Posts
One we'd like to see is this:
and
and just for you George:
Be INFORMED
Monday, January 19, 2009
Arizona Cardinals To Win Supper Bowl!...
and that ain't no shit people. All of the betting pros are picking Pittsburgh by 6 1/2. Not gonna happen. I say Arizona by 10.
One creature is known above all others for its ability to survive against impossible odds in the hostile Arizona desert. While it is not known as a traditional predator, unsuspecting victims eventually find out that its peck is far worse than its tweet. Only recently have enthusiasts discovered that its winter migratory pattern leads east across the Southern United States to the warm wetlands of South Florida, specifically the area around Tampa Bay.
From a commenter at Yahoo Sports
Kick ass Arizona! Obamanize your opponent.
" We The People" Must Demand Justice...
and the prosecution of of the Bush administration is the only way that we will stop the kinds of crimes committed by Bush and others before him. Forgetting the past and moving forward doesn't cut it this time around. Bush and the boys/girls need to be held accountable so that future administrations, Obama's included, do not commit these same errors.
The People vs. George Bush
by the national gadfly Mon Jan 19, 2009 ( edited ) Full Article
The world knows what he did. The American people know what he did. We have a choice. We can demand justice. We can defend ourselves from enemies to The Constitution, both foreign and domestic. It will not happen if we do not. The overwhelming call to action at change.gov was for the prosecution of criminal behaviour from the White House.
George Bush is what we got for pardoning Nixon. Nixon was a megalomaniac whose paranoia was his undoing. Bush is much worse: a mouthpiece for the corruption of power amassed in Oil & Defense industry executive suites. But, the motivations for breaking the law of the land from the highest office are not important. What is of utmost importance is this: precedent. In this specific instance, the precedent of breaking the law of the land from the highest office. It is the path to dictatorship.
Here is how I see it:
- Nixon took the first step, spying on Americans, lying about it and destroying evidence. Ironically, and perhaps because he was an attorney, he believed enough in the laws of the land to fear impeachment. Like I said, he violated The Constitution (and his oath to protect it) from the irrational thoughts of paranoia and egotism.
- Ford set the stage with Nixon's pardon. In typical white, male privileged class, he looked America straight in the eye and told us that this was for our own good. It was not for our own good. The example was set that the President is above the law.
- Reagan took office and began several GOP slight-of-hand strategies that continue to this day. Distract the public with Jingoism, label government as bad and greed as good, project the President as good ol' boy / cowboy who talks tough and does the right thing. In the background, Iran/Contra, the systematic destruction of protection for consumers, investors and union workers, collusion with religious nut jobs to repeal the gains of women's rights and minority rights.
- Clinton betrayed us by lying about the affair. I don't care who he had sex with. But, as the highest employee of the people and our paid / elected champion of the rule of law, he broke his oath. He also showed that a President can be impeached and remain in office and hired Blackwater. I'm more irritated with Bill Clinton than the others on this list, because I know that he knows better and can do better.
- George W Bush (or should I say Dick Cheney?) came through having learned the lessons of those I have already mentioned. Namely, that the President will do whatever the hell he wants and no one can stop him. He spied on us, illegally 'reditioned' us, and falsified justification for a war that has killed 1 million Iraqis. Saddam Hussein did not kill them, George Bush did. Award contracts to Halliburton, KBR & Blackwater: companies that have all broken laws including rape, murder and fraud only to be protected by collusion and lack of jurisdiction / accountability.
So, the choice is real simple and I think it is very clear. The world is watching. The people are watching. We all know that he broke the law. We have a choice in our response: investigate/prosecute or ignore/deny. The former option is in line with our Constitution. The latter is only going to pave the way for much worse offenses and misery for the generations to come.
Obama Supporters In D.C.: Arrest Bush
The arrest Bush movement in this country is growing by leaps and bounds and the desire to see Bush prosecuted will be on display in Washington,D.C. from now till Tuesday.
Obama Supporters in DC Want Bush Arrested Original
by David Swanson Mon Jan 19, 2009
Sunday evening I spoke on a panel in Washington, D.C., about war crimes, and in walked a group of spirited activists led by Laurie Arbeiter wearing "Arrest Bush" sweatshirts and carrying "Arrest Bush" signs, and they were absolutely dumfounded by what they had just experienced. They'd spent the day at the train station in D.C. and on the streets of D.C. as excited Obama celebrators poured in by the tens of thousands, and they'd been unable to walk a dozen steps without people stopping them to have their photo taken with an "Arrest Bush" sign.
It's worth remembering that Bush is approved by 22 percent of Americans and a smaller percentage of non-Americans. It's hard to get under 20 percent in any poll in this country. More people believe in UFOs than approve of Bush. The media meme that prosecuting Bush would cost Obama political capital has not been proven false, but it is absolutely baseless until someone produces something to base it on.
So we had a little strategy meeting Sunday night and produced hard copies of an already running petition asking Eric Holder to appoint a Special Prosecutor. We got clipboards and pens and identified teams. As I write this Monday morning we are preparing to gather at Dupont Circle for a rally at 11 a.m. followed by a march to the White House where we will throw shoes at the outgoing war criminal. On Tuesday we have a permit for the whole sidewalk in front of the FBI Building along the parade, and we'll let you in if you have a sign that says "Arrest Bush." No other ticket required. At these and many other events and all over the city in the next two days, we hope to add many thousands of new people to the petition and collect their contact information to integrate them into the movement to get tough on (the biggest) crime.
If you're not in DC, you can sign the petition yourself or print out a PDF to collect signatures in the real world at http://convictbushcheney.org
This is not a fantasy, boys and girls. The New York Times' Scott Shane and Attorney General Mukasey agree with me that prosecution is now going to be hard to avoid. When even Nancy Pelosi has figured out where we're going, you know the winds of change are blowing strong. That's the dangerous thing about telling people that anything is possible: they'll end up insisting on what they really want. And they want lots of new laws, but they very dearly want us to start enforcing the old ones too.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Nancy Pelosi: Prosecution of Bush Administration Not Off The Table?
