Bush's Legacy

UPDATE II: As I have said before, while Clinton was a great Republican president, in the sense that he united and strengthened the Republi-con party, Bush was a great Democratic president.

The Republi-cons "overreached in interpreting the results of the presidential election of 2004 as a mandate for the party. This resulted in the disastrous elections of 2006 and 2008, which combined for a total loss of 51 Republicans in the House and 13 in the Senate — with a corresponding shift of the Congressional majority and the White House to the Democrats." So says one of the few remaining moderate Republicans. Read The New York Times, We Didn’t Have to Lose Arlen Specter.

Then read the Washington Post, Arlen Specter's Switch for first thoughts by politicians, strategists and political observers. With the exception of Gingrich, the consensus is that the switch does not bode well for Republi-cons.

All hail Bush, God's chosen one to destroy the evil Republi-con party and savior of the Naive-crats.

UPDATE II: From the Washington Post, Arlen Specter's Switch and GOP's Identity Crisis:

"Specter's move is about his own political survival. . .

But there is also something to Specter's public explanation of his decision: "Since my election in 1980, as part of the Reagan Big Tent, the Republican Party has moved far to the right. Last year, more than 200,000 Republicans in Pennsylvania changed their registration to become Democrats. I now find my political philosophy more in line with Democrats than Republicans."

Moderates like Specter have been run out of what, as November's election showed, has become a niche regional party in thrall to its far right wing. Just take a look at this map that illustrates how votes shifted between the 2004 and 2008 presidential elections."

If you were a contrarian, you might argue that this is good news for the Republi-cons. Read the Washington Post, Good News for Republicans! Maybe it is good news for the Republi-cons, maybe they are delusional, only time will tell.

One Republi-con has had enough, rumor has it that Senator Arlen Specter will change party affiliation to Democrat AKA Naive-crat. Thanks to Bush the Republi-cons are most a party of angery, old, white guys in the South.

Cheney for President

It is too bad Cheney didn't run for president in 2008, it would have put a stake through the heart of the Republi-con ideology. Read The New York Times, Cheney for President, which notes that:

"At the very least, a Cheney-Obama contest would have clarified conservatism’s present political predicament. In the wake of two straight drubbings at the polls, much of the American right has comforted itself with the idea that conservatives lost the country primarily because the Bush-era Republican Party spent too much money on social programs. And John McCain’s defeat has been taken as the vindication of this premise.

We tried running the maverick reformer, the argument goes, and look what it got us. What Americans want is real conservatism, not some crypto-liberal imitation."

Maybe Cheney will run in 2012! Imagine, Palin/Cheney, wouldn't that be a dream ticket, for the Naive-crats that is.

Kiss a Sick Person Today, It Might Save Your Life Tomorrow

You may want to get the flu now, while it is mild, because you'll have immunity if a deadlier form develops. Read The New York Times, Where Will the Swine Flu Go Next? As the article notes, past well-known flu pandemics seem to have come in waves, the second wave generally being the deadliest.

Of course, you can wait and hope an effective vaccine is developed.

:-x

Fear, Anger, Hatred + Talk Radio & FOX News = Violence

Two deputies were shot on Saturday in Fort Walton Beach. (I actually saw a bit of the response. I was driving to a local soccer tournament when a patrol car came around the corner with lights flashing and siren blaring, nearly out of control. It was about 1 p.m. and he was likely responding to the shooting.) The wife of the man who shot the deputies said that "her husband believed that the US Government was conspiring against him. She said he had been severely disturbed that Barack Obama had been elected President."

The local paper, the Northwest Florida Daily News, wrote an article titled 'None of it makes sense'. But the shooting does make sense, and you can thank your local Republi-cons.

The Republi-cons have a great election strategy, FEAR, ANGER and HATRED, although as Bush showed, it has proven to be a less than successful governing strategy. It has proven to lead to violence.

This is one example.

And only one county over a man shot five Chilean students, killing two. A neighbor of the shooter recalls him (the shooter) asking "if I was ready for the revolution to begin and if I had any immigrants in my house to get them out." Thanks again Republi-cons.

The local affiliate for the Republi-con fear, anger and hatred, NewTalk 1260 WFTW, with the regulars promoters of the same: Rusty, Sheepish, and Stupid (respectively Rush, Hannity, and Savage).

The area votes overwhelmingly Republi-con.

There has also been an Obama sign war brewing in the county, before the last election someone burned Obama signs, and since the local paper thinks it newsworthy to report on every anti-Obama sign.

Of course the influence of talk radio reaches beyond NW FL. In Pittsburgh, a man shot three police officers. He "had been upset about losing his job and feared the Obama administration was poised to ban guns." Another right-wing media myth perpetuated by talk radio with help from FOXNews, and the NRA.

Another example, in Tennessee a man went on a fatal shotgun rampage in a church "prompted by a hatred of liberalism and Democratic leaders who have hamstrung the nation's war on terror."

As the Rwandan Genocide showed, the news media can incite and fuel violence.

So thanks to the Republi-cons, it all makes sense. The equation is Fear, Anger, Hatred + Talk Radio & FOXNews = Violence.

Don't Judge a Person By Her Appearance

UPDATE II: Snap judgments can be wrong, but scientists say they're only natural. Read The New York Times, Yes, Looks Do Matter.

UPDATE: Should Boyle get a makeover and cash-in? Read the Washington Post, Susan Boyle Makeover Would Add Grace Notes.

