ThinkFast: September 23, 2008
ThinkFast: September 23, 2008
Lobbyists are rallying to defeat Sen. Chris Dodd’s (D-CT) alternative bailout proposal, with the banking industry particularly up in arms about a provision allowing bankruptcy judges to lower mortgages for distressed homeowners. “We are vigorously opposing that,” said Steve Verdier, a lobbyist for the Independent Community Bankers Association (ICBA).
The lobbying firm of William Timmons Sr., who John McCain tapped to run his presidential transition team, “earned more than a quarter of a million dollars this year representing Freddie Mac, one of the companies McCain blames for the nation’s financial crisis.” Timmons himself has been personally “registered to lobby for Freddie Mac from 2000 through this month.”
According to 2007 data released by the U.S. Census Bureau today, more than 7.5 million people “are spending half of their income or more on housing costs.” The government considers “a homeowner spending 30 percent or more of their income on housing costs to be financially burdened”; that definition now covers almost 38 percent of U.S. homeowners with a mortgage.
The White House said yesterday that it opposed the Credit Card Bill of Rights, a bill currently being debated in the House, “saying it would constrain banks’ ability to price risk.” The proposal would end double-billing and would force companies to mail bills 25 days before payment is due, rather than the current 14 days. Read more about why the bill is so important here.
On the trail today: Sarah Palin is “embarking on her first voyage as Republican vice presidential nominee into the arena of world affairs,” meeting with seven world leaders in New York. John McCain will make two stops in the Cleveland area. Barack Obama is prepping for this week’s debate in Tampa. Joe Biden is discussing the economy in Northern Virginia.
Salam Adhoob, a former chief investigator for Iraq’s Commission on Public Integrity, told the Senate Democratic Policy Committee yesterday “that more than $13 billion meant for reconstruction projects in Iraq was wasted or stolen.” Adhoob said many projects weren’t needed or built, adding that “this very real fact remains: Billions of American dollars that paid for these projects are now gone.”
“Some of the nation’s top embryonic stem cell research advocates say they are growing concerned” that Sen. John McCain’s ambiguous stance on stem cells will lead him to “backtrack on his previous support for the work if elected president.” “What is John McCain’s position today? I don’t know,” said University of Wisconsin bioethicist Alta Charo.
Last week, The Rachel Maddow Show was the No. 2 program in cable news in the age 25-54 demographic and in total viewers at 9pm, beating CNN’s Larry King Live. “On Friday, Maddow’s was the #1 show in the demo at 9pmET topping a “Hannity-less” Hannity and Colmes.
With two more months to go in the presidential election season, “women have given $109 million to presidential candidates in checks of $200 or more — triple the amount female donors delivered in 2000.” Overall, the new study released today by the Women’s Campaign Forum Foundation finds that women still comprise just 27 percent of all donors.
And finally: Comedian Tiny Fey is not happy over Carly Fiorina’s allegations that her Saturday Night Live skit portraying Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) was “sexist.” “I saw one lady trying to form a thought that it was sexist on the news,” Fey said of Fiorina. “But she didn’t really get it together. Probably because she was a lady and she was dumb. [pause] Wait. Is that sexist?” Watch Fey’s response here.
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DHS Looking To Bring Level 4 Pathogens To A Town Near You
The Department of Homeland Security is looking for a new home for a National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility. They are taking over the work of the Plum Island Animal Disease Center which the scientists, farmers and government officials for 80 years have kept off the U.S. mainland.
This decision reminds me of the movie by Stephen King called “The Stand”. In the movie, the escape and spread of a human-made biological weapon, a superflu (influenza) virus known formally as “Project Blue” and colloquially as “Captain Trips.” The epidemic leads to the death of most of the human population in North America.
The virus that causes foot-and-mouth disease — a highly contagious killer of livestock such as cattle—our government is planning to bring the virus to the mainland on purpose. The DHS is looking at five inland sites, all in agricultural regions. Though foot-and-mouth is not fatal to humans–DHS plans to work with–Nipah and Hendra viruses and those that cause African swine fever, Rift Valley fever and Japanese encephalitis, can kill humans as well as livestock.
What that means in laymen terms is; Nipah and Hendra virus is classified as a Hazard Group 4 pathogen, requiring the highest level of biosecurity procedures. Nipah virus, for example, has a 40% mortality rate in humans. Just like in “The Stand” human error can never be eliminated. This is why, where the facility is currently located protects all of us from that factor.
“The waters surrounding Plum Island provide a relatively secure barrier against spread of pathogens. DHS has the option of building the new lab there, and that would be the sensible thing to do.
But government and university officials in five states with big, vulnerable agricultural economies have bought their tickets in the terror lab sweepstakes, vying for a chance to play host to the deadly microbes. The prospect of federal grants and jobs is leading them to put their states’ farms and ranches, and possibly their residents, at risk.
DHS brushes aside charges of recklessness. Its own environmental impact study concluded that the likelihood of escape — which it estimated would cause $2.8 to $4.2 billion in economic damage nationally — is “extremely low,” given appropriate attention to design, construction and operation.”
The DHS did a study, they released in June, which basically said that they have faith in the technology that guards us from accidents that may occur. What was missing from this report was that human make mistakes and that was not figured in on worse case scenerios.
The US has the largest stock of these deadly viruses of human mass destruction. If we don’t speak out against this, it could end up in your state next. I don’t want to play Russian Roulette with my life or that of my families–hoping that the wind is blowing in the right direction or—thinking that we are ever going to eliminate human error from the equation when dealing with a Level 4 pathogen.
For the rest of my post on this, here is a link to TheZoo
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:01 amThe latest McCain-Palin strategy of hiding under the bed (since the lying strategy isn’t going so well):
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:03 am
Lobbyists are rallying to defeat Sen. Chris Dodd’s (D-CT) alternative bailout proposal, with the banking industry particularly up in arms about a provision allowing bankruptcy judges to lower mortgages for distressed homeowners. “We are vigorously opposing that,” said Steve Verdier, a lobbyist for the Independent Community Bankers Association (ICBA).
Last night I wrote all three of my NeoCon “Representatives” and told them that any bill that did not include regulations, oversight, mortage re-finance, zero compensation for CEOs and additional powers for the Executive Branch was unacceptable.
I’d like to encourage everyone to do the same thing.
Many of these people are up for re-election, and this is the only time that they actually bother to listen to what we say. Please take advantage of the opportunity before we lose it for good.
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:06 amIt’s impossible to make up your mind if you haven’t got one.
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:08 amSarah Palin is “embarking on her first voyage as Republican vice presidential nominee into the arena of world affairs,” meeting with seven world leaders in New York.
And just like the “Titanic”, Sarah will be a disaster of epic proportion.
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:09 amBut lobbyists are kind, decent folks… right McFukingStupid?
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:09 amThe Fed relaxed rules allowing private equity firms to buy larger chunks of commercial banks, a form of deregulation. The Wall Street Journal & NYT have pieces.
The Times also had a piece on The Carlyle Group plans to make money during the meltdown and rescue. Co-founder David Rubenstein got his wish for Carlyle to invest their kajillions in distressed banks.
Buy cheap, put lipstick on the pig, sell later for at least a double. The Carlyle Way…
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:10 amI’ve got an idea, let’s give these same guys $700 billion to spend with no oversight or review.
