Old Pinko's America

Random idiocies from the GOP and the insane right and thoughts there upon.

2011-05-16T19:04:00.028-04:00

It's been awhile, I know, but health issues really focus the mind on managing them. Sharing the human condition as we all do, you know that priorities need shift when intimations of mortality poke you with sharp reminders. Things are stable for the moment. Not resolved, but stable and under treatment.

Now for the good stuff.

Massachusetts Gain is Florida's Pain

First off, I want to thank the right wing GOP crazies-in Florida especially-and the national cohort generally; their ideology driven actions actually caused them to traitorously try to hurt the national economy for partisan gain. Disgusting.

You see Florida's GOP governor (with tea party support) canceled a high speed rail project which would have brought into Florida a couple billion dollars. This was done even though these billions would have immediately spawned thousands of jobs directly, with the projects predictable spin off economic benefits and job creation would amount to multiple billions.
http://inhabitat.com/nyc/some-of-floridas-rejected-2-billion-in-high-speed-rail-funds-go-to-ny/

The reasons given for turning down the money were the usual hodgepodge of belt tightening, nit picking, trickle down mythology and thinly veiled scapegoating of public employees, racism and the vague but all encompassing menace of "gubbernment." Other governors have turned down this money too.

When it came time to mention the projects body of research and studies, each rejection came with the weak, weaselly refutations we expect Each and every study's data were interpreted in the darkest of tones. Studies where "overoptimistic in their projections of economic growth and cost.

The partisan goal, of course, it keep the economy from growing-no matter the suffering of the ordinary citizens. The goal is to be able to bash President Obama with the cry of "Where are the jobs!" It's disgusting.

It's disgusting and dangerous. The fact that an entire major political party, with all it's various and powerful supporters, is putting it's interests before the nations should arouse vibrant opposition. This is economic sabotage and, frankly, treasonous.

Progressives need to add things up. A sober look at the actions of GOP state legislatures coupled with Governors, Scott Walker, John Kesich, Rich Scott and the rest along with the GOP/Teaparty congress paints a picture of coordinated, destructive economic actions, actions for the benefit of the GOP at the expense of the nation.

None of this is illegal, but it shouldn't be surprising given the out of control status of our extremist right wing, and the history of the building of the rats nest of interlocking secular and religious interest groups that supply the gas that inflates the fact impervious bubble most of these people live in.

I think it should be called out for what it is. It's ideology and self interest above country.

The good news from this is that there's no shortage of Blue State governments that are tickled pink, and oh so happy to take that money.

Ultra Blue Massachusetts just got money to refurbish and reopen Boston area rail lines. Those construction jobs and job creating orders to local suppliers will help keep the states below level of unemployment. The job and wealth creation an active line will spur will last long after those construction jobs have ended.
http://articles.boston.com/2011-03-27/news/29352882_1_high-speed-rail-rail-funds-governor-rick-scoBlue

Road Island got some unexpected cash to improve existing rail lines.
http://insights.corpfreespeech.com/rhode-island-to-get-part-of-money-high-speed-rail-money-florida-turned-down

Some of that sun-kissed money is finding its way to chilly Illinois.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/05/illinois-wins-high-speed-_n_857972.html

New York is getting some dosh.
http://inhabitat.com/nyc/some-of-floridas-rejected-2-billion-in-high-speed-rail-funds-go-to-ny/

Isn't it just lovely? There are more so go out and "Google" them.

The upshot of Florida (and other states) rejection of these, lets face it directly, stimulus monies is that the Blue States, who are not chary of "gubberment" dictates will benefit to the degree that they will maintain their economic advantage. This advantage will only increase exponentially due to these expenditures.

This is another thing that Progressives should seize upon. Bringing these monies into our sphere can only strengthen our position-especially with the struggling working class.

Why don't we have the courage to point out that, relatively, Blue State economies, embracing a more active government role, are on the whole doing much better than those strictly adhering to a fanatical ideology.

I'm glad we're taking this money. My neighbors can use the help.

It is too bad that some of your neighbors will suffer because of the policies, attitudes and actions of the right and the GOP.

Advertising Progressivism's successes is sorely missing from the contemporary scene. Artfully done, it will reach people we've long ignored.

Let's find ways to celebrate our successes highlighting its benefits, especially to ordinary working people while engendering their trust that we'll deal with the deficit with them in mind.

Let's make it better.

Still battling injuries.

2010-09-10T19:32:00.005-04:00

Hello,

I have had an unfortunate year with injuries. I really miss commenting and, hopefully, getting a few responses to my observations, but medical needs must come first for the remainder of this year at least.

My best to all of you.

Old Pinko

Why I have been gone and am posting so infrequently.

2010-05-05T17:55:00.003-04:00

Hello,

If anybody actually stumbles onto this site, they'll notice the infrequency of my posts. Well, I have developed a serious injury that is requiring a long period to treat and, hopefully, heal.

I'd still hope that I'll fully recover and then will have the time to give this site the attention that it and you deserve.

Be well,

Old Pinko

On the Juxtaposition of Legislation and Entertainment.

2009-11-19T15:14:00.024-05:00

Well, as usual, long time no me, but-like it says above-I'm "Saving the world whenever I can show up, just like you." (The laundry simply must be done!)

Today I'm going to try to highlight an issue that has been going around about having Hollywood stars read the Senate Health Care Bill to somehow stick it to the GOP for their vicious obstructionist tactics.

I received an e-mail from my friend Matt Saroff-a magnificent advocate for "The Democratic Wing of The Democratic Party" whose great blog can be found here:

On this specific issue he writes:

"As you no doubt are aware, any US Senator can demand that the full text of the legislation be read on the floor. I think it's almost certain that they will use this tactic to slow things down.

For a bill that long, doubtless, they would use multiple readers, and there is now a meme going around the internet suggesting that, for an hour
or so, instead of speed readers, we allow some celebrities to read the text of the bill.

Specifically, it has been suggested that William Shatner, Christopher Walken, and Jack Nicholson be recruited to read the bills, each in their own unique verbal styling.

It is thought that this would provide for a piece of absolutely stunning video on CSPAN, while simultaneously making the Republicans look like jerks, so it's a win-win."

With respect, I deeply disagree. It could be a "lose-lose. I don't think it would be a good idea to use Hollywood folks. As a matter of fact, I think it's a bad idea that could seriously backfire on us

It could make us look silly and give the Great Right Wing Lie Machine much fodder about "Hollywood Elites, our being frivolous about the issue, disrespecting the 'Heartland' and all those wonderful 'Teabaggers' who are the only really true Americans' and much, much more.

It would be a serious mistake to give them an opening like this.

What I think should be done by the Democrats is to have folks, perhaps children, who have serious illnesses and no health insurance take turns reading the bill.

That, that would really stick it too them. Stick it too them with no risk of hearing from the right except for their usual whining about "Exploiting People." People who everybody knows the right has no interest in helping at all anyway.

However, we must protect these people from the Wing Nuts and their possible violence.

Michelle Malkin and other deranged whack jobs actually stalked the children who survived because of the SCHIP insurance program and then testified about it before Congress.

Michelle Malkin literally went and looked in the windows of 12-year-old Graeme Frost's home, in order to decree that his family was clearly too well off to qualify for SCHIP. Of course conveniently overlooking the fact that his dad is a carpenter, and has been fixing up the house with his own hands for a decade.

I think that with health care reform, which would likely condemn Republicans to more than 20 years in the wilderness, we most likely see some of the advocates, even children, KILLED, so we simply must protect them. Perhaps going so far as to hire private security for them during the reading and for the period after while the Brown Shirts throw their predictable tantrum.

Below is the link to Matt's blogging about this matter, and I recommend bookmarking and regular reading of his site for the many, diverse issues he raises.

"40 Years In The Desert"

I humbly think my idea has more potential punch. Now let's see if we can make this happen!

Be seeing you!

What's behind what's going on.