House Speaker Pelosi was on FoxNewsSunday and she had some interesting comments to make.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is receptive to the idea of prosecuting some Bush administration officials, while letting others who are accused of misdeeds leave office without prosecution, she told Chris Wallace in an interview on "FOX News Sunday."
"I think you look at each item and see what is a violation of the law and do we even have a right to ignore it," the California Democrat said. "And other things that are maybe time that is spent better looking to the future rather than to the past."
She hinted that the law might compel Democrats to press forth on some prosecutions, even if they are politically unpopular, adding: "That's not up to us to say that doesn't matter anymore."
"We cannot let the politicizing of, for example, the Justice Department to go unreviewed," she added. "I want to see the truth come forth."
A look at the bullshit done by Alberto and the Justice Department is a good start, but you'd think that those war crimes and other matters would be looked into.
I think that those war crimes are one of the other matters that Pelosi is referring to when she says " ...looking to the future rather than to the past." Pelosi and the rest of our House and Senate would still rather have major crime by Bush and his top thugs swept under the carpet. Guess that they hit to close for Pelosi's comfort.
In recent weeks the passion of the public for holding the Bush administration accountable has taken the party by surprise, as the question on Obama's Change.gov website which had the most votes as a priority involved the appointment of a special prosecutor. DKos
Financial Stocks Cut Dividends...
and in fact, no financial stock should even have a dividend if the company got any of the bailout cash. But as we all know, that ain't how it is going.
Those cutting their dividend are Bank of America (BAC), Marshall & Ilsley (MI) and XL Capital (XL).
BofA is cutting theirs some 96.88%, Marshall & IIsley will be 96.88% less, and XL Capital will be 50% smaller. Source
There is a bit if good news as a few companies are increasing their dividends a little bit. None are in finance though. No surprise there.
Bush Served His Masters Well
You know that there is an ongoing rash of Bush bashing going on in the United States and in most other parts of the world. Maybe " bashing " is the wrong word, since most of what is being said about Bush is right on target.
I am now going to make my annual stroll through Russia to see how they feel about George Bush.
Now George it is over. Your Faustian deal gave you eight years of illegal and undeserved power.
And did you make the most of it! You stole elections without hesitation, you lied without compunction, you started illegal wars without any consideration for international law, you shredded the Constitution without any respect for the check-and-balance system, you opened up concentration camps without any concern for the rule of law, and you maimed, tortured, and murdered without any regard for fundamental human rights.
You fiddled while New Orleans floundered, while your cronies in the oil industry drove prices through the roof, while war profiteers ruthlessly plundered Iraq, and while the economy suffered its worst decline in decades.
Yes George, you served your master well.
And he served you. The suffering you inflicted upon others never touched you—aside from a pair of poorly aimed shoes. You were never impeached, prosecuted or even censured as a war criminal. And the fact that you intend—as you stated in your final press briefing—to spend your days lounging on the beach, when you should be spending them in a prison cell, adds just another name to the historical list of evildoers who have been rewarded for their crimes.
Many critics claim that your arrogance, your ineptitude, and your self-serving distortions of the Christian faith are to blame for the eight-year nightmare you thrust upon the world. They say that history will recognize this, and perhaps not judge you so harshly.
If that be so then history will be a lie, because it will fail to recognize what millions of Americans also failed to recognize before you stole your first election: that you and your cronies are pure and simply evil.
One can vilify Hugo Chavez and the Mayan Indians all they want for openly recognizing this evil. The truth is that those Americans who refused to recognize your evil only confirmed that classic line from the movie THE USUAL SUSPECTS: “The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.”
Many Americans shared your arrogance, and it blinded them to your hypocrisy. “America,” they claimed, “was better than those petty dictatorships in third-world countries that loathe democracy, freedom and human rights.” And thus they allowed you to turn America into the very beast they claimed to abhor.
You condemned the tyranny of Saddam Hussein. Yes, he was an evil man. Yes, he placed people in illegal detention, used torture, rigged elections, and killed for political reasons. Yet, at the end of the day, his legacy is not much different from yours. So can it truly be called justice when he paid for his crimes with his life, while you “pay” for yours lounging about in a beachside mansion? Read More...
David R. Hoffman
Legal Editor of Pravda.Ru
The State Of The Economy....
according to you.
Nationally, 8% of Americans rate the economy as good or excellent, while 62% say the state of the economy is poor. Only 12% think the economy is getting better, while 68% say it is getting worse.
Looking to the future, 39% of Americans say that the economy will be stronger in a year while 31% believe it will be weaker. Longer-term, there is optimism—62% say the economy will be stronger in five years than it is today.
Here is an interesting tidbit for you.
Despite the troubled economy, most Americans believe that just about anybody who is willing to work can find a job. Most also believe it’s possible for just about anyone to work their way out of poverty. However, most say it’s not possible for anyone willing to work hard to get rich in America. Rasmussen
Saturday, January 17, 2009
CBS Polling: George Bush's Final Approval Rating...
and as is to be expected, it ain't good.
President Bush will leave office as one of the most unpopular departing presidents in history, according to a new CBS News/New York Times poll showing Mr. Bush's final approval rating at 22 percent.
Seventy-three percent say they disapprove of the way Mr. Bush has handled his job as president over the last eight years.
Mr. Bush's final approval rating is the lowest final rating for an outgoing president since Gallup began asking about presidential approval more than 70 years ago.
The rating is far below the final ratings of recent two-term presidents Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan, who both ended their terms with a 68 percent approval rating, according to CBS News polling.
I'll bet that his ratings go up on Tuesday after Barack Obama becomes President Obama as most of us will approve of Bush leaving town, quickly.
CDC Salmonella Outbreak: The Latest
I'm a little late with this because I got busy doing other things over the past 2 days. But, surprisingly, not everyone has heard about this outbreak, so here's the latest from the CDC.
As of 9pm EDT, Thursday, January 15, 2009, 453 persons infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Typhimurium have been reported from 43 states.
The investigation is ongoing, and exposures to peanut butter and other peanut butter-containing products are being examined. Preliminary analysis of an epidemiologic study conducted by CDC and public health officials in multiple states comparing foods eaten by ill and well persons has suggested peanut butter as a likely source of the bacteria causing the infections. To date, no association has been found with common brand names of peanut butter sold in grocery stores.