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:11 amSarah Palin is “embarking on her first voyage as Republican vice presidential nominee into the arena of world affairs,” meeting with seven world leaders in New York.
This should be absolutely hilarious. Or utterly embarassing, depending which side you’re on…
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:11 amAdhoob said many projects weren’t needed or built, adding that “this very real fact remains: Billions of American dollars that paid for these projects are now gone.”
Who isn’t sucking at the teat of the American tax-payer?
Shouldn’t we be really mad by now?
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:12 am“Sarah Palin is ‘embarking on her first voyage as Republican vice presidential nominee into the arena of world affairs,’ meeting with seven world leaders in New York.”
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Ah, the crash course of “how to be the leader of the free world” continues for Palin. So who are these “seven world leaders” and how were they picked to be the ones to be on Palin’s learning curve? Are they from the countries who need us most (and therefore have to put up with our absurdity), or are they just the seven who can keep the straightest faces?
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:13 amWhy should we, the unwashed masses, have any right to ask any questions of such exalted persons as the repug candidates. We should just take on trust everything they say; they will tell us anything they want us to know when they feel that the time is right. “Now is not the time for punitive measures.” As we can see everything the repugs do is for the good of the nation.
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:13 am“saying it would constrain banks’ ability to price risk.”
Banks actually price risk? Big Sh#tpile begs to differ.
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:14 amunbelievable Says: and additional powers for the Executive Branch was unacceptable.
Make that NO additional powers…
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:15 amFreedom Rebel Says:
snip
This decision reminds me of the movie by Stephen King called “The Stand”. In the movie, the escape and spread of a human-made biological weapon, a superflu (influenza) virus known formally as “Project Blue” and colloquially as “Captain Trips.” The epidemic leads to the death of most of the human population in North America.
**Stephen King is one of my favorite authors and The Stand is one of my favorite novels (second only to Dark Tower series.) I am actually terrified by this. In the past few years, whenever I read about some “new” strain of a virus or pathogen, I think about this novel. I sure hope it does not turn out to be a “true” prediction of things to come. I have zero confidence in any of our current administration’s agencies. They are some of the most incompetent idiots imaginable. Thanks for the post (???) Have a great day FR! ;-)
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:16 am“[B]anks’ ability to price risk”?? They didn’t really say this did they? If there’s one glaring fact in the mortgage fiasco, it’s that financials showed absolutely no ability to price risk.
This is like lecturing the Russians re invading another country. These guys got no self-awareness or sense of irony, a condition manifest among the terminally stupid.
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:17 ammisshusseinmolly Says: So who are these “seven world leaders” and how were they picked to be the ones to be on Palin’s learning curve?
Perhaps they will be metaphorical conversations. You know, some world leaders are in NYC, and Sarah is in NYC, so by geographic proximity, she’s ‘meeting’ with them…
They will liklely all be Bush stooges like Karzai, no doubt.
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:17 am“Some of the nation’s top embryonic stem cell research advocates say they are growing concerned” that Sen. John McCain’s ambiguous stance on stem cells will lead him to “backtrack on his previous support for the work if elected president.”
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As well they should be concerned. Flippy McSpin will eventually morph his stance on this issue to match that of Bushco, just as he has all his others.
Are there any issues left where McCain is still a “maverick”? I think he’s just about switched them all, and when he advocates drilling in ANWR, the transformation will be complete.
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:17 amSarah “the narrative” Palin goes to the UN on “Hang Ahmadinejad” Day. How will the two fictional stories interact.
1.) Will Sarah shoot Mahmoud’s 2/3rd’s finished nuclear bomb out of his grubby little hands?
2.) Will the little man get mad at all the attention Sarah’s getting and call her a “trollipy cunt”? (Choose your angry little man, McCain or Ahmsdinejad for this skit)
3.) Will Tzipi Livni, Ehud Olmert, or whoever the heck Israel’s sends rail on the modern Hitler trying to obliterate their state?
4.) Will Vladimir Putin return Condi’s recent b-itch slap?
5.) Will Txipi, Condi, or Sarah win the bathing suit competition at the UN? National security = energy, the sexual kind
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:18 amLast week, The Rachel Maddow Show was the No. 2 program in cable news in the age 25-54 demographic and in total viewers at 9pm, beating CNN’s Larry King Live. “On Friday, Maddow’s was the #1 show in the demo at 9pmET topping a “Hannity-less” Hannity and Colmes.
Suck on that O’Lielly. How soon will it be before you go on the attack against Rachel like you have with Olbermann?
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:19 amComedian Tiny Fey is not happy over Carly Fiorina’s allegations that her Saturday Night Live skit portraying Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) was “sexist.”
Tina Fey should just ignore Carly Fiorina. Anyone supporting John McCain is missing all vital Neurons for critical thinking.
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:20 am“And finally: Comedian Tiny Fey is not happy…”
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Um…I think you mean TINA Fey. I know she’s a petite woman, but let’s not change her moniker, shall we?
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:21 amunbelievable Says
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:17 am
Perhaps they will be metaphorical conversations. You know, some world leaders are in NYC, and Sarah is in NYC, so by geographic proximity, she’s ‘meeting’ with them…
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“I can see world leaders from where I stand” — snark
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:22 amDespite this kind of brilliant judgment, time after time, apparently there are still 2.5% of Democrats who will not vote for Obama because of his great tan…. Unbelievable.
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:22 am
This should be absolutely hilarious. Or utterly embarassing, depending which side you’re on…
And if you’re an independent, it will be embarassingly hilarious.
While Failin’ Palin is scheduled to actually meet seven world leaders, her handlers are also hoping that she will soon be able to also claim that “she saw ten other world leaders across the room” as well.
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:22 amGood one misshusseinmolly! After this week I guess Palin will be a foreign policy expert via osmosis!
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:23 ammisshusseinmolly Says:
Are there any issues left where McCain is still a “maverick”? I think he’s just about switched them all, and when he advocates drilling in ANWR, the transformation will be complete.
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:17 am
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But that’s exactly what makes him such a maverick, in the original sense of the word. He’s like an unbranded calf aimlessly wandering the Texas prarie, just waiting to be scooped up by whatever ideology will give him a barn to sleep in.
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:24 amActually the pricing of risk is what sent the credit market reeling last week. The cost of peace of mind on $10 million of Goldman Sach’s associated credit soared to $900,000 a year. It was consider junk debt at $100,000 a year.
Wall Street quit lending to each other, effectively priced risk so great as to make credit unaffordable. That’s why Uncle Sam jumped in with the $700 billion (more like $1 to 2 trillion bailout).
Once again, Bush privatizes the profits, and socializes the lossed. If honest George W. would’ve said:
“It would constrain banks’ ability to price risk, until that risk became so great, the taxpayers would need to absorb it.”
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:26 amSenator Obama recently issued a Statement of Principles for the Treasury Proposal…
The era of greed and irresponsibility on Wall Street and in Washington has led to a financial crisis as profound as any we have faced since the Great Depression.
But regardless of how we got here, the circumstances we face require decisive action because the jobs, savings, and economic security of millions of Americans are now at risk.
