“Yes, of course I want to come back to Detroit and work for an auto company after college,” I told a perplexed neighbor at my high-school graduation party. A little background might help.
At the height of the Roaring Twenties, my great-grandfather, living in Rhode Island, was an unemployed immigrant from Quebec. Desperate and looking for a way to achieve the American Dream, he turned to the “Paris of the Midwest” for hope. In a letter to Henry Ford, my great-grandfather said he was a hard worker and wanted to come to Detroit for Ford’s new $5-a-day jobs. Ford wrote him back and hired him; my family planted its roots in Detroit.
My great-grandparents endured the mass layoffs of the 1930s, they became U.S. citizens in Detroit in the 1940s, and they died in Detroit. My grandfather did his time at Ford and moved on to other sectors of the automotive industry. My father currently works for Pacific Insight Electronics, an automotive supplier that deals almost exclusively with Ford.
It was my family’s history with the blue oval that prompted me to choose Ford for my senior project. My former high school offers seniors the opportunity to take the month of May off school to study an industry.
[….]
Participating in an activity for a higher purpose is what Detroit needs if it is to truly reinvent itself. Of course, the poor economy and some poor choices made by the Big Three damaged the city’s status, but there is a lot to learn from companies like Ford. Communication, passion, sacrifice and, most importantly, hard work have reinvigorated Ford. The same traits can help reinvigorate the Motor City.
Although I am going away to college in the fall, to Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md., I believe my professional aspirations will eventually bring me back to the city that made me possible.
The train that is the nation’s economic recovery has slowed noticeably, unable to generate enough jobs in the last two months to keep pace with population growth, much less reduce the vast numbers of unemployed Americans.
The United States added just 83,000 private sector jobs in June, according to the monthly statistical snapshot released by the Labor Department. The unemployment rate declined to 9.5 percent, from 9.7 percent in May. But that was a largely illusory decline, as 652,000 Americans left the work force.
Over all, the nation lost 125,000 jobs in June, but those losses came as temporary federal Census workers headed for the exits.
With the economy slowing — housing sales plummeted, while earnings and hours worked ticked downward last month — the stakes grow larger, economically and politically. The next few monthly unemployment reports will unfold during the run-up to the midterm Congressional elections this fall. Incumbents feel particularly precarious, and major economic decisions about financial reform, unemployment benefits, and aid to states still sit on their desks.
Think maybe now the Democrats will finally get it? Guess again. (h/t The Other McCain)
Quote:
“Now, let me say that unemployment insurance, we talk about it as a safety net and the rest — this is one of the biggest stimuluses [sic] to our economy. Economists will tell you, this money is spent quickly. It injects demand into the economy and it’s job-creating. It creates jobs faster than almost any other initiative you can name because, again, it is money that is needed for families to survive, and it is spent. So it has a double benefit — it helps those who have lost their jobs, but it also is a job-creator and so, uh, for that reason — for those two reasons at least — it should be passed, and I’m optimistic that it will.” – Nancy Pelosi, July 1, 2010
VIDEO: This is the Racial Reality Today. Blacks Caught Stealing Bike Threaten White Owner, Black Security Guard Sides With Black Thugs, Won’t Take Action- Blames Whites…
That may even be a tad optimistic, considering recent history: The educated upper-crust of Afghan society fled when the Soviets invaded and has never returned. After the Soviets withdrew in 1989, they left in place a puppet government that was overthrown in 1992 by something called “The Islamic Jihad Council,” while the countryside was ruled by tribal warlords. By 1996, the Taliban had captured Kabul. For more than 30 years, then, any reasonably ambitious person in Afghanistan has followed one of two career paths:
1. Join a tribal militia and start killing people; or
2. Get the hell out of Aghanistan. (Get the hell outta where? -Pat)
As a result, Afghanistan lacks sufficient human resources to support civil society and generate economic prosperity.
In other words: It’s Detroit.
If Petraeus can win this one, he’ll go from hero to legend.
One day after facing accusations of fondling himself, Detroit Public Schools President Otis Mathis wrote a letter to colleagues today blaming “ongoing health problems” for his “poor judgment.”
