Craig Crawford's Trail Mix

Woo + Hoo

Craig is being all kinds of sneaky. Repeat of long response from end of last thread for Max

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/07/sotomayors-broken-ankle-empath.html#comment-244025

Max,

I have my concerns about many of those things, but I also feel that government has a right to redress wrongs when individuals and/or corporations ignore what is right for the whole of society not just a privileged few.

A family owned business that cares for its workers as a means to produce the best product to sell for a reasonable amount of profit is one thing.

It is another thing to have a massive corporation that sways government to permit importation of workers from foreign lands in order to undercut the wages of their equally qualified American employees or who outsource production to countries that allow for slave labor at minimal starvation wages and poor environmental limits.

I believe that people in exchange for their willingness and ability to labor and pay taxes should have total access to a FREE education all the way through college or trade school so that they may work to the full ability of their talents.

They should have a health care system either free through taxes or affordable through wages that contributes to their being as healthy as possible.

They need an economic system that either protects their jobs or invests in new jobs should those old ones become obsolete at wages that allow for a roof over their heads and food on the table.

They deserve an environment and food supply both at home and work that doesn't injure them or kill.

When greed and special privilege interfere with or prevent the goals above, then it is the business of government to step in and rectify the situation.

If people/businesses don't like the encroachment on their "freedoms" (?), then they should damn well consider the well being of their fellow citizens rather than their own treasure chests

Craig,

I don't see anything in that rule that prevents someone from saying,

"My personal attitude is that abortion should be avoided except in the most extreme cases", but that will not prevent me from applying existing law to new cases or situations and I can only guarantee that I will use the facts and application of law whatever my personal opinions might be"

Okey-dokey. If you can't say what the opposition wants to hear you say, don't say nothin' at all. A judicial variation of stonewalling?

All in all, think I would rather be somewhere listening to the waves because frankly, I'm feeling intellectually lazy and I just about had my fill of GOP attacks and condescension yesterday. Can't get to the beach, so Hank Snow will have to do:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mj92AWdznrY

Okay, Craig, I'll be good now. Make myself scarce for a day or two. I promise.

If they discuss their views on anything but apple pie (not motherhood) prospective Justices only add to the likelihood that single issue fanatics will scream, "BIAS!"

If you want substance in these hearings, take out the cameras. Pols are addicted to cameras, and their favorite pastimes are showboating and preening. Remove the cameras, and they may be forced to ask something important and then get on with the vote. I say 'may', because the microphones might also encourage showboating and preening.

There was a time when the Senate didn't ask questions other than, "Is the candidate knowledgable in the law ?" I sometimes think that we should go back to that way of doing things, until
I remember that we got unbelievably nasty Justices like tawney and mcreynolds, through not asking questions. By comparison, thomas and scalia are examples of moderation.

Btw, scalia wasn't persecuted with insinuations that he would be biased toward Latins. After all, Italians are as Latin as Latins can get. Italy is where Latins were invented. This difference demonstrates the horrible race bias of Judge Sotomayor's persecutors.

Pogo,

"You are right, and with chloe already a member (though questionably in good standing) why are we having this discussion at all?"

Pogo, I can't take all of this Sotomayor hearings seriously any more, so I started to use Ivy's Lunch YELL to show t he similarity of our male only club......... to show the silliness of it all, and still will.

What I didn't plan on is that I have opened the flood gates. Now we have this from Renee

"hey I'd like to join the He-man Woman Haters Club in honor of Darla.... maybe we can get Dex to let us borrow his Jack Russell and paint a circle around one eye...."

There are two of them now.....will they think that they are equals or somttttin. Pretty soon we are going to be outnumbered.! What happens if the Fancy Shmantsi Lawyer; Coreen wants to get in.? Will they want equal power...........and will she start drawing up legal motions for the new (female) members?.

What would happen if that Patsi Women ever got in.......Curtains for us....all her sweet talking latley don't fool me: She is still the tough as nails womens libber as far as Im concerned HA! hat ha was for you Patsi :-)))

Just remember: We are t he Macho-Muchachos; that were here first. Im NOT giving up any of my powers-nada. EMERGENCY MEETING TONIHGT---make that TONIGHT: Im so mad that I can't even spell right.......like I ever take the time for spell check to do it for me. hahaha

This must be a "working lunch" today...

KT --

I posted you a wink and a nod...

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/07/sotomayors-broken-ankle-empath.html#comment-244036

Ivy

I love the wink

(^_~)

What are the key strokes necessary to get the upward caret and the tilde?

sotomayor might not ' want to express her real views on abortion'' she might lose democratic support in the
senate' '' being Hispanic '' catholic'' she could harbour
anti-abortion sentiments'' democrats should be careful what they wish for

From the American Conservative

http://www.amconmag.com/searchr.php?v&author=George+Hawley

"n the years since I abandoned my status as a typical neoconservative chicken hawk and adopted Old Right non-interventionism, I’ve been somewhat uneasy with much of the movement’s rhetoric. Specifically, I often find much of the anti-war Right a little too reminiscent of the anti-war Left. That is, many anti-war conservatives and libertarians expend a great number of keystrokes lamenting the American war machine’s innocent foreign victims (see Chronicles or LewRockwell.com just about any day of the week for examples). This is often my own preferred argument. My concern is that this kind of rhetoric does little to grow the non-interventionist movement’s ranks.

The neocons spent the last decade smearing their opponents to the Right as delusional or cowardly “liberals” – when they aren’t calling them anti-Semites, that is. They respond to non-interventionist arguments with inanities like, “freedom isn’t free,” and then tell some heartwarming story about a soldier who lost his leg but still supports the war and hopes the American people are “tough enough to see it through.” It is utterly disingenuous for the epicene dweebs who lead the neoconservative movement to sell themselves as authorities on old-fashioned American manliness. They get away with it because, when it comes to speaking Middle America’s language, the neocons are pretty much the only game in town. Although their message is utterly vacuous, the Limbaughs, Hannitys, and Levins know exactly how to frame their arguments in a way that appeals to the GOP base. It’s time for more doves on the Right to learn to do the same.

When arguing for America’s speedy withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan, I don’t think it does much good to talk about horrific examples of collateral damage. I think more converts can be won with the following argument: “Who the hell cares about Iraq or Afghanistan? If they want to spend the next fifty years blowing themselves to bits, let them have at it.” The same logic should be used to argue for our withdrawal from our bases in Korea and the Middle East, leaving Russia alone, getting out of NATO, and for finally abandoning the fantasy that we will somehow insure Taiwan’s independence.

KT --

I posted you a wink and a nod...~~Ivy

Found that. Thanks for both.:)

Try this one.

http://www.amconmag.com/postright/

Jamie...

Shift and the number 6 on the top of the keyboard.

Shift and the key to the left of the number 1 on the keyboard.

^~

sotomayor might be to obama'' what souter was to
bush #1'' not exactly what you want

Well Solar, I can't imagine why you can't take the Sotomayor hearings seriously any longer. The drama is past - all the Repugs who want to repeat what all their brethren have already said are done - so we can only expect accolades from this point on - maybe well deserved accolades, but the fireworks are over. Well, when the REpugs call Ricci (who could have nothing of any consequence to say IMHO) it may get interesting again, but I'm not holding my breath. So to the important topic.

What the hell kind of woman haters club can we have if we let all these women join? (OK, OK< maybe I started this movement, but I only meant to crack the door open a little). Next thing we can expect is to be asked to be FAIR to them. Of course I do like all the women who have expressed interest in the HMWHLC, so maybe we'll need to re-examine the name - maybe we could call it the Supreme Court - or is that name already taken?

Naval blockade,

Israel’s Dr. Strangelove
by Ira Glunts, July 15, 2009

Dr. Uzi "Strangeglovitch" Arad mocked proponents of a Palestinian state and taunted advocates of an Israeli/Palestinian peace process this week in a revealing interview published on Friday, July 10 in the Israeli daily Ha’aretz. Arad also made provocative remarks about blockading Iran and retaining much of the Golan Heights.

Uzi Arad is the national security adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and is considered to be one of the most influential foreign policy advisers and powerful voices in the current Israeli administration. In the interview, Arad sarcastically alluded to any possible Palestinian state as an entity that would be limited to producing its own stamps, parades, and carnivals.

When interviewer Ari Shavit summarized Arad’s derogatory and dismissive characterization of a future Palestinian state as "an American peace event with Hollywood trappings," the security adviser did not contradict the description, but rather bemoaned the lack of a capable Palestinian leadership and claimed that "even the moderates among them do not want a settlement." Dr. Arad then expressed a ludicrous, racist view that Palestinian leadership is "genetically" incapable of understanding the conflict from Israel’s point of view. He further described the late Yasser Arafat as "vulgar."

