ThinkFast: October 12, 2007
ThinkFast: October 12, 2007
The “richest Americans’ share of national income has hit a postwar record,” with the “wealthiest 1% of Americans earn[ing] 21.2% of all income in 2005, according to new data from the Internal Revenue Service. … The bottom 50% earned 12.8% of all income, down from 13.4% in 2004.”
The New York Times’s Paul Krugman covers the right-wing smear of Graeme Frost and his family, calling it “a perfect illustration of the modern right-wing political machine at work, and in particular its routine reliance on character assassination in place of honest debate.”
“A comprehensive global study of abortion has concluded that abortion rates are similar in countries where it is legal and those where it is not, suggesting that outlawing the procedure does little to deter women seeking it.” Additionally, abortion was found to be more dangerous where it is outlawed.
The ethics watchdog CREW asked a federal judge yesterday to order the White House to preserve tapes used to back up its e-mail system. “The White House is refusing to confirm that they have maintained e-mail going back to the beginning of the administration as they are required by law to do,” said Melanie Sloan, executive director of CREW.
In an “unusual” and “unprecedented” move, CIA director Michael Hayden has ordered an “internal inquiry into the work of the agency’s inspector general,” who has been responsible for “aggressive investigations” of the CIA’s detention and interrogation programs.
Time magazine asks, “Who will be punished for Haditha?” While few dispute the fact that “women and children were killed in their homes alongside adult males by U.S. Marines” in Hadith on Nov. 19, 2005, “the likelihood is” that none of the soldiers involved will be charged for murder.
The Sept. 16 shootout in Baghdad by Blackwater guards was a “criminal event,” according to a report by the first U.S. soldiers to arrive on the scene. “It had every indication of an excessive shooting,” said Lt. Col. Mike Tarsa, who led the troops who responded to the incident.
“Republican sources confirmed Thursday that 18-term Rep. Ralph Regula (R-Ohio) will announce his retirement imminently, perhaps as soon as Friday” If Regula does in fact make it official tomorrow, he will be the tenth Republican to retire this cycle.
And finally: Even the White House has noticed Radiohead’s new album. Deputy Press Secretary Tony Fratto is reportedly a “big fan” of the group and plans to download “In Rainbows.” National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said that he is “90 percent sure” he has a few Radiohead songs on his iPod, but none from their 2003 album, “Hail to the Thief,” which is considered a reference to President Bush.
What did we miss? Let us know in the comments section.
Topic Cloud
ArchivesBlog Roll
Additionally, abortion was found to be more dangerous where it is outlawed.
I’m thinking the right would see that as a plus for outlawing abortion. Punish those who sin or some crap like that.
October 12th, 2007 at 9:03 amThe “richest Americans’ share of national income has hit a postwar record,†with the “wealthiest 1% of Americans earn[ing] 21.2% of all income in 2005, according to new data from the Internal Revenue Service. … The bottom 50% earned 12.8% of all income, down from 13.4% in 2004.â€
The last time we saw a wealth distribution like this in the States was in the 1920s.
Remember how that turned out?
October 12th, 2007 at 9:04 amCIA director Michael Hayden has ordered an “internal inquiry into the work of the agency’s inspector general,†who has been responsible for “aggressive investigationsâ€
Irony, we hardly knew ye.
October 12th, 2007 at 9:07 amOff topic but I’m desperate
Could someone please point me to a web site detailing Bush’s abuse’s of power. I am very familiar with the machinations of this administration but am fighting with conservatives that are starting in earnest their attack on Hillary Clinton and others.
I really don’t have the time to sit and detail every step toward the fascist state we now find ourselves in taken by this administration.
To better serve the short attention span of Republicans if I could find a bullet list that would be perfect.
I have perused many of the usual Democratic sites as well as others but none seem comprehensive enough.
I really really would appreciate any help.
Thanks
October 12th, 2007 at 9:08 am#1, Dave C,
Sadly, libs have convinced you that Reps follow a strawman position on abortion. Even James Carville repudiates your statement in his book where he cites that 91% of Americans (90% of Americans being Christian, so I expect there is some overlap) want safe, legal abortions for cases in which the life / health of the mother is threatened by the pregnancy.
Dems won’t give what 90+% of what the people want, because the divisive issue helps them hold power.