The letter, which attempted to rescind his resignation he submitted Thursday, doesn’t explicitly address accusations from Superintendent Teresa Gueyser that he touched himself during a private meeting.
But Mathis acknowledged that he “made inappropriate actions toward a professional employee of the board” and promises to remove himself from personnel decisions involving her.
“I am following up with my doctors because I need to pursue treatment, and because I want to make sure that what happened doesn’t ever happen again,” Mathis said. “However, I do not need to resign in order to take care of my health.”
An Ann Arbor elementary school principal used a letter home to parents tonight to defend a field trip for black students as part of his school’s efforts to close the achievement gap between white and black students.
Dicken Elementary School Principal Mike Madison wrote the letter to parents following several days of controversy at the school after a field trip last week in which black students got to hear a rocket scientist.
“In hindsight, this field trip could have been approached and arranged in a better way,” Madison wrote. “But as I reflect upon the look of excitement, enthusiasm and energy that I saw in these children’s eyes as they stood in the presence of a renowned African American rocket scientist in a very successful position, it gave the kids an opportunity to see this type of achievement is possible for even them.
“It was not a wasted venture for I know one day they might want to aspire to be the first astronaut or scientist standing on the Planet Mars.
“I also think it’s important that you know that I have talked to the children who did not go on the field trip, and I think they have a better understanding of the purpose of the AA Lunch Bunch now, as I hope you do. I’m sorry if any kids were upset by the field trip or my discussion afterwards with them, and I have let them know that.
“The intent of our field trip was not to segregate or exclude students as has been reported, but rather to address the societal issues, roadblocks and challenges that our African American children will face as they pursue a successful academic education here in our community.”
A handful of parents have complained to district administrators about the trip, the group and Madison. More than a half-dozen parents contacted AnnArbor.com to raise the complaints, but none would agree to talk on the record, citing concerns of reprisals to their children by Madison.
[…]
District spokeswoman Liz Margolis said after the trip was over, those who went returned to their fifth-grade class and were greeted by boos by those who didn’t go on the trip. Margolis said Madison, who is black, heard the boos, and went to talk to the class. She said he and the class had a “discussion” about race issues.
“He wasn’t yelling at them. He was very passionate about it,” Margolis said.
Parents have complained he was yelling at the class and belittled a Muslim girl who said she also had experienced racism and discrimination.
On January 14, 1963 Alabama Governor George Wallace, a Democrat; said the following:
“In the name of the greatest people that have ever trod this earth, I draw the line in the dust and toss the gauntlet before the feet of tyranny, and I say segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever.”
Democrats have not changed that mindset one iota. Except now, the only people being discriminated or segregated are the White people. This whole idiotic idea that we have to “Celebrate Diversity”, basically means “Be ashamed of your White Skin.” It is the mantra and talking point of the far socialist black liberal Democrat Party. It is the mindset of most blacks, especially Liberal Blacks that those evil White Capitalists are out to oppress the Black man; and to atone for that, blacks must be given special privileges and must be given jobs, ahead of the White Man. (like me, for instance…)
That is what I have to deal with here in the great Liberal State of Michigan. It is no wonder that Michigan went to Obama and McCain left early. McCain was no dummy, he knew what he was doing.
Judge to Kilpatrick: "To Jail with your dumb ass!"
10:46 a.m. | An audible gasp erupted in the courtroom as Judge David Groner sentenced former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick to 18 months to five years in state prison for probation violation.
Deputies rushed up to a row where Kilpatrick friends and relatives are sitting. They escorted one unidentified woman out.
“Your testimony in this court amounted to perjury,” the judge told Kilpatrick. “Most compelling is that you lied to this court, continue to lie, after you pleaded guilty to lying….
“The initial 120 days incarceration did nothing to rehabilitate you.”
After the gasp from the audience, Kilpatrick was ordered to sign papers. Some reporters saw his hands shaking. Groner asked Kilpatrick’s lawyer, Schwartz, to assist the former mayor.
As the courtroom began to buzz, Groner raised his voice and ordered Kilpatrick to be swift.
“Sergeant could you secure the defendant please and put him in the back?” Groner said. A deputy then handcuffed Kilpatrick behind his back and led him to a side room. The former mayor kept looking over his shoulder, mouthing words toward his sister.
