ThinkFast: November 25, 2008
ThinkFast: November 25, 2008
The Commerce Department reports this morning that the U.S. economy shrank half a percent in the third quarter, “faster than previously estimated as consumer spending plunged by the most in almost three decades.” That is the biggest contraction since the 2001 recession.
The Bush administration has quietly altered early official lists of nations in the so-called “coalition of the willing” that were posted to the White House website. Two lists have been completely taken down, while “subsequent deletions of the earlier lists and revisions to critical documents” make it seem like there were 49 nations in original coalition of the willing; there were actually only 45.
When President Bush leaves office, “opponents of embryonic stem cell research will face a new political reality” as President-elect Barack Obama is “expected to lift restrictions on federal money for such research.” “I don’t know what the votes will be in the new Congress … but it’s very possible we could lose this thing,” Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA) told the AP.
Salim Ahmed Hamdan, Osama bin Laden’s former driver, is being transferred to Yeman where “he will serve out the rest of his military commission sentence, which is set to expire Dec. 27.” Hamdan, who was first captured in 2001, was convicted earlier this year of “providing material support to terrorism.”
A “little-noticed regulation change in March” narrowed the military’s definition of combat-related disabilities, “costing some injured veterans thousands of dollars in lost benefits.” The Pentagon said the change preserves the “special distinction for those who incur disabilities while participating in the risk of combat”; the Disabled American Veterans called the policy a “shocking level of disrespect for those who stood in harm’s way.”
The “Labor Department gave Congress inaccurate and unreliable numbers that understated the expense of contracting out its employees’ work to private firms.” According to most of the 60 Labor employees interviewed by the Government Accountability Office, the decision to allow “contractors to compete for bureaucrats’ work — known as ‘competitive sourcing’ — also demoralized workers.”
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s list of the safest new cars includes 16 Ford and Volvo vehicles. Honda was next with 13. “So even though Ford is losing money and is part of the Detroit Three contingent seeking $25 billion in aid from Congress, many workers at Ford report feeling good about the company’s prospects.”
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has been “working hard to dismantle his liberal image and revive memories of the Cold War.” Most recently, Medvedev threatened to deploy missiles on the border with Poland as a response to the U.S. missile-defense program, which was “the first time in decades that Russia’s leader has officially announced his readiness to target a NATO country with tactical weapons.”
And finally: In March, Barack Obama received “endless grief” after he delivered a less-than-stellar bowling performance at Pleasant Valley Recreation Center in Altoona, PA. On Nov. 13, co-owners Jean Montgomery and Bob DiVentura decided to put Obama’s lane — #21 — up for sale on eBay. Also included in the package: lane #22, the gutters, two pin setters, computer scoring system, the chairs sat on by Obama, Obama’s shoes, and Obama’s ball. DiVentura called it a “true collector’s item” and set the starting bid at $50,000. When the auction closed on Sunday though, there had been zero bids.
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The Commerce Department reports this morning that the U.S. economy shrank half a percent in the third quarter,
Goldman Sachs predicts -5% for the fourth.
Somehow this will be all Obama’s fault.
November 25th, 2008 at 9:05 amThe Bush administration has quietly altered early official lists of nations in the so-called “coalition of the willing”
Good God almighty! So many dead, maimed, or living as refugees at the whim of such petty, pinhead tyrant-wannabes.
November 25th, 2008 at 9:07 amThe story about “competitive sourcing” at the Labor Department is most interesting. From 2003-2007 officials at the US Department of the Interior spent more than $24 million to find ways to “save” money by removing Federal employees and replacing them with private contractor personnel. Any guesses how many of us lost our jobs to private contractors? ONE! A clerk typist. Yup another example of the Bushies frittering away your tax dollars for no good reason. Heckuva job, Dubya, heckuva job.
November 25th, 2008 at 9:14 amA “little-noticed regulation change in March” narrowed the military’s definition of combat-related disabilities, “costing some injured veterans thousands of dollars in lost benefits.”