"Don't judge a book by its cover" is a metaphorical phrase which means don't determine the worth of something based on its appearance.

But conservative columnist George Will, thinks you should judge a person who wears denim as shabby. Read the Washington Post, Denim Demon, in which he writes:

"Denim is the infantile uniform of a nation in which entertainment frequently features childlike adults ('Seinfeld,' 'Two and a Half Men') and cartoons for adults ('King of the Hill'). Seventy-five percent of American 'gamers' -- people who play video games -- are older than 18 and nevertheless are allowed to vote."

Wills goes on to say that he thinks we should all dress like Fred Astaire, except the womenfolk, of course, who should dress like Grace Kelly. I suppose he would endorse a dress code for the voting booth.

But forgive Will, he is just picking up where Daniel Akst left off in his opinion piece in The Wall Street Journal, Down With Denim, in which he writes:

"Although a powerful force for evil, denim has achieved a status that will come as no surprise to fashion historians. Like camouflage fabric, aviator sunglasses and work boots, blue jeans were probably destined for ubiquity thanks to an iron-clad rule of attire adoption. "The sort of garments that become fashionable most rapidly and most completely," Alison Lurie reminds us in "The Language of Clothes," "are those which were originally designed for warfare, dangerous work or strenuous sports.""

Sounds like these two conservatives don't like being seen in the company of fellow shabby Republi-cons, who generally wear denim, camouflage fabric, aviator sunglasses and/or work boots.

Juxtapose those opinions endorsing the idea to judge people by their appearance with Susan Boyle. When

"the frizzy-haired, squarely built Boyle walked onto the stage of "Britain's Got Talent" to barely suppressed snickers from the audience and skeptical eye rolls from Cowell, the unfailingly caustic judge on both "American Idol" and the British TV show.

The audience laughed mercilessly as Boyle did a saucy hip wiggle and said she'd like a chance to prove she could be as good as Elaine Paige, a legendary singer often called the first lady of British musical theater.

Those present were clearly prepared to howl.

Then Boyle opened her mouth."

You might say that "all that is gold does not glitter." Close your eyes and listen.

So the next time you hear a hypocritical Republi-con spew forth fear, anger, and hatred, tell him to read Matthews 7:1, "Judge not, that ye be not judged."

P.S.

You might also reference:

Luke 6:37 "Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned.

Luke 6:41 "Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?

Romans 14:10 But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.

Romans 14:13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this-- not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother's way.

Class Today at NoBullU on WEBY

Listen to the voice of wisdom and reason in a wilderness of partisan rhetoric -- No political insanity, no conservative hypocrisy, no liberal foolishness -- Just straight talk, straight at you, and that’s no bull!!

NoBullU will broadcast today from 4:05 to 6 p.m. at 1330 AM WEBY and on line, courtesy of Cyber Smart Computers.

Topics:

Local and state: 'Pensacola Jeff' will be a guest at 4:35 p.m.; and

Nation and international: is it EIT (enhanced interrogation tehniques) or just torture by another name; the New York bankers' coup d'état; and judge not.

But I'll discuss anything. (Disclaimer: the host reserves the right to end any discussion and hang up on you.)

So tune-in, call-in, but only if you can handle the truth!

WARNING: You may not want to call in if you have veritasphobia, especially if you are a certain veritasphobic politician.

Not All Republi-Cons are Delusional

Many Republi-cons seem delusional nowadays, but not all. Read the Washington Post, True Confessions From the Trail.

Obama Thinks You are Stupid

UPDATE II: Did you know that Bush funded an "education policy attaché" based in Paris, whose annual salary, housing allowance and business expenses exceed $630,000? It will be one of the 'symbolic' budget cuts. Read the Washington Post, President's Critics See a Dull Knife.

UPDATE: Conservative columnist George Will notes that $100 million is "about 13 minutes of federal spending, and 0.0029 percent -- about a quarter of one-hundredth of 1 percent -- of $3.5 trillion. The title of his column in the Washington Post sums it up well, Obama's Budget Follies.

In a worthless gesture you might expect from a Republi-con, Obama has given his Cabinet 90 days to cut $100 million from the federal budget. Read AP, Obama's latest budget-tightening effort hardly makes a dime's worth of difference.

$100 million just ain't what it used to be.

To Bow or to Kiss, What Should a President Do?

Everyone is upset that Obama bowed to the King of Saudi Arabia:



But personally, I prefer that to holding hands and kissing the King:



Of course, maybe Bush and the King had a bromance.

So what should a President do, bow or kiss?

PS

I vote none of the above.

Who Needs the Truth When You Have Right-Wing Media

UPDATE: 'Pensacola Jeff' will be a guest tomorrow at 4:35 p.m. at NoBullU on WEBY.

BTW, a bit of triva, 'Pensacola Jeff' is a trivia master. He was a 2007 Jeopardy Tournament of Champions wildcard semifinalist. So get those answers ready, and lets see if he know the questions.

A couple of blurbs about right-wing media, and the truth:

From RicksBlog.biz:

"The Virginian-Pilot reports that retired Rear Adm. Lou Sarosdy denies that he wrote a wide-circulated email that criticizes President Barack Obama for not authorizing the military to act more aggressively during the stand-off, which ended with snipers killing three Somali pirates. The e-mail claims that Obama rejected two proposed rescue plans and that Phillips was saved only after naval officers at the scene decided on their own to proceed."

