March 16, 2008 11:00 AM
Mike's Blog Roundup
Happy Saint Patricks Day! You could celebrate with an Irish seven-course meal, (a six pack and a potato), or this.
Unqualified Offerings: The good news from Iraq has been relocated
Greg Mankiw's Blog: BUSHCO rushes to the aid of reckless rich guys.
Just World News: The plan hatched by Condi Rice and Elliott Abrams to train up a Palestinian 'Contras'-style force under the auspices of Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) has fallen into a significant degree of chaos.
Scott Horton: The gathering storm at the Department of Justice
OFF THE BEATEN PATH: dangerblond, Common Nonsense, Buffalo Wings and Toasted Ravioli, Anderson Brown's Political Blog
http://www.sickofitday.org/
From the article clippings of the morning.
"Leave it to Democrats to find a way to blow their chances to recapture the White House in this year's pivotal Presidential election.
While Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama chew up each other in an increasingly bitter primary battle, new polls show Republican presumptive nominee John McCain leading both in head-to-head match ups and voters saying they are more and more disenchanted with both of the Democratic pretenders to the throne.
A new Gallop Poll shows McCain leading Barack Obama 47-44 percent if the election were held today and McCain tied with Clinton with 46 percent each. Just four days ago, both Obama and Clinton held leads over Obama with the same pollster.
Zogby is even more pessimistic for Democrats, showing McCain leading Obama 44-39 and topping Clinton 45-39."
"Things are getting very weird very fast -- and will probably get even weirder, faster, as the train wreck of bad debt meets the Saint Paddy's Day Parade of bacchanalian excess at the grade-crossing of destiny."
Who cares!!!! Right?
"Over the weekend, the Federal Reserve engineered a $30-billion dollar Saint Paddy's day present for the JP Morgan bank by handing them the corpse of Bear Stearns. The object of the game is to prevent the "assets" of Bear Stearns from going to the auction block, on which they would be discovered to be nearly worthless, which would instantly render all similar assets held by the other big banks to be similarly worthless, and would result in a universal margin call that would pretty much unwind the hallucinated "wealth" acquired the past ten years."
You got it Jim
That's a six-pack and a baked potato.
It's my understanding that before potatoes were discovered in America they ate turnips.
The first Jack-O'Lantern was carved from a turnip.
Send this video to others: Shame On Joe Scarborough, MSM & Obama Part 1
The American people don't deserve to be manipulated and lied to.
Markets collapsing and Rupert Murdochs reich wing propaganda rag has Jim McGreevey's "boy toy" on the front page.
Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.
Somebody please tell me that the Landover Baptist Church is satire.
#8 needdemsinohio Says:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landover_Baptist_Church
Ruthless People @ 7:
Shortages and supply disruptions will be the one and only wake up call for the somnambulism of the average American TV zombie.
"The plan hatched by Condi Rice and Elliott Abrams to train up a Palestinian ‘Contras’-style force under the auspices of Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) has fallen into a significant degree of chaos."
this, with our actions in central america, south america, africa, the far east, the middle east, and various other locales since the 19th century to today, is just further proof that our foreign policy is not only out of control, but a true danger to our own security.
our own govt is killing, stealing and torturing in our name. it seems that everyone in the world knows this... except for the majority of americans.\
and, looky here, we have another example of US-backed (and probably trained or advised) paramilitary group (see, rightwing death squad) conducting operations that we are ignorant of, but, nonetheless, but has yet another 'made in USA' label firmly attached to it.
dems and reps are to blame. of course the american publics' willfull ignorance and purposeful detachment from what our military empire is responsible for is the biggest, and most embarrassing, failure.
so, tell me, what did obama's pastor say that was so inaccurate? just b/c you don't like what is done in your name doesn't make it untrue.
My beloved beautiful United States of America. What happened to you? Who can hate you so much that you have arrived to where you now are?
But then again, hell, what am I asking? You do have caused enough harm in this world! Enough to make you suffer for it. For in the name of Democracy and progress, you have ransacked a few defenseless country for no reason at all. If we subtract our WWII intervention, we'd have nothing to show for, but a series of senseless armed conflicts which benefited some already wealthy segment of the country, defense community, and nothing else.
We liberated Europe? I think we kind of have to go in to protect our ass before the shit got worse, had England had fallen to the German gang. It was more self preservation than European liberation as we like to propagandize. Korea? Nice job! Nobody won, and we end up with another maintenance cost for the nation. Viet Nam? Pfui! The domino theory of course! It was more like the opening of new drug markets in America for some interested groups. 50.000 American got killed in there. Why? What for? Of course, Bell Corporation, helicopter producers made rich some presidential family members. 5 billion dollars left behind in brand new weapons when we left in hurry on 30 April 1975.
