yes they could!

yes they did...

no he can't!

yes he is!

The Happiest Republican

Martin Speaks

This evening (Sat) my daughter got out of bed at 1AM and marched into the living room clutching her blanket and said "Morning Daddy". I had to break the news gently. In the meantime I was spending a little alone time watching some of Barack Obama's videos on youtube. You can tell he's biracial. You can tell because when he speaks he's 50% JFK and 50% MLK. The inspiration oozes from him. If he gets into office he will go a long way to unite this country in a way it never has been united before. I sat here listening to the inspiring words (and yes, Barrack could tell you your house is burning down and inside it your wife, your kids, and your life savings are fueling the fire and it would still sound good). But sitting here tonight with my daughter on my lap I listened to this inspirational message and tried to think of a way to impart to a 5 year old how important this time is in history. How it will directly touch her future, her future as an American, and as a Bi-racial American . If Barack wins on the 4Th the American public will do far more than elect a new president, they will break down barriers and walls that are, if not as physical, then at least as important as the fall of the wall in Berlin. But how do you impart that to a 5 year old? After much thought I simply went with, "Who is this on the screen?" (Her answer "Barack Obama" - she knows). "Well Mia this is a very important time for all of us and you will understand that when you get older. Barack is a very important man". (Snuggling her close) I want you to remember this, so when you are older and understand how important this is hopefully you can remember this moment in time. Snuggling with Daddy and watching Barrack Obama getting ready to change history. "I don't want to pit red America against blue America, I want to be President of the UNITED States of America...". "Hope is what lead me here today". Hope is what lead us to you Barack. Sleep tight my daughter. In a very few hours we can eithe r kick the human experiment in America forward with intelligence and thoughtfulness, or lock it into conservative Tupperware and shove it back in the freezer for another 4 years or so and let it rot along with the America we love. Barrack Obama says "My Faith in the American people has been vindicated". Well Barrack, if you get in, mine has been renewed.

- M

Thanks, Martin...

Palin's good friend Ted Stevens

8 Is Enough!

best commercial ever!

See more Ron Howard videos at Funny or Die

From Andy

“I look at these people and can't quite believe that
they exist. Are they professional actors? I wonder. Or are
they simply laymen who want a lot of attention? To put them
in perspective, I think of being on an airplane. The flight
attendant comes down the aisle with her food cart and,
eventually, parks it beside my seat. "Can I interest
you in the chicken?" she asks. "Or would you
prefer the platter of shit with bits of broken glass in it?
To be undecided in this election is to pause for a moment
and then ask how the chicken is cooked."

- Author David Sedaris, on undecided voters

Or what.

Is this a great country....or what?

"Joe-the-Plumber?" NOT!

Analysis: McCain jumps around in bid to stop Obama

By BETH FOUHY, Associated Press Writer Beth Fouhy, Associated Press Writer – 1 hr 44 mins ago

NEW YORK – The misadventures of Joe the Plumber were just the latest stumble for Republican John McCain as he veers from one idea to another in a thus-far elusive quest to slow Barack Obama's momentum.

Joe Wurzelbacher was supposed to be the Republican presidential candidate's ace in the hole — an average, working-class Joe whose dreams of something better might be thwarted by Obama's plans. The Ohio plumber challenged Obama's tax policies and got the Democratic presidential nominee to say he wanted to "spread the wealth around." McCain told Wurzelbacher's story at the final debate Wednesday in a bid to paint Obama as a tax-raiser out of touch with regular Americans

But Wurzelbacher's story didn't quite hold up under inspection: He isn't licensed as a plumber in an Ohio county that requires one. He owes $1,200 in unpaid taxes. The dream purchase of the plumbing company where he works is a long way off no matter who wins the election. McCain acknowledged Thursday he hadn't ever spoken to the man he'd suddenly made a central figure in his quest for the presidency; McCain didn't speak with Wurzelbacher until Friday.

"Sorry, Joe," the Republican hopeful said Thursday on "The Late Show" with David Letterman for bringing Wurzelbacher a tornado of public attention he never sought.
The McCain campaign has always felt more improvisational than Obama's well-oiled machine, and the Arizona senator's years as a Navy pilot left him with a taste for daring feats. But recently, with polls showing McCain trailing Obama in several battleground states, his campaign operation has muddied McCain's message and complicated his efforts to gain ground.

Policy proposals have been floated and postponed. Lines of attack have been launched, then abruptly changed. And Joe the Plumber, like Sarah Palin before him, was pushed onto the national stage without a complete examination.

"When you run a campaign without a strategy and everything becomes tactical and your tactics don't work, you respond by finding other tactics," Republican consultant Ed Rollins said. "Unfortunately, that's helped Barack paint the guy who is clearly better prepared to be commander in chief as erratic and not stable."

McCain has always said he prefers to be the underdog, and he rolled out a feisty speech this week vowing a spirited fight to Nov. 4. But he has at times also seemed exasperated with the state of affairs.

In an interview with a North Carolina television station this week, the Arizona senator said he didn't know when he would return to the battleground state. "You know, my schedule lurches from day to day," he said, an edge in his voice.
Republican pollster John McLaughlin said the McCain operation is undergoing an experience very common among campaigns in their closing days.

"It's the thrashing between the events you can't control and what the proper message for the campaign should be," McLaughlin said. "In the past week, we've seen the McCain campaign thrashing."

McCain aides, meanwhile, carry on their duties with an acute sense of grievance against the national media, a group the candidate once jokingly referred to as his base.

