ThinkFast: January 5, 2008
ThinkFast: January 5, 2008
The EU is pushing for a cease-fire and “sustainable truce” between Hamas and Israel. One proposal circulating in “Paris and at the United Nations on Sunday was to send European Union troops as part of an international force to the Gaza border to help prevent smuggling of munitions across the frontier, diplomats said.” In the meantime, the European Commission promised $4.2 million in humanitarian aid to Gaza.
“Senior Israeli officials said that the fighting could go on for days, if not weeks, and that calls for a cease-fire were premature.” “Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak insisted that, while Hamas had ’sustained a very heavy blow from us,’ Gaza operation was not finished. ‘We have yet to achieve our objective.’”
The RNC will select its new chairman this month and the six-way contest is aggravating “intraparty tensions.” As one RNC consultant explained to Politico, “Some people are p-ssed off at [Americans for Tax Reform President] Grover [Norquist]. Some people are p-ssed off at the Conservative Steering Committee. Some people are p-ssed off at [current RNC chair] Mike Duncan. Some people are p-ssed off at social conservatives. … Everyone is basically p-ssed.”
According to a report by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, “the Internet overtook print newspapers as a news source this year.” The popularity of newspapers did not decline, but rather, the number of people naming the internet as their primary news source nearly doubled.
President-elect Barack Obama’s economic recovery plan — which may cost nearly $775 billion — “plans to include about $300 billion in tax cuts for workers and businesses” which will “provide credits up to $500 for most workers” and “more than $100 billion in tax incentives for businesses.”
Obama and congressional Democrats are “planning swift action to overturn a Supreme Court decision that made it much harder for people to challenge discrimination in employment, education, housing and other fields.” Since the May 2007 decision, courts “have gone far beyond the facts of that case and cited it as a reason for rejecting lawsuits claiming discrimination based on race, sex, age and disability.”
In Baghdad today, the United States opened its new embassy building in “a step meant to symbolize its transition from occupying power to an ally of a sovereign Iraqi government.” The building, which is the largest U.S. embassy building in the world, cost $592 million to construct and will be staffed by 1,200 employees, including diplomats, servicemen and staff from 14 federal agencies.
A female suicide bomber in Baghdad killed at least 40 people Sunday near one of Iraq’s most sacred Shi’ite shrines. The attack occurred just ahead of the Islamic holy day of Ashura and was the deadliest in Iraq since December 11.
And finally: Fox News’s Gretchen Carlson is returning to her beauty pageant roots, working as a special “consultant” to the Miss America pageant this year. Carlson has been “given the task of posing questions about hot-button social issues — sex education, same sex couples and adoption.” Watch the video here.
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President-elect Barack Obama’s economic recovery plan — which may cost nearly $775 billion — “plans to include about $300 billion in tax cuts for workers and businesses” which will “provide credits up to $500 for most workers” and “more than $100 billion in tax incentives for businesses.”
Another $100 billion is tax “incentives” for businesses? How about spending a fraction of that finding and prosecuting the businesses who played the system and took their profits off-shore? And therefore avoided taxes all together?
I’m still hopeful that Obama will become the “pro-middle class” president he campaigned on, but these efforts to appease the GOP make me less than optimistic.
Dems, can we please grow a few sets? Hint: The GOP is completely out of power… the need to appease is moot.
PEACE
January 5th, 2009 at 9:26 am“Senior Israeli officials said that the fighting could go on for days, if not weeks, and that calls for a cease-fire were premature.”
It’s premature because they haven’t killed their requisite number of Palestinians, which is probably somewhere around 2,000. The government of Israel is pure evil and deserves to be wiped off the face of the map.
January 5th, 2009 at 9:29 am‘We have yet to achieve our objective.’
Which is killing all Palestines willing to fight for better living conditions or praise the Palestines who are willing to starve quietly.
January 5th, 2009 at 9:32 amThe RNC will select its new chairman this month and the six-way contest is aggravating “intraparty tensions.” Everyone is basically p-ssed.”
That’s what happens when you have a party that has destroyed itself and is basically leaderless. And things are going to get worse, much worse, for Republicans if they choose to obstruct everything that Obama tries to do to fix this country.
