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Although FOX News is crawling with them, it's pretty hard to find a bigger right-wing hack than Fred Barnes. Thursday on FOX News' "Special Report," Barnes called Gramm's insensitive and bone-headed remarks about struggling Americans "straight-talk," and reiterated Gramm's view that Americans are whiners because they acknowledge how poorly the economy is doing.

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Transcript via Think Progress:

BARNES: He wasn’t wrong to say that. You know what this was? This was straight talk that McCain always says he’s giving it, and this is exactly what Phil Gramm did. He gave straight talk…They claim about how bad the economy is–and it’s weak, no question about that. …They’re whining all the way through it.

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164 Comments
Krisken's picture

I wish these guys had to take the minimum wage challenge. Just another case of people not knowing what they hell they are talking about.

politis's picture

America needs to stop whining about home foreclosures and start whining about homosexuals!

Big E's picture

we're now in the absolute season of DOPES

St. Vitus's picture

politis @ 2:

America needs to stop whining about home foreclosures and start whining about homosexuals!

Is "foreclosure" some sort of S&M game?

constituent's picture

this is not going to be a one day deal trust me obama's
surrogates are going to be all over this come fall...right now they're not going to over do it and wear it out.

inflation is at 4.5% and gorwth of income at 2.5% do the math.....6 straight months of job losses....fuel cost increases at an accelerated rate....people losing homes
this whininh comment is going to be a mistake for mccain in ohio,pennsylvania and especially michigan

dadams's picture

barnes another insensitive over-paid ass-wipe.
these jackasses that have over-rated payscale jobs
would not know what is it like for a family of three or four
to live on minimum wage even if both parents have jobs.

he can suck the big one!

lyleleander's picture

If you're a Republican making an ad hominem attack on the entirety of America for being whiners and babies, that's straight talk... to Fox.

If you're a Democrat stating an indisputable fact: that people in small, rural towns tend to focus on guns and religion... you're a traitorous, treasonous, commie pinko faggot.

Only in America.

Nada's picture

This is high comedy.
Reslugs have turned the country into a fascist dictatorship war machine and made the population indentured servants to the state and when the peasants stop watching the latest crap reality show long enough to say something, the new ruling class tells them to stop whining.

But wait! I'm SURE they're just shaking in their boots because there's an election coming up. They're not? Could it be because they own the DoJ and the elections commission too? Not to mention they control BOTH parties?

Yeah.
You're fucked.

Required's picture

I'm sitting here imagining the 24x7 outrage-fest that would be going on right now if Obama had called us a nation of whiners...

Gotta love our corporate-owned state-run media...

Tarro's picture

I agree, this is straight talk about what these idiots believe is good for us. Barnes is a tool and we should listen to every word he says.

Archae's picture

Fred Barnes=Frank Burns...coincidence? I don't think so.

myshadow's picture

Audio exists of the gramm remarks, there is this...dnc should but a minute of time and just run it. No embellishment, just play it again and again. There is so much to work with, I don't know what they are waiting for.

sully18's picture

Here`s what I propose.If Barnes and Gramm think we`re whining; put each of them in a room with someone who has had their home foerclosed on because of the sub-prime frauds perpetrated by Gramm`s support of the Enron loophole and the other fraudulent laws he helped devise;and after an hour see whose whining.

constituent's picture

that's all part of the plan right record profits at Wall-fart(china-mart) and cosco......big box,low paying,no union,put smaller stores out of business....kind of stores..
mission accomplish.....

lj's picture

What I love about these Brains is that they quickly glaze over the big issue ie. Barnes: "They claim about how bad the economy is____and it's weak, no question about that..." as if to say "OK I'll agree with you on the big issue, but gee listen to my overwhelming bigger issue...they're complaining.

How about the BIG ISSUES? Because you acknowledge the messes your kind of thinking has created, doesn't allow you to deflect or even soften the blame. It would be refreshing and "straight talking" to just say "Yeah, we screwed up."

Fat chance of that ever happening.

Cal's picture

Barnes can speak for himself.

knuckledragger's picture

Both sets of links point to the .mov version.

Cats r Flyfishn's picture

The dumbf*cks that watch Fox News can only afford to drink one six pack of Bud/night instead of the usual two so I guess they are whining about the economy. These folks may not vote for Obama and they won't show up to vote for Bush either.

When Obama used the term "bitter" he was called an elitist. Now McCain's supporters are calling us "whiners" and they are linking this to the McCain screwball express, so McCain is an elitist.

So, are we bitter because we are called whiners or are we bitter because of guns and jesus? And were we better off before the boy Bush and his thieves took office?

Bitter Bud Hussein's picture

Archae @ 9:

Fred Barnes=Frank Burns...coincidence? I don't think so.

That's an insult to Frank Burns!

Fred Barnes is just an elitist turd - a SUPER turd, if you will

No offense to turds, BTW

Bismarck's picture

Why is this professional blathermouth whining so much about whiners? I guess anyone who can't think for themselves would actually waste their time listening to this blowhole telling them how to think. Unfortunately, most of the cable news channels are full of these 'strategists' and sundry 'analysts'; equivalent of Broadcast News Deadwood.

constituent's picture

what makes me edgy is these people like gramm and black make these comments and don't really care..they're cocky...like this win is in the bag..sure i'm bias but it
seems weird to me. if obama made these comments
all hell would break out

sully18's picture

constituent @ 12:

that's all part of the plan right record profits at Wall-fart(china-mart) and cosco......big box,low paying,no union,put smaller stores out of business....kind of stores..
mission accomplish.....

I have to differ with you on the costco thing.They start people at 11 dolars an hour.Not sure,but I think they get benefits too.

Anthony Look's picture

Give Fred Barnes a break; his main job has always been to be a kiss ass.
Watch any of his predictable reporting, he's a Tony Snowjob clone (my prayers to his family) (he nonetheless was a piece of propaganda work).
Fred was born a homely child, well lets be honest a ugly geeky nerdy child; and overweight to boot.
His words are mere expressions of good hard working ass kissing.
It's not as if he has ever represented himself as a talented, insightful reporter. Mouth pieces don't do that.
I think at least he is an honest and loyal spokes hole. So let the dork talk. Quit bullying him.

Dana's picture

politis @ 2:

America needs to stop whining about home foreclosures and start whining about homosexuals!

...and abortion, and corporate welfare, and tax breaks for those poor rich folks, and how we need
to start another war that will cost billions upon billions...ect., ect.

LibertyLover's picture

I think this is an excellent strategy for the McCain campaign, nothing gets votes faster than insulting the electorate. Keep it up Fox News, you're doing a GREAT job.

Cats r Flyfishn's picture

Nada @ 8:

This is high comedy.
Reslugs have turned the country into a fascist dictatorship war machine and made the population indentured servants to the state and when the peasants stop watching the latest crap reality show long enough to say something, the new ruling class tells them to stop whining.

But wait! I'm SURE they're just shaking in their boots because there's an election coming up. They're not? Could it be because they own the DoJ and the elections commission too? Not to mention they control BOTH parties?

Yeah.
You're fucked.

We still have the second amendment.

constituent's picture

sully18 @ 22:

constituent @ 12:

that's all part of the plan right record profits at Wall-fart(china-mart) and cosco......big box,low paying,no union,put smaller stores out of business....kind of stores..
mission accomplish.....

I have to differ with you on the costco thing.They start people at 11 dolars an hour.Not sure,but I think they get benefits too.

no....your right i've heard that about costco....i thought i heard somewhere it requires 15 an hour to be above poverty(highest level)

ysbaddaden's picture

Actually it's the Americans who are using straight talk.

The reichwing republicans are whining because they're being faulted for the mess.

But what isn't straight talk on the economy?

Calling people, "You big thitthies?

Maybe if mccain replaces his grams: phil replaced by lindsey.

Cats r Flyfishn's picture

sully18 @ 22:

constituent @ 12:

that's all part of the plan right record profits at Wall-fart(china-mart) and cosco......big box,low paying,no union,put smaller stores out of business....kind of stores..
mission accomplish.....

I have to differ with you on the costco thing.They start people at 11 dolars an hour.Not sure,but I think they get benefits too.

Sam's club would have been a better analogy. Cosco actually supports Democratic causes. Sam's is Republic all the way.

ysbaddaden's picture

4 St. Vitus Says: politis @ 2:

America needs to stop whining about home foreclosures and start whining about homosexuals!