October 12th, 2007 at 9:11 amABORTION: Facts are irrelvant
October 12th, 2007 at 9:16 amLaws don’t reduce abortions, just make them more hazardous. Abstinence counseling doesn’t reduce pregnancies nor abortions. All the favorite right-wing maneuvers just don’t work in the real world. Those are the facts. But those facts are irrelevant. Abortion and pregnancy and sexuality make for hot-button issues around which to propagandize and grab political power. “Get’em by the balls, and their hearts and minds will follow.”
WHY NOTHING ON TURKEY?
October 12th, 2007 at 9:18 amI’ve still seen nothing here so far about the bipartisan Congressional resolution condemning Ottoman Turkish genocide of Armenians. Turkey has already recalled their ambassador to the US. Turkey just MIGHT shut down the US logistics route to Iraq. Most supplies heading into Iraq are hauled through Turkey. Ruining US-Turkey relations and shutting down that supply route will be a subtle and effective way of starving the US military machine and ending the occupation, eh?
hugh’s list
October 12th, 2007 at 9:19 amI know this is in the prior post, but I just got here.
Congratulations Al Gore!
October 12th, 2007 at 9:19 amCongress can’t challenge The Decider, they are too busy trying to determine what happened between Turkey and the Armenians in 1915.
Good God.
What a friggin’ mess.
-GSD
October 12th, 2007 at 9:23 amThe “top 1%” is earning nearly twice as much as the bottom “50%“? Yeesh.
October 12th, 2007 at 9:24 amComment by rocks911 — October 12, 2007 @ 9:08 am
Here, this should get you started –
http://www.netrootsmass.net/Hugh/Bush_list.html
October 12th, 2007 at 9:24 amHaditha massacre = war crimes. German troops who commited atrocities were punished after WWII for their crimes. Why should US troops get a free pass?
October 12th, 2007 at 9:25 am#4 > Could someone please point me to a web site detailing Bush’s abuse’s of power?
rocks911,
DU (DemocraticUnderground) keeps a “Master List” of Republican scandals in their Research Forum, but I’m not sure if it has been updated in a while. The list was getting so long, it was becoming too cumbersome to keep current.
October 12th, 2007 at 9:28 amLynn and Missmolly,
Thanks so much. Very comprehensive to be sure. Saved me a lot of work.
October 12th, 2007 at 9:28 amYou girls Rock!
The “richest Americans’ share of national income has hit a postwar record,†with the “wealthiest 1% of Americans earn[ing] 21.2% of all income in 2005, according to new data from the Internal Revenue Service. … The bottom 50% earned 12.8% of all income, down from 13.4% in 2004.â€
The REAL Mission Accomplished…
October 12th, 2007 at 9:29 amThe “richest Americans’ share of national income has hit a postwar record,†with the “wealthiest 1% of Americans earn[ing] 21.2% of all income in 2005, according to new data from the Internal Revenue Service.
What did you expect?
Oh, I forgot that crap about free trade that was going to solve everybody´s economic problems… Suuuuuure.
October 12th, 2007 at 9:29 amThe REAL Mission Accomplished…
October 12th, 2007 at 9:30 amComment by RUCerious
Mugsy,
I visited that this morning, you’re right it kinda tails off. I completely understand, when I though about listing the examples of abuse of power by this administration it soon dawned on me just how daunting that would be .
Thanks
October 12th, 2007 at 9:32 amIn an “unusual†and “unprecedented†move, CIA director Michael Hayden has ordered an “internal inquiry into the work of the agency’s inspector general,†who has been responsible for “aggressive investigations†of the CIA’s detention and interrogation programs.
Hey! Quit investigating our abuses of power!
Oh, that’s your job?
Well, then, we’ll just investigate you.
This is screwed up in so many ways…
October 12th, 2007 at 9:32 amThe “richest Americans’ share of national income has hit a postwar record,†with the “wealthiest 1% of Americans earn[ing] 21.2% of all income in 2005, according to new data from the Internal Revenue Service.
That really should read “wealthiest 1% of Americans hold 21.2% of all the wealth in 2005″. Saying they “earned” their money and that it was “income” implies they worked for their wealth. When, in fact, most of these people earned their “income” off of investments not wages.
October 12th, 2007 at 9:40 ama perfect illustration of the modern right-wing political machine at work, and in particular its routine reliance on character assassination in place of honest debate.â€
This is true. The Right has not debated the merits of this family being eligible for the SCHIP program. All they have done is to distort the facts and stalk this family. The Republicans don’t know the meaning of the word debate.
