Craig Crawford's Trail Mix

Woo Hoo?

Finally!

Ah, Jamie. I take back that finally. :)

Well we could pull out all the military in Germany and then Merkel wouldn't have any money to pay her bills either.

Obama Hits Resistance at G-20
In His First Turn on World Stage, President Faces Challenge From France, Germany http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123857874355677711.html

First just a note on what has happened to the three who conspired with Obama to screw Clinton in MIchigan. Detroit can only wonder now how Hillary would have helped them...

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/04/02/dodd_falls_way_behind_in_new_poll.html Yep, Dodd, Edwards and Richardson. Without these guys Obama would not be KIng.

As far as Franco-German attempts to use crisis to wrestle new power, maybe they might pay their share of our common defense. Merkel has done little to stop German companies from supplying Iran almost everything they want. Her efforts to share in Western responsiblity is lacking. Sarkosy has a national rebellion on his hands and a French ambassador resently warned France is heading into demographic oblivion. The French people want more government welfare, protections aganst free trade with little protest over supplying the Middle East with French nuclear power. Yep, have fun with that.

As I said yesterday, the secret meme for Obama to employ against our allies is simple. If we can't stop illegal arms going to terrorists, we will fail to regulate harder to grab derivitives. If we can't prevent the slaughter of innocent women and children, we will fail in helping the poor. If we can't stand up to terrorists and their enablers, we have little chance in catching economic thieves. It is really that simple. Enforcement and regulation is a joke, if the world is indifferent and depends on us to act.

Last, if Russia, China and the EU question the basic logic of Obama's budget, conservatives here must laugh. The author of the budget was on Stewart last night. Jon failed to pin the guy down as he squirmed his way around deficit projections. His answer as to how Obama can cut the deficit in half in four years while still creating at least 9 trillion more in debt is a contradiction and a farce. The 1.3 trillion in deficit per year was passed by a Democratic Congress. If most blue chip experts say we will produce almost another twenty trillion in a decade with the present approach, Obama's lame explanations nonwithstanding, then the German and French have a point. They finally moved to reduce deficits, slow spending to create credible soundness of economy. Now Obama comes along and produces a new approach without ANY evidence his plan will work. And I fear this attitude hurts our case when it comes to threat warnings, enforcment, shared responsibility and a general restoration of American leadership.

And take a look at how the media eggs on the anarchists. It is a disgrace. These very people went after Bush too. And Liberals here encouraged those protests blaming Bush for all the wrong in the world. It is another story when Obama is the focus, isn't it? And what more did Obama get from allies than Bush?

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/chaos-in-london.html#comment-216226

New theraditis.

chloe, LOL. my keyboarding QC leaves a lot to be desired.

Craig, I know that the G20 is broader than the the Anglo-Euro centric G-7 (or 8) group that conveniently ignores the fact that the Asian corner of the world (including India, Japan and Indonesia) has something more than an itty bitty little influence on the world economy (by holding a substantial portion of the US's debt, just for example). But the power struggle is apparently among G8 countries only.The odd thing to me is that there is so little talk of the position of the Asian and and Central/South American members on what is occurring.

Pogo

Obama and Clinton are doing Asia and India in meetings today ... making the rounds.

Pogo brings up a good point. Brazil attended the huge Leftist conference in SA and said little as Hugo rallied others to defeat the Obama neoliberal attempt to rescue capitalism. Japan is more on the America side in all this as NK readies their rocket test. The truth is that Europe is split between those on the further Left and those in disagreement themselves on the less extreme Left. Despite the confusion within conservatism, the Left is at war too.

theraditis = threaditis

"Yep, Dodd, Edwards and Richardson. Without these guys Obama would not be KIng."

Max, Don't forget Howard Dean.

pogo, Thanks for that post of Quality Control. I wasn't just talking about food either. I have bought more products in the last 2 years that ended up in the trash within weeks. I remember when 'companies' took pride in their products. There are times that it feels like everything I buy is junk now. I haven't had problems with food (personally), but I know it's bad.

