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Forget raising the cap to $800 billion for Fannie/Freddie. They announce (on Christmas eve no less) that the slush fund for picking up toxic mortgage is unlimited:
Treasury uncaps credit line for Fannie, Freddie
The Obama administration pledged on Thursday to back beleaguered mortgage finance giant Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, no matter how big their losses may be in the next three years.
It also jettisoned a demand that the two companies cut the size of their mortgage-related investment portfolios next year, allowing them to provide even more support in the near term for a housing market recovering from its worst slump in decades.
As Ian Welsh notes, now that the Fed might actually be audited, what better place to stash all those toxic assets than at Fannie and Freddie, where there is no independent auditor since they sacked their own Inspector General?
And Rahm — well, he’s safe. From today’s gaggle on Air Force One with Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton:
Q Is Rahm going to keep his job despite Jane Hamsher and Grover Norquist?
MR. BURTON: I have the feeling that Rahm’s job is very safe.
What can you say, it got their attention.
So, you get to choose. You can give this a pass, bend logic like a pretzel, scream like a banshee and defend Rahm Emanuel, or you can say “enough” — this is just wrong.
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They need a slush fund for ballooning salaries for a whole range of folks.
After people hated the bailout so much, they decide to go ahead and give another one, only this time unlimited in amount. Do they want to push it to where the people demand an audit of every single part of the whole entire government? Neither the govt or the corps seem to have any sense of the lay low and see if you can get away with more later strategy. It scares me how in our faces they are with everything they are doing. I hope they are just stupid and it’s not that they know from their position that they don’t have to worry what any of us think about it.
Because the bankers didn’t get big enough bonuses this year for all their fine work.
Jane, This is all your fault. had you not told me, I would have never known.
Praise Obama Rahm for trying to keep the endless looting spree under wraps.
Please help me get to the Seminal.
I keep getting this message:
I’m using Firefox. How do I get around this problem? I’ve looked up the error message and am told I can’t do anything. The problem is with the site. Can you fix it?
GMTA.
Also, some fun estimate of America’s new exposure to loss. We are on the hook for anywhere from one hundred ten Billion dollars to “no matter how big their losses may be in the next three years.” Seems kind of a wide range, no?
What works for me (Mac, Firefox also) is clearing cookies and cache, under the Tools/Clear Recent History options on the toolbar.
clear out all your FDL cookies
clear your cache
reboot
you have my email — email me if you are still having trouble
Obamarama, Babee…! ;-)
It’s funny, on a previous thread on this subject the other day someone said something to the effect “Cue the shitstorm at the Great Orange Satan in 3, 2, 1…”, and boy was that prophetic. The Pods really took over that place, didn’t they?
Anyway, Jane, I’m behind you 100% on this. Damn it would be sweet to take Rahm out.
Dude see Suzanne 2 flights downs for help. Good luck. Merry Christmas.
WRONG! It’s WRONG WRONG WRONG!
OK, love to all you firepups. I gotta go and have some Christmas. We’re cookie baking, present wrapping giggly fools right now, and intend to stay so through tomorrow.
I hope all you folks holiday is at least half as nice as mine, cuase mine is just working out totally fantastic. I got my beloved old ones home and safe.
And we get to eat some mighty fine vittles!
Cheers to you and yours!
xo –
Kelly
Sorry.
I’m using FF. If you want to write a diary click on the link at the bottom of the box labeled “Seminal Reader Wire” on the right side of this page. If you just want to see what’s on Seminal click on the Seminal link at the top of the this page or this link.
Welcome to the Lake
Merry Christmas, Kelly and partner.
don’t apologize oldnslow — we always help out other pups around here (and contrary to public opinion, i’m not always here to lend a hand)
They announce (on Christmas eve no less) that the slush fund for picking up toxic mortgage is unlimited:
Love that Christmas eve news dump. Beats the hell outta the usual Friday approach.
Can there be anyone opposed to holding the statute of limitations? If so, please explain.
I think I’ll take Door Number Four.
Too bad Time selected its Person of the Year a bit too early. Jane, you would have looked great on that cover — and deserve it far more.
Merry Christmas, Kelly and everyone. I’m wrapping gifts tonight and MiniRieszette is coming over tomorrow for some turkee.