His attorneys vowed an immediate appeal of Groner’s sentence.
Comment from Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Athina Siringas: “We always felt a department of corrections sentence was appropriate. We are pleased.”
The judge’s order also raises questions about whether Kilpatrick will continue to have a job with a Compuware subsidiary in Texas. Compuware chief Peter Karmanos had given Kilpatrick a six-figure sales job with Covisint in an office just outside Dallas after the ex-mayor’s release from jail in February of last year. But Karmanos said at the time that Kilpatrick’s continued employment was contingent upon Kilpatrick staying out of further trouble.
Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick was fired from his job today after being sentenced to prison for probation violation.
“Kwame Kilpatrick will be off the Compuware Corporation payroll at the end of the month,” said a company statement. “We don’t have any choices. It’s an unfortunate situation, and we feel bad for his family, but our hands are tied.”
Compuware CEO Peter Karmanos Jr. hired Kilpatrick for his Detroit-based company the day after the former mayor was freed from jail in February 2009. The job paid a base salary of $120,000 with potential for bonuses.
Rep. Shanelle Jackson, D-Detroit, today criticized former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick’s sentence as too harsh for a nonviolent parole violation.
She said it would be better to have Kilpatrick repay the city and require him to do community service than sit in a costly prison cell.
“This sentence shows there is no mercy in society and no grace in the judicial system,” Jackson said. “We are looking at ways to reduce the prison population because of a lack of revenue, yet we’re giving this to someone who could ideally have more to contribute to society if we looked at restorative justice.”
She goes on:
Womack said the sentence perpetuates a common public perception that politicians are crooked.
Um, Mrs. Jackson? That because Kilpatrick WAS a damned crook and he is getting just what is coming to him. It is about damned time, that this idiotic thug was put right where he belongs. The video is priceless and is one that should be shown to anybody thinking of running for Mayor of Detroit or any other city. You decide to lie, cheat or steal and you get caught; your ass is going to jail. Here is hoping that he will get the FULL 5 years in jail, as that is just what this goldbricking jack ass needs.
He died in his apartment at Fox Run Village, a retirement center in Novi, with Lulu, his wife of 68 years, at his side. His death came eight months to the day after he revealed to his fans, in an interview with the Free Press, that he had a cancerous tumor in the area of his bile duct and that in late July he had been given only a few months to live.
“I’m ready to face what comes,” he said at the time. “Whether it’s a long time or a short time is all right with me because it’s up to my Lord and savior.”
In the ensuing months, in an emotional farewell ceremony at Comerica Park, in his columns for the Free Press and in interviews with national media, Harwell referred to death as his next great adventure, a gift handed down by God.
“I’ve had so many great ones,” he said. “It’s been a terrific life.”
Harwell had one of the longest runs by a broadcaster with one major league club, calling Tigers games for 42 seasons. For the first 32 of those seasons, he made and cemented his legacy by doing play-by-play on the radio. His Southern voice — rich and authoritative but not overbearing — became as distinctive to Michigan listeners as baseball itself.
Unlike some announcers in recent decades, Harwell didn’t litter his broadcasts with shouting, excessive talking or all-knowing pronouncements about players and managers. Listening to him was as pleasant as being at Tiger Stadium in the summertime. As he fell silent between pitches, listeners got to hear the sounds of the ballpark — the crowd’s buzz, the vendor’s cry — and absorb the rhythm of the game. Harwell thus became an ideal companion for a listener anywhere: the couch, the yard, the car or the boat.
“He’s a master craftsman,” former Tigers broadcaster Josh Lewin, now with the Texas Rangers, said in 2002. “He’s always kept it simple, which I think is part of his charm and staying power.”
In 2005, author and historian Curt Smith ranked Harwell as the third-greatest baseball announcer ever, only placing him behind Dodgers legend Vin Scully and Yankees stalwart Mel Allen. Just behind Harwell were St. Louis’ Jack Buck and New York’s Red Barber. Smith, a student of baseball broadcasting, had 10 criteria for his rankings, ranging from longevity and acclaim to voice and personality.
Beyond his consummate broadcasting skills, Harwell’s cheerfulness and friendliness made him a local treasure.