And 'Pensacola Jeff': One brave soul speaks the truth, and is greeted by boos, at teabagging party in Pensacola, FL.

Is 'Pensacola Jeff' the new Joe the Plumber? Watch the MSNBC video where he preaches the truth to the disbelieving Republi-cons:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Pensacola Jeff has a blog.

I'll try to get him as a guest for the next show.

How to Tell the Sex of a Fly

From an email:

A woman walked into the kitchen to find her husband stalking around with a fly swatter

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Hunting flies" he responded.

"Oh! Killing any?" she asked.

"Yep, 3 males, 2 females,' he replied.

Intrigued, she asked "How can you tell them apart?"

He responded, "3 were on a beer can, 2 were on the phone."

Too cute.

An Impressive Weapon in the War Against the Middle Class

Want to know why most stuff is manufactured in China? There are over 1.3 billion people who want your job, and they are willing to work for a fraction of the average American wage.

And how are those goods transported to America? The Emma Maersk.






Some stats:

Country of origin - Denmark
Length - 1,302 ft
Width - 207 ft
First Trip - Sept. 08, 2006
Construction cost - US $145,000,000+
Engine - 14 in-line cylinders diesel engine (110,000 BHP)
Cruise Speed - 31 knots
Crew - 13 people
Typical Pacific transit time - 4 days
Net cargo - 123,200 tons, approx. 15,000 containers

Silicone painting applied to the ship bottom reduces water resistance and saves 317,000 gallons of diesel per year.

This is how Wal-Mart gets all its stuff from China.

According to an email I received "almost all of these containers are shipped back to China EMPTY! You heard that right. We send nothing back on most of these ships. What does that tell you about the current financial state of this country!"

As I said before, this decade may prove to be America's zenith. I predict that the economic mess will be the event leading to the emergence of Chinese economic and military dominance.

Class Today at NoBullU on WEBY

Listen to the voice of wisdom and reason in a wilderness of partisan rhetoric -- No political insanity, no conservative hypocrisy, no liberal foolishness -- Just straight talk, straight at you, and that’s no bull!!

NoBullU will broadcast today from 4:05 to 6 p.m. at 1330 AM WEBY and on line, courtesy of Cyber Smart Computers.

Topics:

Local and state: Sansom indicted, now he should resign from office; and

Nation and international: told ya so, Navy Seals to the rescue, taxes; is it EIT (enhanced interrogation tehniques) or just torture by another name; the New York bankers' coup d'état; and judge not.

But I'll discuss anything. (Disclaimer: the host reserves the right to end any discussion and hang up on you.)

So tune-in, call-in, but only if you can handle the truth!

WARNING: You may not want to call in if you have veritasphobia, especially if you are a certain veritasphobic politician.

Mike & Bert's Coming Out

UPDATE: Maybe Mike & I just have a bromance. Watch this and you'll know what I mean:




NOTE: The audio segment from Friday's show will be ready and posted soon. Check back later if you missed it -- it was hilarious.

The emails, in chronological order:

Mike wrote:

"Is Barack Obama's Momma In Nude Porn Pictures?

Some photos have been making their rounds on the internet that claim to be nude shots of Barack Obama's mom. Those photos are attached.

One photo is of the Obama family. Look closely at is his mom so you can compare her face to the face in the porn photos.

It's amazing what can be done these days with PhotoShop. So these may very well be fakes. But the sites I have been to to research this allegation claim the photos are authentic, and that it really is Obama's momma (Stanley Ann Dunham). Snopes lists it as "undetermined."

I seek only the truth. Sooner or later a listener will call me on the air and bring this up. I'd like to respond with a well-documented, or at least well-researched, answer.

Do you have any information on this that I can use to prove or disprove the allegations that Obama's momma posed for nudie shots that are now circulating on the web?

Thanks,
Mike"

[EDITOR'S NOTE: I have not included the photo of Stanley Ann Dunham. Are they relevant to the discussion?]

Bert wrote:

"I would think that something like this is below even Republi-con low standards for newsworthiness. But I guess there is no shame for the sake of the party."

Mike wrote:

"I seek only the truth.

And if you read it through to the end (if you could keep your eyes off Obama's momma long enough to read my entire text), you would notice that I am seeking information to DISPROVE the allegation that those titties belong to Obama's momma."

Bert wrote:

"And on my next show I will seek information to DISPROVE the allegation that you are a homosexual wife beater."

Mike wrote:

"That would be understandable if photos existed showing me engaged in homosexual behavior or wife-beating.

This is not made of whole cloth. In fact, if you look closely, it appears that "Obama's momma" is not wearing any cloth at all!"

The photo showing Mike engaged in homosexual behavior, with me (!?!), and disclosed to me during the final segment of the show Friday:

On Taxes

Taxes, everyone hates them, but wants something from the government.

After you have prepared your tax return and finished with your local AstroTurf tax protest, sponsored no doubt by your local Republi-con party, read these articles:

The New York Times, Taxing, a Ritual to Save the Species,

The New York Times, Tax Revolts: Some Succeed, Most Don’t, and

The New York Times, Gorging the Beast, in which the writer argues that Obama seems to be trying to do too much at once, spending too much money without making the tough decisions about how to pay for it all. She also includes An Ode to Taxes:

Oh, little tax return form
No longer are you sad and lorn.
Fly away with your friends in a crowd
And try to make your filers proud.
Maybe you’ll fix a road or a park
Just please don’t turn into another earmark.