I got news for you Republicans – Americans are pissed at you.
January 5th, 2009 at 9:32 amspencers mom Says:
President-elect Barack Obama’s economic recovery plan — which may cost nearly $775 billion — “plans to include about $300 billion in tax cuts for workers and businesses” which will “provide credits up to $500 for most workers” and “more than $100 billion in tax incentives for businesses.”
Another $100 billion is tax “incentives” for businesses?
I’m thinking that Obama means businesses as in “small businesses”. I don’t think he is talking about corporations. At least I hope not. But small businesses in this country are going to need government help to stay alive during the current recession/depression.
January 5th, 2009 at 9:35 amAnother $100 billion is tax “incentives” for businesses?
Some will be for solar and wind generation, at least it a start.
January 5th, 2009 at 9:40 amThe Obama plan would also allow businesses to apply net operating losses from last year to offset tax liabilities from prior years, enabling them to claim refunds from the government
From the NYT piece. Once again businesses have more rights/benefits than the common citizen. The government money printing presses continue humming.
January 5th, 2009 at 9:48 amSpencersMom, the big money boys went offshore before the New Year. Private equity, hedge funds, etc. don’t want to pay regular income taxes on their compensation.
So, hi ho, hi ho, it’s offshore they go!
January 5th, 2009 at 9:51 amCNN’s reporter Christiane Amanpour noted one major difference in the Israeli-Gaza conflict. In ten days of fighting, there has been no mass exodus of innocent people, women, children, the elderly and families who desire to live another day.
They can’t get out. Israel barricades 1.5 million people as it drops white phosphorous and cluster bombs. Haaretz reported Israeli defense minister Ehud Barak saying his country was acting as any life-loving nation would.
Life loving includes barricading hundreds of thousands of innocents in an active war zone? I think not.
January 5th, 2009 at 9:51 amYAY! Welcome back, TP and the FAST thread!
a Happy and Better New Year to come, hopefully…
not starting out the best, i must say…
oh, and as of 12/30, i now have BOTH my children planning Spring ‘10 weddings…
uoy… now i will have to get a life and work on my social skills!
helpful advice welcome!
January 5th, 2009 at 9:55 amFrom C&L:
Senator McConnell: Yes, right. This is the sort of thing we could — we could have bipartisan agreement on. But Republican, by and large, think tax relief is a great way to get money to people immediately. A possibility would be to take a look at the 25 percent rate currently applied to the middle class, lower it to 15 percent.
But I thought it was considered class-warfare, to advocate a tax reduction simply for the middle class.
McConnell’s demonstrating the effects of being isolated from power.
January 5th, 2009 at 9:58 amLife loving includes barricading hundreds of thousands of innocents in an active war zone? I think not.
In order to starve people to death, there is a big element of racism. You know, we are the chosen ones, you are not, therefore you don’t deserve better, etc.
All governments practice racism and discrimination when they “supposedly” fight for “good”. That brings out the worst of people: fear and ignorance, so they jump into the train of govt’s plans.
I only wonder, are there Israelis on the streets protesting against their govt?
January 5th, 2009 at 9:59 amTP brings up the search for RNC chair, but doesn’t mention this?
VA Gov. Tim Kaine Named New DNC Chair
http://crooksandliars.com/node/25010
no comment?
January 5th, 2009 at 10:03 amGood Morning Juan C..So good to read you here..Good question on #13…I doubt the Israelies are protesting their gov’s. genocide on Gaza but I could be wrong…I did hear the population of Israel was pleased over the air strike’s but not so happy about the recent ground invasion…Wish I could remember where I read that, so much info coming across my internet connection’s…
Excuse me if I am wrong poster’s, but, wasen’t it the Israeles that were dancing in the street’s on tape when we were bombed on 9/11.?..With age come’s memory loss, sometime’s..
Have a great day posting..Thank you TP for your past year of coverage and putting up with all of us…..Peace, Blessings and Justice All
January 5th, 2009 at 10:09 amBush Insures Airlines with Taxpayer Money
President Bush issued an executive order providing insurance or reinsurance for air carriers. He did so with taxpayers money. Did he require airlines to drop fuel surcharges or baggage handling fees? Nope.