Does this work?
http://firedoglake.com/wp-login.php/?action=register&redirect=http://firedoglake.com/
“More than being merely different from the nation’s founding principles of popular government and common good, and absent from its founding documents, capitalism is opposed to those core precepts. Its key characteristics include:
* a consistent drive towards a greater concentration of wealth and power
* a constant and unequal battle between the wealth of the capitalist few and the income, security, autonomy, health, and sanity of the working class many
* the relentless subordination of the majority populace to employee status (wage- and salary-slavery)
* the authoritarian and hierarchical division, command, and stultification of the human work process
* the contingency of employment on profitable exploitation by business firms
* the soulless, dehumanizing hegemony of exchange value over social and human use value
* a relentless, profit-addicted, “cost-externalizing” business assault on livable ecology
* the private ownership and propagandistic, pro-capitalist management of core opinion-forming, population-controlling, and “reality”-distorting cultural and communications sectors
* wildly disproportionate political influence for the capitalist elite, with much of its surplus pooled and protected in giant, corporations whose directors are legally mandated to privilege investor profit over any and all other concerns
None of these and other core characteristics of the modern profit system can be meaningfully reconciled with the pre-capitalist republicanism of the founders or with modern democratic ideals. The last thing any Administration claiming to represent “We the People” in a democracy should be doing is acting to save the capitalist system—a system which threatens to bring the human experiment to a close sooner than many had imagined.”
http://www.zmag.org/zmag/viewArticle/23263
If that fails, about 1/2 can of WD-40 should get the job done. Maybe some duct tape to keep any of the lubricant from leaking out once it’s applied.
I’m just here to help…
We need more ham!
Well… at least we know Mr. Burton’s job is safe for a while.
Mele Kalikimaka, Kelly…! ;-)
In case anyone missed it when I said it earlier, this was mentioned on Fox a little less than an hour ago. They said Jane’s name and put it on the screen a couple of times with the letter, and said the White House hasn’t responded yet, but that they’re working on getting it. I’m also wondering why they and others in the media aren’t getting a response from the AG and Justice.
In related news, duel citezen/IDF volunteer Rahmbo wants to take away the 2nd amendment rights of anybody who is “Maybe a Possible terrorist.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRHNy30UlE4
Not that he supports a wildly unpopular corporate agenda or anything…
Well, Friday this week is a holiday, and everyone is going to be elsewhere, partying (or sleeping, if they have kids). So it had to be on Thursday.
Doesn’t improve matters any, though. You’d think they’d have a clue about how many people have pitchforks and are willing to go to DC to show them off.
Are Keith, Rachel & Ed on MSNBC today? Or not, ’cause of Christmas Eve?
Probably the only place to hear about this story. And I hope I see your smiling face on at least one of those shows, Jane.
Merry Christmas, all. And ["also"] every other holiday as well.
(and contrary to public opinion, i’m not always here to lend a hand)
*gasp* Yer not…? ;-)
Wow, Jane, they know your name! I guess your quest for personal fame is accomplished! /kosbot
I guess it’s that socialism for the rich…looking out for one’s brother. Nice.
Bahaha.
Wouldn’t computers be SO much better if all they required was duct tape & WD-40?
Oh, and a hammer!
I’ve always wondered but never seen proof of dual citizenship. Do you have proof?
Now I’m disillusioned. I get up every week day morning at 3:30 central and read the Late Late Night. I function on the belief that you are the glue of the entire FDL. *g*
Merry Christmas!
more like the gluehorse (laughing)
i gotta say the place sure does look different in the daytime *putting on mirrored sunglasses*
Grover Norquist??? Really??
Jane I usually support your arguments. This time, not so much. You are thinking too small, your issue is not worth what you are giving up (your good reputation).
You would be better to fight this thing by yourself, stay the hell away from this turkey.
Hit any key…
This story just keeps getting better, doesn’t it?
For those celebrating Christmas, have a good one. Everyone else have a good Friday.
The Senate got their present already.
*heh* I’ve just gotta save that one for posterity’s sake…! ;-)
As I was just saying to someone in another thread. This is generally how most people respond to the news that the Treasury is going to dump unlimited funds into Fannie and Freddie. From Calculated Risk’s post:
http://www.hoocoodanode.org/node/8702
If the responses you’re seeing don’t look something like this, you should ask yourself if your community has “lost the plot.”
Well, there’s always the Seminal: http://firedoglake.com/wp-login.php/?action=register&redirect=http://firedoglake.com/
You’re talking about people who are fighting against an investigation of the banks. I care about their “good opinion”…hmmm, let me see…about equal to the percentage of the population they represent.
Rahm did serve some time in Israel’s IDF or Health service… I’m not sure which one because it’s been obfuscated…! ;-)
I think poor Markos is getting stuck with all the pretzel-loving logic benders and people who scream like banshees and whose love for Rahm exceeds all reason.
Jane wrote in an earlier post:
There’s something rotten in the state of Denmark, indeed.
Thank God for Firedoglake!
Let me share a bit of a comment I wrote earlier in response to someone calling me a hack for the Obama’s “Mission Accomplished” Moment post:
(Can ya tell I was a little upset when I wrote that?)
Very good post it was, too.
Lemme see if I can sneak this in afore the mods catch it.
Hey, thanks for the response.
In answer… I am saying, pick your fights!
This one was unwinnable anyway so it would probably be better to oppose it solo and lose rather than oppose it with Norquist and lose anyway but this time your rep gets tattered as well. Did this make sense?
anyway, just sayin
Obama offers a large government intent on degrading the wealth of the American workers, Grover, wants to degrade the government instead.
From where I stand, Obama makes Grover seem outright Saintly.