I can understand Mr. Moyer's frustration. There is nobody to protect our country. An idiot was appointed as president in 2000, look where we are today. And he talks like he has nothing to do with poor sorry state of the Union. He even talks as he knows the solution to the problems, and as the problems were caused by others...not him.
Whatever America has done wrong to the world, we are paying for it as I write these lines now. And I damn all those who actually brought us into this situation. The ones who wanted to "have a beer, with such a nice guy", are probably the same ones that are buying the "Hope and inspiration" from Mr. Obama. Well fuck hope and inspiration. We need jobs, we need security, we need someone who gives us confidence. Someone who, if I can buy house today, assures me that I will have that house 10 years from now. We don't need somebody whose religious affiliation can't even be verified, which, give me the willies as if the country might fall in the hands of a "Sleeper". Do you get my drift?
Then again, the Decider is almost out of the picture. He’s is not finished harming my country. But I’m about to survive this imbecile. Seven years ago, when he got appointed, I was able to foresee where the country was heading to with him as president. I understood the asshole’s intentions, so I play the game according to his expectations. Some of my friends thought I was crazy. Because I knew he was a crook, today, I can tell you, I did really well. When I was in Dallas in 2001, I predicted the gallon of gasoline will cost $8.oo by 2008. My Dallas friends couldn’t stop laughing. Now, it’s only March in 2008. By December, I hope I’m wrong. We haven’t seen a thing yet. This is only they beginning. I used fun of the Mexican. Here in Europe, they fun of my dollars. I’m not laughing. In fact, is sad to see so many people ruined back home. But I’m doing fine. Mr. Bush will not be able to dent my finances.
There is only one person who can save this country. I hope you people don’t fuck up again.
Scot Ritter is saying that Bush has more than likely already signed off on plans to attack Iran.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7950882146201650250
Mike, are you coming down to West Palm with Joe Cocker? We are thinking about going to his show.
Okay, now that I have my question asked I'll go back and read some of the links in the roundup.
garcia Says:My beloved beautiful United States of America. What happened to you?
During the opening ceremonies of the “Food City 500” NASCAR race yesterday a minister asked God to bless “Food City” and the Bristol, TN race track as the crowd stood at attention, hands on chests, and F-18 fighter jets roared above.
Does anyone find it interesting that Cheney, McCain, Merkal, and a few other World Leaders all happen to be in the Middle East at the same time? Secret Meeting to invade Iran?
Cheney says Iraq invasion "successful endeavor".
Okay
DC @ 16:
Who the F knows. All I know is these guys rewrite the plot as quickly as it all falls apart on them. It's all a giant football game to them. Play by play action.
Beware of the month of april for any attack on Iran.
L.A. Confidential @ 15:
You know I tuned into the race just when the invocation was being done and found it very strange. Food City and the Ractrack were mentioned several times in the "prayer", but no mention of protecting our soldiers, protecting the drivers, Peace, etc. Fortunately, my annual 2 minutes of watching Nascar ended after the invocation.
Can someone please point out the hypocrisy of how the experts complained about Obama’s suggestion a few months ago, but today’s headlines appear that we are doing exactly what Obama suggested might be needed?
News today:
Missiles Strike Pakistan Tribal Area
March 16, 2008
Missiles Strike Pakistan Tribal Area
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 2:05 p.m. ET
MIRAN SHAH, Pakistan (AP) -- A missile strike near the Afghan border destroyed the house of a suspected militant leader Sunday, killing at least 20 people, witnesses and state-run Pakistan Television said.
Seven missiles were fired in the strike in the tribal area of South Waziristan, the television report said. The Pakistani military said five or six explosions were heard near Wana, the main town in South Waziristan.
Local tribesman Rahim Khan told The Associated Press missiles were fired by an unmanned drone. At least two hit and destroyed the home of a local militant leader and Taliban sympathizer who goes by the single name Noorullah, Khan said.
Only U.S.-led coalition forces are known to have unmanned drones operating in the region. Coalition forces based in neighboring Afghanistan have also launched attacks inside the Pakistani border in the past.
And compare with
Obama Takes Heat on Pakistan
August 3, 2007, 8:10 pm
Obama Takes Heat on Pakistan
By Michael Falcone
During a major foreign policy speech on Wednesday Senator Barack Obama promised that as president he would consider military strikes against terrorists in Pakistan if the country refused to root them out. Those comments drew a sharp response from Pakistani officials as well as the Bush administration today.
“It’s a very irresponsible statement, that’s all I can say,” Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Khusheed Kasuri said in an interview with A.P. Television News. “As the election campaign in America is heating up we would not like American candidates to fight their elections and contest elections at our expense.”