2009-10-31T20:34:00.003-04:00

I saw the tears of the oppressed-
  and they have no comforter;
the GOP was on the side of their oppressors-
  and they have no comforter.
 Ecclesiastes 4:1

Where is Sarah Palin going?

2009-09-25T20:52:00.004-04:00

I don't know what the wonder is.

It's elemental.

Sarah Palin is going to Fox News.

Good night again,

Old Pinko

I'm a fairly lousey blogger

2009-09-22T18:13:00.017-04:00

Hello,

Well, I'm back. I don't have much to put in here, but wanted to show up even if to just to say "Hello" to anyone who may happen by.

I've had a rather long stretch of awful life circumstances starting in July 2008 that hasn't quite ended yet. I hope that when I get to the other side of this, I'll be able to come here more often and more productively. I'm afraid I'll never be a good computer user, though.

That being said, A President Was Killed the Last Time Right-Wing Hatred Ran Wild Like This.

That being John F. Kennedy, who was gunned down in Dallas, of course.

I've been thinking a lot of Kennedy and Dallas as I've watched the increasingly violent rhetorical attacks on Obama be unfurled. As Americans yank their kids of class in order to save them from being exposed to the President of the United States who only wanted to urge them to excel in the classroom. And as unvarnished hate and name-calling passed for health care 'debate' this summer.

Link to Truthout:

Of course it's much worse today with Fox and Fiends spreading hate all over the country.

Keep up the fight and have a good night.

Old Pinko

Thank Whoever Runs The Nuthouse!

2009-07-29T17:20:00.019-04:00

Well, surprise surprise! I must say I am deeply grateful to George W. Bush!

I never thought I'd ever say that! However after research I've fully understood that it was Bush who stopped Dick Cheney and John Yoo's attempt to use active military troops to arrest people on US soil in complete violation of the Constitution and the Posse Comitatus act-just to see if they could get away with it!

Why Bush did this is immaterial to me. However, when he did this, the climate in the country was rife with fear. Fear mostly stoked by Bush himself and his numerous media and other allies along with a supine Congress eager to shower more powers on our "War President."

That he did it is enough, because they could most likely have gotten away with it.

Thanks George. That's exactly one.

Jim Bunning leaving the Senate will open another opportunity for Democrats, but not a very good one. Kentucky's still a hard row to hoe for the Blues. Still, I can dream.

Nice to see all that lovely Red infighting spreading further out and out. As Chris Matthews would say: "Sends a shiver up my leg!"

Sarah Palin has finally quit quitting and has quit those oh so tedious duties, details and meetings that she oh so ardently promised the people of Alaska to ""Faithfully Carry Out and Execute." And, still, some will applaud wildly.

Let's call this "The Weathergirl's Revenge" for a great play on several concepts. Ted Baxter in a dress also comes into play.

She's obviously channeling Spiro Agnew. Agnew and a real long line of right wing demagogues.

Scripted, they’re just Jim Dandy. Alone, the current version’s no Spiro Agnew.

I remember Spiro Agnew. I cut my teeth on Spiro Agnew.

Spiro Agnew, no matter what you thought of him, knew a fair amount of policy. Before he was Vice President, he was the Governor (crooked it turns out) of Maryland. He was considered a Moderate Republican at the time. He knew both domestic and foreign policy even if you didn’t like his conclusions.

Sarah Palin doesn’t know either and doesn’t want too. She’s too lazy for that.

She knows she’ll be welcomed into the Right Wing Echo Chamber and make millions from the shrinking red meat base the Republican Party is inextricably enmeshed with without ever having to seriously bone up on policy, or economics, or science, or facts of any kind for that matter.

She can always go to any number of Right Wing “Think Tanks” for pre-packaged opinions, advisers, staff, “opinion leaders” and paid opinion followers to back her up.

They don’t call it an “Echo Chamber” for nothing. The Right’s been building it up at least since Goldwater’s defeat by the sane in nineteen sixty four.

She sure can still run again and get the GOP nomination next time.

She’s mastered Spiro’s vitriolic style with an admixture of her own traits enough to pull that off

Make no mistake; I’m really totally rooting madly for Sarah Palin. I’m hoping she continues to energize those who think that they really won last time. If not that, that it was stolen from them for whatever reason.

You know like, that Obama was born in Kenya or on DENEB IV. That he’s “really a Moslem.” As if that were illegal. Better yet, that he’s an accomplished time traveler who went back to plant his birth certificate and birth announcement then came back and took over the country! Or that “The South Will Rise Again” or whatever.

Really, I don’t care what they believe. (I know why they believe-see “Echo Chamber” above.) I just so want her to be the GOP’s next nominee in my very bleeding heart of bleeding hearts.

She’ll lose in a landslide and hopefully destroy the GOP so that we can get on with the business of having a civilization.

The GOP is never going to be able to kick the religious nuts, racists, neo-confederates, dictatorial billionaires and the rest of the crazies it's in bed with to the curb.

The GOP knowingly and lovingly wrapped it’s legs around all of these groups right after Goldwater’s deserved defeat in sixty four.

It's been humping them madly ever since while promising each and every group hellacious progeny and bloody total vengeance upon its foes until it reached the point that it could launch us into an illegal war, soil our reputation, imperil our constitution while totally devastating our economy and our lives.

They are the GOP. It's all that's left.

Government by a fanatical, ignorant but well heeled Right Wing minority at it's best.

Like all the other noxious bubbles we’ve seen of late, it’s time to pop this one and stop coddling it's practitioners..

Some other party will rise to take the GOP’s place when it doesn’t reform itself.

Hopefully, it will be the Greens, but more likely it will be some cleaned up version of conservatism which will, slowly and over time, reach out for the same corrupting elements that conservatism always reaches out for. Since conservatism is derived from worshiping absolute power in the form of the French King’s ass, this cycle has repeated many times before.

Some point out that there is a slim chance that Palin could win the Presidency. To them I point to the bumper sticker that’s already out there: “Palin for President 2012-2013+1/2”

The Echo Chamber at full bloom marches on.

"Them Marrying Gays"

2009-06-18T18:31:00.020-04:00

You can share this with anyone you like, just leave the copyright and name as we all like recognition for our efforts and, er, should anyone not notice, this is a parody.

Sing to the tune of the "Gary Owen" also known as “Custer's 7th Cavalry Theme” (How wonderfully apt!)

"The Factory’s closing and moving away

The jobs are all gone way south to stay

I’ll be losing my home in a couple of days

But at least I’m protected from them marrying gays!

Got son’s in Iraq for the fifteenth time round

And a daughter with kids lives in a hole in the ground

My mother eats dog food on most of the days,

But at least I’m protected from those marrying gays!

I worship Jesus, it’s right on my arm,

and if you don’t salute, you'll come to great harm,

I love my Lord Jesus. Bless His Sweet Breath.

And if you disagree well we’ll stomp you to death.

I love my country with my heart of hearts

And believe in the Bible-except the soft parts

Pat Robertson’s club’s on the TV all day

Telling me I’m protected from those marrying gays!"

Republican Sex (and other) Crimes and Criminals! Read All About IT!

2009-06-17T08:53:00.027-04:00

There's been almost four decades of Right Wing Bull Sh*t about their "Moral Values" and almost four decades worth of ample proof that it is just that: Right Wing Bull Sh*t.

The latest paragon to admit being less than the Godly Superman advertised is John Ensign (R. NV) who admitted to an extramarital affair with a staffer.

Not being a sexually repressed person myself, I don't think that private, non-criminal sexual actions belong on the front page-unless they expose the public hypocrisy of the perpetrator as in this case.

This clown voted to impeach Clinton for what he now admits to doing. Then again, so did Newt Gingrich, Henry Hyde and a "Heavenly" host of these pygmies.

Still, extramarital affairs have no party label. John Edwards disgraced himself while running for the Presidency and a search throughout history will turn up many others of many parties.

However, for crime, the "modern" GOP seems to be pushing for the "All Time Champions" trophy.

Let's look at a few, somewhat overlapping, lists.

GOP sex crimes?

Go here:

GOP graft?