Once again, George W. helps corporations with public money with no strings attached. What’s the bill, President Bush? How much will this largess cost taxpayers?
January 5th, 2009 at 10:11 amWitch, thank you.
Nice reading you all.
January 5th, 2009 at 10:18 amThe building, which is the largest U.S. embassy building in the world, cost $592 million to construct and will be staffed by 1,200 employees, including diplomats, servicemen and staff from 14 federal agencies.
That will really come in handy when we stop using Middle Eastern oil…
January 5th, 2009 at 10:19 amGaza fighting Day 10:
Innocent people barricaded inside war zone, Gaza split in two, public services decimated, scarce water, food dwindling, hospitals overwhelmed (if functioning at all), humanitarian aid miniscule (80 trucks for global media consumption, they surely won’t end up in Hamas hands), cluster bomblets lay unexploded on ground, likely use of white phosphorous, US blocks UN action (in a Lebanon redux), Defense Minister Barak says Israel a “life-loving” nation, Obama still silent.
January 5th, 2009 at 10:21 amBilbo Hussein Baggins Says: I got news for you Republicans – Americans are pissed at you.
It’s really had to find a Conservative who will defend Bush anymore.
Their lastest talking line about John McCain’s loss was that he really didn’t want to win, because it meant he would inherent the bad economy. LOL
January 5th, 2009 at 10:23 amObama’s silence on the Gaza crisis is undermining his reputation in the Middle East
Barack Obama’s chances of making a fresh start in US relations with the Muslim world, and the Middle East in particular, appear to diminish with each new wave of Israeli attacks on Palestinian targets in Gaza.
evidence is mounting that Obama is already losing ground among key Arab and Muslim audiences that cannot understand why, given his promise of change, he has not spoken out. Arab commentators and editorialists say there is growing disappointment at Obama’s detachment – and that his failure to distance himself from George Bush’s strongly pro-Israeli stance is encouraging the belief that he either shares Bush’s bias or simply does not care.
Global Sea Ice Ends Year at Same Level as 1979
Thanks to a rapid rebound in recent months, global sea ice levels now equal those seen 29 years ago, when the year 1979 also drew to a close.
Ice levels had been tracking lower throughout much of 2008, but rapidly recovered in the last quarter. In fact, the rate of increase from September onward is the fastest rate of change on record, either upwards or downwards
FEDS EYE $175 COW TAX FOR CLIMATE CRIMES
Call this one of the newest and innovative the ways your government has come up with to battle greenhouse gas emissions.
Indirectly it could be considered a cheeseburger tax, but one of the suggestions offered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in its Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) for regulating greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act is to levy a tax on livestock.
January 5th, 2009 at 10:23 amMiss America contracts with the “Not Duly Attentive” Network? That won’t reverse the ditzy beauty queen stereotype.
January 5th, 2009 at 10:24 amICEMAN Says:
____________
Anyone here care to hazard a guess as to waht “point” this twit thinks it’s making?
Or is just being endlessly annoying point enough for some fools?
January 5th, 2009 at 10:24 amICEMAN Says: skrhflhflkjhvfjhlkjh
You know Obama doesn’t start work until January 20th, right?
January 5th, 2009 at 10:27 amwell, what I got from the 2nd item from ickman is that it sounds as if the dire warnings and a return to conservation may have helped!
and every little bit helps!
January 5th, 2009 at 10:32 amUnbelievable, under your logic Obama shouldn’t be holding his series of economic meetings today in D.C.
Ten days of monitoring a U.S./Israeli planned decimation of Gaza is unnerving to many progressives.
Obama, pssst…say something!
January 5th, 2009 at 10:33 amThere once was a man made of ice
January 5th, 2009 at 10:41 amWho had trouble thinking once, let alone twice
His posts were off topic
And lacking in logic
But as a good bad example he did suffice.
stateofthedivision Says: Unbelievable, under your logic Obama shouldn’t be holding his series of economic meetings today in D.C.
I definitely want him to be prepared on January 20th…
I’m interested to know where he stands on this as well, but what’s the point of him saying anything until he can do anything about it?