Attack, attack, attack. Fuckery is fuckery. Are we finally getting this?
No, half of us have the vapors.
Fantastic….thanks. B
There’s something rotten in the state of Denmark, indeed.
De Ja Vu…! All over again… Even…! ;-)
Thanks. Sent a thank you for the image. Hope you saw it.
The other half is clutching their pearls…! ;-)
ROTFLLLLMAO. Looks just like my Double Stuf Oreo Kitty!
Sorry, I’m a little slow, on account of the alcohol. Who’s the Great Satan today? Bernie Sanders- Corporate Whore? Pres. Obama- Betrayer of Innocents? Rahmbo- Wellspring of All Evil? Your getting attention, all right. Kind of like the the alchy uncle who shows up late, gets way too drunk, and tells the same joke 10 times before passing out and pissing himself on the living room couch. Seriously, Jane, what’s behind this Jihad? Everyone who didn’t just fall off an apple-cart has known Rahm is a crooked pol for years. The suddeness and vehemence of these attacks are starting to look like a personal thing? Did Rahm cuss you out at some press event? Not get a phone call returned? I’m all for fighting corruption. But, and I’m just spitballing here, if you’re so pissed at the Administration, why aren’t you calling for Obama’s resignation? Why just Rahm? Will dirty deals cease to be done once Rahmbo gets booted?
Seriously, Grover Frakkin’ Norquist? You couldn’t find a somewhat-less slime-covered Republican to hook up with?
It’s your call, Jane, but like I said yesterday, I hope you’ve got the belly for it. Maybe you’re just standing up for your principles, but I hafta tell you, I’m getting a whiff of that old PUMA-ish scent in the air…
Tainted by whom, the Looting Spree Glee Club?
Just a drive by, we’re going to my son’s house for Christmas Eve dinner & festivities with the grandkids. Jane, wishing you a very Merry Christmas. ES, Suz, Teddy, SD, CT and all, have a Merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah, whatever you choose to celebrate. See ya later!
Best Christmas gift of the year right here.
“I’ve always wondered but never seen proof of dual citizenship. Do you have proof?”
No proof, although his office supposedly refused to deny that he was a dual citizen when asked by American Free Press:
http://www.google.com/#hl=en&q=rahm+emanuel+dual+citizen+israel+AFP&aq=f&aqi=&oq=rahm+emanuel+dual+citizen+israel+AFP&fp=cbc2f75bf9d43a8f
You can lose your citizenship if you volunteer for a foreign army, but not in all cases.
Dennis Ross is known as “Israel’s lawyer.” Rahm has said that he would “carry Ross’ baggage anywhere he wants to go.”
Rahm helped place “Israel’s lawyer” in charge of Mid-East policy in the NSC, with an office right down the hall from Rahm.
I don’t know if that makes Rahm Israel’s paralegal, Israel’s bellhop, or Israel’s American ambassador.
Whatever you want to call it, this is not somebody who should be in the position to arbitrarily take away the 2nd Amendment rights of Americans, and it’s appropriate to ask why this powerful adviser of questionable loyalty would want to take away the constitutional rights of Americans without due process.
So what do you think of the fact that the White House just gave itself the right to pump unlimited cash into an entity with no oversight?
Because that’s what most people are thinking about when they read this news. They wouldn’t know what you were talking about, drunk or not.
Aloha and Mele Kalikimaka…! *g*
So what do you think of the fact that the White House just gave itself the right to pump unlimited cash into an entity with no oversight?
De Ja Vu…? (ducking…)
‘Cause we is in charge…..
Hah!
INCOMING…
So Fannie and Freddie are gonna pay pennies on the dollar for these toxic assets, right? Right, when trolls fly.
During Bush’s second term, even most of his own base started to see that he was a failure. Too bad it took his base so long to realize the obvious. Why did it take them so long?
We, on the other hand, see what way too many in Obama’s base aren’t ready to see yet.
How can anyone seriously support any president as he pulls tom-fuckery on the American people? I’d be more than happy if Obama were to fight for the common good and the best interests of the American people. But he’s not. Till he changes course – and till others in his base see that he’s screwing around for all the wrong reasons and screwing us all over in the process – I’ll speak out against him.
Call me PUMA. Call me Firebagger. Call me the last true Progressive standing.
*fistbump* *g*
Happy Festivus Jane, Suzanne, everyone
Don’t say t.r.o.l.l.
Damn, late to the party again, so in response to the post:
Way to go Mz. Hamsher, deeper and deeper into this abyss we go . . . and the slithering slimy shit hates the light you shine.
I’m just wowed . . . and even Ian Welsh is in on this! wOOt!
Ok, to comments . . . uh, and BTW, Slainte Mhath Pups!
Well, those are two options among many.
*hugs* Mele Kalikimaka, M’dear and give the poodlz some scratches from Hawaii…! *g*
An actual, unlimited blank check written by the US government. Wow.
