This is the week that was. Just phenomenal. From the campaign gaffes to the Wall Street melt-down.
As today's New York Times says---the sound of the bubble bursting. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/weekinreview/21leonhardt.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper&oref=slogin
I've long subscribed to the theory that when a country/economic entity begins to make money by making money, i.e., letting the financial sector become dominant over the manufacturing or other sectors of the economy, decline results. The dotcom correction, the housing bubble, the trade deficit, and now the latest financial snafus illustrate this. I wonder how many people with money in various funds, saving for their retirement, can define financial derivatives, cdo's, tranches, hedge funds, or the myriad other "financial products" they are involved with, wittingly or not. Let alone understand them. And now the government is going to spend something like $700BILLION to $1TRILLION to buy these tarnished "investment instruments". That's OUR money!!!!! If the Federal Government can raise this money for the purpose of rescuing financiers-turned-gamblers it can certainly raise this sum to fully fund the Social Security endowment and Medicare so poor working people don't have to trust their retirement savings to those same gamblers, which is what the privatization of Social Security is. I believe the money would be better spent in this way and in reimbursing small investors for their losses thanks to the financial mismanagement of their investments by these same gamblers. John McCain has voted to privatise Social Security. He still believes in this. I'm sure Sarahcuda has some canned response along the same lines.
I live in a region of the country where "NOBAMA08" bumper stickers significantly outnumber the ones that read "IF YOU ARE NOT OUTRAGED YOU ARE NOT PAYING ATTENTION." Perhaps this week will get more of these people to pay attention.
Showing posts with label Barrack. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Barrack. Show all posts
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Equal Time
First, a word about comments. I moderate the comments on this blog. I try to be fair and reasonable and I hope that readers who honor this blog with comments do so in the spirit of the blog--open discussion, expanding the mind, and a little fun. So I don't allow comments from "Anonymous" to appear. I've had a couple from this moniker and they were personal attacks like you're an eastern liberal and why don't you move back there. I welcome and encourage comments on any post but please keep them in the spirit of the blog. Even if you don't agree with something that appears, present your arguments. I pledge to try to be fair and as impartial as I can be when moderating comments. And the Pirate Dogs promise too.....
About the Republican convention--I found I was glad I had a mute button. Sarah Palin was impressive in front of the microphones. But I got sort of bored by the rest of the speakers. From Mitt complaining about "liberal Washington"(!!!!?!!!?!!) to Rudy's almost-imitation of a hockey mom (pitbull, no lipstick) to the endless paeans to John McCain's bravery and maverick credentials--my father was a hero in WWII and he was not qualified to run for president. There was so much about patriotism, strength under the duress of torture, and maverick tendencies that I almost thought they weren't going to nominate McCain but had switched to Mel Gibson, who played all those roles (lead character in The Patriot, tortured in Braveheart, and the inimitable "the name is Brett" Maverick). Then I remembered he was born in Australia, so they must have been talking about McCain.
I have always respected John McCain, his service in the Navy and the Senate. I think I even wrote in his name on my ballot in 2000. But he wasn't a ship captain or exec, he was a fighter pilot. This plays well with his maverick identity but not his leadership as an officer. That experience was negligible in that he didn't have command responsibilities like Ike or JFK. His votes over the last year against the environment, against the prohibition of torture, against the new GI Bill, and for the misguided efforts in Iraq have eroded this respect and, for me, raised doubts about the very independence he so promotes. As for Sarahcuda, I hope I soon hear what she thinks rather than the same canned sound bites from the convention she has so far uttered at every whistle stop. And I don't think it's sexist to want answers to her feelings on God and government, or the internet rumor that her son only joined the army because the other option was jail on a vandalism charge. It's out there and should be addressed. After all, it's as least as relevant as Obama's having attended madrassas. "Sauce for the goose, Saavik." (Leonard "Spock" Nimoy to Kirstie "Lt Saavik" Alley in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan)
About the Republican convention--I found I was glad I had a mute button. Sarah Palin was impressive in front of the microphones. But I got sort of bored by the rest of the speakers. From Mitt complaining about "liberal Washington"(!!!!?!!!?!!) to Rudy's almost-imitation of a hockey mom (pitbull, no lipstick) to the endless paeans to John McCain's bravery and maverick credentials--my father was a hero in WWII and he was not qualified to run for president. There was so much about patriotism, strength under the duress of torture, and maverick tendencies that I almost thought they weren't going to nominate McCain but had switched to Mel Gibson, who played all those roles (lead character in The Patriot, tortured in Braveheart, and the inimitable "the name is Brett" Maverick). Then I remembered he was born in Australia, so they must have been talking about McCain.
