ThinkFast: October 7, 2008
ThinkFast: October 7, 2008
“American business, typically a reliable Republican cheerleader, is decidedly lukewarm” about John McCain’s health care proposals. Specifically, groups believe that McCain’s plan, “which eliminates the exclusion of health benefits from income taxes, would accelerate the erosion of employer-sponsored health insurance and do little to reduce the number of uninsured from 45 million.”
61 percent: U.S. households that “watched at least one of the two 2008 election debates aired so far,” according to Nielsen. “Homes headed by African Americans made up a larger portion of the presidential debate audience (14.0%) than the V.P. debate audience (12.3%). African American homes normally account for 12.2% of all U.S. TV households.”
In an effort to address the growing credit crisis, the Treasury is discussing a new plan to buy up “unsecured commercial paper, essentially short-term i.o.u.’s issued by banks, businesses and municipalities,” the New York Times reports. “If this were to happen, the central bank would come closer than ever to lending directly to businesses.”
Several tax experts said Sarah Palin “is required to pay federal taxes on $25,000 in reimbursements from the state of Alaska for her children’s travel expenses.” Palin “released her 2006 and 2007 tax returns on Friday, sparking a lively debate on tax blogs and among tax professionals over whether reimbursements and per-diem meal payments from the state should be subject to federal taxes.”
On the trail today: John McCain and Barack Obama will be in Nashville, TN for a Presidential Debate at Belmont University.
Todd Palin “will answer a series of questions from a legislative investigator by mid-week” about his wife, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s, questionable firing of her former public safety commissioner. Palin, who will answer the questions in writing through his lawyer, previously refused to testify under a subpoena.
Speaking in Ohio yesterday, President Bush declared that “the lesson is clear: Judges matter to every American.” Though Bush “steered clear of mentioning” John McCain in his speech, he made his endorsement implicitly, saying, “The selection and confirmation of good judges should be a high priority for every American.”
“The Dow isn’t the only thing that’s dropped in the current economic crisis,” reports the USA Today. According to a new Gallup Poll, President Bush’s job approval rating has “fallen to a record low” of 25 percent. That’s only one point higher than Richard Nixon’s approval rating of 24 percent when he resigned the presidency in 1974.
Robert Zoellick, president of the World Bank, “said the global financial system may have reached a ‘tipping point’ — the moment when a crisis cascades into a full-blown meltdown and becomes extremely difficult for governments to contain.”
And finally: Yesterday, Lehman Brothers CEO Richard Fuld had a rough day under intense questioning from House members. However, his day was even tougher on Sunday when he was punched in the face at the gym by a man angry at the Lehman failure. Fuld “went to the gym after…Lehman was announced as going under,” said CNBC contributor Vicki Ward. “He was on a treadmill with a heart monitor on. Someone was in the corner, pumping iron and he walked over and he knocked him out cold.”
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'My Daughter’s Dream Became a Nightmare': The Murder of Military Women Continues
"My daughter's dream became a nightmare," sadly said Gloria Barrios, seven months after her daughter, US Air Force Senior Airman Blanca Luna, was murdered on Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas.
On March 7, 2008, Senior Airman Luna, 27, was found dead in her room at the Sheppard Air Force Base Inn, an on-base lodging facility. She had been stabbed in the back of the neck with a short knife. Luna, an Air Force Reservist with four years of prior military service in the Marine Corps including a tour in Japan, was killed three days before she was to graduate from an Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Heating training course.
When she was notified of her daughter's death, she was handed a letter from Major General K.C. McClain, Commander of the Air Force Personnel Center, which stated that her daughter "was found dead on 7 March 2008 at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, as the result of an apparent homicide." When her body was returned to her family for burial, Barrios and other family members saw bruises on Blanca's face and wounds on her fingers as if she were defending herself. One of the investigators later told Mrs. Barrios that Blanca had been killed in an "assassin-like" manner. Friends say that she told them some in her unit "had given her problems."
On the same day Mrs. Barrios went to Sheppard Air Force Base, October 3, 2008, the US Army announced that a US Army woman sergeant had been killed near Fort Bragg, North Carolina by a stab wound in the neck. Sergeant Christina Smith, 29, was stabbed on September 30, 2008, allegedly by her US Army husband Sergeant Richard Smith who was accompanied by Private First Class Matthew Kvapil.
