I don't oppose a massive bailout to our financial industry. We really are on the brink of total economic collapse and failing to act will dry up credit markets, bringing the economy to a halt. But that doesn't mean we should rush willy-nilly into a bailout package just because Secretary Paulson says so. Calling every demand for consumer protection or borrower protection a … [Read more...] about Stop the Mother of All Bailouts and Think!
What Is Comedy?
Given the increasingly grim economic news, it might be useful to focus our minds on a more universal question. What is comedy? So watch this: … [Read more...] about What Is Comedy?
Obama, McCain And The Wall Street Economic Crisis
Has the Wall Street meltdown and news of the bailouts tossed a new, unprecedented dynamic into the Presidential race? And how have Republican Sen. John McCain and Democratic Sen. Barack Obama fared? The video below shows an interesting discussion of this on the Today Show. Note that former Bush spokesman Ari Fleischer is critical of both Obama and McCain. … [Read more...] about Obama, McCain And The Wall Street Economic Crisis
‘Bailout’ Bush is Life of Brazil’s Ruling Party: Folha, Brazil
On Man's Nose: 'U.S. RESCUE PLAN' Caption: 'JUST IN TIME' [Het Parool, The Netherlands] The current financial crisis is full of irony. We have arguably the most free-market, deregulation-oriented president of the United States embracing perhaps the largest government bailout of private enterprise in world history. And according to this op-ed article from Brazil, the … [Read more...] about ‘Bailout’ Bush is Life of Brazil’s Ruling Party: Folha, Brazil
Wall Street, The Economy And The Bailout: News And Blog Opinion Roundup
The full gravity of the financial crisis facing Wall Street and the United States, and the implications of a massive government bailout, are just starting to sink in after a week when both experts and pundits were shell-shocked. Here's a round-up of some news stories and blog posts from websites with varying opinions. --The New York Times' Paul Krugman is against it and … [Read more...] about Wall Street, The Economy And The Bailout: News And Blog Opinion Roundup
The McCain Campaign’s Next Negative Attack: Rev. Wright?
There are now hints that the McCain campaign is preparing to hit Democratic Presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama on his Reverend Wright association (right in the middle of a growing national political debate over the biggest financial crisis America has faced since the Great Depression). Read the post by Hot Air's Allahpundit who asks: Exit question: How does six … [Read more...] about The McCain Campaign’s Next Negative Attack: Rev. Wright?
Free Presidential Debate Finger Puppets
Download your own set of FREE papercraft candidate finger-puppets (w/spouses) at FoldUScandidate.com. The big letdown: where are the puppet VPs? Via Cory Doctorow @ BoingBoing … [Read more...] about Free Presidential Debate Finger Puppets
Palin as Quayle (or, Why Palin is Nothing Like Obama)
In an article posted at TNR on Friday, Jon Chait draws stark and disturbing parallels between Sarah Palin and Dan Quayle. With Palin's record, her alleged "experience," revealed as the facade of lies and deceptions it really is -- as governor of Alaska, "[s]he appointed unqualified cronies, abused her power to punish personal enemies, and has displayed a Cheney-esque passion … [Read more...] about Palin as Quayle (or, Why Palin is Nothing Like Obama)
The Multi-Dimensional Social Contract
The term "social contract" gets thrown around a lot -- but its use is generally limited to the relationship between government and citizens. I'd like to point out that there's another dimension here that's being ignored at the moment: the social contract between individual members of society. In terms of the current crisis, it goes like this: if you are financially … [Read more...] about The Multi-Dimensional Social Contract
The Paulson Plan: Filling in the Blanks
We now have access to a first draft of the proposed Wall Street bailout, and while economic policy and legislation may make your eyes begin to glaze over, I would strongly suggest you take the time to read it. Whether you support it or not, we should all be in touch with our congressional representatives because this is absolutely massive. I believe that many of us - the … [Read more...] about The Paulson Plan: Filling in the Blanks
The Fat Lady Sings at Yankee Stadium