So, what amount of money will finally upset people? 400 billion isn’t enough, clearly. 4 trillion? 40 trillion? Should we just hand entire states over to Fannie and Freddie in lieu of cash?
Festivus for the rest of us?
Have you heard that some crazy person knocked the pope down?
The Five Stages of Personality Cult Withdrawal:
1-Denial-”this can’t be happening to me”,
2-Anger-”why me?”, feelings of wanting to fight back or get even
3-Bargaining-bargaining often takes place before the loss. Attempting to make deals with the spouse who is leaving, or attempting to make deals with God to stop or change the loss. Begging, wishing, praying for them to come back.
4-Depression-overwhelming feelings of hopelessness, frustration, bitterness, self pity, mourning loss of person as well as the hopes, dreams and plans for the future. Feeling lack of control, feeling numb.
5-Acceptance-there is a difference between resignation and acceptance. You have to accept the loss, not just try to bear it quietly.
how about b-i-n-g-o?
Say what?
“The U.S. spends more for war annually than all state governments combined spend for the health, education, welfare, and safety of 308 million Americans.”
Wouldn’t object to drowning that part of the U.S.Gov. in the bathtub at all!
Thought rahm was making policy. He gets revenge on his enemies like kkkarl. They kind of remind me of each other. Arrogant thugs.
Guess he showed you who is the boss Jane. He and DKos.
Wow, there goes the dollar.
Don’t say t.r.o.l.l. They mostly come out at night. Mostly.
Somebody here turned me on to this one.
They are penny pinchers with anything that will help US. But when it comes to the cronies..the sky is the limit.
So like gbush.
This is starting to add up to Massacio’s posts about the overextended ‘goodwill’ the private healthcare insurers and medical healthcare industry have on their books . . .
And it’s sounding like SOMEONE knows the books of Fannie and Freddie are cooked, and about to burn.
Hence, this bail out en advance so they can suck up MORE toxic debts . . . . and . . . and . . well, I’m lost a bit here, but there are patterns emerging all OVER the phookin place that all seem to have the same, pattern, and are all tied to Wall Street . . . and cooked books.
Wowser!
So are the ACLU, Campaign for America’s Future, and People for the American Way “too small”, too? Because they’ve all been working with Grover much longer than Jane has.
By the way, know who hates Grover Norquist besides you? Michelle Malkin — and it’s precisely because of his outreach to groups like Campaign for America’s Future and people like Jane:
Nice to see you in bed with Michelle Malkin, balzar. ;-)
heh the place has been infested with ‘em for days. Only the diehards are left.
Yeppers… What is it with those Italians… First, Berlusconi, now the Pope… At Midnight Mass on Xmas eve….!
BINGO!
Did any of you true blue progressives give Karl Rove a blowjob today to show the nation how much you hate the Democrats? Just wondering…
I had the same problem a week ago, I’m a MAC user.
I NEVER had any problems accessing a site unless it was down.
But at the insistence and persistence of Suz, Goddess Of LLN, I finally found my command for empty cache and reset Firefox, and viola, it woiked fine.
Just reset your browser or its cache . . . it works.
The site’s fine . .
You sound so Kos like. Attack the messenger. Stomp the victim . They don’t even like Cindy Shaheen.
But they do like obamarahm.
Both “mentally disturbed.” Hmmmm, smells fishy.
*waving to Jane Lieberman*
I don’t think we want to give any semblance, whatsoever, of the degree of the common cause we share Grover.
A large portion of California’s present difficulties can be deposited at his feet.
I think it probably has more to do with keeping people in their houses than it does with creating some nefarious slush-fund. If you were going to create something like that, would you be quite so public about it? Yes, Rahm is a scumbag. Yes, Pres. Obama is somewhat less pure than the driven snow. Yes, the US government is a Ponzi scheme. These things have been true for some time now. My questions remains: Why now? Why these particular targets? I can’t help but think that the logical conclusion of your recent efforts is the impeachment of President Obama. Even if that’s not your ultimate goal, I assure you that that is what Grover & Co. are aiming at. Having a genuine Liberal as an ally gives these guys someone to point to when the cries of “political witch-hunt” start to rise above the general din. You are entirely too smart not to know this.
I still love you. I still think you have cool hair. But, you’re starting to freak me out a little bit, because I’m not sure I understand what endgame your aiming for with this. If it’s a good faith attempt to get rid of a bad actor, cool. It’s sure not looking like that to me, though.
Many Kossaks are in the middle of stage 2, obviously.
One possible problem is that many Bush cultists never overcame their condition, and media outlets were able to steer their anger away from Bush, even after Bush left office.
I’d imagine there are some Obamabots who will always blame others for his failures, even after he goes on the corporate lecture tour in 3 or 7 years.
I suppose doing what we can to minimize the opportunity for the redirection of rage would make sense in a situation like we find ourselves in.
I say this as somebody who supported Obama since his (pre-approved) debut speech in ’04.
The left is definitely being targeted for dividing and conquering right now.