Uzi Arad is a Princeton-educated acolyte of Herman Kahn, a man Arad calls the original Dr. Strangelove, a "Jewish American genius," and a "salient nuclear hawk" who advocated the "feasibility of nuclear wars." Arad, who describes himself as a devotee of Kahn, which includes being a nuclear hawk, wrote a paper in the ’70s for the U.S. Pentagon about the planning of a limited nuclear war in Central Europe.

Arad, who is now in charge of the Iran portfolio, told Ha’aretz that previous Israeli administrations erred in their Iran policy. According to Arad, there was a "gross failure" in government policy between 2003-2007 in not devoting sufficient attention to the threat from Tehran. During the interview, Arad advocated a maritime blockade against Iran that would cut off its oil supply. If Iran were to challenge the blockade, Arad menacingly threatened, "from here the road to escalation is short." A naval blockade is considered an act of war according to international law. And the current official American policy is to engage Iran diplomatically in an attempt to resolve the nuclear issue.

http://www.haaretz.com/

"There are two of them now.....will they think that they are equals or somttttin. Pretty soon we are going to be outnumbered.!"

solar, you forgot to count the dog. if she's a she, you're outnumbered already. no emergency mtg will help.

Pat,

"solar, you forgot to count the dog. if she's a she, you're outnumbered already. no emergency mtg will help. "

Dang......we are in the dog house now!!! Meeting is still on between you and you. ......we will figure a way out of this.!

per 1:22 post, as they say, life can be a bitch

and more on the wayward s.c. gov.
http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=10729526

Craig,

Random question about your Broken Ankle thread...

In the video clip you posted when you originally busted it, the cast was on your left foot...now in your new video the brace is on your right foot... what am I missing here?

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/07/senate-can-demand-more-answers.html#comment-244056

Jamie & Anon --

On my keyboard, the ~ is left and upper of the space-bar...and on my Lenovo baby laptop, both keys are placed differently and I have to hunt and peck for them.

Ha, Andrea Mitchell, good one..."Al Franken's job is to prove he can be boring..." Boring Al coming up shortly...

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/07/senate-can-demand-more-answers.html#comment-244067

Bear --

I thought I caught that one too - today's performance was staged! Craig is busted!

Move over Rover

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dS89G9O-wCE#

ivy...

On the standard u.s. keyboard the up carat is above the number 6 and the tilde is on the key above the left Tab key and you need to use the shift key with either of them to use them.

There are several different keyboards, however the standard u.s. keyboard has not really changed that much since it was first used.

Hope Jamie can find it since I'm not sure if the Mac keyboard is the same or not.

Jamie, yes Craig is being sneaky, but higher powers often act in strange ways. While I too have some problems with "what is wrong with America", when addressing a SCOTUS nominee, we ought to be focused on what the Constitution says and not a wish list of things our founders did not intend to be constitutionally derived.

Many of the things you mentioned have red lines that would distort the balance our founders sought between individual liberty and the rights of the” people". In fact, Democrats have taken some strange stabs at gun rights and freedom of the press rights, Madison clearly intended to be the right of the "people". Nowhere does the Constitution say an employer must provide health insurance, unless you seek another extension of the General Welfare Clause. It does not say people sneaking into this country should become citizens. I would love to hear what NewPogo says about my remark of the history of Jewish immigration. Nor does the Constitution provide free medical insurance for illegal immigrants. It does not say the government shall fire business heads not does it say how much employees can be paid. The Constitution certainly does not say jobs should be given based on skin color and without qualifying tests. It does not say the President cannot take extraordinary measures to provide the people with security and I would love Sotomayor to tell us every mention of privacy in the Constitution.

So I think that many Americans, even many who do not claim they are Republicans, have a clear concern about where the present leadership is taking America. I also believe the founders would not have supported such a huge redistribution of wealth and have been silent over signs such redistribution is not making on improving our society. The national debt argued between Jefferson and Hamilton did not approach in relative dollars the climbing debt of the United States. Had it, there might not be a United States.

So I think there is a large grey area we are talking about and the Republicans right now are the only ones beside some Blue Dogs willing to fight to define the limits this administration seeks.

Although my remarks about Hillary were not related to Craig's thread, I think they are very important. Patd brought up a HUGE irony regarding Hillary's speech and Obama's ironic spin for healthcare. We all know why it is ironic given what happened between Obama and Hillary.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/07/sotomayors-broken-ankle-empath.html#comment-244014

Solar, you can post whatever on the illegal nature of embargoes and stand right beside McKinney. I would rather stand beside JFK on that one. If you even follow my links regarding the illegal activities in Gaza, you would understand the nature of Israel's threats. In your strange world view, America should encourage terrorists to import weapons and continue on their march towards Israel’s death. I am glad that Israel, unlike their neighbors allows dissenting views as well as vetting the rules of engagement of their forces. Please don't take the dissent as a majority view however. We have people here in America that want us to radically cut defense budgets, but that doesn't mean they are right, does it?

You mean--he forgot which ankle he broke?

Reminds me of the pharmacist I used to work for. He had had broken arms (not at the same time, and not the same arm) on three different occasions. When I asked which one he broke twice, he said breezily, "A different one each time."

At which point I concluded he was hiding something--possibly octopus DNA.

Since I never knew which one Craig broke in the first place, I shall remove my dog from this fight and return to lurking.(^_~)

Solar. Again, see comments by Pakistan and India on the feasibility of nuclear war. China, France, Israel, Pakistan, India, Russia likely have neutron bombs and I suspect they are for tactical use, not MAD. NK would love them for export.

I recently posted comments by Fatah explaining "peace" is a ruse to win international support. This does not trouble you I guess. Egypt presently cannot find a way to even get Hamas and Fatah to the table and you lament the Israelis. How balanced of you......

Ivy,

Don't forget: I can be ( ~/l\~) about lunch. today was a working lunch, food in one hand....all over my desk, a 2 way radio in the other; just finished cleaning up the mess. (^_~)

Pogo & Solar,

What;s this? I get back to my office after lunch (1 pm not noon here & no fast food for this fancy-shmancy lawyer) & find you guys are ready to cut me out of your lunch club---nice talk!

Max;

Give it to me later, (sarcasm) you post from sites( blogs) that are called. Terrorism watch or something like that, and others that are similar. they all call for war. That article that I posted was from Hartz. by a Jewish writer.

I just read what you posted about the Jews having the largest horse in the fight over at Pakistan, Afghanistan. XR isn't the only one that thinks that you are full of it. So do I. Why do you want the Israeli's to war with every one? And I asked you before to turn in you indpendent hat that you say U wear, and go sit by the R;s like a good soldier Ok?

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aUVZeh_GVBYM

Well, looks like I'll be getting to pay for a few more free-loaders.......whoooo hooooo.....can't wait......

Max, in my mind it's Pogo, not NewPogo. I know bupkuss about Jewish immigration prior to WWII, although I am aware that som jews were not allowed entry into the US. All I can and will say is that was then and this is now - the circumstances are different, but I believe that there is a line that has to be drawn somewhere, and I think it is up to Congress to draw that line. It is not IMHO up to the Executive Branch to draw such a line, and I think a fence or wall is a stupid idea - 20 ft, fences = 21 ft. ladders and all that (consider that my gratuitous addition to the discussion). Why not discuss Haitians and Cubans? They are no less relevant. As for FDR, he also allowed US citizens to be put in camps because of the country of their birth - or theeir forebears' births - and I don't believe that was constitutional. As to providing healthcare to people here "illegally", again, that is a matter for Congress to address. See, we do have these things called laws, and not every privilege is covered by the Constitution.

And please, "I would love Sotomayor to tell us every mention of privacy in the Constitution." Constitutional parsing over rights necessary to provide the rights that are articulated is a fool's errand. Since Griswold (7-2 btw), the right to privacy has been accepted as settled law. You could also argue back and forth the 2nd amendment's militia clause, or the warrant clause of the Fourth amendment in the context of the Bushco warrantless wiretap actions, but those discussions would not be of much use either since one is settled law and one is history. Sotomayor is constrained by prior SCOTUS decisions, just as every other justice is, until and unless 5 of them decide that prior decisions are no longer valid for whatever reason.

Coreen, I'm not suggesting cutting anyone out. Remember my preference in lunch partners, posted back in the 11:00 hour I believe. .

PATD, Coreen said,

"Pogo & Solar,

What;s this? I get back to my office after lunch (1 pm not noon here & no fast food for this fancy-shmancy lawyer) & find you guys are ready to cut me out of your lunch club---nice talk! "

See what I mean. "Lawyers" Can't live with em, can't live without em either.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/07/senate-can-demand-more-answers.html#comment-244086

HA!! That's what th' missus and I say about each other all the time, us both bein' law'ers and all.