Go here:

And to become overwhelmed with perfidy, go here and here and here and here.

There are lots more lists out there about these people including those showing their cowardice regarding military service.

A full listing of their manifest culpability in bringing on The Second GOP Depression will have to wait.

First GOP Depression.

However for a discussion of their dishonesty since the election go here.

Have a good day and I hope the following amuse.

Thoughts on torture.

2009-06-12T19:28:00.007-04:00

Nothing is more stirring than watching American troops liberating people from tyranny’s yoke in the film record of World War's One, Two and in

Korea

(Even in the open sore that was Vietnam, our troops were most often greeted with more friendliness than those of either of the other combatants.)

Showers of flowers, hugs and kisses greeted them everywhere.

This was because they’d chased the people who tortured out of town. They weren’t just bringing in new ones.

The pride our veterans have in this universal recognition of their decency is well deserved.

Over the years, while the US did build up a reserve of hatred for supporting every brutal and corrupt dictator, king, and “President for Life” anti communist it could find, even the most oppressed peoples knew that when our military was around, no war crimes were going to be committed.

Not any more. Thanks to conservatism with it’s built in lust for absolute authority.

There is never a “ticking time bomb” scenario either. Terrorists usually only know of the one plot they’re involved in-and not much of that one either.

Even if there were a ticking time bomb, the enemy who had the knowledge of it would just lie until it went off. They'd be giving up all sorts of addresses in Des Moines right up until Buffalo blows up.

Also, as Americans, many of us would rather take this risk then become vile, evil thugs who torture. We’d rather die than become them.

Until Bush, until the GOP, until conservatives and conservatism showed their true colors as incompetent, cowardly, lying Anti-American thugs.

After all the psychotic shifting of rationales for their pre and post 9/11 crimes up to and including the crime of attacking Iraq, the conservatives and their media sycophants have finally come up with one that at least sparks of truth: cowardice and panic.

The Chicken Hawks admit that they were wetting their pants, and flailed about wildly trying to hide their abject failure to prevent 9/11 and ignorance about how to react. They were terrified,

But we now know that they’re still lying about why they tortured. As true as the admission that they were cowardly incompetent fools is, they were also criminals in that they tortured only to make their false case for the completely unneeded war on Iraq.

This, at bottom, fundamentally is about pride. Being proud of the actions of our past veterans in liberating people from tyranny, inspires a deep, abiding desire to be among their numbers.

As Americans we always were deeply proud of our conduct during war. The conduct that provoked those flowers, hugs, bottles and kisses. It’s our deepest hope that we’ll always be that kind of America and Americans.

We were always proud, until Bush and the GOP defined us as the torturers, the ones people are afraid of when we show up.

We will reap the bitter harvest for these anti American people and acts for a long, long time.

They should be held to account.

They should be sent to prison.

There’s a project whose fruition will restore our pride in ourselves for removing tyrants, thugs and oppressors and then punishing them.

Let’s do it.

Right wing terrorism spree-NO film at eleven.

2009-06-10T19:28:00.011-04:00

Well, friends, today this Conservative, James W. von Brunn (No doubt "a man of deep, deep faith”) has fired on the Holocaust Museum killing at least one, just after Scott P. Roeder assassinated women’s health Dr George Tiller while he was in church!

Meanwhile, remember how Janet Napolitano apologized for the DHS report on right wing extremism after being hammered relentlessly by the Limbaughs and Hannitys. How long before right wing talkers try to blame liberals for even mentioning their hate speech?

Sure, the despicable attack on a military recruiter in Little Rock Arkansas was done by someone converted to Islam. We must always remember, however, that the Muslims we’re fighting are the right wingers of that religion.

Then again,what do you know: Yet another shooting of police officers by an angry and paranoid man with a military background. And just like the last one, this one believed Obama was going to come get his guns.

Will this be treated as Terrorism by the Conservative controlled media? Hell no!

We'll get more Chris Matthews, who tonight had to screech his loud way back to Lee Harvey Oswald over and over as a "man of the left" in a clumsy attempt to cobble together a variant of the "moral equivalence" nonsense it's mandatory for the media to trot out.

If you're listening for any regrets being expressed by those who's hate inspiring public rants against Liberals encourage these terrorists? Well that vast, cold, empty non-sound you hear is the sound of their souls.

Life is sacred to these people? Remember, to them, when life is sacred, life is cheap.

I'm back with good news.

2009-04-28T15:35:00.003-04:00

My time in "Computer Hell" is almost over. I still have to invest more (too much more) by buying more up to date hardware, but at least things are getting better.

The good news is that Arlen Specter has announced he's becoming a Democrat! This is great news and will help us dig out of the mess the Phants have nearly buried us in.

Link

Till next time.

I am languishing in PC Hell!

2009-03-02T17:39:00.004-05:00

I recently got techno-bombed by the cretins who substitute doing this for sex lives and so am almost totally off line.

I'm in the process of paying lots in repairing and replacing this mess while dreaming of having a few unsupervised hours with those who blessed me with this experience.

When this is over, I'll get back to my intermittent saving of the world.

Until then, support our party, president and country-and bury the GOP they deserve it.

Old Pinko

Chris Matthews again!

2009-02-05T19:27:00.011-05:00

Welcome friends!

After viewing President Obama eloquently defending and promoting the stimulus and recovery plan in strong and cogent terms, Chris Matthews tonight had the nerve to ask Lawrence O'Donnell "what's this deal with the Teleprompter?" Implying sneeringly that it is somehow radically exceptional that President Obama needs one to more effectively communicate!

When, when-in the long stygian nightmare of the last eight years, did Matthews ever even mildly mock Bush's use of sorely needed speaking aides? Master reader Reagan? Anyone? And, what's that he's reading from anyway?

Disgusting but typical.

Then, then he again shrilly advances his latest menopausal obsession. Get this! He's been pushing this for several days now!

"That Obama and Biden's pick of Pittsburgh over Arizona in the Superbowl was a coldly partisan move because the Democrats will never carry Arizona! They were sending a message, see.

He intruded this in several conversations with actual adults.

Of course, no one braced him on all his sillyness.

Yes, it's still called "Hardball!"

'Ain't life wonderful?

2009-02-02T21:04:00.005-05:00

This lives the expression "It's About Damn Time!"
(HT to: "40 Years in the Desert")

"Dems To Leadership: Cut GOP Loose"

"Rank-and-file Congressional Democrats had been willing to give Republicans the business tax cuts and other provisions they wanted in the stimulus. That is, up until every single one voted against the bill on the House floor Wednesday.

Now, in both the House and the Senate, angry members are lobbying Democratic leaders to yank those tax breaks back."

Link:

Bi-partisanship is one of those lofty ideals that everyone talks about as being able to move the country forward, but in history and practice? Results, not so much.

We've tried too. No bites on the carrots, big carrots, lots of carrots. None! Turned up noses, even. Multiplying, more unified, vehemently turned up noses-with snuffles too!

Snuffles? Snuffles.

Well, funny thing, in that pesky way democracy has, the Democrats handily won the recent elections for the House, Senate and Presidential elections. Won with a thumping majority in the House, with a thumping majority in the Senate, and-with a thumping victory-took back the White House with an openly, un-apologetically Liberal agenda.(1)

Thumping's the word, you know, like thumping with a stick?

We won the elections thumpingly based on what we said we were going to do. If bi-partisanship means doing everything the GOP wants and nothing we campaigned on, why have elections at all?

To say that things like building schools, railroad upgradesa new energy grd and other infrastructure should be stripped out as non-jobs creating or taking too long is silly. Those projects will keep the economy going while the private sector heals from it's self inflected wounds.

As a matter of fact, they are too small a part of the package considering the need.

We need to take them out, repeal the Bush tax cuts, and let them know there is a political price to pay for partisan obstructionism.

It's time for the stick. Snuffles, hm?

Thumping yes, thumping indeed.

(1) Call it Progressive or Left Wing if you really must.)

Rod Blagojevich the big Ho Hum and Other Mean Things.