On the campaign plane, aides berated a reporter for The New York Times after an editing error wrongly suggested McCain hadn't pushed back against a supporter's claim that Obama was an Arab. And a Reuters photograph released after the debate that captured a calm Obama next to McCain in a goofy, flailing pose reduced one aide to tears.

On a conference call with reporters Friday, campaign manager Rick Davis lamented that "there's not more pressure and more scrutiny from the media" on Obama's ties to the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, or ACORN, whose voter registration efforts are being investigated in several states and by the FBI. Obama has said the group isn't involved in his campaign's registration drive.

Indeed, Obama's relationship to ACORN is one of several arguments McCain aides hope will stick against the Illinois senator. But McCain moves from one attack to another without creating a consistent narrative about his rival.

Last week, both McCain and Palin spoke out against Obama's loose association with ex-radical Bill Ayers a quarter-century after Ayers co-founded the violent Weather Underground, which protested the Vietnam war with bombing of government buildings. But the running mates mostly dropped Ayers from their stump speeches this week, though the campaign made automated "robo calls" into some states linking Obama to Ayers.

The financial crisis has also bedeviled McCain as polls show voters believe Obama would do a better job handing the economy. And McCain this week stepped on his own effort to unveil new proposals to help seniors and middle-class homeowners weather the crisis.

Last Sunday, aides hinted McCain would offer new proposals and McCain's close friend South Carolina Sen. Lindsay Graham told CBS' "Face the Nation" that McCain would likely announce them soon. But on Monday, aides said McCain would have nothing until later in the week while Obama outlined new plans that day to help seniors cope with the market meltdown.

McCain finally released his proposals Tuesday, which made it appear he was playing catch-up to Obama and put his speech in competition with President Bush's announcement the government would spend $250 billion to buy partial ownership of leading banks.

"Everything that can go wrong in the last three weeks usually does, so you need to stay very, very calm and not let the wheels come off." Rollins said. "You've got to pick your strategy and stick with it. Now's the time to be disciplined."

who is the terrorist?

Campaigning

undefined

morans

The Dow rose over 900 points today and I'm already seeing the usual republitard gasbags on the blogs and on television taking credit for it with rhetorical high-fives and "oo-rahs" about the stunning recovery.

Hooray.

Now the country only lost half as much money last week.

What if?

• What if John McCain were a former president of the Harvard Law Review?
  
• What if Barack Obama finished fifth from the bottom of his graduating class?
  
• What if McCain were still married to the first woman he said 'I do' to?
  
• What if Obama were the candidate who left his first wife after she no longer measured up to his standards?
  
• What if Michelle Obama were a wife who not only became addicted to pain killers, but acquired them illegally through her charitable organization?
  
• What if Cindy McCain graduated from Harvard?
  
• What if Obama were a member of the 'Keating 5'?
  
• What if McCain was a charismatic, eloquent speaker?
  
• What if Barack Obama had an unwed, pregnant teenage daughter?
  

If these questions reflected reality, do you really believe the election numbers would be as close as they are?

This is what racism does. It covers up, rationalizes and minimizes positive qualities in one candidate and emphasizes negative qualities in another when there is a color difference.

Sen. John Cornyn Doesn't Support Our Vets‏

Temper, temper, Mr. McCain....

Letter to Ms Kathleen Parker, Washington Post

October 4, 2008
Ms. Kathleen Parker
C/O Washington Post Writers Group
1150 15th St. NW
Washington, D.C. 20071-9200



Dear Ms. Parker,
When I read your article a short time ago regarding Sarah Palin’s lack of qualifications, I was relieved and impressed that a biased columnist of either side (Right/Left) had the courage to cross the line and speak honestly. Saturday morning, I read with disappointment your post-debate article in which you sing the praises of Ms. Palin’s debating skills and end by somewhat questioning her capabilities as President. In the same stream of though, you also question whether or not Barack Obama is qualified, as if the two are currently on par.


Let’s start with one basic premise. Debating is part skill, part show, and in this case it’s all about getting votes. No more, no less. A Presidential or Vice Presidential debate is an artificial environment that in no way can predict how a person will govern, or even if that person is capable of doing so. For a true picture, one has to look at the track record, unscripted situations, and important characteristics of a leader. In that regard you were right in your original article and the debate should not have changed your mind. In fact, Sarah Palin’s avoidance of questions she did not want to answer, and her insistence on talking about things she wanted to talk about, should reinforce the notion that she is grossly unqualified for the job. In an interview on Fox, she said she was annoyed by Katie Couric in that Ms. Couric did not allow her to talk about what she wanted to address (namely, anti-Obama talking points), instead insisting on “gotcha” questions. Curiously, these are the very same questions that were asked of Joe Biden.

There are many list of what it takes to be a good leader, but I’ll point out a couple of items that I think are important.

Competence. This embodies many things, including experience, knowledge, judgment. Focusing on knowledge, it is obvious that Governor Palin has little depth in any of the key areas important to the top two positions in the country. She knows nothing about the Supreme Court. She felt that Dick Cheney’s worst offense was shooting a fellow hunter. She has yet to put together a cohesive sentence on the current economic crisis. She honestly believes that living close to Russia somehow qualifies her as a foreign policy expert. Is it too much to ask that a Vice President actually know something about the job? Even more so than the lack of specific knowledge, Governor Palin has shown no interest in actually acquiring that knowledge. She could not cite a single newspaper or magazine from which she gains information. In fact, she dismisses in depth understanding of government as a failing of “Washington Insiders”. Can name one other profession in which understanding of the job is a liability?