Smith was the fourth military woman murdered in North Carolina in the past 9 months.
CommonDreams
The Military needs to internally police these acts of violence better within their own ranks. Four women in 9 months are inexcusable. They are not taking this issue seriously enough.
October 7th, 2008 at 9:00 amSarah Palin can add tax-dodger to her already long list of shortcomings.
October 7th, 2008 at 9:05 amCoupland
WE are living in a Coup.
Watch Naomi Wolf
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XgkeTanCGI
http://www.lumpen.com/coup2k/
http://joeplummer.com/1933_bush_coup.html
http://coat.ncf.ca/our_magazine/links/53/53-index.html
http://everythingmustchange.wordpress.com/2007/12/20/bush-coup-2008/
WAKE PEOPLE, WE ARE IN A COUP
October 7th, 2008 at 9:07 am'Obama Nation's' Corsi held in Kenya
It's being reported that Jerome Corsi, author of "The Obama Nation: Leftist Politics and the Cult of Personality," has been detained in Kenya
Kenya, of course, was where Sen. Barack Obama's father hailed from and the senator from Illinois is beloved there.
There are some interesting stories about what exactly Corsi was doing there. According to reports, he was there to launch his anti-Obama book.
But one report also says he planned on visiting Obama's half brother George who lives in poverty in Nairobi to present him a $1,000 check, apparently to embarrass the Democratic presidential nominee.
Here's is part of an excerpt from the Associated Press story:
"We still haven't decided what to do with him," Maluta told The Associated Press.
A call to a Corsi aide in the U.S. rang unanswered Tuesday.
Maluta said Corsi did not have a temporary work permit needed to conduct business in Kenya. Corsi had been scheduled to launch his book Tuesday in Kenya, where the Democratic U.S. presidential candidate is wildly popular.
The Swamp
October 7th, 2008 at 9:13 amThough Bush “steered clear of mentioning” John McCain in his speech, he made his endorsement implicitly, saying, “The selection and confirmation of good judges should be a high priority for every American.”
_________________________________________________________
"The selection and confirmation of judges who can be trusted to let you get away with trampling the constitution for your own nefarious agenda should be a high priority for every President."
There, Dubya -- fixed it for you.
October 7th, 2008 at 9:13 amFreedom Rebel Says
October 7th, 2008 at 9:13 am
There are some interesting stories about what exactly Corsi was doing there (in Kenya). According to reports, he was there to launch his anti-Obama book.
_____________________________________________________________
Um...why? Isn't this on an intelligence par with launching an anti-Mormon book in Provo, Utah?
October 7th, 2008 at 9:16 amhe was punched in the face at the gym by a man angry at the Lehman failure. Fuld “went to the gym after…Lehman was announced as going under,” said CNBC contributor Vicki Ward. “He was on a treadmill with a heart monitor on. Someone was in the corner, pumping iron and he walked over and he knocked him out cold.”
Give this guy the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Now, the next question is: Do we think the portico of the Whitehouse can take the constant load of the shear number of hangings that will have to take place in public in the coming months?
And what do you hope will be Obama's first words after swearing in, if it even gets to January 20, 2009?
Mine are: "AREEST THESE MEN!"
October 7th, 2008 at 9:17 amSo if the chymp gets couple more percent of Americans pissed enough, will he resign, and take Cheney with him?
October 7th, 2008 at 9:19 amRUCerious Says:
So if the chymp gets couple more percent of Americans pissed enough, will he resign, and take Cheney with him?
Damn you, I just spit all over my keyboard.
October 7th, 2008 at 9:19 amRobert Zoellick, president of the World Bank, “said the global financial system may have reached a ‘tipping point’ — the moment when a crisis cascades into a full-blown meltdown and becomes extremely difficult for governments to contain.”
Bush had better have his tickets to Paraguay in hand.
October 7th, 2008 at 9:20 amAlecto, heh!!
October 7th, 2008 at 9:21 amMany of us would like to throw a haymaker at some of these CEOs and the politicians they own.