January 5th, 2009 at 10:46 amNYT:
Gaza Hospital Fills Up, Mainly With Civilians
“I don’t know what kind of weapons Israel is using,” said a nurse, Ziad Abd al Jawwad, 41, who had been working 24 hours without a break. “There is so much amputation.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/05/world/middleeast/05gaza.html?hp
Israel Strikes Before an Ally Departs
“Despite Obama’s statements, and his advisers who are quite pro-Israel, the Israelis really didn’t know how he’d react.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/05/washington/05diplo.html?hp
Rahm Emanuel, Chief of Staff and IDF tough
January 5th, 2009 at 10:47 amGeneral James L. Jones, NSA Chief and special US Envoy for Palestinian-Israeli Security for the last year. Appointed by George W. Bush.
This one’s for ‘Iceman’, because I can tell how concerned he is about our environment:
‘In an alarming yet little-noticed series of recent studies, scientists have concluded that Canada’s precious forests, stressed from damage caused by global warming, insect infestations and persistent fires, have crossed an ominous line and are now pumping out more climate-changing carbon dioxide than they are sequestering.’
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-canada-trees_wittjan02,0,539661.story
January 5th, 2009 at 11:05 am“Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak insisted that, while Hamas had ’sustained a very heavy blow from us,’ Gaza operation was not finished. ‘We have yet to achieve our objective.’”
Yeah, all the Palestinians aren’t dead yet.
January 5th, 2009 at 11:07 amThis pic of a man holding his daughter broke my heart yesterday:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/01/05/gaza.humanitarian/index.html
What caused those burns?!
January 5th, 2009 at 11:08 amProbably the white phosphorus the Israelis are dropping on Gaza under the guise of smokescreens”…
January 5th, 2009 at 11:12 amThis Gaza thing is making me crazy. So many lies, so much suffering.
January 5th, 2009 at 11:17 amAmerica’s shadow banking system, the unregulated part, will buy a bank. More hair of the dog medicine from Bush’s disaster capitalists.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123111465116552399.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Like the sale of Neuberger Investment Company, the buyer gets the assets at fires sale prices with little money down.
The post depression regulations on bank ownership are gone. RIP along with America’s financial system.
January 5th, 2009 at 11:24 amMary #35…I agree….I grieve over this genocide that Israel is doing to the innocent in Gaza….A repeat of Lebanon…When will it end? Why do we continue to fund and supply this miserable war like country.? Why do we continue to be war like as well.?..P.B.& J
January 5th, 2009 at 11:27 amWitch1 – when will it end? When there’s nothing but rubble left to bomb? Hamas will not capitulate. Israel knows that. Egypt is becoming destablized. I saw lots of protests in Jordan yesterday. Aren’t those the two countries who tend to be more friendly to the West?
“Jordan and Egypt are the only two Arab states to have normalised relations with Israel. Amman also has strong ties with the US.”
I really do not see what this “offensive” will do for Israel in any kind of positive way.
January 5th, 2009 at 11:34 amLemme get this straight. Israel bombs Gaza because of Palestinian rocket attacks and suicide bombers. The Palestinians fire rockets and detonate themselves in crowded locations because Israel bombs them, harrasses them, and barricades them in ghettos. It’s not hard to see how this vicious circle keeps going, and there comes a point where it really doesn’t matter who threw the first punch, because both sides have plenty of blood on their hands.
I suspect that both Israel and Hamas would love to see each other completely exterminated. Unless both sides are completely stupid, they know very well that their actions merely inflame the other side, and strengthen their resolve. Which appears to be what both sides want — any excuse to practice genocide.
Does Israel truly believe that bombing Gaza will stop the rocket attacks and the suicide bombers? Does Hamas truly believe that continued attacks against Israel will stop their bombs?
It would serve them both right if the all the rest of the world gets completely disgusted with both, and they both lose all world sympathy.
January 5th, 2009 at 11:34 amThis whole Gaza thing reminds me forcibly of the destruction of the Warsaw ghetto by the Nazis in WWII – it took the full might of the Nazi war machine nearly a full month to obliterate the Jewish resistance in the ghetto…(Poland itself fell in a mere 3 days).
