Yup, it’s THIS BAD.

Lookee the size of her hand. Like a fucking polar bear paw.

His friend John O’Keefe, 23, another conservative think-tank intern who might be out of a job after his internship ends in May, dismisses his liberal contemporaries. “The only thing they have are blogs. They feel like gods of our generation…”

OK. I’ll take that.

Just had to add Joe’s words of wisdom.
***********
” Joe replied that he believes “our American heritage is being torn apart” by flag burners, critics of the military, and those who mock Christian values. “

http://www.washingtonpost.com/…..00005.html

” When Freedom of Religion somehow excludes One Nation Under God, the essence and ideals of our freedoms are seriously in danger. “

http://www.secureourdream.com/…..;nav_id=2&

Wait a minute…now I thought Michael Steele said that the govt. has never created a job in the history of the world…what are they complaining about something that doesn’t exist for anyway?

From the Wash Post article:

Annie Hickman, a young woman whom Wurzelbacher called “sweetie” during a brief Q&A, was browsing [the bookstore isles] when the PA announced that Joe was in the house. “I’m missing pottery class for this,” she said.

ROTFL, at least Joe can be thankful he didn’t get second billing to a puppet show.

“The conglomerates in pharmaceuticals, equipment, lab services and hospitals have bled the country down to pretty nearly the last drop.

Complicity between them and the insurance companies, backed by friendly government programs, legislations and regulation made it all possible (70 years of uninterrupted rising profits)… but now that evil triumverate is down to its last straws, too.

With no one to pay the upspiraling insurance premiums ( and/or with insurance companies dropping dead by the dozen) the center will not hold.”

Keith said Joe the Plucker might run for office. Here’s hoping all 11 people vote for him.

Good morning, pups. It’s Bobo and Krugman this morning, both discussing the budget. (Bobo doesn’t learn, does he? If I were going to be on the same editorial page with Paul Krugman I’d probably find something like the mating and nest-building habits of the tufted titmouse to write about…) Bobo typed something called “The Uncertain Trumpet,” in which he says President Obama described in his speech the rot that is ingrained and pervasive in America, but what will he really do to change all that? He finessed the whole Jindal fiasco by pretending it didn’t happen. Prof. Krugman, in “Climate of Change,” says President Obama’s budget represents a huge break from policy trends. If he can get it through Congress, he will set America on a fundamentally new course. Who are you going to believe on the budget? In this house we’ll take Prof. Krugman’s word that “this budget looks very, very good.”

Here they are.

The coffee, tea and hot chocolate are ready, and I’ve got banana pancakes this morning. This weekend, in between the 837 errands we have to do, I’m going to put some seeds in the ground. The peas and lettuce seeds are calling to me, and the beans are nagging… Have a great day.

GREAT COMMERCIAL

Hope it goes all viral

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6ml16zGPy8

If only I had access to some blog in which to do this? ;-)

” The FBI made the first arrest in the $8 billion Stanford Financial Group fraud investigation on Thursday, detaining chief investment officer Laura Pendergest-Holt on federal obstruction charges.

The complaint against Pendergest-Holt said she failed to tell investigators she had served on the Antigua bank’s investment committee and that the investment portfolio holding more than 80 percent of its assets included a $1.6 billion loan to Stanford “Executive A” — evidently Stanford himself. “

http://www.reuters.com/article…..nnel=10452

Withdrawal from Iraq is nothing but withdrawal of their huge oil reserves protected and directed to the USA by the military making sure along with that big embassy that no one gets their straws in that drink.

Completely dishonest. It was about oil then and it is about oil now.

Fabulous! I hope it plays down here…

Folks, what looks like the collapse of conservatism is called a market bottom.

Shrewd investors will be swooping in
and buying distressed, underpriced, rock-solid assets.
Like Jeff Gannon, Matt Sanchez and the current
recession severe recession depression severe depression .

great ad. Will do my small part to insure it goes viral. It’s time to take on the Republicans, their dead end followers, and their allies in the corporate media always willing to give these sociopaths a platform to spew their hate and disinformation.

No!

WJ:
7:30-8:00 JAMES KITFIELD
National Journal
Senior Correspondent
nationaljournal.com

Topic: Later today, President Obama is expected to announce his plans for a way forward in Iraq. Our guest joins us to preview the President’s announcement and what it means for the war in Iraq.

8:00-9:00 BRIAN DeBOSE
Washington Times
Editorial Writer
washingtontimes.com

EVE FAIRBANKS
New Republic
Associate Editor
tnr.com

Topic: A look back at this week’s action in Congress, announcements by Pres. Obama, as well as other political issues.

9:00-9:30 Newspaper Articles/Phones

9:30-10:00 PAUL SCHOTT STEVENS

Investment Company Institute
President & CEO
ici.org

Topic: The House Education & Labor Committee held a series of hearings this week looking at the nation’s retirement system. The first of those hearings, which our guest was a witness for, examined the impact of the current economic climate on the 401(K) savings system.

