We know that the large hole in the side panel where the classic car is held together by Bondo --under its perfect gloss paint job-- is weaker than wet toilet paper when pressure is applied. We know that a horse that is run too young, before age 3 thereabouts, can break both front legs in a race, for its bones havent the mature strength to take the equivalent of 10,000 pounds … [Read more...] about Three Questions about AIG, Bank America, Citibank and All The Rest
The Hopelessness Of Common Sense
It seems that nothing can stop a stupid idea that gets up a good head of steam. We've seen the truth of this much of late in the marketplace. Home ownership is for everyone, one idea ran. The sub-prime fallout is the result. Derivatives are a substitute for regulation. That bit of idiocy has cost trillions to date and still counting. And oh, yes, we have to go into Iraq … [Read more...] about The Hopelessness Of Common Sense
Dow Sub 7000
The slide in the stock market continues, with the Dow closing sub 7000 for the first time since 1997. This brings the Dow down by 20% in the last 2 months, not good news for the economy. The market has lost half of its value in the last 16 months and is expected to take years to fully recover. This is not good news for the Obama budget since it relies on growth in the … [Read more...] about Dow Sub 7000
Stay Tuned For The Obama-Pelosi Sequels
If there's one thing Americans love, it is political drama played out in the struggle for power. We see it now in the unfolding turf battle between President Barack Obama and Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The fact they are both members of the same political party is irrelevant. Pelosi is captain of her ship. Obama is commander-in-chief of all Americans. Their … [Read more...] about Stay Tuned For The Obama-Pelosi Sequels
The Melting of American Wealth
How did we get so poor so fast? Under the radar of stimulus bills and bailouts, economists are toting up the damage and super-investors like Warren Buffet are still trying to figure out what happened. Now we learn the economy is shrinking twice as fast as originally thought--at an annualized rate of 6.2 percent in the last three months of 2008 rather than the original … [Read more...] about The Melting of American Wealth
The Mythical Minority Social Conservative
Every so often, I have heard conservative Republican operatives talk about how the GOP has an inroad to persons of color because in many of those communities, there is strong opposition to gay marriage. Since there hasn't been a flood of black people to the GOP based on their stance on gay marriage, I have always found that argument bogus if not bigoted. Being someone who … [Read more...] about The Mythical Minority Social Conservative
GOP Barbie
Barbie has turned 50. Which inspired this cartoon: Pat Bagley, Salt Lake Tribune This cartoon is copyrighted and licensed to run on TMV. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about GOP Barbie
It’s Now Rush vs. Steele
Rush Limbaugh, the Conservative icon on loan from God, role model for America's youth, the man who proudly wears the size XXX-Large mantle of GOP leadership, the de facto voice of Conservatives gave a "brilliant" performance this weekend during his first national address to the nation at the Conservative Political Action Conference --- an address that was broadcast live not … [Read more...] about It’s Now Rush vs. Steele
Will Oil Price Plunge Reflect At The Gas Pump?
If energy analysts are correct, American motorists should see a drop in gasoline prices beginning in April. That is if market demands truly drive the market price. If not, Big Oil is putting the screws to us once again. … [Read more...] about Will Oil Price Plunge Reflect At The Gas Pump?
Obama Team Floats Controversial Procedural Move
It's the opposite of bi-partisanship, a key element in the rhetorical formula of the Obama presidential campaign. "It" is using the budget reconciliation process to "pass" controversial legislation by slipping it into the filibuster-proof process. And President Obama's OMB Director, Peter Orswag, suggested Sunday that getting controversial legislation passed "this year" is so … [Read more...] about Obama Team Floats Controversial Procedural Move
“Conscience” Rule Rolling Away. Just Do Your Job!
The LA Times reports that President Obama is looking into rolling back the annoying and politically motivated "Conscience Rule" signed by President Bush at the end of his last term. The rule didn't only apply to doctors performing abortions, but to a wide range of health care workers, allowing them to refuse to provide counseling regarding abortion as an option, the dispensing … [Read more...] about “Conscience” Rule Rolling Away. Just Do Your Job!
Quote Of The Day: Obama’s Calculated Risk
Our political quote of the day comes from The Atlantic's Ronald Brownstein notes that President Barack Obama has been essentially repudiating the Bush administration since day one and is opting to do a big push for major changes -- with the idea of a possibly political realignment in mind...something that is possible but also filled with pitfalls: So is 2009 the beginning … [Read more...] about Quote Of The Day: Obama’s Calculated Risk
AIG: The Black Hole Sucketh
This morning, American International Group (AIG) announced the largest quarterly loss in corporate history at $61.7 billion. Much of that loss was based on write-downs of credit default swaps after the government acquired an 80% stake in the insurance firm last September. As a result of this massive loss, the government is now pumping $30 billion more into AIG, with even fewer … [Read more...] about AIG: The Black Hole Sucketh
Is Rush Limbaugh the New Michael Moore?
That was a question which popped up during this morning's edition of Morning Joe on MSNBC, during a Q&A between the crew and Chuck Todd. On the surface it sounds like a fairly unlikely premise, as the two men are about as far apart as they could be. But are they really? I decided to do some digging and you may be surprised to find out that these two might actually have been … [Read more...] about Is Rush Limbaugh the New Michael Moore?
Obama: Making Things Hard on Moderate Bloggers
There are some who believe that the very concept of “moderate blogger” is some sort of oxymoron, or that anyone who would categorize themselves in that manner must just be morons. Bloggers are supposed to be hard core ideologues. How can a fence walking moderate blog survive? What do we stand for? Well we find the correct answers amidst the rhetoric and we take a “good for the … [Read more...] about Obama: Making Things Hard on Moderate Bloggers
The GOP Hard At Work
Alienating voters. … [Read more...] about The GOP Hard At Work
Why Amazon Caving to Authors Guild on Kindle is Bad News
Larry Lessig says that when Amazon agreed last week to demands from the Authors Guild that it disable the ability of the new Kindle to read a book aloud it was caving into bullies. And that's very bad news: The Authors Guild has objected because Amazon's Kindle 2 has a function built in that enables the book to be read aloud. So when, for example, you're commuting, you can … [Read more...] about Why Amazon Caving to Authors Guild on Kindle is Bad News
President Obama At Camp Lejeune: The Beginning Of The End Of The Iraq War
By SHAUN MULLEN GUEST VOICE It was a wonderful sight: Barack Obama, widely flogged during the presidential campaign for being a foreign policy lightweight and cut-and-run coward, announcing to an auditorium full of cheering Marines that most U.S. troops will be out of Iraq by August 2010 and all of the rest a year later. The choice of Camp Lejeune in North Carolina was … [Read more...] about President Obama At Camp Lejeune: The Beginning Of The End Of The Iraq War
Yet Another Introduction!
As Joe noted on my "guest voice" post bio last week, I am a former state and federal lobbyist who currently teaches at the University of Washington in the Master’s in Digital Media program, where I research the impact blogging and other forms of social media (e.g., wikis, YouTube) are having on political institutions and discourse. I was a political commentator for Northwest … [Read more...] about Yet Another Introduction!
Security Breach On Marine One?
Surprisingly this story has not gotten a great deal of attention but there has been a reported security breach involving the Presidential helicopter Marine One. This could cast some questions on plans to consider foreign builders for the new Air Force One. … [Read more...] about Security Breach On Marine One?