We must work quickly in a bipartisan fashion to resolve this crisis and restore our financial sector so capital is flowing again and we can avert an even broader economic catastrophe. We also should recognize that economic recovery requires that we act, not just to address the crisis on Wall Street, but also the crisis on Main Street and around kitchen tables across America.
But thus far, the Administration has only offered a concept with a staggering price tag, not a plan.
Even if the Treasury recovers some or most of its investment over time, this initial outlay of up to $700 billion is sobering. And in return for their support, the American people must be assured that the deal reflects some basic principles.
• No blank check. If we grant the Treasury broad authority to address the immediate crisis, we must insist on independent accountability and oversight. Given the breach of trust we have seen and the magnitude of the taxpayer money involved, there can be no blank check.
• Taxpayers should be protected. This should not be a handout to Wall Street. It should be structured in a way that maximizes the ability of taxpayers to recoup their investment. Going forward, we need to make sure that the institutions that benefit from financial insurance also bear the cost of that insurance.
• Help homeowners stay in their homes. This crisis started with homeowners and they bear the brunt of the nearly unprecedented collapse in housing prices. We cannot have a plan for Wall Street banks that does not help homeowners stay in their homes and help distressed communities.
Continued at:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGg9zm
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:26 amLobbyists are rallying to defeat Sen. Chris Dodd’s (D-CT) alternative bailout proposal, with the banking industry particularly up in arms about a provision allowing bankruptcy judges to lower mortgages for distressed homeowners. “We are vigorously opposing that,” said Steve Verdier, a lobbyist for the Independent Community Bankers Association (ICBA).
Yeah! Bailouts are for rich deadbeats!
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:28 am/sarc
#15 And the beat goes on Says:
**Stephen King is one of my favorite authors and The Stand is one of my favorite novels (second only to Dark Tower series.) I am actually terrified by this. In the past few years, whenever I read about some “new” strain of a virus or pathogen, I think about this novel. I sure hope it does not turn out to be a “true” prediction of things to come. I have zero confidence in any of our current administration’s agencies. They are some of the most incompetent idiots imaginable. Thanks for the post (???) Have a great day FR! ;-)
Good Morning :) It was the first thing that came to me as I was reading the article. I like his books also. I have many favorites. I hope your arm is doing better.
I have no confidence at all in the DHS. They are ignoring research that has been done and the release of pathogens in other parts of our country. I can’t believe their “blind faith” is all that they are basing this on. Another fine example of the dumbing down of America. I agree with you it is truly terrifying that they would consider this move inland at all.
Have a great day also, And the beat goes on !!
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:28 amtom Says: While Failin’ Palin is scheduled to actually meet seven world leaders, her handlers are also hoping that she will soon be able to also claim that “she saw ten other world leaders across the room” as well.
I suppose by osmosis that she’ll also become a 9/11 expert, now, which will translate into foreign policy experience….
In the latest Republican-biased polls, Obama is now up 51% to 46%.
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:31 amComedian Tiny Fey is not happy over Carly Fiorina’s allegations that her Saturday Night Live skit portraying Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) was “sexist.”
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Carly Fiorina is an embarrassment to women everywhere. She is essentially claiming that people should back off Palin because she is a woman. WTF??? THAT is sexist, not a SNL parody that would happen to any prominent candidate regardless of gender.
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:32 amThe White House said yesterday that it opposed the Credit Card Bill of Rights, a bill currently being debated in the House, “saying it would constrain banks’ ability to price risk.” The proposal would end double-billing and would force companies to mail bills 25 days before payment is due, rather than the current 14 days.
Of course they do. Why would they start protecting the interests of the citizens now?
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:33 amI can think of at least 700 Billion reasons whey American taxpayers shouldn’t trust Wall St., Hank Paulson, GW Bush or John McCain.
So can you.
ENOUGH!
These past 8 yrs have seen our Country pillaged, looted and now raped financially, morally, ethically and God only knows what else.
‘Bush will veto financial bailout if it includes compensation limits to Executives’.
SO?
Let him veto it. It’s time to call their bluff. You’ll get the same result with a Goldman Sachs ex-CEO running the Treasury as we got having a Bib Oil man in the White House.
It’s insanity to think any other outcome could take place.
Now, even foreign banks are being allowed in to help themselves to taxpayer’s money. This isn’t an ‘adjustment’, it’s social rape.
Call you congressmen. Call you Senators. Call them anything you want to, but DO CALL.
Country First, my ass. ‘Me First’ is closer to the truth.
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:33 ammisshusseinmolly Says:
Carly Fiorina is an embarrassment to women everywhere. She is essentially claiming that people should back off Palin because she is a woman. WTF??? THAT is sexist, not a SNL parody that would happen to any prominent candidate regardless of gender.
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:32 am
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“When I hear a statement like that coming from a woman candidate with any kind of perceived whine about that excess criticism, or maybe a sharper microscope put on her, I think, ‘Man, that doesn’t do us any good, women in politics, or women in general, trying to progress this country.” –Sarah Palin, on complaints from Hillary Clinton’s campaign about sexist coverage, Spring 2008
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:36 amIgnoranceIsNotBliss Says
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:19 am
Suck on that O’Lielly. How soon will it be before you go on the attack against Rachel like you have with Olbermann?
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Even O’Reilly knows there needs to be some space between calling a woman hateful names and accusing the mean ol’ liberals for calling a woman hateful names. He won’t do both on the same show, so he won’t attack Rachel if he has already hurled the “sexist” label at people who attack Palin. He needs 24 hours in between.
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:37 amCSPAN just reported Bush wants the credit rescue to spread beyond “mortgage related securities”. The reporter said Bush wants to include credit card debt and car loans.
More disaster capitalism! Guarantee the big boys money. Recall last week’s precipitating event came because the fat cats charged payday loan rates to each other to move investment house credit.
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:40 ammisshusseinmolly Says: Carly Fiorina is an embarrassment to women everywhere. She is essentially claiming that people should back off Palin because she is a woman. WTF??? THAT is sexist, not a SNL parody that would happen to any prominent candidate regardless of gender.
I seem to remember Palin calling Clinton a whiner when Hillary spoke about actually sexism….
Some pitbull Palin has turned out to be. More like a new-born kitten in need of constant protection. How exactly will she handle world leaders who do not respect women’s equality?
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:41 amBrigade homeland tours start Oct. 1
3rd Infantry’s 1st BCT trains for a new dwell-time mission. Helping ‘people at home’ may become a permanent part of the active Army
The 3rd Infantry Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team has spent 35 of the last 60 months in Iraq patrolling in full battle rattle, helping restore essential services and escorting supply convoys.
Now they’re training for the same mission — with a twist — at home.
Beginning Oct. 1 for 12 months, the 1st BCT will be under the day-to-day control of U.S. Army North, the Army service component of Northern Command, as an on-call federal response force for natural or manmade emergencies and disasters, including terrorist attacks.
It is not the first time an active-duty unit has been tapped to help at home. In August 2005, for example, when Hurricane Katrina unleashed hell in Mississippi and Louisiana, several active-duty units were pulled from various posts and mobilized to those areas.
But this new mission marks the first time an active unit has been given a dedicated assignment to NorthCom, a joint command established in 2002 to provide command and control for federal homeland defense efforts and coordinate defense support of civil authorities.