“He always had that warmth, that inviting lilt to his voice that always made you feel welcome,” Lewin said. “No one can do that like Ernie can.”
At home games, Harwell would report that a foul ball had been caught by “a man from Ypsilanti” or “a lady from Muskegon.” Of course he couldn’t know where the fan lived, but pretending that he did added a distinct local feel to his broadcasts.
On the day of his career-ending broadcast in 2002, he said, “I look on life as a joyous adventure.” He had lived by that ideal. He constantly conducted himself with joy, on and off the air. “Howdy, howdy,” he would greet friends and strangers, smiling and extending his hand.
Harwell was in his 80s when he returned to the radio in 1999 for four final years of broadcasting every Tigers game, home and away. He didn’t sound tired, old-fashioned or nostalgic, even as the Tigers in those years stacked one losing season on top of another. During Harwell’s final season, Boston Red Sox announcer Joe Castiglione said, “Ernie is the most contemporary octogenarian I know.”
After a battle against bile duct cancer, one he knew he would lose, Ernie Harwell died Tuesday. He was 92.
With his death, Michigan — and baseball — loses one of its most beloved figures.
For 55 years, Harwell was a major league broadcaster, 42 with the Tigers. He broadcast his last game Sept. 22, 2002.
Instead of moving away from the Detroit area, he spent his final years in Novi, still being part of our lives as an author and corporate spokesman.
William Earnest Harwell was born Jan. 25, 1918 in Washington, Ga.
As a boy, his family moved to Atlanta, where he grew up loving newspapers and baseball, which is how and why he became a paperboy and a batboy for his hometown minor league club, the Atlanta Crackers.
“I remember there was a drug store in Washington where they’d put me up on the counter and let me imitate the baseball announcers of the day, re-creating ball games,” Harwell said two years ago when he turned 90.
“I was tongue-tied at that time, though. I had a speech impediment. Words like sister came out thith-ter. But I was interested in baseball broadcasts even then, so I’d try to imitate the announcers. It wasn’t a very good imitation, but I tried.”
This is hardest things that I have ever tried to write in my life. How does one explain someone like Ernie Harwell? I will try my best. However, I can tell you this; there is going to be a big hole in Detroit baseball for a very long time.
Ernie Harwell was a man from Georgia. Detroit; from early 1950s until the late 1970s, experienced something called the “Appalachian Migration”, this is where people from the south, like say places like Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, and other such places in the south, would come to Detroit to find work. Listening to Ernie Harwell was like listening to home for these people. People like my Father, who migrated from Middlesburo, Kentucky in 1967. People like me, who was his son.
There was George Kell on TV and there was Ernie Harwell on the radio. That was Detroit Baseball. Ernie was home on the radio for many people.
I have many fond memories of walking with my Dad through Patton Park in Detroit over to the softball diamond, to watch the games over there; all the while carrying his little black portable radio, with Ernie Harwell on the radio.
Old Memories — Old Detroit — My Childhood.
The Diamond is still there, my Dad is now 64, and Ernie is gone.
The just do not build them like that anymore.
It is truly a dark day in Detroit baseball.
Rest in Peace Ernie.
“I wanted to be a newspaper writer, but when I got out of college in 1940, none of the papers in Atlanta had an opening. So I auditioned with a radio station, got lucky, won the audition, and that’s how I got into radio.
“I didn’t know anything about radio, though. I just took a shot at it.”
That he did, and did it damned well he did.
He will be truly missed, at least by this Blogger. 🙁
WASHINGTON – Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., delivered the following statement on the Senate floor today:
“For, lo, the winter is past,
The rain is over and gone;
The flowers appear on the earth;
The time of the singing of birds is come,
And the voice of the turtle is heard in our land.”
Mr. President, spring after spring, for four decades, a man named Ernie Harwell would recite those words. He would recite them at the beginning of the first baseball broadcast of spring training. And those are the words that would tell the people of Michigan that the long, cold winter was over.
Ernie was the radio voice of the Detroit Tigers for 42 years, and in that time, there may have been no Michiganian more universally beloved. Our state mourns today at his passing, yesterday evening, after a battle with cancer. He fought that battle with the grace, the good humor, and the wisdom that Michigan had come to expect, and even depend on, from a man we came to know and love.