Hopefully we can reach out to Obamabots, Libertarians, and even a rare Tea Bagger to form a coalition based on principle, democracy, and sovereignty.
It’s an uphill battle.
I have a question for Ian Welsh: When the Fed’s audited, won’t the records from Christmases past also be reviewed? I don’t understand how hiding toxic assets going forward will change the records from 2008 or 2009.
Damn, gone and no one to play with now . . . *sniff*
What’s their gripe with Cindy? She’s got an online show, must have been badmouthin’ Obama. They fuck with Cindy she’ll be on ‘em like white on rice.
You really are desperate for attention, aren’t you?
Ah yes, I see you are continuing your longstanding tendency of proving the drain on the brain occurs mainly in Maine.
Why vote for Obamacare, when Romneycare is just as ducky, and an original to boot?
Allow me to check that info out PM, thank you.
As for Michelle Malkin, don’t you try to pin that association on me, you know how dishonest that type of reasoning is.
No, I am repulsed what I have seen of Grover Norquist, lets just leave old MM out of it, I put her and Norquist in the same bin btw.
Have a nice Xmas
laters
Be fair, bmaz. Mainers have to deal with vampires, werewolves, alien invasions, giant mold monsters, mutated rats, rabid bats (and St. Bernards), more vampires (with light aircraft), Lovecraftian cults, giant hypnotic spiders, pyrokinetics at the prom and Ancient Indian Burial Grounds.
Or so Stephen King tells me.
So we should probably cut them some slack.
Hey Yogi, tell me more about Whitey Ford and The Mic beaver hunting and pounding Budweisers from their hotel rooms?
Ouch Jane,
I admire your courage but you are going to get sliced and diced by the administration for this one. The Chicago way of doing things is effective, but not pleasant.
I am wishing you the best, it is good work!
I love to repeat myself
There once were these creatures called trolls
who some thought were anonymous moles
After reading their posts
I think that at most
These trolls are really assholes
Yes, you got attention. Sigh.
The situation with the GSEs is a bit more complicated than you’re painting it. But who cares about that? Rahm a bad man!
Actually, no. This has nothing to do with keeping people in their houses, it’s about keeping home values high and interest rates low, which helps support the banks, and keeps property taxes from falling. But it kills the value of the dollar, so you pay more for food, gas, and housing, and property taxes. Plus you’re on the hook for the bad loans now, all of them forever. Sorry you voted for Obama yet?
Having benefited from that excess largesse to the DoD, within the past 20-5 yrs’ I won’t object to ‘drowning’ that branch…! ;-)
The White House is getting questioned about this issue left and right, literally. All I’ve seen is them trying to duck and cover.
Come Monday morning, Gibbs will be asked about this raising the cap for Fannie/Freddie to “unlimited,” and the next question will be about Jane Hamsher.
If he ducks, it’ll be the next question and the next question until the White House answers. That’s when the fun begins.
Giving Fannie and Freddie unlimited funds has nothing to do with keeping people in their houses, and if your argument is “you’re trying to impeach Obama” that’s just over the top.
If you’d like to make the argument that Fannie and Freddie don’t need an Inspector General, or there was any need to pump all this money into them, you’re welcome to make it.
That all the jive ass bullshit ya got?
And I mean that in all the sense of attacking the message, and not the messenger.
Cuz that’s some lame assed run on non fact based pure jive shit.
Just sayin, and thanks for sharin it too.
Ouch.
‘Tough On Trolls’
Question is, who’s keeping track of Wall Street, what the Street is playin, against or for these toxics, and what’s the upside and downside of any derivatives . . . who’s short sellin? Who’s taking out insurance FOR the fail of these toxics? What’s the bubble to be burst from all of this?
Deeper and deeper the Wall takes us into Mordor.
Ok all…clearing the history worked. I can now get to the Seminal.
Thanks Suzanne et al.
This really is a disastrously desperate move. Madness.
With dual citizen Likudists Joe Lieberman and Rahm Emmanuel weilding such great power, we are a proxy state to Israel.
Israel has many good citizens who are not Likudists, I have no quarrel with them or any Jewish people.
Rahm and Lieberman will soon unleash American Military force against Iran.
I thought Dubya would be the one to do it. Its gonna be Obama.
I’m waiting patiently to short.
Fuck the pope, and the vatican.
No, really.
Last I heard, the 40,000 committed recently are it. We’re out of soldiers.
Which part? Disastrous for whom?
If you wanna go to the sexual innuendo gal, lemme know, cuz I got some doozy shit to lay on ya.
If not, play nice or go back to your own blog where you don’t get comments.
Or try and partner with Michelle Malkin, I hear SHE’S lookin for some kitty to partner with.
But you come here slinging shit some more, and I promise yer gonna get an earfull from me . . . .