Is “foreclosure” some sort of S&M game?
__________________________________________________________

Once the whips start flying we'd all be doing the St Vitus dance.

Impeach cheney and bush's picture

I love it. Just like when McCain complains about social security when he has been sucking at the American tit since the 60's. First it was the navy, then vet disability, then the senate, divorce an ill wife, marry a young millionaire, run for prez going back and forth on taxpayer money to fund his campaign.

brian's picture

That's right. Bush F's up the economy and we're suppose to just shut up and like it. When Bill Clinton had a rare down day in his economy I can remember the right going nuts. And I'm sure millionaire Barnes was right there with 'em whining all the way through the 24 hour downturn.

pinkobait's picture

Liberals should react to Barnes and Gramm with the same screechy phony sanctimoniousness that would certainly greet THEM (care of the usual gang of idiots)were the tables turned.(as they usually are)You know:"why do Republicans hate Americans sooooooooooooooooo much??"

Charles's picture

Yepper. The GOP talking point of the week. True Americans THINK everything is going great. Only liberals whine about things that aren't really happening.

Hey Fred....fuck off!

KansasCityFaGt's picture

same old Republican bullshit.

It's all the government's fault unless we control the government, then it's your own damn fault for having your expectations too high. And then to whine about it? What we need is some more tax cuts and a new country populated by brown people to bomb. Then maybe we can get out of this malaise.

Udon Nomee's picture

"...This was straight talk that McCain always says he’s giving it..."

Oh, I get it now! That's what McCain means by 'Straight Talk'. It's still a load of B.S., but it's 'Straight' talk, as opposed to "I am not gay. I never have been gay" talk...

constituent's picture

recent speech by San Francisco Fed President Janet Yellen laid out the Fed's view that higher commodity prices are bad enough in themselves. But even worse would be the development of a wage-price spiral, in which workers are able to demand higher wages to offset higher prices, but only by forcing their employer to raise prices in turn for their customers. Such an inflation spiral would be devastating, Yellen said.
In the past, the Fed has looked closely at core inflation (which excludes food and energy prices in order to see broader trends) to gauge whether higher energy prices are spilling over into a generalized inflation.
Now, Crandall said, the Fed is going "beyond the core-price concept" to look directly at wages. If wages rise quickly, the Fed will act, even it means pushing the economy over the cliff by raising interest rates high enough to kill off inflation.
The Fed's view could be political dynamite. Hard-pressed workers must sacrifice their living standards. But the people haven't really accepted the bad news yet: We are poorer because of the surge in food and energy prices, and no one -- not Uncle Sam nor Uncle Ben -- can change that.
"The only way to deal with the oil price spike is for real incomes to go down," Crandall said.

Uncle Joe Mccarthy's picture

record sales at costco and wallmart...hey fred, take a drive to everytown usa and look at how many retail biz are shutting their doors

when obama says a truism, that the repugs play on the fears of middle america, and that when times get tuff, they cling to god, guns and the hatred of gays...he gets reamed

but when the architect of the enron loophole, which in great part has caused our bad economy, basically says "let them eat cake", that is straight talk

these people are so out of touch it isnt funny

politis's picture

ysbaddaden @ 31:

4 St. Vitus Says: politis @ 2:

America needs to stop whining about home foreclosures and start whining about homosexuals!

Is “foreclosure” some sort of S&M game?
__________________________________________________________

Once the whips start flying we'd all be doing the St Vitus dance.

Don't know, you'd have to ask a Republican. They're gayer than me.

Charles's picture

Americans are spending like crazy? If we were, the economy would be growing a heck of a lot greater than 1%. The fact is that while Faux Noise attempts to manage perceptions, Americans can't slow down spending FASTER than prices are RISING. And the only reason there is no recession is because the prices are out pacing our ability to spend.

And if it's really true that Americans are spending like crazy at Costco, haven't seen items sales information (not dollar sales due to congruence of commodity increases), then Americans are probably stocking up either while they can or because they think things are so bad they better have a month or two of food on hand to get through a total collapse of our economy.

bryancri's picture

i guess it must be pretty difficult, for barnes, to settle for a 6 or 7 figure salary, a home in the city and in the country, and, by his own admission, a comfortably low tax rate.

VegasRage's picture

Neanderthalism at it's finest.

Charles's picture

bryancri @ 42:

i guess it must be pretty difficult, for barnes, to settle for a 6 or 7 figure salary, a home in the city and in the country, and, by his own admission, a comfortably low tax rate.

Exactly! What's everyone whining about, I'm doin gggggreaaat!

Pericles's picture

Haven't these people ever heard of Marie Antoinette?

"If you're having trouble covering your short-sells on the stock market, just suck it up and sell your Maserati! So what if you're forced to drive your Viper for awhile. Stop whining!"

Republicans: Government by the rich, for the rich.

I think it's time to dust off the guillotine and storm the Bastille.

NoBuddy's picture

There is the fact that under Bush, corporate profits have enjoyed the greatest percentage of GDP ever. Seems to me that means that people who rely on unearned income have made out, while people who rely on earned income (wages, saleries) haven't made out.

Then, there is the issue of the Bush years relying on borrowing. We have been borrowing year after year since Bush took office. At some point this borrowing is going to have to stop, and the economy will then have to pay for the present and the past. I think we're already beginning to see that with dollar devaluation.

I think the first President Bush, George H.W Bush , lost the 1992 election in great part by denying that the economic problems were that serious, leading to the statement "It's the economy, stupid". Whether the recession at that time was serious or not, the public had concluded that it was. Since Bush wasn't acknowledging that, people didn't think he would get on the case to resolve the perceived problem. That hasn't been lost on anyone running from President since then. So, naturally, McCain is going to distance himself from Ghramm because the Ghramm position is a losing proposition.

I think this time around, the economic problems are much more serious. Borrow and spend economics have boxed the Fed into a corner. If they lower interest rates, the dollar weakens, oil becomes more expensive, and the economy tanks. If they raise interest rates to stem inflation, costs of borrowing increases, and the economy tanks.

The government is poised to present a $300B mortgage rescue program, which sounds nice. But where is the money coming from - more borrowing? So, does that mean that the Federal government is going to be competing with companies and individuals for funds in a time where there is a credit crunch? Or are they going to simply print money?

Right now, the Americans may be "whining" about the economy. But, they better start demanding answers. The fact is, something has to give, and one issue that needs to come forward, front and center, is the turd in the punchbowl that no one wants to talk about, which is the inordinate amount of money we pay to play the world's policeman, roughly 50% of the world's military expenditures. The whiners need to figure out that we can't have it all, health care, social security, and world hegemony. Something has to go.

BIGBONEDED's picture

Fred Barnes = CREEPY LITTLE FUCKING WEASEL !

Nicky's picture

pinkobait @ 34:

Liberals should react to Barnes and Gramm with the same screechy phony sanctimoniousness that would certainly greet THEM (care of the usual gang of idiots)were the tables turned.(as they usually are)You know:"why do Republicans hate Americans sooooooooooooooooo much??"

Now that's the spirit. But have you thought of this?

Go over to REDSTATE. Grab you a name like "TexIsTuff" and write verbatim what Barnes said. Then denounce MCain for throwing a true patriot like Phil Gramm under the bus.
Accuse MCain of backtracking on his promise to get right with his base. Curse him for not recognizing that, except for those Messikins we lock in all night at WalMart to make sure they are not stealing the Chinese merchandise after they mop the floor, we need to build that fence now so those autoworkers can find jobs in our lettuce patch.

Let em know you will not be voting for McCain until he lets Phil and Rev. Hagee back on the bus. Screw up your spelling and grammar for authenticy. Dare the MSM to give as much coverage to McCain's problems talking down to the redneck community as they do trying to help Obama by giving Jesse Jackson and other friends of Obama so much coverage.

If you need practice, just read some of the attacks on Obama by "progressives" on this site. It will give you some clues for the appropriately stupid behavior.

getalife's picture

He is right. Instead of whining on the blogs, we should be organizing to fix our broken government.

But there is good news from the Times:

“The Bush administration is considering the withdrawal of additional combat forces from Iraq beginning in September, according to administration and military officials, raising the prospect of a far more ambitious plan than expected only months ago.”

