ThinkFast: January 25, 2008
ThinkFast: January 25, 2008
79 percent: Americans who believe that a recession is likely within the next year, according to a LA Times/Bloomberg poll. Ninety-two percent of people earning more than $100,000 a year “feel safe” financially, “while more than half of those bringing in less than $40,000 a year describe their finances as ’shaky.’”
In testimony yesterday, Pentagon official Jack Bell said that the Defense Department was “not adequately prepared to address” the “unprecedented scale of” the military’s “dependence on” private contractors. As of September, there were “over 196,000 contractor personnel working for the Defense Department in Iraq and Afghanistan.”
Economists of “nearly every ideological stripe” have found “substantial fault” with the new economic stimulus plan: “liberals, because it does not expand unemployment benefits or food stamps; conservatives, because it fails to lock in President Bush’s tax cuts beyond their planned expiration in 2010.”
Yesterday, a federal judge “gave the Justice Department three weeks to report in writing whether the destruction of C.I.A. videotapes” violated an order to preserve evidence he issued four months prior to the destruction. The judge’s order “is the first to require the Bush administration to provide information related to the videotapes’ destruction.”
“With Senate Republicans blocking Democratic attempts to amend the FISA reauthorization bill, the Senate has set a cloture vote from early Monday afternoon, just hours before President Bush gives his final State of the Union address.”
After initially promising to stop charging for access to the Wall Street Journal’s website, News Corp. chairman Rupert Murdoch has backtracked, stating that the “really special things” on the website will probably be “more expensive.”
House Republicans begin a three-day retreat at the Greenbrier resort, “diving into what’s likely to be a tumultuous conversation about the future of earmarks.” They are seeking to find consensus on a proposal to instate a one-year moratorium on earmark requests.
The WSJ writes that lobbyists have smoothed the way for a spate of foreign deals. With the help of “shrewd lobbying,” foreign governments have snatched up billions of stakes in Wall Street. “The investments have been carefully designed to avoid triggering close U.S. government oversight.”
And finally: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) “has been a reporter’s nightmare” because he is so “soft-spoken.” Reporters have been forced to stick their digital recorders “really close to him to pick up everything.” But at yesterday’s briefing, Reid announced to reporters his New Year’s resolution: “I’m going to try to talk louder.” The Washington Post’s Al Kamen reports that the “press corps broke into loud applause.”
What did we miss? Let us know in the comments section.
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We have to continue fighting along with Chris Dodd for the 4th amendment. We cannot afford to stop or even slow down. Yesterday’s FISA battle ended without a conclusion. If we continue to bombard our Senators with email, calls and faxes victory can be ours.
Don’t let Dick Cheney, Jay Rockerfeller and Harry Reid have the dictatorial right to wiretap our phones forever without a warrant.
You have time to make a free call/fax. No excuses.
1-800-828-0498
January 25th, 2008 at 9:04 am1-800-459-1887
(white house operator, ask to connect to your senator)
He’s a sniveling little coward.
January 25th, 2008 at 9:05 amMy wife, who is not very political, heard about the possible rebate checks and asked when we should be seeing it. I told her we won’t, as we’re above the threshold. She said, ‘That’s not fair, we pay so much in taxes, how come we don’t get a rebate like everyone else?’
I simply said: “Because we don’t need it. Others do.”
“Good point,” she said.
Then I told her jokenly if she ever acted like a selfish conservative again, I’d divorce her.
January 25th, 2008 at 9:07 am“79 percent: Americans who believe that a recession is likely within the next year, according to a LA Times/Bloomberg poll.”
The last recession BEGAN in March of 2001! Pres. Bush will reside over two recessions in his 8 years, proving his legacy will be failure after failure.
http://www.nber.org/cycles/recessions.html
“On November 26, 2001, the committee determined that the peak of economic activity had occurred in March of that year. For a discussion of the committee’s reasoning and the underlying evidence, see http://www.nber.org/cycles/november2001. The March 2001 peak marked the end of the expansion that began in March 1991, an expansion that lasted exactly 10 years and was the longest in the NBER’s chronology. On July 16, 2003, the committee determined that a trough in economic activity occurred in November 2001.â€
January 25th, 2008 at 9:09 am160,000 troops + 196,000 “private contractors” = Q-U-A-G-M-I-R-E
January 25th, 2008 at 9:12 am“Yesterday, a federal judge “gave the Justice Department three weeks to report in writing whether the destruction of C.I.A. videotapes†violated an order to preserve evidence he issued four months prior to the destruction. The judge’s order “is the first to require the Bush administration to provide information related to the videotapes’ destruction.â€
World’s shortest response ever: No.