Seriousness. In this regard I’m not talking about lack of humor, I’m talking about recognizing that we have serious problems and we need serious, real solutions. When Governor Palin plays to the audience in a debate, shouting out to third-graders and Joe six-pack, she relinquishes all claims to seriousness and as a result all claims to credibility. Again, we’re seeing the difference between debating to gain votes and demonstrating a true capability to lead the nation. Can you imagine a VP Palin visiting the Prime Minister of Iraq or the President of Russia and engaging in a real conversation of joint or conflicting interests. Those situations call for credibility, they call for focus, they call for presence, and nothing about her appeal to Joe six-pack plays to those needs. In fact, were she to act with them as she did in the debate, there’s no possibility they would take her seriously.

Context. In order to affect real change it’s critical to understand the current situation, it’s obvious points and the nuances. Governor Palin has shown little if any interest in understanding anything about how Washington works. In fact, she mocks the system and shows contempt for virtually everyone who operate within it. The “I’m not from Washington” line works well with some voters, but will have quite the opposite impact in real life. Would you hire a writer who not only has no “big league” writing experience and who considers that experience a handicap? If you were CEO of a major company, would you hire someone who knows nothing about how your company works, doesn’t care to know, dismisses all that work there, but says she is going to fix things?

Ms. Parker, our country is heading in the wrong direction. A recent poll indicates that only 9% of Americans are satisfied with how things are going. In one of my favorite movies “An American President”, the incumbent says “We have serious problems, and we need serious people”. Sarah Palin is not one of those people. She may be qualified as president of the debate team, but not as President or Vice President of the United States. You recognized that early on and as an intelligent person I would imagine you still recognize it. You did yourself and your readers a disservice by backtracking on your earlier evaluation. There was not, and there still is not, any question regarding Governor Palin’s qualifications, and even asking the question, as you did in your latest article, has no place in today’s discourse.

Palin Land

No introduction needed...

Wake up, America

I found this anonymous post on a neighboring blog and was stunned, horrified, amazed and enlightened. It stitches together a lot of things that I've been thinking and discussing with friends and associates for some time now. I can't say I agree 100% but it comes WAY closer to what I think is reality and how we should live, than 99% of what is out there.

The anonymous poster said they have been making such predictions and creating this post for years now, and said you could find earlier iterations of it on the internet if you looked. I looked, and I did. I found several--the earliest I found before I quit looking was in December of 2005.

It's not a short post, but it's a complex topic and I believe this is worth your while to read to the end.

So, without further ado, I'd like to share it with you...

Amazing. The first ever global depression will go down in history horribly misunderstood. What a pathetic bunch of ignorant fools we have become. Consumer junkie credit card morons. Perfect little victims. Say that reminds me.