Franken is asking some truly pertinent questions. He's not boring. I particularly like the line of questioning involving the Internet, TV cable service and by extension newspaper and radio.

She was right to kick it back to Congress for legislative action, but it was an interesting exchange.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/07/senate-can-demand-more-answers.html#comment-244083

Jax

As well you should. The majority of the people without insurance are hardly freeloaders since they frequently make too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to afford $300 - $500 per month premiums for their families.

I think that Franken is going to get a good review. I like his questions to Soto.

"....denying the American people critical information about potential justices...."

what's this critical info, other than the qualifications set forth by law for her to meet, that we need to know? which of her personal beliefs are so critical to know about if she pledges to set all of them aside in her decision making?

I'm confident some Trailmixer has to know the answer to the Perry Mason question off the top of their head...

Jamie,
I'm not surprised at your take on it.....you seem to feel very deserving of others money.......

It's a common sentiment amongst those that don't do their part......

Reminds me of a quote from Margaret Thatcher
" The problem with Socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money."......:)

Ivygreen,

The Case of the Deadly Verdict

i think

"Franken is asking some truly pertinent questions. -- posted Jamie"

He certainly did, Jamie. Too bad they don't make her answer them.

Thanks also for the technological invention of the Remote Control. I used it to flip-off MSNBC which inflexibly chose to stick with its regular programming schedule and missed the Perry Mason exchange...

i mean, answering that "the court has held" tells us nothing about her own views. that's an appeals nominee's answers. they are bound to apply precedent. the Supreme Court is not so bound

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/07/senate-can-demand-more-answers.html#comment-244094

Craig --

CNN (Wolf) reports it was The Case of the Deadly Verdict...they peeked on the google...but wait...they're saying it's another one...does that mean two cases? I'm not clear on what they're saying...

... well, Craig,only if 5 of them decide not to...

Perry Mason? Wha??

Opinion: It has become more difficult to bomb Iran
People power has upset Israel’s careful calculations about the pros and cons of air strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities

Images have proved inconvenient to war planners ever since the first photographs of the Crimean War were published in London in the middle of the 19th century. Censors did their best to prevent the carnage of war from sapping public morale — something they're still doing, as the Bush administration's ban on showing the caskets of troops returning from Afghanistan and Iraq attests.

Aerial bombing destroyed the line that previously protected civilians from such carnage. The ability of images to raise public questions about war policy thus grew enormously. From Guernica to Nanking, Coventry to Dresden, to Hiroshima and the use of napalm in Vietnam, this has happened to varying degrees across many cultures. Sometimes, the impact is emotional but has no policy outlet. Other times, the world steps back, takes a breath, and seeks a way — often through negotiations — to prevent more of the same.

Are we there now with Iran? In some ways, this is a bit like 1988. Not 1989 — there's no revolution, the bad guys still run the show, and there is no guarantee at all that tolerance will win out in the long run. Still, the dynamics have changed. By 1988, the Soviet Union was still regarded as a superpower, and the Warsaw Pact still intact. Yet once Mikhail Gorbachev's Glasnost had finally made it impossible for hawks to portray all residents of the Soviet Union as godless automatons bent on world domination, all-out war became almost impossible for the United States and its allies to contemplate.

As late as 1988, the U.S. military had nuclear-tipped Pershing II missiles standing at the ready inscribed with the names of Prague, Warsaw, Budapest and dozens of other cities soon to be swollen with people demanding their freedom. Early that year, talks to remove the missiles were underway, and after the Intermediate Nuclear Forces treaty was signed in May, they were withdrawn, along with the Soviet SS-20s that prompted their deployment in the first place.

Could the world be close to something similar in Iran. Might serious talks finally be possible? Maybe, though Gorbachev actually ran the Soviet Union in 1988, whereas the moderates in Iran remain confined, so far, to the streets.

For now, as in Eastern Europe in 1988, the outside world will largely be confined to watching. Unless the hardliners are actually toppled in Iran, which at this point seems hard to imagine, the question probably becomes something like this: After all the unrest and bravery, did the backlash of 2009 force Iran's regime to fundamentally rethink its foreign policy, or did it simply crack down and jail dissidents, writing them off as dupes and fifth columnists for the Great Satan?

We just don't know at this point. But, as Meir Dagan's comments show, the weather is changing.

OK, let me play devil's advocate... why can't we ask that the Senate confirm (well, advise and consent) based upon the qualifications of the nominee - absent some non issue related disqualifying information about the nominee? The positionof a nominee on any issue is irrelevant if they are qualified under the constitution and agree to swear the oath they must take to take the position.

Pogo,

Franken asked Sotomayor what her favorite Perry Mason episode was--she said the one where his client was found guilty, but did not know its name

Two more cases revealed by CNN...

"The Case of the Terrified Typist"

"The Case of the Witless Witness"

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/07/senate-can-demand-more-answers.html#comment-244093

Jax,

Not so much entitled to other people's money as not wanting society as a whole to be the victims of an oligarchy who feel entitled to their privileges whether earned or not.

Jamie,

That's the rub.....mine has been and continues to be earned.......
Just so you know oligarchy means rule by a privileged few.......not support of the many by a privileged few as we have now.....in a democratic sense if this was an oligarchy I would get 100 votes and you would get 1.

Funny, I thought all the money was the government's.

Pogo,
Well of course you did. They create all wealth don't they....:)

It creates all the money.

Jax -
Re :
Your ox MAY be gored ............... Bob laughs

I loved the interview Rich Sanchez (CNN) did with his "wise Latina" Mom...mostly in Spanish...as long as I can remember, I wanted to be naturally bilingual...I wouldn't have cared what language it was, as long as it was a second language. I feel deprived.

(^_~)

Pogo,
And yet you probably consider that $20 bill in your pocket yours......how presumptuous of you.........:)

I watched this afternoon.... Specter was grumpy.... Franken was great...
I loved his question about the internet too....

and speaking of which..... Jax... I see you're free loading off of this governmental invention again..... :0)

oh yeah..... I will confess... I've never seen an episode of Perry Mason....

Jamie, your sentiment (and I hate abuse too) is not supported in the Constitution. Craig is right that Sotomayor ducked tough questions as Obama has done too. Even now he demands quick passage of his healthcare bill calling it vital for our stability. A bad, unfunded bill will make us more unstable and Obama simply has not been clear about the details. We see this everywhere he champions a crtical fix. Soon we will paying a trillion in debt INTERST each year. Frankly, his use of exective power goes beyond Bush and I would have liked Sotomayor to comment on that. State Secrets? FISA? Killing AQ leadership? Indefinate detention?

Solar another time, but if Iran does undergo a change of regime, all bets are off. If there is a crack down, numerous Iranian bloggers have indicated the West should do what they must to prevent a horrific end game their clerics have in mind. And increasing numbers of Arab Muslims seem to agree. Let's hope Hillary can lay down a new line. Yesterday Pat linked an article that suggests the Mullahs think Obama is desperate to make a deal at any cost. This is just what we DON'T want them to think.

Pogo, perhaps you might read up on what a Democrat administration did to all the Jews seeking refuge from the Nazis. It is a sad story.That was way before my time, but I did read a bit on the subject. And Italians, Irish, blacks and others did not benefit in the way you seem to think the US ought to react now. I was pointing out the history you implied supported your view.

Cbob,

Haven't had a chance to congratulate you on your oven project. I rarely agree with your stance on the environment but I admire your hands on approach to the genre rather than the constant rhetoric we hear.

I don't have to agree with your philiosophy to admire your drive and who knows......efforts like yours might convert someone like me one day....at least a little.....:)

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/commerce/090714/economics-civil-unrest(Marko Djurica/Reuters)

A long read but a good one.

Why we're (still) screwed
Political science warned of coming violence, unrest and other trouble. Political science was right.

"Revolutions are most likely to occur when a prolonged period of objective economic and social development is followed by a short period of sharp reversal. People then subjectively fear that ground gained with great effort will be quite lost; their mood becomes revolutionary."

Since those dark days of winter, the global meltdown — while moving out of the panic stages — has shown very few signs of recovery. Meanwhile political violence and turmoil has blossomed in nearly every corner of the world. In many places, the mood has become quite revolutionary.

First, the economics:

The U.S. unemployment rate — the key figure underlying confidence in the world's largest economy — is at a 26-year high of 9.5 percent, and President Barack Obama this week warned it's still rising. Larry Summers, the director of the president's National Economic Council, was even gloomier, telling the Financial Times: “I don’t think the worst is over. It would not be surprising if GDP has not yet reached its low."

RR,
I don't know. I see quite a few universal services taxes on my internet service bill.........I'm probably paying for someone else's service.....:)

Jax,

Thanks for the snide. I'm well aware of the meaning of Oligarchy. There are other ways for a minority to hold power than just a vote. For instance, they might not bother to count them or just rig the laws to benefit themselves.