I have always respected John McCain, his service in the Navy and the Senate. I think I even wrote in his name on my ballot in 2000. But he wasn't a ship captain or exec, he was a fighter pilot. This plays well with his maverick identity but not his leadership as an officer. That experience was negligible in that he didn't have command responsibilities like Ike or JFK. His votes over the last year against the environment, against the prohibition of torture, against the new GI Bill, and for the misguided efforts in Iraq have eroded this respect and, for me, raised doubts about the very independence he so promotes. As for Sarahcuda, I hope I soon hear what she thinks rather than the same canned sound bites from the convention she has so far uttered at every whistle stop. And I don't think it's sexist to want answers to her feelings on God and government, or the internet rumor that her son only joined the army because the other option was jail on a vandalism charge. It's out there and should be addressed. After all, it's as least as relevant as Obama's having attended madrassas. "Sauce for the goose, Saavik." (Leonard "Spock" Nimoy to Kirstie "Lt Saavik" Alley in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan)
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Super Tuesday Primary aftermath
Some thoughts on the aftermath of the Super Tuesday primary---My brother is a "main-stream" Democrat, read Hillary supporter. We had an email exchange and I thought it appropriate to post some of my comments here. I have been and remain a Bill Richardson fan but since he has quit, I did not want my vote to help Not-so-Hilarious Clinton in any way so I supported Obama in my state's Democratic caucus. Here's why:
28 years of Bush-Clinton does not sound at all good. Neither has excelled at anything but divisiveness, partisanship, and a severe lack of vision for the country and its people. W's record speaks for itself. His father was out of touch. Bubba Clinton was a bubba---where's the latest Monica?? Are we proud of his administration---Somalia, a couple of genocides, failed Hillaricare, the failure to see the threat of Al-Qaeda and Islamic extremism??? Could Obama do worse????? Look at the group around Hilarious---same as the ones who screwed up with her husband. Time for a change----if we elect her we might as well amend the constitution to allow for dynasties and the divine right of kings. It's been 40 years since 1968---Chicago, Vietnam, loss of personal liberty. What's changed in Washington???? NOTHING. This is the opportunity for a radical change; otherwise we'll suffer another 40 years of regression as the world's leader. We are getting hammered and continuing on the same path is ludicrous. In terms of Clintonistas---been there, done that, didn't work then, why do it again??
Obama MAY screw up like Carter but I'm sure Hilarious would.
28 years of Bush-Clinton does not sound at all good. Neither has excelled at anything but divisiveness, partisanship, and a severe lack of vision for the country and its people. W's record speaks for itself. His father was out of touch. Bubba Clinton was a bubba---where's the latest Monica?? Are we proud of his administration---Somalia, a couple of genocides, failed Hillaricare, the failure to see the threat of Al-Qaeda and Islamic extremism??? Could Obama do worse????? Look at the group around Hilarious---same as the ones who screwed up with her husband. Time for a change----if we elect her we might as well amend the constitution to allow for dynasties and the divine right of kings. It's been 40 years since 1968---Chicago, Vietnam, loss of personal liberty. What's changed in Washington???? NOTHING. This is the opportunity for a radical change; otherwise we'll suffer another 40 years of regression as the world's leader. We are getting hammered and continuing on the same path is ludicrous. In terms of Clintonistas---been there, done that, didn't work then, why do it again??
Obama MAY screw up like Carter but I'm sure Hilarious would.
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