Barnes Defends Gramm: Americans Are ‘Whining All The Way Through’ The Bad Economy
Barnes Defends Gramm: Americans Are ‘Whining All The Way Through’ The Bad Economy
Last night on Fox News’s Special Report, the “All-Star panel” discussed top McCain adviser Phill Gramm’s recent controversial remarks that regarding the economy, the U.S. has become a “nation of whiners” and the U.S. is merely in a “mental recession.”
“All-Star” and Weekly Standard executive editor Fred Barnes wholeheartedly endorsed Gramm’s assessment, saying he was giving “straight talk” and that “America has become a nation of whiners.” But Barnes took Gramm one step further, acknowledging the economy is “weak,” but that Americans are “whining all the way through it”:
BARNES: He wasn’t wrong to say that. You know what this was? This was straight talk that McCain always says he’s giving it, and this is exactly what Phil Gramm did. He gave straight talk…They claim about how bad the economy is–and it’s weak, no question about that. …They’re whining all the way through it.
Watch it:
Sadly, Barnes wasn’t the first Fox News personality to defend Gramm’s comments yesterday. And this isn’t the first time Barnes has shown a complete lack of understanding of the world outside his high society.
During Fox News’s Democratic primary coverage earlier this year, Barnes described “working class” voters as a euphemism because “it’s kind of mean to say ‘lower class.’ It’s as simple as that.” He explained that the “lower class” are people of low “social class.”
The simple fact is that Americans are hurting, not whining.
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Is it “low class” to want to slap Barnes with a tire tool?
July 11th, 2008 at 3:42 pmWhy does Gramm, McGrampa, and Barnes hate Americans so much?
July 11th, 2008 at 3:42 pmThese jackasses know no shame. None whatsoever.
July 11th, 2008 at 3:45 pmFormer Senator Phil Gramm, Senator John McCain and President Bush have conspired to create the completely unregulated electronic oil futures trading market, which has driven up the price of oil to absurd levels… These three economic traitors should be in jail for fraud and associated crimes against the American people.
We’re being ENRONed again: this time by oil futures contracts speculators who are unnecessarily and very profitably driving up the price of crude oil and hence retail gasoline prices. Curious as to why you are suddenly paying over four dollars a gallon for gasoline? No, it’s not due to “supply-and-demand,” no, it’s not due to “OPEC,” nor is it due to “peak oil.” It’s due to totally unregulated electronic oil futures trading in world markets. Check out the very lucid article that explains the unseen financial machinations in oil futures markets written by F. W. Engdahl on May 2, 2008, entitled, “Perhaps 60% of Today’s Oil Price is Pure Speculation.” It may be viewed at .
http://www.financialsense.com/ editorials/ engdahl/ 2008/ 0502.html
In a nutshell, he suggests that the Bush Administration dropped the ball in January 2006, when they allowed totally unregulated electronic trading of oil futures contracts in New York. Previously these electronic trades had been made at the London Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) Futures Market. With that decision by the Bush Administration, all of the world’s oil prices were then opened to upward pressure from speculative futures contracts. In essence, oil futures contracts made by speculators, banks, hedge funds and pension funds all competed with real demand on the spot markets and had the effect of driving up both wholesale oil prices and retail gasoline prices. Speculators have made billions of dollars on their trading of oil futures contracts. All of their profits come right out of our pockets.
Even with a stable oil supply, there is a slow worldwide increase in demand for oil, which creates a long-term upward pressure on oil prices. However, with the relentless saber-rattling and war-mongering by Bush and Cheney in the last several years, and the more recent war talks by McCain and the Israelis, the oil futures markets are rife with speculation and paranoia. This war talk keeps ratcheting up the prices on the oil futures contracts and hence the wholesale spot market prices. It is an endless spiral of greed and paranoia.
As long as there is no tough and effective oversight of the electronic oil futures markets by the Bush Administration, the oil prices will climb endlessly. These oil prices will be quickly followed by hikes in the retail gasoline prices at the pump. The 60% speculation share of the $4.25/gallon gasoline price, is about $2.55/gallon, which is what we consumers are paying to these oil speculators as a “service fee.” Not a bad “fee,” since the speculators produce no usable goods or services…Just a few large greedy oil futures traders helping themselves to your gas money.