January 25th, 2008 at 9:13 amFrom John Edward’s email sent yesterday afternoon:
“Granting retroactive immunity is wrong. It will let corporate law-breakers off the hook. It will hamstring efforts to learn the truth about Bush’s illegal spying program. And it will flip on its head a core principle that has guided our nation since our founding: the belief that no one, no matter how well connected or what office they hold, is above the law.
But in Washington today, the telecom lobbyists have launched a full-court press for retroactive immunity. George Bush and Dick Cheney are doing everything in their power to ensure it passes. And too many Senate Democrats are ready to give the lobbyists and the Bush administration exactly what they want.
Please join me (Edwards) in calling on every Senate Democrat to do everything in their power — including joining Senator Dodd’s efforts to filibuster this legislation — to stop retroactive immunity and stand up for the rule of law. The Constitution should not be for sale at any price.”
January 25th, 2008 at 9:13 am#1 2Million:
I’m against telecom immunity, but cloture always confuses me. Do I want my senators to vote for cloture or not? (I think it’s not).
Just want to know what to say when I call.
January 25th, 2008 at 9:14 amEconomists of “nearly every ideological stripe†have found “substantial fault†with the new economic stimulus plan: “liberals, because it does not expand unemployment benefits or food stamps; conservatives, because it fails to lock in President Bush’s tax cuts beyond their planned expiration in 2010.â€
- – - -
well if everyone hates it, it must be a good plan
January 25th, 2008 at 9:14 amFeinstein in an email to me yesterday afternoon regarding FISA:
“…I introduced an amendment on the Senate floor that would limit this grant of immunity. Under my amendment, cases against the telecommunications companies would go to the FISA Court for judicial review. The Court would only provide immunity if it finds that the alleged assistance was not provided, that assistance met legal requirements, or that a company had a good faith, reasonable belief that assistance was legal.
I believe that this approach strikes the correct balance: it maintains court review and a judicial determination of whether companies provided assistance that they should have known violated the law.
I have also filed an amendment to restore FISA’s exclusivity, to ensure that no surveillance program can proceed outside the law in the way that the Terrorist Surveillance Program did for more than five years.
Rest assured that I will make every effort to ensure that new FISA legislation will protect the privacy rights of all Americans without restricting the intelligence community’s ability to protect us from attack…”
January 25th, 2008 at 9:16 amAfter initially promising to stop charging for access to the Wall Street Journal’s website, News Corp. chairman Rupert Murdoch has backtracked, stating that the “really special things†on the website will probably be “more expensive.â€
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porn?
January 25th, 2008 at 9:18 amSaw part of the Repub debate last night (DVR’d the rest…will watch it later). I laughed when McCain said that, yes, the Repubs were guilty for the outrageous spending, and then claimed that “we’ll change.”
January 25th, 2008 at 9:18 am“Yesterday, a federal judge “gave the Justice Department three weeks to report in writing whether the destruction of C.I.A. videotapes†violated an order to preserve evidence he issued four months prior…”
Three weeks for them to type up “No”, this is ridiculous.
January 25th, 2008 at 9:21 amHere’s a great summary of where the FISA legislation stands at this point:
http://firedoglake.com/2008/01/24/fisa-update-2/
Let’s not let Bush have a victory he can crow about at his State of the Union address. I don’t think I can bear to watch that smug grin if he wins on telecom immunity.
January 25th, 2008 at 9:21 am79 percent: Americans who believe that a recession is likely
While, of course. The doom and gloom pundits will fulfill the self-fulling prophecy. I bet if you asked the next 1000 people you meet in the street the same question 79% would say, “My folks’ hairline worries me a little”.
January 25th, 2008 at 9:22 amconservatives, because it fails to lock in President Bush’s tax cuts beyond their planned expiration in 2010.
So conservatives don’t want a stimulus; they want larger persistent deficits. Your Borrow and Bomb movement at work.
January 25th, 2008 at 9:24 amNinety-two percent of people earning more than $100,000 a year “feel safe†financially
Unless these people have some serious savings, they are deluding themselves if they feel secure. When hard financial times hit, most companies can do with out the mucky-muck executives, but they can’t do without the worker bees.
January 25th, 2008 at 9:24 amWhile, of course. The doom and gloom pundits will fulfill the self-fulling prophecy. I bet if you asked the next 1000 people you meet in the street the same question 79% would say, “My folks’ hairline worries me a littleâ€.
Comment by leftcoast — January 25, 2008 @ 9:22 am
so you’re saying a recession isn’t likely? have you not been paying any attention to the scramling of the big financial mucky-mucks?
January 25th, 2008 at 9:24 amHarry Reid (D-NV) “has been a reporter’s nightmare†because he is so “soft-spoken.â€
January 25th, 2008 at 9:25 amA reporter’s nightmare??? He is a nightmare for us in the Democratic Party!
Three weeks for them to type up “Noâ€, this is ridiculous.
Comment by rocks911 — January 25, 2008 @ 9:21 am
Not for a lawyer with clients to bill.