And Marlaki is handing out your money on the streets of Baghdad:

http://ph.news.yahoo.com/ap/20080713/tap-iraq-money-as-weapon-d3b07b8.html

Nicky's picture

bryancri @ 42:

i guess it must be pretty difficult, for barnes, to settle for a 6 or 7 figure salary, a home in the city and in the country, and, by his own admission, a comfortably low tax rate.

Only because his intelligence numbers have not been keeping pace.

Nicky's picture

Nicky @ 49:

bryancri @ 42:

i guess it must be pretty difficult, for barnes, to settle for a 6 or 7 figure salary, a home in the city and in the country, and, by his own admission, a comfortably low tax rate.

Only because his intelligence numbers have not been keeping pace.

With his income, not his tax rate, I should have said.

Beelzebud's picture

Here is some straight talk.

The Republican party HATES the common citizen, and they actually believe that we're all a bunch of whiners!

Vote for that!

Armytanker's picture

People like this guy live in their nice little world and have no idea what MOST Americans are having to deal with. This parasite makes his living by running his mouth. Make him do an honest days work and he'd be whining too.

Nicky's picture

Fred is proof of McCain's straight talk when he said Americans won't pick lettuce.

dennis's picture

I talked to five or six guys today, all in their late 50's to 60's, most of them retired, whether this was as bad as they had ever seen. They all to a man laughed and said not by a long shot, that's it's been so good for so long that most people don't even know what a real recession is like. Are we whiners, I asked. Every one of them said without a doubt we were.

harley's picture

Why does Fred Barnes hate America?

PassedPawn's picture

Seeing overpaid weasels mock Americans for being whiners is upside-down to say the least. Really, Amis should knock these worthless corporate bordellos networks out of business post haste.

PassedPawn's picture

dennis @ 55:

I talked to five or six guys today, all in their late 50's to 60's, most of them retired, whether this was as bad as they had ever seen. They all to a man laughed and said not by a long shot, that's it's been so good for so long that most people don't even know what a real recession is like. Are we whiners, I asked. Every one of them said without a doubt we were.

Hmmm, those guys sound like republicans. I can't remember healthcare in this country being as bad as it is now.

harley's picture

PassedPawn @ 58:

dennis @ 55:

I talked to five or six guys today, all in their late 50's to 60's, most of them retired, whether this was as bad as they had ever seen. They all to a man laughed and said not by a long shot, that's it's been so good for so long that most people don't even know what a real recession is like. Are we whiners, I asked. Every one of them said without a doubt we were.

Hmmm, those guys sound like republicans. I can't remember healthcare in this country being as bad as it is now.

He posts on Republican boards as "birchtree" and believes we should bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran. He is giant Bush apologist.

What time in those 50 to 60 years were we averaging 8000 foreclosures per day?

Pericles's picture

dennis @ 55:

I talked to five or six guys today, all in their late 50's to 60's, most of them retired, whether this was as bad as they had ever seen. They all to a man laughed and said not by a long shot, that's it's been so good for so long that most people don't even know what a real recession is like. Are we whiners, I asked. Every one of them said without a doubt we were.

In fact, that's probably pretty accurate for Boomers in their 50s and 60s, which is why McCain's support is solid in that demographic. For people who established their careers, paid off their mortgages, and started their retirement investment plans in the late 80s or beyond, things are pretty good at the moment, especially with lower taxes. Ask the same question to people in their 20s, 30s and 40s. (Also, ask those older guys what period they think WAS the toughest time we've ever been through, and see what they say. My guess is they'll probably say 1977-1983, or somewhere in there. That's when those guys were in their 30s, had probably just bought a house, and were actually VULNERABLE to a debt, mortgage or credit crisis when both interest rates and fuel prices went up.)

Also, it's not really a fair comparison. The older you get the more you tend to think young people are whiners anyway, whether it's true or not. I notice myself doing it, too. It's just human nature.

dennis's picture

Pericles @ 60:

dennis @ 55:

I talked to five or six guys today, all in their late 50's to 60's, most of them retired, whether this was as bad as they had ever seen. They all to a man laughed and said not by a long shot, that's it's been so good for so long that most people don't even know what a real recession is like. Are we whiners, I asked. Every one of them said without a doubt we were.

In fact, that's probably pretty accurate for Boomers in their 50s and 60s, which is why McCain's support is solid in that demographic. For people who established their careers, paid off their mortgages, and started their retirement investment plans in the late 80s or beyond, things are pretty good at the moment, especially with lower taxes. Ask the same question to people in their 20s, 30s and 40s. (Also, ask those older guys what period they think WAS the toughest time we've ever been through, and see what they say. My guess is they'll probably say 1977-1983, or somewhere in there. That's when those guys were in their 30s, had probably just bought a house, and were actually VULNERABLE to a debt, mortgage or credit crisis when both interest rates and fuel prices went up.)

Also, it's not really a fair comparison. The older you get the more you tend to think young people are whiners anyway, whether it's true or not. I notice myself doing it, too. It's just human nature.

I agree with you there, Pericles, it is human nature. But Gramm is also in that same age bracket and I'm sure that had something to do with it.

Pericles's picture

Nicky @ 48:

Go over to REDSTATE. Grab you a name like "TexIsTuff" and write verbatim what Barnes said. Then denounce MCain for throwing a true patriot like Phil Gramm under the bus.
Accuse MCain of backtracking on his promise to get right with his base. Curse him for not recognizing that, except for those Messikins we lock in all night at WalMart to make sure they are not stealing the Chinese merchandise after they mop the floor, we need to build that fence now so those autoworkers can find jobs in our lettuce patch.

Let em know you will not be voting for McCain until he lets Phil and Rev. Hagee back on the bus.

If you need practice, just read some of the attacks on Obama by "progressives" on this site. It will give you some clues for the appropriately stupid behavior.

Hahah! Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's what most of the 'Progressives' who come to this site and slam Obama for not being far enough to the left, and betraying his 'base' are really doing. I'd even suspect it was Fred Barnes who was doing it, but I don't think he knows how to use the internet. It's more likely some of those second generation chickenhawks in the College Republicans who are honing their skills for becoming the Karl Rove of 2020.

Captain Bitter Whiner Husein Kangaroo's picture

Freddy Barnes said this on Faux. I wonder what the Faux audience thinks. They are the retards who are voting for McShame/Bush. I wonder what they think about Barnes and Faux calling them whiners because they have no money and their house is on the auction block and they can’t afford gas and can’t take a vacation and their collage kids have to stay home this next semester to work to help pay the fuel bills.

Ed's picture

Pericles @ 45:

Haven't these people ever heard of Marie Antoinette?

"If you're having trouble covering your short-sells on the stock market, just suck it up and sell your Maserati! So what if you're forced to drive your Viper for awhile. Stop whining!"

Republicans: Government by the rich, for the rich.

I think it's time to dust off the guillotine and storm the Bastille.

Indeed. At one time, I'll bet John Wilkes Booth was considered a whiner.

Dr Acula's picture

55 dennis Says: I talked to five or six guys today, all in their late 50’s to 60’s, most of them retired, whether this was as bad as they had ever seen. They all to a man laughed and said not by a long shot, that’s it’s been so good for so long that most people don’t even know what a real recession is like. Are we whiners, I asked. Every one of them said without a doubt we were.

Let me guess, Dennis. This happened at your golf club this morning.

Just Anonymous's picture

Fredie "the Beatle" Barnes, ladies and gentlemen!

Kanan's picture

Americans are in a mental recession, and are a bunch of whiners and wimps.

And they have no rational reason not to be absolutely intoxicated with delight at the brilliantly optimistic future our highly competent government is helping lay the foundation for into the future.

And I had to walk 9 miles, through 3 feet of snow, in Texas, to school, when I was in Kindergarten - uphill both ways.

Sincerely,

Phil Gramm

Chris K's picture

Fuck this punk! Whinning? Are you kidding me? So, would you tell someone, lying on the side of the road after being hit by a car, that he is whinning? Fred Barnes, I suggest you not come around my neighborhood and voice those comments -- you might not come out in one piece, you bitch!