Can you believe it? I can throw in Blago, Dean, Caroline and Daschle as well. It is amazing and how Clinton as been deported and isolated with Koh determining her legal position for the State Department is astounding. This is the quarter that pulled together the Obama victory including Brooks, Krugman, Kos and Huff.

A divided G 20 is not good considering the events likely to come up down the road. Well, that's what happens when you seek "change" in a time of crisis rather than reform. The irony of course, is that Democrats are trying to expunge these last years of war and terrorism. Pre 9/11 seems a lovely thought.

They seem likely to make another miscalculation, but then Obama could always wake up and get back to bipartisan. He is leaving that suit hanging in the closet. The question is a matter of credibility. The next 100 days speaks to that as Americans want results.

Yes, Dean. You almost feel sorry for him. And the DNC? They copy Rove to the letter. I just got one denouncing the GOP for not having their own budget. The irony is amazing,

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/g2-power-struggle.html#comment-216222

Now there ya go! You're on to something, Jamie...let's pull the troops out of Iraq and Korea, too.

And, short and sweet, the US banks are the cause and reason for the worldwide collapse of capitalism.

I guess so DJ, if you say so. I guess we can discount the money America pours back into the world. I guess we can forget the trillions America spends defending global capitalism.

Yep, let's pull our troops out of Iraq Friday and Korea next Monday. Let's turn the US into a SuperPower of charity and give back all the wealth we have stolen and multiplied through Domination and greed.

But then you were just kidding. For a moment I thought you were Ron Paul.

max, it's hard to know where to start. OK, let's start with that Obama deficit red herring. Only the last 2 bushco budgets were passed by dem congresses. Bushco charted the course toward incredible levels of deficit spending - last seen under Reagan and Bush 41.

http://www.ctj.org/html/debt0603.htm

Note that this article was written in '03 when there was NO Dem control in DC. Probably the most important trends have been with SS borrowing - and the trends are easy to divine - under Repugs, the levels soar, under Dems, they go down - (note that the year after an election is under the prior pres's budget. Nixon-Ford were the last responsible repug presidents (relatively speaking) from a deficit spending perspective, and Reagn and the Bushes just go to show that fiscal conservatism is a great marketing point for the repugs, but it's a LIE.

As for the "failure to control terrorism" canard - BS. That has little or nothing to do with getting a hold of and managing the world's economy. And if there were'nt so many US arms in the hands of terrorists, we might have a bit more moral authority on the issue. And IMHO neither does the BS agrument about French nuclear power generation transfer to the ME. Nuclear technology is neither the exclusive province nor under the control of the US - and if our allies aren't supplying the technology to countries like Iran who want it and have the $$ to buy it, our "enemies" will happily oblige - and it won't be engineers and managers from nations with whom we have halfway decent relations on the inside overseeing the construction, operation and management of the plants. You would choose from column B? I'll make my selection from column A, thank you very much. There are good arguments against selling nuclear power to Iran (or anyone else) but the threat of a bomb being produced because France is the vendor is not one of them.

And conservatives here can laugh their asses off about the Obama budget as far as I'm concerned - but they have no credibility in that arena - and little power to do crap about it. They may get the last laugh (however I doubt that if left to their own devices) if the economy doesn't improve, but having a moment of clarity about deficits after famously informing us that deficits don't matter.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/g2-power-struggle.html#comment-216236

Dexter,

A delightful as the idea sounds, we have to consider what our unemployment figures would look like if the military/industrial complex stopped hiring.

Unfortunately, this nation has gotten itself in the position where making war instead of making products means steady employment.

Weak Pogo, weak. You post one source narrowly focused by partisans when days ago the FactCheck I linked had a far more honest stab at the deficits. Even Polifact questioned Obama's grasp. The last two years Democrats did zip and their answer to a trend Republicans did encourage DJ is to 4x it creating numerous stimluli that will run out of money when taxation and the printing presses kick in. Yeah, you're tired of the critics on deficit spending. I can see why. Sure a lie that neither the EU, Russians or Chinese buy into.