When the majority of the wealth of a nation is in the hands of a small minority and that minority pays less than their percentage of the wealth in taxes, then things are horribly out of balance. When our nation had its greatest percentage of wealth held within the middle class, everybody at both ends of the spectrum did better. Even when the wealthiest still held most of the political power.

Now that the shift financially has moved to that tiny bit at the top, everybody (including them in this latest financial crash) does much much worse.

As to yours being earned. Did you invent something totally new never before seen? Were you born in poverty and then clawed your way out of that condition and through your own efforts attained degrees and expertise to attain a good paying job? Did you start your own business without any assistance of family or friends (or compliant banker who knew family or friends). Was your education through college unpaid by either family contribution or admission via legacy?

You get the picture. There are darn few "self made men or women". We are all products of our environments and opportunities.

I just want everyone to have a chance to come up to the plate healthy and ready to play. If they then hit a home run without injuring others, more power to them, enjoy the luxuries without depriving others of the humane basics.

If mommy gives birth on third base and they manage to crawl their way into a home plate trust fund, Don't look to me for sympathy when the tax man taketh.

here, click on commerce, political unrest.

http://www.globalpost.com/

Jamie,
It's very easy to want to take care of others when it doesn't effect you at all. I wouldn't have an issue of providing coverage for others if we all participated but no. Only about 2% of us will pay. Why because if we taxed the middle class a portion they would raise hell and it wouldn't pass. They are benevolent on this issue only if they don't have to pay.....:)

Actually, there are 2 of them in my pocket, and they won't be "mine" for long. I'm allowed to hold them and use them, but they aren't mine. They were created by the government, the number of them in existence is determined by the government, and they can be destroyed by the government. So I ask you, at what point does the ownership of that money become mine as opposed to the government? And I understand that it is a crime to deface U.S. Currency - seems like the gubmint may have an ownership interest in "my" money that is superior to mine.

"oh yeah..... I will confess... I've never seen an episode of Perry Mason...."

Maw, me neither.....was pulling all the girls pig tails( never pinching, never) or out playing sports.:-) Once saw a little of it, I thought that he was a big show off, did not like it.

Pogo,
You're absolutely right. I don't think they are yours.....
Tell you what....pop them in the mail to me and I'll return them to their rightful owner for you......pro bono....:)

Max, I'm sure that is fascinating history, but it is not history that holds a particular interest to me. But since you are politicizing what FDR did to Jews who were trying to get into the US to escape persecution, you won't mind if I politicize what a couple of Republican administrations did to keep folks out who were trying to escape persecution - or perhaps one that did some pretty unconscionable things to its detainees in the more recent past.

I can return them to their rightful owner on my own, but thanks anyway. Your offer is much appreciated, though. :-)

Pogo,
If you were a defense lawyer i'd love to see you use that money defense. " but your honor" my clients (bank robbers) were just trying to return the gov't property back to it's rightful owner............:)

If I were a CRIMINAL defense lawyer, I would look for another defense. (If I were a criminal defense lawyer and tried that, I would be guilty - of malpractice) - see, it's the banks the government uses to put its money into circulation in the economy. This is not a discussion about the legal basis of ownership of money - not really - it's just a snarky way to pass the time and avoid work.

Pogo,
Yeah...I know....I've been working like crazy lately and am using this time to goof around.....:)

"Maw, me neither.....was pulling all the girls pig tails( never pinching, never) or out playing sports."

Solar.... I hope Alfalfa beat the hell outta you for pickin' on Darla....

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/07/senate-can-demand-more-answers.html#comment-244120

Jax,

I notice you didn't answer how you got to your exalted position of I earned it, it's all mine, and you can't have it.
:-)

I am very glad) that Craig Crawford still reports on flaws in the way things are instead of just moving on.

RR
I think you would like the original Perry Mason series. Raymond Burr is wonderful and of course - every cliche and stereo type imaginable from the fifties.

There's an old saw that circulated in various versions among the criminal defense bar. It goes smething like this - your honor, my client is innocent because he wasn't present when the deceased was shot, and if the evidence shows that he was present he did not shoot anyone because he did not have a gun, and if the evidence proves he had a gun he did not shoot anyone with it, and even if he shot the deceased the gun went off accidentally and he didn't mean to shoot him. Murder is a crime of intent, so he can't possibly be guilty.

Raymond Burr's Perry Mason was a great series - my grandparents watched it religiously, and go me into it. I even watched the reruns when I was in college.

The Case of the 'Nnoying Non-Sequiters:

My friend Si over on Blogstream, by a simple mention of "pullin' weeds round the 'maters" started an earworm in my head, so I'm passing it on:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-QzLIjL1u4

Guy Clark got that one right for certain.

Jamie,
I try to take people at their word but since that's apparently not your way here you go.

I grew up in a lower middle class family. I did very well in school. I wanted to go to engineering school but I had 2 sisters right behind me in school and my parents couldn't afford to send us all so I traded 8 years of service for an education at a service academy. I then worked for 10 years in the maritime industry and paid for my MBA at night out of my pocket.

When my company was bought out by a foreign outift I took all my savings and 401k and started my own biz.
No family help......no exceptional bank deal.......I worked my butt off and it's prospered........sold my first business and busy building another now that non-compete is over...........

Not very exciting but it works for me......

KGC....
I LOVED Raymond Burr in the original Godzilla movie...

Godzilla is my favorite dinosaur.... and my favorite movie starring him is
Godzilla vs Mothra.... now that's when special effects were really somethin' special.....

Jax

Good to see you supporting your fellow free loaders
Keep up the good work

Jack

Jack,
Don't worry....noones expecting you to step up to the plate.....:)

Well, I gotta run off to a swim meet - the penultimate one of the summer - but will leave you with a link to a column I found particularly insightful.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lincoln-mitchell/sonia-sotomayor-and-the-r_b_233420.html

Jax,

That is a wonderful story of hard work and achievement. You deserve a great deal of credit for getting where you are. Since you mention that your parents "couldn't afford to send us all", I presume that your parents valued education and encouraged you to achieve and be ambitious. You are more than entitled to your earned luxuries because I am conceding without proof that you pay your employees if any a fair wage.

My contention is that even with that background, you were way ahead of some equally bright child born into an area where drugs are dealt on the street, gun fire is not unusual, gangs are rampant and your parents have a minimal or non existent education or are abusive or criminal. Even if they are the most loving parents, they may not be able to provide healthy food, medical care or adequate housing. Even the schools may be inadequate for an education that allows for advancement.

I would like to see a society structured so that everyone has the opportunity to develop their abilities to their greatest extent. You might be surprised at just how tough my "if I ruled the world" scenarioI would be on parents, schools, and criminal behavior.

Jamie,

My employees are well taken care of. But it's not out of the kindness of my heart. They work hard and are compensated for it. I'm proud to say that 2 of them felt confident enough to go out and start their own businesses when I sold my first company. They are both vendors of mine now.

Jamie, we all want to take care of those kids. My point is this. When I was in the middle class I disliked more taxes but I never felt like I was being targeted. We all suffered together for the common good....... I don't feel that way anymore.........

"Solar.... I hope Alfalfa beat the hell outta you for pickin' on Darla...."

Im innocent I tell ya.!! Little girls have pretty curls, but I like Oreo's :-)

That reminds me. KGC: Thanks for those pics that you posted. I just saw them. I recognized you right away, even without you baseball cap.....I wear one all of the time. But who was that Mamacita with you?......nibble, nibble.

Solar
That is bethy...we were eating tacos and drinking margy's at the Cantina. We had such a good time I think it will be a regular event.

RR

Now I'm sure you would like Perry Mason

KGC,

You guys look like you had a good time, at the cantina, but that was our Bethy......our Bethy la poo?, Yeah I knew that it was she. She has that sexy teacher, librarian look about her. HA!

That long huh, must have talked about a lot of things, and bet it would have been fun being there, thanks

Jax

We could probably reach a great deal of agreement on where governmental spending could be reined in. As to you being targeted, you might have to get behind all of those auto workers, mill hands, assembly line employees and textile labor whose jobs were sold out from under them without any way to replace the income no matter how hard they were willing to work.

There is a great deal of WORK that needs to be done in this country from building bridges, paving roads, planting trees, painting over graffitti, building low income housing, supporting medical personnel, assisting in classrooms. We need a full scale WPA and work training force that makes conditions better for us all.

Unfortunately, all of the treasure that has been expended on this insane war, or lost through tax cuts to the highest, or funds not collected from off shore hidey holes. etc.

Yes there is a lot of waste in government. There is fraud in social and medical programs. There is lots of room for improvement. I am just opposed to those with the most power and wealth not feeling a certain noblesse oblige for the benefits they have received.