Mike's picture

Barnes has been a political commentator since Vietnam. He has never been right. I can't figure what he does. They pay people for being morons?

cg's picture

Walter Reed wasn't infected with black mold and rodents - it was just in their mind.

jj's picture

sully18 @ 22:

constituent @ 12:

that's all part of the plan right record profits at Wall-fart(china-mart) and cosco......big box,low paying,no union,put smaller stores out of business....kind of stores..
mission accomplish.....

I have to differ with you on the costco thing.They start people at 11 dolars an hour.Not sure,but I think they get benefits too.

Not COSTCO. COSCO. China Overseas Shipping Company.

ysbaddaden's picture

cg @ 70:

Walter Reed wasn't infected with black mold and rodents - it was just in their mind.

The rodents?

Mike's picture

What makes this so called mental recesiion bad is that people are in debtr to the gills. If we do have a regular recession with extensive job losses it will be bloody. That is why the fed is letting the dollar tank. It won't work however. Some people we are going to have a recession pertaining back to 2001. Excesses get wiped out in recessions. Unfortunately most puke bankers have stolen everything.

dennis's picture

Dr Acula @ 65:

55 dennis Says: I talked to five or six guys today, all in their late 50’s to 60’s, most of them retired, whether this was as bad as they had ever seen. They all to a man laughed and said not by a long shot, that’s it’s been so good for so long that most people don’t even know what a real recession is like. Are we whiners, I asked. Every one of them said without a doubt we were.

Let me guess, Dennis. This happened at your golf club this morning.

Doc, man, wtf is your obsession with me and golf all of a sudden? Do you hate the game, or just people who play it? I don't get it, it's a great game and Republicans and Democrats alike play it. It's not even all that expensive to play compared to a lot of other things people do for sport and leisure these days.

Whoever it is you hang out with or live near by or whatever, I doubt if you sampled a group of 50, 60 and 70 yr olds, you'd get a much different overall answer. I didn't say things weren't tough or that the pain and suffering people are experiencing right now isn't real, it's just that it's very likely older people think things have been almost too good for a lot of people for a while now and that most of them went through far tougher times than these, and that we'll weather this storm as well.

Saint Augustine's picture

dennis @ 55:

I talked to five or six guys today, all in their late 50's to 60's, most of them retired, whether this was as bad as they had ever seen. They all to a man laughed and said not by a long shot, that's it's been so good for so long that most people don't even know what a real recession is like. Are we whiners, I asked. Every one of them said without a doubt we were.

Dennis is a lying piece of shit. I'm 64 and I have never seen it this bad. I talk to young people all the time and remind them that they will probably have to register for a draft if McInsane wins.

By the way, did I mention that Dennis is a lying piece of shit. I read it on the internet, it must be true.

oncall's picture

dennis @ 55:

I talked to five or six guys today, all in their late 50's to 60's, most of them retired......

(emphasis added).

That says it all.

Dr Acula's picture

I like golf as well, Dennis. I just remember someone, probably Dr. Matt, busting your chops.

oncall's picture

Straight talk for Fred Barnes: You are one stupid dipshit who has no idea what it is like to have to choose between taking your medicines that keep you healthy, paying for food, or paying your gas bill. Oh wait, you are right. I should not be whining about trying to stay alive.

Sheesh, he is such a prick.

Saint Augustine's picture

I suspect Dennis has trouble getting his ball past the windmill blade on the back nine most of the time.

dennis's picture

Saint Augustine @ 75:

dennis @ 55:

I talked to five or six guys today, all in their late 50's to 60's, most of them retired, whether this was as bad as they had ever seen. They all to a man laughed and said not by a long shot, that's it's been so good for so long that most people don't even know what a real recession is like. Are we whiners, I asked. Every one of them said without a doubt we were.

Dennis is a lying piece of shit. I'm 64 and I have never seen it this bad. I talk to young people all the time and remind them that they will probably have to register for a draft if McInsane wins.

By the way, did I mention that Dennis is a lying piece of shit. I read it on the internet, it must be true.

FU, St. Augustine. I don't lie and I'm not lying about the people I talked to. It's just anecdotal; nothing more, nothing less. If you think there is no way a group of older men would think we whine way too much you don't know much about human nature. Most guys I know that age are just glad to be alive and their loved ones are healthy because they know it can all change very quickly.

And you're an asshole. I read that on the internet too.

Nicky's picture

Kanan @ 67:

Americans are in a mental recession, and are a bunch of whiners and wimps.

And they have no rational reason not to be absolutely intoxicated with delight at the brilliantly optimistic future our highly competent government is helping lay the foundation for into the future.

And I had to walk 9 miles, through 3 feet of snow, in Texas, to school, when I was in Kindergarten - uphill both ways.

Sincerely,

Phil Gramm

miss_kitty's picture

Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! ha HA!

Moon's picture

Phil Gramm has been picking the pockets of the American tax payer for over 30 years. It's about time they whined. He's just upset that he got caught, so now he becomes insulting. Well, fine Phil, call me a whiner, call me anything. At least the public is finding out about you.

Shadowgm Hussein's picture

There's no doubt the economy is bad? After all the water-carrying and dancing about trying to preserve Bush's 'legacy'?

And it's OUR fault?

Isn't this the same as insisting we're too stupid to recognize the greatness of the man called W?

Straight talk, then, Freddie, would be about solutions - not 'yes, it's true, we're in the toilet, shut up, you crybaby!'

joeedugan's picture

dennis @ 55:

I talked to five or six guys today, all in their late 50's to 60's, most of them retired, whether this was as bad as they had ever seen. They all to a man laughed and said not by a long shot, that's it's been so good for so long that most people don't even know what a real recession is like. Are we whiners, I asked. Every one of them said without a doubt we were.

Looks like Dennis has been hanging out with Board of Directors at Exxon. They must be into rough trade.

naschkatze Hussein's picture

Oh, puhleeze! Americans are not supposed to complain about how the Republicans have ruined this country. When we are told that shit is ice cream, we are supposed to lap it up and say "yummo" like Rachel Ray. They're trying to tie it in with Obama's bitter remarks. If you are a real American, you never ever complain about your disastrous government. Ferchrissakes, what more do we want? We have our guns and Bibles.

Saint Augustine's picture

Now it comes out that Dennis is also gay. I don't care what you have to offer Dennis you can't fuck me. Go back to your jerking off, at least you can do that out of the closet.

ysbaddaden's picture

I was a pup in the late 60's and early 70's and there was one big difference between then and now. We we're unquestionably the king of the heap despite OPEC and Japan.

Now we have much stronger competitors in the EU, China and India.

Before we could have hope things would improve.

That's lacking now.

And before regulations were seen as sensible

Now as interferrence.

Nicky's picture

Nicky @ 81:

Kanan @ 67:

Americans are in a mental recession, and are a bunch of whiners and wimps.

And they have no rational reason not to be absolutely intoxicated with delight at the brilliantly optimistic future our highly competent government is helping lay the foundation for into the future.

And I had to walk 9 miles, through 3 feet of snow, in Texas, to school, when I was in Kindergarten - uphill both ways.

Sincerely,

Phil Gramm

And Nicky obviously hit the wrong button. He meant to say this:

Quit lying on the Internets. About Texas. I'm a Texan.
Phil Gramm didn't walk through no snow to no school down here.
Neither did George Bush, elder or dumber.

The Bush's were driven through snow to school in Connecticutt.

Phil Gramm's mamma emptied bedpans so he could buy shoes to go to school in Georgia.

They are not Texans. We are not responsible for how they got schooled. We ride our horses to school. We just elected em fore you uns did. Cept for Phil.

dennis's picture

Dr Acula @ 77:

I like golf as well, Dennis. I just remember someone, probably Dr. Matt, busting your chops.

That dude is bizarre. Please don't be like him. There are quite a few people I enjoy sparring with and you've been one of them, Doc. Please don't take anything I say personally.

And yes, it was on the golf course when I did my 'random' sampling. At that age they've already gotten their kids through college and married and their mortgages paid and aren't worried a whole lot about their regular monthly bills. But they all feel like they've paid their dues in life as well and so should everyone else. I always kid them that they've gotten through life at the right time, their peak earning years corresponded with a booming stock market and the houses they paid 50,000 bucks for back in the late 60's are worth a half million to 750,000 now, not to mention having 401 k's AND pension benefits, and college wasn't so expensive as it is now. They tell me to STFU in their own way, much like a few people here do too.

If you're ever in Virginia, let me know and we can play a round or two. On me.