October 7th, 2008 at 9:24 amAccording to reports, he was there to launch his anti-Obama book.
I wonder what the swahili is for "swiftboat"?
October 7th, 2008 at 9:26 am#12 misshusseinmolly Says:
Freedom Rebel Says
October 7th, 2008 at 9:13 am
There are some interesting stories about what exactly Corsi was doing there (in Kenya). According to reports, he was there to launch his anti-Obama book.
_____________________________________________________________
Um…why? Isn’t this on an intelligence par with launching an anti-Mormon book in Provo, Utah?
Morning MissMolly, just posted it straight from the Swamp, that was Frank James take on it.. They are getting different stories about what is going on in Kenya and why Corsi was there. But, I do agree with you...
October 7th, 2008 at 9:27 amFreedom Rebel Says:
Here’s is part of an excerpt from the Associated Press story:
“We still haven’t decided what to do with him,” Maluta told The Associated Press.
October 7th, 2008 at 9:13 am
Keep him.
October 7th, 2008 at 9:28 am“The selection and confirmation of good judges should be a high priority for every American.”
Bush is right. And America has seen what happens when you have a right leaning court that rules on religious ideology and on right wing political beliefs.
October 7th, 2008 at 9:28 amPalin, who will answer the questions in writing through his lawyer, previously refused to testify under a subpoena.
Why is he being allowed to answer questions in writing and not under oath?
October 7th, 2008 at 9:30 amSince when did the Chimpfck ever care about America? We are not his base.
October 7th, 2008 at 9:30 amMcCain's health plan is not good, but Obama's is not the cure all. Even Hillary's while a good bit better was way short. Many experts agree that a single payer government insurance like that of France, coupled with reforms in the health care industry such as incentivizing primary care and lowering payments to esoteric specialists to pay for the incentives would be the best avenue of approach. Why must we have health care insurance that is second to many other advanced industrialized countries? Greed and lack of an appropriate sense of social responsibility at the top, I believe!
October 7th, 2008 at 9:30 amRobert Zoellick, president of the World Bank, “said the global financial system may have reached a ‘tipping point’ — the moment when a crisis cascades into a full-blown meltdown and becomes extremely difficult for governments to contain.”
Nice going Republicans. You not only melt down our economy but the global financial system too. I guess that foreign countries are going to think twice before they invest in our financial system again.
October 7th, 2008 at 9:31 amWorse, Palin's routine attacks on the media have begun to spill into ugliness. In Clearwater, arriving reporters were greeted with shouts and taunts by the crowd of about 3,000. Palin then went on to blame Katie Couric's questions for her "less-than-successful interview with kinda mainstream media." At that, Palin supporters turned on reporters in the press area, waving thunder sticks and shouting abuse. Others hurled obscenities at a camera crew. One Palin supporter shouted a racial epithet at an African American sound man for a network and told him, "Sit down, boy."
snipped from Dana Milbank's column:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/06/AR2008100602935.html
Press kept under a watchful eye
CLEARWATER -- Constantly under the watchful eyes of security, the media wasn't permitted to wander around inside Coachman Park to talk to Sarah Palin supporters. When reporters tried to leave the designated press area and head toward the bleachers where the crowd was seated, an escort would dart out of nowhere and confront him or her and say, "Can I help you?'' and turn the person around.
When one reporter asked an escort, who would not give her name, why the press wasn't allowed to mingle, she said that in the past, negative things had been written. The campaign wanted to avoid that possibility Monday.
http://blogs.tampabay.com/breakingnews/2008/10/under-the-watch.html
**I also heard that supporters at both McCain's and Palin's rallies shouted out that Obama is a "terrorist" and another said "Kill him!" We are sinking to lows I never, ever thought I would see here in the United States. While I think most Americans will never subscribe to these tactics (strategies?), there are eniugh reicg-wing nuts to worry me. What did Obama say about "gun-toting, Bible loning" citizens? Looks like McCain/Palin supporters are making this true!
October 7th, 2008 at 9:31 am61 percent: U.S. households that “watched at least one of the two 2008 election debates aired so far,” according to Nielsen.