The Fashion Police

Already more than one in 100 American adults is behind bars. Why should you care? Because it costs a lot of money to lock someone up.

In some places you can even be arrested for failing to be fashionable. Read The New York Times, Ban on Drooping Drawers Faces Legal Challenge.

What do you think, should drooping drawers = jail?

Those Crazy Republi-Cons

A great article about those crazy Republi-cons and their AstroTurf tax parties. Read The New York Times, Tea Parties Forever.

Class Today at NoBullU on WEBY

I'm back after a four week absence.

Listen to the voice of wisdom and reason in a wilderness of partisan rhetoric -- No political insanity, no conservative hypocrisy, no liberal foolishness -- Just straight talk, straight at you, and that’s no bull!!

NoBullU will broadcast today from 4:05 to 6 p.m. at 1330 AM WEBY and on line, courtesy of Cyber Smart Computers.

Topics:

Local and state: TBD, and

Nation and international: TBD.

But I'll discuss anything. (Disclaimer: the host reserves the right to end any discussion and hang up on you.)

So tune-in, call-in, but only if you can handle the truth!

WARNING: You may not want to call in if you have veritasphobia, especially if you are a certain veritasphobic politician.

A Couple of Good Obama-toons

Obama should lose the teleprompter crutch:



BTW, the Obama teleprompter has a blog.


And here is another great editorial cartoon:

The Republi-Con Fear, Anger, and Hatred Machine

For an interesting perspective on the right-wing media, read the Washington Post, The News From Planet Hannity.

With due respect to FDR, the only thing we have to fear is (Republi-con) fear, anger, and hatred.

No Class Today at NoBullU on WEBY

Usually on Fridays you can listen to me, the voice of wisdom and reason in a wilderness of partisan rhetoric -- no political insanity, no conservative hypocrisy, no liberal foolishness -- just straight talk, straight at you, and that’s no bull!!

But I can't make it today so Ken or Mike will substitute. Until the next show, post a comment or two.

Bailout Scorecard

How much money has been allocated and spent, for what and and when? See CNN Money, Economy rescue: Adding up the dollars to keep score.

Republi-Con Fear Mongering

UPDATE: More on the old and unimproved right-wing fear-mongering media strategy for Obama. Read The New York Times, Fox News’s Mad, Apocalyptic, Tearful Rising Star.

And remember . . .

Be afraid, be very, very afraid, while the robber investment banks and financial institutions loot the treasury and buy FoxNews ads:

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Glenn Beck's War Room

Colbert Report Full Episodes
Political Humor

Rap Battle
Joke of the Day

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Doom Bunker - Jack Jacobs and Stephen Moore

Colbert Report Full Episodes
Political Humor

Rap Battle
Joke of the Day

The purpose of terrorism is to terrify the target public.

Thanks to the Republi-cons and FoxNews, OBL has won.

How Do You Feel About the Economy?

The New York Times wants to know. You can enter the word that best describes your current mood.

I said I was disgusted.

Why, although you are not asked to explain your feeling, I'm disgusted because the banks (and other financial institutions) are robbing our future.

What did you say? And why?

What is Your Congressman's ROR?

UPDATE III: An update from my initial post in February. Congressman with ties to the PMA Group, AKA Murtha Men, may want to start worrying. The lobbying firm, one of the 10 biggest in Washington, and started by Paul Magliocchetti, a protégé of Representative John Murtha, is closing after prosecutors raided Magliocchetti's office and home last week. See The New York Times, Star Lobbyist Closes Shop Amid F.B.I. Inquiry.

UPDATE II: See The Seattle Times, The Favor Factory 2008, for a database of lawmakers, earmarks, and campaign giving.

It seems that our local Congressman's overall ROR was only 9,050% over five years. In 2008, Miller's total defense earmarks were $7,400,000 and his 2003-08 campaign contributions from earmark recipients was $81,750. However, his PMA ROR remains unchanged.

Is your Congressman a Murtha Man?

Read Congressional Quarterly, Firm with Murtha Ties Got Earmarks From Nearly One-Fourth of House.

Or read The New York Times, 104 Will Get You $300 Million:

"A lobbying powerhouse recently raided by federal agents has hurriedly gone out of business, but not before leaving a detailed blueprint of how the political money churn works in Congress. It was already clear that the PMA Group had heavy clout through Representative John Murtha and his powerful clique of defense appropriators. They, in turn, netted hefty campaign donations from PMA’s grateful roster of defense contractors.

But now, just as the firm implodes in the face of a growing scandal, new Congressional disclosure regulations are revealing the breathtaking breadth of PMA’s influence. The lobbying group — a revolving-door boîte created and run by staff alumni of the Murtha appropriations team — scored a singular coup last year. It convinced 104 different House members to add separate earmarks into the defense appropriations bill worth $300 million to PMA Group clients.

These same lawmakers who looked out for the PMA Group have received $1.8 million in campaign donations from the lobbying firm since 2001, according to an analysis of new disclosure filings by Congressional Quarterly and Taxpayers for Common Sense, a watchdog group.