If you read the accounts, basically the Nazis surrounded the ghetto, bombed the crap out of it, burned what was left standing, then went in on a ground assault until virtually every Jew in the ghetto was dead.
Kinda sounds familiar, eh…?
January 5th, 2009 at 11:36 amChildren and families should not be exterminated because of their violent, heavy handed leaders.
January 5th, 2009 at 11:36 ammary Says:
This Gaza thing is making me crazy. So many lies, so much suffering.
I can understand US position and the position of its mercenary state, Israel. What I see extremely shameful and pathetic is the complete silence of the other countries besides the useless rethoric in the UN General Assembly.
January 5th, 2009 at 11:37 amstateofthedivision Says:
Children and families should not be exterminated because of their violent, heavy handed leaders.
I would go farther: Their violent and heavy handed leaders (which in the case of Hamas, a political party with a military wing, not everybody is a radical nut) shouldn’t be exterminated. They should be brought to justice, which is completely different.
January 5th, 2009 at 11:42 amI could be mistaken about this, but I thought that it was, technically, a crime to interfere with the foreign policy of our country. If so, then no matter how Obama feels about what’s going on in Israel, he may not legally be able to contradict Bush publicly until Jan 20th. The rest of the world will just have to understand that Obama can say nothing about this until he is the president. I know people are dying, but there really is nothing Obama can do until he is in charge. I suppose until then we can be grateful that the new president takes office Jan 20 instead of Mar 4, as it used to be.
January 5th, 2009 at 11:46 amI would go farther: Their violent and heavy handed leaders (which in the case of Hamas, a political party with a military wing, not everybody is a radical nut) shouldn’t be exterminated. They should be brought to justice, which is completely different.
Juan, my friend, in some peoples’ minds, they are one and the same thing. We are talking about people who see violence, not simply as a legitimate way to resolve disputes, but the preferred way.
Humans will never evolve to the next level as long as we continue to look the other way when some of us start killing each other.
January 5th, 2009 at 11:50 amICEMAN Says:
FEDS EYE $175 COW TAX FOR CLIMATE CRIMES
Call this one of the newest and innovative the ways your government has come up with to battle greenhouse gas emissions.
Indirectly it could be considered a cheeseburger tax, but one of the suggestions offered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in its Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) for regulating greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act is to levy a tax on livestock.
January 5th, 2009 at 10:23 am
______________
Ok, that’s pretty brilliant. I hope the EPA follows through with this. It’s about time we started paying the true costs of our carnivorous lifestyle.
Alternately, this could be used to encourage more cattle farmers to convert to organic and grass-fed farming or use methane-capture methods to prevent the release of greenhouse gases.
January 5th, 2009 at 11:52 amObama, pssst…say something!
Pssssssssssst-psssst-psssss….
Tell it to AIPAC.
They run our government EXACTLY like the mafia used to control the longshoremen, the unions, the liquor during prohibition, etc.
Nothing happens here without their direct “okay”.
Jews decided after WWII to NEVER EVER be a victim again, so to them, anything to avoid becoming a VICTIM is 100% in their right.
Stupid fcuking hypocrites.
Z I O N I S T S are the Nazis of the 21st Century.
January 5th, 2009 at 11:52 amJuan C. Says:
What I see extremely shameful and pathetic is the complete silence of the other countries besides the useless rethoric in the UN General Assembly.
I think John Bolton got his way – the UN is toothless and the world knows it.
Yesterday the media kept saying that the UN Security Council couldn’t “agree” on a statement, but, that was because the U.S. was set to veto anything and everything they came up with! But the media made it sound like it was the Security Council’s fault. They certainly don’t seem to have any power.