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/09/army_homeland_090708w/
**What are they really preparing for? (Tin=foil hat placed firmly on head.) I don’t think this financial bailout even comes close to addressing what is wrong with the economy. Jobs, food prices, gas prices…the list is a long one and are problems that many average Americans are facing right now. I have worried about what happens if things get ugly. Well, now we can feel much better with a full Army brigade having boots on the ground???
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:41 amThere doesn’t seem to be any trolls on this thread. I wonder why?
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:43 amstateofthedivision Says: CSPAN just reported Bush wants the credit rescue to spread beyond “mortgage related securities”. The reporter said Bush wants to include credit card debt and car loans.
He’s always gotten his way, so it doesn’t surprise me that he’s suggesting such outrageous things now. Sadly, he’ll probably get what he wants after the Democrats cave into his demands and try to rationalize with us why this is a good thing for everyone…
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:46 am42, And the beat goes on Says: Well, now we can feel much better with a full Army brigade having boots on the ground???
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:46 amAgreed. By ‘09, we may be calling for troop withdrawals from American cities.
>Plum Island Animal Disease Center
I remember this place getting mentioned in Silence of the Lambs.. didnt know it was a real place.. creepy!
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:47 amBearCountry Says: There doesn’t seem to be any trolls on this thread. I wonder why?
I think even their two-brain-celled minds get that they are getting screwed on this one, and that after years of defending ‘free-for-all’ markets, they have nothing left to defend. Capitalism has failed them.
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:49 amBearCountry Says:
“There doesn’t seem to be any trolls on this thread. I wonder why?”
I think the financial breakdown has forced the RNC to cut back on their Troll Unit. I heard that when word first broke last week of the collapse of the financial industry, Roger promptly leapt out of it’s bedromm window. Fortunately for Roger, it lives in it’s mother’s basement so a long fall to it’s death was averted. It was however trapped in the basement’s transom window until Mom got home from her night shift and saved it from further embarrassment.
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:51 amBILL CLINTON: HILLARY ‘DIDN’T’ WANT TO BE OBAMA RUNNING MATE…
Damn, tough blow to the Obama Campaign!
Biden says ad mocking McCain is ‘terrible’
Barack Obama’s running mate says a campaign ad that mocked Republican presidential candidate John McCain as an out-of-touch, out-of-date computer illiterate was “terrible” and would not have been done had he known about it.
Dems write $500 billion spending bill — in secret…
Congress is scrambling to pass the Pentagon budget, aid for flood and hurricane victims and $25 billion in loans for Detroit automakers in a late-session burst of activity that’s flying under the radar compared with efforts to bail out Wall Street.
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:51 amSalam Adhoob, a former chief investigator for Iraq’s Commission on Public Integrity, told the Senate Democratic Policy Committee yesterday “that more than $13 billion meant for reconstruction projects in Iraq was wasted or stolen.”
Lost or stolen by who? US contractors or the Iraqi’s?
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:52 amLast week, The Rachel Maddow Show was the No. 2 program in cable news in the age 25-54 demographic and in total viewers at 9pm, beating CNN’s Larry King Live. “On Friday, Maddow’s was the #1 show in the demo at 9pmET topping a “Hannity-less” Hannity and Colmes.
Go Rachel! I love her on the show, I’m not too happy with the show. I hate it that she has Pat Buchanan on. I wonder if MSNBC is requiring it. I mute when he is on because I get so angry listening to him. I also don’t like the way it is filmed. They get some really weird shots where you are looking sideways at Rachel or sometimes at the back of her head. But, it’s still a great show because it has Rachel. She’s so smart and snarkey.
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:54 amI saw the Army Times piece yesterday and looked up the size of a brigade. It’s anywhere from 2,500 to 4,200 soldiers. The first group will be based out of Fort Stewart in Georgia.
I agreed that the military was the right group to evacuate thousands of patients from dead hospitals after Hurricane Katrina. Who else has C-130’s equipped with ICU beds?
That said, I don’t see combat troops as useful for domestic use.
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:54 amBush wants the credit rescue to spread beyond “mortgage related securities”. The reporter said Bush wants to include credit card debt and car loans.
GDumbya’s motives here are pretty transparent. He wants the bailout to be applied to taking out “debt swaps” which are virtually worthless and at least once removed from the consumer. This is a bare-naked power play to take taxpayer dollars and funnel them directly into corporate welfare — and to target that corporate welfare on the most egregious, greedy and biggest gamblers who have led us to this brink.
All at once, the real intentions of the republican party — including their “mavericky” candidate — are exposed for all the world to see. This should be the death knell for the supposed “party of economic freedom and individual liberty through a free market economy”.
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:57 amThe US has the largest stock of these deadly viruses of human mass destruction.
And why are we doing this? Do we plan on using them on our enemies? It’s so sad that we have become the enemy.
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:57 amAnd the beat goes on Says:
Brigade homeland tours start Oct. 1
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:41 am
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And how does this not violate the Posse Comitatus Act?
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:59 amthem_libs Says: Dems write $500 billion spending bill — in secret…
If it’s ‘in secret’, then how do you know?
Let’s discuss the failure of Capitialism instead.
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:00 amI’d like to encourage everyone to do the same thing.
Many of these people are up for re-election, and this is the only time that they actually bother to listen to what we say. Please take advantage of the opportunity before we lose it for good.
Been there, done that. Also, send one to Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid for good measure.
http://reid.senate.gov/contact/
http://speaker.gov/contact/
Remember to use a zip code in Reid’s district to fool his bots that only take e-mails from constituents.
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:00 amAre there no risks and only rewards for the fat cats on Wall Street? Surely they will steal the last of our economy for their own piggy banks right out from under the people they claim to protect.
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:05 amVOTE NO ON THE BAILOUT!
Today’s Spin Fast is coming at you a spoonful bit at a time, to help spread out all the good news that Think Progress doesn;t want you to know!
Despite Wall Street’s financial turmoil, Main Street banks represented by the Independent Community Bankers Association still have enough deposits to invest in a high yield low-risk vehicles known as ‘GOP-bonds’.
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:05 am“In election years the price of a GOP tends to drop significantly which gives the investor a lot of leverage” explained an ICBA spokesperson.
“A non-election year GOP will usually only yield about 1000% profit but in today’s climate especially investment returns could be ten-times that rate—and of course if the GOPs turn out to be bad investments then we just ask for a complete bail-out or at worst a low interest government loan.”
So don’t you worry Mr. and Mrs. America, your money invested in GOPs by your bank will keep your 2.5% interest-earning savings safe and give you the peace of mind that only a bank being secured by 1000% profits can give you.
Lobbyists are rallying to defeat Sen. Chris Dodd’s (D-CT) alternative bailout proposal, with the banking industry particularly up in arms about a provision allowing bankruptcy judges to lower mortgages for distressed homeowners. “We are vigorously opposing that,” said Steve Verdier, a lobbyist for the Independent Community Bankers Association (ICBA).
Which is it, my wittle corporate behemoths? Foreclosed properties to maintain, or a return on your mortgage in the form of interest and principal repaid?
Heard lately the right-wing blather about the government “forcing” private banks to make risky loans to lower-income people? The loans these banks underwrite are in itself risky. Where does any Community Development Act require a teaser rate with ballooning payments thereafter?