_____________________________________________________________
I'm glad that Americans care enough about the election to watch -- this is a good sign.
Now, if we could give the Americans some real debate, instead of making these shows all about style and performance, we'd actually have something for these viewers.
October 7th, 2008 at 9:32 amI questioned when the $700 billion bailout was first proposed, why not putb the money into new loans. Let the old structures sink or swim on their own, but keep credit alive in new ways with taxpayer funds. What we have now is the rich guys being helped with no great 'trickle down' because trickle down just DOESN'T WORK!!!!!!!!
October 7th, 2008 at 9:33 amBeatGoingOn ~ It appears that the ImPalinator's base is the KKK/Nazi loving Amurkin crowd.
October 7th, 2008 at 9:36 amMcCain linked to private group in Iran-Contra case
WASHINGTON - GOP presidential nominee John McCain has past connections to a private group that supplied aid to guerrillas seeking to overthrow the leftist government of Nicaragua in the Iran-Contra affair.
[..]
The U.S. Council for World Freedom was part of an international organization linked to former Nazi collaborators and ultra-right-wing death squads in Central America. The group was dedicated to stamping out communism around the globe.
John McCain pals around with terrorists -- foreign and domestic -- AND is half the pilot George Bush was.
October 7th, 2008 at 9:37 amsatirev Says:
McCain’s typical MO:http://www.salon.com/news/feature/1999/10/18/drugs/
I'm thinking that Cindy McCain still has drug problems. Watch her carefully when she follows McCain around at political events. She looks like a spaced out zombie. Keeping her drugged is probably how McCain keeps her under control.
I'm also wondering what kind of drugs they are giving McCain for the debates. If you watch his campaign events he's listless and slow. But at the last debate he seemed to be full of vim and vigor. And then the next day he was nowhere to be seen. That sounds a lot like they pumped him full of uppers for the debate and the next day he crashed. That's all we need, a President who is only fully functional when he is hyped up on drugs.
October 7th, 2008 at 9:37 amFreedom Rebel Says:
But one report also says he planned on visiting Obama’s half brother George who lives in poverty in Nairobi to present him a $1,000 check, apparently to embarrass the Democratic presidential nominee.
October 7th, 2008 at 9:13 am
________
Oh, that's nice. A check for US$ 1,000. In Nairobi. To a guy who most likely has no bank account and no ability to safeguard the money even if he does cash it.
This is just wrong on so many levels. It's nothing but racist White Man's Burden bullshit. I hope Corsi gets stuck in Kenya a long time - maybe it'll open his eyes to how the other 5.7 billion live.
October 7th, 2008 at 9:40 amDoc Rock Says:
What we have now is the rich guys being helped with no great ‘trickle down’ because trickle down just DOESN’T WORK!!!!!!!!
October 7th, 2008 at 9:33 am
______
The rich get richer, the poor get poorer - isn't that the textbook definition of trickle-down economics working?
October 7th, 2008 at 9:41 am"Treasury is discussing a new plan to buy up “unsecured commercial paper, essentially short-term i.o.u.’s issued by banks, businesses and municipalities,” the New York Times reports. “If this were to happen, the central bank would come closer than ever to lending directly to businesses.”
Hmmm, I remember reading somewhere in some God-Damned-Piece-of-paper that the government was the one to make the money.
http://www.gold-eagle.com/editorials_03/holloway011303.html
So would it not flow that the government should be the entitity that LENDS the money DIRECTLY to PEOPLE (we will leave corporations out of it, as they do not have rights in the Constitution, and have NEVER been duly provided rights by tort)
We need to REPEAL THE FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM
Just look at what damage this system has done. It has perversed the system of printing money, such that the Fed gets to purchase the money printed by Congress at $.03 per $1000, the cost of printing. They then, for their own corporate interest (you do know the Fed is a corporation uncontrolled by Congress) get to loan out that money to others at interest, and the monies made from said loaning is NOT sent back to Congress, but instead, goes right into the hands of the Federal Reserve Coffers to be shared amonst the Major banks. There is a vut that goes back to the Treasury, but it is a pittance, copared to the largess that the Treasury provides for the Fed.
http://www.the7thfire.com/Politics%20and%20History/Secrets_of_the_Federal_Reserve/secrets_of_the_federal_reserve_TC.htm
There is a student's thesis, "How much has the Federal Reserve system RETURNED to the Treasury over its life, since 1913"
Even the Prof who tries to debunk the Fed Myths, lends MORE support to their truth
http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Embassy/1154/flaherty.html
We need to REPEAL THE FEDERAL RESERVE ACT of 1913.