An epidemiologic investigation by the Minnesota Department of Health suggested King Nut creamy peanut butter as a likely source of Salmonella infections among many ill persons in Minnesota. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture Laboratory isolated the outbreak strains of Salmonella Typhimurium from an open 5-pound container of King Nut brand creamy peanut butter. The product is distributed in Minnesota to establishments such as long-term care facilities, hospitals, schools, universities, restaurants, delis, cafeterias, and bakeries. It is not sold directly to consumers and is not known to be distributed for retail sale in grocery stores.
Clusters of infections in several states have been reported in schools and other institutions, such as long-term care facilities and hospitals. King Nut is the only brand of peanut butter used in those facilities for which we have information.
On January 10, 2009, King Nut Companies, a distributor of peanut butter manufactured by Peanut Corporation of America (PCA), issued a voluntary recall of peanut butter distributed under the King Nut label. In addition, King Nut Companies issued a voluntary recall of Parnell’s Pride peanut butter, which they also distributed and which is produced by the same manufacturer. The recalled products have lot codes beginning with “8”. No other King Nut products are included in this voluntary recall. More information about this recall can be found on the FDA website.
On January 13, 2009, Peanut Corporation of America (PCA), the manufacturer of King Nut peanut butter, announced a voluntary recall of peanut butter produced in its Blakely, Georgia processing facility produced on or after July 1, 2008, that had specific lot numbers and descriptions. More information regarding the recall is available on the FDA website. The peanut butter being recalled is sold in bulk and distributed to institutions, food service industries, and private label food companies, under the brand names Parnell’s Pride and King Nut. None of the peanut butter being recalled is sold directly to consumers through retail grocery stores.
On January 14, 2009, Kellogg Company announced it has taken the precautionary measure of putting a hold on a variety of Austin® and Keebler® branded toasted peanut butter sandwich crackers. Peanut Corporation of America, the manufacturer currently under investigation by FDA and other regulatory agencies, is a peanut paste supplier that the Kellogg Company uses in its Austin® and Keebler® branded peanut butter sandwich crackers. More information can be found on the FDA website.
Just from the business side of the equation, this could get very ugly.
Barack Obama's Weekly Radio Address
Together, we know that this is a time of great challenge for the American people. Difficult days are upon us, and even more difficult days lie ahead. Our nation is at war. Our economy is in great turmoil. And there is so much work that must be done to restore peace and advance prosperity. But as we approach this time-honored American tradition, we are reminded that our challenges can be met if we summon the spirit that has sustained our democracy since George Washington took the first oath of office.
Polling: The TARP Vote
Back in October, just before Congress voted on the bailout plan, 45% of voters opposed it, while 30% were in favor. Another 25% were undecided at that point. At the same time, the plurality of voters (47%) said they were more worried the government would do too much to fix the economic crisis, while only 36% were more worried it would not do enough.
Now, 54% of voters believe a major government economic recovery plan is necessary to the restore the U.S. economy, while just a third (33%) think the economy can recover on its own. But 55% also say the plan must include tax cuts, which Obama has promised but Democratic congressional leaders are trying to downsize. Rasmussen Reports
Obama's stimulus plan is supported by 44% of the country, while 28% oppose it and
27% aren't sure. Also, many Americans ( 37% ) believe that our Congress-Critters have no idea about what they are doing when it comes to trying to fix the American economic troubles.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Keith Olbermann on George Bush Presidency: 8 Years in 8 Minutes...
was a very good look at the Bush Crime Family and their inept, lie-filled 8 year reign of terror from the White House. Watch THIS video!
Political Humor This Week...
and boy is there much of it, what with Bush doing his farewell pity-party tour and such.
Jay Leno:
"President Bush has asked all the major networks for 15 minutes of air time on Thursday to give his farewell speech to the nation. Well, the White House says he's going to use part of the time to list his accomplishments. No word yet what he's going to do with the other 14 minutes."
"Barack Obama says one of the first things he'll do as president is sign an executive order closing down Guantanamo Bay, to which President Bush said, 'Hey, well that's nothing. I've closed down factories, car dealerships."
"Barack Obama also says he wants to bring a sense of accountability to Washington. I've got a better idea. Why don't you bring some accountants to Washington, okay? Tell us where the hell our $750 billion went!"
"President Bush, appearing on Fox News Sunday morning, confirmed that he is planning on writing a book. Bush admitted he'll use a ghost writer. Well, sure, if it's about his Presidency, it's going to be a horror story. He'll need a ghost writer."
David Letterman:
"Cold, isn't it, ladies and gentlemen? It was so cold today people were throwing shoes at Al Gore."
"One week, and Barack Obama will be the new President of the United States. I'm telling you, things are really starting to look bad for Hillary."
"President Bush is busy saying good-bye to everybody. Last night he was on Larry King, and I think tomorrow he's making a farewell lasagna with Rachel Ray.
Bush is getting nostalgic. He says he's not sure how he will feel on January 21st, but I think I kind of know how the rest of us will feel."
"One week from today, Barack Obama becomes president, and the current president becomes George W. Bush, mall cop. Did you know that?"
Conan O'Brien:
"President Bush has been giving Barack Obama a lot of advice. They've had a few meetings and he's giving Obama advice. Yeah. President Bush has told Barack Obama that his biggest challenge will be an enemy attack. Specifically, Bush told Obama to keep your eye on Hillary."
"Today was President Bush's last Cabinet meeting. At one point, Bush got emotional and said, 'I never got to find out what HUD means.'"
Jimmy Kimmel:
"President Bush has declared an advanced state of emergency in DC from Saturday until Wednesday to allow for extra security for the inauguration. Apparently, the President obtained information from a very reliable source that on Tuesday an unidentified black man is plotting to break into and actually live in the White House for at least four years."
"By the way, it seems fitting to me that President Bush would leave Washington, DC, in a state of emergency on the day he leaves office."
"The President was on 'Larry King' last night for one last hard-hitting interview before he packs up and tries to find his way back home to Texas. King asked the President if he personally lost money in the stock market. Bush said he has no idea because all his money is in a blind trust managed by a Nigerian prince who's about to collect a huge inheritance."