October 12th, 2007 at 9:42 amA comprehensive global study of abortion has concluded that abortion rates are similar in countries where it is legal and those where it is not, suggesting that outlawing the procedure does little to deter women seeking it. Additionally, abortion was found to be more dangerous where it is outlawed.
Another little known fact is that abortions have gone up dramatically under the Bush Administration. This is because there are more women who are unable to afford to have another child. If Bush really cared about abortion, rather than working to outlaw it, he should be working to improve the financial condition of the average American so that they can afford to keep their children.
But, the Bush Administration loves the fetus and hates the child, evidenced by his refusal to fund a program for health care for children who currently have none.
October 12th, 2007 at 9:45 am“wealthiest 1% of Americans earn[ing] 21.2% of all income in 2005, according to new data from the Internal Revenue Service. … The bottom 50% earned 12.8% of all income, down from 13.4% in 2004.â€
I’m still waiting for Reagan’s trickle down economics to actually trickle down to the bottom 50%. Maybe another tax cut for the ultra-rich would help.
October 12th, 2007 at 9:46 amHow did the man who plays the Father on That 70’s Show become the CIA Director anyhow?
-GSD
October 12th, 2007 at 9:47 am“Republican sources confirmed Thursday that 18-term Rep. Ralph Regula (R-Ohio) will announce his retirement imminently, perhaps as soon as Fridayâ€
Another right winger who can see the handwriting on the wall. Good riddance to bad rubbish! If you want to see this clown’s voting record, go here:
http://www.dccc.org/ gopauctionhouse/ members/ RalphRegulaOH-16.html
October 12th, 2007 at 9:50 amWatch out GSD, you’ll wind up with a foot up your ass…
October 12th, 2007 at 9:51 am“The ethics watchdog CREW asked a federal judge yesterday to order the White House to preserve tapes used to back up its e-mail system. “The White House is refusing to confirm that they have maintained e-mail going back to the beginning of the administration as they are required by law to do,†said Melanie Sloan, executive director of CREW.”
Yes, they are required by law to maintain records of their e-mails from the beginning of their administration, which are public records. They haven’t — or they have and just refuse to make these public records public.
This seems pretty black and white to me, without the usual shades of gray — the law is being broken. The fact that nobody is being impeached for breaking the law here pretty much sums up America’s willingness to let these scoundrels get away with anything they want.
October 12th, 2007 at 9:55 amUgh.. heads up folks…look like some shenanigans are going and some immunity granting provisions for telecoms are trying to be inserted into
the senate FISA bill..SPREAD THE WORD FOLKS. We gotta TRY and stop this from happening…
http://cernigsnewshog.blogspot.com/ 2007/ 10/ senate-to-sell-out-on-fisa.html
http://www.firedoglake.com/ 2007/ 10/ 11/ not-ready-to-make-nice/
October 12th, 2007 at 9:56 amNot a list, but it wouldn’t be difficult to compille one from this information, in particular the section regarding rationale for impeachment. Keep in mind that most of these are related to either circumventions of the U.S. Constitution or Congressional statutes, which would be an abuse of power.
http://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/ Movement_to_impeach_George_W._Bush
October 12th, 2007 at 10:01 am>But, the Bush Administration loves the fetus and hates the child,
Their problem with abortion isnt the life it kills, its the reproductive choice they dont want women to have. WHen women are tied down being baby factories they can’t intefere with men and “mens work”. Thats the logic whether they admit it or not. Otherwise you wouldnt have idiots like micheal seeming so sypathethic to fetuses but then strangely being seemingly very unsypathethic to thier plight once thier born. Micheal thinks fetuses should be held accountable for the choices thier parents make, (unless that choice is not having them).
Sexual liberation means more women might stop revolving thier life around men.. perish the thought
October 12th, 2007 at 10:04 amComment by Chocolate Jesus — October 12, 2007 @ 9:56 am
Yes, and Hoyer and Pelosi are now both saying they are open to compromising on this retroactive immunity IF the WH gives them the documents they want regarding the survellience programs. Bull…they’ll wind up giving the immunity, and never get the documents. These people are utterly lacking in courage.
October 12th, 2007 at 10:10 amTP,
How about a blurb regarding Ann Coulture’s anti-semitic remarks to Donny Deutsch?
