wanted to know.
“The thing that makes the difference between humans and replicas.”
“Which is?”
“A human looks at others as he wants them to look at him. He judges them in the same way he wants to be judged. He recognizes their humanity, at least for starters. As far as he can, he gives them the benefit of the doubt. That doesn’t mean you have to give them love, just basic respect, unless and until they forfeit their right to that. Everyone is clean until proven otherwise.
“But a replica sees nothing when he looks at people. He thinks he doesn’t need to, because he already knows who they are. Maybe the Bible has told him. Maybe Glenn Beck. Maybe his boss, maybe his golfing pals, maybe the guys in his gun club. Maybe the little faggot who trains his horse. Whoever, someone has told him that they are bad. Or worse, he doesn’t care about people at all.
“He only uses his brain as a tool – not as inspiration. It doesn’t connect him up to the soul of the world. He doesn’t even know that it exists.”
“I never heard of the soul of the world,” I said.
“See? That proves it.”
“Proves what?”
“That it doesn’t exist.” Diogenes laughed and gave me a pat on the back. “Man, I just went so far over your head I might have been in orbit. That’s enough for one day. I gotta slow this down.”
There was one thing I had to know. “What about that waitress? She was surely a human, wasn’t she?”
“Does she look at others in the way she wants them to look at her?”
“How the hell should I know?”
“Right. So how should I? Don’t ask me questions I don’t know the answers to. It’s embarrassing, Bentley. I feel small.”
“Sorry.”
“You did miss one big thing, though, I’m afraid.”
“What?” I clamored, near out of control with frustration.
“It shouldn’t matter to you whether anyone else is human. The only thing that should matter is whether you are. The human I was hoping you would find was yourself. Shit, I’m too fucking subtle for my own good.”
Click here for the next chapter.
Monday, November 16, 2009
HOW TO EXPLAIN MARKET RISE?
People with money were bored with it going down.
Stocks these days are Ponzi schemes. They will go up until people decide it's time to start shorting them. The people with the stocks when the shorting begins are the suckers who bought at the top of the market. The beauty of it is that it can be run over and over again just by having enough clout to make it (apparently) clear to the followers which way the market is going to day.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
FACE
If I were a woman, I'd be screaming bloody murder about Palin being the face of women in politics. But then I don't hear a lot of men complaining about the hundreds of idiots who are our face.
Editorial - Reform and Medical Costs - NYTimes.com
Editorial - Reform and Medical Costs - NYTimes.com:
"The stimulus package provided money to convert the inefficient, paper-driven medical system to electronic records that can be easily viewed and transmitted. This requires upfront investments to help doctors convert. In time it should help restrain costs by eliminating redundant tests, preventing drug interactions, and helping doctors find the best treatments."
Excuse me - who helped my law firm computerize? This is - or should be - a cost of being in medical practice. Doctors should pay for it the same way they pay their rent, and any doctor who doesn't upgrade should be barred from practice by state law.
"Virtually all experts agree that the fee-for-service system — doctors are rewarded for the quantity of care rather than its quality or effectiveness — is a primary reason that the cost of care is so high. Most agree that the solution is to push doctors to accept fixed payments to care for a particular illness or for a patient’s needs over a year. No one knows how to make that happen quickly."
No one knows? Lots of people know. You simply stop paying them what they want. If they don't like it, they can go to work on Wall Street, where a good number of them would be more comfortable than where they are.
And so on.
Why is the simple solution never the right one? All systems can be gamed. But the less complex you make it, and the less small fixes you make to try to accommodate entrenched interests, the less opportunity for gaming you provide.
"The Senate Finance bill would impose an excise tax on health insurance plans that cost more than $8,000 for an individual or $21,000 for a family. It would most likely cause insurers to redesign plans to fall beneath the threshold. Enrollees would have to pay more money for many services out of their own pockets, and that would encourage them to think twice about whether an expensive or redundant test was worth it. Economists project that most employers would shift money from expensive health benefits into wages. The House bill has no similar tax. The final legislation should."
Very interesting thinking. What this means is that health care costs will rise for people on these plans. Rather than causing people to think about whether an expensive test was worth it, the likely result will be that people will not get expensive tests that they need to have - basically moving the scenario of people dying for lack of diagnosis up the scale of coverage. And any economist who believes that most employers will give the money they save from health care plans to their employees hasn't been around since 1980.
"The stimulus package provided money to convert the inefficient, paper-driven medical system to electronic records that can be easily viewed and transmitted. This requires upfront investments to help doctors convert. In time it should help restrain costs by eliminating redundant tests, preventing drug interactions, and helping doctors find the best treatments."
Excuse me - who helped my law firm computerize? This is - or should be - a cost of being in medical practice. Doctors should pay for it the same way they pay their rent, and any doctor who doesn't upgrade should be barred from practice by state law.
"Virtually all experts agree that the fee-for-service system — doctors are rewarded for the quantity of care rather than its quality or effectiveness — is a primary reason that the cost of care is so high. Most agree that the solution is to push doctors to accept fixed payments to care for a particular illness or for a patient’s needs over a year. No one knows how to make that happen quickly."
No one knows? Lots of people know. You simply stop paying them what they want. If they don't like it, they can go to work on Wall Street, where a good number of them would be more comfortable than where they are.
And so on.
Why is the simple solution never the right one? All systems can be gamed. But the less complex you make it, and the less small fixes you make to try to accommodate entrenched interests, the less opportunity for gaming you provide.
Think Progress � McCain urges town hall attendees to cut up thier AARP membership cards.
Think Progress � McCain urges town hall attendees to cut up thier AARP membership cards.
Unfortunately, approximately 65% of those who heard his speech cut up their AAA cards instead. Seven people's cars broke down on the way home from the speech and it cost them each $600 for a tow.
Really, McCain gives great advice: retirees should dissociate from the one organization that strives to protect the interests of retirees through what is effectively social unionization, and join the Tea Party which believes that every individual should stand alone and nothing should be done for anyone.
Can't say he isn't straight up about what he believes.