Dial-up……..what’m I missin’?

They really should have shown The Boner throwing the bill on the floor of the House while pouting and saying no. I can only imagine what a freaking pile of joy that man is to live with.

As for Sam the Sham,I’m amazed he sold the five books he did. And please,for the love of god,keep him away from construction. That’s the last thing the country needs.

I can only imagine what a freaking pile of joy that man is to live with.

A case where imagination is definitely preferable to reality. *g*

from naked capitalism: Is the Treasury Planning on a Near Term Recovery in Bank Stocks?

The new Administration has been in office only a bit more than a month, and the double-speak has already started to wear thin. If anyone really believed these banks’ capital was adequate, would we have this never-ending parade of special facilities, rate cuts to near zero levels, and programs to rescue stressed borrowers? All the interventions say loud and clear that most if not all of the big banks are in parlous shape, but the Administration keeps repeating the canard that the banks have more capital than needed “to be considered well capitalized.” Well, either the standards for capital adequacy are rubbish or all the weekend specials and Congressional high stakes poker have been a complete waste of taxpayer money. You can’t have it both ways, and you reduce your credibility by peddling this sort of thing. And this isn’t just my reaction; readers who have seen this sort of formulation (it has shown up before) find it either comic or pathetic.

Oh noes!

Investors Bristle at Obama Budget
Some Firms Would Pay Higher Taxes

The Obama administration said yesterday that it would change the way it taxes profits for investment partnerships starting in 2011, touching off a wave of protests from business groups that could see their tax bills more than double.

…

Under current tax law, both the investors and managers’ profits are taxed at the capital gains rate of 15 percent instead of higher rates for regular income tax.

.
Joe just needs to rebrand. AGAIN.

Help rebrand the Republican Party. We’re picking a new name for them. What’s yours?
.

McConnell saying “No.” to helping Americans
Boehner saying “No.”
Cantor saying “No.”
Cornyn saying “No.”
and they’re listening to Rush “I want him to fail” Limbaugh

Out finance system IS a ponzi scheme which needs people to take out loans. They have gotten everyone in the world into credit / debt and no one can pay these back, no one left to let money to. The ponzi scheme of capitalism has reached the “end game”.

It can’t be saved because the debt is hundreds of trillions in the aggregate and that money does not exist at the bottom to feed up and keep the scheme going.

They are lying to you that all they need to do is re capitalize the banks to get lending going. Wrong.

No one can borrow, because no one can pay anymore or carry more debt. In order to pay off debt, loans are being called in and so house of cards is collapsing.

This system cannot be saved, but the collapse is being slowed by printing more money.

A system which is built on bubbles and credit cannot be sustained. We have had numerous bubbles which have lots of peaks where a few people (relatively) live on the hill and suck it all up.

Watch the health industry bubble collapse – completely inflated to make lots of money off of sick people.

Ahhhhh, same old, same old……with speakers like those, dial-up is good enough. *G*

Ta!

that was a really good ad. i just wish the stimulus bill itself had not been a pre-capitulation to republican-lite. the Rs are batshit crazy, but the Ds are pathetic (see my comment @20). right now, given the crisis we face (with others headed our way) i’m more worried about the pathetic.

I love the sign behind Satann Coulter.

“Conservative Solutions for a Bette America”

Conservative Solution = NO

Too quick on the submit button – Better America

Marion — Was there any publicity down there about Jack Kingston’s rant against the arts in the stimulus bill? Wondered if anyone told the SCAD students in Savannah that their congressman said that people in the arts don’t have real jobs. We can thank Louise Slaughter for setting things right. JMLagain (formerly JLML)

Personally, I notice a lot more acceptance of the once shocking concept of nationalization. The acceptance seems to grow by the week. It’s almost reminiscent of FDR’s need to gradually bring public opinion around to opposing the Axis. How many times have we heard FDR quoted on FDL as having told citizens to “make him do” something? By the way, Krugman seems almost ecstatic this morning.

The neck drooling knuckle draggers are having tea parties today! Let me guess…it will end up being extremely violent? I bet.

HOLY SHIT MITT agrees with sabu and Barbour!

Republicants, SOP’s (Sociopathic Old Pricks), Republicons, Whigs, Togas, Antoinettes, Ebeneezers, Royalists, Tories, Nays, ……………..

This is one of those times when yer supposed to whack me upside the head for bringin’ it up. There’s a talk Chomsky gave in Glasgow in 1990 in “Chomsky On Anarchism” that I’ve tried to find on the intertoobz but to no avail. Titled “Containing the Threat of Democracy” he really lays out what the ruling class in “democracies” do to keep true democracy from taking hold. Controlling thought by the “muddled masses” is near the top.