Without this added-on oil futures “service fee,” you would be paying about $1.75/gallon for gasoline. Write, call or smoke-signal your Representatives and Senators today and suggest that they read the June 2006 report by The U. S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations entitled, “The Role of Market Speculation in Rising Oil and Gas Prices.” Then demand that they investigate and then force the Bush Administration to firmly regulate the computerized oil futures contracts trading in New York, London and Dubai.
This electronic oil price futures scandal is costing US drivers about $969,000,000.00 per day! That number is based on 60% speculation fee of a gasoline price of $4.25/gallon and on US 2004 consumption of 380,000,000 gallons/day. Tell you Senators and Congresspersons to simply shut down this unregulated electronic oil futures contract trading market. Then the price of gasoline will slowly drop to about $1.75/gallon…The only way that oil price futures contracts make money is if the price of oil goes up in the future, say, 30, 60 or 90 days later. This futures market serves no social need. It is just for corporate greed. The corporate speculators are probably also gaming/ENRONing the wheat and corn futures markets the same way.
July 11th, 2008 at 3:46 pmThese friggin’ ivory tower Republicans are SO far detached from reality. Cripes.
July 11th, 2008 at 3:47 pmFox will do anything to defend their sacred republicans. And overpaid talking heads really know what it’s like to wonder how they’ll pay for gas to get to a low-paying job for a company on the ropes.
July 11th, 2008 at 3:49 pmBut BillO gets to whine about a caricature of him in the NYT magazine as a way to defend Fox’s vile Photoshoppery of reporters who dared to criticize Fox.
They’re the very same people who, 80 years ago, would have hired thugs to break up labor unionizing. They would have fought tooth and nail against getting children out of coal mines and factories. They would have manipulated the system to stop a minimum wage, any safety standards in the workplace, and unemployment insurance or a social security system.
These men are leeches, sucking up the work of others, squeezing every drop of profit they can get, and laughing all the way to the bank.
They are despicable.
July 11th, 2008 at 3:50 pmI guess that if you can’t feed your family and can’t afford gas to get to work then you are a whiner?
Is this how they think, you know the RICH republics scum bags?
July 11th, 2008 at 3:50 pmQueue Daryl/Jabber
July 11th, 2008 at 3:50 pm*yawn*
July 11th, 2008 at 3:51 pmIf I hear the words “straight talk” one more time in association with McCain, I’m a-gonna KEEEEEEL somebuddy!
July 11th, 2008 at 3:54 pmOval:
Very interesting. I’ll follow your link tomorrow when I’ve more time.
Meanwhile, the one upside to our current, calamitous economy is it will make it easier to take the White House in November.
Unless the GOP succeeds in stealing the election again. :\
July 11th, 2008 at 3:55 pmBarnes and Kristol, the editors of the Weakly (sub)Standard, wouldn’t know the truth if it bit them square in their NeoCon arses.
Gotta figure, they can only be seen as regulars on Faux.
July 11th, 2008 at 3:55 pmCould these overpaid right wing apologists just cut to the chase and say it:
“Let them eat Cake”
July 11th, 2008 at 3:58 pmIf people are whining, does that make them “bitter”? Aren’t these the same fatheads that screeched about Obama’s “elitism”?
July 11th, 2008 at 3:59 pmHow much whining would we hear if the Democrats threatened the “nuclear” option in Congress. How much whining would we hear if REAL impeachment proceedings took place? How much whining would we hear when healthcare becomes nationalized?
Pure Republican projection.
July 11th, 2008 at 4:00 pmjabberjaw Says: blah blah blah Obama blah blah blah
Mr “independent” who never criticizes anyone except the Democratic candidate. Very convincing, blabberjaw.
July 11th, 2008 at 4:00 pmjabberjaw Says:
People are clearly suffering. That’s why we need to get rid of the Republocrats and Democlicans and put someone like Ralph Nader in office. He’s a true progressive that won’t cave to the middle the way Obama has.
A “true progressive” never would have taken republican’s campaign contributions. He’s as blined by ambition as the rest - but on him, you seem to think it looks good.
July 11th, 2008 at 4:03 pmAll this talk about whining from Gramm, Barnes and the other wingut enablers on Fox “News” is somehow starting to sound a bit . . . I don’t know . . . elitist.