January 25th, 2008 at 9:26 amThanks for the link, lefttown.
January 25th, 2008 at 9:26 amlefty-
January 25th, 2008 at 9:26 amNo, actually I believe we sometime do these things to ourselves by listening to too much doom and gloom. A recession may already be here.
In testimony yesterday, Pentagon official Jack Bell said that the Defense Department was “not adequately prepared to address†the “unprecedented scale of†the military’s “dependence on†private contractors.
Ok, what does “not adequately prepared” mean? The fact of the matter is that Bush has created his own private army to keep from having to institute a draft. Hopefully our new Democratic President will fix this mess by bringing all the contractors home and firing them.
That’s one thing I still don’t understand. The Democrats can end the occupation of Iraq tomorrow simply by refusing to fund the contractors. There is no way that Bush can keep our military there without them. And, by not funding the contractors, the Republiscums can’t say that they are “not supporting the troops” because the troops will be funded, but the contractors won’t. That is unless they want to start calling Blackwater’s mercenaries “troops”.
January 25th, 2008 at 9:27 amThe Bush Recession is here, folks.
January 25th, 2008 at 9:27 amWe have to continue fighting along with Chris Dodd for the 4th amendment. We cannot afford to stop or even slow down. Yesterday’s FISA battle ended without a conclusion. If we continue to bombard our Senators with email, calls and faxes victory can be ours.
Don’t let Dick Cheney, Jay Rockerfeller and Harry Reid have the dictatorial right to wiretap our phones forever without a warrant.
You have time to make a free call/fax. No excuses.
1-800-828-0498
1-800-459-1887
(white house operator, ask to connect to your senator)
Comment by 2MillionLightYearsToAndromeda — January 25, 2008 @ 9:04 am
January 25th, 2008 at 9:28 am#1 Andromeda,
I can appreciate your desire to stimulate momentum for making an impact.
Only one problem. The elite are not listening. They could care less.
I live across the bridge from Palm Beach. Trust me on this one, they could care less.
There is only one thing that will work against the king and his trusted court.
Jeopardy question……..What was the one thing that changed history just prior to 1776?
Hint: It wasn’t calling Congress.
January 25th, 2008 at 9:29 amEconomists of “nearly every ideological stripe†have found “substantial fault†with the new economic stimulus plan:
Any true economist who isn’t coming from an idealogical point of view knows that this so-called stimulus plan won’t do a damn thing to help our economy in the long run. Pumping a few extra dollars into the economy does not address the problems that are causing this recession. That $600 is not going to help the homeowner who is losing their house or the person who is losing their job. And once the money is spent, and we still have a recession, what are they going to do then? By that time it will be too late to do anything meaningful to stop the slide.
January 25th, 2008 at 9:30 amJust want to know what to say when I call.
Comment by Frosty Cupcake — January 25, 2008 @ 9:14 am
Being a little less intelligent than average, when I e-mailed my senators I simply said “Support Dodd’s efforts”
But according to wiki:
cloture is a motion or process aimed at bringing debate to a quick end.
according to the article:
“An earlier FISA vote in the Senate today netted 60 votes, and if that coalition of Republicans plus conservative Democrats holds firm, then McConnell [Republican] will get cloture. However, rank-and-file senators from both parties often support their leaders on cloture votes, so Reid may be able to keep Democrats in line, thus blocking cloture.”
After cloture has been invoked, the following restrictions apply:
No more than thirty hours of debate may occur.
No Senator may speak for more than one hour.
No amendments may be moved unless they were filed on the day in between the presentation of the petition and the actual cloture vote.
All amendments must be relevant to the debate.
Certain debates on procedure are not permissible.
The presiding officer gains additional power in controlling debate.
No other matters may be considered until the question upon which cloture was invoked is disposed of.
so, in summary, if this makes any sense to you, please feel free to explain it to the rest of us
January 25th, 2008 at 9:32 amNo one has talked about Bush’s connection to Ameriquest. Even appointed the head of Ameriquest to an ambassadorship. The financials of the savings and loan industry under Reagan and Bush were hidden until after Bush One was elected. Bush II looked the other way for the sub-prime lobbyists to get their way. Two Bush’s, Two Financial Disasters. Hmmm.
January 25th, 2008 at 9:33 amJust want to know what to say when I call.
Comment by Frosty Cupcake — January 25, 2008 @ 9:14 am
I like to keep things simple so nothing gets lost in translation. Tell them NO Retroactive Immunity for telcos. NO Basket Warrants. YES to maximum court oversight.
I also let them know I’m a blogger and will report the Senator’s statments and vote on as many messageboards as possible.
January 25th, 2008 at 9:33 am#8 – “I’m against telecom immunity, but cloture always confuses me. Do I want my senators to vote for cloture or not? (I think it’s not).