Aww, that was sweet! Yes, I’m an asshole. No, I’m not a troll, I’m just old enough to remember how the last Dem President got fucked up (ok, the blowjob didn’t help his case). The Repubs howled and flung shit from Day One, but the Impeachment Express didn’t really get going until a few influential Democrat/Liberals got on board. I don’t disagree with Jane about the shadiness of this financial “rescue”, be it TARP or Freddie/Fannie. I just find it kinda odd that she woke up one morning and decided to make common cause with a group of people who would otherwise cheerfully slit her throat. It looks personal, is what I’m saying, and however pure Jane’s motives may be, a lot of really nasty people are going to get a lot of mileage out of this. It might even work, for all I know. It might push Pres. Obama to the Left, and force him to shore up his Base. I’d sure as hell like to see some people in federal prison, or at least out of government, but I seriously doubt that this tactic will accomplish that.
“So what do you think of the fact that the White House just gave itself the right to pump unlimited cash into an entity with no oversight?”
What oversight is there over all the cash donations that have been pumped into FDL and its projects?
Inquiring minds want to know. Legal ones, even.
Theoretically F&F should buy the shit for pennies on the dollar. Some they could make money on, most not. But at par that shit is just gonna burn through our tax dollars and no way to recoup the losses.
Out of Iraq and into Iran. Drones, Contractors (Blackwater), Airstrikes.
Where there is a will, there is a way. Rahm and Lieberman are more
powerfulwillful than Obama.Disastrous for us, Bernanke’s been fighting deflation with every tool in the box, and losing. He’s out of tools. Now the Administration is guaranteeing all mortage debt, past, present and future. The solvency of the United States now relies on you and I continuously borrowing more and more money, and paying it off. Can’t be done.
Hehe, not yet. If McSame & the Wasilla Killa had gotten the job, we’d be at war with, well, everybody right now, and our economy would on the Canned Food & Antibiotics Standard. I think Hillary would have been tougher about some things (she’d have fought harder on HCR, fer sure), but even in that case, Rahm would still be WHCoS, and we’d still have the same mess BushCo left us with. It’s a gigantic shit-sandwich, I agree, but if the choice is shit-sandwich or eating your own, I’ll take the sandwich.
So you meant raising the cap for Fannie/Freddie to “unlimited” is disastrous for the country?
“Fresh trolls roasting on an open fire.
Jack Daniels nippin at your nose.
Pool tide mire, sunk by the fire.
And folks dressed up like the neo ho’s.
Every one is a turkey, and sometimes missing toes.
They help to make, all of us right.
Tiny thoughts, with eyes aglow.
They never sleep at night.
They KNOW their shit is all hay.
Loaded with junk, all the way.
In their mother’s basements they decry.
To see if they can make us cry.
So I offer this simple phrase.
To troll and all to 92.
Although it’s been said, many times, many ways.
All your bridges are missing you. ”
Thank ya, thank ya, be here all week, veal pen, butter sauces, lobster and crab and prime rib.
Yeah. Oh, yeah.
Slainte Mhath!
*slidesdramglassdowntopups*
Yes. Doesn’t it sound disastrous? And all so the banks don’t have to take their losses. Heartwarming.
I wasn’t arguing that you were trying to do any such thing. I WAS arguing that that is absolutely what the Republicans would love to do, & that having you and your reputation as a fig leaf is just icing on the cake for them. You have actual principles, and I believe you’re arguing in good faith. Your new friends have none, and they’d argue that the sky is purple if they thought they could get a few votes out of it.
I’m no expert, but you probably need to update your windows or your java or your firerox. If all three are updated, it’ll probably work. When something is not supported, something else is out of date.
Who and what? *G*
Huh? Was that english? And it’s “jive-ass turkey”, youngster. Fuckin’ kids have no respect for the classics these days…
As Obama props up Fannie Mac with unlimited funding, he is planting the seeds for the privatization of the US Postal Service.
The US Post Office (losing money) can borrow a limited amount of Federal money. It has borrowed the limit.
UPS might want the biz. But there are those pesky rural customers. (Hey Redstaters – you want any mail delivery?)
This news story was reported on NPR this morning.
So Really Unnecessary…
It’s gonna be the final bubble that takes us all out and down . . .
Piles and piles of toxic derivatives bailed out to be resold and rebundled, hedged against, hedged for (not much), and in the end, like the overpricing of ‘goodwill’, what collapses with no hope to save.
But hey, I got two months of salt and some canned goods and bottled water.
A fishin line.
If I had a shot gun and bow and arrow, I’d quote Charlie Daniels about “A Country Boy Can Survive”, but I hate that misogynist racist mother fucker as much as I used to love his music.
And that’s ANOTHER story, for another time.
Thanks for being who you is, and sleeping in yer tree with one eye open for all of us, as dragons are wont to do.
mofo.
It does sound disastrous, indeed! I wasn’t sure which part of my comment @ 111 you were talking about. All clear! Thanks.
Ok, I’ll bite here . . .
I’m terrified and horrified that the USA might still consider striking and invading Iran.
1) Because it will be ISRAEL that forced us to do so.