Suddenly I don’t think I want to have a beer with these people
July 11th, 2008 at 4:04 pmWelcome, Mr. Barnes, et al. You are the elitists you have often condemned others of being.
Just so there is no spinning or misunderstanding, here is the definition (not Fox’s or the conservative right wing):
e·lit·ism or é·lit·ism (-ltzm, -l-)
n.
1. The belief that certain persons or members of certain classes or groups deserve favored treatment by virtue of their perceived superiority, as in intellect, social status, or financial resources.
2.
a. The sense of entitlement enjoyed by such a group or class.
b. Control, rule, or domination by such a group or class.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
July 11th, 2008 at 4:05 pm.
ANOTHER WHINNEY AMERICAN!
.
July 11th, 2008 at 4:06 pm.
Can someone PA-LEASE(!) tell Fred Barnes to quit his whinning?
.
July 11th, 2008 at 4:07 pmEver notice? Those who crow the loudest, cry the most when the hard times the rest of us deal with all the time, come knocking at their door.
July 11th, 2008 at 4:09 pmNader’s no progressive and you seem to forget the 60’s and 90’s, you know the only good years our country has seen economically. Oh yeah, the democrats were running things then….funny.
July 11th, 2008 at 4:09 pmI’m with Ralph on this. Let them keep making statements like this. I’m sure it’s going over big with most Americans.
Funny that the media is leading with it for so long. Seems they have dug a hole for themselves again. Who would have expected that?
July 11th, 2008 at 4:12 pmAnd when Obama takes office, suddenly all the “whiners,” will be transformed, into “thoughtful, serious citizens, who should be heeded, by the administration.
We know how this little game is played…
July 11th, 2008 at 4:12 pmFace it, both candidates seem to have hoof and mouth disease saying foolish comments or maybe letting the public see the real person. Who can we trust ?
July 11th, 2008 at 4:14 pmOh PLEEEEASE let the Republicans adopt this mantra and wed themselves to it.
Please please please let them embrace it.
It’s a winning strategy for sure, Repubs. Go for it.
July 11th, 2008 at 4:15 pmFred:
Don’t forget FDR. A truly great president whose legacy today is so vast we just take it for granted.
PS. OT, but a good friend of mine was home schooled. He’s brilliant and offbeat and never fit into the public school system so his parents puled him out years ago . . . Anyway, he’s getting his masters in English now and has never paid a dime in tuition - he’s always won essay and poetry contests to pay his own way.
July 11th, 2008 at 4:15 pmPeople have a tendency to whine when in the middle of suffering.
July 11th, 2008 at 4:16 pmtexaslady Says:
Who can we trust ?
PterodacDaryll: Jebus!
July 11th, 2008 at 4:16 pmWTF, have you been in a coma and just awakened a few minutes ago? Did you miss the threads on fisa. There has been plenty of criticizm of Obama here.
Try to find something even remotly similar at red state, etc.
You just open your mouth and it operates just like your other end doesn’t it. diarria.
July 11th, 2008 at 4:17 pmjabberjaw Says:
People are clearly suffering. That’s why we need to get rid of the Republocrats and Democlicans and put someone like Ralph Nader in office. He’s a true progressive that won’t cave to the middle the way Obama has.
The same Nader that took RNC money in 2000 and hasn’t done anything to help us in 8 years?
July 11th, 2008 at 4:18 pmfookin moron
“pulled” not “puled” in 31. Curse no editing option!
July 11th, 2008 at 4:18 pmBarney should try taking the bus, standing shoulder to shoulder with the hundreds of new riders who can’t afford to pay $60.00 - $90.00 to fill up their tanks.
And spout his nonsense to THAT crowd.
They be cleaning up what’s left of ol Barney with a flat nosed shovel. With hazmat gear on.
July 11th, 2008 at 4:20 pmSorry for the OT here folks, but while I knew that Impeachment was off the table, I wasn’t aware that Inherent Contempt was as well:
Link
July 11th, 2008 at 4:21 pmJabberwocky, Nader was toast from the get go, but it’s nice of you to come in here and try to pretend you’re some kind of anything but a mucking foron.