Quid pro quo is the hardest of Congressional crimes to prove. But the new disclosure requirements — created by Democrats after the Republicans’ Jack Abramoff scandal — reveal the shameless back-scratching of lobbyist and lawmaker, tracking the flow of taxpayers’ funds to contractors and back as booty to lawmakers.

The raid on the PMA Group was part of an investigation into possible illicit campaign donations. Fast as PMA quit town, members of Congress have begun donating the lobbyists’ money to charity. Investigators should show the same diligence and enthusiasm following the full PMA money trail."

Then check to see if your congressman is on the list at Congressional Quarterly, Lobbying Firm's Capitol Hill Connections.

Our local Congressman, Jeff Miller, was one of the 104. He secured $3,800,000 in earmarks for clients of The PMA Group in the fiscal 2008 defense appropriations law, which was enacted in 2007. He has received $7,000 from PMA Group's political action committee or its employees since 2001. That is a rate of return (ROR) of over 54,285% over 6 years. Not bad for PMA.

(The actual ROR is probably much higher because there were likely earmarks made in other years. But why quibble whether it was a ROR of 54,000% or 55,000% or more, it is an great ROR for PMA in any case.)

But makes ya wonder why Congressman are so cheap.

UPDATE: It appears that my Senator, Bill Nelson, sold out to the Stanforn Financial Group for $45,000. As The New York Times reported "the Securities and Exchange Commission accused Robert Allen Stanford, the firm’s chief, of conducting 'a massive ongoing fraud' in the sale of about $8 billion of high-yielding certificates of deposit held in the firm’s bank in Antigua."

Is there no shame in Congress.

An Outrage to Liberty and Freedom

UPDATE: Thanks to those who took time to express their concern and outrage. As a result, Missouri scraped MIAC report.

Chuck Baldwin is the pastor of Crossroad Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida, and was the presidential nominee of the Constitution Party for the 2008 U.S. Presidential election.

Baldwin alleges that there is a a secret Missouri state police report that categorized supporters of Congressman Ron Paul, Bob Barr, and himself as "'militia' influenced terrorists" and that the report "instructs the Missouri police to be on the lookout for supporters displaying bumper stickers and other paraphernalia associated with the Constitutional, Campaign for Liberty, and Libertarian parties."

See his letter.

If this is true, it would be an outrage to liberty and freedom and someone should be fired and prosecuted.

Write Missouri Governor Jay Nixon and demand an explanation.

No Class Today at NoBullU on WEBY

Usually on Fridays you can listen to me, the voice of wisdom and reason in a wilderness of partisan rhetoric -- no political insanity, no conservative hypocrisy, no liberal foolishness -- just straight talk, straight at you, and that’s no bull!!

But I can't make it today so Ken or Mike will substitute. Until the next show, post a comment or two.

No Class Today at NoBullU on WEBY

Usually on Fridays you can listen to me, the voice of wisdom and reason in a wilderness of partisan rhetoric -- no political insanity, no conservative hypocrisy, no liberal foolishness -- just straight talk, straight at you, and that’s no bull!!

But I can't make it today so Ken or Mike will substitute. Until the next show, post a comment or two.

Have the Foobs Finally Had Enough

UPDATE III: Still not fed-up with the Washington politician-New York banker cartel. Then read The Associated Press, 13 firms receiving federal bailout owe back taxes and the Washington Post, House GOP Report Details Countrywide's Efforts to Benefit VIPs.

The bonuses at AIG are just the tip of the iceberg. As The Deal Professor writes:

"Washington is filled with outrage over the $165 million in bonuses given out by the American International Group. Yet, as I said in my post on Tuesday, “Seven Sad Truths About A.I.G.,” the real concern over the insurance giant should be about the $170 billion in government bailout money it received and and A.I.G.’s subsequent payments of tens of billions to a myriad of banks.

All of this appears to have been done without any attempt to bargain or otherwise obtain government recompense from these third-party banks. Congress should hold hearings to find out why this was done and if it was appropriate, instead of concentrating on the more minor compensation issue."

Clearly there are two sets of rules and regulations in life: those that apply to the Washington politician-New York banker cartel and those that apply to the rest of us.

Is it time to renew Operation Siege?


UPDATE II: FINALLY, after nearly six months of criticizing the bailout of AIG and other insolvent investment banks and non-depository financial institutions, people are starting to realize it was and is a con job, flim flam, gaffle, grift, hustle, scam, scheme, or swindle. Claim the world will collapse unless _____ (fill in the blank), and the purpose: save the big-wigs. Former Treasury Secretary Henery Paulson had become fabulously wealth working at Goldman Sachs.

Read the Washington Post, Wall Street's Dangerous Refusal to Learn and The New York Times, A.I.G. Bailout Priorities Are in Critics’ Cross Hair.

I SAY AGAIN: the AIG bailouts were an attempt to try and save well-connected investment banks, like Goldman Sacks. The AIG bailout never made sense, except if you understood that the money was meant to save Goldman Sachs. Since early on it has been clear that payments to AIG were just a cover to get money to Goldman Sachs. And when the original terms of the bailout proved too onerous, the terms were waived for another sweetheart deal.

Read The Big Picture, Backdoor Bailouts for Goldman Sachs? Also read The New York Times, A.I.G., Where Taxpayers’ Dollars Go to Die.


UPDATE: For months I've said, let the insolvent non-depository banks and other financial institutions fail. Others are beginning to realize that it would be the better solution. Read Time, The Case for Letting AIG Fail.