It's Over! As Of 5 PM Eastern Time, Bush's Job Ended...
and it is about fucking time that this asshole gets kicked out on his sorry, pathetic ass!
Bush will still be President until Tuesday, but for most part, those White House Republicans were done at 5 today.
They’ll turn in their BlackBerrys, laptops, building passes and gym keys.
And by the time the weekend is out — before the new administration can reverse course on waterboarding or SCHIP or anything else — teams of painters and carpet cleaners will have wiped away any hint that they ever set foot in the White House.After Barack Obama is sworn in, Bush will take the long scenic helicopter flight around Washington en route to Andrews Air Force base, where dozens of staffers will send him on his way back to Texas.
Goodbye and good riddance George. See you in court somewhere in this world.
Maybe Obama should skip his oath of office
by Compound F Thu Jan 15, 2009
I think Obama should skip taking his oath of office, because taking the oath will commit him to an inexorable cascade of legal mandates that he’d probably rather avoid altogether.
But, oh, damn, damn, damn! While he is not yet technically ensnared in this legal trap, he looks pretty boxed-in to tipping the first domino, because according to Article II, Section I of the US Constitution, he doesn’t have a choice about taking the oath of office.
Before he enter on the execution of his office, he shall take the following oath or affirmation:--"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."
Unless we can do a quickie-amendment to that section of the Constitution, this is terrible news for Obama’s partisan transcendence, because as hilzoy points out, knocking over that first domino sets up a chain reaction:
(1) According to Article II, Section 3 of the Constitution, the President "shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed".
(2) According to Article VI of the Constitution, "This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land".
(3) The United States is a party to the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
(4) As Dahlia Lithwick reminds us, the Convention Against Torture not only prohibits torture, it imposes a set of affirmative obligations on its parties. Specifically, Article 6 states:
"Upon being satisfied, after an examination of information available to it, that the circumstances so warrant, any State Party in whose territory a person alleged to have committed any offence referred to in article 4 [ed.: acts of torture] is present shall take him into custody or take other legal measures to ensure his presence. The custody and other legal measures shall be as provided in the law of that State but may be continued only for such time as is necessary to enable any criminal or extradition proceedings to be instituted.
2. Such State shall immediately make a preliminary inquiry into the facts."Article 7:
- The State Party in the territory under whose jurisdiction a person alleged to have committed any offence referred to in article 4 is found shall in the cases contemplated in article 5, if it does not extradite him, submit the case to its competent authorities for the purpose of prosecution.
And Article 12:
"Each State Party shall ensure that its competent authorities proceed to a prompt and impartial investigation, wherever there is reasonable ground to believe that an act of torture has been committed in any territory under its jurisdiction."
(5) None of the Objections entered by the United States at the time of ratification seem to affect the affirmative obligation to investigate and prosecute cases in which there is reasonable ground to believe that an act of torture has been committed.
It seems to me that these facts imply that if Barack Obama, or his administration, believe that there are reasonable grounds to believe that members of the Bush administration have committed torture, then they are legally obligated to investigate; and that if that investigation shows that acts of torture were committed, to submit those cases for prosecution, if the officials who committed or sanctioned those acts are found on US territory. If they are on the territory of some other party to the Convention, then it has that obligation. Under the Convention, as I read it, this is not discretionary. And under the Constitution, obeying the laws, which include treaties, is not discretionary either.
Prosecuting torture is not discretionary? Well, I for one will be darned interested to hear from Eric Holder what is his perfessional legal opinion on whether waterboarding rises to the level of torture. Oh, wait: He already gave his opinion!
"Do you agree with me that waterboarding is torture and illegal?" [Senator Leahy] asks.
After tracing the history of the simulating drowning tactic to the Khmer Rouge and other troubling regimes, Holder responded, "I agree with you, Mr. Chairman, that waterboarding is torture."
Obviously, Eric Holder is a typical howling moonbat from the left-wing of the terrorist-loving Democratic party, as he deviates so objectionably from the views of his totally non-partisan predecessors, the absolutely soul-less Alberto Gonzales and Michael "Tyrant! Tyrant!" Mukasey. Holder’s views cannot possibly be in accord with the post-partisan President-elect’s views, except THEY ARE:
OBAMA: For example, Vice President Cheney I think continues to defend what he calls extraordinary measures or procedures when it comes to interrogations and from my view waterboarding is torture.
This whole "defining torture" game is beginning to stink of partisan hackery, inconsequential verbal jousting, "a false narrative unencumbered by the preponderance of the facts," without any legal ramifications, except IT’S NOT:
Bush, Cheney, and Hayden have all copped to the fact that Kahlid Sheik Mohammed was waterboarded with their blessing. If Obama and Holder believe that rises to the threshold of torture, then they are obligated to investigate and prosecute.
Worse yet, Bush’s own chief-honcho authority on military commissions refuses to prefer charges against Mohammed al-Qahtani because he was tortured:
The top Bush administration official in charge of deciding whether to bring Guantanamo Bay detainees to trial has concluded that the U.S. military tortured a Saudi national who allegedly planned to participate in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, interrogating him with techniques that included sustained isolation, sleep deprivation, nudity and prolonged exposure to cold, leaving him in a "life-threatening condition."
"We tortured [Mohammed al-]Qahtani," said Susan J. Crawford, in her first interview since being named convening authority of military commissions by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates in February 2007. "His treatment met the legal definition of torture. And that's why I did not refer the case" for prosecution.
snip[Crawford] said Bush was right to create a system to try unlawful enemy combatants captured in the war on terrorism. The implementation, however, was flawed, she said. "I think he hurt his own effort. . . . I think someone should acknowledge that mistakes were made and that they hurt the effort and take responsibility for it."
"We learn as children it's easier to ask for forgiveness than it is for permission," Crawford said. "I think the buck stops in the Oval Office."
As Dahlia Lithwick and Phillippe Sands note:
The former chief judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces and general counsel for the Department of the Army has spoken. Her clear words have been picked up around the world. And that takes the prospects of accountability and criminal investigation onto another level. For the Obama administration, the door to the do-nothing option is now closed. That is why today may come to be seen as the turning point.