Coulter: “we just want Jews to be perfected”
October 12th, 2007 at 10:21 am>IF the WH gives them the documents they want regarding
> the survellience programs.
hhahah, yeah i agree.. that will nneeevver happen…the bush admin could give a damn about the telecos, what they really want to keep the extent of these violations secret
October 12th, 2007 at 10:22 amComment by Chocolate Jesus — October 12, 2007 @ 9:56 am
Read that yesterday.
If the Dems cave and give retroactive immunity to the telcos is it another defeat for Rule of Law, our system of Justice. This bill so far is still a travesty and guts the 4th Amendment anyway, even without giving the telcos immunity.
I have lost faith that the current Democratic Leaders even know what the “Right Thing to Do” IS anymore.
The Dems are gutting the Constitution as much as the Republicans in the 109th did, with this bill and the previous travesty they passed.
Why not just force Bush to comply with the Law and the Constitution, like they are Supposed to do?
This enabling his lawbreaking is total bullshat.
October 12th, 2007 at 10:31 amTP, what about John Edwards alleged affair?
I mean, who is more reliable than the National Enquirer?
TP, enquiring minds want to know!
You guys never reported on John Kerry meeting with aliens in 2004, as reported by The Weekly World News (RIP), either. Shame.
October 12th, 2007 at 10:53 amCoulter: “we just want Jews to be perfectedâ€
Comment by dim wit — October 12, 2007 @ 10:21 am
By which, she meant, of course, that she believes that non-Christians don’t go to heaven and she doesn’t want them to be lost. As opposed to the implication that she meant them any harm. I don’t know if Coulter is anti-Semitic or not, but it isn’t evident in that remark. ;)
October 12th, 2007 at 11:12 amNo, uppy left, I listened to her rant, and she clearly stated that she believes that their religion is false, that only Jesus can save them, and that they are mistaken by rejecting the new Testament.
Now that’s about as Anti-Semetic (ask Mr Deutch how he took it) as I’ve heard in a very long time.
Oh, and by the way, Xianity is a farce.
October 12th, 2007 at 11:16 am“No, uppy left, I listened to her rant, and she clearly stated that she believes that their religion is false, that only Jesus can save them, and that they are mistaken by rejecting the new Testament”
But that’s Christianity. There is no way to heaven except thru Jesus.
Every religion is exclusive in that redemption is only achieved thru X, which is specific to that religion.
I didn’t hear what she said, but if all it was was that only Jesus can save people, then that’s just Christianity. And you should be prepared to call Jesus’s apostles anti-semitic, too.
October 12th, 2007 at 11:21 amOh quit complaining about your class warfare. Ron Paul supports this wage gap! How DARE you try and regulate how much I’m able to make? There’s nothing in the constitution that says that you have to make even a FRACTION of what I make! Nothing that says I have to give you a job, and nothing that says I can’t take 50% off the top in profits. That’s all regulatory garbage, and should be eliminated. Just like requiring a business owner to provide insurance. It’s not in the Constitution! How about “voluntary compliance”? If you don’t like the business decisions made, you can shop elsewhere! The MARKET will fix itself!
And how DARE you try and regulate wages? That’s SOCIALIST!
Vote Ron Paul! We’ll get the top 1% earning 50% of all income in NO TIME! Remember! UN-regulated free-market wills ave us all!
October 12th, 2007 at 11:32 amThis is true. The Right has not debated the merits of this family being eligible for the SCHIP program. All they have done is to distort the facts and stalk this family. The Republicans don’t know the meaning of the word debate.
Comment by bilbobaggins — October 12, 2007 @ 9:42 am
Actually, you’ve just ignored the point of the objection to this family receiving SCHIP coverage. The question is, should there be a limit on the resources a family can have and be eligible. Before you attack me instead of addressing the point, I believe SCHIP is a good program and coverage should be expanded somewhat. If the suggested value of the Frost home is correct, it’s a valid point for discussion. I own a nice home, but not a $400,000 home. If I lived in a home that was worth that much and I could not afford health insurance for my family, I’d sell the home. That is the issue for discussion. This doesn’t even involve the issue of preventing families from being bankrupted by a catastrophic illness or injury.
October 12th, 2007 at 11:33 amoh smack! … good one, piltdown…
we need more of that kind of ronpaul info…
October 12th, 2007 at 11:35 amit ain’t just the war that needs fixin’…
…
[…]
The critics […] asserted that the family’s home had undergone extensive remodeling, and that its market value could exceed $400,000.