2) Because it will the end of the world as we know it.
3) It will shut down the entire Straits Of Hormuz.
4) It will stop world oil supplies dead in their tracks.
5) It will cripple the world’s economy, destroy it.
6) And it will force the hands of Russia/China, and others.
7) Nukes will loose, and it’s end times, if we invade Iran
Oh, and Israel will be obliterated, wiped off the map.
By the Islamist backlash, be it immediate or shortly after.
Qui bono for all this shit?
Now tell me, Pups, who wants this end game?
Huh? Please, I’m very very anti pope and anti vatican in terms of consolidation of power, acquisition of wealth, leverage of power, and control of women’s rights and more, for their entire tenure.
Sorry, NOT unwarranted.
Oh, and I’m pretty much anti all forms of organized faith, as they tend to consolidate power, control and demand the fruits of the labors of their constituents in order to wield their power and control over their ‘constituents’.
Sorry, Rev . . . love ya like a regular, but come religion we part ways of reasonings.
Thank you! See, Larue? That’s how you do late-70s profanity.
“Honky” works, too, though I realize there’s no way you could know my skin color. I believe “jive-ass mofo” also works.
You continue to kill me . . . . and all sane and reasonable people.
In the AP Style Book, you’ll find my spelling referent.
Good luck with your shill.
Is that hypnehated? I’m off track a bit, but AP Stylebook should help us, no?
*G*
-L.
Updated slang.
Being Anti-pope is not much of excuse for celebrating that some mental case attacks him on Christmas eve, nothing to do with dogma.
I’m not much caring about what happened to the Pope, my dogma precludes my kharma from being caring about that stuff.
Larue, did someone attack the Pope today?
Ball o’ string (I like sail twine) and a good knife’s all ya need, 2 is better. Met Charlie Daniels once when he came down here to look at our little beach bar that had closed and was for sale. World class asshole.
Truly, this is a time when I wish I could take Christmas literally.
If I was able to take Christmas literally, I would believe in God.
And if I believed in God I would believe in Devine Justice.
And if I believed in Devine Justice, I would know that somewhere, somehow God would balance the scales and all the rich and powerful who make life a living hell for all the poor and powerless, would have to answer for their despicable crimes against humanity.
But it doesn’t work that way [not in my head] and the outrage always revolves around knowing how these bastards will get away with what they do.
Indeed, some of them are even able to convince themselves that in fucking over the rest of us they are in fact doing God’s work.
I think that is what Colonel Walter Kurtz was broaching in affixing “the horror, the horror” to the world he saw around him.
Oh, and he also had a rather apt description of Rahm Emanuel too:
“You’re an errand boy, sent by grocery clerks to collect a bill”
You know, for the Big Buckmeister shot callers on Wall Street.
I have no idea, nor do I care . . . but if they did, well . . . I think I’ve said MY piece about the Pope, and the vatican.
And sadly, at one point, his music was teh rockingist of it all.
Case in point, Birmingham Blues
Alas.
You have, indeed.
Unmistakable Dickey Betts. Awesome track, new to me.
Larue, it’s true, what you said to
me tonight: we do unite
to ignite the blight that is
Koro-ite.
Public Enemy?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4El84UIU4Q
I’ve the studio vinyl that came off of, forget what it’s called.
It’s great.
Used to LOVE Charlie Daniels.
N then, he went and got religion.
And his misogynist, racist and evil ways came out in public.
Lost me.
Of course you do.
Thanks I guess . . . *sheepish*
I just liked taking the song and trying to mock it up for a verse or two . .
It was fun word play, but I’m not a master at it . . . ;-)
Played the hell out of it in the mid 70′s . . . over and over.
Not braggin, just where my thoughts come from the past.
I did that to a few. I will never forgive myself for over-paying and ruining a collectors, signed copy of Sticky Fingers. With zipper.
Moonlight Mile?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNtZOBhV5SQ
Yeah…
I just shopped with iPod attached – the hoards, you know. Listened to all of it. If I stay away from it in spells, it always comes back as my favorite Stones.
*as larue faints dead away ’cause their older stuff is his taste*
I fell back in love with Sway again today.
“…a lot of really nasty people are going to get a lot of mileage
of it”
You prime among them. You should shut up and listen and learn for a good while.
I am done with you.
Nice. Thanks.
Thank you.
“Now tell me, Pups, who wants this end game?”
Rahm Sez:
“You never want a serious crisis to go to waste. And what I mean by that is it’s an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mzcbXi1Tkk
The economic collapse and destabilization of the world that would result from an attack on Iran would enable those who planned it to consolidate power, enact Patriot Act II, detain anybody critical of the establishment, and otherwise close down open societies.
Naomi Wolf: Fascism in America in 10 easy steps:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/apr/24/usa.comment
1. Invoke a terrifying internal and external enemy
2. Create a gulag
3. Develop a thug caste
4. Set up an internal surveillance system
5. Harass citizens’ groups
6. Engage in arbitrary detention and release
7. Target key individuals
8. Control the press
9. Dissent equals treason
10. Suspend the rule of law
Elections are but an annoyance.