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:13 amBilbo Hussein Baggins Says: Been there, done that. Also, send one to Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid for good measure.
Unfortunately, I think not enough people have.
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:13 amShell Opens Up Office in Baghdad
In Iraq, the oil company Royal Dutch Shell has completed a multi-billion-dollar natural gas deal with the Iraqi government and opened an office at a secret location in Baghdad. Shell becomes the first foreign oil giant to open an office in Iraq in three decades. Shell was one of the original partners of the Iraq Petroleum Company before Saddam Hussein nationalized Iraq’s oil resources in the 1970s. Iraq’s Oil Minister Hussain ash-Shahristani announced the deal with Shell.
http://www.democracynow.org/2008/9/23/headlines
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:15 amHow the Democrats Created the Financial Crisis
Democrats opposed the serious Fannie and Freddie reform bill on a party-line vote in the committee, signaling that this would be a partisan issue. Republicans, tied in knots by the tight Democratic opposition, couldn’t even get the Senate to vote on the matter.
That such a reckless political stand could have been taken by the Democrats was obscene even then. Wallison wrote at the time: “It is a classic case of socializing the risk while privatizing the profit. The Democrats and the few Republicans who oppose portfolio limitations could not possibly do so if their constituents understood what they were doing.”
Here is one of the reasons for the current financial situation!
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:16 amI see them_libs has received his talking points
Still doesn’t change the fact that he is a lying cowardly right wing moron.
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:21 amTP did well yesterday by turning their attention over to Hank Paulson. He’s been given waaay too much clout. It’s time to zoom further into his motives.
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:21 amGreat Work 5th Estate :)
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:26 amMorning them_libs:
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:27 amHow’s that excellent bailout plan working out for ya?
misshusseinmolly Says: So who are these “seven world leaders” and how were they picked to be the ones to be on Palin’s learning curve?
Cavuto opened the segment with, “Well, who says that Governor Sarah Palin needs to wow the UN crowd this week? Maybe she should just tick them off.” She isn’t meeting with French president Nicolas Sarkozy, UK prime minister Gordon Brown so “what signal might she be trying to send with the folks she is meeting with?”
…Cavuto said she’s meeting with Georgia’s Saakashvili which “isn’t too enlightening for Vladmir Putin” and with Colombia’s “Uribe who is sort of persona non grata at the UN,” so, “what do you make of choosing those two?”
http://www.newshounds.us/2008/09/22/fox_spins_sarah_palins_visit_to_the_un_as_heroic_exactly_the_opposite_of_what_it_sounds_like_it_will_be.php#more
I’m sure any connection between Palin’s meeting with Saakashvili and Cheney’s is purely coincidental.
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:29 amthem_libs Says
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:16 am
Here is one of the reasons for the current financial situation!
____________________________________________________________
Nice try. Got anything that wasn’t written by a wingnut? Kevin Hassett is from the American Enterprise Institute and is a senior advisor for the McCain campaign. Hardly objective, and not a source with a whole lot of credibility here.
But it did have one hilarious angle. The “roadblock” allegedly set up by Democrats in 2005 supposedly being the sole cause of this whole mess. Um…I believe Congress was Republican-controlled at that time — both houses. As were the other two branches of government. And our economy was destroyed by a Democratic “roadblock”??? Sorry — that’s not gonna fly.
This — coming from the right-wing mindset that currently criticizes the “Democrat-controlled” Congress for failure to act, completely ignoring the obstructionism from the GOP. Nice double standard.
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:29 amhussein toasterhead Says:
——————————————————————————–
And the beat goes on Says:
Brigade homeland tours start Oct. 1
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:41 am
______
And how does this not violate the Posse Comitatus Act?
**My thoughts exactly!! This issue came up as well during Katrina. Can you say Emergency Powers under Continuity of Government? (Tin-foil time again) I don’t think that Bu$shit and Co ever lifted his emergency powers after 9/11. I can’t help thinking that the Dem leadership knows this and won’t reveal it. If ANYONE grew a set and brought ANY charges against these neo-con fascists, we might hear that all actions are legal by these bastids under emergency powers.
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:32 amthem_libs Says: How the Democrats Created the Financial Crisis
Keep lying to yourself if it lets you sleep at night, but know that anyone with a pair of brain cells (clearly yours is single celled) knows that it’s Republican ideology that is responsible for the unfettered greed and complete lack of regulation that led to this fiasco.
Republicans ruled Congress for the last 20 years. It’s their fault. Period.
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:36 amdbadass Says:
Wonderful!!! Down with the Poor!!!
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:37 amhey them_libs, the party of “personal responsibility” needs to man up and take its own advice.
F ucker.
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:38 amSpin Fast
According to 2007 data released by the U.S. Census Bureau today, more than 7.5 million people “are spending half of their income or more on housing costs.”
Report of homeowners spending more than usual on their soon to be foreclosed homes will buoy the hard-hit real-estate investment industry.
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:38 amBy spending their money maintaining their homes instead of their “lifestyle” or “health” the soon to be home-less will be more likely to get a much needed 10 cents on the dollar as house-flippers covet homes that don’t need much fixing up. “It’s a win-win” said an industry spokesperson and if they can avoid spending that ten-cents on the dollar and invest it on the stock market they’ll have the 25% deposit they’ll need to get a new mortgage”.
them_libs Says
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:51 am
BILL CLINTON: HILLARY ‘DIDN’T’ WANT TO BE OBAMA RUNNING MATE…
Biden says ad mocking McCain is ‘terrible’
Dems write $500 billion spending bill — in secret…
_________________________________________________________
Wow — is that all you’ve got this morning? I’m starting to feel sorry for the trolls. The trivia they offer isn’t even worth debate anymore.
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:38 ammisshusseinmolly Says:
————————————————————-
Ah, the crash course of “how to be the leader of the free world” continues for Palin. So who are these “seven world leaders” and how were they picked to be the ones to be on Palin’s learning curve? Are they from the countries who need us most (and therefore have to put up with our absurdity)…
Yes. Good call.
Colombian President Alvaro Uribe
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:41 amAfghan President Hamid Karzai
Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili
Ukrainian President Viktor Yuschenko
Iraqi President Jalal Talabani
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
“Wonderful!!! Down with the Poor!!!”
See I always figured that bullshit of yours about socialism being all evil and shit, and big government being a terrible thing, and market forces handling stuff was nothing that you actually believed in
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:43 amCall or email your Congressmen to stop the bailout. Or at least go with the Dodd Bill.
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:43 ammisshusseinmolly Says: Wow — is that all you’ve got this morning? I’m starting to feel sorry for the trolls. The trivia they offer isn’t even worth debate anymore.
Seriously.
We’ve lost all the semi-literate conservatives who used to post here that promised to stick around no matter what (yeah, right). This person, completely devoid of a single thought of his own, is really all that’s left of the 19%ers (they dropped again in approval of Bush). Really pathetic.
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:45 amdbadass Says:
This buyout is a Libs wet dream! Finally helping every human living in America own a house! With no intention of paying it back!