January 5th, 2009 at 11:54 amMary #48…I have to agree to a point on the UN…May I add for people to comment on,,,Perhap’s America and Israel have to much power…Both being war like and feeding the war machine’s they may have become the be all to end all…It appear’s to me we have become the United States of Israel….Since the Lebanon killing’s I have been against Israel and our own country for allowing this kind of genocide..Not to mention the fact all those bomb’s and war good’s plus finance’s go to Israel with no repayment…They are supported by us completely…It is as if we are their benafactor….The USA has adopted a very ugly red headed step child.More precisely our administration’s have taught them well…..Blessings
January 5th, 2009 at 12:08 pmWayne A. Schneider Says:
I could be mistaken about this, but I thought that it was, technically, a crime to interfere with the foreign policy of our country. If so, then no matter how Obama feels about what’s going on in Israel, he may not legally be able to contradict Bush publicly until Jan 20th.
January 5th, 2009 at 11:46 am
_________
I’m not sure that’s true, especially if “interfere with foreign policy” includes speaking out against current administration policy. He had no problem doing this on the campaign trail, particularly on his overseas trip.
My gut feeling is that Obama is hoping the conflict will end before he gets into office, so he can concentrate on the economy.
January 5th, 2009 at 12:13 pmPresident-elect Barack Obama’s economic recovery plan — which may cost nearly $775 billion — “plans to include about $300 billion in tax cuts for workers and businesses” which will “provide credits up to $500 for most workers” and “more than $100 billion in tax incentives for businesses.”
The more I hear from president-elect Obama, the more I can’t believe how lucky we are. Finally a president who gets the economy of America. When our businesses are strong, we are strong. Dubya just can’t let these worthless companies go under and let strong, lean ones snatch up their market share. Destruction is an important phase of the macro business model in America.
January 5th, 2009 at 1:20 pmThe EU is pushing for a cease-fire and “sustainable truce” between Hamas and Israel.
“Sustainable” truces are another post-Bush term. It basically means “we won’t accept any truce agreement that isn’t long-term and permanent.” Meanhwile, people are dying.
The proper method is to shoot for a short-term truce – any truce you can get – and then use the time that buys to negotiate for something more permanent.
As this war is 99.999% one-sided, you’d think it wouldn’t be difficult to negotiate a truce, or at least to figure out who’s to blame that there isn’t one.
January 5th, 2009 at 1:50 pmAnnie @40 – Kinda sounds familiar, eh…?
as i said recently, “Do unto others, as was done to you…?”
isn’t it ironic…
January 5th, 2009 at 2:24 pmFed buying $500 billion of securitized mortgages:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/06/business/economy/06feds.html?ref=business
January 5th, 2009 at 3:43 pmDr. Mads Gilbert, a Norweigen Doctor believes Israel is using new weapons:
“We do have indications that Israelis are using a new type of weapon with an enormous explosive power that is having a devasting effect on the body. The Palestinian colleagues of us are telling us about complete amputations and bodies that are split in two. Also they have more than 100 severe burns among the 2,000 injured, and most of these burns are more than 50% of the body surface and second- to third-degree. So these are very severe burns and extremely severe injuries caused by, probably, some new types of weapon, maybe the DIME weapon, which are tungsten-alloy weapons, which are also radioactive. These reports have not been scientifically confirmed but there is absolutely reason to believe that they used a new weapon.” –
http://www.ufppc.org/content/view/8242/
January 5th, 2009 at 4:16 pmDoes Barack’s monitoring include statistics on U.S. supplied weapons use in Gaza?
What kind of munitions did we provide? How were they used? What new bombs did the U.S. sell or provide gratis to the Jewish state? What impact do they have on innocent civilians, in the wrong place at the wrong time?
C’mon media, do your job.
January 5th, 2009 at 4:30 pmIsrael is robocalling and dropping leaflets suggesting Palestinians evacuate their neighborhoods. Evacuate to where?
Gaza is under seige. Who wants to move around and be a shooting duck? This smacks of psy ops and justification for coming bad deeds.
“But we warned them.”
Providing no means for evacuation makes any warning sadistically cruel.
http://arisfreedomswitch.blogspot.com/2009/01/israels-cruel-robocalls.html
January 5th, 2009 at 6:56 pmGOOGLE:
BENJAMIN FREEDMAN SPEAKS: A JEWISH DEFECTOR WARNS AMERICA
http://fourwinds10.com/siterun_data/history/zionism/news.php?q=1228947965
January 5th, 2009 at 10:31 pm