Nicky's picture

Hey kid's. I'm back from Nicole's show where I was dead serious. Looks like you folks are feeding trolls again in the form of Dennis. Don't feed trolls. Flush weasels.

Dahgrostab'ph-r-i's picture

the 4 and a half dollar gas isn't in my head, it's in my wallet! This guy, along with EVERY Republican should just go and fuck themselves.

And they'll never admit that Republican economics has been a disaster from the start.

dennis's picture

ysbaddaden @ 88:

I was a pup in the late 60's and early 70's and there was one big difference between then and now. We we're unquestionably the king of the heap despite OPEC and Japan.

Now we have much stronger competitors in the EU, China and India.

Before we could have hope things would improve.

That's lacking now.

And before regulations were seen as sensible

Now as interferrence.

C'mon, ysby, it will get better. Too many smart people for it not to. Did you expect India and China to stay backwards forever? Did you think our economy and our markets would do nothing but go straight up at the same pace as the last twenty years, while everyone else stayed the same?

naschkatze Hussein's picture

dennis @ 55:

I talked to five or six guys today, all in their late 50's to 60's, most of them retired, whether this was as bad as they had ever seen. They all to a man laughed and said not by a long shot, that's it's been so good for so long that most people don't even know what a real recession is like. Are we whiners, I asked. Every one of them said without a doubt we were.

Are you for real? I am 65, and my husband is 67. Most of our friends are in the same age bracket. We are not whiners but angry as hell at what's happening to the country. We have children who we don't want to see fall through the cracks, even from beyond the grave. BTW, most of us are not rich but comfortable (not quite so much now though). We're the people who love this country and don't want to see it go down the tubes. I wish I could meet with you and your chums. I would take great pleasure in kicking your goddam selfish Republican asses.

CatAtomic's picture

Tell me-- how can these people plaster their studios with flags, claim to love America... and then openly express how much they despise Americans? How does that make sense?

Do they think "USA" is just a brand name, like Starbucks or something? What is it if not the people that live here?

Fred Barnes hates America.

dennis's picture

Nicky @ 91:

Hey kid's. I'm back from Nicole's show where I was dead serious. Looks like you folks are feeding trolls again in the form of Dennis. Don't feed trolls. Flush weasels.

And then you brag about trolling on conservative sights and encourage other people to do the same.

Very classy, Nicky.

ysbaddaden's picture

90 dennis

My ancestors used to be in the state government of Virginia while it was still a Royal colony.

ysbaddaden's picture

Scratch that.

It should read, "My ancestors used to be in the government of Virginia while it was still a Royal colony."

Kanan's picture

dennis @ 96:

Nicky @ 91:

Hey kid's. I'm back from Nicole's show where I was dead serious. Looks like you folks are feeding trolls again in the form of Dennis. Don't feed trolls. Flush weasels.

And then you brag about trolling on conservative sights and encourage other people to do the same.

Very classy, Nicky.

FYI

I believe the word you're searching for is "sites"

It's no wonder the old men laugh at you on the golf course

dennis's picture

naschkatze Hussein @ 94:

dennis @ 55:

I talked to five or six guys today, all in their late 50's to 60's, most of them retired, whether this was as bad as they had ever seen. They all to a man laughed and said not by a long shot, that's it's been so good for so long that most people don't even know what a real recession is like. Are we whiners, I asked. Every one of them said without a doubt we were.

Are you for real? I am 65, and my husband is 67. Most of our friends are in the same age bracket. We are not whiners but angry as hell at what's happening to the country. We have children who we don't want to see fall through the cracks, even from beyond the grave. BTW, most of us are not rich but comfortable (not quite so much now though). We're the people who love this country and don't want to see it go down the tubes. I wish I could meet with you and your chums. I would take great pleasure in kicking your goddam selfish Republican asses.

They love their country too and don't want to see it go down the tubes, either. None of their lives are perfect, far from it, and they all have children that they worry about too and what life will be like for them. I'm not at all selfish and neither are any of them. Most of them are quite selfless and do a lot of charity work and donate generously. Why you want to kick someone's ass for their beliefs is mind-boggling to me. And to hear it from a 65 year old woman is bizarre to me as well. It's really why I can't bring myself to see eye to eye with a lot of posters here, and I've honestly tried.

ysbaddaden's picture

I'd druther drink a round or two.

I may be of Scottish decent but I find golf as interesting as watching paint dry

Without the cannabis.

sciguy's picture

You know, I think that somehow even Fox's braindead viewers are not likely to buy this line unless they are so wealthy that the downturn in the economy and gas prices are leaving them unaffected. Usually the right wing is good at presenting a faux populist facade, but Barnes seems to be rather off message here. How do they think this sort of approach will help McCain at the polls?

yakfitguy's picture

constituent @ 5:

this is not going to be a one day deal trust me obama's
surrogates are going to be all over this come fall...right now they're not going to over do it and wear it out.

inflation is at 4.5% and gorwth of income at 2.5% do the math.....6 straight months of job losses....fuel cost increases at an accelerated rate....people losing homes
this whininh comment is going to be a mistake for mccain in ohio,pennsylvania and especially michigan

I agree, I hope they keep it up. The more stupid comments the Right makes like this, the larger the victory we will have.

dennis's picture

Kanan @ 99:

dennis @ 96:

Nicky @ 91:

Hey kid's. I'm back from Nicole's show where I was dead serious. Looks like you folks are feeding trolls again in the form of Dennis. Don't feed trolls. Flush weasels.

And then you brag about trolling on conservative sights and encourage other people to do the same.

Very classy, Nicky.

FYI

I believe the word you're searching for is "sites"

It's no wonder the old men laugh at you on the golf course

No, Kanan, I meant sites. Short for websites.

Thanks for looking out for me, though.

Nicky's picture

See, when you feed a troll, they slobber around the table begging for more and unlike dogs and cats cannot be trained to do their business outside or in a box.

Also, since they never walked through snow to school in Texas they don't understand sarcasm.

Little known fact: Most patriotic America loving guys in their fifties and sixties gave up golf either because their President told them too or they finished walking through the snow to school and figured out what a stupid waste of time it was. Like feeding trolls.

kasinca's picture

These fascist pigs are nothing but asshats for the crime family of Bush and McSame.

Spicegal's picture

How do Rethuglicans get away with this kind of crap??? Can you imagine if a Democrat had made that kind of comment?!?!

oncall's picture

dennis @ 90:

Dr Acula @ 77:

I like golf as well, Dennis. I just remember someone, probably Dr. Matt, busting your chops.

.... At that age they've already gotten their kids through college and married and their mortgages paid and aren't worried a whole lot about their regular monthly bills. But they all feel like they've paid their dues in life as well and so should everyone else......

I think everybody agrees that we should not give people a free ride and that people should earn, in one way or another, a means to keep their heads above water. Most of us also understand that there are people in our American family who need as much support as we can provide to them. However, when government policies are stacked against people who do everything and anything to support themselves and their families ("paying their dues"), but yet they fall further behind, something is very wrong. I applaud those who have worked hard and are happy with what they have accomplished, but it is not whining, when people speak out against a system that has been rigged by those who receive special favors from their government in the form of tax breaks in the thousands of dollars when they clearly do not need them.

Embittered & Anti-Republicrat - Max-Hussein-1's picture

.

Is Fred Barns whinning again...(!)?

.

Xrepublican's picture

Poor Fred, if he had a brain he'd be dangerous. What a FOOL/TOOL for the reichwing Republic party.

yakfitguy's picture

Pericles @ 60:

dennis @ 55:

I talked to five or six guys today, all in their late 50's to 60's, most of them retired, whether this was as bad as they had ever seen. They all to a man laughed and said not by a long shot, that's it's been so good for so long that most people don't even know what a real recession is like. Are we whiners, I asked. Every one of them said without a doubt we were.

In fact, that's probably pretty accurate for Boomers in their 50s and 60s, which is why McCain's support is solid in that demographic. For people who established their careers, paid off their mortgages, and started their retirement investment plans in the late 80s or beyond, things are pretty good at the moment, especially with lower taxes. Ask the same question to people in their 20s, 30s and 40s. (Also, ask those older guys what period they think WAS the toughest time we've ever been through, and see what they say. My guess is they'll probably say 1977-1983, or somewhere in there. That's when those guys were in their 30s, had probably just bought a house, and were actually VULNERABLE to a debt, mortgage or credit crisis when both interest rates and fuel prices went up.)