This is why Obama should refuse to take his oath, if he doesn’t want these dominoes to fall. The door to the do-nothing option is now closed.
George Bush: The " 3 Stooges " Of Ex-Presidents ...
all rolled into one is what this man is. Dumb, stupid, and ignorant also come to mind. His farewell speech to America and the rest of the world on Thursday night showed us that General Fuckup still has no clue. Nobody will miss this fool, with the exception of the late-night comedians and Wall Street along with maybe a few other low-life corporations and individuals. Real Americans most certainly will not.
With the stupidity of Mr. Bush in mind, I bring you some of his best quotes.
It would be a mistake for the United States Senate to allow any kind of human cloning to come out of that chamber.
For every fatal shooting, there were roughly three non-fatal shootings. And, folks, this is unacceptable in America. It's just unacceptable. And we're going to do something about it.
I have opinions of my own, strong opinions, but I don't always agree with them.
I know what I believe. I will continue to articulate what I believe and what I believe - I believe what I believe is right.
I'm the master of low expectations.
Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?
We need an energy bill that encourages consumption.
Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people and neither do we.
It is clear our nation is reliant upon big foreign oil. More and more of our imports come from overseas.
Will the highways on the Internet become more few?
I think we agree, the past is over.
I think we agree George, you are over!
Find these and even more of this idiots quotes here.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Bank of America Getting More TARP Funding...
which comes as no surprise to anyone. The amazing thing about this is that BofA is requesting the extra money in order to finish buying up Merrill Lynch! BofA has already received some $25 billion from the government and they now say that they need the money now because Merrill Lynch's losses were greater than was expected in the last quarter of 2008. BofA is asking for $15 billion more from the Treasury Department. Source
"The government has got itself in a position where they have to do something, and they have to help close this deal, so they have to provide additional subsidy to Bank of America," said Simon Johnson, a former economist at the International Monetary Fund and a professor of entrepreneurship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Sloan School of Management.
I have a better idea. Let the merger go bust and then let BofA fail. They can then go into bankruptcy and come out as a smaller entity which will not be to big to not let fail.
BofA is due to release it's 4th quarter earnings on Tuesday, which will no doubt be in the near negative column. So the government gives them the extra money to buy Merrill with and we then have a bigger bank that'll certainly be asking for even more cash to stay afloat in the future? WTF?
Technorati Tags: Bank of America,TARP,Merrill Lynch,Bailouts,Wall Street,Finance,Treasury Department
From Bush To President Obama: The change Of Power
So, what is the process when moving from one President to the next one? Actually, it's pretty damned interesting when you follow the goings-on and the steps involved.
ABC News White House correspondent Ann Compton brings you up to date on what will be happening between now and " Obama Tuesday."
President and Mrs. Bush fly to Camp David Friday afternoon for a final weekend in the rustic seclusion of "the Camp." Over the next 36 hours, White House staffers will go through the behind-the-scenes business of turning in their hard passes, coded lapel pins, "flip-top" fancy White House IDs in leather folders, blackberries, cellphones, and security clearances.
At 9:00 p.m. Friday, the highest-level staffers will turn in their gear; and the West Wing will become a ghost town.
Chief of Staff Josh Bolten, Counselor Ed Gillespie, and Press Secy Dana Perino are the senior staffers who will remain here, on standby. Monday is a federal holiday so the White House would be closed anyway. On Tuesday, Special Agent Donald White of the U.S. Secret Service will shadow President Bush, sit in the customary front "shotgun" seat of the limousine, and guard the President until noon. At 12:01, Agent White steps over to a position behind Barack Obama.
President and Mrs. Bush will helicopter to Andrews Air Force Base after the swearing-in (they do not remain on Capitol Hill for the luncheon); the Cheneys drive to Andrews. At 1:20 pm, the former President will speak (no cameras) to hundreds of loyal friends invited to come out to a hangar at Andrews for the send-off. A handful of these friends have been invited to fly on what can can no longer be called Air Force One (it's only Air Force One when it ferries the President) to Midland, Texas.
Here at the White House, Laura Bush has already packed up her books and dispatched them to Texas. An aide says the only personal piece of furniture departing is a chest of drawers belonging to President Bush's grandmother.
Around 10:30 am Tuesday, moving trucks will be waiting to enter the south drive of the White House, bringing the Obama family's belongings. And a new era.
So will end the Bush Crime Family reign of terror, and thus will begin the Obama Presidency. Hopefully, the investigation's of the Bush Crime Family will follow shortly after.
Eric Holder Jr: " Waterboarding is Torture"
From the Blog Of Legal Times comes this from the confirmation hearings going on concerning Eric Holder's nomination for Attorney. General..
Attorney General nominee Eric Holder Jr., in response to Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy's first question, said unequivocally that waterboarding amounts to torture.
The question, which nearly sunk the nomination of Attorney General Michael Mukasey, means Holder will have to make a decision, if confirmed, whether to investigate Bush administration officials who condoned the use of the tactic on suspected terrorists.
"I agree with you chairman that waterboarding is torture," Holder said. He also said U.S. officials could be held accountable for transferring prisoners to the custody of foreign agents who use such tactics.
It is Holder's comments such as these that will have Spector and the rest of the Republicans coming out swinging since they approved of Alberto Gonzales's views and walked in step with Bush.
Leahy, pushing further, asked whether the commander in chief could immunize officials who sanctioned the use of waterboarding against legal fallout. Many have speculated that President George W. Bush may preemptively pardon members of his administration who were involved in devising and carrying out a CIA detention and interrogation program that involved the use of waterboarding and other harsh methods on suspected terrorists.
"Mr. Chairman, no one is above the law," Holder said."The president acts most forcefully when he acts consistent with congressional intent."
An Attorney General who knows the difference between right and wrong.
Be Afraid Republicans. Be Very Afraid!
Serious Materials May Be Republic Windows Knight In Shining Armor
announced today that the leading company in the green window business -- Serious Materials, based in Sunnyvale, California -- is in the final stages of working out an agreement to purchase the assets of Republic Windows and Doors. Members of UE Local 1110 staged a sit-in last month to win severance, health benefits and earned vacation pay, after the plant's previous owner shut down with only three days' notice to workers.