[…]The business that the critics said Mr. Frost owned was dissolved in 1999. The family’s home, in the modest Butchers Hill neighborhood of Baltimore, was bought for $55,000 in 1990 and is now worth about $260,000, according to public records. And, for the record, the Frosts say, their kitchen counters are concrete.
[…]
http://www.nytimes.com/ 2007/ 10/ 10/ washington/ 10memo.html?hp
…
ignorance is hardly forgivable in this day of instant information…
October 12th, 2007 at 11:48 amstoopidity is just a lazy sin…
.
> If I lived in a home that was worth that much and
> I could not afford health insurance for my family, I’d sell the home.
Ah ok. Sell your main tangible asset to wager on the POSSIBILITY your kid would get brain damage or some terrible sickness and need super duper double secret insurance. Not likely. Say this is “what id do if I was psychic” or whaterver, all you want.. hindsight is 20/20. show me how many perfectly healthy families sold thier house and moved into a crappier, cheaper one just so they’d have insurance in the off chance they got brain damage in the future. im guessing instances of people doing this are almost nil.
October 12th, 2007 at 11:52 am“No, uppy left, I listened to her rant, and she clearly stated that she believes that their religion is false, that only Jesus can save them, and that they are mistaken by rejecting the new Testament.
Now that’s about as Anti-Semetic (ask Mr Deutch how he took it) as I’ve heard in a very long time.”
Anti-Semitism involves more than just believing a person’s religious views are wrong. By your definition almost every poster on this site is anti-Christian and a number of atheists here bristle at that suggestion.
——
Oh, and by the way, Xianity is a farce.
Comment by RUCerious — October 12, 2007 @ 11:16 am
Xianity? Possibly. Fortunately I practice Chrisitanity, so I’m good, thanks. ;)
October 12th, 2007 at 11:59 amFrom the linked abortion article…
“…according to the agenda of the people who are organizing the data…â€
Well. We all know how important that is
For instance, this link…
http://www.tennesseerighttolife.org/ human_life_issues/ human_life_issues_abortion_lies_and_myths.htm
recounts some of statistics used in the early days of RvW.
It’s not clear to me – in such cases opinions and believes become more important that fact, but it appears that a very small number has been used to justify a very large number.
Assuming:
40 M abortions in U.S. since RvW.
Approximately 120 abortion related deaths per year before RvW. So there’s the potentail of 4,100 abortion related deaths – estimated - had abortion remained illegal in the U.S. (Number of abortion related deaths probably remains “sketchy†even now.)
So the country “granted†the right to destroy 40 M to save 4,100. Of course, most of the 4,100 would have easily survived the birth of their child.
October 12th, 2007 at 12:02 pm> If I lived in a home that was worth that much and
> I could not afford health insurance for my family, I’d sell the home.
Ah ok. Sell your main tangible asset to wager on the POSSIBILITY your kid would get brain damage or some terrible sickness and need super duper double secret insurance. Not likely. Say this is “what id do if I was psychic†or whaterver, all you want.. hindsight is 20/20. show me how many perfectly healthy families sold thier house and moved into a crappier, cheaper one just so they’d have insurance in the off chance they got brain damage in the future. im guessing instances of people doing this are almost nil.
Comment by Chocolate Jesus — October 12, 2007 @ 11:52 am
Like I said, this doesn’t even get to catastrophic care. I’d sell my $400,000 home if I couldn’t afford health care because people get sick. I’m talking about strep, broken bones, asthma, allergies. Is it ok for me to live in a $400,000 home and expect you to pay higher taxes to pay for my child’s routine health care when I could buy a less expensive home and pay for it myself for quite a while. By the way, possibly by your standards, anything less than a $400,000 home is crappy. Most of the homes in my neighborhood are in the $250,000 area and are considered quite nice. ;)
October 12th, 2007 at 12:06 pmPsalm 139
October 12th, 2007 at 12:13 pm>I’d sell my $400,000 home if I couldn’t afford health care because people >get sick.
200,000 $ sick? i dunno? maybe… we’re both jerking ourselves here, i just think in this kids case, looks like they had catastrphophic stuff going on, it wasnt strep throat that screwed this kid up. how much blame do we put on people for their parents not allocating thier finite resources toward improbable events? i don’t know,.. i guess thats one for philosophy class..