Where are all those congress critters who accused Democrats of not “supporting the troops?”
November 25th, 2008 at 9:14 amDiVentura called it a “true collector’s item” and set the starting bid at $50,000. When the auction closed on Sunday though, there had been zero bids.
Never mind. Paulson’s about to announce a new TARP. That would be the Troubled Alley Relief Programme.
November 25th, 2008 at 9:16 amWhen President Bush leaves office, “opponents of embryonic stem cell research will face a new political reality” as President-elect Barack Obama is “expected to lift restrictions on federal money for such research.” “I don’t know what the votes will be in the new Congress … but it’s very possible we could lose this thing,” Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA) told the AP.
Joe Pitts is hereby nominated for understatement of the year.
No matter in what realm one’s particular superstitions reside, not using embryos which were going to be destroyed anyway for the future good of humanity is such a waste as to be a damnable sin.
Elections have consequences, Joe; welcome to the 21st century.
November 25th, 2008 at 9:18 am“A little noticed regulation in March” narrowed the military’s definition of combat-related disabilities, costing some injured veterams thousands in lost benefits>”
THIS, from a RETHUGLIC administration who accused Democrats and war critics of NOT SUPPORTING THE TROOPS.
EXCUSE ME, but if this does not illustrate the truth about the TRUE Rethuglic party agenda, I DON’T know what does. BTW- DAMN few Rethugs ever served, most are cowardly, draft-dodging chickenhawks.
Rethuglic party program: SCREW THE TROOPS!
As a Vietnam vet, I can NOT state too STRONGLY, how truly disgusting this crap is.
Why do Rethugs HATE the troops?
November 25th, 2008 at 9:28 amThe Pentagon said the change preserves the “special distinction for those who incur disabilities while participating in the risk of combat”; the Disabled American Veterans called the policy a “shocking level of disrespect for those who stood in harm’s way.”
Wow, way to go to encourage enlistment. They are saying that these people knew of the “risk of combat” and therefore the government shouldn’t have to pay if they are disabled. Wow..
November 25th, 2008 at 9:28 amThe “Labor Department gave Congress inaccurate and unreliable numbers that understated the expense of contracting out its employees’ work to private firms.”
I think that the Obama Administration is going to be shocked when they find out how much of our Government has been outsourced. I would also like to know how much more it costs the government to privatize it’s operations than it did to have government workers do the work. I’m betting they saved nothing and probably paid more.
November 25th, 2008 at 9:30 amBilbo; It DOES sound like the administration is saying, “If you get killed/maimed in a combat zone, it’s your own damn fault for going. Tough shit.”
November 25th, 2008 at 9:33 amIt sickens this vet that bush and his war machine has discarded his own troops with his tortured definition of combat related injuries.
November 25th, 2008 at 9:42 amBush just sucks! And so do his military for letting this happen.
A “little-noticed regulation change in March” narrowed the military’s definition of combat-related disabilities, “costing some injured veterans thousands of dollars in lost benefits.”
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This is an outrage. The military is redefining “combat” injuries to exclude injuries caused by roadside bombs, land mines, and injuries caused by trying to escape a mortar attack (however, if one was directly injured by a mortar attack, that’s OK — this soldier should have stood her ground and allowed herself to get blasted instead of ducking for cover).
Another result of limiting the injuries the “combat” designation can be hung on is that it will be almost impossible for injured women to get combat injury benefits, regardless of how they were injured. You see, women aren’t permitted to engage in actual combat. Of course, everybody knows they do, under orders, and they get injured and killed. But when injury happens, regardless of the circumstances, it will be officially a “non-combat” injury, even if they were shot point-blank by the enemy. Because if women aren’t serving in combat, they aren’t sustaining combat injuries — right?
This is shameful, and I hope it’s one of the things reversed in the new administration.
November 25th, 2008 at 9:43 amGop-ers only love the fetus, NOT the child. Likewise, they only love the Troops, NOT the soldier.