Though some details still need to be finalized, the union is told that the parties are very close to inking a deal. "We are all hopeful about the possibility of Serious reopening our plant. This would be a very happy ending to our struggle," said former Republic worker and Local 1110 Vice President Melvin Maclin.
Serious has said that it hopes, after a ramp-up period, to eventually hire all of the former Republic workforce. For that to happen, however, the bankruptcy court must act quickly. The local fears that if the court delays, the business will evaporate and it will be difficult to re-hire anyone. "We hope that the creditors, trustee and judge will allow Serious to purchase the assets soon, so I and my co-workers can start making windows again," said Robles.
That would be Armando Robles, a one-time maintenance worker for Republic Windows and president of union local 1110.
I wish all of the best for these men/women and their families. Things can be accomplished when you get together and organize instead of just bitching and moaning.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Conservative Healthcare Reform Myths
The conservatives have been out in full force telling the American citizens, by way of the media, that healthcare reform is not possible because it would be to expensive to implement and that patients would not have choices in their medical care. A few more myths ( lies ) from the conservative group.
Center For American Progress July 15, 2008
Myth: Health care reform is best left to individual states.
Truth: An effective and efficient U.S. health system cannot be constructed one state at a time. The sum of state reform does not equal reform on a national level
It is true that state-level health care reform can show the framework and feasibility of solutions and act as a testing ground for new approaches. But it is no substitute for sorely needed national reform. States alone cannot achieve comprehensive reform. Fiscal concerns, already seen in California to Massachusetts, will make state reform unworkable because of the lack of annual balanced budgets and a high price tag. Without federal support and redistribution, health care will become less equitable from state to state. What’s more, states with a higher percentage of their population living below the poverty line tend to have higher rates of uninsurance.
Without national will and leadership, state-level lessons tend to stay within the single state. Fifty separate reform efforts only complicate the health care system and inhibit attempts to simplify it.
Myth: The federal government should provide a flat tax credit for all Americans who buy insurance, with no qualifying restrictions.
Truth: A badly designed tax credit plan could actually cause costs to rise for most families and increase the number of uninsured by ignoring low-income and high-risk individuals.
The fixed-dollar flat tax credits that conservatives have proposed do not take into account cost variation between insurance plans. Flat credits are also not adjusted for a person’s level of need or income, and so low-income people and people with chronic health problems will end up spending a much higher percentage of their overall incomes on health insurance. Credits will cover the cost of insurance for the young and healthy, but they will not offset the high cost for the older and sicker.
Models and experience show that the effect of a credit on the uninsured is uncertain at best; one analysis suggested that voluntary enrollment in individual-market plans would not reduce the number of uninsured Americans due to a loss of employer coverage or a rise in employer premiums.
Tax credits can be used as part of a broader strategy to reduce the rate of uninsured, but used alone they will not drive down the price of health insurance. The purported benefits of competition among private insurance companies that credits encourage must be weighed against the higher administrative cost of individual-market insurance and a decline in employer involvement. Encouraging tax equity over these other important considerations will do little more than create a larger uninsured population.
Myth: Consumer-driven health plans will reduce costs by giving people more control over their health care choices and encouraging high quality and appropriate use of care.
Fact: Consumer-driver health plans will not control costs. In fact, they will expose people to high deductibles and cost-sharing payments and discourage consumers from seeking important services, like prevention.
Roughly 70 percent of health costs and deaths are attributable to smoking, obesity, and health problems that could be prevented. Conservatives hold up consumer-driven health plans as the answer to encouraging individuals to use preventive services.
Yet enrollees in these plans have inadequate information to make good decisions—and the plans provide no help. Consumers are unlikely to obtain adequate and reliable information on cost and quality and differentiate necessary from unnecessary care. Some studies show that consumers will even choose to underinvest in prevention as they try to be more “cost-conscious.”
The truth is that cost-sharing can discourage people from using preventive care. One study showed that $10 co-pays caused a significant reduction in the use of mammograms among seniors. Other studies suggest that cost sharing, especially for low-income families, people with chronic disease, or families with children with special needs, could deter patients from seeking preventive services.
Myth: Americans have adequate access to health care—everyone has access to emergency care.
Truth: Safety net providers, like emergency rooms, are not a substitute for comprehensive, coordinated, and timely health care services.
Coverage makes a difference. Research indicates that the uninsured population receives less care for necessary medical services compared to the insured population. Uninsured individuals experience delayed diagnoses, are less likely to receive recommended care for chronic conditions, and are less likely to be admitted to a hospital when they experience trauma. Plus, emergency care for the uninsured means longer wait times for everyone.
Other factors restrict and delay access to basic health care services. In rural areas, there are fewer health care professionals, specialists, and less high-tech equipment; in the inner cities, lack of safe transportation is a limiting factor. The socio-demographic studies show that there are growing inequities in life expectancy between the wealthy and the poor. Hispanics and African Americans get more medical services in emergency rooms and are less likely to have a regular primary care provider, further contributing to devastating health disparities.
Myth: Any health reform plan in which the government is involved is “socialized medicine,” which will result in bureaucratic, big-government programs that contradict the American ideals of free market and choice.
Truth: Affordable coverage for all does not equal “socialized medicine.” In fact, public-private hybrid health care plans can be used to achieve a higher degree of universal, high-quality health coverage.
Progressive plans vary in their degree of proposed health care reforms, and government-provided health care is merely one strategy to achieve coverage for everybody. Many health care systems around the world are hybrids that combine public and private insurance elements—and many proposals for health care reform in the United States build upon our current system of shared financing between public insurance programs and private plans.
Critics worry about long lines and “rationing,” but people are already dying and waiting in overcrowded emergency rooms. Americans even wait longer for same-day access to care than most nations with universal coverage. The United States has the highest rate of preventable deaths among 19 industrialized nations due to a lack of timely and effective care—evidence that we already ration care, partly on ability to pay.