Just want to know what to say when I call.” Comment by Frosty Cupcake — January 25, 2008 @ 9:14 am
It can be confusing! Cloture is defined as:
“cloture – The only procedure by which the Senate can vote to place a time limit on consideration of a bill or other matter, and thereby overcome a filibuster. Under the cloture rule (Rule XXII), the Senate may limit consideration of a pending matter to 30 additional hours, but only by vote of three-fifths of the full Senate, normally 60 votes.”
The Republicans, when they were in the majority, bybassed filibuster and cloture by scheduling “up or down” votes that only required 51 votes in favor rather than the 60 votes in favor when filibusters were an option.
The Democrats don’t have the spine to pull this same tactic, especially with Sen. LIEberman ready to whore himself to the Republicans if he doesn’t get the posh assignments from the spineless Democrats.
January 25th, 2008 at 9:36 amJust want to know what to say when I call.
Comment by Frosty Cupcake — January 25, 2008 @ 9:14 am
And of course I tell them to support Dodd’s filibuster.
January 25th, 2008 at 9:37 am#28 – “so, in summary, if this makes any sense to you, please feel free to explain it to the rest of us” Comment by dim wit — January 25, 2008 @ 9:32 am
Cloture means “The legislation WILL get a vote!”
No Cloture vote means that it can be hled up by filibuster and not be considered for an up-or-down vote.
If you want legislation to pass, Vote Yes on Cloture!
If you want legislation to be held up by a single person, Vote No on Cloture!
January 25th, 2008 at 9:39 amHouse Republicans begin a three-day retreat at the Greenbrier resort, “diving into what’s likely to be a tumultuous conversation about the future of earmarks.â€
———————————————
If the House Republicans were REALLY concerned about fiscal conservation, couldn’t they have their retreat at a Day’s Inn?
January 25th, 2008 at 9:42 amThe WSJ writes that lobbyists have smoothed the way for a spate of foreign deals. With the help of “shrewd lobbying,†foreign governments have snatched up billions of stakes in Wall Street. “The investments have been carefully designed to avoid triggering close U.S. government oversight.â€
——————————————–
At this rate, we’re going to wake up one morning and find out that America doesn’t own anything anymore.
Oh, it’s nice to have the money. But after we’ve blown it all on trying to bully the world, what will we have to show for it?
January 25th, 2008 at 9:45 am#1 Andromeda,
I can appreciate your desire to stimulate momentum for making an impact. Only one problem. The elite are not listening. They could care less.
Comment by civil behavior — January 25, 2008 @ 9:29 am
I still hold out belief that a few of the less-corrupted politicians can be influenced by an avalanche of calls/faxes. Look at what one man, Chris Dodd, is able to do.
We should also focus on the 14 Senators who promised to help Sens. Dodd and Feingold last December, and who pushed for removal of retroactive immunity. Here are their fax and phone numbers:
Feingold (202) 224-2725 (202) 224-5323
Dodd (202) 224-1083 (202) 224-2823
Obama (202) 228-4260 (202) 224-2854
Sanders (202) 228-0776 (202) 224-5141
Menendez (202) 228-2197 (202) 224-4744
Biden (202) 224-0139 (202) 224-5042
Brown (202) 228-6321 (202) 224-2315
Harkin (202) 224-9369 (202) 224-3254
Cardin (202) 224-1651 (202) 224-4524
Clinton (202) 228-0282 (202) 224-4451
Akaka (202) 224-2126 (202) 224-6361
Webb (202) 228-6363 (202) 224-4024
Kennedy (202) 224-2417 (202) 224-4543
Boxer (415) 956-6701 (202) 224-3553
Or you can call the free number 1-800-828-0498 and ask the operator to connect you to the Senator.
January 25th, 2008 at 9:45 amNo, actually I believe we sometime do these things to ourselves by listening to too much doom and gloom. A recession may already be here.
Comment by leftcoast
So, what am I going to do to myself to bring on a recession? Am I going to make my job go away. Am I going to make the price of gas go over $3.00? Am I going to make my home unsalable? I’m a little confused here as to how our thinking we are going into a recession is going to make it happen. We the people don’t have that kind of power.
January 25th, 2008 at 9:46 amAnd finally: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) “has been a reporter’s nightmare†because he is so “soft-spoken.†Reporters have been forced to stick their digital recorders “really close to him to pick up everything.â€
Don’t bother, guys–You can just recycle the last Reid statement and substitute the name of the latest “cave to the President” in place of the previous one.
January 25th, 2008 at 9:47 amWe should also focus on the 14 Senators who promised to help Sens. Dodd and Feingold last December, and who pushed for removal of retroactive immunity. Here are their fax and phone numbers:
2MillionLightYearsToAndromeda
There is also someone else they should call. This is the person behind the Democratic push for immunity. Call Jay Rockefeller and tell him what you think about his desire to sell us down the river.