2009-01-29T21:40:00.004-05:00

Let's face it, the Rod Blagojevich media circus is the Nicole Smith circus of the political world.

Frankly, who cares? The guy's allegedly a crook who abused his office.

He got impeached for this and for other long standing issues. So?

We've found monumental crooks all over the financial, banking and business world, yet we focus on this pathetic side show?

It only shows you that the media can always be counted on to try to shift our attention onto a chump change side show-with a Democrat in it.

This instead of keeping their eyes on the mega crooks who've driven us into this ditch while still self righteously paying themselves bonuses while still asking us for some more no-strings attached dole continue to abuse.

Shameful, but typical.

As for the Republicans opposing, in Zombie fashion the stimulus package that President Obama bent too far over backwards to make pleasing in your eyes, the party's over boys.

The jig is up.

Let me get this straight, it's the Democrats fault that the Republicans let the Republicans steal all the money and if the Democrats try to stop the Republicans from stealing even more money, the Republicans say it will lead to the Republicans being able to steal even more money?

Is that what you're telling me Mr. McConnell?

Well, bunky, I ain't buying it, and neither is anyone else anymore.

Goodnight to right wing solutions and "bipartisanship" that means we bend over and hike up our skirts.

We gave you a chance to help, you refused. Now, get out of the damn way!

Chris Matthews once again.

2009-01-29T21:08:00.005-05:00

This is going to be a short one that may be followed by another post, but this just needs to stand alone.

Chris Matthews once again showed tonight that he is a complete zit.

Throughout tonight's program, he pretended not to know the difference between campaign contributions from individuals and groups who like your stances, and a quid pro quo..

It was so insulting to watch. Of course, guest after guest. Much more intelligent than Matthews never sought to school the screamer in this easy to understand distinction.

If you stand for working people, worker's rights, woman's gay, disabled and minority rights, the people interested in supporting them too will send you money. Just like the NRA, The Business Roundtable, the Chamber of Commerce, Eagle Forum, Right to Life groups and others and right wing billionaires will send money to Conservative Republicans.

However, when you say-no matter what party-that you will or will not vote for something contingent on getting a contribution, home repairs, a blow job or anything else, it's a crime.

Our Hero Chris, though, the one who deigns to lecture any and everyone who he decides to scream at, pretended to not be able to discern this simple difference.

Disgusting.

He also had the nerve to ask an Illinois legislator "How can a guy this smart get into a situation like this!" This question in the face of the entire Wall Street, Chicago Boy Economics club, Trickle Down, Investor Class, "Cream of the Crop" looting the economy and paying themselves bonus's to do so?

It's no longer a question of what planet he comes from, it's what galaxy.

It's still called "Hardball" too.

Grand Obstructionist Poltroons GOP forever at it.

2009-01-26T20:13:00.019-05:00

Here we go forever again. Conservatives have only a few ideas-bad ideas that they are forever wedded to and that only benefit the same greedy few people they are forever indebted too.

Frankly, I'm already sick to death of "bipartisanship." Screw bipartisanship.

Conservatives can only dig holes for other people's lives and then bury them, making a buck each way.

Since Reagan was elected in 1980, we've battened them, fattened them, wined and dined them on tax cut after every conceivable kind of tax cut.

An orgy of Conservative tax cuts and savage deregulation has brought us to this low estate, yet-ever and forever-they cry out for "MORE!"

Like an an army of antithetical Oliver Twists, bowls ever in hand, elbowing their way to the front of the line-again, they want "more, more, ever MORE!"

John Boehner ( R-Obstructionist) has announced his opposition to Obama's stimulus plan-even though it's overloaded with more ineffective business tax breaks. "MORE!" Boehner wants, and says his band of zombies will obstruct in lock step until they get "MORE!"

Sen. Senile McCain says the major flaw in the stimulus plan is that it was written by the majority party.(You know, the one's who won the election based on the public comparing GOP solutions to the economy-and everything else-versus the Democrat's solutions!!?) and doesn't have "MORE!"

Isn't the definition of insanity doing the same destructive, stupid thing over and over while expecting a different result?

Bipartisanship? Sick of it yet?

There is no pay off for the American People in bipartisanship unless it is to discredit the Conservatives forever.

We need a New New Deal here. Not only in it's orientation but in it's single minded burial of the ideas that brought them their and us our current misery. Our current misery with more misery to come.

The New Dealers not only ushered in an era of unprecedented financial security and economic expansion, but also cemented in the general public the knowledge that Conservatism and unregulated capitalism is a recipe for the kind of disaster we're in now.

Sure, let's try to peal off the Ladies from Maine and the Great, Cowardly Blowhard from Pennsylvania, but beyond that, why bother placating knuckleheads?

Some more evidence of obstructionism:

"Clyburn on GOP Stimulus Opposition: We Won, Now Move On"

" . . . Democrats are scoffing at some of the demands of their Republican brethren."

Link:

"Limbaugh and Hannity, the True Faces of Conservatism: Impotent, Irrelevant."

By David Neiwert Friday Jan 23, 2009 9:00am
Link:

"Taking Responsibility"
By Scott Lilly
( This guy expects Conservatives to take responsibility for their crimes!!!? Oh well, it's a good read. )

"Since the Republican Conference of the U.S. House of Representatives is largely made up of individuals who believe their party lost the 2008 elections because they did not run far enough to the right, it is not surprising that their leaders are now attempting to block efforts to clean up the mess their far right philosophy created. There appears to be no factoid or morsel of misinformation they are unwilling to utilize to make the case to do nothing other than provide still more tax cuts to their business friends."
Link:

Last but not least, we must remember that to Conservatives bipartisanship means you pay for the meal and they still get to rape your daughter.

"Obama's Right Wing Dinner Friends Rip His Stimulus Package: Worst Bill In 'Galactic History'"
Several days before taking office, President Obama traveled to George Will’s home to dine with a handful of conservative media elites. The beltway conventional wisdom suggested that Obama’s aim was to “neutralize potential adversaries” by way of a “charm offensive.” After the dinner, Bill Kristol explained on Fox and Friends that while “no one’s mind was changed,” he would “end up supporting [Obama] on some things.” Charles Krauthammer joked about Obama’s apparent goals, “I am brainwashed entirely. I’m in the tank.”

Just one week later, Obama’s right-wing acquaintances have already shown the futility of engaging in a good-faith dialogue with them. While Obama pushes his vision for the economic recovery package — his first real battle against the conservative establishment — the dinner’s attendees are on a no-holds-barred offensive against it:

Link:

Let's bury these creeps. We did win, or did I forget something?

Let's look around some more, shall we?

2009-01-22T19:59:00.022-05:00

Good day folks!

We are in the first blush of a new, legal administration and the landscape is rapidly changing for the better. It should be fun to look around to see what we can find of interest that reflects this or the foot dragging of the right wing nuts.

In no particular order, we have . . .

Hay, "Mortgage Ads are puffery" didn't you know?
Of course ads are puffery and you shouldn't believe what you read or watch or hear on the radio or TV from Corporations that took Billions from us to restart the financial system. You're just stupid if you believe them.
Link:

With that out of the way . . .

Obama Should Act Like He Won

Link:

Then there's the latest gift to the nation from Texas Sen. John Cronyism
"Watch Out for John Cornyn: He's the New GOP Elephant in the China Shop"
Link:

( OK so I really don't have the text size thing down yet! I'm trying though. )

Now, to continue, here's a big fat non-surprise!

GOP attack machine Kicks Into Gear!
Link:

Well, that is enough for now. I'm sure you can come up with many that are better so have a good day.

A Legitimate Government Once Again.

2009-01-20T19:42:00.007-05:00

I just finished watching our first President since 2000 take the oath of office.

Ah! Finally an freely elected legitimate government.

It will admittedly take many baths to get the stench off, but-with effort-we'll be able to overcome and thrive again.

Goodbye you thieving, incompetent bums!

Bush the Lie.