November 25th, 2008 at 9:48 amWhen President Bush leaves office, “opponents of embryonic stem cell research will face a new political reality” as President-elect Barack Obama is “expected to lift restrictions on federal money for such research.” “I don’t know what the votes will be in the new Congress … but it’s very possible we could lose this thing,” Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA) told the AP.
As usual, when the Republicans lose, the American people win.
November 25th, 2008 at 9:52 am.
In the “Spirit of Cooperation”…
… SCOOP: McCain and Obama Camps Coordinated on Building Staff Rosters for Next Government
.
November 25th, 2008 at 9:54 amclusterphuck; FLAGGED FOR SPAMMING!
November 25th, 2008 at 9:54 amU.S. Warns Isreal Against Large IDF Ops
Is this real or fake? Recall our wink, wink to Saddam re: Kuwait.
November 25th, 2008 at 10:00 amAbleCluster:
November 25th, 2008 at 10:14 amI’m watching you! Wanna bet how many hours till your gone?
The Federal Reserve Bank does its $800 billion version of TARP.
Hank Paulson announces new $200 billion Treasury program to address mortgage foreclosures. It will buy mortgage backed securities.
It will be interesting to see how high the $4.28 trillion CNBC number goes.
November 25th, 2008 at 10:19 amRepublicans at all levels believe that veterans receiving ANY sort of benefits are simply welfare snakes, living fat and happy off the taxpayers.
You are only one of “the troops” while you are serving (and ideally in a combat zone — they aren’t too gung ho about garrisson and rear support types: only the Rambo types — they’re cool and get the repugs all squishy and excited). It comes down to the love of vicarious violence (as the facts is that most of your hardcore repugs refuse to serve in the military — they might get hurt. Seriously. Most of those troops are NOT hardcore righties, and that is also why the repugs don’t support vets, because for some strange reason the majority of vets are anti-war. Go figure.).
November 25th, 2008 at 10:22 amHank Paulson called anyone who expected the TARP legislation to fix our economy “naive”. Ex-White House Economic Adviser Al Hubbard said this of the bill before Congress in October.
“This economy is based on credit and based on confidence and right now the confidence isn’t there and that’s why Secretary Paulson and Ben Bernanke have decided we have to take this major step,” said Hubbard.
Hubbard added he can almost guarantee a happy ending if the bailout passes.
Naive, according to Paulson. That’s the White House leadership that led us to our current conflagration.
Poor quality killed finance. Investment is dead for most Americans.
November 25th, 2008 at 10:31 am$300 Billion to Citi-group.
Neoconistic Federalists draining our scarce financial resources into a black hole of fiscal malfeasance.
Shares were down 60% early Friday. Shares were up 60% Monday. Over the weekend, a whole lot of people made a whole lot of money on Paulson’s head fake.
That sum would give each American taxpayer approximately $2,000.00
November 25th, 2008 at 10:38 am13. MissHusseinMolly and 8. Bilbo
A couple of really dumb questions:
How many of the Iraq injuries were caused by roadside bombs which now would’t be covered ?
If one can deny a war injury on the basis that it was an “assumed risk”, wouldn’t anyone in war take an assumed risk to be killed ? Therefore can we drop the death benefit ? And wouldn’t even as much as getting on a military airplane be an assumed risk ?
November 25th, 2008 at 10:38 amBilbo Hussein Baggins Says
November 25th, 2008 at 9:28 am
Wow, way to go to encourage enlistment.
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Just throw this on the ever-growing pile of things that will keep recruiting figures low. All recruiters should be required to disclose the following:
Welcome to the Army. You are embarking on the first step of what could be a great career path — if you manage to stay alive and intact.
You will be sent to exciting foreign countries. Of course, they will be mostly rubble and filled with people who are trying to kill you. You will probably also be going to them again and again and again because we’re kind of low on personnel.