This gentlemanly Georgian adopted our team, and our state, as his own. And his career would have been worthy had he done nothing more than bring us the sound of summer over the radio, recounting the Tigers’ ups and downs with professionalism and wit, as he did.
But without making a show of it, Ernie Harwell taught us. In his work and his life, he taught us the value of kindness and respect. He taught us that, in a city and a world too often divided, we could be united in joy at a great Al Kaline catch, or a Lou Whitaker home run, or a Mark Fidrych strikeout. He taught us not to let life pass us by “like the house by the side of the road.”
In 1981, when he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, Ernie told the assembled fans what baseball meant to him. “In baseball democracy shines its clearest,” he said. “The only race that matters is the race to the bag. The creed is the rulebook. Color merely something to distinguish one team’s uniform from another.” That was a lesson he taught us so well.
Mr. President, I will miss Ernie Harwell. All of Michigan will miss the sound of his voice telling us that the winter is past, that the Tigers had won a big game, or that they’d get another chance to win one tomorrow. We will miss his Georgia drawl, his humor, his humility, his quiet faith in God and in the goodness of the people he encountered. But we will carry in our hearts always our love for him, our appreciation for his work, and the lessons he gave us and left us and that we will pass on to our children and grandchildren.
WASHINGTON – Fallen giant General Motors Co. accelerated toward recovery Wednesday, announcing the repayment of $8.1 billion in U.S. and Canadian government loans five years ahead of schedule.
The Obama administration crowed about the “turnaround” at GM and fellow bailout recipient Chrysler LLC, saying the government’s unpopular rescue of Detroit’s automakers is paying off.
Much of the improvement comes from GM slashing its debt load and workforce as part of its bankruptcy reorganization last year. But the automaker is a long way from regaining its old blue-chip status: It remains more than 70 percent government-owned and is still losing money — $3.4 billion in last year’s fourth quarter alone. And while its car and truck sales are up so far this year, that’s primarily due to lower-profit sales to car rental companies and other fleet buyers.
Chrysler, now run by Italy’s Fiat Group SpA, said Wednesday it lost almost $200 million in the first quarter. But it said it boosted its cash reserves by $1.5 billion, reducing the likelihood that it will need more government aid.
“This turnaround wasn’t an accident of history,” said White House economic adviser Larry Summers. “It was the result of considered and politically difficult decisions made by President Obama to provide GM and Chrysler — and indeed the auto industry — a lifeline, if they could demonstrate the will to reshape their businesses.”
Vice President Joe Biden said President Barack Obama “took a lot of heat” to keep GM alive. “And this has even exceeded our expectations.”
Everything is happy yappy and yippie skippy right?
Wrong.
Jamie Dupree dishes the straight dope on this little shell game: (H/T Q & O)
General Motors will make a big splash in the news today by announcing that the automaker will repay several billion dollars loans from the federal government earlier than expected. But it’s not really coming out of the GM wallet.
The issue came up yesterday at a hearing with the special watchdog on the Wall Street Bailout, Neil Barofsky, who was asked several times about the GM repayment by Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE), who was looking for answers on how much money the feds might make from the controversial Wall Street Bailout.
“It’s good news in that they’re reducing their debt,” Barofsky said of the accelerated GM payments, “but they’re doing it by taking other available TARP money.”
In other words, GM is taking money from the Wall Street Bailout – the TARP money – and using that to pay off their loans ahead of schedule.
“It sounds like it’s kind of like taking money out of one pocket and putting in the other,” said Carper, who got a nod of agreement from Barofsky.
[….]
Most of Uncle Sam’s bailout money that was given to GM has now been turned into stock in the U.S. automaker.
“The assumption is that, over time, hopefully the value of the stock will appreciate,” said Carper.
Long term that could prove to be a money-making investment for the feds – or if things go the wrong way for General Motors – a big, fat loss for Uncle Sam.