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:46 amshoeless Says:
Colombian President Alvaro Uribe
Afghan President Hamid Karzai
Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili
Ukrainian President Viktor Yuschenko
Iraqi President Jalal Talabani
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh</em>
As PM of a nation with nearly a billion people, nuclear weapons. an educated and often highly skilled global diaspora I’d say Mamohan Singh qualifies as a “world leader“.
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:47 amThe rest are national leaders.
shoeless Says:
Colombian President Alvaro Uribe
Afghan President Hamid Karzai
Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili
Ukrainian President Viktor Yuschenko
Iraqi President Jalal Talabani
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
What a joke. While I respect the leaders of other countries, these aren’t people who are in any real global power, and whom most are Bush hand puppets who will not ask her any hard questions out of fear of losing Bush’s approval (and $).
Pathetic.
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:48 ammisshusseinmolly Says:
them_libs Says
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:16 am
Here is one of the reasons for the current financial situation!
____________________________________________________________
But it did have one hilarious angle. The “roadblock” allegedly set up by Democrats in 2005 supposedly being the sole cause of this whole mess. Um…I believe Congress was Republican-controlled at that time — both houses. As were the other two branches of government. And our economy was destroyed by a Democratic “roadblock”??? Sorry — that’s not gonna fly.
You beat me to it. I also noticed that Mr. Hassett cited no sources, nor even the name of the bill. By the way, at the bottom of that page is an e-mail address to contact Hassett.
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:49 amWhat a minute them_libs just yesterday you were commending the Bush plan. What happened? I smell full of shit again…
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:50 amthem_libs Says: This buyout is a Libs wet dream! Finally helping every human living in America own a house! With no intention of paying it back!
If it’s such a liberal ‘wet dream’, then why was it proposed by the Conservative Bush Administration, and being opposed by the liberal Democrats?
Hmmmm?
Does thinking make your head hurt?
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:51 amthem_libs, why do you favor socialist big government intervention in the economy, rather than allowing free market capitalism to work without interference?
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:51 amSeems to me that if we helped PEOPLE that were losing their homes, they could pay their mortgages and THAT would save the financial institutions.
Why are right wingers against anything that helps anyone that isn’t already rich?
Right wingers are all about welfare, as long as the recipients don’t need it.
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:52 amshoeless
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:52 amI got a buck that says a dodge is coming
unbelievable Says
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:45 am
We’ve lost all the semi-literate conservatives who used to post here…
________________________________________________________
Exactly. Where’s Keltoi?
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:54 amThemlibs, did you read the article you posted on Fannie and Freddie? The committe vote happened in December 2005. The Congress, both houses, were under Republican control. That means some Republicans on the committee had to cross over and join the party line voting Democrats.
Both parties deserve credit for the debacle we’re in. However, the best use of our energy is to prevent more giveaways to the rich through this process.
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:54 amOBAMA SCOLDS BIDEN ON AIG FLIP-FLOP: ‘JOE SHOULD HAVE WAITED’…
NICE!!!!!
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:57 amRantingTommy Says: Seems to me that if we helped PEOPLE that were losing their homes, they could pay their mortgages and THAT would save the financial institutions.
I’ve been wondering the same thing for weeks, unable to fathom why all those Harvard graduates taking $165K each from our tax dollars, can’t collectively seem to grasp such a common sense notion.
If people could afford their mortages before the interest rates went up, then, just lower the interest rates and it’s a win-win for everyone.
Perhaps we need to do what the Greeks did, and require each adult to serve a one year term in Congress, so that it is actual representation of the people.
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:57 amRight wing MO:
Welfare for the rich, jail for the poor.
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:58 am5th Estate Says:
As PM of a nation with nearly a billion people, nuclear weapons. an educated and often highly skilled global diaspora I’d say Mamohan Singh qualifies as a “world leader“.
The rest are national leaders.
Palin’s only previous meeting with a world leader was with the Premier of British Columbia.
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:59 amSeems I now have 2 bucks… what a sissy…
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:07 amFreedom Rebel, I’d like to offer some anectdotal evidence to support your concerns about Plum Island and any other similar facility.
Plum Island is not that far from me and I’ve heard a lot of people voice concerns about it in the past, but, I didn’t worry about it too much. Until this summer.
A friend of mine who works in government, whom I trust implicitly, was speaking with a fellow government employee, one considered a ‘WMD expert’, about the West Nile virus.
The wmd expert said, in a totally offhand way, that the West Nile virus wasn’t “let out” by us (the U.S.), unlike the Lyme disease bacteria. My friend was incredulous and asked him what he meant by that and was told that it was widely known that we let the Lyme disease bacteria out of Plum Island.
My friend, normally a jovial fellow, is very bitter about this revelation because he has since contracted Lyme disease and has suffered a great deal as a result.
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:08 amthey don’t want a win/win for everyone. They want their losses covered and for the American people to lose thier homes so they can buy them for pennies on the dollar.
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:08 amThis shouldn’t surprise anyone that them_libs didn’t even read what he linked to.
We already know he didn’t read the Hassett post, now we can add the post about Biden’s disapproval of the Obama add.
“Late Monday, Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton issued a statement from Biden. In it, Biden said he “was asked about an ad I’d never seen” and was “reacting merely to press reports.”
Biden said that, as he said in the interview, there was nothing “intentionally personal” in the criticism of McCain’s views.”
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:09 amObama and Hitler: Soaring rhetoric and euphoric crowds
“A human group transforms itself into a crowd when it suddenly responds to a suggestion rather than to reasoning, to an image rather than to an idea, to an affirmation rather than to proof, to the repetition of a phrase rather than to arguments, to prestige rather than to competence.”
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:09 amJean-Francois Revel
So them_libs what gives did shoeless throw you too hard that you bonked your head and now are just wandering about without any clear direction?
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:12 amthem_libs Says:
“A human group transforms itself into a crowd when it suddenly responds to a suggestion rather than to reasoning, to an image rather than to an idea, to an affirmation rather than to proof, to the repetition of a phrase rather than to arguments, to prestige rather than to competence.”
Jean-Francois Revel
Sounds like you’re referring to Sarah Palin.
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:14 amI must confess that them_libs sure does project a lot, I wonder if IT realizes that that can lead to Pinocchio Nose Syndrome?
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:16 amThe 50 Richest Members of Congress
1. Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.)
$230.98 million
3. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.)
$160.62 million
4. Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.)
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:17 am$80.40 million
them_libs Says:
The author of you fluff piece is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution. nuff said.
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:18 am
The $700 Billion bailout plan reminds me of those emails from Nigeria. Just hit delete.
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:18 amAlright let’s start over.
them_libs:
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:19 amDo you or do you not support the administrations bailout plan?
them_libs Says:
——————————————————————————–
The 50 Richest Members of Congress
So? What is your point?
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:19 amCindy has her own money, but she lets John use all he wants.
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:22 amunbelievable Says:
Colombian President Alvaro Uribe
Afghan President Hamid Karzai
Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili
Ukrainian President Viktor Yuschenko
Iraqi President Jalal Talabani
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
What a joke. While I respect the leaders of other countries, these aren’t people who are in any real global power, and whom most are Bush hand puppets who will not ask her any hard questions out of fear of losing Bush’s approval (and $).
Pathetic.