You also might want to reread my proposed solution to the economic mess.

Since September I've said that the AIG bailouts were an attempt to try and save well-connected investment banks, like Goldman Sacks, the former firm of former Treasury Secretary Paulson. The AIG bailout never made sense, except if you understood that the money was meant to save Goldman Sachs. Since early on it has been clear that payments to AIG were just a cover to get money to Goldman Sachs. And when the original terms of the bailout proved too onerous, the terms were waived for another sweetheart deal.

Others finally began to realize the same. Read The Big Picture, Backdoor Bailouts for Goldman Sachs? Also read The New York Times, A.I.G., Where Taxpayers’ Dollars Go to Die.

Well, the list of AIG payees was final released, and to date Goldman Sachs has received $12.9 billion, nearly twice as much any other American financial company.

The practice of engaging in financial transactions to conceal the identity, source, or destination of money is a crime called money laundering. But instead of investigations and criminal prosecutions, there will be more bonuses.

That's right, AIG laundered the money, so now it is time to split the AIG take on the deal, $165 million in bonuses.

Where is the outrage! Are taxpayer really such foobs?

Or have they had enough? Is it time again for Operation Siege?

Let me know.

Sponsor an Executive

REPOST: First posted on January 1, 2009:

A good parody:





BTW, $3,700/day equals $1,350,500/year. If you are interested, you can sponsor me.

Another Smackdown of Right-Wing Media

UPDATE II: The Smackdown, Part I:

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Jim Cramer Unedited Interview Pt. 1

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things w/ Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Jim Cramer

Smackdown, Part II, listen closely as Cramer admits to engaging in fraud as a hedge fund operator:

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Jim Cramer Unedited Interview Pt. 2

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things w/ Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Jim Cramer

Smackdown, Part III:

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Jim Cramer Unedited Interview Pt. 3

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things w/ Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Jim Cramer

The Justice Department and SEC should subpoena Cramer to testify before a grand jury.

Last week, Jon Stewart outed the media incompetence and hypocrisy.

NBC should have let it lie, but White & Bitter Joe and other pendejo Peacocks gave Stewart reason to do more turd mining. Watch the video and you'll know what I mean:

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Basic Cable Personality Clash Skirmish '09

Daily Show Full Episodes
Important Things With Demetri Martin

Political Humor
Economic Crisis

The media's role in the economic mess reminds me of the media's role in the run-up to the Iraq war. It further illustrates the right-wing media/Republi-con quid pro quo: Right-wing media gives dishonest media coverage and enables and promotes the interest of Republi-cons and, in exchange, wealth corporate interest buy ads on right-wing media. A perfect arrangement to defraud the public.

The Naive-crats should hire this guy to run their PR.

UPDATE: It appears the smackdown will continue tonight, or maybe Stewart and Cramer will kiss and make-up. Guess we'll have to tune-in and see. Until then, here is a compilation of the Daily Show and Colbert's Best Jim Cramer Moments.

Show Link(s)

As discussed on today's program:

WRAL, Wake judge orders home schoolers into public classrooms.

Is Congressman Miller Veritasphobic?

C.H. recommended: Wall Builders (I hope this is the web site to which he referred. If not, let me know.)

Adam recommended: Meet the Truth.


Meet Mallory.

Class Today at NoBullU on WEBY

Listen to the voice of wisdom and reason in a wilderness of partisan rhetoric -- No political insanity, no conservative hypocrisy, no liberal foolishness -- Just straight talk, straight at you, and that’s no bull!!

It will be the paraskavedekatriaphobic edition of NoBullU today from 4:05 to 6 p.m. at 1330 AM WEBY and on line, courtesy of Cyber Smart Computers.

Topics:

Local and state: why is our local representative, Congressman Miller afraid of the to be a guest on WEBY, is it because he has veritasphobia, and

Nation and international: the suspension of Operation Siege.

But I'll discuss anything. (Disclaimer: the host reserves the right to end any discussion and hang up on you.)

So tune-in, call-in, but only if you can handle the truth!

WARNING: You may not want to call in if you have veritasphobia, especially if you are a certain veritasphobic politician.

Is Congressman Miller Veritasphobic?

It seems that a certain local congressman's office called to complain about me and/or the Thursday host on WEBY.

Why? Read these blog posts:

What is Your Congressman's ROR?

Local Republi-Con Fiscal Conservative Hypocrisy

Republi-Con Strategy, Just Say No

A politician can distinguish himself in Washington by seniority or merit.

Like most, our Congressman Jeff Miller, who has veritasphobia, is a fine example of the former.

God help us all.


P.S. What's a stupid politician? A tautology.

How about a little more Congressional humor:

"How much do you think Senators make? They now make $154,700 a year. But they say it will stimulate the economy because eventually that money will trickle down to the liquor stores, the hookers, the brothels ... then it will get back in the community." —Jay Leno, on Congress voting itself a pay raise

There is no distinctly American criminal class - except Congress. —Mark Twain

Reader, suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself. —Mark Twain

The taxpayers are sending congressmen on expensive trips abroad. It might be worth it except they keep coming back! —Will Rogers

This country has come to feel the same when Congress is in session as when the baby gets hold of a hammer. —Will Rogers

The trouble with practical jokes is that very often they get elected [to Congress]. —Will Rogers

The only difference between death and taxes is that death doesn't get worse every time Congress meets. —Will Rogers

With Congress, every time they make a joke it's a law, and every time they make a law it's a joke. —Will Rogers

Tell me your favorite Congressional joke.