October 7th, 2008 at 9:44 amWASHINGTON - GOP presidential nominee John McCain has past connections to a private group that supplied aid to guerrillas seeking to overthrow the leftist government of Nicaragua in the Iran-Contra affair.
"McCain was a new guy on the block learning the ropes," Singlaub told The Associated Press in an interview. "I think I met him in the Washington area when he was just a new congressman. We had McCain on the board to make him feel like he wasn't left out. It looks good to have names on a letterhead who are well-known and appreciated.
October 7th, 2008 at 9:46 amDoc Rock Says:
McCain’s health plan is not good, but Obama’s is not the cure all. Even Hillary’s while a good bit better was way short.
Obama is a pragmatist. He knows that health care for all isn't going to happen over night. Can you imagine what would happen if he announced that as of X date all Americans would be part of Medicare (a pretty broken system at this point) and all the Health Insurance Industry was going to be put out of business. The right (and some on the not very left) would go ballistic.
I know that Obama is for single payer health care, he has said that on many occasions. But he recognizes that it is something we need to work our way up to. At least his plan covers many more Americans and does away with the Health Insurance Industry's ability to deny coverage because of pre-existing health conditions.
This is the perfect issue to bring recalcitrant voters to Obama's side. If you know someone who is planning on voting for McCain ask them "What would happen if you were to lose your health insurance under McCain's plan?" The answer is, if you have a pre-existing health condition (who doesn't) you won't be able to get health insurance. Under Obama's plan you will.
October 7th, 2008 at 9:46 amHello Iran:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7657066.stm
I guess we can be sure McCain wasn't flying this plane because it landed safely.
October 7th, 2008 at 9:49 amGood morning And the beat goes on. I've never come across a candidate so deeply in remedial mode. Rather than sit down and address her shortcomings, she preaches to a carefully organized choir and finds smarter people to blame. All she has to do is pick up a book and read. Anybody can be elite with knowledge if they try. Nobody has to know everything.
Her supporters, of course, are bat shit crazy. Haven't evolved a day and refuse to. Ignorance just feels better to them. I'm so glad they've found their magnet.
October 7th, 2008 at 9:55 amMcWars,
"Ignorance just feels better to them."
Ignorance is a blanket...a blank-ett of stupidty.
October 7th, 2008 at 9:56 amMcWars,
I’m so glad they’ve found their magnet.
Yes, let them get attracted to her, and then DEGAUSS THE CRAP OUT OF HER.
October 7th, 2008 at 9:58 amNever thought I would "Degauss" on a blog.
October 7th, 2008 at 9:58 amDoc Rock Says:
What we have now is the rich guys being helped with no great ‘trickle down’ because trickle down just DOESN’T WORK!!!!!!!!
October 7th, 2008 at 9:33 am
Because eventually your socks get wet when you piss yourself.
October 7th, 2008 at 10:05 amMcCain's ties to Iran Contra.
Ummmmm, can we come out swinging now????
October 7th, 2008 at 10:11 amDRxJ Says:
McCain’s ties to Iran Contra.
Ummmmm, can we come out swinging now????
October 7th, 2008 at 10:11 am
Let's do. ;)
October 7th, 2008 at 10:17 amAlecto Says:
Yes, let them get attracted to her, and then DEGAUSS THE CRAP OUT OF HER.
Thanks alot, Alecto. You owe me a new keyboard. ;)
October 7th, 2008 at 10:24 amThe ugly crowds, spurred on by Palin's remarks; crowds expressing hatred and violence are tacitly approved by McCain; the candidates are not of presidential material, they are more like rabble-rousers stirring their audiences to actions.
October 7th, 2008 at 10:30 amIf all of this were not so serious, it wuld be ridiculous.