__________
I both surprised and relieved to see the list doesn’t include Beni Hana & Jose Jimenez…
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:23 amObama declares himself fiscal conservative
(Associated Press) Obama moved to claim the mantle of fiscal responsibility in a roiling economy, vowing on Monday to slash federal spending on contractors by 10 percent
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:26 amseems we got us another “pussy for life”
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:27 amSeems to me that if we helped PEOPLE that were losing their homes, they could pay their mortgages and THAT would save the financial institutions.
I believe the seagulls from Finding Nemo have the answer:
“Mine, mine, mine, mine…”
They want their troubled assets covered, the most direct way and now.
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:29 amHow to Be A Good Republican:
1. Pick up claw or sledge hammer.
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:29 am2. Hit yourself in the head with it – really, really hard.
3. Repeat as necessary until you believe the talking points.
Compared to W and his neo-con buddies, who isn’t a fiscal conservative? Fidel Castro is more careful with his nations wealth.
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:31 amFBI searches apartment in Palin hacking case
The FBI searched the residence of the son of a Democratic state lawmaker in Tennessee over the weekend
Look a little TP Poster!!!
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:34 am“What is John McCain’s position today? I don’t know,” said University of Wisconsin bioethicist Alta Charo.
All you need to know is what the particular crowd make-up is to determine what McDepends’ stance is on a specific subject ……..
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:39 amHey, them_nits, how do you manage to hit yourself in the head with a hammer so many times – and still remain conscious??
Enquiring minds want to know!
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:39 amI just got this in my email :)~
There are less than two months until the election, an election that will decide the next President of the United States. The person elected will be the president of all Americans, not just the Democrats or the Republicans.
To show our solidarity as Americans, let’s all get together and show each other our support for the candidate of our choice.
It’s time that we come together, Democrats and Republicans alike.
If you support the policies and character of Obama and Biden please drive with your headlights on during the day.
If you support McCain and Palin please drive with your headlights off at night.
Thank you for your participation.
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:39 amthem libs, why not admit you are running scared and are totally desperate.
You might as well be writing on the bathroom wall at a gas station on the interstate.
Tell us what you think if you are able to communicate a thought.
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:39 amThose Wall Street big shots are just a bunch of whiners. Don’t they have bootstraps? If they go broke then they won’t pay taxes…oh yeah, they already don’t.
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:45 am“Bush did the right thing and has been calling for some oversight sense 2001! Obama has done nothing and doesn’t have the leadership to make the tough calls!”
remember this one them_libs? I figured since you were to much of a pussy to answer we can just revisit yesterday. Does it hurt to be some scattered in thought and lacking in consistency?
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:46 amThem-libs isn’t making much sense….maybe because of Them-meds.
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:52 amAre you confessing, little TP Poster?
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:53 am5th Grader Suspended For Anti-Obama Shirt
An 11-year-old in Aurora says his first amendment rights are being trampled after he was suspended for wearing a homemade shirt that reads “Obama is a terrorist’s best friend.”
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:53 amaww, poor little them_libs, watching his favorite team go down in flames
at least you will get to benefit from the policies President Obama enacts, just like the rest of us
Here’s to a return of the PEACE and PROSPERITY of the 90s (the pre-Bush era)
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:55 am#104 mary Says:
Freedom Rebel, I’d like to offer some anectdotal evidence to support your concerns about Plum Island and any other similar facility.
Plum Island is not that far from me and I’ve heard a lot of people voice concerns about it in the past, but, I didn’t worry about it too much. Until this summer.
A friend of mine who works in government, whom I trust implicitly, was speaking with a fellow government employee, one considered a ‘WMD expert’, about the West Nile virus.
The wmd expert said, in a totally offhand way, that the West Nile virus wasn’t “let out” by us (the U.S.), unlike the Lyme disease bacteria. My friend was incredulous and asked him what he meant by that and was told that it was widely known that we let the Lyme disease bacteria out of Plum Island.
My friend, normally a jovial fellow, is very bitter about this revelation because he has since contracted Lyme disease and has suffered a great deal as a result.
Good Morning Mary :) I’m so sorry to hear that. Nothing surprises me anymore. They use us as test subjects without any of us knowing. This way they can collect raw data about incubation periods, spread of virus, and rate of mutation.
It makes me sick to think of all the people that have died and who have gotten gravely ill from all this. I have never agreed with Bio-Weapons and I never will. No one deserves to go through the horror they cause; not even in war.
Thank you for sharing that with me. I appreciate it. You have a good day Mary!
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:56 amkooky dad manipulates 11 year old to suit his own agenda…
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:58 amIn other news inrational blogger forgets his hatred of all things big government and socialistic to embrace Bush bailout but is too much of a baby to admit the dichotomy of their contradictory positions…
Exit Stage Left Says:
I just got this in my email :)~
There are less than two months until the election, an election that will decide the next President of the United States. The person elected will be the president of all Americans, not just the Democrats or the Republicans.
To show our solidarity as Americans, let’s all get together and show each other our support for the candidate of our choice.
It’s time that we come together, Democrats and Republicans alike.
If you support the policies and character of Obama and Biden please drive with your headlights on during the day.
If you support McCain and Palin please drive with your headlights off at night.
Thank you for your participation.
Good Morning ESL :) I’m LMAO, Thank you…… I love it.
September 23rd, 2008 at 12:00 pmthem_libs Says:
——————————————————————————–
5th Grader Suspended For Anti-Obama Shirt
An 11-year-old in Aurora says his first amendment rights are being trampled after he was suspended for wearing a homemade shirt that reads “Obama is a terrorist’s best friend.”
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:53 am
Since when does freedom of speech give anyone the right to lie outright and so blatantly and stupidly ?
That kids parents should be arrested for child abuse , BTW…….
September 23rd, 2008 at 12:01 pmthem_libs Says:
little nero fiddles as his roman empire burns.
September 23rd, 2008 at 12:02 pmBiden: ‘No coal plants here in America’…
Some great rope line video from Joe Biden’s recent Ohio swing, where he was asked by an anti-pollution campaigner about clean coal — a controversial approach in Democratic circles for which Obama has voiced support, particularly during the Kentucky primary.
Man this guy is wonderful!!!!
September 23rd, 2008 at 12:05 pmthem_libs Says:
——————————————————————————–
Biden: ‘No coal plants here in America’…
Some great rope line video from Joe Biden’s recent Ohio swing, where he was asked by an anti-pollution campaigner about clean coal — a controversial approach in Democratic circles for which Obama has voiced support, particularly during the Kentucky primary.
Man this guy is wonderful!!!!
September 23rd, 2008 at 12:05 pm
Guess he isn’t an “energy expert” like some religious nitwit from Wasilla …………..
September 23rd, 2008 at 12:08 pmUncharacteristically low turnout for Barack Obama rally in Green Bay, Wisc.
Hoping to shore up support in his suddenly undependable backyard, Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama flew here Monday to talk about how he’d handle economic crises as president.
Recent polls have shown that Wisconsin — once pretty solidly in Obama’s column — is now a statistical dead heat between Obama and Republican John McCain.
September 23rd, 2008 at 12:08 pmthem_libs Says:
even if you should win one of the battles, you have lost the war.
mccain gets sent home in november.