Also, it's not really a fair comparison. The older you get the more you tend to think young people are whiners anyway, whether it's true or not. I notice myself doing it, too. It's just human nature.

Thanks for saying that. It seems context escapes people like Dennis.

Also, I wonder if he's a Republican and simply trying to cover for his party's policies which are responsible for so many problems (Iraq, the economy, etc). Always trying to convince everyone things aren't so bad these days after all so they can continue those same policies.

fux: the compassionate network
they can't suppress their nazi leanings

oncall's picture

Spicegal @ 107:

How do Rethuglicans get away with this kind of crap??? Can you imagine if a Democrat had made that kind of comment?!?!

Is that a rhetorical question? In case it isn't, my answer is pretty straightforward. They own/control the airwaves and can say any damn thing they please.

NoGWBpolicyleftinplace's picture

myshadow @ 12:

Audio exists of the gramm remarks, there is this...dnc should but a minute of time and just run it. No embellishment, just play it again and again. There is so much to work with, I don't know what they are waiting for.

Two years ago Granholm trailed Dick DeVos in our Governors race going into August. Around labor day, they started playing commercials of how the repuke DeVos loved him some Bush, and that DeVos was really just another Dick DeBush. On election night, Granholm was declared the winner at 8:00 p.m. when the polls closed. Final statewide tally was 58% Granholm, and 41% for the republican Dick.

I think Obama is smart. I am waiting for these adds to come forward in the last 60 days of the campaign. Many people are trying to enjoy summer and vacation right now. Get a little escape from the republican misery they are enduring. Come labor day, when they are unemployed and the kids are back in school, I expect to see this republican "let them eat cake shit" all over the tube. They better, because the corporate MSM is going to drop it down the memory hole!

In Michigan, the MSM corporate whore bastards screamed fowl on Granholm's campaign and tried to cover for evil Dick. They literally said it was unfair to bring up NAFTA and outsourcing on our local television shows. They even claimed it was not at all related to what was going on in our state, even though the polls showed that 2/3 of the people thought so. 
 
But they were not fooling anyone. SOB's!
 
They were practically in tears the week after the election. They couldn't believe that the people didn't realize that the Bush economy was great everywhere but Michigan. That was the last time I ever watched the local repuke bastards. 

Spicegal @ 107:

How do Rethuglicans get away with this kind of crap??? Can you imagine if a Democrat had made that kind of comment?!?!

Sure! Barack Obama would repudiate them and nancy and harry would sponsor a resolution condemning the statements and the statesperson(s)

Trittydi's picture

Please fix your links. - the Winap is a Quicktime link which crashes my computer.
*
Nicole: Fixed.

naschkatze Hussein's picture

Dennis @ 100, I don't want to keep up eating space on this thread repeating your utter nonsense, but I can't let that go. I have been an Obama supporter, not a Clinton supporter, but I have to point out the sexism and ageism in your remark. Why can't I say whatever a man, or a younger man in particular, can say on the blogs? Because I am a 65 year old woman I am held to different rules? I'll have you know that in real life I am pretty quiet, some have said like a mouse, so when I come on the blogs, I find it liberating to say the least. If I hadn't identified myself, you never would have made that comment.

Trittydi's picture

This is one reason why Re-puke-lics have run the country into the ground. The average American means nothing to them. They care NOTHING about the real problems, difficulties and hardships we are facing.

To this privileged butt-boy, everything is just hunky-dory - he isn't experiencing hardship therefore no one else is. We're "whining" ~~

Barnes - you're an ass-hat.
*

Guy Fox in Key West/Havana, Cuba's picture

Amerika is a nation of whiners (in lieu of winners)? I don't completely disagree... however seeing most Amerikans headed into the poor house (and then the street), I think that they might have something to whine about. Indeed! After 7.5 years of George W. Bush (Amerika's dry drunk $ociopathic cowboy emperor) I think fondly of Nixon and Carter.

Here's something for guys like Mr. Gramm to think about. Amerikans may have morphed into complacent consumers over the last 65 years, but they are a beast suffering a quiet rage wanting a pound of flesh from corp-rat owned pigs wallowing in the muck of $ewertown (Washington D.C.). And the beast has a lot of guns, many of which are itchin' to blow off the fat head of a congressperson.

NoGWBpolicyleftinplace's picture

dennis @ 100:

naschkatze Hussein @ 94:

dennis @ 55:

I talked to five or six guys today, all in their late 50's to 60's, most of them retired, whether this was as bad as they had ever seen. They all to a man laughed and said not by a long shot, that's it's been so good for so long that most people don't even know what a real recession is like. Are we whiners, I asked. Every one of them said without a doubt we were.

Are you for real? I am 65, and my husband is 67. Most of our friends are in the same age bracket. We are not whiners but angry as hell at what's happening to the country. We have children who we don't want to see fall through the cracks, even from beyond the grave. BTW, most of us are not rich but comfortable (not quite so much now though). We're the people who love this country and don't want to see it go down the tubes. I wish I could meet with you and your chums. I would take great pleasure in kicking your goddam selfish Republican asses.

They love their country too and don't want to see it go down the tubes, either. None of their lives are perfect, far from it, and they all have children that they worry about too and what life will be like for them. I'm not at all selfish and neither are any of them. Most of them are quite selfless and do a lot of charity work and donate generously. Why you want to kick someone's ass for their beliefs is mind-boggling to me. And to hear it from a 65 year old woman is bizarre to me as well. It's really why I can't bring myself to see eye to eye with a lot of posters here, and I've honestly tried.

The point is Dennis, that you are as dense as lead!

Everyone I know, even people in their 80's from my parent's generation say the same thing; this is the worse shape they have seen this country in since the last Republican Great Depression. And whether you want to admit it or not doesn't matter, because every major economic indicator is at, or near levels of misery not last seen since the great depression!

Even upper-upper middle class people I know (who always were swimming in money) are now worried, and many have lost small businesses they have had for 25-30 years!

But that was the intended result of 30 years of deregulation from the sociopathic republican party (and Bill "DLC" Clinton). They now have the vast majority of people between a rock and a hard place, and they are laughing all the way to the bank.

Even a college education cannot gaurantee people a shot at the American dream now. That's why the 80 year olds say this about the economy; there is an absolute feeling of hopelessness for most people today, just like in the 30's!

If you have not picked up on this yet, you are either a complete idiot, or a repuke sociopath! It has nothing to do with political debate and opinions. That is why old women want to kick your ass! When Grandma is FIGHTING MAD, you know things are SERIOULSLY fucked up! Unless your name is Dennis.

Travis Austin's picture

Let's see how much Gramm, Barnes, and the rest of these submentals "whine" when we all vote Obama into the White House.

alzuben's picture

you should see the way Freddy whines when he is off camera. He is a consumate whiner...he's almost a DC landmark to see him whining in a restaurant...or whining while he walks down the street.

freddy is a little bitch.

Buckley's picture

Are they trying to lose this election?!?! You can bamboozle the american people into believing alot of things--- but to try to convince people that they are economically doing well when they aren't is something else.

jackrabbit's picture

I am so sick of this fucking moron and the rest of his Neocon slime. I'll say this much. If our leaders write up a bill this weekend to address the bailout of Fannie and Freddie at our expense ( the tax payer ) then there should be calls for a national strike. Just walk out. If that doesn't get their attention, then make it a one week walkout. Shut the country down until such time that government again works for the people instead of against them. If that doesn't work, then the Constitution allows the government to be dumped and we start over again with a level playing field for all.

Pericles's picture

yakfitguy @ 111:

Pericles @ 60:

dennis @ 55:

I talked to five or six guys today, all in their late 50's to 60's, most of them retired, whether this was as bad as they had ever seen. They all to a man laughed and said not by a long shot, that's it's been so good for so long that most people don't even know what a real recession is like. Are we whiners, I asked. Every one of them said without a doubt we were.