Operation Siege Suspended

Operation Siege is suspended until further notice because of public apathy.

Sad to say, but the looting of the treasury and the robbery of our future by investment banks and other financial institutions will continue until there is adequate public outrage.

Let me know when you have had enough of the looting.

The Fed Enabled a Ponzi Scheme

It has been a year since the collapse of Bear Stearns, which was the beginning of the deleveraging.

Listen to NPR, Book Reveals Bear Stearns' 'House Of Cards.'

In short, for twenty years Bear Stearns and other financial banks became fabulously wealth using billions of dollars in fed money borrowed overnight for very low rates and using that borrowed money to buy risky notes, such as subprime mortgages. The profit was in the spread, that is, the difference between the cost to borrow the money and the return on the risky investments. And the riskier the investiment, the higher the profit.

It was a Ponzi scheme in that new money instead of profit was always needed to payoff older promises because the profit was used to finance lavish salaries and bonuses. It worked fine so long as new loans were available, but it depended on refinancing billions of dollars everyday.

But, like a house of cards, it wasn't structurally sound.

In short, our government, through the Fed, enabled a Ponzi scheme and is now using the U.S. Treasury to prop up the scheme.

And companies know that the government will bail them out. Read, The New York Times, The Looting of America’s Coffers, which states:

"Sixteen years ago, two economists published a research paper with a delightfully simple title: 'Looting.'

The economists were George Akerlof, who would later win a Nobel Prize, and Paul Romer, the renowned expert on economic growth. In the paper, they argued that several financial crises in the 1980s, like the Texas real estate bust, had been the result of private investors taking advantage of the government. The investors had borrowed huge amounts of money, made big profits when times were good and then left the government holding the bag for their eventual (and predictable) losses.

In a word, the investors looted. Someone trying to make an honest profit, Professors Akerlof and Romer said, would have operated in a completely different manner. The investors displayed a "total disregard for even the most basic principles of lending," failing to verify standard information about their borrowers or, in some cases, even to ask for that information.

The investors "acted as if future losses were somebody else’s problem," the economists wrote. 'They were right.""

The full title of the research paper is Looting: The Economic Underworld of Bankruptcy for Profit.

Where is the outrage! Are taxpayer really such foobs?

Oh, sorry, you are worried about the earmark bogeyman created by the Republi-cons to distract you from the cause of the economic mess.

Why do I pay my taxes?

UPDATE: Read The New York Times, A Tsunami of Excuses, for more proof that greed caused the economic mess.

A Thousand Words

A picture is worth a thousand words is a saying/cliche that refers to the idea that complex stories can be described with just a single still image. And that is just what these images do:





Those are mostly Republi-cons at the trough.

This, of course, describes the bailouts to date:



But I like this one best:



If you missed it, the anvil symbolizes the screw job the taxpayers are getting while the Wall Street big-wigs continue to reap their unjust rewards.

Operation Siege, Numero Deux

UPDATE VII: Read another great article describing the nature and magnitude of the economic mess, Washington Post, Tim Geithner's Black Hole. Then reread my posts:

Economic Mess for Dummies and

Problem, Causes and Professor NoBull's Solution for the Economic Mess

Now you understand why my proposal to invalidate all credit default swaps and nationalized insolvent banks makes sense.


UPDATE VI (earlier updates below): Read The Big Picture, Backdoor Bailouts for Goldman Sachs? Also read The New York Times, A.I.G., Where Taxpayers’ Dollars Go to Die. And re-read The New York Times, Propping Up a House of Cards, in which the writer predicts that the government will spend "quarter of a trillion dollars" to prop up AIG.

The appropriately named articles confirm what I have said for sometime, the AIG bailouts are an attempt to try and save well-connected investment banks, like Goldman Sacks, the former firm of former Treasury Secretary Paulson, the focus of an initial bailout proposal that never made sense, beneficiary of over a hundred billion bailout dollars, and then a hundred billion more.

It is robbery of our future!

This is the reason for our outrage and our action.

The plan is to lay siege to the federal government, a figurative siege that is, of calls, and faxes, and emails, and letters, and demand that the government protect the treasury of our country from further looting.

The next siege will commence on Friday, with one volley, at noon CST.

The specific objective is the White House.

The coordinates are:

Address for letters: The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20500

Phone Numbers:

Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
FAX: 202-456-2461

Email form: click here.

Tell them that we're not gonna take it and you want the government to protect the treasury from further looting by the robber investment banks and financial institutions.

I'm going to tell them: "Stop the bailout BULL! Protect the treasury NOW from further looting. No more money for insolvent investment banks and financial institutions."

Prepare for the siege by watching this video:



This is our banner:






















Now is time to prepare. Recruit fellow taxpayers, family, and friends.


Check back for further details.

CAUTION: Don't do anything stupid.

UPDATE: As expected, more looting of the treasury.

After a $60 billion loan, a $40 billion purchase of preferred shares and $50 billion to soak up the company’s toxic assets, Uncle Sam will quadruple down on AIG, with an additional $30 billion in taxpayer money. Read The New York Times, A.I.G. Reports $61.7 Billion Loss as U.S. Gives More Aid.

A loss of $61.7 billion in the fourth quarter, that is $465,421 per minute. "To put that in perspective, every six seconds it loses enough to pay full tuition for a year at Harvard."