January 25th, 2008 at 9:50 amI think in next election,Americans should keep in mind beside the war issue,and the cost of living and recession issues, that the next president and his administration will be the ones to choose our judges.
Do you want Giuliani,Romney,McCain or Huckabee to choose your judges?
This is very important issue that the media is ignoring.
January 25th, 2008 at 9:50 am#21–Frosty Cupcake–You’re very welcome. Clinton and Obama will be in Washington Monday for the State of the Union Address. I wonder, since they’ll actually be in town, if they’ll support Dodd. They say they do. It’ll be interesting to see if they lend their voices.
January 25th, 2008 at 9:50 amAndromeda,
I still hold out belief that a few of the less-corrupted politicians can be influenced by an avalanche of calls/faxes. Look at what one man, Chris Dodd, is able to do.
Just a reminder. Chris Dodd stood heads above most of the other candidates for president (along with Kucinich) and I’m sure oyu noticed what happened to them.
BTW, I have already called Dodd’s office and Rockefellers and weekly I try to link up to a couple different representatives offices.
Again, the question remains……..What happened just prior to 1776 that changed history?
Hint: it was action taken against the actions of a king.
January 25th, 2008 at 9:51 amDon’t bother calling Clinton and Obama. They are too busy to cast a vote in the Senate.
Comment by good_golly — January 25, 2008 @ 9:49 am
Yes, they are rather busy right now just like McCain is busy, We didn’t see you complain about McCain not voting. But if their vote will mean something other than their being there and casting a vote, I am sure that both of them will hop on a plane on the West Coast, fly all the way to the East Coast, travel to the Senate, Vote, then reverse the process.
January 25th, 2008 at 9:51 amInstead of speaking up, Reid should clear out and make way for a Democrat!
January 25th, 2008 at 9:51 amEconomists of “nearly every ideological stripe†have found “substantial fault†with the new economic stimulus plan:“liberals, because it does not expand unemployment benefits or food stamps; conservatives, because it fails to lock in President Bush’s tax cuts beyond their planned expiration in 2010.â€
January 25th, 2008 at 9:52 am———————————-
Point 1) God forbid anybody compromise…
Point 2) It’s funny how Repukes hate welfare so much, but will sure as hell line up for there “stimulus” check…
All day yesterday, Republicans filibusterd. They have refused to allow up or down majority votes on amendments like those stripping telecom immunity. Now, Republicans have filed for cloture. The cloture vote will occur at 4:30 pm on Monday.
This means that we have until then to convince 41 Senators not to vote for cloture. If cloture fails, Republicans can either continue filibustering, or they can allow majority votes on amendments. Some amendments may pass (though probably not ones stripping immunity), but some of those that may pass (like ones dealing with minimization) will cause Bush to veto the bill. This is good. The Protect America Act, which expanded FISA’s powers greatly, will sunset on February 1st and Bush will then be responsible for killing his own “very important” FISA legislation.
http://www.theseminal.com/author/j-ro/
January 25th, 2008 at 9:54 amOK, thanks everybody.
No on cloture.
No retroactive immunity.
Support Senator Dodd’s filibuster.
Got it. :)
Off to go call . . .
January 25th, 2008 at 9:54 amIt is relatively simple economics. If you “talk down†the economy by continually preaching doom and gloom, people spend less, which drives down the economy; and people sell stocks which drives down the market.
Comment by good_golly
goon_golly actually thinks that happy talk can stave off a recession even though poor financial decisions by a President have put us in a position where we are losing our homes (or can’t sell our home), we are losing our jobs, our wages have been stagnant for 7 years and the cost of living has arisen dramatically. And then there is the huge deficit and national debt we have accumulated along with the fall of the value of the dollar.
Yeah…happy talk can fix all that. Tinker Bell is an imaginary figure…you do know that don’t you goon_golly.
January 25th, 2008 at 9:55 amComment by good_golly — January 25, 2008 @ 9:54 am
Go away goon_golly. The fact that some companies are doing OK does not mean that we are not going into a recession. The people know how their lives are right now. They know that their salaries have stagnated and their discretionary spending has dwindled to nothing since every dollar they make has to go to pay their skyrocketing bills like gasoline and heating your home.
Again, goon_golly, Tinker Bell isn’t real. Thinking happy thoughts IS NOT going to stave off a recession.
January 25th, 2008 at 9:59 amIt is relatively simple economics. If you “talk down†the economy by continually preaching doom and gloom, people spend less, which drives down the economy; and people sell stocks which drives down the market.
Comment by good_golly — January 25, 2008 @ 9:48 am
Whether we are in recession or not depends on real economic figures, such as unemployment, cost of living, retail sales, etc.
You cannot “talk” the country into recession. Recession happens when the economy tanks. People do not have a disposable income, so they don’t spend. You are not going to buy a new plasma TV if you are struggling to pay bills and eat.