As for your BS on nuclear proliferation and terrorism nonenforcement having ZERO to do with the world's inability to advance economic regulation is your opinion. On one hand the Left declared sanctions were working on Saddam. At the same time, sanctions were killing Iraqi babies. Much of the same double talk presently. Can't stop a bomb, but we sure as hell can nail a derivitive.

Now Iraqis have a chance to be free. So do Eastern Europeans. India and Pakistan leadership will love your suggestions...lol One major incident can cost the global economy hundreds of billions. Conflict can cost many trillion in 24 hours. Do you have a grasp of that? You prove my point about wanting to return to the pre 9/11 past while advocating radical change for the future. Sure, Ron Paul, let's go home. When shit happens we'll nuke em. I'll ask you here who that might be. Down with the Patriot Act and up with CPA Big Brother. Our Founders would be thrilled.

Iran's nuclear aspiration started with US supplied nuclear technology. You obviously miscalculate the dangers of expanding global transfer of nuclear material and technology mixing with the nexus of crime and extremism.

Yep, I can see why you didn't like my internationalist cry.

Oh please, enough of the "have no credibility in that arena" stuff. Have you looked at Dodd or Pelois's numbers? Reagan passed those budgets all by himself? Sorry Tip. Obama has gone way past the cost of Iraq which represents one of the more postive accomplisments the US has brokered. Hey, at this rate a trillion is looking pretty cheap. Despite your position, let's hope Obama is as successful in Afghanistan, or..er...at the G 20.

Another hour of MSNBC programming I can mark off my list of things to watch.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/02/business/media/02host.html?ref=business

I can't even stand to listen to him when I'm stuck in the car - and watching the fat redhead (his description) is one thing I just won't be able to bring myself to do. At least with Shuster I had an option other than local and network news. Maybe I'll finally find that hour to ride my bike and try and lose that 15 pounds (OK, 20).

I'm with you, Pogo....Ed is gag-worthy.

"Maybe I'll finally find that hour to ride my bike and try and lose that 15 pounds (OK, 20)."

.... you are sooo funny. :)

World markets surge as US data boost recovery hope
"Investors were encouraged after U.S. car sales jumped by nearly 25 percent last month from February, beating the typical rise and underpinning hopes of a turnaround in the American auto market - critical for Asia's giant auto companies."
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20090402/D97A9NC03.html

RR

The reason that you got the significance of the corn,,,is that you get the significance of us just being specks of cosmic dust,,,and this is reaching out to fellow specks,,if anyone can truly feel this in a sustained way,,,they are the richest people on mother earth,,,,Im still trying to,and just by saying this I have lost a little of it humility,,one should not talk about it,,bragging,sort of,,and takes away a little bit of the true feelings of world harmony sort to speak,thats why people meditate,some for the right reasons,,,

,Oh and if you didn't start wrestling with bears,,,(evolution) you might have grown a little bit more,,,to wrestle with bears,,,you need to be close to the ground no?,,,but your heart is 6 ft tall !!

About food ,,and population,,,,we have grown in population to the point where we are overwhelming mother earth,,,there are just too many of us ,,,so scientist are busy making the genetic foods that we will be eating,,

Chloe,,,,I want my April fools joke that you did yesterday,,where is it?,,,and I know when you are joking around ,,just like you know when I am

Solar, I do know when you are joking. Always. :)

"thats why people meditate"

.... communicating with other people is good too Solar. That way you don't always get the answer you were expecting. (and what is wrong with a little 'bragging') :)

Meditation, that is communicating with yourself, imo. That is a good thing too, however.