September 23rd, 2008 at 12:13 pmI suppose being suspended from school is sort of like being arrested. Well other than the part about the handcuffs
“Nicole and Jeff Rank of Corpus Christi, Texas, were removed from the event in restraints after taking off an outer layer of clothes to reveal homemade T-shirts that had President Bush’s name with a slash through it and the words “Love America, Hate Bush” on the back.”
So them_libs, in the interest of consistancy I assume you have not been pleased with the many similar events. Right?
September 23rd, 2008 at 12:15 pmFred Says:
——————————————————————————–
them_libs Says:
——————————————————————————–
The 50 Richest Members of Congress
So? What is your point?
These wingnut rednecks sit in their rusty old trailers listening to Rush Limbaugh and fuming about the idea that liberal rich people run for office in order to help those less fortunate than themselves, like wingnut rednecks, who live in rusty old trailers. This liberal dogooding goes against everything they believe. They are committed to the idea that rich people should only hold political office in order to cut their own taxes, help their friends outsource the workforce, deregulate their crony’s industries, and push for government bailouts after the whole thing crashes.
September 23rd, 2008 at 12:17 pmthem_libs Says:
——————————————————————————–
September 23rd, 2008 at 12:08 pm
The Packers played a Sunday Night game (and got hammered) ; there isn’t much joy in Mudville after a Pack loss.
So put your tiny unit back into your pants ……….
September 23rd, 2008 at 12:18 pmYep.
September 23rd, 2008 at 12:22 pmHey, them_libs, you didn’t bother to mention that Obama’s rally was at noon on a Monday and McCain’s was at night on a Thursday. Having 4000 less people on a workday…not such a big story.
Way to cherry pick, though. Good job.
As to the sane amongst us, the only thing every American should know about Palin is that she is fervent in her belief and support for the End Times, she is involved with several fundamentalist Christian organizations (who are every bit as crazy as any fundamentalist Muslim organization). These organizations she is affiliated with use the terms radical and violent on their websites. This is not your mother’s Catholicism or your father’s Lutheranism or anyone else’s normal religion!
Read this post: End Times, Prophecies and more: How electing Palin endangers your life. It is a long post with 12 videos including her addressing a graduating ceremony at the Master’s Commission and accepting a big thank you certificate. The Master’s Commission’s own website says their values include violence and a radical relationship with God.
Religion is not a problem, fundamentalism is.
Please read the post and watch the videos. It is TERRIFYING that this woman could possibly be close to the nuclear arsenal that the US has.
September 23rd, 2008 at 12:32 pmFrom the hearings: Schumer wants to dole out the money in phases, starting with 150 billion. Paulson nixes that but still won’t say who is getting the money. My thought? One or more of our foreign creditors called in their loans or a portion of said loans. They need this money before Sept. 30, end of the fiscal year.
September 23rd, 2008 at 12:32 pmReligion is not a problem, fundamentalism is.
No
Religion is a problem . People , though they might not take it to the level of a fundie , still use it as a crutch ……….
September 23rd, 2008 at 12:38 pmABSOLUTELY.
September 23rd, 2008 at 12:49 pmReligion is a mental disorder and bringing up a child to believe in fantasies is child abuse.
“Right now, five military veterans — from Veterans for Peace — are occupying a 35-foot high ledge at the National Archive Building and have raised a 22×8-foot banner reading, “DEFEND OUR CONSTITUTION. ARREST BUSH AND CHENEY: WAR CRIMINALS!” The veterans currently risking arrest have declared their intention to stay on the ledge, fasting for 24 hours “in remembrance of those who have perished and those still suffering from the crimes of the Bush administration,” according to a written statement.”
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/36208
September 23rd, 2008 at 12:54 pmThem libs should change his name to them bibs to catch all the drool he is spilling on this thread
September 23rd, 2008 at 12:59 pmSorry, no time to read all the Think fast post’s today….I have an interesting little note to add though…For some time now I have been on New’sMax email mailing list…I signed up quite awhile ago with the thought of keeping in touch with that the “other side” was doing and thinking….Yesterday got a little post from them mcnut’s is in trouble in many state;s and the reich is scared….Poor babie’s….Just passing along a little info for this tuesday morning fun fest…Blessings
September 23rd, 2008 at 1:21 pmBiden: ‘When the stock market crashed, Franklin Roosevelt got on the television’…
Joe Biden’s denunciation of his own campaign’s ad to Katie Couric got so much attention last night that another odd note in the interview slipped by.
He was speaking about the role of the White House in a financial crisis.
“When the stock market crashed, Franklin Roosevelt got on the television and didn’t just talk about the princes of greed,” Biden told Couric. “He said, ‘Look, here’s what happened.’”
As Reason’s Jesse Walker footnotes it: “And if you owned an experimental TV set in 1929, you would have seen him. And you would have said to yourself, ‘Who is that guy? What happened to President Hoover?’”
September 23rd, 2008 at 1:40 pmhttp://timesonline.typepad.com/uselections/2008/09/palin-linked-el.html
The pastor whose prayer Sarah Palin says helped her to become governor of Alaska founded his ministry with a witchhunt against a Kenyan woman who he accused of causing car accidents through demonic spells.
September 23rd, 2008 at 2:23 pmA last minute plea….Please call….1-404-656-1776 office of Georga Gov.. Pleade for a stay of execution of Troy Davis who is scheduled to be exacuted at 7 P.M. tonight…..Democracy now and even the pope have asked for a stay…The court is scheduled to rehear evidence he did not commit the crime he will die for next week when it will be to late to save his life…All need to get behind this…Blessings
September 23rd, 2008 at 2:58 pmShould of been before next week….Blessings
September 23rd, 2008 at 2:58 pmthem_libs Says
September 23rd, 2008 at 1:40 pm
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Oh, bravo — you caught Biden in a misstatement. Only you didn’t really catch it, you just cut-and-pasted from somebody else who did.
Yes, Biden could have stated that better. He could have said “radio” instead of “television”, which would have been more accurate. And he could have prefaced his statement about FDR’s addressing the country with “During the Depression, FDR explained the reasons for the stock market crash that caused it” instead of “when the stock market crashed” — the latter implying that FDR immediately addressed the country when it happened. And, as everybody knows (including Biden), Hoover was president at the time.
But by nitpicking at Biden’s words, you miss the point of what he was saying — that during tough times, a good leader can instill confidence in the people. Which FDR did. And we sorely need some of that kind of leadership now.
September 23rd, 2008 at 3:24 pmIt was NOT the Democrats who overruled state regulation of the sub-prime industry. It was the Bush administration that told states (like New Mexico and others) that they couldn’t protect their citizens from the predatory lenders who were lobbying and making HUGE donations to all crestures Republican. Look it up!!
September 23rd, 2008 at 4:54 pmExcuse me, that’t “all creatures Republican”
September 23rd, 2008 at 4:59 pmsatirev Says in #41:
As for Bush asking for more, he needs to go straight to hell where he belongs before he destroys this country.
Before?
September 24th, 2008 at 12:43 amWitch1 Says:
A last minute plea….Please call….1-404-656-1776 office of Georga Gov.. Pleade for a stay of execution of Troy Davis who is scheduled to be exacuted at 7 P.M. tonight
And the SCOTUS steps in.
September 24th, 2008 at 12:46 amhttp://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories/2008/09/23/davis_stay_execution.html