The stock market does not decide we are in recession, but is a reflection of speculators perception of the economy. The stock market is not the economy.
January 25th, 2008 at 9:59 amComment by bilbobaggins — January 25, 2008 @ 9:55 am
January 25th, 2008 at 10:01 amgood-golly and you are both correct. But, it is important to realize that emotion plays a huge part in the manner in which we spend. If you hear lots of bad news or predictions you are likely to spend less. I feel good about the economy. I feel badly for the victims of Bush’s failed economic “policies”, if you can even say he had some.
2 mill…..calls made again today. good on all who are participating in the phone calls….best thing I have seen come from this community.
also good on all of ya for ignoring the trolls today….I was getting ready to give up on TP because the trolls really do have free rein here and derail most threads….
the call for phone calls, etc. participation…real action and reporting on it are postitive and good though…..keep it up one and all.
As 2mill stated early….be sure to tell them that you are reporting to blogs….they know how powerful this medium is now.
January 25th, 2008 at 10:02 amgood golly- lots of great bargains out there in the stockmarket.
January 25th, 2008 at 10:03 am#55 – “The tax rebate will put $600 to $1,200 back into the pocket of most taxpayers.” Comment by good_golly — January 25, 2008 @ 9:56 am
I wonder how much this will increase the largest national debt in world history, care of Pres. Bush’s failed fiscal policies?
The taxes stopped becomeing “our money” when Pres. Reagan began his exponential increase of deficit spending and raising the national debt to then-records levels.
If only there were TRUE fiscal responsibility in our government. How much longer before China forecloses on the debt, and we all have to start learning Chinese?
January 25th, 2008 at 10:03 am#60 – “There is plenty of good news out there, and it’s not that hard to find if you open your eyes and minds.” Comment by good_golly — January 25, 2008 @ 10:00 am
Yeah, there is!
Pres. Bush has less than one year to continue screwing the US! That’s GREAT news! ;-)
January 25th, 2008 at 10:05 amgood-golly and you are both correct. But, it is important to realize that emotion plays a huge part in the manner in which we spend. If you hear lots of bad news or predictions you are likely to spend less. I feel good about the economy. I feel badly for the victims of Bush’s failed economic “policiesâ€, if you can even say he had some.
Comment by leftcoast — January 25, 2008 @ 10:01 am
Wrong.
when you have to decide whether to buy food and not have electricity or pay the electric bill and starve, people have a tendency not to feel good about the economy.
But that bad feeling the not cause the economy where they cannot pay their bills and eat at the same time.
The Stock Market is NOT the economy.
January 25th, 2008 at 10:08 am#55 – “The tax rebate will put $600 to $1,200 back into the pocket of most taxpayers.†Comment by good_golly — January 25, 2008
———————————-
Plus another $300 for each kid, I think. The problem is that most low-middle class families will use their money to pay off credit cards or buy supplies at Wal-mart or Target, who get nearly all of their merchandise from China.
I just don’t see how there can be any NET BENEFIT to the US economy by doing this rebate plan.
January 25th, 2008 at 10:09 amAgain, the question remains……..What happened just prior to 1776 that changed history?
Hint: it was action taken against the actions of a king.
Comment by civil behavior — January 25, 2008 @ 9:51 am
Well, unless you’re ready to cross that bridge from West Palm to Palm Beach, and go get you some, I don’t know what to say.
I’m much to lazy to consider an actual revolution.
January 25th, 2008 at 10:10 amleftcoast
January 25th, 2008 at 10:10 amdon’t know if you are a troll or not but in nov. 1929 no one was talking down the economy……just sayin….
These rebates will likely be spent to pay down debt. More cash for the greedy credit card companies. Here are a couple of drivers of the economy: Greed and Fear. We had greed for 7 years run by our good friends in the loan industry. Now we have Fear.
January 25th, 2008 at 10:12 amSub-prime lobbyists spent bagillions to get state governments to soften oversight. Banks changed the bankruptcy laws to make sure they got their money after extending way more to you than they should have.
Now these same financials say “be very afraid”, they are hurting and ready to collapse so give people some money so they can prop us back up. It’s a banking bailout courtesy of the taxpayers.
It’s hard to believe that Harry Reid was a boxer in his youth.
January 25th, 2008 at 10:12 amMaybe he took too many punches. He wastes no time in backing away from any fight now. Not only is his voice soft, but so is he.
Fred- I am no troll. I tend to get a little cynical though. Sorry, for the confusion.
January 25th, 2008 at 10:13 amBush blamed the 2001 recession on the former president; his minions are already blaming the Democrats for the current recession. If I hadn’t heard it myself, I wouldn’t believe it.