G-2

The British,,,and the U S ,,have a lot of secrets that we don't well enough,,,they just back each other up,to control the rest of the world,,,,,,,One of the most outrages ,,is the "British" military base,,Diego Garcia ,Camp Justice,that is colonized by ( military)Americans,,,,for the purpose of striking out at anyone t hat pisses us off,,,,,they forced out the people that lived there by force,,and to this day are homeless....

... oh lordy, who says the best is not yet to come?

Geithner won't rule out ousting more CEO's
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/04/01/business/econwatch/entry4911030.shtml

Chloe

Communication not with your self,but earth,and meditating about all of its wonders,,the universe,,etc,,,but it should never be about us,,at all,,unless its about all of us,,as bit and pieces that make it all up.That is what religion should be about,,,that's religion that I believe in,,,the glass grinders religion of Benedict De Spinoza,,,,going to get some exercise in later,L&L

Pogo,,,,,go get some Tacos..or something,,,,,,Lunch!

Solar.... who told you I've been meditating for years..... ;)

"The economic summit in London could be as much about maintaining U.S.-British dominance of financial markets as it is about finding solutions to the current crisis (of course, the two goals are intertwined)."

Craig.... that's an interesting paragraph....
saw an interview yesterday on CNN of a British economist who said Gordon Brown was absolutely frustrated with not being able to get phone calls to our Treasury Dept. returned.... it was attributed to the fact that Geithner was the only Treasury Dept. major player named for too long.... and that even though Obama has started to name others for Dept positions, he still hadn't filled most in the Treasury.... the Brits are obviously disappointed by that fact....

Nice article on Michelle Obama and the Queen

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iU2_BrNBSIf8q7Dpe7TZaCq11qeAD97ACKFG2

Dang, there're a lot of people here who love freedom but hate the free world military forces that have sustained it.

----

The ROK takes pride on how they weathered a severe financial crisis in '97. The Korean president wrote an op-ed for the Journal that was published a couple of weeks ago. In it, he described the situation that they had faced, and the methods that worked to improve the situation. He commended certain of those methods for the rest of the G20.

And yesterday or the day before, there was like a 10-page infomercial in the Journal paid for by Brazil. Other countries have published similar treatises when they wanted to state their views to the American financial and political communities.

The Economist routinely does major in-depth pieces on the economic situation in other countries that we normally do not spend much time with. But, then, we tend to be very centric in our view of things.

So, if we say that countries beyond those in Western Europe aren't being heard, then, I submit, we are listening to the wrong channels.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/03/world/europe/03summit.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

G20 agreement on stimulus and regulations.

max, sorry for the delayed resoonse - I got a call from the higher power and had to run out to lunch abruptly. It's been so long, I'll paste the link to the comment I'm trying to address.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/g2-power-struggle.html#comment-216241

Weak? Says you? You pick your numbers sources and I'll pick mine - and the post I was responding to has no link to any deficit numbers - it only has the link to Dodd being behind in his upcoming race. Perhaps you would like to supply that link again - I certainly am not going to go looking for that particular needle in the proverbial blog haystack. They're based on the same numbers, and yours - whatever they may be - are obviously viewing the numbers from a different perspective - which of course does not make them any more or less correct than ctj's. (And I'm betting they don't even look at the SS component, but I can't say since I don't see the link you are referring to).

That's right on the nuc prolif. issue - it is my opinion. If I treat discreet issues discretely rather than conflate them, I apologize, but I happen to think that control of Islamoterrorism (a name cleverly chosen to inflame Americans) is an issue separate and distinct from addressing the world economic crisis. And I accept that is my opinion, and don't pretend that it is the only legitimate view of the issue.

But you would perhaps like to refute with something other than your own opinion the fact that we are not the only - or even primary source of nuc. tech to the ME, although we may have been one of the first, and our influence over France is not so great at any rate . I don't advocate taking a position that removes what little influence we (the West) might have in the development of the technology there, but then again, no one has asked me. Iraqis have a chance to be free? Maybe on Fox news, but in Iraq?- I guess "free" is relative, so compared to being under Saddam's rule, sure. Sanctions worked on Saddam - give me a break. The meme was that the only thing that worked on Saddam was our invading his country twice - and if you've now seen the light since the WMD that was the basis of the second invasion didn't seem to exist, well, welcome to the real world.