I would be more than happy to cancel all your taxes if you could prove that you have covered the costs and improved the condition of something previously provided at government expense for the same amount of money except you did it better as a private citizen than the government could ever do.

I do believe the wealthy should receive credit for doing good once they have done well.

Raymond Burr in another time:

http://dcairns.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/vlcsnap-94255.png

Have to go rejoin the real world. Back later.

Jamie,

Won't happen......I can create jobs all day long. They'll still take. I take home approx 20% of what my company makes. Most goes to income/property taxes and working capital.

I'm not taxed at the rate of the money that I take home.
I'm taxed at the gross margin rate of my company. I have to take draws from the company to pay taxes. That comes from working capital. That comes from money that I use to fund jobs. That's what's so crazy. The gov't wants new jobs but they take away the funds to do so. I can create a new job with full benefits for about $60,000. This is well below the gov'ts job creation cost and mine creates wealth.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/07/sotomayors-broken-ankle-empath.html#comment-244018
Solar,
The checks in the mail. :) (I'm surprised you haven't gotten it yet.)
But count me out, unless Carol and Tony get in too.

ps ... and you know that I've put my foot in my mouth many more times than you have, so if that's a requirement, I should be eligible.

Jax,

20% of what? As a worker, they make 1000.00 per wk(this figure is very high-but) and take home 70% of that thousand....it is only 700 per wk. When times were good, I was bringing home 20-30 % but from 15, thousand, or so, you get government contracts at a high price to the tax payers (sorta like the 500 dollar hammer) they, we pay for your contracts no. You probably take home 7-10k per wk. don't complain. Doesn't sound good to us that are just getting by these day's.

Solar,

You're missing my point. I'm saying that I and other small businesses like me can create jobs faster and for less expense than the gov't.

But instead of fostering this kind of activity the gov't is stifling it by increasing the taxes on the one group that even has a shot at turning things around for this country.......

Small businesses like me are all in with respect to our money. The vast majority of our funds are in equipment, employees and working capital. I don't have a secret stash (except for my 401K) somewhere gathering interest. I'm all in......every penny is working.....funding activity......do you think the gov't is somehow going to do something better with it?

Pogo,

There goes the neighborhood.........Now we have to let Chloe, and that Tony Baloney guy in. Im going golfing, that is still a mans club aint it? Nope not t here either......let me see now....there is religion, that is still almost all a mens club no?......Now lets see, religion, or lips stick and long hair,mmmmmmm. Lips stick it is. Welcome to the club. But watch your step.......there are rules and Im a watching you little mz SSS.

Jax,

I did miss your point, and agree with that last statement. I will add that Im tired of the back and forth about taxes.

There should be a flat income tax, and a flat sales tax. with some kind of mechanisim for those that need the help., Any one receiving government help......if there are no jobs should have to sweep the city streets, pick up garbage along the express ways, no free ride.

That goes for Corporation also, no tax loop holes . no off shore tax $ hiding, And take a look at what nafta does on a one by one case. We are getting people killed over our greed in other countries. Get this all to an even ball game and I think that we could agree on no free lunch for anyone no?>

Jax,

The best part that I left out is .......not friggin IRS.!!!

"Im a watching you little mz SSS"

Oooh..... I'm shakin' in my boots.

Solar,

There'd be no need for a progressive tax if everyone just paid the same percentage with no loopholes. The rich would still pay a huge amount more but in my mind 20% is 20% and is fair. Put a bottom limit where you don't pay anything to take care of the needy.

Warren Buffett paid much less of a percentage in taxes than his employees because his income was mainly dividends (taxed at 15%) and his employees income was mainly salary (taxed at 25-35%). That's where a flat tax makes so much sense to me.

"Oooh..... I'm shakin' in my boots."

That good glad that you know your place.....in this here club. That is if we accept that check is in the mail stuff..

Jax. Im on board with that....and we can tweak it after a cpl years. get it right and then leave it alone. Another thing that-that would accomplish in my mind....is that we would be getting rid of the special interest lobbyist no? We would have the ability to follow the money to were it goes.

Right now what we do is move all of the paper work around that lets them hide it all, where is the 9 bill that was lost over in Iraq?,. where is all of the $ at that has been taken fro the SS funds? etc, etc. I do think that with a flat tax; we could eliminate a lot of problems, but the R's and The D's just want to point at each other, and meanwhile that is what the elected shits want all along. imo.

Jax -- with all your wheeling and dealing in the world of moguls I am surprised you have time to waste here trashing poor people.

I don't blame nominees for invoking the so-called Ginsburg Rule. Any word or syllable or grimace that emits from a nominee is inevitably construed as "pledges, promises or commitments."

Plus, forget about hypotheticals - they're useless. Any similar "real-life" situation that may arise in the future will inevitably contain some shade of difference in the facts or circumstances that will render it wholly dissimilar to the made-up hypothetical scenario. A fact usually lost on the gotcha guys.

Warren B. Admitted that he paid very little in taxes. But what is he supposed to do?....give it back. The loop holes are the ones that are taken advantage off.

Jax. there has been reports of banks, that have received government bail outs, importing workers to make a lot less money than the American worker would have made. That average of the imported workers were about 90k per, so that means to me that these greedy pigs are taking a lot of money away from the people that should have it. Then t hey complain about illegals!!!

NP, as far as unconcionable things go, one would have to look at what the nazis were doing to the Jews, or even what Quds is doing to those at Evin. I am not about to play that equivalency game. As far as what Republicans did to keep out prosecuted aliens, I am not sure I know what you are talking about. The last botched amnesty (which I favor in principle) was under Reagan.

I find it hilarious that Democrats want to decry the terrible things at Gitmo when serving hard time in the US is literally a pain in the ass. Seems like a real violation of the Constitution to me.

Obama supported Cairs in opposing the time needed to run background checks on immigrants applying for papers. Now there are some serious problems with Somali immigrants recently given asylum. A recent illegal being held for criminal charges sued the government for failing to detect and treat his cancer. He'll win.

Hell, I didn't bitch at the time it took to get a green card for someone I am sponsoring, nor the cost. It is a privilege to be an American, not a right for the masses of the world.

But then I suspect, you and I are not so far apart on what to do with the immigration mess.

Jax, you are right. It is awful that small business owner can't even pool together to reap the same rates as a larger corporation.

Mark my words, Obama will break his word on taxes to a much greater extent than Bush senior. Without solving the macro mess, Obama demands Congress pass this healthcare bill. When asked if Democrats have even read the bill, they laugh. Laugh? I'm not laughing are you?

Jax,

Last thing, while I do agree with a cpl of things just mentioned ( surprise) I still don't think that you see Jamie's point at all: She has told you in very many different way's that we have an obligation to take care of each other. We do.

There are some greedy little people that lie and cheat to get free gov. money, but their total could not come close to the damage done by just one greedy Haliburton, or any other large Corps out there that gets away with stealing the public cash. Not once have I heard you say anything against them.

Forgot,

"ps ... and you know that I've put my foot in my mouth many more times than you have, so if that's a requirement, I should be eligible."

Ill say......You can even be the president of our little club with these credentials....but you haven't been there long enough. hahaha

"You can even be the president of our little club with these credentials"

hahaha, indeed... smart ass. :)

Ides of July...

"March, May, July, October,
These are they,
Make nones the seventh,
Ides the fifteenth day."

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

... oops, forgot. (_E=3Dmc2_)

Maybe Jax would agree to a large inheritance tax That way he won't have to worry about it and it will encourage generation after generation of hard work and entrepreneurship.

Lets start all over again. Welcome to the club little lady!

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/07/senate-can-demand-more-answers.html#comment-244176

All Jax needs is about twenty more years of life experience.

http://www.littleladybows.com/index.htm

I want to be in that lunch club, too, but can't promise to make all the meetings cuz I might over-sleep.

Bear, I agree with both your posts. A friend just told about a young man who is heart-broken at not getting into Stanford. I reminded her of all the other heart breaks that have occurred in the past and are still on-going, many/most of them due to un-equal education opportunities. The trick is to fix the opportunities, and the only way is to build special school districts etc, and god knows we don't want to pay taxes for that.
Following that the only alternative is let the situation perpetuate itself.

Admit it, having a standing sub-class is harmful to our nation's weath, strength, and heart. We have got to equalize opportunities.

I will admit that I see the possibility MQW mentions re
Sotomayor. I said when I had to vote for him that the end for me will be if he appoints a pro-lifer to scotus.
If she is, the court will be way out of balance. I hope MQW is wrong, but...just sayin'.

Funky.....love you in funky. HA! what a picture. Only a little older.