January 25th, 2008 at 10:14 am70 It’s more borrowed money that will not probably help the economy that much. If it were dedigned to help it would be enough to help each family…….and there would be no 50 billion included for businesess who have reported record gains in the last 5 years……like exxon.
This is an effort to keep everyone calm, that’s it.
January 25th, 2008 at 10:17 amWhat! No mention of the whispered prompt given to Romney last night? Defenders are saying it was a prompt to Russert, but Russert has his earpiece and his scripted questions. Romney’s reply was so quick, it was almost reactionary to the prompt.
January 25th, 2008 at 10:17 amRemember Bush and the 2004 debate? His receiver was obvious under his suit coat – but the earpiece was undetectable. Did anyone see anything visible on Romney? C&L has the video.
Jon Stewart played the role last night — like the gangster who “broke the economy” — “here’s a few bucks, take the wife out to dinner.”
January 25th, 2008 at 10:18 amFred- I am no troll. I tend to get a little cynical though. Sorry, for the confusion.
Comment by leftcoast
me too……it just doesn’t help when we fall for the repub talking points……..I’m just saying that we can’t talk our way out of the damage done……someone must pay…..it’s a bill that has to be paid by someone and that is what the haggleing is about…..who will pay for it.
January 25th, 2008 at 10:19 amBush blamed the 2001 recession on the former president; his minions are already blaming the Democrats for the current recession. If I hadn’t heard it myself, I wouldn’t believe it.
Comment by Marie — January 25, 2008 @ 10:14 am
Well the Republicans are all about accountability, aren’t they?
January 25th, 2008 at 10:19 am#74 I agree. The rebates, although not flushed out yet, seem as you say, to have the desire of trying to keep the calm.
January 25th, 2008 at 10:21 amAnd finally: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) “has been a reporter’s nightmare†because he is so “soft-spoken.†Reporters have been forced to stick their digital recorders “really close to him to pick up everything.†But at yesterday’s briefing, Reid announced to reporters his New Year’s resolution: “I’m going to try to talk louder.†The Washington Post’s Al Kamen reports that the “press corps broke into loud applause.â€
Wow – The press corps are DICS!
Thanks for the person who posted the senate phone numbers. Has anyone been put through to a senator yet? All i got was three assistant secretaries.
January 25th, 2008 at 10:23 amBush blamed the 2001 recession on the former president; his minions are already blaming the Democrats for the current recession. If I hadn’t heard it myself, I wouldn’t believe it.
Comment by Marie
marie, the huge spending of the past 7 years was not an accident….it was done maliciously……and now they are just fighting over who to stick with the bill……nov will decide…..
if dems win…..business will pay…as they should…
January 25th, 2008 at 10:23 amif a repub wins you can expect more record profits by exxon, etc.
Thanks Frosty, Witch and other for making the calls.
I also spent time yesterday posting this information on other messageboards. You can do the same.
We have to realize that Joe and Jane Sixpack have no idea about this legislation. There is a media blackout on this story, just as was the case in December.
We need to try and reach people who don’t pay attention to politics. Talk to your friends and family. Include the 800 number in all your outgoing email.
We have to be THE messengers because the Corporate Media won’t mention this story (they’re in bed with the telcos and the Bush admin.)
According to the corporate media this story does not exist. Your efforts and my efforts don’t exist. We must use their arrogance against them by being as loud as possible.
January 25th, 2008 at 10:32 amwhodduthinkit dept.:
Wolfowitz appointed chairman of arms-control advisory panel
Security board offers insight to State Department
Bloomberg News / January 25, 2008
WASHINGTON – Paul Wolfowitz, the former World Bank president and former deputy secretary of defense who was instrumental in the US decision to invade Iraq in 2003, has been named chairman of a panel that advises the State Department on arms-control issues.
[...]
Joseph Cirincione, a senior fellow and director for nuclear policy at the Center for American Progress, a Washington-based policy research group, criticized Wolfowitz’s appointment.
“The advice given by Paul Wolfowitz over the past six years ranks among the worst provided by any defense official in history,” Cirincione said. “I have no idea why anyone would want more.”
Veronique Rodman, a spokeswoman for the American Enterprise Institute, said she had no comment on Wolfowitz’s appointment.
January 25th, 2008 at 10:43 am[...]
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2008/01/25/wolfowitz_appointed_chairman_of_arms_control_advisory_panel/
#82..2million….Thank you for all your link’s and number’s….Blessings
January 25th, 2008 at 10:46 amHey Katy – Wow, where has that story been in the mainstream media? Wolfowitz coming back to the state dept! This is huge and ridiculous! The guy who is primarily responsible for the Iraq war and Bush early foreign policy coming back?.. Wow.. just wow.