Yes, there are any number of incidents/conflicts that can cost trillions of dollars - ironically enough the one that could have didn't and the one that shouldn't have did - but then again none have occurred (setting aside the idiotic mistrust of the data that Saddam had provided and the subsequent invasion, that it), but I digress. "Iraq which represents one of the more postive accomplisments the US has brokered." That's a matter of opinion, and you would be in the minority on that opinion I'd wager. It's been a collossal waste of effort, money, time and lives. You are stuck in 1968 and 2002 - China is striving to displace the US as the world economic leader and you think they are obsessed with what -

Dodd's and Pelosi's numbers have nothing to do with the repugs' lack of credibility about the budget. Dodd's made his bed with the mortgage industry and banks and it's coming home to roost. As for Pelosi - time will tell. And it's not their budget - it's Obama's. The repugs started the train down the track and into the tunnel with Bush's budgets and now want to claim they see the oncoming train when Obama is trying to deal with the financial mess they left behind - if McCain had been elected they woujld claim it's the light at the end of the tunnel. As I said, they have no credibility on the issue and I'll stand on my statement.

And accusing me of taking a Ron Paul stance could not be further from the truth. Who has said anything about nuking anyone - aside from you? I do think we need to wind down - you think we shold what, stay until there are no more terrorists - that would be indefinitely IMHO. Have a nice time.

We do agree on one thing - the last sentence of your last paragraph.

Solar - I did, but unfortunately it was salad, not tacos (Mrs. P is intent on getting her svelt hubby back).

Here's something to chew on.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/03/world/europe/03summit.html?hp

This will take a little time to digest, and will bear some other sources to get even a modicum of understanding - at least for me.

Pogo

Great minds etc. See my 12:50. It's a truly informative article.

CBob & Patsi-I'm very sorry for your losses. Know it doesn't make a dent in the pain, but you are in my thoughts.

Hello , am just checking in. Was able to save my job yesterday but only after quitting. They called me within the hour and the other woman is no longer involved. In the midst of all that my young mentoree had a moment of surrender, so then we off doing the 12 step. It was an exhausting process and am now scurrying around with bunnies and baskets trying to make up for lost time. Thank you for your concern and miss you all.

And don't forget Donna Brasile

jamie, HAH!!. you beat me to it.:-)

When I saw the picture of the "dignitaries" at the G-20 conference I was struck by & immediately thought of Gene Roddenberry's original Star Trek series.

Ah yes the Germans. They're the ones who came up with words like zeitgeist and shadenfreude.

tt

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/g2-power-struggle.html#comment-216262

oldsea, don't no one fool around with the bunnies & basket lady! atta girl!

tt, our blog here is like another old star trek plot. the one about the bodyless super brains communicating telepathically about their observations of the fascinating antics of the bodied, not so smart folk... hubris got them in the end so beware tmrs.

Not that I care, but here's a little different take on the MO touching QEII than we saw this morning.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/02/michelle-obama-hugs-queen_n_182237.html

And with that I must pack up and hit the road to see if LP and his merry band of midgets can steal some games from the rich teams and get into the WVAAU BB finals. Everyone have a good one.

I've just tuned in...why did the President say his "heart goes out" to Chip Reid at the start of the final G-20 news-conference question? He "just heard" about something.

Pogo

tee hee 12:41 :-)

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/g2-power-struggle.html#comment-216270

Pogo --

The Queen has learned to take the well-meaning-but-boorish behavior of Americans in good stride. During a 1990s visit to the General Assembly of my then-state of Maryland, Senator Mike Miller gave the Queen a spontaneous bear-hug. From the newspapers, you would have thought there'd be rockets-red-glare over Fort McHenry again. Not to worry - Queen didn't flinch.