And finally: Yesterday, Lehman Brothers CEO Richard Fuld had a rough day under intense questioning from House members. However, his day was even tougher on Sunday when he was punched in the face at the gym by a man angry at the Lehman failure.
I think Jim Cramer called this one the worst banker in America. Watching just a snippet of his congressional testimony I could tell he was a snide, arrogant man and wasted the congress' time with corporate boilerplate-speak.
October 7th, 2008 at 10:39 amThe Fed announced their latest corporafornication effort, buying massive amounts of commercial paper, of which $1.3 trillion qualifies. Add the rest:
$900 billion in direct capital injections
$700 billion in toxic asset repurchase
$300 billion in Bear, Fannie, Freddie, AIG
and you get a $3 trillion intervention.
October 7th, 2008 at 11:11 amI was amazed by a poll done by NBC and WSJ saying that 41% of the Americans polled said that Sarah is qualified to be a president.
What's surprising is that Sarah Palin was practically unknown to most Americans less than 2 months ago.
She only did few television interviews where she showed how uninformed, demonstrating lack of knowledge on many issues.
She only had one debate,where she was coached for few days before the debate.
She was reading notes during most of debate's time without being questioned; she repeated the word Maverick several times during the debate as the answer to America's current problems.
Now she is on the road attacking Obama and linking him to terrorism. An old story that didn't have legs from start.
How can 41% of people think she is qualified to be a president?
October 7th, 2008 at 11:13 amAmazing,if not scary.!
McWars @#31 says
John McCain pals around with terrorists — foreign and domestic — AND is half the pilot George Bush was.
Oouch!!!!!
October 7th, 2008 at 12:02 pmtsrazan ~ the soft bigotry of low expectations at work here.
October 7th, 2008 at 12:03 pmGreat post's all, in answer to your question Tarzan, media coverage...All whalin palin's little stunt's have been covered at the dinner new's hour for the worker bee's to view..Add lie's and the huge fear card along with radical black preacher's and there you have the making of worried white men and women going back 40 year's in time in their warped thinking..
Never mind the worse case cinario of the radical reich winger's. their horrible witch hunting trick's and palin's attachment to them....There is a large faction of evil reich winger's in our country which include's skin head's KKK's, radical bible thumper's and just plane nut job's...We even see a tiny few posting here as troll's..
The best we can hope for is Obama to win and be protected.....It is worrisome to people like me that have lived through JFK, Bobby, King and many other's....
I must add in closing, this campaign has lasted far to long and I am personelly very weary...Along with all the other enormious problem's we face we must change this campaign for billion's of dollar's, lasting from one election to the next and media coverage for the one with the most money..Equal free air time would be much better along with a 6 month run up to the election...I will get into the voter caging and machine fraud on another day....Blessing's all and happy posting.
October 7th, 2008 at 12:21 pmIf the Fed can buy commercial paper, there was no need for the 700 billion dollar bailout to provide commercial paper lending... Another bush boondoggle has been exposed for the LIE that it is!!!
October 7th, 2008 at 1:08 pmAh. Sarah's revving up the lynch mobs, eh?
Nice.
October 7th, 2008 at 1:25 pmYesterday, Lehman Brothers CEO Richard Fuld had a rough day under intense questioning from House members. However, his day was even tougher on Sunday when he was punched in the face at the gym by a man angry at the Lehman failure.
How much would you bet that this will be the harshest punishment that he ever faces.
October 7th, 2008 at 2:29 pmBush appointed a Cheney assistant to the Department of Energy. Chase Hutto, III served as big oil's point man inside the V.P.'s office.
He has four months to anchor offshore drilling. Bush can corporafornicate on multiple fronts simultaneously. One might expect that after seven years in the CorporaWhorehouse on Pennsylvania Avenue.
October 7th, 2008 at 2:54 pmGas demand down 9.5% last week
Prices up 24.5% from a year ago.
Write your House Republican on this blip in supply and demand. Ask why Bill Kristol's prediction of naming Sarah Palin didn't cause gas prices to fall dramatically. Ask them why the cessation of the offshore drilling ban, didn't do likewise?
October 7th, 2008 at 3:33 pm