What the German Press is reporting:
Greenspan said it is the worst financial crisis since 1945!
Greenspan: Schlimmste Finanzkrise seit 1945
Ex-Notenbanker Alan Greenspan sieht die größte Finanzkrise seit dem Zweiten Weltkrieg kommen. DAX und Co. stürzen um mehr als vier Prozent.
needdemsinohio @ 20:
rank ZAPPA: Could I make a comment about National Defense: the biggest threat to America today is not communism. It's moving America toward a fascist theocracy. And everything that's happened under the Reagan Administration is steering us right down that pipe.
Robert NOVAK: Oh, mr Zappa...
ZAPPA: Yes, MISTER Zappa...
NOVAK: Do you really think...I mean...
ZAPPA: I really think!
NOVAK: All kidding aside. Is this country, with the permissiveness, that we are moving toward a fascist theocracy?
ZAPPA: You bet we are buddy.
Samson- @ 11:
I could not agree with you more. The American public is clueless as to what its Government does. In fact, I would wager that just the little bits that did become public are only a tiny percentage of the true horrors our Government conducts against people across the world. I posed a question to a friend once and asked: "If you could see every classified document, video or what have you that the Government has locked away, no matter how sensitive or classified they may be would you really want to see them? All of them?" He couldn't answer it. Yet, its those same people around the globe that know more about our Government's horrors than most Americans because they were/are on the receiving end of it and its those same type of people that carried out 9/11.
That "Gathering Storm" article is a good one, but I am afraid to place too much hope on it.
I sincerely hope it will come to pass, that would be the only way America can heal from the wounds inflicted by the Bush group of NeoCons and PNACr's.
Dare we wish for Justice?
Frankly what ever happened to free markets? They say, oh the market will correct, or we don't need regulation, the market will regulate itself. Which is all roses and tulips when the profits are rolling in, but when the shit hits the fan it's tax-payer bail-out time. I say let the markets crash, lets see if they are right let's see if the markets correct for all of this imagined wealth. Maybe then they'll say , hey this low regulation smoke and mirrors wall street magic wealth creation doesn't work and institute real changes to protect real investments and real investors from all the hocus pocus on wall street. Fuck them, fuck everyone who bought into them and fuck all those people who don't create wealth but manipulate money to make money. Investing has become a series of loopholes and creative paper shuffling. This house of cards needs to collapse or we are just postponing the inevitable.
L.A. Confidential @ 23:
Amazing how some people can really see the lines that connect the dots years before the masses. Zappa was one of those observant and intelligent types.
DC @ 22:
Both DAX and CO fall 4%?
80 Tibetans are reported to have been killed by Chinese police. Hundreds more have been injured.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7299965.stm
Tibet has been under a brutal Chinese occupation since 1949.
China's actions often go unchallenged because China is a permanent member of the UN Security Council and has the veto power, much like the United States when it comes to Israel's actions against its neighbors.
Mike @ 26:
Well that sounds good on its face, but who will pay the price for letting the house of cards to collapse? Do you think the fat cats will be hurt? It will be all us working stiffs who will pay the price, not the fat cats.
L.A. Confidential @ 17:
It was a successful endeavor. He and his corporate backers made enormous profits.
♣Bangkok Bob♣ @ 28:
Yes that is what they are reporting. Here is the link:
http://wirtschaft.t-online.de/c/12/35/85/88/12358588.html
*ysbaddanden*...you can have your potato baked if you like. Don't presume to instruct Finnigan on Irish jokes. You're probably English....
Thanks for the link!
"Republican political operative Roger Stone, Eliot Spitzer's longtime antagonist, predicted his political demise more than three months in advance," Novak writes. "Spitzer's entrapment by federal authorities investigating a prostitution ring raised speculation that Stone, with a 40-year record as a political hit man, somehow was behind it."
"Eliot Spitzer will not serve out his term as governor of the state of New York,'' Stone said Dec. 6 on Michael Smerconish's radio talk show," Novak added. "He gave no details."
Novak's post was titled "GOP strategists at work."
In an interview last week, Stone cheered the governor's demise, and hinted further that he'd known about the governor's fall.
"I didn't make him go to a prostitution ring," Stone told a Newsday columnist Mar. 12. "He did that all on his own."
Asked whether he had a hand in Spitzer's woes, Stone said, "No comment."
"I will say I knew it was coming," he added. "That's why I wasn't too upset about the results of the special election," where a Democrat won control of a formerly Republican seat in the State Senate, where the Republicans have a one-vote margin.
Speaking of the scandal Stone added cryptically: "My work isn't done there. Just watch."