July 11th, 2008 at 4:21 pmFrosty Cupcake Says:
FDR
I hadn’t forgotten him….just trying to keep it short.
On the homeschooling. It’s an option, that’s all. Shayne or someone pegged it by saying we must make the best choice for our kids at the time…
Maybe the future will be brighter for our public school system. Ironically one of my children is a teacher.
July 11th, 2008 at 4:21 pmPassing on mccain’s fumbling, MSNBC’s morning show, David Gregory, any conservative talking head. Suddenly the mccain no one wanted is the darling of the republican party.
July 11th, 2008 at 4:22 pmmccain has fumbled every question from women’s health, women’s pay, condoms, economy you name it and he can’t answer. What is he knowledgeable on after all these years ?
Rear end kissing ?
It’s true that people are hurting. However, most of them I see aren’t whining so much as they are planning to vote in their best interests this November (my mother always told me that actions are more effective than whining, and she’s right).
The “whining” these guys are hearing is merely the voices of Americans speaking up and letting the guys currently in charge know why they’re going to get kicked to the curb this fall. Just in case any of them are listening.
July 11th, 2008 at 4:23 pmTranslation: Keep taking it up the buttock and quit your whining.
July 11th, 2008 at 4:24 pmIt would have been so much easier for Carter to have won a second term, if he’d just known not to empathize with voters.
Malaise?
Nah, just a bunch of whiners…
July 11th, 2008 at 4:24 pm*FLAGGED*, Completely off-topic
July 11th, 2008 at 4:29 pmjabberjaw Says:
Please link to any posts you’ve made on rightwing sites, pushing Nader.
Are there any? Because if not, you’re yanking our collective fin, jabber.
July 11th, 2008 at 4:31 pmWell count me as a whiner when watching food prices go up daily long with gas prices.
July 11th, 2008 at 4:35 pmAnd are these whiners — bitter? And do they go to church, and clutch their guns for security?
July 11th, 2008 at 4:36 pmMr Barnes is a jerk who is so rich he doesn’t have to worry about high food or gas prices. So when you make over a millions dollars a year, you might think hard working low to middle income people are whinning. When you’re out of touch, you’re out of touch. And “Frank Barnes” is out of touch, just like his buddy John McCain. The only republicans who understand the real economy are the poor fools who vote for the rich fools.
July 11th, 2008 at 4:36 pmBarnes is a mental midget who would have no job in journalism were he not one the right’s ideological fils de joie!
July 11th, 2008 at 4:36 pmjabberjaw Says:
Wayne, what do you mean that Nader has done nothing to help us in 8 years?
How has he tried to build his “3rd party” over the last 8 years?
Oh, he hasn’t…. He just boosts his ego by thinking he is a presidential candidate that doesn’t have a hope in hell of getting elected, because he has no base or support other than idiots that want to throw their votes away.
July 11th, 2008 at 4:40 pmNot really, missmolly. The whining they’re hearing is, much like the recession, all in their heads.
They know that the collapsing economy is going to take down the Republican Party in a war that a foolish, disastrous war of choice never could , but their paychecks and their egos depend on them not admitting it, at least on Faux News.
So I’m really pleased to hear them going with this one.
let them try to claim that the guy who talks about how Americans are hurting is the “elitist” and the guy who thinks it’s all a bunch of whining is a “regular guy”.
Sometimes, the American people are smarter than the punditocracy.
Okay, usually.
July 11th, 2008 at 4:41 pmWell, let’s see here. Phil Gramm made $300,000 in 2003 according to the Legistorm site. Not much of a leap to assume he’s closer to half a mil now. Fred Barnes, don’t know, but Think Progress came up with $23K salary for entry level staffer, one assumes the Executive Editor makes considerably more - $200K? $300K?
Yeah, like I really trust in their ability to understand where the other 90% of Americans are coming from.
July 11th, 2008 at 4:41 pmAnother whine, how come gas pumps do not have to warn that using a credit card to pay for gas will add a surcharge of up to .65 a gallon. Happened this week on I80 between Iowa and Nebraska. At least inform before robbing. Many of us do use cash and would rather than add $6.50 for 10 gallons of gas.