October 12th, 2007 at 12:14 pmMost of the homes in my neighborhood are in the $250,000 area and are considered quite nice. ;)
Comment by upright left — October 12, 2007 @ 12:06 pm
So where do you live? Unless you live in Baltimore or a similar city with real estate values well above the national average, your point is meaningless.
October 12th, 2007 at 12:15 pmNo, uppy left, I listened to her rant, and she clearly stated that she believes that their religion is false, that only Jesus can save them, and that they are mistaken by rejecting the new Testament.
Now that’s about as Anti-Semetic (ask Mr Deutch how he took it) as I’ve heard in a very long time.
Comment by RUCerious — October 12, 2007 @ 11:16 am
In the same interview, she also accused interracial couples of being together for the express purpose of challenging society, based on her observation of an old Seinfeld episode. She also describes her version of what heaven is like as the Republican National Convention. The fact that anybody gives her air time to spew this drivel is bewildering.
October 12th, 2007 at 12:24 pm200,000 $ sick? i dunno? maybe… we’re both jerking ourselves here, i just think in this kids case, looks like they had catastrphophic stuff going on, it wasnt strep throat that screwed this kid up. how much blame do we put on people for their parents not allocating thier finite resources toward improbable events? i don’t know,.. i guess thats one for philosophy class..
Comment by Chocolate Jesus — October 12, 2007 @ 12:14 pm
Once again, the question was, before the accident, should the family have continued living in a $400,000 home when they couldn’t afford health insurance. If you think there should be no limit on the amount of resources a family can own and still be eligible for SCHIP, that’s fine. Some govt programs have a resource limit for eligibility. I assume SCHIP must not. This is the comment to which I originally responded: “The Right has not debated the merits of this family being eligible for the SCHIP program.” One of the points being questioned was whether a family living in an expensive home should be eligible. If the family was covered for regular health care as opposed to only for the catastrophic injuries, it’s a valid point for discussion regarding eligibility.
October 12th, 2007 at 12:31 pmupright left @ 12:06 pm
guess i’ll have to address you directly…
you have a selective reading problem… at the least…
from above:
The family’s home, in the modest Butchers Hill neighborhood of Baltimore, was bought for $55,000 in 1990 and is now worth about $260,000, according to public records.
ignorance is hardly forgivable in this day of instant information…
stoopidity is just a lazy sin…
.Comment by katy @ 11:48 am
STOP WITH THE LIES.
October 12th, 2007 at 12:35 pm.
Most of the homes in my neighborhood are in the $250,000 area and are considered quite nice. ;)
Comment by upright left — October 12, 2007 @ 12:06 pm
So where do you live? Unless you live in Baltimore or a similar city with real estate values well above the national average, your point is meaningless.
Comment by missmolly — October 12, 2007 @ 12:15 pm
I live in Texas. I responded to this comment:
“show me how many perfectly healthy families sold thier house and moved into a crappier, cheaper one…”
My point was that there is quite a range between a $400,000 home and “cheap, crappy” home.
October 12th, 2007 at 12:38 pm> If you think there should be no limit on the amount of resources a family
>can own and still be eligible for SCHIP, that’s fine.
i dont think anyone is saying that. depends on whether the asset is liquid or not, and how much the asset is worth. just because a house has a FMV of 400 G, alone, doesnt tell me much. i live in texas too.. my house is about 130 FMV.. but.. that same house in NY or some parts of cali would easily be a 300-400 G house.. easily.. so i think your assumption that a 400 G FMV house is “expensive” or “excessive” no matter where you live in the country is wrong. i think my house is pretty modest, especially if i were a family of 6
October 12th, 2007 at 12:45 pmKrugman on McConnell’s Role in GOP smear of Graeme Frost
Call McConnell’s office and ask for a statement about this despicable GOP smear of 12-year-old Graeme Frost and his family. Graeme was injured in an auto accident. He was in a coma for 5 1/2 months and he benefited from S-CHIP. When his family spoke out in support of S-CHIP, the rightwing smeared them. McConnell’s office has a direct role in this. Check out Krugman’s article.
Call McConnell in Louisville: 502-582-6304 or in DC: 1-800-828-0498
October 12th, 2007 at 1:34 pmThe top 1% make more than $1 in every $5. Ouch. I’m interested in what % of the tax revenue comes from this same 1%.