Stone now runs an anti-Clinton political 527 group, Citizens United Not Timid, the acronym of which has sparked fury among liberal groups.
http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Novak_suggests_Republican_operative_was_be...
Mike @ 26:
free markets?
what happened to them is that they never really existed. market based economies rely on inequality.
and, like you point out, the financialization of the economy (using money to make money as the only form of wealth generation) is a sure indicator that our run as the dominant economic powerhouse is coming to an end. but, fret not, capital is not nationalistic, it cares not about america, it will survive.
Look at it this way, it took the great depression to finally end the Robber Baron era and usher in the new deal, which, combined with WWII allowed the American middle class to become a reality. However for the last 30 years the conservatives in this country have been trying to go back to 1895. they have nearly succeeded, low regulation, defacto cartels and monopolies have increased the wealth of the top few percent. Should we reward a system that doesn't work by bailing it out, allowing it to continue to destroy the American middle class or should we let the cards fall? This could be the middle classes 9/11 waking us up to the threat of robber barons and the insanity of low regulation. Then we can enact real change and real reforms with real laws with real teeth to protect us. Frankly most Americans are in a stupor, they are uneducated or ignorant or both. They need a slap in the face to see what is going on, which is Corporations running the show, they set policy with lobbyists, they define the discussion with media ownership, they spin it and say "pay no attention to the men behind the curtain!" We need to rip that curtain down and since noone has the guts to do it , maybe we should let the curtain fall off the rod instead of helping them hold it up. WAKE UP SHEEPLE!!!! We need reform, finance reform,tax reform, political reform and reform comes from dissillusionment which apparently we are going to need a great big steaming pile of before anyone smells it.
Oh Oh! Something is up! I am going to bail out! Now..... I might even take my cash out of the American banks right now.
Ah, one of my favorite Irish jokes. ;-)
Iraq is great, bailing out rich folks, and Horton - important new entries, but a very familiar storyline.
OT...but lookit anyhow.
http://www.11alive.com/news/graphics/big_MG_6751.jpg
Samson- @ 11:
Talk about immediate blowback. Condi and Abrams strike again. Hamas is strengthened both militarily and diplomatically. Yet most Murkins are completely oblivious to these events. Me? I like to know where my tax dollars are going, not who is in or out on American Idol.
I support Barack Obama because he reminds me of President John F. Kennedy.
Look, Obama is presidential in the way he carries himself, in the way he speaks. Obama has passed a great number of laws while State Senator and has fought for "we the people" even before he went to law school.
I see that Obama ahs the same unique qualities that President John F. Kennedy had.
As for policy between Obama and Clinton - well, they sound similar enough, although, Obama's sound more reasonable to me. Also I think Hillary is a liar and untrustworthy while Obama is very honest and very trustworthy.
As for experience between Obama & Clinton - well, President Clinton lied under oath and went through impeachment hearings. I've yet to hear Hillary Clinton denounce or reject a President who lies under oath ... hmmm... I don't like that.
After the mysterious death of Vince Foster, Hillary Clinton cleaned out Vince Foster's office BEFORE the proper authorities got there ... hmmmm... why did Hillary clean out Foster's office before the authorities got there ... hmmm I don't like that.
I think Hillary Clinton did lie under oath during her testimony over Travelgate. I do NOT trust Hillary Clinton.
I do NOT think Hillary Clinton can beat McCain, or any republican because, if Hillary somehow steals this election from Obama through pledged delegates and super delegates, the Republicans WILL re-educate the public on Travel-gate. She avoids any direct answers in her testimony and contradicts all other parties involved. The Republicans will win the White House in the Fall w/ questions about her role in the Whitehouse and her untruthful testimony during Travelgate.
I think Hillary is also dishonest because she still refuses to make public her calendar and phone records while she was First Lady .... hmmm ... what is she hiding?
While I watched her as First Lady and Senator I have come to the personal conclusion that Hillary Clinton is cold, calculating, self-serving and is not an honorable or honest person.
I don't think we need a repeat of Hillary & Bill dishonoring the office of the President like they did the last time they lived in the White House.
Again, I support Barack Obama because he reminds me of President John F. Kennedy.
Samantha @ 42:
Please stop repeating lies about "travelgate" and Vincent Foster.
I'm an Obama supporter, but I think you can do better than, "He reminds me of JFK."
♣Bangkok Bob♣ @ 25:
That was a really good article by McKay, and I really want to believe this will happen too. If Bush pardons them all on the way out of dodge, is he guilty of conspiracy or accomplice after the fact?
Travelgate!!? There was no there, there. Vince Foster? Get the tinfoil hats. Are these people 'progressives.? Scares the hell outta me.
An Irish 10: a 4 and a six-pack.
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