“I am done with you.”
I should be so lucky…anyways, sorry if I disagreed with someone you agreed with, or whatever. If you want to play Sancho while Jane tilts at windmills, I can’t stop you.
Btw, it should probably be “Kordo-ite”. It rhymes better, and it’s actually how you spell my name.
I’m going to bed now. Merry Whatever-Holiday-You-Celebrate.
Jane<
Yout case against Emanuel holding his current post lies primarily on the illegalities you allege but also on his influence in shaping the nefarious HCR that awaits the public. Why not just say as much, there is no reason for you to deny it and it is a perfecly valid position for you to take.
Why act as if your reasons for his dimaissal have to be disguised. Even if his alleged illegalities do disqualify him from his current office, so too does hie carrying water for private interests have the same effect.
There is nothing dishonorable in noting that Emanuel is not only an alleged thief but he is also a detrimental influence in the shaping of domestic policy. It is perfectly fine and cosistent to take that position.
asking for this clown to be thrown out of office for multiple reasons is not an honrable positin to take.
Dear Jane,
I called in to Scott Horton’s show at kaos Austin, Texas and antiwarradio.com and we discussed Rahm and Ezekiel Emanuel, the Democratic “liberals” and elections as well as the one-party state. I’d be happy to send you the audio of the show. We talked about total corruption of the government and the two-party system. Scott Horton agreed with my take on Rahm Emanuel as well.
Jane, I thought of the whole time I was speaking to Scott Horton today. Cindy Sheehan was also talked about by myself and Scott Horton and his other guest.
Thanks.
omg — from the Wall Street Journal:
This is the Bendover-And-Tax-It-Taxpayer part of the program.
This latest news is horrifying. Releasing it on Christmas Eve is way too clever by half, however, and may cause more people to take a closer look at the mega-theft. So similar to the health care thing, a massive transfer of wealth from the taxpayers to the financial institutions.
The corruption is so obvious now, I think something will shift. They are grabbing everything they can. The hope is to keep the bubble economy going long enough to kick all the problems past 2012. I don’t think that’s going to work, however. The White House has assumed the right to print as much money as it wants to give to its friends, but its friends are bankrupt (Fannie, Freddie, etc.). This will not end well.
I doubt most people will understand the signifance of this event right away, but many commenters at Calculated Risk called it “breathtaking.” The administration is willing to take the risk of crashing the dollar later just to stay in power now, but I wonder if the rest of the world won’t just speed up the timetable.
They’ll just scurry away to the Mediterranean after the ship sinks.
The patriotism of profit-obsessed billionaires with private jets and homes in various countries cannot be taken for granted in a globalized, “flat” world.
[Note: comment written Thu, Dec 24 2009 06:32:43 PM, pending receipt of e-mail registration confirmation. Maybe Santa's bringing it later.]
Happy Holidays, Jane!
I was picking over comments dregs at Salon, and started seeing references to the effect that Jane Hamsher has gone plumb loco and wandered clear off the reservation…
I just had to see what the fuss was about. So as soon as I finished douching my brain in bleach to erase the image of you and Grover Norquist in bed together, I reviewed this article.
Good work. Go for it!
I just registered in order to send this, but I see you have “anti-semite” trolls here too. “Wild speculation in the absence of information is the mark of conspiracy thinking.” On the other hand, hurling pre-emptive accusative thunderbolts with artificial High Dudgeon from a bogus moral high ground is always safe and respectable.
Aside from the specifics of Rahm’s unsavory tenure and influence on Fannie/Freddie, it’s obvious that the Obama maladministration is polarizing the “left”; I add the ironic quotes because I use the problematic term out of convenience.
Polarizing the left, polarizing the progressives, whatever.
I abandoned dKos years ago, when it became regimented– reorganized, I mean– to a point where it felt like taking shore leave on the planet Vulcan. It may be Amok Time there now, but it’s still too much like Vulcan.
The No Insurer Left Behind abomination, even more than the imperialist warmongering, has ratcheted up the question of whether one remains deferential and conciliatory toward Team Obama, or whether one considers the present maladministration inimical to the Constitution and civil liberties, the rule of law, unequivocal rejection of hyper-predatory capitalism, militarism and imperialism– and last but not least, the interests and prosperity of ordinary citizens, aka “the general welfare”.
I don’t want to put characterizations in your mouth, but my first impression is that you are, er, in the process of radicalizing. I think that’s a GOOD thing, so of course I welcome it!
I see it as a big improvement over the Switzerland Mode, i.e. fence-sitting, in which some leftish commenters remain. Or the submissive, even pusillanimous, Sensible progressive position of staying stuck in Half-Full Mode through assiduous cognitive dissonance.
So keep up the good work! You wouldn’t be catching such a shitstorm of frenzied snarling and bleating if you weren’t spooking the calves!