2009-01-16T20:14:00.017-05:00

I watched Bush’s farewell speech. Just to fulfill my worst expectations of him, I watched Bush’s last attempt to bully or bullshit us all into thinking he’s anything near being a competent human.

Self satisfied frat boy to the end, surrounded by the cabana boys and umbrella girls who toadied up to and milked him at everyone else' expense since their days as the second best children of the reactionary power elite idly waiting assignment to yet another family show job, Bush smugly recounted his "success's" and "steadfastness" not realizing that the country had long ago gotten over his confusion of glossy photo ops and churlish stubbornness.for actual achievements.

George Bush, unprosecuted, unpunished, unrepentant and totally unaware of his dumblatude and stupidicide-to use words he might grasp-will sail off on the oil of his own unexamined hubris to bask in the shiny accolades given freely by that same small circle of those he fattened at great cost to the rest of the world.

It is not so much that Bush lies, and lies a lot; it is that he is a lie, completely self sufficient compartmentalized, fiction swaddled from infancy by the money, effort and misery of others.

An afterlife will have to be called up to envision any just reckoning for such inhumane indifference to others.

History too will have it’s say; pity though, we all know he’s too lazy to read it and too dull to comprehend it.

Good riddance.
---------
Ms. Huffington agrees.

"Thursday night's valedictory speech was quintessential Bush: delusional from beginning to end."
Link:
---------------
Who's Gonna Build Your Wall by Tom Russell

---------------
In closing, we all must remember that Republican Conservatives never, ever change.

Here's a little ditty from the last Conservative Republican Great Depression to remind us.

"America Ain’t America Any More (1937)
Lyrics by Leo Rifkin, Dave Shaw and Frank Tarloff
Music by Jennie Fogel

America ain’t America any more.
That’s what this committee’s meeting for.
The foreigners from the other side are driving us to ruin.
We’d better be more careful or they’ll own the country soon.
What used to be a melting pot is now an old spittoon –
America ain’t America any more.

It started back in 1776 –
We lost the country to the Bolsheviks.
It wasn’t quite so bad then, considering how things went.
We had our Huey Longs and they were really heaven sent.
But ever since a certain guy became the president,
America ain’t America any more.

Interlude:

If you see un-Americans
Snooping far and near –
Just Alkalize with Martin Dies
And they will disappear.
Yes, Alkalize with Martin Dies
And they will disappear.

Verse:

This country’s really getting out of joint.
The WPA’s* a case in point.
The “W’s” for the wagrants whom we have wined and dined.
The “A” is for the aliens who should have stayed behind.
The “P”?
The “P” must stand for something, but it somehow slips my mind.
America ain’t America any more.

Repeat Interlude

America ain’t America any more.
Communism’s knocking at our door. (Knock, knock)
You’ll find them in he AFL and in he CIO –
They might turn up in any place, just where you’ll never know.
And Karl Marx has three brothers doing work for RKO!
America ain’t America any more.

Repeat Interlude"
-------
Good night. It's only four more days 'till we de-schmuck the country.

What do you mean there's no one to blame?

2009-01-11T14:30:00.019-05:00

January 20th can't come soon enough for most people.

I find myself wondering at the niceness and concern being shown to conservatives and Republicans during this time, but someone pointed out that no one wants to set Bush off on any world destroying tantrums while he still has the power to make us all suffer.

With that, let's take a stroll around and see what we can find.
------------

Unfinished business
by Gene Lyons

Link

Excerpt:
No sensible person wants to see the United States become the kind of country
where "regime change" means flinging the party out of power into dungeons.

That said, it's nothing short of pathetic to observe pundits who urged Clinton's impeachment for lying about a private sexual matter rending their garments over the prospect of holding Bush administration insiders responsible for war crimes including kidnapping, torture and even murder.

Excuse me, make that "extraordinary rendition," "enhanced interrogation" and a series of regrettable accidents. Or something. Even the Bush administration seems not to have invented a bureaucratic euphemism for prisoners found beaten to death in solitary confinement. -----
---------------------

Hypocrisy From the Party of Pork
by Joe Conason

Link

Excerpt:
As the government contemplates spending very large sums of money, it is reassuring to know that somebody still worries about waste. Or it would be reassuring, if only that somebody were not Mitch McConnell, the Senate minority leader, who promises that he and his fellow Republicans
will "protect taxpayers against the rush to spend their money."

This loud pledge of thrift and transparency by the GOP leadership might be more persuasive coming from people who had displayed such inclinations anytime before last year's election. But these are the same politicians who squandered astronomical amounts when they controlled the federal budget.

And today, at a moment when economists of all stripes agree that we must spend big and spend fast to forestall a depression, the timing of the Republican conversion is as dubious as its credibility.
To delay the Obama stimulus spending for the sake of partisan posturing is to risk disaster.

The Republicans' sudden reversion to the solemn frugality of their forebears would be amusing were it not so dangerous. Having established a record over the past decade or so as the wildest wastrels in the nation's history, they now present themselves as straight-laced accountants who
simply cannot abide a misspent dime.
-----------------------

Can Labor Revive the American Dream?

By Esther Kaplan

Link:

The financial markets are in tatters, consumer spending is anemic and the recession continues to deepen, but corporate America is keeping its eyes on the prize: crushing organized labor. The Center for Union Facts, a business front group, has taken out full-page ads in newspapers linking SEIU president Andy Stern to the Rod Blagojevich scandal. The Chamber of Commerce is capitalizing on the debate over the Big Three bailout to claim that "unions drove the auto companies off the cliff," while minority leader Mitch McConnell and other Republican senators insist on steep wage cuts. A December 10 Republican strategy memo revealed their central obsession: "Republicans should stand firm and take their first shot against organized labor," the memo read. "This is a precursor to card check"--a clear reference to the Employee Free Choice Act.
----------------------------
Incoming Democrats to put a stop to GOP greed and theft of bailout money.

Link:

By Caren Bohan and David Lawder
Washington - President-elect Barack Obama and a key Democratic lawmaker revealed plans on Friday to overhaul the government's $700 billion financial rescue fund as a way to aid struggling homeowners and speed the flow of credit.
***
U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, said he was planning to require money be devoted to housing. Aides said Frank's legislation, which would also tighten restrictions on the use of TARP funds by recipients, would demand about $40 billion for foreclosure relief.
***
Frank's bill lays out some key conditions for the program.

These require the Treasury to develop foreclosure relief plans for owner-occupied homes by March 15 and start committing TARP funds to it by April 1. The plans can include government guarantees for modified loans, paying down second liens and outright loan purchases to bring down payments.

The measure also would toughen executive compensation rules and make some of them retroactive for banks that have already received funds.

"If they don't like it, they can give the money back," Frank, a Massachusetts Democrat, told reporters on Capitol Hill.

-------------------------

I like Baryey Frank!

Happy Holidays to you all.

2008-12-20T12:27:00.003-05:00

Happy Holidays to all of you and have a great New Year.

Come on, it's perfect!

2008-12-17T20:04:00.014-05:00

I don't think it's good to have people disrespecting the Office of the President of the United States or the Holder Thereof.

Shoe throwing included.

Thus this shoe tossing guy should do some jail time, but not be injured, beaten or tortured He should pay a fine and be released.

However, revising history will never work for Bush now.

Because, face it, this shoe tossing is the perfect capper to The Bush Administration and all it's ills. Beyond being picture perfect, it's almost exactly what we all wanted to do.

We all really, really wanted to give this guy the boot didn't we?

This guy did if for us.

Now you too can join it, just by going here.

Now that the hangover's mostly gone . . .

2008-11-07T14:43:00.006-05:00

Ah!

That was quite satisfying. Quite.

The various recounts, runoffs and squeakers also promise to make it's aftermath tooth suckingly and gum smackingly good too.

Oh! Oh yes, then there's the delightful business of the Republican's burning each other alive.

Just in time for the Holiday Season too.

"Wing nuts roasting on a open fire .
Fascists hanging from the trees . . ."

Well, this one's going to be obvious.

2008-11-03T18:51:00.002-05:00

Get out and VOTE!