Don’t believe one optimistic word from any public figure about the economy or humanity in general. They are all part of the problem. Its like a game of Monopoly. In America, the richest 1% now hold ALMOST 1/2 OF ALL UNITED STATES WEALTH. Unlike ‘lesser’ estimates, this includes all stocks, bonds, cash, offshore accounts, and material assets held by America’s richest 1%. Even that filthy pig Oprah acknowledged that it was at about 50% in 2006. Naturally, she put her own ‘humanitarian’ spin on it. Calling attention to her own ‘good will’. WHAT A DISGUSTING HYPOCRITE SLOB. THE RICHEST ONE PERCENT HAVE LITERALLY MADE WORLD PROSPERITY ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE. Don’t fall for any of their ‘humanitarian’ CRAP. ITS A SHAM. THESE PEOPLE ARE CAUSING THE SAME PROBLEMS THEY PRETEND TO CARE ABOUT. Ask any professor of economics. Money does not grow on trees. The government can’t just print up more on a whim. At any given time, there is a relative limit to the wealth within ANY economy of ANY size. So when too much wealth accumulates at the top, the middle class slip further into debt and the lower class further into poverty. A similar rule applies worldwide. The world’s richest 1% now own over 40% of ALL WORLD WEALTH. This is EVEN AFTER you account for all of this ‘good will’ ‘humanitarian’ BS from celebrities and executives. ITS A SHAM. As they get richer and richer, less wealth is left circulating beneath them. This is the single greatest underlying cause for the current US recession. The middle class can no longer afford to sustain their share of the economy. Their wealth has been gradually transferred to the richest 1%. One way or another, we suffer because of their incredible greed. We are talking about TRILLIONS of dollars which have been transferred FROM US TO THEM. All over a period of about 27 years. That's Reaganomics for you. The wealth does not ‘trickle down’ as we were told it would. It just accumulates at the top. Shrinking the middle class and expanding the lower class. Causing a domino effect of socioeconomic problems. But the rich will never stop. They just keep getting richer. Leaving even less of the pie for the other 99% of us to share. At the same time, they throw back a few tax deductible crumbs and call themselves ‘humanitarians’. Cashing in on the PR and getting even richer the following year. IT CAN’T WORK THIS WAY. Their bogus efforts to make the world a better place can not possibly succeed. Any ‘humanitarian’ progress made in one area will be lost in another. EVERY SINGLE TIME. IT ABSOLUTELY CAN NOT WORK THIS WAY. This is going to end just like a game of Monopoly. The current US recession will drag on for years and lead into the worst US depression of all time. The richest 1% will live like royalty while the rest of us fight over jobs, food, and gasoline. So don’t fall for any of this PR CRAP from Hollywood, Pro Sports, and Wall Street PIGS. ITS A SHAM. Remember: They are filthy rich EVEN AFTER their tax deductible contributions. Greedy pigs. Now, we are headed for the worst economic and cultural crisis of all time. Crime, poverty, and suicide will skyrocket. SEND A “THANK YOU” NOTE TO YOUR FAVORITE MILLIONAIRE. ITS THEIR FAULT. I’m not discounting other factors like China, sub-prime, or gas prices. But all of those factors combined still pale in comparison to that HUGE transfer of wealth to the rich. Anyway, those other factors are all related and further aggravated because of GREED. If it weren’t for the OBSCENE distribution of wealth within our country, there never would have been such a market for sub-prime to begin with. IF IT WEREN’T FOR THE OBSCENE, UNREASONABLE, AND UNJUST DISTRIBUTION OF UNITED STATES WEALTH, THERE NEVER WOULD HAVE BEEN SUCH A MARKET FOR SUB-PRIME AND THERE NEVER WOULD HAVE BEEN A COLLAPSE IN THE HOUSING MARKET. Sub-prime did not cause the problem. It only accelerated the outcome. Which by the way, was another trick whipped up by greedy bankers and executives. IT MAKES THEM RICHER. The credit industry has been ENDORSED by people like Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres, Dr Phil, and many other celebrities. IT MAKES THEM RICHER. In fact, they specifically endorsed Countrywide by name. The same Countrywide widely responsible for predatory adjustable rate sub-prime lending and the accelerated collapse of the housing market. ENDORSED BY OPRAH WINFREY, ELLEN DEGENERES, AND DR PHIL. Now, there are commercial ties between nearly every industry and every public figure. IT MAKES THEM RICHER. It also drives up the cost for nearly every product and service on the market. So don’t fall for their ‘good will’ BS. ITS A LIE. If you fall for it, then you’re a fool. If you see any real difference between the moral character of a celebrity, politician, attorney, or executive, then you’re a fool. No offense fellow citizens. But we have been mislead by nearly every public figure. We still are. Even now, they claim to be ‘hurting’ right along with the rest of us. As if gas prices actually effect the lifestyle of a millionaire. ITS A LIE. IN 2007, THE RICHEST 1% INCREASED THEIR AVERAGE BOTTOM LINE WEALTH AGAIN. On average, they are now worth over $4,000,000 each. That's an all time high. As a group, they are now worth well over $17,000,000,000,000. THAT'S WELL OVER SEVENTEEN TRILLION DOLLARS. Another all time high. Which by the way, is much more than the entire middle and lower classes combined. Also more than enough to pay off our national debt, fund the Iraq war for a decade, repair our infrastructure, and bail out the US housing market. Still think that our biggest problem is China? Think again. Its the 1% club. That means every big name celebrity, athlete, executive, entrepreneur, developer, banker, and lottery winner. Along with many attorneys, doctors, and politicians. If they are rich, then they are part of the problem. Their incredible wealth was not ‘created’, ‘generated’, grown in their back yard, or printed up on their command. It was transferred FROM US TO THEM. Directly and indirectly. Its become near impossible to spend a dollar without making some greedy pig even richer. Don’t be fooled by the occasional loss of a millionaire’s fortune. Overall, they just keep getting richer. They absolutely will not stop. Still, they have the nerve to pretend as if they care about ordinary people. ITS A LIE. NOTHING BUT CALCULATED PR CRAP. WAKE UP PEOPLE. THEIR GOAL IS TO WIN THE GAME. The 1% club will always say or do whatever it takes to get as rich as possible. Without the slightest regard for anything or anyone but themselves. Reaganomics. Their idea. Loans from China. Their idea. NAFTA. Their idea. Outsourcing. Their idea. Sub-prime. Their idea. High energy prices. Their idea. Oil ‘futures’. Their idea. Obscene health care charges. Their idea. The commercial lobbyist. Their idea. The multimillion dollar lawsuit. Their idea. The multimillion dollar endorsement deal. Their idea. $200 cell phone bills. Their idea. $200 basketball shoes. Their idea. $30 late fees. Their idea. $30 NSF fees. Their idea. $20 DVDs. Their idea. Subliminal advertising. Their idea. Brainwash plots on TV. Their idea. Vioxx, and Celebrex. Their idea. Excessive medical testing. Their idea. The MASSIVE campaign to turn every American into a brainwashed, credit card, pharmaceutical, medical testing, love-sick, celebrity junkie. Their idea. All of the above drive up the cost of living, shrink the middle class, concentrate the world’s wealth and resources, create a domino effect of socioeconomic problems, and wreak havoc on society. All of which have been CREATED AND ENDORSED by celebrities, athletes, executives, entrepreneurs, attorneys, and politicians. IT MAKES THEM RICHER. So don’t fall for any of their ‘good will’ ‘humanitarian’ BS. ITS A SHAM. NOTHING BUT TAX DEDUCTIBLE PR CRAP. In many cases, the ‘charitable’ contribution is almost entirely offset. Not to mention the opportunity to plug their name, image, product, and ‘good will’ all at once. Which is usually done just before or after the release of their latest commercial project. IT MAKES THEM RICHER. These filthy pigs even have the nerve to throw a fit and spin up a misleading defense with regard to ‘federal tax revenue’. ITS A SHAM. THEY SCREWED UP THE EQUATION TO BEGIN WITH. If the middle and lower classes had a greater share of the pie, they could easily cover a greater share of the federal tax revenue. They are held down in many ways because of greed. Wages remain stagnant for millions because the executives, celebrities, athletes, attorneys, and entrepreneurs, are paid millions. They over-sell, over-charge, under-pay, outsource, cut jobs, and benefits to increase their bottom line. As their profits rise, so do the stock values. Which are owned primarily by the richest 5%. As more United States wealth rises to the top, the middle and lower classes inevitably suffer. This reduces the potential tax revenue drawn from those brackets. At the same time, it wreaks havoc on middle and lower class communities and increases the need for financial aid. Not to mention the spike in crime because of it. There is a domino effect to consider. IT CAN’T WORK THIS WAY. But our leaders refuse to acknowledge this. Instead they come up with one trick after another to milk the system and screw the majority. These decisions are heavily influenced by the 1% club. Every year, billions of federal tax dollars are diverted behind the scenes back to the rich and their respective industries. Loans from China have been necessary to compensate in part, for the red ink and multi-trillion dollar transfer of wealth to the rich. At the same time, the feds have been pushing more financial burden onto the states who push them lower onto the cities. Again, the hardship is felt more by the majority and less by the 1% club. The rich prefer to live in exclusive areas or upper class communities. They get the best of everything. Reliable city services, new schools, freshly paved roads, upscale parks, etc. The middle and lower class communities get little or nothing without a local tax increase. Which, they usually can’t afford. So the red ink flows followed by service cuts and lay-offs. All because of the OBSCENE distribution of bottom line wealth in this country. Anyway, when you account for all federal, state, and local taxes, the middle class actually pay about the same rate as the rich. The devil is in the details. So when people forgive the rich for their incredible greed and then praise them for paying a greater share of the FEDERAL income taxes, its like nails on a chalk board. I can not accept any theory that our economy would suffer in any way with a more reasonable distribution of wealth. After all, it was more reasonable 30 years ago. Before Reaganomics came along. Before GREED became such an epidemic. Before we had an army of over-paid executives, bankers, celebrities, athletes, attorneys, doctors, investors, entrepreneurs, developers, and sold-out politicians to kiss their asses. As a nation, we were in much better shape. Strong middle class, free and clear assets, lower crime rate, more widespread prosperity, stable job market, lower deficit, etc. Our economy as a whole was much more stable and prosperous for the majority. WITHOUT LOANS FROM CHINA. Now, we have a more obscene distribution of bottom line wealth than ever before. We have a sold-out government, crumbling infrastructure, energy crisis, home foreclosure epidemic, credit crunch, weak US dollar, 13 figure national deficit, and 12 figure annual shortfall. The cost of living is higher than ever before. Most people can’t even afford basic health care. ALL BECAUSE OF GREED. I really don’t blame the 2nd -5th percentiles in general. No economy could ever function without some reasonable scale of personal wealth and income. But it can’t be allowed to run wild like a mad dog. ALBERT EINSTEIN TRIED TO MAKE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND. UNBRIDLED CAPITALISM ABSOLUTELY CAN NOT WORK. TOP HEAVY ECONOMIES ALWAYS COLLAPSE. Bottom line: The richest 1% will soon tank the largest economy in the world. It will be like nothing we’ve ever seen before. The American dream will be shattered. and that's just the beginning. Greed will eventually tank every major economy in the world. Causing millions to suffer and die. Oprah, Angelina, Brad, Bono, and Bill are not part of the solution. They are part of the problem. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A MULTI-MILLIONAIRE HUMANITARIAN. EXTREME WEALTH MAKES WORLD PROSPERITY ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE. WITHOUT WORLD PROSPERITY, THERE WILL NEVER BE WORLD PEACE OR ANYTHING EVEN CLOSE. GREED KILLS. IT WILL BE OUR DOWNFALL. Of course, the rich will throw a fit and call me a madman. Of course, they will jump to small minded conclusions about ‘jealousy’, ‘envy’, or ’socialism’. Of course, their ignorant fans will do the same. You have to expect that. But I speak the truth. If you don’t believe me, then copy this entry and run it by any professor of economics or socioeconomics. Then tell a friend. Call the local radio station. Re-post this entry or put it in your own words. Be one of the first to predict the worst economic and cultural crisis of all time and explain its cause. WE ARE IN BIG TROUBLE.