Soon after returning to the Bronx from World War II, I went to the Stadium to see a football game. The home team, called the New York Yankees, was inept but all through the game a stout woman sitting alone several rows away was loudly cheering her heart out. Watching her, I thought about the emptiness of some lives that could only be filled with devotion to a team of … [Read more...] about The Fat Lady Sings at Yankee Stadium
Financial Crisis: Still In The Early Innings
The more I try to digest the $700 billion taxpayer bailout of failing financial institutions proposed over the weekend by the Bush administration the greater my chest pains become. Other than its aim -- to buy up distressed mortage-related assets -- there is nothing to like about it and much to fear. The prescient Kevin Phillips, the former Republican strategist, explains to … [Read more...] about Financial Crisis: Still In The Early Innings
Nightmare Scenario: McCain and Obama 2008
We've seen various postings on possible nightmare scenarios for Election 2008 so I did some working with the math as well as considering the scenarios suggested on places like Politico.com and came up with a real nightmare. Very unlikely to pan out but not impossible. How's this for a nightmare scenario. McCain 269 Obama 269 McCain wins popular vote narrowly but Obama … [Read more...] about Nightmare Scenario: McCain and Obama 2008
Spain’s Growing Immigration Problem
American's tend to think they are the only ones with an immigration problem. But The Brussels Journal reminds us that a major immigration problem is occurring in Spain: More than 920,000 new immigrants arrived in Spain during 2007, according to data just published by the Spanish National Statistics Institute (INE). This comes on top of the 802,971 new arrivals in 2006, the … [Read more...] about Spain’s Growing Immigration Problem
Should Wall Street Chiefs Go To Jail?
Here are a few opinions. What's yours (in comments)? … [Read more...] about Should Wall Street Chiefs Go To Jail?
Old Piranha Pants (Guest Voice)
Is Sarah Palin-mania on the decline due to the Wall Street meltdown that thrust GOP Presidential candidate Sen. John McCain squarely back into the news spotlight?? Humorist Will Durst gives his take on McCain's retaking center stage in this Guest Voice post. Old Piranha Pants by Will Durst Got a message for Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. Hey, lady. How ya doing? Me too. … [Read more...] about Old Piranha Pants (Guest Voice)
Judge Orders Cheney To Preserve Records Of His Time In Office
The White House has suffered yet another setback in its battle over the powers of the Executive Branch in light of a federal judge's orders that Vice President Dick Cheney must preserve his records: Vice President Dick Cheney must preserve a broad range of records from his time in office, a federal judge ordered Saturday, ruling in favor of a private watchdog group. U.S. … [Read more...] about Judge Orders Cheney To Preserve Records Of His Time In Office
Quote of the Day: John McCain On Health Care Fix
The political Quote of the Day comes from a new magazine article by Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain on fixing health care: Opening up the health insurance market to more vigorous nationwide competition, as we have done over the last decade in banking, would provide more choices of innovative products less burdened by the worst excesses of state-based … [Read more...] about Quote of the Day: John McCain On Health Care Fix
Remembering David Foster Wallace
You've probably already heard that David Foster Wallace committed suicide at his home in California on Friday, Sept. 12. A brilliant writer and thinker, he was 46. His father said Wallace had been taking medication for depression for 20 years, had gone off the medication in June 2007 and, when the depression returned, no other treatment was successful. "Everything had been … [Read more...] about Remembering David Foster Wallace
Maliki, Can You Spare a Dime?
As Washington prepares to tap taxpayers for a bipartisan bailout of the US financial system, is it out of order to ask our Iraqi friends who are sitting on $80 billion of oil profits to put a little something into their own pot? After our expenditure of half a trillion dollars, $10 billion a month of American money is still going there. Our friends in Baghdad could ease the … [Read more...] about Maliki, Can You Spare a Dime?