If you get injured, we will pay all your expenses for recovery. If you get permanently disabled, we will pay you benefits. However, we pay more benefits if your injury was combat-related, so naturally we’ll attempt to classify your injury as non-combat whenever we can get away with it, to save money. And if we can, we’ll claim your injury was your fault so we don’t have to pay you any benefits at all. No matter how we classify your injuries, you will still be at the mercy of our VA system, which is just a way of showing you how little your government cares about you once you are no longer useful to them.
Oh, and if your “injury” is PTSD, we’ll claim it isn’t so we don’t have to treat you. There are ways you can deal with it on your own, though — many of our vets cope by blotting the nightmares out with drugs and alcohol, which often causes them to live in the streets, since they have difficulty socializing with others or holding down a regular job.
We are so hard up for people that we are giving you a sizeable cash bonus just for signing up. However, if you get killed in action or become disabled and you’re unable to finish your enlistment, you’re expected to give the bonus back. So put it in a safe place and don’t spend it. Yet.
If you’re a woman, there’s a good chance you will be raped or sexually assaulted at some point during your tour of duty. There’s an even greater chance you will be the victim of sexual harrassment by your colleagues and your superiors — people you are encouraged to trust if your unit is to be combat-ready.
If you’re gay, we expect you to shut up about your sex life. If you’re straight, that’s OK — the sexual exploits of you and other straights is generally the number one topic of discussion at the barracks and the workplace.
And even though we sucked you into this recruiting office with promises of educational opportunities, that’s all stuff just for our glossy brochures. We’ll teach you the skills we need you to know, but they won’t do you any good back in the civilian world. Even if you learned a skill that’s valued outside the military (such as computer networking), employers are still going to be more impressed with that nerdy kid who went to college while you were off fighting, so don’t expect the employment welcome mat out for you (that “support the troops” thing is really just a bumper sticker). If you want to go to college, we have our G.I. Bill, which allows you to put aside a portion of your military pay into a college fund. However, you have a time limit on when you can use it, and it won’t be enough to make a dent in the tuitions of major universities.
Oh, and if you get killed serving your country — we give you a really nifty funeral and a nice folded flag for your loved ones. But your spouse had better find a job right away, even if she has small children she has just become a single parent to. We’re not going to support her after you’re gone.
With all this, how could anybody not want to sign up?
November 25th, 2008 at 10:54 amMapleStreet Says
November 25th, 2008 at 10:38 am
If one can deny a war injury on the basis that it was an “assumed risk”, wouldn’t anyone in war take an assumed risk to be killed ? Therefore can we drop the death benefit ? And wouldn’t even as much as getting on a military airplane be an assumed risk ?
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Exactly. Any baby boomer my age will remember the old Superchicken cartoons, where one of the key catchphrases was “you knew the job was dangerous when you took it.”
As absurd as this sounds, people in the Bush administration have actually dismissed the concerned of our fighting men and women as trivial because they are “volunteers”. In other words, since they knew what they were getting into and volunteered for this duty, we’re not responsible for what happens to them.
Well, this American thinks this attitude toward our military troops is shameful, an embarrassment, completely immoral, and just plain sick.
November 25th, 2008 at 11:02 amAmazing post, MissMolly – thank you!!!
November 25th, 2008 at 11:07 amshoeless Says:
When President Bush leaves office, “opponents of embryonic stem cell research will face a new political reality” as President-elect Barack Obama is “expected to lift restrictions on federal money for such research.” “I don’t know what the votes will be in the new Congress … but it’s very possible we could lose this thing,” Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA) told the AP.
As usual, when the Republicans lose, the American people win.
And it can’t happen soon enough. It has been nothing short of criminal for Bush to hold millions of people (my wife included) suffering from serious disabilities hostage to his short-sighted, politically-based beliefs.
November 25th, 2008 at 11:25 am“Army Sgt. Lori Meshell shattered a hip and crushed her back and knees while diving for cover during a mortar attack in Iraq. She has undergone a hip replacement and knee reconstruction and needs at least three more surgeries.