October 12th, 2007 at 1:42 pmthis anncoulter/nationalenquirer story about an edwards “affair”
is really picking up some steam…
http://news.google.com/ news?hl=en&ned=&q=Edwards%2C+affair&btnG=Search+News
very curious that coulter knew the enquirer was going to “break” the story…
i’m divided as to why edwards felt a need to respond to an
unsubstantiated tabloid report… i’m glad he did, but some can twist
that around, as many have…
and i’m not sure that ANY publicity is good publicity…
it will be interesting to see how, IF, ThinkProgress will handle this…
October 12th, 2007 at 1:55 pm…
makes sense:
Politics of personal destruction takes another ugly turn
When irresponsible rumor mongers engage in ugly gossip, especially in politics, my first instinct is to ignore it. As a rule, there’s no reason to dignify obnoxious rumors with a response. Besides, by criticizing the smear, one necessarily helps disseminate the nonsense.
There is, however, another side to this. If the Swiftboat lies teach us anything, it’s that attacks need to be shot down, quickly and thoroughly. Just as importantly, those who spread the lies need to be held accountable for their recklessness. Pretending the bogus attacks don’t exist is almost counter-productive — the whispers continue, and reasonable people start to wonder what to believe.
October 12th, 2007 at 3:47 pm[…]
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/13202.html
.
The Frosts have part-time jobs. I don’t know if they’re handicapped or somehow unable to attain full-time employment.
From Michelle’s site:
They’re good people. Terribly misguided, pathetically leftist buffoons, but still good people. It was a terrible accident and Bonnie is quite beat up with guilt over the events. Lots of neighbors pitched in to cook meals and help out… Bonnie works half time doing freelance editorial work and Halsey, an incredibly disorganized lovable goofball, just can’t seem to hold down a proper job or, when he’s tried, to run a proper company. He’s a millwork carpenter and does great work installing custom interior and exterior trimwork and cabinetry. He should be making great money but can’t get out of his way…
…Still, we make choices, right? They have three vehicles - a nice new volvo SUV, a Suburban, and his F250 Ford Pickup work truck, a nice house, and all four kids go to private school. Not sure where the money comes from, but they don’t make all that much. Should they be the poster child for S-CHIP? Heck no….
October 12th, 2007 at 4:04 pm#52: The top 1% make more than $1 in every $5. Ouch. I’m interested in what % of the tax revenue comes from this same 1%.
The top 1% paid 39.4% of all income taxes.
That means the top 1 percent paid about the same amount of federal individual income taxes as the bottom 95 percent.
http://www.ncpa.org/ sub/ dpd/ index.php?Article_ID=15117
October 12th, 2007 at 4:07 pmComment by muckdog — October 12, 2007 @ 4:07 pm
It takes a certain level of stupidity to take this as evidence of some sort of “injustice” being committed against those poor, poor top 1% earners, instead of what it is: The result of the ever increasing disparity in the level of income in the USA.
October 13th, 2007 at 4:42 amOnce again, the question was, before the accident, should the family have continued living in a $400,000 home when they couldn’t afford health insurance.
Comment by upright left — October 12, 2007 @ 12:31 pm
That is not how much the Frosts’ home is worth.
You are still clinging on to the falsehoods that Michelle “the stalker” Malking helped spread.
And the obvious reply to that is: They could afford health insurance. They paid for it. It’s called the SCHIP.
October 13th, 2007 at 4:45 amThat is not how much the Frosts’ home is worth.
You are still clinging on to the falsehoods that Michelle “the stalker†Malking helped spread.
And the obvious reply to that is: They could afford health insurance. They paid for it. It’s called the SCHIP.
Comment by Gregor Samsa — October 13, 2007 @ 4:45 am
Had you read my original post, you would know that I’m not “clinging” to anything. I responded to this comment:
The Right has not debated the merits of this family being eligible for the SCHIP program. All they have done is to distort the facts and stalk this family. The Republicans don’t know the meaning of the word debate.
Comment by bilbobaggins — October 12, 2007 @ 9:42 am
I pointed out that the debate was, IF the family’s home is worth $400,000, SHOULD they be eligible for SCHIP. I never suggested whether they should or should not. I simply pointed out that that was a point for debate. Govt programs often contain provisions using value of resources in determining eligibility. ;)
October 13th, 2007 at 10:36 am