Ivy

If you read the article, you will see that her reaction to Michelle was much friendlier. In fact, she returned the favor and stood with her arm around Michelle's waist. The "ladies in waiting" were astounded at how well they instantly hit it off.

Ree,

Interesting test. The quiz questions are right wing slanted in wording and images, but if you answer them honestly while accounting for that, it comes out pretty well. I came out 76% with Anthony Kennedy and 67% with Breyer which probably makes me the moderate I keep claiming to be.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/g2-power-struggle.html#comment-216275

Jamie --

For sure, Michelle is no Mike Miller! lol

(to tune of April in Paris)

chaos in London
pests, nuts and others
holiday tourists hiding in trees
chaos in London
there was a feeling
we’d sink to our knees

they never knew the charm of O
never met him face to face
they never knew barack could sing
nor ever knew his warm embrace

til chaos in London
whom can they turn to
after they’ve done in their banks

And for any lurking babies so you know how good patd's parody is:

April In Paris

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huNEW6lazvs

jamie, thank you, thank you very much
*elvis leaves the room*

Re Obama giving Chip Reid condolences:

Chip Reid's father passed away. No details yet.

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/cbs/pres_obama_gives_condolences_to_chip_reid_on_the_death_of_reids_father_113123.asp

I took the quiz and came out as Justice Kennedy. But I think I was all over the map - cause I only agreed with him 64% of the time...

When I saw the picture of the G-20 - I thought "Man - it looks like purple is in..."

Of all the people MSNBC could put on, why Ed Schultz?

Thom Hartmann I could handle, but Ed Schultz? Sheesh! Do they keep an effigy of Hillary Clinton hanging in the management offices too?

Good for you, OSH!! Kudos on winning the day!

http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/apr2009/db2009041_951044.htm?chan=top+news_top+news+index+-+temp_news+%2B+analysis

"Now, Obama 'Owns' General Motors
Obama's economic legacy may hinge on whether he becomes known as the President who saved the U.S. car industry or the one who destroyed it"

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/g2-power-struggle.html#comment-216283

Warren,

That was the wording of the questions. The questions used the Conservative presentation rather than the appellate issues involved, so it was hard to choose on several even though they were real cases.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/04/europe_on_the_cheap.html

"Europe on the Cheap"

" Now, with gasoline in the $2 per gallon range, Obama's brainstorm for a successful business model is to create "the next generation of clean cars." Get it: GM and Chrysler are in trouble because their cars weren't liberal enough.

It helps if you forget that the Big Three cranked out big cars for years because Americans bought them in the days before gasoline hit $4 per gallon."

I came out 80% Kennedy and 79% Ginsburg....

probably more liberal than I think I am....

OSH.... you go, girl!

patd.... I'll give you 35 quatludes if you can name that ST episode.... ;)

Actually - I am fine with being Kennedy. He is one of the most important Justices on the Court because you can't place him in either the Conservative or Liberal camps and is usually the deciding vote on close calls.

solution to selling new clean cars'' obamamobiles'
raise federal taxes on gasoline ' make it economically
impossible not to buy one

Warren,

I was Kennedy as well for exactly the same reason. I like his balance, "judicious temperment" and all that.

Well - I guess you can kinda put him in the Conservative camp - but he can still be a swing vote. Maybe I can be the progressive Kennedy...

NEW THREAD.. http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/04/next-leg-of-obama-trip-even-to.html

Pogo,
Let me clear up a few things. First, sanctions on Saddam worked as is evident by the numerous Liberals who point to what we found in Iraq. Gees....Almost ALL experts stated upon review of the evidence gathered FROM IRAQ, sanctions had crippled Saddam’s WMD programs and rendered his military less effective than even the DOD thought it was after Desert Fox (remember that Clinton move?).