The State Board of Equalization report estimates marijuana retail sales would bring $990 million from a $50-per-ounce fee and $392 million in sales taxes.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/07/15/national/a152053D17.DTL&type=politics&tsp=1#ixzz0LNOnLXSx

Heads Up Jack -

States awash in stimulus money to weatherize homes

MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- Ready or not, states are getting a tenfold boost in federal money to weatherize drafty homes, an increase so huge it has raised fears of waste and fraud and set off a scramble to find workers and houses for them to repair.

http://www.seattlepi.com/national/1110ap_us_stimulus_weatherizing_homes.html

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/07/senate-can-demand-more-answers.html#comment-244180

Bethy --

That would be a Breakfast Club for you, n'est-ce pas? We can accommodate.

Required reading----"Dr. Dean's Second Opinion"

He spells out why the time has come to reform
healthcare in a clear, concise presentation.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-07-15/dr-deans-second-opinion/full/

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/07/senate-can-demand-more-answers.html#comment-244183

C-Bob --

Oh, that just can't be right, not in Alabama. Governator Riley said thanks-but-no-thanks to Democrat-tainted money...

Jax -
Thanks -

Been looking at the energy news again, we've found even more natural gas in yet another huge shale deposit -

" Exxon is most encouraged by the exploration of 250,000 acres it has leased in the Horn River Basin, in northern British Columbia. Mr. Cejka said results from the first four wells lead the company to conclude that each well will produce between 16 million and 18 million cubic feet of gas a day.

That's five times the size of average wells in Texas's Barnett shale and comparable to big wells in Louisiana's Haynesville shale, two major shale-gas fields that already have moved the U.S. natural-gas market from scarcity to abundance. "
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124716768350519225.html

Sometimes I think some Americans confuse the US with a real modern oligarchy. Perhaps the fears of Cheney can be tempered by the disingenuous outrage of Russian leadership

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8153115.stm

I don't blame Hillary for staying at home. Despite the gesturing, the USS Stout makes a port call in a signal to Russia

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iSFUXvwiMEvcWRLVTG8y3NMkpxaAD99EV7KO0

And by Russia, I don't mean something Palin can see from Alaska.

Bob, you are exactly right about the waste and fraud. I would register every home improvement specialist doing such work and have an inspection process of the results. Try doing that in NYC.

And no weatherizing without an inspection of the efficiency of heating and cooling system. Heat loss or gain adds up to electrical bills.

How about painting every roof with white photo cell paint. Or even just white paint?

It is only a matter of time before HRC mails in her resignation. The disrespect shown to her by team Obama has never stopped since the days of the primaries.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/bloomberg/20090715/pl_bloomberg/a6fujb5nwlde_1

Nice try. She'll quit if she gets back stabbed on foreign policy. What Democrats ought to be concerned about given the vague and uncertain healthcare package Obama is pushing is this: http://www.dickmorris.com/blog/2009/07/09/obama-will-repeal-medicare/

I don't know that Obama can stop this line of attack from working. He is about to forget the Republicans. I bet Morris is betting Obama will do just that. If Obama says his response to Iran is smart and calibrated, why does he look so clumsy on healthcare?

"Dick" Morris? oh, come now...........

SPeaking oh Hillary, here is something about her coming report: http://www.military.com/news/article/pentagon-to-ditch-two-war-strategy.html

This is sure to be debated, My question is the situation where we are standing down major power escalation while fighting three small wars. And if we are going to reduce to fight one peer war and one smaller war, please explain how Iraq and Afghanistan presently drain our forces?

Sturg, he was instrumental in helping Clinton. I said that I didn't think Obama could stop this from being effective PR given the mess the healthcare bill is in. I think the approach opened the door on this line of attack.

That's all.....

Max,

You are starting too sound like these people.

Conservative group says Sotomayor led group supporting terrorism
By David Edwards

Committee for Justice, a group advocating conservative judicial views, has launched a new TV ad comparing Judge Sonia Sotomayor to Bill Ayers.

“Remember Barack Obama’s buddy Bill Ayers? The unrepentant terrorist who bombed American buildings in the 70s? Turns out President Obama has done it again, picking someone for the Supreme Court, Judge Sonia Sotomayor, who led a group supporting violent Puerto Rican terrorists. Is this radical judge the type of person America needs sitting on our highest court? What is he thinking? What was she thinking,” the ad states.

The conservative group was launched by members of George H.W. Bush’s administration at the behest of Senate Republicans.

This video is from Committee for Justice, broadcast July 14, 2009.

http://216.87.173.33/media/2009/0907/cfj_ayers_sotomayor_090715a.flv

What do you mean "IF", she has, and she doesn't like it. Has Obama made a Czar to State? I guess he must have, he has made 33 such positions. These Czars are like Obama's personnel snitches. They have no operational controlling power, they can cause discontent within an agency, and they answer only to Obama.

max.....yeah, but.............dick morris?

In case that did not work. Here is the link.

http://rawstory.com/rawreplay/?p=3749

Solar to you I sound like that. To reasonable people I sound like someone questioning where an Obama court would go. I leave my contempt for Ayers and others with them. And if you want to group Sotomayor in with Wright and Ayers, Khalidi and Farrakan, Rezko and Blago, that is your choice.

I never said that and cheap shots only make you look desperate.

I know Sturg. I need to shower after I watch him sometimes on Fox. That is when I'm clicking through channels to be clear.

He's not stupid though. One blogger I got that link from says Morris has two good ideas every day (as opposed to many bad ones?). I don't know if I would go that far......

max......you do realize that your points of view and the positions you seem to take makes you allies with lindsay graham, right?

[:-)

The land of the Czars.

Drug Czar
Gil Kerlikowske, former Seattle police chief

Energy and Environment Czar
Carol Browner

Homeland Security Czar
John Brennan

Health Czar
Nancy-Ann DeParle

Urban Affairs Czar
Adolfo Carrion, Jr.

Economic Czar
Paul A. Volcker

Regulatory Czar
Cass R. Sunstein

Technology Czar
Vivek Kundra

Government Performance Czar
Jeffrey Zients

Border Czar
Alan Bersin

WMD Policy Czar
Gary Samore

Intelligence Czar (Director of National Intelligence)
Dennis Blair

Car Czar
Steven Rattner

Pay Czar
Kenneth R. Feinberg

Great Lakes Czar
Cameron Davis

Cyber Czar
TBA

maybe some of them could be Tsars............

No, that is how you see it. I hold starkly different views than that Republican Senator. I am in favor of significant healthcare reform, transformation of our energy policy and targeted stimulus and reform of our economy.

I support gays in the mlitary

I support free speach and human rights

I support strong environmental laws and place global climate change in a special place for informed debate over merit and mitigation.

I relatively support Obama's present policy in Lebanon, Iraq (we should move to borders), Iran, Afghnaistan and Pakistan. Sure I have differences but mostly with where policy goes.

I do not agree with the Left that terrorists enjoy trials and COnstitutional rights. I am against torture, but I consider that something like what Iranians, Soviets and Nazis do. If Iranians knew how many will be later discovered to have died, eventually some Mullah will be swinging from a tree.

I support Israel as Obama says he does, but disagree with his policies.

You would have been better off saying I sound more like Hillary used to sound like. I understand she probably did sound like a Republican to you....

it's a relief to know youre not allies with lindsay graham..........probably moreso to you than to me.........

hahaha

I think Hillary is there for a while. We can all guess at what's going on in-house, but we sure don't know. I think she's going to have strong influence.

well.....it's that toima noight.......gotta make a call to chincoteague.................

just fartin' around, max.............

Social Security employees enjoy $700,000 junket

Even though the Social Security Administration faces possible insolvency within the next three decades unless benefits are decreased or taxes are significantly raised, the agency recently paid $700,000 for a three-day conference at a lavish resort in Arizona. The conference was held at the Arizona Biltmore Hotel, the self-described “Jewel of the Desert,” which has on its 39 acres a golf course, multiple swimming pools, and dance clubs, according to a report by an ABC News affiliate in Phoenix, Arizona.

The Social Security Administration’s Regional Commissioner in San Francisco, Peter Spencer said that the conference was necessary because employees were under great stress due to the large number of threats hurled their way by average Americans.

“We received threats against our employees by people who are in the American public,” Spencer said, “There is a tremendous amount of stress involved in the job that we do.” The conferences reduce stress for employers and their employees who have to face a hostile public, Spencer claimed.

ABC News’ local affiliate in Phoenix showed tape of performances by a motivational dance company hired for the conference.

On its website, the hotel boasts that “Arizona’s historic Grand Dame radiates an undeniable mystique of refinement and splendor.” The website also says the hotel has “78 one-and two-bedroom villas,” “eight swimming pools,” “seven tennis court,” a “full service resort spa, salon, and fitness center,” and “five dining options.”