So what can we do about it? Well, not much. Unfortunately, we are stuck on a runaway train. The problem has gone unchecked for too many years. The US/global depression is coming thanks to the 1% club. It would take a massive effort by the vast majority to prevent it. Along with a voluntary sacrifice by the rich. THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. But if you believe in miracles, then spend your money as wisely as possible. Especially in middle and lower class communities. Check the Fortune 500 list and limit your support of high profit/low labor industries (Hollywood, pro sports, energy, credit, pharmaceutical, cable, satellite, internet advertising, cell phone, high fashion, jewelry, etc.). Cancel all but one credit card for emergencies only. If you need a cell phone, then do your homework and find the best deal on a local pre-pay. If you want home internet access, then use the least expensive provider, and share accounts whenever possible. If you need to search, then use the less popular search engines. They usually produce the same results anyway. Don’t click on any internet ad. If you need the product or service, then look up the phone number or address and contact that business directly. Don’t pay to see any blockbuster movie. Instead, wait a few months and rent the DVD from a local store or buy it USED. If you want to see a big name game or event, then watch it in a local bar, club, or at home on network TV. Don’t buy any high end official merchandise and don’t support the high end sponsors. If its endorsed by a big name celebrity, then don’t buy it. If you can afford a new car, then make an exception for GM, Ford, and Dodge. If they don’t increase their market share soon, then a lot more people are going to get screwed out of their pensions and/or benefits. Of course, you must know by now to avoid those big trucks and SUVs unless you truly need one for its intended purpose. Don’t be ashamed to buy a foreign car if you prefer it. After all, those with the most fuel efficient vehicles consume a lot less foreign oil. Which accounts for a pretty big chunk of our trade deficit. Anyway, the global economy is worth supporting to some extent. Its the obscene profit margins, trade deficits, and BS from OPEC that get us into trouble. Otherwise, the global economy would be a good thing for everyone. Just keep in mind that the big 3 are struggling and they do produce a few smaller reliable cars. Don’t frequent any high end department store or any business in a newly developed upper class community. By doing so, you make developers richer and draw support away from industrial areas and away from the middle class communities. Instead, support the local retailer and the less popular shopping centers. Especially in lower or middle class communities. If you can afford to buy a home, then do so. But go smaller and less expensive. Don’t get yourself in too deep and don’t buy into the newly developed condos or gated communities. Instead, find a modest home in a building or neighborhood at least 20 years old. If you live in one of the poorer states, then try to support its economy first and foremost. Be on the lookout for commercial brainwash plots on TV. They are written into nearly every scene of nearly every show. Most cater to network sponsors and parent companies. Especially commercial health care. Big business is fine on occasion depending on the profit margins and profit sharing. Do your homework. If you want to support any legitimate charity, then do so directly. Never support any celebrity foundation. They spend most of their funding on PR campaigns, travel, and high end accommodations for themselves. Instead, go to Charitywatch.org and look up a top rated charity to support your favorite cause. In general, support the little guy as much as possible and the big guy as little as possible. Do your part to reverse the transfer of wealth away from the rich and back to the middle and lower classes. Unfortunately, there is no perfect answer. Jobs will be lost either way. Innocent children will starve and die either way. But we need to support the largest group of workers with the most reasonable profit margins. We also need to support LEGITIMATE charities (Check that list at Charitywatch.org). This is our only chance to limit the severity and/or duration of the comming US/global depression. In the meantime, don’t listen to Bernanke, Paulson, Bartiromo, Orman, Dobbs, Kramer, O'Reiley, or any other public figure with regard to the economy. They are all plenty smart but I swear to you that they will lie right through their rotten teeth. IT MAKES THEM RICHER. These people work for big business. The ‘experts’ they cite also work for big business. They are all motivated by their desire to accumulate more wealth. THEY WILL LIE RIGHT THROUGH THEIR ROTTEN TEETH. So don’t fall for their tricks. Instead, look at the big picture. The economic problems we face have been mounting for well over 20 years. All of them caused or aggravated by a constant transfer of wealth from poorer to richer. Soon, it will cause the first ever GLOBAL DEPRESSION. Its not brain surgery. Its simple math. Like I said, you are welcome to run this by any professor of economics or socio-economics. If that's not good enough, then look up what Einstein had to say about greed, extreme wealth, and its horrible consequences. I speak the truth. GREED KILLS. IT WILL BE OUR DOWNFALL.