In fact, that's probably pretty accurate for Boomers in their 50s and 60s, which is why McCain's support is solid in that demographic. For people who established their careers, paid off their mortgages, and started their retirement investment plans in the late 80s or beyond, things are pretty good at the moment, especially with lower taxes. Ask the same question to people in their 20s, 30s and 40s. (Also, ask those older guys what period they think WAS the toughest time we've ever been through, and see what they say. My guess is they'll probably say 1977-1983, or somewhere in there. That's when those guys were in their 30s, had probably just bought a house, and were actually VULNERABLE to a debt, mortgage or credit crisis when both interest rates and fuel prices went up.)

Also, it's not really a fair comparison. The older you get the more you tend to think young people are whiners anyway, whether it's true or not. I notice myself doing it, too. It's just human nature.

Thanks for saying that. It seems context escapes people like Dennis.

Also, I wonder if he's a Republican and simply trying to cover for his party's policies which are responsible for so many problems (Iraq, the economy, etc). Always trying to convince everyone things aren't so bad these days after all so they can continue those same policies.

Asking people in their 50s and 60s doesn't count for putting todays crisis in context. You need to ask people in their 90s, and they would probably say there were three other periods comparable to this one, only two of which were really worse.

1. The great depression. A conservative president named Hoover didn't believe the government should interfere with business or financial markets, leading to the great market crash. He also believed in supply side economics (before it was given that name), and that low taxes for the rich would lead to increased employment, which it didn't.

2. WWII. The entire world was at war. Not the result of any U.S. government policy.

3. A few people will mistake the recession of the late 70s/early 80s on Jimmy Carter just because he's an easy target. In reality the pain that was suffered was caused by Paul Volker jacking interest rates up to 18%, which caused a massive middle class credit failure when regular, middle class families couldn't afford to pay their mortgages or credit card bills. Volumes have been written about this, and about BETTER ways that the inflation crisis could have been handled besides jacking up the FED. (ie-if you're getting annoyed because your two year old is hyperactive, cutting off one of his legs with an axe is a quick way to stop him from jumping on your couch, but it's not necessarily the BEST way.)

4. Today! Basically just Herbert Hoover on steroids. Misguided belief that getting rid of regulations on the economy and industry, and lower taxes for the rich will lead to lower consumer prices and increased employment (the opposite happened), increased spending to fund badly planned and executed wars, riddled with nepotism and corruption, funded by massive borrowing... Buddy, can you spare a dime?

NoGWBpolicyleftinplace's picture

Travis Austin @ 121:

Let's see how much Gramm, Barnes, and the rest of these submentals "whine" when we all vote Obama into the White House.

If you really want to hear them "whine," wait till we bring back the 94% marginal tax rates! "Grover, get off the window ledge!"

sah's picture

{Deleted, Off Topic. Take it to an Open Thread. SiteMonitor}

Ali's picture

So it's wrong for Obama to say people are bitter but it's OK for this hack to call Americans a bunch of whiners. It's pretty hard to believe there are still people out there who watch and absorb the shit that pours out of FOX Noise. But I actually know some people who do. Unbelievable.

Captain Bitter Whiner Husein Kangaroo's picture

Saint Augustine @ 75:

dennis @ 55:

I talked to five or six guys today, all in their late 50's to 60's, most of them retired, whether this was as bad as they had ever seen. They all to a man laughed and said not by a long shot, that's it's been so good for so long that most people don't even know what a real recession is like. Are we whiners, I asked. Every one of them said without a doubt we were.

Dennis is a lying piece of shit. I'm 64 and I have never seen it this bad. I talk to young people all the time and remind them that they will probably have to register for a draft if McInsane wins.

By the way, did I mention that Dennis is a lying piece of shit. I read it on the internet, it must be true.

Dennis is full of shit. When in the last 50 years has it been this bad? When?

dhmlt's picture

Little FreddyBarnes is a PUTZ.

Whine?

Hell, I don't whine ... I VOTE!

Obama '08

Hulk's picture

Yeah....hell, we should be dancing in the streets. Since the fat cats got a nice hefty tax break, and the price of food and fuel has gone through the roof...we should be HAPPY for the fat cats. They aren't even feeling it.

What an asshole.

Captain Bitter Whiner Husein Kangaroo's picture

Never since after WWII 1940 has it been worse than this. The 50s were boom years. The 60s were boom years the 70s sucked but the foreclosures and medical care affordability was not worse than now ans the price of gas was not this bad and the 80s were the Ray Gun years and the 90s were the Clinton years. So where is all that was it worse than now? Asshole lying sack of shit.

hotmouth's picture

politis @ 2:

America needs to stop whining about home foreclosures and start whining about homosexuals!

Yeh! That worked in 04 and we stilll have them thar a'gayin folk!

Van's picture

There is an AP article today about how Bill Clinton discussed the polarization of the American electorate. Americans no longer try to live together or relate to each other outside their own political groupings.

I believe it. I have absolutely no feeling for right-wing pigs like Barnes who don't contribute or produce a GODDAMN thing for the human race. They just show their fat little faces on television and make millions of $$$$ running their mouths spewing right wing propaganda.

These pigs are parasites of the lowest order. Fuck them all.

Ron.j's picture

Embittered & Anti-Republicrat - Max-Hussein-1 @ 109:

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Is Fred Barns whinning again...(!)?

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In a word, yes. Phil Grahm is whining, too. I guess they won't mind having their taxes raised, considering they think everyone else is just whining.

hotmouth's picture

CoIntelPro for Pronktastic Democratic Victory Over SCLM, DIEBOLD, ESS and SEQUOIA! @ 115:

Spicegal @ 107:

How do Rethuglicans get away with this kind of crap??? Can you imagine if a Democrat had made that kind of comment?!?!

Sure! Barack Obama would repudiate them and nancy and harry would sponsor a resolution condemning the statements and the statesperson(s)

Exactly!!

There is something very wrong with the Democratic parties communication strategy!!

Kathy in St. louis's picture

I just wish all this right-wing jackasses would stop whining about whining....or maybe I don't wish that. We Americans roll with a lot of things, but not being talked down to this way.

Scr## these guys.

Udon Nomee's picture

dennis @ 55:

...I talked to five or six guys today, all in their late 50's to 60's, most of them retired, whether this was as bad as they had ever seen....

Your own post betrays you as either a prevaricator, or an individual who seeks out the company of those suffering from early-onset Alzheimer's disease.

Your undoing is the age of your 'five or six guys'. If the oldest was 70 years of age, he would have to be born in 1938, long after the Great Depression. Assuming he was quite sharp, worldly aware, and had an early interest in economics and finance, we'll be extremely generous and say that he became aware of contemporary economic conditions at the tender age of 16, or 1954.

Considering that the federal government just closed IndyMac Bank yesterday, which was the second largest financial institution to fail in American history, when was it exactly, between 1954 on the present day, that your 'wise old sages' say conditions were worse!?!

Why don't you even know how many 'guys' you spoke to, anyway? Can anyone else see the 'guys', or just you?

2fargone's picture

i wouldn't allow the vultures to pick at fred's rotting flesh on my N. MO farm. seems to me that would be cruelty to animals. if you were to open fred's chest with a scalpel even while he's breathing the decaying of his would force you into violent spewing fits.

my only concern is should he be stood before a firing squad of tied and quatered?

Edwin Hussein's picture

I used to be bitter, but now I've taken up whining.

Saint Augustine's picture

2fargone @ 139:

i wouldn't allow the vultures to pick at fred's rotting flesh on my N. MO farm. seems to me that would be cruelty to animals. if you were to open fred's chest with a scalpel even while he's breathing the decaying of his would force you into violent spewing fits.

my only concern is should he be stood before a firing squad of tied and quatered?

Do you mean "...or drawn and quartered"?

To be hanged, drawn and quartered was the penalty once ordained in England for the crime of high treason.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drawn_and_Quartered

Edwin Hussein's picture

dennis @ 80:

Saint Augustine @ 75:

dennis @ 55:

I talked to five or six guys today, all in their late 50's to 60's, most of them retired, whether this was as bad as they had ever seen. They all to a man laughed and said not by a long shot, that's it's been so good for so long that most people don't even know what a real recession is like. Are we whiners, I asked. Every one of them said without a doubt we were.

Dennis is a lying piece of shit. I'm 64 and I have never seen it this bad. I talk to young people all the time and remind them that they will probably have to register for a draft if McInsane wins.

By the way, did I mention that Dennis is a lying piece of shit. I read it on the internet, it must be true.