The conference wasn’t unique. The Social Security Administration has spent more than a million dollars on similar ones around the country.

One member of Congress, Congressman Kevin Brady, R-TX, who is investigating, told the local news station: “It’s especially frustrating when you have people who truly are disabled,” said Brady. “Who will wait years just to get their case heard and years more just to get a little help?”

link and video..

.http://rawstory.com/08/news/2009/07/15/social-security-employees-enjoy-700000-junket/

The Wise Latina: How The GOP's Obsession With Race Led To The Worst SCOTUS Hearings Ever
By Big Tent Democrat, Section Supreme Court
Posted on Wed Jul 15, 2009 at 05:02:48 PM EST

There are very real and important differences of judicial and political philosophy between the Democratic and Republican parties in the current political climate. The differences in views are fundamental and stark. They are incredibly important. But the Republican Party's Paranoid Style, its insistence on the Southern Strategy, made it inevitable that these important differences were never discussed.
http://www.talkleft.com/story/2009/7/15/18248/3914

I certainly understand where Jax is coming from. It IS easy to be generous with other people's money.

It would be nice if those, who through no hard toil of their own but had money drop in their laps, were the ones who had to share more of their money.

And it would be great if many of those who benefit from other people's money weren't those who don't lift a finger to help themselves but feel like if you don't share your money with them, they will take it from you.

Unfortunately neither is the case so I can understand the resentment.

Chloe, Solar didn't invite me to join his boy's club. I guess he doesn't love me anymore. But I want to thank you for thinking of me. We can start our own club and let him beg us to join.

I've missed ya'll but now I have to try and work in some fishing time every afternoon after work and chores. Maggie insists on it.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/07/senate-can-demand-more-answers.html#comment-244193

Oh God Max
I call him dickless for a reason!!! I trust nothing the man say's..He has a hate on for Hillary and Bill something awful...The Clinton's can't help it his own personal behavior cost him his job...Thanks for all the good info but I'll pass on dickless....

"And to these foes and would-be foes, let me say our focus on diplomacy and development is not an alternative to our national security arsenal. Our willingness to talk is not a sign of weakness to be exploited. We will not hesitate to defend our friends, our interests, and above all, our people vigorously and when necessary with the world’s strongest military. This is not an option we seek nor is it a threat; it is a promise to all Americans." HRC today

Dick never recoveed from the punch out by Bill. I posted it only to show one card the Republicans WILL play. I think Obama was arroagant in his tactics. His polls numbers are dropping. Hillary would have been far more shrewd.

I know Sturg....take care.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/07/senate-can-demand-more-answers.html#comment-244083

Jax
If you consider the uninsured and illegals freeloaders so be it.I think you should realize you've been paying for them all along!! I talked with a Doctor(A Republican)who is on the board of directors at are local hospital last Sunday.The main topic of discussion was illegals and the uninsured and what services they receive.Doctor Owenby told me if they come in with chest pain and are diagnosed with a heart attack and need a bypass we pay for and they receive it in the same time as an insured person..In my property tax statement I pay roughly a $1000 dollars a year to the local hospital to cover the uninsured and illegals..Not to mention the cost of every thing medical I might need if I were admitted to the hospital..So we need to get real here and come up with a fix..

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/07/senate-can-demand-more-answers.html#comment-244213

Good idea Carol. Maybe we can do what Ivy called it to include Bethy, and open a Breakfast Club. We can just meet up on the weekends, late morning, like more of a brunch.

Carol, Glad to hear that you and Maggie have been fitting in some time for fishing. I've been busy too. (I saw last week, where you said you had bought a lot of fishing gear at WM.)

Carol, I just know Solar still loves you - we all do.

nite

"Hillary would have been far more shrewd."

Max
On this I so totally agree with you!..

Carol, Carol,

You know how to hurt a guy, You are pure evil.! Laying that guilt trip on me.......of course I loves you. A little King Fish in there..... But now added to your many, many, talents. we now have to include, man handling, or man-ipulation. As far as the invitation to our club, your in, but don't be late with the dues like our mz Chlo. And don't go sweat talkin to me so I can wave them.

Pogo we have to come up with club rules and a lot more. We have a lot more people in the club now. What to do? what to do?

Thanks Chlo, sleep well. Im going to-to count backwards from 100, but I still don't know why I start at 99 HA!

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/07/senate-can-demand-more-answers.html#comment-244157

Jax

Maybe if Congress, global investors, and the Chamber of Commerce wasn't doing their utmost to reward mega corporations and stockholders at the expense of small business, farms and labor, you might be getting more credit for what you do. I'm actually a supporter of small business. I don't think you should be penalized for your capital investments in your business and taxes to your community. Maybe you need a better accountant or you need to join up with some of the conservative progressives who want more of the nations wealth that for the most part is created by small business returned in services and benefits to those (owners and labor) who created it in the first place.

Sounds to me like you may be siding with the wrong team.

I said it before and I'll say it again.

When it first came out that Cheney had a Death Squad little did I know or could even consider that not only did he have a assassination squad, but that he had two of them.

One with the CIA which never went fully active that we are now finding out about and one Military Pentagon Assassination Squad that was out murdering people, perhaps even innocent people got killed by them.

At the time I said that Dick Cheney possibly had Ranger Pat Tillman murdered because he found out about it and was going to go public with it.

I made that statement based on the known facts that were out on how and the way Ranger Tillman died, his uniform being burnt as well as his diary and the multiple stories told to his family by the Military..

Also lets not forget that he was killed by American Soldiers and the Military along with the Pentagon covered it up. In fact according to a link I had posted on a interview with the Tillman family they had said that the person in charge over in Afghanistan now was involved in the cover up in their opinion.

Since we know that Cheney outed a NOC spy is it that far out of the realm of possibilities that Cheney did order the Death of Ranger Tillman? I don't think so.

It is way past time for the Democrats to stand up and open investigations into the War Crimes and Murders ordered by the Sociopath Cheney and the Republicans who helped cover up the War Crimes along with the violations of the Constitution and Laws of the Land they swore to uphold.

How much evil committed by these vile Republicans along with I'm pretty sure some Democrats will we let them get away with?

If your not outraged by the destruction done to our country then we deserve becoming a third world nation and living under a Dictatorship and we have nothing to complain about since we allowed it.

Bush\Cheney are Murders and Traitors as are the majority of Republican Fascist, Racist, Bigoted Nazi's and some Democrats.

I know that you don't like my description of them or the words I call them, but the truth is the truth even if you find it offensive.

I'm out of here now. Ignore my comment as you usually do. I know in my heart I am right and I will not be silenced into submission by these tyrants who scream I'm bashing Christians or Un American.

Have a good day.

Jamie

It all depends on if you are making a profit. If you are making a profit then taxes don't eat into your capital.
If you don't then things like unemployment taxes, payroll taxes and property taxes will eat in to your capital just like any other business expense does when you are losing money.
I think what Jax was referring too was the fact that investment money used to grow a company is after tax money. However there are very generous depreciation schedules for equipment and other things which relieve a lot of the tax burden.

A glaring problem for a small business man vrs an investor.
The investor pay 15%
The small business man starts out at 23% (10% income and 13% social security)and depending on how much in come he can pay up to 48% on his business profit.

the investor types have been given huge tax breaks.
IMO
we need to raise the taxes on dividend income to the level of ordinary income. Keep the capital gains low as it is now and lower or eliminate corporate taxes.
That is a tax structure that will promote growth. What we have now is a tax structure that promotes money shufflers and that is what got us into this problem.

Jack

Bloomberg on the plight of Hillary......

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601039&sid=aKoXlGALLiMw

Solar, I've been counting down from 100, as an aid to sleep, for years and years and years. I've never been quite able to count down naturally fromm 100. Some times I can make a conscious effort, but I'm not sure it's as effective!

Yeah Tony, I hope she is shrewd enough to escape her cage. I find Obama's timing more insulting behavior thrown in her face.

Beware, there is nothing like a woman scorned

It's night time anon. Have to taken your meds?

Anon, show us the evidence and perhaps someone will listen. Otherwise it sounds like Gordo in reverse. Way reversed.

You'll be ranting about Cheney and Bush in 2012.

Al Franken's GREAT! Just what this thing needs, a little levity. It makes her look better too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bUYIq-8Tuo

He looks like he's been there for years! Very relaxed.

tt

yea ' someone can go from a half-assed comedian'
big time jerk'' to united states senator
is this a great country or what

news alert'' scientific breakthrough ' a cure for
insomia has been found
its called the senate confirmation hearings
theatrics'' all theatrics' and no need to stay up
for the ending

Mr. Paranoid's reminded me of the stuff one hears on republican radio. Main Dude and Dopey Sidekick go back and forth, each elaborating on some alleged plot of the Librillz. Finally, Dopey Sidekick'll say, "So, the Librillz object was to turn our ICBMs over to bin Ladin !" Then, Main Dude replies, "Coulda been." Followed by a break for commercial for some crap.