Obama is in the process of righting the wrongs that go back almost 30 years beginning with Reagan. He is going to be villified by the Republicans and their dead end followers and the corporate media will provide them with the platform. Obama may not be everything to every progressive or liberal but he is deserving of our support to fend off the forces of reactionism that will only become more vicious and dangerous.

i hope we can and will attempt the “make him do it”

since krugman is your guy, here’s what he wrote yesterday: Feelings of despair

Obama and Geithner say the right things. But Simon Johnson nails it:

How long can you say, “we are being bold” when in fact you are not?

Obama and Geithner say things like,

If you underestimate the problem; if you do too little, too late; if you don’t move aggressively enough; if you are not open and honest in trying to assess the true cost of this; then you will face a deeper, long lasting crisis.

But what they’re actually doing is underestimating the problem, doing too little too late, and not being open and honest in trying to assess the true cost. The actual plan seems to be to keep the banks semi-alive by implicitly guaranteeing their liabilities and dribbling in money as necessary, all the while proclaiming that they’re adequately capitalized — and hope that things turn up. It’s Japan all over again.

And the result will probably be a deeper, long-lasting crisis.

no no no, everything RIGHT NOW or we’ll hold our breath!

no wacking from my corner!

thanks, i’ll look for it. but seriously, it’s not just chomsky (who with herman, in manufacturing consent touched on related themes). respected by the Very Serious People, right wing imperialist huntington’s short essay in the crisis of democracy lays it out (which i see amazon has one used copy of for $99.99 – i got my copy about 6 years ago used from amazon for $12, although i’d had to wait almost a year).

Oh, those poor young conservative ostriches. It doesn’t seem to occur them that they could strike out on their own & maybe explore what is out there in the real world outside their insular comfort zone of handed out jobs from daddy’s/mommy’s connections & R politcal action groups. They seem to be sitting on their hands waiting instead of searching for jobs/careers doing something, anything different from what’s in their bubble.
I see the same behavior among young people in the small town work working class world who are too scared to leave what they are familiar with. They will choose not to take go to school or take a job in a far away state even if those are better opportunities for them & end up never straying far from the nest.

I understand that point of view, and it may prove to be correct. Still, we’re on untrodden ground, and I’m not much impressed by some of the statements that adamantly state an absolute knowledge of the correct solution. The approach may be timid, and it may be too late, but nothing can be done if public support is lost for all change by moves which are generally accepted as too drastic. It won’t matter what the truth is, if Obama’s loses momentum.

any evidence that he’s actually turning stuff back and not acting as the pawl?

from the ratchet effect:

The electoral ratchet permits movement only in the rightward direction. The Republican role is fairly clear; the Republicans apply the torque that rotates the thing rightward.

The Democrats’ role is a little less obvious. The Democrats are the pawl. They don’t resist the rightward movement — they let it happen — but whenever the rightward force slackens momentarily, for whatever reason, the Democrats click into place and keep the machine from rotating back to the left.

Here’s how it works. In every election year, the Democrats come and tell us that the country has moved to the right, and so the Democratic Party has to move right too in the name of realism and electability. Gotta keep these right-wing madmen out of the White House, no matter what it takes.

(Actually, they don’t say they’re going to move to the right; they say they’re going to move to the center. But of course it amounts to the same thing, if you’re supposed to be left of center. It’s the same direction of movement.)

So now the Democrats have moved to the “center.” But of course this has the effect of shifting the “center” farther to the right.

from obama’s daily kos diary (2005):

From traveling throughout Illinois and more recently around the country, I can tell you that Americans are suspicious of labels and suspicious of jargon. They don’t think George Bush is mean-spirited or prejudiced, but have become aware that his administration is irresponsible and often incompetent. They don’t think that corporations are inherently evil (a lot of them work in corporations), but they recognize that big business, unchecked, can fix the game to the detriment of working people and small entrepreneurs. They don’t think America is an imperialist brute, but are angry that the case to invade Iraq was exaggerated, are worried that we have unnecessarily alienated existing and potential allies around the world, and are ashamed by events like those at Abu Ghraib which violate our ideals as a country.

i don’t have answers. but there are somethings i’m pretty clear on:

1) obama is not telling us the truth (although he claims to be)
2) based on history of past acts, larry summers should not be allowed anywhere near gov. economic policy

because if dear leader says it, who are we to question?

you funny.

Young conservatives bemoan they cannot get a government job

Huh? There no such thing as a “government job.” The GOP told me so.

I doubt there is any evidence that you would recognize as legitimate. Some on the left suffer from the same ideological myopathy that those on the right exhibit.

why not try me first instead? i mean, then you’d have to put up your best evidence for all to see. do you have a case or not (regardless of what i think)?

btw, unsubstantiated statements about “some on the left” are just the kind of thing we criticize the M$M for.

I’d have bought one Joe’s books. In 20 years it is going to be worth millions, because there will be so few of them — a little like misprinted postage stamps that are scarce as hen’s teeth. Whoever bought them was looking to the long run.

Don’t waste your $$ The rarity scale is only true if something has intrinsic value ;>

Besides….. the Christains and Ann Coulter supporters will buy them all and catapult it onto the best seller lists anyway, so they’ll be plenty of ‘em around