July 11th, 2008 at 4:42 pmGod, I’m sick of these filthy rich assh*les like Fred Barnes, Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh and Bill O’Reilly telling us that it’s all in our heads and that we need to stop whining - and pull ourselves up by our friggin’ bootstraps!!!!!
I’m truly tired of hearing that same crap from the old, rich pathetically senile Republican who hasn’t filled his own gas tank in twenty years, has absolutely no idea how much a gallon of said gas costs, who owns so many mansions that he can’t remember whether or not he’s paid his property tax bill for all of them, who flies around in a private jet wearing Armani suits with a trophy wife who charges $750,000 on her credit card in one freaking MONTH!!
Excuse me, McElite - YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW I LIVE. So STFU, you evil old barstid. STFU all of you.
July 11th, 2008 at 4:45 pmtexaslady Says:
Another whine, how come gas pumps do not have to warn that using a credit card to pay for gas will add a surcharge of up to .65 a gallon. Happened this week on I80 between Iowa and Nebraska.
But they have raised the dollar limit you can pump, before the automatic shut-off.
For Your Convenience.
July 11th, 2008 at 4:49 pmpakaal Says:
Well, let’s see here. Phil Gramm made $300,000 in 2003 according to the Legistorm site. Not much of a leap to assume he’s closer to half a mil now.
It would be entirely naive to think that Gramm has limited his income in the last few years to merely ‘half a mil’. It is also naive to think that you or I would discover his income due to the many, many ways folks have to hide and discount their numbers.
Gramm is a very successful lobbyist. My opinion is that his income is well above a few million bucks per year. He is a major player in the fiancial marketplaces, which are famous for their generosity to those who look like they do.
I would also question your guess as to how much the head person at TP brings in. I would peg it at much lower than you did, but really, you and I don’t know, now do we?
TP gives good, truthful information. Gramm is a whore doing bidding for whomever pays him. Which is more trustworthy?
July 11th, 2008 at 4:52 pmThe GOP (not) and the wannabe gopers love and believe in the class system in this country. After all doesn’t everyone have the same chance for wealth ? You just need daddy’s money, connections, and the lack of compassion for others.
July 11th, 2008 at 4:56 pmAnd can anyone tell me what Gramm and Barnes and their ilk have contributed in Real Value to the US economy over that time to justify such remuneration?
July 11th, 2008 at 4:57 pmAnd can anyone tell me what Gramm and Barnes and their ilk have contributed in Real Value to the US economy over that time to justify such remuneration?
Well, they catapult the propoganda for the GOP. That’s where their value lies. It is hard work keeping millions of Low Information Voters (LIV) distracted and unpatriotic.
July 11th, 2008 at 5:00 pmAnyone listening to the people making over $500,000 will hear the scream of how much taxes they pay and how so many others are getting a free ride. Yet, on the same hand these people will write off many thousands as “company business”. Strange how that works.
July 11th, 2008 at 5:04 pmSo how about reworking the system change EIC but also change what can and cannot be charged off as company write off.
Could this sort of talk explain why the fox market share has dropped so? No one feeling the hurt of the higher cost of living would consider themselves ‘whining’, so it’s got to be alienataing some of the normal fox audience. If you don’t hear the condescending tone then you must be as out-of-touch as these asses.
July 11th, 2008 at 5:24 pmWayne Says:
Is it “low class” to want to slap Barnes with a tire tool?
No, actually, that would be “high” class. Slapping him with a tire iron is lower class. Take your pick, however as both approaches are appropriate.
July 11th, 2008 at 5:31 pmHere’s a modest proposal: return the Ruling Class to the days of New Deal 70% TAXATION, what we used to know as PROGRESSIVE TAXATION. Then let’s see who’s whining…
July 11th, 2008 at 5:34 pmUntil then, each time I turn on my computer I eagerly search for news of a revolt and burnings and be-headings and the like. But sadly, am disappointed every time.
This “let them eat cake” type stuff didn’t go over with the French! Whassup with Americans?
Why don’t these rich b@sturds just STFU on the economy and how people are suffering today. People stormed the Bastille for attitudes such as Barnes unabashedly displays.
July 11th, 2008 at 7:08 pm“whiners” trumps ‘bitter.’
And Phil Gramm trumps Jeremiah Wright.