Its already underway. A massive campaign to divert our attention. Trump, Buffet, OReiley, Dobbs, Pickens, Norris, and several other well known filthy rich public figures have been running their mouths about the economy. Finally admitting a hint of severity after almost 2 years of denial. They even have the nerve to acknowledge the possibility of a US/global depression. Still, they refuse to acknowledge the single greatest underlying cause. Remember: Our national debt was way up BEFORE sub-prime. Consumer debt was way up BEFORE sub-prime. The cost of living was up BEFORE sub-prime. Wall Street profits were obscene BEFORE sub-prime. The middle class were loosing free and clear assets BEFORE sub-prime. Our infrastructure was in bad shape BEFORE sub-prime. Loans from China were taken out BEFORE sub-prime. The dollar was loosing value BEFORE sub-prime. So don’t let these cowardly filthy rich public figures divert your attention or limit your range of thought. THE CURRENT ECONOMIC CRISIS WAS NOT CAUSED BY A SINGLE POLICY OR PROCEDURE. IT WAS CAUSED PRIMARILY BY A MASSIVE TRANSFER OF WEALTH FROM POOR TO RICH. OTHERWISE, THERE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SUCH A MARKET FOR SUB-PRIME AND THERE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A GLOBAL CREDIT CRUNCH. MONEY DOES NOT GROW ON TREES AND IT DOES NOT FLOAT AWAY. IT ONLY TRANSFERS FROM ONE PARTY TO ANOTHER. ALBERT EINSTEIN TRIED TO MAKE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND. GREED KILLS. IT WILL BE OUR DOWNFALL.

A word for those who respond with the usual ‘I know more than you. Look how smart, knowledgable, and articulate I am’ crap. Let me say this in advance. I don’t claim to be an expert in this field. But I did go on record with these predictions long before any public figure uttered the word ‘recession’. If you search long enough, you will find my early postings from ‘05′ and ‘06′. Including the first draft of this rant. Since then, I’ve gone on record against people like Greenspan, Bernanke, and Paulson. So far, my predictions have been accurate. Like I said. This is not brain surgery. For the most part, its simple math. When you concentrate the world’s wealth, you also concentrate its capital and shrink the middle class along with the potential market for every major industry. Homes go unsold. Bills go unpaid. Banks fail. More products go unsold. Jobs are lost. More banks fail. and so on. and so on. It happened 80 years ago. It will happen again. This time on a global scale. Throughout the cycle, the rich will tighten their grip. Concentrating the world’s wealth and resources even further and ensuring the collapse of every major economy worldwide. Think it can’t happen? Think again. GREED KILLS. IT WILL BE OUR DOWNFALL.