Don't let anything or anybody stop you from making your vote count.

Vote! And take as many people to the polls to vote with you as you can.

Vote! It's just that simple and just that important.

VOTE!

Friday's Child

2008-10-24T11:50:00.037-04:00

Why isn't the mainstream media focusing on this domestic terrorist?

Could it be they're in the pockets of rich people who really profit from right wing extremists? Hay, just asking.

Now, let's talk about election fraud around the country, real election fraud.

New Mexico
"ACLU Calls for Criminal Investigation of Bernalillo County Clerk's Office, GOP" (Somehow, just somehow, the County Clerk's office seems to have given the GOP voter registration info in violation of the law. Golly Gosh, Golly!)
Link:

Ohio
"New Voters Under Siege: Ohio Exemplifies National Voting Rights" (Boy, you know they'd just love to steal Ohio-again.) Link:

Wisconsin
In Wisconsin, Dane County Circuit Judge Maryann Sumi ruled that Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen, a Republican and McCain-Palin campaign co-chair, did not have the legal authority to bring a suit demanding the state's election board re-certify thousands of registrations before Election Day if they did not match other government databases.

Nevada
In Nevada, Secretary of State Ross Miller has rejected an assertion by the state's Republican Party Chair Sue Lowden that voters should not be able to correct voter registration information at polling places.
Link:

Pennsylvania
On the database matching issue, the Pennsylvania Republican Party has also filed a suit seeking to have 'no-match' registrations treated differently.

North Carolina
McCain/Palin Supporters Slash Tires and Heckle Early Voters in North Carolina.

Link:

Link to video:

There's a chuckle's load of states out there that the GOP has to mess with this time around. After what they've done to the country since St. Reagan is it any wonder? Soon they'll have to try to suppress the vote in Indiana.

Here's some general roundups on their skulduggery hither and yon.

Solon:

For our closing offering, I was going to offer this bit of chum from one of the GOP's Army of Thugs mocking Obama's visit to "Grandma."

However, a Peach of a Possibility is much sweeter . . .
"Obama Winning Georgia?" Georgia!
(Link? Link found at the end like all good sweets. Don't rush! You have to watch the Zombie first!)

Now, eat a Peach.

Good night.

A Sunday Message about Forgiveness and Love.

2008-10-12T12:46:00.009-04:00

Dear Friends:

I wanted to save this for today. Sunday's my faith's worship day. We are reminded of God's mercy and forgiveness towards those who sin. We are asked to consider before we throw the first stone.

However . . . ?

What of the sin of stone throwing? What of gross hypocritical stone throwers?

People like, say, Sarah Palin?

Screw em!

She's GUILTY! Guilty as sin! Guilty! Guilty! Guilty! Guilty! Guilty! GUILTY!!

She's landed herself a BIG STINKER, yet, she's still psychotically lying about it.
Link:

Oh, by the way, she's guilty.

More on "Funny Money." No, Virginia, it wasn't poor people who caused this mess.

2008-10-11T11:50:00.016-04:00

Greetings!

Well, Blessed Leader spoke to us yesterday telling us he's directly involved and hard at work solving our economic problems. I wonder how little the markets would have fallen had he not spoken?

Let's look some more at why we're really in this fix. (HINT: Nineteen Twenties Economics.)

From Alternet:
"The Woman Who Could Have Prevented This Financial Mess Was Silenced by Greenspan, Rubin and Summers" by Katrina vanden Heuvel
Link:

Our Heros, eh? Well, these boys just love swashbuckling around with other people's money-most notably ours.

Then there's derivatives. Those things, under differing names, had a role in the market crash of Nineteen Twenty Nine, so FDR and the Democrats wisely regulated them.

The GOP hated this, so when new types of derivatives where invented, they pushed to make them totally deregulated! Free Market Fundamentalism! YAY!

Let's look at the massive poop they've heaped upon us.

From "Fortune"
"The $55 Trillion Question" by Nicholas Varchaver and Katie Benner
Will Credit Default Swaps be the Next Financial Crisis? (As if it were separate from this one!)
Link:

Jolly huh?

Then there's this from the Wall Street Journal:
"The GOP Peddles Economic Snake Oil
Suddenly Republicans are against market values?"
by Thomas Frank
Link:

Well, have a good day anyway, and remember we already have FDR's model we can modernize to help us out of this.

Voluntary Regulation a failure. What a shocker!

2008-10-09T15:50:00.028-04:00

Hello there!

Well, it looks like Obama's cruising towards a comfortable win along with the Democrats in general.

Good! It's time we buried the Greedy Oligarchy Party for a couple of centuries.

Let's go see what some other people have to say about things, shall we?

The "Magic of Voluntary Regulation!" (The GOP solution to, well, just everything!)

"SEC Chief: Voluntary Regulation A Failure."
Link and Link and

"Voluntary regulation was the genius idea of a Republican administration and a Republican congress. Just remember that."
Link and . . .

Just one more link
"Shocker! Voluntary Regulation by Financial Industry Doesn't Work!"

Let's bury this idea forever, shall we? What sane person says out loud that the only neighborhood in the world that doesn't need policing is the business beat? That the only people in the world who don't cheat, steal or act venally are businesspeople?

"America's Most Wanted" anyone?

FDR established a regulatory system that worked for nearly seventy years. Then, Reagan came in and the GOP era of Grand Theft Taxpayers began; culminating right now.

It's "Mourning in America" truly.

We do know how to fix the economy. We've done it before. We, being Democrats, of course. Remember, forever, Republicans cause th ese things, Democrats fix these things.

Well, now I'm going to go back to watching my money evaporate.

Hay! I think our waitress just winked at us!

Debate thoughts.

2008-09-26T21:10:00.014-04:00

It's started.

Obama isn't going for the kill!

McCain, so far, is doing all the work of battering himself!

Obama, so far, will not tag McCain for his actual votes!

Dear Lord! What is wrong with this man!

He's missing chances to tag McCain with his own record time after time.

The opening five minutes were Obama's best chance to gut him.

Now it's the damn earmarks "issue."

OK, I see the problem. Obama just doesn't realize yet that he's not debating in the Senate.

Finally! One tag! He tagged McCain with his voting record one time on . . . what was that. Darn! It's gone, and will have to wait for the replay's.

At least McCain is sounding like a broken record of Hoover.

Ah, well, now McCain is just lying and rambling!

He mentioned Palin! That's wonderful.

Obama doesn't tag McCain with the fact that Iraq's Prime Minister and Bush agreed on a Timetable for us to leave.

McCain's doing a long warm and fuzzy, "Grampa's was in the War you know, political commercial. That's his stock answer.

Once it got going, there were some good shots from Obama and he scored some points. He was also very "Presidential" while McCain looked like a surly grump looking to start fights everywhere.

It's over!

No knock outs. Thus, McCain loses.

Now the media will gently take McCain apart.

Chris Matthews is an idiot! He focus's only on the atmospherics. So does Andrea (Greenspan) Mitchell.

Pat Buchanan is just totally useless. McCain could have expired on the stage and Buchanan would say "McCain decisively won over the Reagan Democrats" by the impact and noise of his fall-especially in Pennsylvania."

Everybody is saying that McCain won! This is totally on the atmospherics! The barroom brawl aspects.

(You can guess by now which cable channel I'm watching.)

They credit McCain's repetition, lying, rudeness and rambling as effective!

Even Harold Ford Jr. is saying McCain won! Arrgh!

Now, let's see if the media is completely wrong and will cover themselves.

Me? It's clear to me. I think Obama wins on the trickle down and after a while, it will be remembered as a big win for Obama.

Now the media is completely changing it's tune! Of course Obama won.

Chris Matthews has totally changed his "mind" within a couple of minutes.

Now that the first polls are in, he's seemingly "always" said Obama won. Mirabile dictu, now that's what they all seem to be saying they said. Except Buchanan, but he was for Stephen Douglas in those debates.

(And, then again, there's always the rematch.)

And, tomorrow, the heavy polls continue. . .but for right before bed . . . it's Olbermann to the rescue!