FU, St. Augustine. I don't lie and I'm not lying about the people I talked to. It's just anecdotal; nothing more, nothing less. If you think there is no way a group of older men would think we whine way too much you don't know much about human nature. Most guys I know that age are just glad to be alive and their loved ones are healthy because they know it can all change very quickly.

And you're an asshole. I read that on the internet too.

Anyone in that age range is a baby-boomer. There hasn't been an all-out depression. The reason they are retired is because they did well in the good times, as their investments grew. How about young people starting out? Or those less fortunate, trying to pay the bills today, possibly in debt, and fearing for their job security, with scant wages, realizing they'll maybe never own a house.

arkansasdem's picture

I am 45 and both of my parents grew up during the Depression. My great-grandfather and my grandpa nearly lost the farm because all of the banks in town went broke and tried to reclaim mortgages. My pregnant grandmother ate only black eyed peas from the garden through out about 4 months of her pregnancy until they cut and sold the rice crop.  The banks here went broke in Aug., so they had no money and no way to even buy groceries.  The grocer told my great granpa that our bank went broke which meant they had no money either. There were soup lines in the cities, but people in the country lived on garden produce from their own garden and hunted rabbits, squirrels, even racoons and possums, if you didn't have livestock to slaughter. I said that to say this, my grandpa would be 100 this year and he always said, "Vote Republican and you'll be eatin' possums and turnip greens". So unlike millionaire, "I work two hours a week spouting my bullshit" Barnes. The economy not only looks bad, it is bad. Hoover tried to tell everyone it wasn't bad in '29 either - and he was probably alot more intelligent than our current pres.

Saint Augustine's picture

Edwin Hussein @ 142:

Anyone in that age range is a baby-boomer. There hasn't been an all-out depression. The reason they are retired is because they did well in the good times, as their investments grew. How about young people starting out? Or those less fortunate, trying to pay the bills today, possibly in debt, and fearing for their job security, with scant wages, realizing they'll maybe never own a house.

I was born in 1944 and I am not a Baby Boomer. The children of returning soldiers are the Baby Boomers. I was a going away present not a welcome home love child.

Edwin Hussein's picture

arkansasdem @ 143:

I am 45 and both of my parents grew up during the Depression. My great-grandfather and my grandpa nearly lost the farm because all of the banks in town went broke and tried to reclaim mortgages. My pregnant grandmother ate only black eyed peas from the garden through out about 4 months of her pregnancy until they cut and sold the rice crop.  The banks here went broke in Aug., so they had no money and no way to even buy groceries.  The grocer told my great granpa that our bank went broke which meant they had no money either. There were soup lines in the cities, but people in the country lived on garden produce from their own garden and hunted rabbits, squirrels, even racoons and possums, if you didn't have livestock to slaughter. I said that to say this, my grandpa would be 100 this year and he always said, "Vote Republican and you'll be eatin' possums and turnip greens". So unlike millionaire, "I work two hours a week spouting my bullshit" Barnes. The economy not only looks bad, it is bad. Hoover tried to tell everyone it wasn't bad in '29 either - and he was probably alot more intelligent than our current pres.

My Dad, after years of "depression talk" finally conceded that 1929 was the best year ever to be born (after he saw it on TV). He was born in 1929. He was a kid during the depression, and too young for the war. Then his working life reaped the benefits of decades of post-war boom. This is McSame's generation. Of course they're out of touch with today's struggles.

The Dude's picture

Captain Bitter Whiner Husein Kangaroo @ 129:

Saint Augustine @ 75:

dennis @ 55:

I talked to five or six guys today, all in their late 50's to 60's, most of them retired, whether this was as bad as they had ever seen. They all to a man laughed and said not by a long shot, that's it's been so good for so long that most people don't even know what a real recession is like. Are we whiners, I asked. Every one of them said without a doubt we were.

Dennis is a lying piece of shit. I'm 64 and I have never seen it this bad. I talk to young people all the time and remind them that they will probably have to register for a draft if McInsane wins.

By the way, did I mention that Dennis is a lying piece of shit. I read it on the internet, it must be true.

Dennis is full of shit. When in the last 50 years has it been this bad? When?

What a coincidence, I too talked to those same 5 or 6 guys and they told me that Dennis is full of shit.

What a small world, eh?

The Dude's picture

Hulk @ 131:

Yeah....hell, we should be dancing in the streets. Since the fat cats got a nice hefty tax break, and the price of food and fuel has gone through the roof...we should be HAPPY for the fat cats. They aren't even feeling it.

What an asshole.

I was once told that the ones telling us common folk to tighten our belts are them fat cats, who wear suspenders.

Charles's picture

The Dude @ 147:

Hulk @ 131:

Yeah....hell, we should be dancing in the streets. Since the fat cats got a nice hefty tax break, and the price of food and fuel has gone through the roof...we should be HAPPY for the fat cats. They aren't even feeling it.

What an asshole.

I was once told that the ones telling us common folk to tighten our belts are them fat cats, who wear suspenders.

And those fat cats know of what they speak (well, at least when they say crap like that), because it means we're about to get screwed (THEIR form of foreplay).

oncall's picture

Here are some more things to whine about, from Center for American Progress.

HOUSING FORECLOSURES INCREASING: As a result of the subprime lending crisis, "housing foreclosures nationwide were up 50% in June compared with the same month in 2007." In California alone, foreclosures have reached an average of 500 per day.

HOMELESSNESS INCREASING: The number of homeless people in America over the age of 50 is "steadily increasing."

HEALTHCARE COSTS RISING: According to a report by the Government Accountability Office, "health-care costs are growing much faster than the economy." Costs are rising so significantly, some Americans are delaying retirement.

GAS PRICES RISING: The national average gas price is $4.09, up 33 percent from this time last year. Gas prices are now expected to hit "$4.25 by the fall and then stay at more than $4 a gallon until the end of 2009."

JOB LOSSES INCREASING: In the first six months of this year, a total of 438,000 jobs have been lost, bringing unemployment to 5.5 percent. The CEO of Bank of America commented, if unemployment continues to rise, "all bets are off."

FOOD COSTS RISING: "U.S. food prices rose 4 percent in 2007" -- the fastest rise in 17 years -- and as a result, food stamps have considerably less buying power.

HEATING AND ELECTRICITY COSTS RISING: Heating oil costs across the North are expected to be "up 60 percent from last year," and utilities across the country are "raising power prices up to 29%."

REAL WAGES DECLINING: "Slower wage growth and faster inflation has led to falling real hourly and weekly earnings for most workers."

LEISURE SPENDING DECLINING: As a result of the rising cost of living, Americans are "tightening their belts and thinking twice about spending extra bucks on entertainment and leisure products."

VALUE OF DOLLAR DECLINING: The dollar "has been declining steadily for six years against other major currencies, undercutting its role as the leading international banking currency."

Nicky's picture

Nicky @ 105:

See, when you feed a troll, they slobber around the table begging for more and unlike dogs and cats cannot be trained to do their business outside or in a box.

Also, since they never walked through snow to school in Texas they don't understand sarcasm.

Little known fact: Most patriotic America loving guys in their fifties and sixties gave up golf either because their President told them too or they finished walking through the snow to school and figured out what a stupid waste of time it was. Like feeding trolls.

dennis @ 104:

Kanan @ 99:

dennis @ 96:

Nicky @ 91:

And then you brag about trolling on conservative sights and encourage other people to do the same.

Very classy, Nicky.

FYI

I believe the word you're searching for is "sites"

It's no wonder the old men laugh at you on the golf course

No, Kanan, I meant sites. Short for websites.

Thanks for looking out for me, though.

dennis @ 96:

Nicky @ 91:

Hey kid's. I'm back from Nicole's show where I was dead serious. Looks like you folks are feeding trolls again in the form of Dennis. Don't feed trolls. Flush weasels.

And then you brag about trolling on conservative sights and encourage other people to do the same.

Very classy, Nicky.

I don't like to gloat. But note that after my description in #105, and despite some people continuing to offer food from the table, the troll left. Do not feed the trolls.

BTW Nicole, thanks for posting on the other gutsy story Rachel ran on COUNTDOWN on Friday. I have been critical of her elsewhere today, but that story took the kind of cojones most MSM personalities will never have and Jesse Jackson couldn't cut off in a million years. I didn't comment on that thread because my sense of humor and more mundane political outrage were not appropriate for that horror story.

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