Another thing. I don’t want credit for any of this. Otherwise, I would have given my full name a long time ago. As far as I’m concerned, you can put this rant in your own words and take credit for all of it. I don’t care. Just spread the word. Otherwise, the greatest injustice of all time will go down in history unchecked.

By the way. The bailout won’t work. IT WON’T WORK. The plan fails to address the fundamental problem. The middle class don’t need more credit. They need a reasonable share of the economic pie. They also need a lower cost of living and a chance to catch their breath. Most of all, they need to wake up and see the truth. GREED KILLS. IT WILL BE OUR DOWNFALL.

For the record, I corrected a couple of miss-spellings, but other than that, posted as I found it.

It's thoughtful, provocative and makes me feel like soylent green. I don't think it's so far off the mark, though. As the writer suggested, please share at will--whatever you think, it certainly can't hurt.

Can you see the marionette strings?

Beware of Smiling Faces...

The McCain "absentee voter" scam
by kos (from Daily Kos)
Mon Sep 22, 2008 at 10:10:24 AM PDT

Here's how it works:

1. Mail forms to hard core Democratic voters, asking them to register to vote by mail.

2. Have those forms addressed to the wrong county registrar.

3. Pray overworked registrar workers, swamped with hundreds of mis-addressed forms, forget to forward to the right county, or forward them past the registration deadline.

4. Disenfranchise thousands.

Heck says, "I spoke with the Caledonia clerk and learned if we (in Mount Pleasant) used the form and sent it to the pre-printed address they would have to forward it to the right jurisdiction (if they had the time and the people) who would then have to send out the absentee ballot. As the deadline to submit a request is Oct. 30, and the clerks have a deadline of Oct. 31, this bogus form not only gums up and overworks the process to get absentee ballots sent out, it could cause some to not even be mailed."

The election officials Heck spoke to -- Racine County and Caledonia -- said sending the absentee ballot request to the wrong clerk would not jeopardize a voter's registration, but might result in the absentee ballot not getting sent due to overworked personnel, or the possibility of missing the deadline.

For more on this stunning report click here

A conservative for Obama
Wick Allison, D MAGAZINE
Monday, September 22, 2008

The more I listen to and read about "the most liberal member of the U.S. Senate," the more I like him. Barack Obama strikes a chord with me like no political figure since Ronald Reagan. To explain why, I need to explain why I am a conservative and what it means to me. more

From a longtime conservative writer, questioning McCain's temperament:

McCain Loses His Head

By George F. Will
Tuesday, September 23, 2008

"The queen had only one way of settling all difficulties, great or small. 'Off with his head!' she said without even looking around."

-- "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland"

Under the pressure of the financial crisis, one presidential candidate is behaving like a flustered rookie playing in a league too high. It is not Barack Obama.

Channeling his inner Queen of Hearts, John McCain furiously, and apparently without even looking around at facts, said Chris Cox, chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, should be decapitated. This childish reflex provoked the Wall Street Journal to editorialize that "McCain untethered" -- disconnected from knowledge and principle -- had made a "false and deeply unfair" attack on Cox that was "unpresidential"… read on

Subject: Fw: Is Palin qualified?

Hurry!

> Here is a small thing you can do in two clicks – SECONDS!
> Check this out please, and fast.
>
> The Right is having people vote that Palin is qualified…
>
> PBS has a poll that asks: Is Sarah Palin qualified to be
> VP? Let's turn this around ..... You don't have to
> give your name or email address in order to vote. It's
> very simple.
>
> Here's the link:
> http://www.pbs.org/now/polls/poll-435.html
>
> Just click & vote… NOW. And, pass it on!!!

Paul Krugman on McCain's health care plan:

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/19/mccain-on-banking-and-health/

An Open Letter to All Republicans From a Former Religious Right Activist

by Frank Schaeffer

Dear Republicans: This election all Republicans who love America must vote for Obama. A vote for business-as-usual and a continuation of the Neoconservative/Religious Right/ party of corporate American alienation is a vote against America. As a former Republican activist, I appeal to your patriotism and honor.

Unless you haven't been paying attention to the recent history of the Republican Party you will know that today Republican ideology and energy is derived from three sources:

* The Religious Right,

* The Neoconservative Movement,

* Corporate business interests.

You also should know that when it comes to the Religious Right my late father and evangelist, Francis Schaeffer, was the intellectual voice that made it happen.

click here for the rest of article

"Romeo and Juliet" as a Metaphor for Politics

Pardon me while a get a bit political/philosophical. The following opinions are my own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of anyone in their right mind. This being election year, it has really been dawning on me the last week or so just how strongly the story of Romeo and Juliet parallels our current political environment.

Consider the houses of Montague and Capulet as the two political parties (it doesn’t matter which is which). They are caught up in the familial (partisan) bickering and fighting because that is what they have done for as long as anyone can remember. Each believes that the master of their family (party) is better than the other, and spits insults and attacks on anyone that dares to disagree.

In reality, you have two families with a rich, strong history that each want the best for Verona (the country), but differ on what that is. The ones that get caught up and left for dead along the way are those of the younger generations that blindly follow the spiteful traditions of the family. They hate their “enemies”, but cannot tell you why to save their life. The partisan warriors fight to the death and are left to rot along the side of the road while Verona struggles on and the next group of young people steps up to fill the gap.