Debate Night: John McCain decides he can come out and play with the big kids.

2008-09-26T18:46:00.002-04:00

Howdy Folks:

Well, well, John McCain single handedly sunk the recovery plan that the Democrats had wrested from Bush and his cronies.

Of course, it's utterly awful that we have to do this at all. However, Progressives warned about the consequences of lax regulation before regulations became lax. Sorry, that's the "I told you so."

Under the Democratic plan, at least, we-the taxpayers-would actually own the things we had to buy from the idiots, crooks and weasels who played in the deregulated cesspool free market fundamentalist GOP policies fostered.

But now, the wonderful GOP congressfolks have come up with the idea that instead of buying them-with the possibility of selling them later at a profit-we, the same taxpayers, should insure them, so that if they sell for more, we don't get more and if they sell for less we lose and if they don't sell at all we lose! Brilliant, no?

Not only that, but the very same idiots, crooks and weasles would be the very same ones we'd have to deal with again! Thus they'd have made billions on the upside and would be able to make billions more on the downside!

Included with the GOP "plan" were even more tax breaks for Corporate America and even more deregulation. Deregulation!

You gotta love these people.

I don't think the American people are going to fall for it this time. They know that insuring the risk of bad assets is what got us into this and that actually owning the assetts is better as housing and other solid assetts eventually will always rise in value.

Republicans have gotten used to fooling Americans with gimmics and false issues like Sarah Palin and Gay marriage.

This should not be called a "bailout" but a "buyout" of these things. Provisions should be put in so that no fat cats benefit from this to the greatest degree possible.

Also, an steel clad commitment to a return to a real strong regulatory system with reinactment of some of the New Deal regulations that kept the system safe for sixty years must be put into the heart of any deal.

However, when even George F. Will says John McCain isn't fit to be President, you know that the Fat Lady is warming up in the wings.

Then again, I'm disappointed in Obama's performance so far. He needs to go for the kill.

We are just minutes before the first debate, and there's, let's be real, there's just so much there to kill with.

Never having run for chess club council, I alone can come up with several fatal hammering series of questions on any number of topics. Delivered with gusto, Obama should be able to cook him and serve him up.

I saw the Witch Doctor, he told me what to do!

2008-09-25T23:09:00.004-04:00

Sarah Palin getting blessed by Witch Hunting "Pastor" to rule over us and overturn separation of church and state, crush other religions and the rest of the whack job agenda.

Emergency? White House admits to planning bailout for MONTHS. (MONTHS!!!!)

2008-09-24T20:39:00.006-04:00

by lgcap
Tue Sep 23, 2008 at 09:54:15 AM PDT

"The administration admits they are railroading congress, again. . . "

. . ."[White House Deputy Press Secretary Tony] Fratto said it would be "unthinkable" for Congress not to pass legislation this week, asserting the result would be a "very, very serious situation" for the U.S. economy.

. . . Fratto insisted that the plan was not slapped together and had been drawn up as a contingency over previous months and weeks by administration officials. He acknowledged lawmakers were getting only days to peruse it, but he said this should be enough."

They knew for MONTHS!

Paulson Bailout Plan a Historic Swindle

2008-09-23T18:28:00.013-04:00

By William Greider

September 19, 2008

"If Wall Street gets away with this, it will represent an historic swindle of the American public--all sugar for the villains, lasting pain and damage for the victims."

Link to full article:

The Middle Class Must Not Be Forced to Bail Out Wall Street Greed

2008-09-22T15:55:00.003-04:00

By Senator Bernie Sanders:

"For years, as a member of the House Banking Committee and now as a member of the Senate Budget Committee, I have heard the Bush administration tell us how "robust" our economy was and how strong the "fundamentals" were. That was until a few days ago. Now, we are being told that if Congress does not act immediately and approve the $700 billion Wall Street bailout proposal these "free marketers" have just written up, there will be an unprecedented economic meltdown in the United States and an unraveling of the global economy."

More here:

Socialism for the guys who caused the problem.

2008-09-19T16:02:00.001-04:00

Howdy Folks,

First, thank you for all your patience while my family mourned the death of our Mother. My intermittent visits to this blog will now re-commence.
--------------------

Here's some random clips as we see the GOP's vaunted philosophy of "hands off" when it comes to poor people, drowning cities and even war's they start, evaporate-as usual-as they rush in to bail out rich people.

(I'm not so good at this blogging yet so if I didn't credit you correctly, let me know and I'll fix or remove it. If the pictures are yours and you want them down or credit, let me know about that too.)

---------

Opportunities

Yglesias meekly suggests that maybe in the course of spending hundreds of billions of dollars to clean up after the Masters of the Universe, we could spend a nickel or two to help poor people.

I'm not optimistic. I know how Democrats react when GOP Daddies in nice suits sit them down and explain What Needs To Be Done. See FISA bullshit, Iraq war, etc...

------

Feldstein

I hadn't realized Martin Feldstein was on the AIG Board of Directors. It seems he no longer teaches the Harvard intro economics course, which is a shame because it would be an excellent platform to explain his new love of socialism.

----------
"Former Palin colleague says VP candidate is only interested in helping herself, cronies" The Salt Lake Tribune. (That's in deep RED Utah.)

http://www.sltrib.com/ci_10503452

------------------
From Bartcop

McCain Advisor Helped cause Crash
Gramm de-regulated what they now say needs regulating

Link

Excerpt:
As the news broke of the Lehman Brothers meltdown and the rest of the latest financial crisis,
John McCain, speaking at a campaign rally in Florida on Monday, angrily declared, "We will never
put America in this position again. We will clean up Wall Street. This is a failure."
And in a statement, McCain called for greater "transparency and accountability" on Wall Street.

If McCain wants to hold someone accountable for the failure in transparency and accountability
that led to the current calamity, he should turn to his good friend and adviser, Phil Gramm.

As Mother Jones reported in June, eight years ago, Gramm, then a Republican senator chairing
the Senate banking committee, slipped a 262-page bill into a gargantuan, must-pass spending measure.

Gramm's legislation, written with the help of financial industry lobbyists, essentially removed
newfangled financial products called swaps from any regulation.

----------------

Ain't Socialism for the rich and corporations grand? Just ask Mussolini!

Palin (Michael) for President!

2008-09-19T13:02:00.002-04:00

How can you resist something like this?

Where I've been.

2008-08-16T17:17:00.000-04:00

There was a death in my immediate family. I will return when I can.

Sincerely,

Old Pinko

Now that we're composed, Russert assessed.

2008-06-28T11:28:00.000-04:00

When enough time passes after a good person dies, a more thorough discussion of his professional legacy can begin.

How the Russert test failed America

Comment

By Linda Hirshman

June 19, 2008

Link

Excerpt:
"You'll pardon me if I don't jump on the pyre the media is building for Tim Russert, who died of a heart attack June 13. You'd never know it from the keening all over television, but as Dick Cheney's press aide testified during the Scooter Libby trial, Russert's show was the place the Bushies loved the most for "getting their message out." Especially during the homicidal and suicidal Iraq war. And especially for the Vice President, who was architect of the Administration's foreign policy."

Russert was among the Worst
by Gene Lyons

June 25, 2008

Link

Excerpt:
Like Paris Hilton, many D. C. courtierjournalists are famous largely for being famous.

Tim Russert dead at 58

2008-06-13T18:12:00.000-04:00

Tim Russert of NBC has died at 58 of a heart attack. Mourning is going on across the nation and around the world.

My condolences to his family and loved ones.

Chris the screamer screams..

2008-06-12T20:03:00.000-04:00

Damn!

Chris "The Screamer" Matthews asked the same awfully stupid question over and over again ju on "Flaccid Ball" his show on MSGOP.

He asked if the Democrats and Obama are attacking McCain on his age by saying he's "confused, out of touch, lost his bearings" and other comments about his idiotic statements about Iraq and economic and most other issues.

The poor guy from the Democrat's replied reasonably, over and over and over again, to the effect that McCain's statements-even if made by a 22 year old-would merit the same exact language.