In each case, the Pentagon ruled that their disabilities were not combat-related.”
This crap has been going on since Bush has been “Commander in Thief”. My little sister hit by shrapnel lost part of her liver and most of her pancreas, developed type 1 diabetes because of her injuries and was kicked off medical and discharged for medical reasons and has been fighting the decision in appeals for the last 3 years.
Republicans support the Troops, my ass.
November 25th, 2008 at 11:57 amI wish the trolls that used to argue with me on the horrid treatment of the wounded by the Bush administration were still around to admit they were wrong and apologize, not to me, but to all veterans for defending the POS in the White House ( Yes, Exley I mean you especially, you sorry a$$ POS ).
Welcome to the impact of Bush’s signing statements and the Unitary Executive. Between the law and Pentagon implementation, something happened.
The Justice Department needs to look and see what that was.
November 25th, 2008 at 12:12 pmmisshusseinmolly Says:
Well, this American thinks this attitude toward our military troops is shameful, an embarrassment, completely immoral, and just plain sick.
As one of the few posters here that was trying to bring this to everyone’s attention since the first day TP started this blog, I am relieved it is finally getting some attention, but still burning furious that this was allowed to happen at all.
This is not a new development, but is just another part of the systematic kicking to the curb and discarding of veterans in general. I am as angry at the Democrats who have sat by with their thumbs up their asses the whole time this has happened. Pelosi and her “Impeachment off the Table” will always be a symbol of the ineffectiveness of the Democrats in the last 8 years. Hopefully Obama will try to correct the Democrats record over the last 8 years and bring some justice to this country, if not, then as I stated previously, I will start pushing for a real 3rd party to replace both the Republicans and the Democrats.
November 25th, 2008 at 12:13 pmWayne; I’m sorry about your sister. Maybe some veterans groups might be of help. Contact the DAV, VFW, American Legion, IAVAW. If nothing else, a lot of negative PR on these policies may help your cause.
November 25th, 2008 at 12:21 pmUncle Ho Says:
Wayne; I’m sorry about your sister. Maybe some veterans groups might be of help. Contact the DAV, VFW, American Legion, IAVAW. If nothing else, a lot of negative PR on these policies may help your cause.
Her lawyer is a veteran as well a member of the VFW and is handling her case with no charge.
Her husband had to re-enlist to cover her medical because she is no longer covered for her own service.
My whole family, with many who have served this country, has been furious over how she has been treated, most switching parties and voting for Obama this year in the hope he will actually do something.
November 25th, 2008 at 12:38 pmWayne; I wish your sister & family a sincere good luck.
November 25th, 2008 at 1:09 pmLaw favors corporations with the money to steer findings. NYT reports:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/25/washington/25bar.html?_r=1
Note: this goes along with big pharma no longer being sued for damage from health problems included in the side effects warning label. Bush made it much more difficult for injured patients to sue in such situations.
November 25th, 2008 at 1:10 pmYou have to think there is a gang of brass-studded desk jockeys in the Pentagon sitting around the bullies pit thinking up new ways to victimize servicemen & women. It must be most fun for them to concentrate on injured soldiers because they are the neediest & have the least ability to fight back against the web of military bureaucracy.
The first thing the Obama Administration needs to do is get a huge team of auditors and inspectors to invade the Pentagon to find out what other cruel stunts these monsters are pulling against men and women who risked their lives in service of the nation.
The Constant Weader at http://www.RealityChex.com
November 25th, 2008 at 2:48 pmDay 5 of TP silence on the $153 million of taxpayer funds to Carlyle Group affiliate, Boston Private Financial Holdings. The investment firm targets the “high net worth marketplace.”
November 25th, 2008 at 4:41 pmOlmert says U.S. not tying his hands on military intervention:
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1226404836612&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
November 25th, 2008 at 7:42 pm