All I can say about Mr. Paranoid's theory is, "Coulda been."

I had a rollicking good time reading jaxtrader's explanation of how he rose in the world, all by himself, through his arduous efforts.

I noticed that he said he "traded 8 years of service at a service academy."

8 years is a whopping long time to do nothing that adds to the economy, all that time sucking off the poor taxpayer's teat, & waiting to scoop up a taxpayer provided free education. Sounds pretty dam' communistic to me. No wonder his party is called the reds.

Maybe the taxpayers should have demanded that jaxtrader pass on the service, go out ,and get a job that would add to the economy. I'll bet the guy even drives on the socialistic Interstate Highway System, uses the socialistic US airports, protected by the commie Homeland Scaredy System. I'll bet he drinks his coffee made with government water, sweetened with subsidized sugar, and eats beef fed with suvbsidized corn and beans. ( :>D)<

There's only a couple ways that jaxtrader and the republican gimmee jimmys can avoid paying a fair share of the burden:

1. Convert to Wahhabi Islam, and move to that Muslim tax haven, and special friend of the bush family, Saudi Arabia.

2. Emigrate to Antarctica. But, he'd better do it soon before global warming makes Antarctica attractive to the mobs of rich mortgages bankers looking to duck out with all their ill-gotten loot.

Sorry, I misspelled Libbrullz. I'll try and watch that in the future.

I'd recommend Greenland, too but,

1. When I was there in the 60s (just passing through on the Great Circle) it was a dreadful place. All snow and cold over 800,000 square miles. That was August. Maybe Antarctica is dreadful too, but I never got there, so I can't really say for sure.

2. Greenland belongs to Denmark, a country noted for long-haired and gay soldiers, sailors, and airmen, plus socialized medicine (and not just for servicemen like traderjax and his family), and a steeply progressive income tax. It's not exactly the tax dodge paradise that jaxtrader would be interested in.

Someday, jaxtrader will be in that wheelchair looking up at his Personal Care Attendant. The PCA will say, "It's time to put in your catheter, Mr. jaxtrader."

What do you think ?

Does jaxtrader want a PCA who feels that he and his family got a raw deal in life? What if he felt that people like jaxtrader worked for a while and got rich and stingy, while the PCA's family worked their butts off for generations, doing the dirtiest, most mind-numbing and dangerous work, but were never far from the edge ?

What do you think, could such ideas affect the way that catheter is going to go in ?

In a business world that has so much collusion between the rich and powerful, rather than competition, maybe a graduated income tax is the least painful way to 'level the field.'

Congress! Taxes! All dem wars an' what-not!

^(my political musings for today)

Posted by: anon-paranoid Author Profile Page | July 15, 2009 11:43 PM

Who you callin' a tyrant? I'm just sitting here, minding my own! Quite frankly, I'm offended, and you can consider your post ignored.

...too much material, folks; you've left me too much. It's your lucky morning.

Sheeesh.

maxtrue is yacking against FDR, a man who died 64 years ago, and then he sneers at Mr. Paranoid for yacking about dink cheney, who is still alive and still hoping to torture people.

To save the "ranting about cheney", and to save maxtrue sneering at Mr. Paranoid in 2012, let's get busy, and try the damned warcriminal for his felonies right away. The sooner we flush this tur... uh, guy, the sooner he will get out again.

That should read, "still hoping to torture MORE people."

Thanks for your patience.

That concludes tonight's presentation.

Good night Mrs. Calabash, wherever you are.

Goodnight, Mr. bloggington.

I'd like to stay up and play with you, but the insomnia is finally weakening and I must make strike hard to capture some zees before it is time to rise for work.

from a legal standpoint '' whats the difference
between sending an assassin into a foreign country
to kill someone and sending predator drones
into Pakistan to kill Taliban or al quida leaders?
Pakistan is a independent sovereign nation'
did congress declare war on Pakistan. how many
times has obama authorized these strikes.is he a war criminal. i'm certainly not a cheney fan but it seems
like a double standard is being applied here.

Imus come back......all is forgiven.............

great "morning joe" discussion on politics:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhNJG4Pr4w4&NR=1

oops......about 3 1/2 minutes in I realized, "Hey.......this ain't Morning Joe......."

Last night I was empathising with Jax about his resentment about having to pay more taxes to support the mouchers at the bottom of the food chain. What is really more disgusting is that so many of our hard earned tax dollars now are going to pay the mouchers at the top of the food chain. Arrrgh!

Sorry that should be moochers. I looked it up and then forgot to change it.

One of the most famous moochers of all time.......(aaall time)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33nTnawq6jk

Out the door early today......so here is the Lunch Club oath. All new members are required to take it, all TM'rs are welcomed.

Put your thumb over your pinky finger nail (your right hand) you should have the three middle gingers sticking up in the air. Raise your hand and say the following:

On my honor I will do my best, to take Solar, Pogo, and the others to only the best, to eat what they give me and take home the rest.

2nd As a lunch club member, I will be: trust worthy, loyal, helpful,thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent. Pres. Pogo knows where Im going with this, I think that he will finish this up. gotta go to the Indiana-Ohio State border for a meeting. Later.

ps....For the ones that join our little club; there will be some type of free health care. Dr. Pogo and myself will look into some of the more immediate.... Cabeza.....problems that some exhibit. More to come later.....Special knock and how to hold your hand under your arm pit the right way.....produce the right sound effects. Im gone now!

"Sworda-fish"

"Sworda-fish"

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

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/16/us/politics/16clinton.html?th&emc=th
Good Morning All
Max
"For Clinton, ’09 Campaign Is for Her Turf"

"When Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton stepped back to center stage here on Wednesday to present an ambitious blueprint for America’s role in the world, the State Department billed it as a major foreign policy address.

But with its muscular tone and sweeping scope, it was also an effort to recapture the limelight after a period in which Mrs. Clinton has nursed both a broken elbow and the perception that the State Department has lost influence to an assertive White House."

I get it X Republican, you're bipolar and Anon is your evil half.........

yaking about FDR? I think I mentioned that his policy towards Jewish immigration sucked and he had hope he and Stalin could re order the world. Other than that, he was a pretty good President, don't you think?

Have a great day with Cheney....

" "Hey.......this ain't Morning Joe......."

HA! It wasn't?

http://odeliriodabruxa.blogspot.com/

nize photos from brazil

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/07/senate-can-demand-more-answers.html#comment-244232

Jack

That's why I said he needed a better accountant and to side with those who truly support the entrepreneur rather than the money changers.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/07/senate-can-demand-more-answers.html#comment-244241

Hey if you can go from has been actor shilling soap to two term President why not comedian to Senator

on cursory review of last night's comments, see where max and others call hillary a shrew? oh, misread it.... "shrewd".. well, ok.

solar, you forgot the obligatory pulling of the finger ritual.

solar, on second tho't maybe that last rite should be reserved only for flatus to perform.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/07/senate-can-demand-more-answers.html#comment-244256

Sturgeone

Isn't it amazing all the different forms Irish Step Dancing and British pattern dances took once it hit our shores.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/07/senate-can-demand-more-answers.html#comment-244097

craig and others who want to know more re sotomayor personal views, would you also want to know personal views of your most respected professional journalists? wouldn't that color your preception of their work which is valued for its unbias and balance? it's the office and respect for the institution that require the aba rule.

harry stein is wrong......and that book is derived from and depends upon false assumptions and presumptions which he blithely and flippantly posited and then declared them true.

(i cant believe i'm sitting next to a republican)

it sounds like a very cute book. ridiculous, but cute.

1.0 out of 5 stars , June 22, 2009
By Jeffrey T. Howard
Is there a whinier group of people than present day conservatives writing for a popular audience? Picked on, snubbed, blacklisted, unable to find academic careers, etc... Yet they seem to find these book deals allowing to whine to lots of people at once, and earn a living while they do it! There's been a Democratic President for a few months, and a Democratic Congress for a couple of years - pity the poor oppressed conservatives and the sad, meek lives they live under the thumb of their liberal oppressers.

Harry Stein strikes me as as angry, self righteous, and smug as anybody I can think of. But he does have a book in print. So much for oppression.

from a review of mr stein's book on amazon.......it says above it that 3 of 125 people found this review helpful.

lol

"No details were given of why the man described as the father of Iran's nuclear programme had stepped down, but there were suggestions it may have been for political reasons."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jul/16/iran-nuclear-chief-resigns-mousavi

NEW THREAD.. http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2009/07/open-the-liberal-floodgates.html

My god, Sturge, how do you find these photos??? I loved some of them - would love to have a few on ly wall.