The Prince represents the frustrations of the people who just want the families to get along and accomplish something, while the Friar is the (somewhat misguided) voice of reason trying to find a compromise. Either through treachery or misadventure, the compromises of the play (and of our political system) always seem to fall apart at the seams and cause more damage than good. Perhaps because there is too much interest in the good of the family rather than the good of Verona. As a result, the young and eager family members become just as cynical and angry as the older generations, and we carry on with our journey around the mobius strip that our system has become.

Romeo and Juliet sought to move beyond the partisanship of their families. When Romeo expresses his love of Juliet’s cousin, it is seen as mocking and a ploy by both families. They have all become so cynical that sincerity is a foreign concept, and makes Romeo a target for attack from both sides. In the same vein, in politics it has become more fashionable to slaughter your own than to work with the other side. Just look at Joseph Leiberman and Colin Powell who have both endorsed the opposing parties’ candidates.

My frustration with both sides of the stage (aisle) is very real, and it angers me that we have so little respect for our fellow countrymen as to hack personal email accounts, belittle their records and experience, throw around false allegations about religion and family connections. I realize that we will never all agree on the issues, and that we can’t “just get along”, but I would ask that those that seek to be our leaders learn to disagree with respect. Maybe this needs to begin with respect in our homes, schools, communities, etc. Rather than a grassroots political movement… maybe we need a grassroots manners movement. Or am I just asking for too much?

~David Dunlap

Don’t let John McCain lie to you about your taxes

We should all know the differences between John McCain’s and Barack Obama’s tax plans and what your tax situation will look like under each administration. What the Republicans don’t want you to know – (when they call 95% of Americans a select few, in describing the working class, the backbone of our society -see here, 2:45-2:55 of this video) - is that for most of us Obama’s plan will be greatly beneficial.

If you find yourself wondering exactly what the candidates plans mean to you and your bottom line and what it will mean at the end of each year come tax time, then take it upon yourself to read this CNN article that breaks down the numbers between the two candidates and decide for yourself whose plan is best for you.

Please pass this on and don't let the Republicans fool you.

wal*street

Hello? If McCain Had His Way, That'd Be Our Social Security Money Wall Street is Losing

By John Neffinger

Posted on September 16, 2008 | 08:31 PM (EST)

...not that long ago we had a rare political moment in this country, a moment where the public sat up and took notice of economic policy -- and spoke out and made its voice heard too. When George W. Bush made it to term #2, he decided to try to privatize social security to reward his supporters on Wall Street with a new source of capital, customers, and fees. (Those would be the same people whose firms are now cratering under the weight of the bad debt they recklessly took on while Republican regulators looked the other way). But as it turned out, we Americans were not about to let our elected representatives turn over our social security taxes to Wall Street financiers to gamble with if it meant losing the guaranteed income that has allowed millions upon millions of American seniors to live out their sunset years with at least a basic measure of dignity.

But while ordinary Americans spoke out, John McCain stood with Bush (hugged him awkwardly in public, even), against the American people. In fact, just six months ago, McCain again let slip his fondness for privatization... full story here

Please wait, your request is being processed..

Reform...a few days late and a few billion dollars short. At least they're starting to listen now..

Obama pushes for Economic Reform

by John McCormick

GOLDEN, Colo. - As the most severe financial crisis in at least a generation continues to shake Main Street, Sen. Barack Obama delivered a forceful new speech today to try to seize the economic reform upper hand.

Seeking to move the presidential campaign debate to an arena that typically favors Democrats, he called for more aggressive regulation and a greater emphasis on innovation.

remainder of the story here

I was interested in the comments at the end of the article (link above), as well. Having had some experience in the residential real estate / lending industry myself, and having commented some weeks ago at JonesAlley about my unwillingness to make money and participate in the sub prime bubble using "investors" to make some quick cash, I was interested to see the following comment:

I worked in the subprime market before common sense with my career took over. Mortgages were given out to illegal immigrants, people on welfare, unverified income, poor credit, 0 down, etc. Why? It was all about the numbers. The more loans/the bigger the loans, the better for those monthly, quarterly, yearly bonuses. That's all that mattered. & when loans went bad, no one lost anything because it was always assumed the value of the home at the time of auction will be great enough to pay the loan off. That was your business model in a nutshell & all the lending regulators would do is sign-off on their reviews without batting an eye. The sub-prime lender even advertised on tv how they helped write legislation in DC (with all their republican buddies well lobbied) that helped the consumer, which was either useless of blatantly ignored. I pointed all these problems with an executive on my exit interview, & his only real response was "that's just the media talking" That was four years ago.

So go ahead & convince yourself there's nothing wrong with the economy, that McCain, the "I'm not good at economics" candidate is the right choice. It will be interesting what he has to say at the debates, once he can't hide behind his running-mate's skirt.

There were "investors" (especially lots of first-timers) and owner-occupants caught up in this mess, as well as their neighbors, who's values are now tanking because of the storm around them. Those in neighborhoods, cities, states where there are high foreclosure rates will suffer, too. The victims are more than those who lost because of poor decisions on their OWN part...the ripples in the pond go far and wide...

If you'd like to hear more about Wal-Street's handling of the sub prime boom, see this link:
FreshAir on NPR, July 8th, 2008

Nowhere Man

Steal Back Your Vote!