When Bush threatened war, many Liberals actually reversed their opposition to sanctions which they claimed "killed Iraqi babies" and advocated more sanctions were far better than invasion. Bush floated the idea of smart sanctions, but the attitude internationally was to lift sanctions. You know that and I know that. Can anyone really exchange Saddam released with Iraq today. Visit Totten and get a real view from Iraqis, not the crap media usually spins out. I can show you the links and evidence if Craig wouldn't object to the bandwidth used. I repeat, sanctions worked to contain Saddam's military programs and their failure was primarily in stopping the criminal activity the West engaged in administering the food for oil program. Remember Mr. Rich? Remember where Rezko got the money to help Obama with his house purchase (Auchi)? Again, the NIE said sanctions made Iran stop their bomb project. It is the erosion of that will which lets Iran out of the box. And you say nyet? You have no plan I guess.

It was the civilian nuclear projects that spread nuclear technology. China was a proliferator. Imagine a nuclear storage site in Yemen or Algeria. Maybe the Muslim Brotherhood can provide security for such sites in Egypt. If we can't even enforce mandates regarding nuclear energy or the slaughter of blacks in Africa, good luck with chasing those derivitives Pogo. We can't gather financial information of terrorists, but I guess bankers are a far worse breed.

You can go to FactCheck yourself in regards to deficits. Now did the author of the budget sound convincing last night on Stewart. And Giethner says one thing about the dollar and the next day says the opposite. Great. Credible. Consistent. Inspiring. Obama leaves out several things from non discretionary spending in his stumping. The interest on debt will explode. His tax hikes come later. His healthcare fix has yet to show how that doesn't add to deficits and cap and trade is another huge balance sheet mess. It is absurd to claim that the Democratically approved Bush budgets that get us to 1.3 trillion per year in the red justify the 40% increase in discretionary spending, forgetting the non discretionary ticking bomb spun as solely healthcare related. There is no precedent for what Obama suggests and even less accountability. Where is the five day vetting of bills on Obama's web site before he signs them....lol

Watch healthcare become another fast sell.

Ron Paul didn't say nuke anyone. The refrain by isolationists is usually that if they mess with us we will nuke them. first you would have to identity the offending party, yes? Since you are soft on taking action before force is needed to counter attacks or approaching attacks, it wasn't unreasonable fro me to beg the question. I am stuck in pre -9/11 thinking? I think your suggestions show no lesson learned. You show zero interest in liberty in Iraq or what Iraqis have to say. You seem to be filtering out what you don't want to hear. What rationalist would prefer Saddam building WMD now to emerging Democracy? It appears your version of Liberalism is quite different than internationalist Liberalism. You would prefer we redistribute wealth around the world before we protect the oppressed from human right abuses. You think that if we pull back, the world would be safer? Is that what Japan, Korea, Iraqis, Afghanis, Indians, Israelis, Lebanese, Eastern Europeans want us to do? What will come home to roost then?

Where in history did such an attitude get America or the Free World? Again, the idea of some supra transnational regulatory body controlling economic transactions and values in an effort to balance the accounting sheet is hysterical given we can even stop money in suitcases of terrorists returning to Gaza. We can stop corporations supplying technology to extremists; we can prevent slaughter, slavery, piracy and even have little to say when one UN member threatens another's existence. Good luck with that bizarre and unfounded expectation.

Jamie..I can't stand Ed Shultz..a former (?) Reagan supporter, he was very Limbaughesque in his cruel attacks on the Clintons during the primaries.

MSNBC is just as rotten as Fox..With Thom Hartmann, you learn something. You never hear anything you don't already know from Ed Schultz..

Obama doesn't improve his stock with me by giving Schultz a spot at press conferences. This man is no more the press than Sean Hannity is..

OD

I agree. When listening on the radio, I always enjoyed Hartmann and Maddow because they are both so bright and informative that even when you disagreed, you respected the opinion. Schultz is just another bloviating windbag.

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