January 25th, 2008 at 10:52 amComment by 2MillionLightYearsToAndromeda — January 25, 2008 @ 10:32 am
I have donated to Dodd, for his presidential bid and when he quit to help defray his costs. I am on Dodds mailing list. ( I also have donated to Kucinich as well as Edwards, since I am ever a fan of the underdog )
I have called both my Senators, but since they are Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn I am fairly certain my comments to the robots that answered the phones were filed in what they considered the appropriate place, the round file13
January 25th, 2008 at 10:54 am2Million:
Made the call to Bill Nelson and my husband did the same (separately, of course, so we would register as two phone calls). No point in calling Mel “former RNC Chair” Martinez.
And thanks for the suggestion of visiting other sites with this info. It’s a great idea . Will do. :)
January 25th, 2008 at 11:18 amWhat did we miss?
You’d think that events in Egypt, which are on the BBC’s front page as top story and clearly represent a major issue changing the current situation in Israel/Egypt/Gaza would be something that Thinkprogress would at least want to mention. After all, the Administration’s ME fantasies do rely on the Palestinians rolling over and perhaps playing dead too – something which this week’s events plainly demonstrate that they are not willing to do so.
The Palestinians’ crime – apparently they elected the wrong people. Bad Palestinians, rollover, play dead. No, why don’t you starve in your ghetto?
/sarcasm off
January 25th, 2008 at 11:34 amBush blamed the 2001 recession on the former president; his minions are already blaming the Democrats for the current recession. If I hadn’t heard it myself, I wouldn’t believe it.
Comment by Marie — January 25, 2008 @ 10:14 am
Well the Republicans are all about accountability, aren’t they?
Comment by dim wit — January 25, 2008 @ 10:19 am
Yeah
They’re all about everyone else being held accountable for their actions and idiocy………….
January 25th, 2008 at 12:19 pmWolfawitz was brought in before Christmas as Condi Rice’s advisor, evidently that wasn’t good enough for him so the elevated him. What a joke.
Instead of $600 to buy more goods from China why not raise the level for those needing food stamps. Families on the brink by a few dollars need consideration and the food usually comes from local producers. $600.00 checks is like a bandaide when a tourniquet is needed.
January 25th, 2008 at 12:55 pm#67 – I just don’t see how there can be any NET BENEFIT to the US economy by doing this rebate plan.
Comment by Vet — January 25, 2008 @ 10:09 am
I agree.
If they want to help our economy they should figure out a way to reimburse people up to a certain amount for buying products manufactured in the U.S. (or at least North America).
January 25th, 2008 at 1:11 pm“I’m going to try to talk louder.†– Sen. Reid.
Maybe he should do the opposite and carry a big progressive stick?
January 25th, 2008 at 1:16 pm“I’m going to try to talk louder.†– Sen. Reid.
Maybe he should do the opposite and carry a big progressive stick?
Comment by stewarjt — January 25, 2008 @ 1:16 pm
Unfortunately, tis just the way things are.
January 25th, 2008 at 2:03 pmSome walk around with big sticks and others little twigs.
Harry just seems to be a twig guy.
I find myself smiling somewhat after reading this thread. You want to know the difference between us and them?
Them: “Yea, I’ll take my $600, screw everything and everyone else. I’ts all about me!”
Us: “Give the $600 to those who need it, just don’t borrow it from China to give to me”
There in lies the difference! Who are the REAL patriots?
January 25th, 2008 at 2:12 pmA $300 rebate check in the mail is supposed to turn the economy around! Yeah right! That’ll just go right back into the credit card payment! I would have never imagined such an idiot president running this country! What a dumb ass! And the Pelosi dyke standing right behind him kissing ass. Shame on her!! After all she said before becoming speaker of the House now she’s kissing the turkey-faced idiot’s ass. I never thought the day would come but I am ashamed of the bunch of idiots running this country!!!! Criminal lying two-faced idiots. Turkey-snout Bush has turned the American Dream into the American Curse!!!!
January 25th, 2008 at 2:59 pmGood Golly,
Why is Honeywell laying off so many people in Phx if they are doing so good?
January 25th, 2008 at 4:50 pmGood Golly,
How was the week’s end in the stock market today?
January 25th, 2008 at 6:24 pmA 600 dollar check won’t do crap. Do you know now much it costs to live?
January 25th, 2008 at 6:25 pmComment by good_golly — January 25, 2008 @ 10:00 am
What a goofy series of posts. The first words that come to mind are “self-delusion” and “selective thinking”.
What matters in determining the health of the economy is not the individual stories of some companies that are doing well, but the bigger picture. And that one is not all that bright.
Otherwise your Dear (mis)Leader -who will never openly admit something is wrong- wouldn’t be pushing for his stimulus package.
Even the “good” news you singled out warn about the “softening” conditions, the “economic jitters” ahead, the “weak” domestic demand, etc. It takes some willful blindness to overlook the caveats.
But we already knew reality is optional for the Bush personality cult followers.
January 26th, 2008 at 11:14 am