"No company has cost you, the taxpayer, more money. And no company deserves it less." AIG was the enabler of the economic mess.

And Goldman Sacks, the former firm of former Treasury Secretary Paulson, was one of the enablees. All these bailouts are an attempt to try and save well-connected investment banks, like Goldman.

Time to End the Bailout Bull

Time to admit that Wall Street had just become a Ponzi scheme.

Time to kill the zombie banks and other financial institutions.

This is the reason for our outrage and action.


UPDATE II: Time to rally the peasants. Only a dozen or so have indicated that they will participate in the first siege, although I expect many times that number on Friday. If you plan to participate, please indicate in the poll on the right. I need to know some numbers in order to make the most effective use of assets.

If we don't have at least 100 declared participants, we will have to combine forces for one volley. In that case the first siege will begin at noon CST, or 18:00 (6:00 P.M. same day) GMT. (To calculate your local time for noon CST, use this time converter.)

Check back for a final update late Thursday.

And rally your friends and family to stop the looting of the treasury.


UPDATE III, MUST READ: Still not convinced. Read The Big Picture, Solvent Insurer / Insolvent Insurer about "[w]hy are the taxpayers making good on hedge fund trades gone bad" AKA the AIG bailout. There is no legitimate reason that insolvent banks and financial institutions should not be forced into bankruptcy. The only reason to bail them out is to save the stockholders. Former Sec. Treasury is one of those stockholders. He owns billions of dollars in Goldman Sachs stock. Ergo, he and other well-connected stockholders prefer government bailouts to save their investment vice bankruptcy.

STOP THE LOOTING OF THE TREASURY!


UPDATE IV, MUST LISTEN: Prefer to listen to, rather than read, the news. Then listen to NPR, Fresh Air, Simon Johnson on Bank Bailout Plan. Johnson is a former chief economist of the International Monetary Fund, a professor at the MIT Sloan School of Management and a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics.

The gist of what he says is that well-connected billionaires are using taxpayer money to prop up their bankrupt companies.

Therefore, I don't understand the public apathy! WHERE IS THE OUTRAGE!


UPDATE V: In an article titled The Big Dither, Paul Krugman, the newest winner of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, writes that when it comes to dealing with banks, the Obama administration is dithering. And the result could be an economy that sputters along for a very long time. Further, he writes, by:

"using taxpayer funds to subsidize the prices of toxic waste . . . most of the benefit would go to people who don’t need or deserve to be rescued.

And this means that the government would have to lay out trillions of dollars to bring the financial system back to health, which would, in turn, both ensure a fierce public outcry and add to already serious concerns about the deficit. (Yes, even strong advocates of fiscal stimulus like yours truly worry about red ink.) Realistically, it’s just not going to happen.

So why has this zombie idea — it keeps being killed, but it keeps coming back — taken such a powerful grip? The answer, I fear, is that officials still aren’t willing to face the facts. They don’t want to face up to the dire state of major financial institutions because it’s very hard to rescue an essentially insolvent bank without, at least temporarily, taking it over. And temporary nationalization is still, apparently, considered unthinkable.

But this refusal to face the facts means, in practice, an absence of action. And I share the president’s fears: inaction could result in an economy that sputters along, not for months or years, but for a decade or more. "

Time to kill the zombie banks and other financial institutions.

The Republi-Con Earmark Bogeyman

I'm not in favor of earmarks, but almost all Congressman use them. That said read CNN, Earmarks: Myth and reality. As this article states "their total dollar amount typically represents less than 1% of the federal budget." Therefore, eliminating every earmark would do little to balance the budget.

Earmarks are the new Republi-con bogeyman, a typical example of political whining. A serious political party would talk about the need for complete government structural and budget reform, what I've called GRAC.

Republi-Con Strategy, Just Say No

I've written in the past about the Republi-Con fiscal conservative hypocrisy and their dearth of ideas. But the Republi-con strategy is to just say no and hope for failure. Others agree. Read The New York Times, Taking a Depression Seriously, in the which the Republican writer states that if the Republicans wanted to do the country some good, they’d embrace an entirely different approach on the economic crisis.

Even the local paper has wised up. After printing our local congressman's embarrassing partisan press release, Stimulus won't help US, the editors asked for Some ideas please, Jeff.

Next the editors should ask Congressman Miller to explain why, if he is opposed to 'big government' and wants 'lower taxes,' his wealthy family member received millions of dollars in farm subsidies.

Who does he think pays those farm subsidies? And where does he think the money to pay those subsidies comes from, trees?

His relatives know that those subsidies are paid by the government from the U.S. Treasury.

I don't call them Republi-CONs for nothing.

Class Today at NoBullU on WEBY

Listen to the voice of wisdom and reason in a wilderness of partisan rhetoric -- No political insanity, no conservative hypocrisy, no liberal foolishness -- Just straight talk, straight at you, and that’s no bull!!

NoBullU will be on air Friday from 4:05 to 6 p.m. at 1330 AM WEBY and on line, courtesy of Cyber Smart Computers.

Topics:

Local and state: TBD and

Nation and international: Operation Siege and are Republi-cons kissing the Rusty bottom.

But I'll discuss anything. (Disclaimer: the host reserves the right to end any discussion and hang up on you.)

So tune-in, call-in, but only if you can handle the truth!