“Socialized medicine” is a term that has been embraced, demonized, and misunderstood since the early 20th century in the United States. In fact, two models of government-funded health care in the United States—the Veterans Affairs Health Care system and the Medicare program—represent different and successful public insurance models within our own system.
Myth: Medical malpractice lawsuits are little more than predatory lawyers destroying honest doctors; caps should be set on the amount awarded to accusers.
Truth: Although the malpractice system is deeply flawed, setting caps deflects attention from patient safety and would likely not reduce frivolous lawsuits or costly premiums.
Medical malpractice liability is in need of reform, but claims of a nationwide crisis are overblown. Malpractice claims and insurance premiums vary by specialty and geographic area—doctors in obstetrics or surgery tend to pay higher premiums, for example. What increases occur in malpractice premiums can be linked primarily to a sluggish economy. In fact, malpractice costs represent less than 2 percent of total health care spending. There is little correlation between malpractice claim increases and premium increases.
Enacting caps on awards threatens individual rights to compensation for harm resulting from preventable medical error, mostly because so-called frivolous lawsuits represent only a small portion of claims and awards by juries. Focusing on tort reform deflects attention from patient safety in a system where victims are not fairly compensated and errors are not properly prevented. The solution to rising costs should instead consist of more emphasis on evidence-based medicine, independent screening, immediate disclosure of errors, and even a no-fault system of compensation.
© Center for American Progress
More conservative myths can be found here.
News From the Automotive Industry...
and I am making short notice of what has been coming out from the manufacturers today,
First off, we start with Toyota, who is trying to encourage their managers to buy one of their cars as Toyota is facing their first operating loss in 70 years. This is also an attempt by the firm to boost morale.
"This is not company policy and in no way mandatory, but more of a form of unofficial encouragement," Toyota spokeswoman Ririko Takeuchi told the Guardian.
Next up, Chrysler, which Vice Chairman Tom LaSorda has said that the American manufacturer would not be selling off any of their individual brands but that they may be interested in...
...deals to sell off tooling for models going out of production, or even licensing production of current models.
Meanwhile, some unhappy workers for the Big 3 where out protesting in the cold weather during the North American International Auto Show at Detroit's Cobo Center this past weekend.
So instead of cows, a couple hundred auto workers herded outside the Cobo Center in the frosty cold, protesting the concessions they'll likely be asked to make as Chrysler seeks more bailout money.
"My house is down by 37 percent. My 401(k) is down by 40 percent. Now they're telling me they're going to cut my wages by possibly 50 percent?" said Steve Waskul, 49 years old, who has worked in a Dodge truck plant for the past 12 years.
A 50% wage cut? Do you know what the means to most of these workers in the process of paying on a mortgage or any other major bills? Bankruptcy !
How does working for less when everything else is costing you and I more helping the economy?
The Economy: Tax Hikes Needed To Help Pay Bills
I know that no one likes the idea of having their taxes go up. But, let's face it. All of the cash going into Obama's stimulus program will only do so much. Just where is the cash for the stimulus going to come from? China?
Larry Beinhart argues that our economy has been at its strongest when our taxes have been at a high level and he also points out that his idea of higher taxes would be placed on the richest members of our society. Nothing wrong with that, is there?
Published on Monday, January 12, 2009 by CommonDreams.org
Time For Tax Hikes
by Larry Beinhart
US economic growth has been strongest when our taxes have been high. During World War II, then under Truman, Eisenhower, and Kennedy, our upper marginal tax rates were between 88-92%. Read those numbers again. They are astonishingly high. Those were our strongest growth years.
I never expected to say this. Pelosi's right, Obama's wrong.
Do keep in mind that we are talking about higher taxes on the richest members of society, the very richest. So, unless you're among that elite group, don't panic for personal reasons.
Keep in mind, also, that we are speaking only of income taxes.
You have certainly heard, several thousand times, that tax cuts lead to economic growth.
That's not true.
Moderate tax cuts lead to a flat economy. (The Johnson tax cuts, usually misnamed the Kennedy tax cuts, lead to 16 years of virtually no growth.)
Large tax cuts are followed by a boom in the financial sector, a bubble, and a crash. Then a recession or depression with massive bank failures. This has happened three times, in the 1920s, under Reagan, and under George W. Bush.
During a depression or recession, the point where taxes are increased marks the point when the economy begins its recovery: 1932 under Hoover, Roosevelt's second round of tax hikes in 1940, the first president Bush's tax hike, followed by the Clinton tax hike. (There's one exception. Roosevelt's tax hike of 1936, which was accompanied by cuts in government spending.)
US economic growth has been strongest when our taxes have been high. During World War II, then under Truman, Eisenhower, and Kennedy, our upper marginal tax rates were between 88-92%. Read those numbers again. They are astonishingly high. Those were our strongest growth years.
The next time we experienced strong growth - not just in the fiscal sector, across the entire economy - was after the Clinton tax hikes.
Why do tax hikes lead to strong economic growth?
Tax hikes usually correspond to higher government spending.
Government spends money on things that the private sector does not spend money on: physical infrastructure, social infrastructure, market infrastructure, and defense. These are the things that create a world in which doing business is possible. The worse those things are, the worse business is. The better they are, the better business is.
Rich people can't be trusted with too much money. If they have too much easy cash around, they get conned into Ponzi schemes, they go for quick money deals, they get suckered into bubbles, and then the whole economy crashes.
Can we have increased government spending without tax hikes? No.
We can spend more than the government takes in - if, and only if - the following is true.
If the government is spending more than it takes in order to create an environment where more productive business is possible, then, at some point, the investment will begin to pay off and revenues will rise. If, at the same time, government spending declines (as a percentage of GDP), increased revenue will catch up with spending and the debt will be paid off.
Or - since this is the real world, in which there are always new needs and new problems, and therefore new things to pay for - the old debts will be caught up with and paid down, while new ones are taken on, hopefully to build new things that will pay off in turn.
In order for that to work, the tax rate has to be high enough so that the first set of deficits could actually be paid off (if life, government and business suddenly stopped there). If the tax rate is not high enough to do that - even if only in theory - then debt piles upon debt and the country's currency becomes worthless.