As usual Hissy Matthews screamed the same idiocy higher and higher as if a sex change operation were being preformed right under the table!

I swear one day he's going to scream so loud and high pitched that he'll turn into Ann Coulter right then and there!

Poof

How the Bush "Administration" will end.

2008-06-11T10:24:00.000-04:00

How, sadly, the Bush Administration will end.

At midnight on January 19, 2009, George Bush will pardon hundreds of thousands of people up to and including Vice President Dick Cheney.

George Bush will then resign from office thus making Dick Cheney.

Dick Cheney will then pardon George W. Bush.

None of this will be told to the American people until after the inauguration of the next President, if ever, depending on who gets elected.

George Bush, guilty of murder?

2008-06-02T23:24:00.000-04:00

Like, this is something that will happen or that we didn't already know?

Jolly!

Voted one of the most populat on youtube.

2008-05-23T16:58:00.000-04:00

Post-War Suicides May Exceed Combat Deaths

2008-05-07T19:36:00.000-04:00

By Avram Goldstein

May 5 (Bloomberg) -- The number of suicides among veterans of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan may exceed the combat death toll because of inadequate mental health care, the U.S. government's top psychiatric researcher said.

Link

Of course, they could always get drunk and do coke like Glorious Leader . . .

The Great GOP double standard at work again.

2008-03-13T10:12:00.000-04:00

The Great GOP double standard is at work again. Sexual indiscretions? Impeachment calls ring out across the land. Lying the world into war, killing hundreds of thousands? Another vacation in Crawford.

Spitzer’s Shame Is Wall Street’s Gain By Robert Scheer

"Tell me again: Why should we get all worked up over the revelation that the New York governor paid for sex?"

Read more here.

Link

The machine gun of capitalism

2008-02-10T20:21:00.000-05:00

"The machine gun of capitalism
Dead soldiers, peak oil and mind-boggling profits; praise Jesus, the machine's still working" by Mark Morford

="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2008/02/06/notes020608.DTL">

Were I've been.

2008-02-09T10:54:00.000-05:00

Hello!

I had planned to come back after the long holiday season and begin to post whenever I could.

At the end of the holidays though, we found out that my elderly mom-who is also moving from state to state-has breast cancer. It is very treatable, but the process of finding that out and managing all the other details of both her move and treatment in two locales is still going on.

I'm hoping to be here more often though.

In the meantime, if you've ever thought that Chris Matthews was was a rotten journalist, he is. His disgusting bias against Mrs. Clinton is baldly evident along with his gutter minded boorishness towards women in general.

Media Matters for America has this . . .

"More than six years ago, long before Hillary Clinton began running for president, the Philadelphia Inquirer magazine reported that, according to an MSNBC colleague, Matthews had said of Clinton: "I hate her. I hate her. All that she stands for.""

Go here,

http://mediamatters.org/items/200801110014

Later,

Old Pinko

Tonight

2007-11-19T19:36:00.000-05:00

Howdy Folks!

Some gleanings.

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/index.html

Friday, Nov. 16, 2007 15:47 EST
Kerry takes on the Swift Boat Veterans

“We interrupt this presidential campaign to bring you a blast from the not-so-distant past.

At a recent gala dinner for the American Spectator, Texas oilman T. Boone Pickens, a major contributor to the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, apparently offered $1 million to anyone who could disprove any of the Swifties' claims about John Kerry's service in Vietnam.

In a letter sent to Pickens today, Kerry has accepted the challenge himself. "I welcome the opportunity to prove that you are a man of your word and that the so-called 'Swift Boat Veterans for Truth' lied," Kerry says in his letter. "While I am prepared to show they lied on allegation after allegation, you have generously offered to pay one million dollars for just one thing that can be proven false. I am prepared to prove the lie beyond any reasonable doubt."

Kerry proposes that he and Pickens meet at some mutually agreeable public forum in either Texas or Massachusetts to settle the score. The senator, who doesn't exactly need the $1 million himself, suggests that the oilman come prepared with a check made out to the Paralyzed Veterans of America, an organization that helps veterans with spinal cord injuries and diseases.

War Room Bonus Fact: Evidence of Pickens' offer comes via a post at RedState.com by Ben Domenech, whose name we last heard when he was resigning as a right-wing blogger for WashingtonPost.com amid revelations that he'd engaged in numerous acts of plagiarism.

Monday, Nov. 19, 2007 08:58 EST
Pickens weasels out on Swift Boat challenge

Texas oilman T. Boone Pickens recently offered $1 million to anyone who could disprove any of the allegations the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth made about John Kerry's military service. As we reported Friday, Kerry has accepted the offer himself, inviting Pickens to meet him at a mutually agreeable location in Massachusetts or Texas -- and to bring a check made out to the Paralyzed Veterans of America.

Pickens has now responded to Kerry's invitation, but not in the "bring it on" way you might expect of a man who's sure of his own righteousness. Pickens doesn't deny that he made the initial challenge, but now that Kerry has accepted, he apparently feels the need to add some conditions.

"In order to disprove the accuracy of the Swift Boat ads, I will ultimately need you to provide the following," he tells Kerry. "(1) The journal you maintained during your service in Vietnam, and (2) Your military record, specifically your service records for the years 1971-1978, and copies of all movies and tapes made during your service."

Oh, and one more thing. If Kerry "cannot prove anything in the Swift Boat ads to be untrue," he'll need to make a $1 million contribution himself to the Medal of Honor Foundation.”

Rathuglicans will always back out when challenged!

Why We Write

By Robert Parry
November 13, 2007

“There is no more effective way to short-circuit democracy than to get large segments of the population to buy into a made-up reality, while keeping other citizens so uncertain of the truth that they are politically paralyzed.”

More here:

http://www.consortiumnews.com/2007/111207.html

Welcome to the Next Republican Depression?

Fed Chief Warns of Worse Times in the Economy

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/09/business/09fed.html

WASHINGTON, Nov. 8 — Ben S. Bernanke, chairman of the Federal Reserve, told Congress on Thursday that the economy was going to get worse before it got better, a message that received a chilly reception from both Wall Street and politicians.

Ok folks, Chris Mathews, self styled “Hardballer” just said a column by Bob Novack, self styled “Prince of Darkness” that said that the Clinton campaign had some dirt on Obama casts aspersions on Clinton’s character and honesty again.

What’s wrong with this analysis? Well, Bob Novick is the guy who outed Valary Plame undercover CIA agent for one.

W’s father called that Treason

Then there’s that fact that it’s Bob Novack that said it without proof of any kind.

Obama went on TV to denounce dirty tactics. Hillary’s campaign was called out to deny the story.

Now, not one of the other talking heads with him pointed out the silliness of believing a single word that Bob Novack either says or writes.

Somehow Bob Novack, a known Far Right partisan and Traitor get’s to land body blows in the middle of the Democratic Party’s nomination process. All thanks to Chris Mathews and idiots like him.

As if you didn’t know this, Mathews is clearly for Obama, at least tonight.

Immigration reform made simple.

2007-11-13T19:18:00.000-05:00

Immigration reform is hot now, but not me. I know how to solve most of the problem-you do too if you think of it.

Put the people who hire illegal immigrants in jail.

Fine them first, sure. Give them a warning, a big fine next maybe. Then, then put them in jail for a good, long time.

Dry up the market first before building walls and border armies.

No need for hysteria, racism and bombast.

P. T. Barnum would have called people who often pay smugglers to death truck them here in the hope of making three bucks an hour “Suckers!”

But they’re just desperate. They’re desperate because where they come from things really suck.

We need to do two things. We need to dry up the market for illegal immigrants and we need to adapt all our policies to make sure that it no longer really sucks where they come from.

Golly.

Veterans Day

2007-11-12T19:34:00.000-05:00

Veterans Day seems a great day to start this. With our sons and daughters serving overseas on false pretenses for a phony president, it’s a good time to join the tidal wave of sanity that is finally sweeping our country. Better late than never.

I'll be back.