Not that he had much of a chance to begin with, but this ends John McCain’s candidacy.
July 11th, 2008 at 7:42 pmI think that Fox may be making a big mistake here. I am quite sure that most of the Fox audience is hurting financially. After all, they are the “low-information” voters that tend to be at the lower end of the socioeconomic scale. With Fox continuing with the “we are all whiners” theme, they are really insulting their audience. Could be the best thing to happen in a long time. Perhaps these people will finally turn their backs on Fox and find a place where they can become truly informed.
July 11th, 2008 at 7:44 pmjabberjaw Says:
You know, no one here is buying your shit so why don’t you just give it up. The people here are not so stupid in that they would throw away their vote on Nader. I’m fairly sure that most of them remember that it is partly thanks to Nader that we have Bush. If the people who voted for Nader had voted for Gore, then the Supremes would not have had the opportunity to hand the presidency to George.
July 11th, 2008 at 7:47 pmWe should start calling Gramm and his defenders “elitists.”
July 11th, 2008 at 10:43 pmall mccain has to do is invite Americans to a mccain BBQ at the lake and all whining immediately stops.
July 11th, 2008 at 11:47 pmIt’s interesting that some right wing politicians, pundits and the trolls so conveniently distance themselves from real Americans. “It’s a mental recession,” “Americans are whining,” blah, blah, blah. These people who are judging and belittling us don’t have a clue about us. And they blather on and on attempting to frame the debate. Most of the American people are hurting and are worried about the future - but these folks don’t give a sh!t - plain and simple. For many years now they have been bent and determined to destroy the middle class and those aspiring. They may have succeeded - to their own detriment as well. I smell revolution in the air.
July 11th, 2008 at 11:57 pmIf Barnes wasn’t gainfully subsidized giving lip-service to/for RW Republican media organizations and actually had to earn a living , like real Americans, he’d sing a different tune. But the wingnut welfare requires that he trash this country to get his check.
July 12th, 2008 at 2:07 amKrugman says that oil speculation is not the prime mover in setting the price. But isn’t he just pleading for calm?
July 12th, 2008 at 2:12 amIf I woke up one day as Fred Barnes, I don’t think all the showers in the world would make me feel clean.
July 12th, 2008 at 2:24 pmOf course, I wouldn’t be thinking about that until I’d emptied all of his bank accounts and donated his estate to the ACLU.
July 12th, 2008 at 2:26 pmFox? Thank goodness someone watches Fox so they can report the goings-on to the rest of us … I wouldn’t watch that group of whack-jobs if it was the only broadcast still in existence.
When we finally storm the Bastille, let’s see if any of these old-rich-bois (McCain, Gramm & Fred Barnes) whine when they’re bent-over and receiving their just-deserts.
WE-THE-PEOPLE have been bent-over for 8 years now … let’s test to compare how long it’ll take one of those rich, NeoCon, girlie-men to start whining.
July 12th, 2008 at 4:20 pmAnyone have Fred Barnes’ Fox or Home address and telephone number? Phil Gramm’s … a telephone number to reach ‘em at their mansions would be ideal … I wanna leave a message with their slaves … oops, I meant butlers/maids.
July 12th, 2008 at 5:09 pmWell, I can only speak from my own experiences. But, I know a few people who wear $200 heels, drive the newest model of BMW, regularly go to spas, and live in half a million to one million dollar homes. These people have not had to cut down on their vacations or their spending, gas or food. And yet they are always the ones to start complaining about the high prices. I know these people, and they know my situation, so I ask them “What high prices are you referring to?” It’s always a conversation killer because they are complaining about their manacures or what they spent while on vacation. They are whining, and they know it. The winers are those who do not take personal responsibility for their own actions, but expect someone to help them out when they get in a financial jam. This group of people that I speak of has gotten themselves into many financial jams. They spend more than they make and refuse to cut down on their wants.
August 7th, 2008 at 5:00 pmWe have become a spoiled society. We expect to be given a credit card and allowed to spend freely. We expect to get a 0 down payment mortgage, even if we have bad credit. We expect to drive off the lot in a new car every 2 years. We have done this to ourselves and it’s now time to face the consequences. We have to change our financial attitudes, otherwise our children will expect all of this and more.