Debts at some point must be paid. Even if new debts are being taken on. The fact that government goes on and on, and there are constant new debts, disguises that. It makes us think of the debt as a condition, something special to government, that is actually different from regular economics. But it's not.
So the set-up has to be like that of a real business. We take on debt to get things done. We need a revenue stream that will pay for that debt. In this case, it's called taxes. If the set-up is such that the revenue stream will never pay for that debt, we must go bankrupt. Or mortgage and then sell off our assets, and then go bankrupt. Which is what we tried under George Bush.
There is a theory that tax cuts - even without spending cuts - will pay for themselves out of increased revenues. This has the laughable name, The Laffer Curve. It apparently works very well in Republican minds but has never worked in reality. It produces huge deficits that eventually require tax hikes to pay down the debt.
We are now taking on two huge new sets of debts. The first is to pay for the Laffer Curve idiocy of the Bush years. The second is to rebuild the economy from the devastation of those policies and the ones like them in preceding administrations.
Somehow, those debts will have to be paid for. The question is how?
We know that even if the economy is relatively active, as it was during the fiscal bubble of the Bush years, that it cannot pay the cost of government with the tax rates that we currently have. There was lots of taxable money being generated, yet it never came close to catching up with spending. That's not even counting those costs - like the wars - that were kept off the books.
Even if we were not going to invest in rebuilding the economy, we would have to raise taxes just to get even. Then raise them again to pay down the debt. But unless we rebuild the economy it will not generate enough money to create the revenue stream (taxes) to pay the debts. So that has to be done too.
Why are we so resistant to raising taxes?
It's our nature. Nobody likes to give up their personal money for the common good.
People with a lot of money have, over the past fifty years, spent a fortune on exploiting that instinct and pandering to that feeling. Eventually, with nobody willing to say publicly that taxes are good, they took over the dialogue. It is now routine to hear tax cuts refereed to as "pro-growth" policies, even though, in fact, that's not true. It is routine to hear tax hikes called "anti-growth" policies, when that's not true.
The rich, the Republicans, and the Right, have lost this last election, but they still own the mythology.
High taxes make for a sound economy. High taxes make us all better off. High taxes will make you richer. Even after taxes.
Larry Beinhart is the author of Wag the Dog, The Librarian, and Fog Facts: Searching for Truth in the Land of Spin. All available at nationbooks.org
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
If Obama Takes The Oath, He Must Prosecute Bush
If Obama Takes The Oath, He Must Prosecute Bush
by Lets Elect A Progressive President In 2012 Tue Jan 13, 2009
In one week, Barack Obama will take this oath:
"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States."
With the stunning admission George Bush made yesterday at his press conference that he knowingly approved of torture, and with Cheney’s arrogant come-and-get-me remarks on the same topic recently, Barack Obama is bound and compelled by the United States Constitution and the oath he has taken to open a full investigation and trial against George Bush and his administration.
If Barack Obama does not open an investigation and trial against George Bush, his oath will be a sham and he will have failed to comply with the very words he has taken as his oath on the very first day of his presidency.
He will have become complicit to the Bush crime.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Salmonella Tainted Peanut Butter Cause Of 3 Deaths?
A few days ago, I reported on the Salmonella outbreak going on in 42 states.
Now, I have an update on this.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) said Monday that peanut butter is the likely culprit behind the salmonella outbreak. The infection has now struck 410 people in 43 states and may have caused 3 deaths.
From the CDC:
Preliminary analysis of an epidemiologic study conducted by CDC and public health officials in multiple states comparing foods eaten by ill and well persons has suggested peanut butter as a likely source. To date, no association has been found with common brand names of peanut butter sold in grocery stores.
An epidemiologic investigation by the Minnesota Department of Health suggested King Nut creamy peanut butter as a likely source of Salmonella infections among many ill persons in Minnesota. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture Laboratory isolated the outbreak strains of Salmonella Typhimurium from an open 5-pound container of King Nut brand creamy peanut butter. The product is distributed in Minnesota to establishments such as long-term care facilities, hospitals, schools, universities, restaurants, delis, cafeterias, and bakeries. It is not sold directly to consumers and is not known to be distributed for retail sale in grocery stores.
On January 10, 2009, King Nut Companies, a distributor of peanut butter manufactured by Peanut Corporation of America, issued a voluntary recall of peanut butter distributed under the King Nut label. In addition, King Nut Companies also issued a voluntary recall of Parnell’s Pride peanut butter distributed by King Nut, which is produced by the same manufacturer. The recalled products have lot codes beginning with “8”. No other King Nut products are included in this voluntary recall.
Go to the CDC website for a look at which states are having the outbreak and how many in those states have been infected.
Polling: 73% Say Economy Getting Worse...
and I would guess that the other 27% are either wealthy or in a coma.
One week ago that figure was at 61%. 10% of those polled think that the economy is getting better.
According to polling firm Rasmussen, 53% of Americans believe that their own finances are getting worse.
So, what about investors?
Today, only 8% of Investors rate the economy as good or excellent, down from 31% a year ago. Sixty-four percent (64%) of Investors say the economy is in poor shape.
Looking to the future, 39% of Americans say that the economy will be stronger in a year while 31% believe it will be weaker. Longer-term, there is optimism—62% say the economy will be stronger in five years than it is today.
The Obama administration can pump all of the money that they want to into fixes for our economy, but, unless NAFTA and the WTO is renegotiated or done away with, our economy will not get to much better. If those in Washington really want to help out the " average " American, they will change the tax code for business to stop them from moving jobs and companies to foreign countries. We are fucked if these things aren't changed no matter what kind of stimulus our politicians come up.
Microsoft Dumping 15,000 Employees...
which is about 17% of the workforce.
Microsoft employs about 90,000 people worldwide and the word is that 15,000 of those workers will be given their pink slips on January 15,2009, one week before Microsoft's Q2 earnings report comes out.
The rumor is that MSN division will take the blunt of the layoffs and it is also being said that larger staff cuts are possible in Microsoft EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa).
A Wednesday report on MSNBC.com said the software company is more likely to reduce its employee rolls through attrition, hiring freezes and non-renewal of contract employees, even though the story cited a blog post last week that Microsoft was preparing to cut as many as 15,000 jobs.
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