As most of you know, my Father is a 31 year veteran of the General Motors company. I find this little idiotic shell game right here to be just plain immoral. I mean, how in the hell are you going to use money from the Government to pay off the Government? That is basically taking money out of one pocket and putting into another. That is not paying off your debt; that is nothing more than a shell game. The reason why this is so upsetting to me is; that it is just going to hurt my Father. Because sooner or later, this company is not going to be able to pay my Dad’s pension.
As the son of a General Motors worker, I want to see G.M. succeed; but I want to see them succeed the right way and honestly. Not by playing a dirty, underhanded shell game, and that my friends is what this is, a dirty shell game to fool the American people and the workers at G.M. into believing that they are on to the road to recovery, when in all honesty, they are not.
The American Taxpayers, The workers and retirees for General Motors; deserve better than this.
Shame on General Motors for their deceptive tactics and shame on the White House and Yes, the President for aiding and abetting in this little scam.
The real cute part is that not a word of this, has been said in the media, as to just HOW this loans are being paid back. That my friends is a damned human tragedy.
They’re having a contest over at HotAir.com, for videos explaining how existing Government regulation has affected you or someone you know.
Here’s my submission:
A somewhat of a transcript, it was an e-mail to Ed Morrissey and I decided to film it:
Ed,
I am sending this as an e-mail, but I might send this as a video submission.
This short story about Federal Regulation. You may or may not know this; but, I have a Commercial Drivers License, Class A. I took advantage of a “Socialist” program here in Michigan, offered to people who have disabilities, such as mine. I have A.D.H.D. (I was diagnosed at age 5.) I got my CDL-A. I also have Doubles and Tanker endorsements. I did have Hazmat, until Michigan got this stupid idea to charge an ungodly sum for an idiotic background check to get the stupid endorsement.
Anyhow, I have this license; and you want to know what it is worth? Absolutely nothing. Why? Because I do not happen to have at least two years of experience of driving a class A vehicle.
A little background… Back in the 1970’s and the Early 1980’s there were a rash of accidents, involving Semi-trailers. Many of accidents were due to negligent business owners, who did not properly maintain their trucks. The State of Michigan, with it’s liberal enlightened intelligence; instead of fining the businesses, who did not maintain their trucks; instead the state of Michigan and also the Federal Government, passed all sorts of insane regulations for Trucking Company Owners and also insurance companies.
One of more brilliant laws passed, basically forces Insurance companies to REQUIRE ALL DRIVERS to have AT LEAST TWO FULL years of experience in order to be hired.
What’s so horrible about this? Well, let me explain.
Most trucking companies in Michigan, and also Country-wide, REQUIRE at least two and sometimes 3 years of experience. Which is fine, if you are like 21 years old, and have no disabilities and can live on no sleep and drive all over the Country. But, what about someone, like me, who, because the medication that I take, and just because I happen to be a little older and need at least 4-6 hours to function? Basically, because of over-reaching federal and State regulation — I am left in the cold, and as a result, my license, which I happened to have to work a little harder for, because I have A.D.H.D. — is basically useless.
Welcome to Michigan Liberalism.
-Patrick
I really do not expect to win. As it is not entertaining as some might be. But, I did try.
Goldman Sachs, which emerged relatively unscathed from the financial crisis, was accused of securities fraud in a civil suit filed Friday by the Securities and Exchange Commission, which claims the bank created and sold a mortgage investment that was secretly devised to fail.
The move marks the first time that regulators have taken action against a Wall Street deal that helped investors capitalize on the collapse of the housing market. Goldman itself profited by betting against the very mortgage investments that it sold to its customers.
The suit also named Fabrice Tourre, a vice president at Goldman who helped create and sell the investment.
In a statement, Goldman called the S.E.C. accusations “completely unfounded in law and fact” and said the firm would “vigorously contest them and defend the firm and its reputation.”
The instrument in the S.E.C. case, called Abacus 2007-AC1, was one of 25 deals that Goldman created so the bank and select clients could bet against the housing market. Those deals, which were the subject of an article in The New York Times in December, initially protected Goldman from losses when the mortgage market disintegrated and later yielded profits for the bank.
As the Abacus deal plunged in value, Goldman and a prominent hedge fund made money on their negative bets, while European investors like IKB and ABN Amro lost more than $1 billion, the S.E.C. said.
According to the complaint, Goldman created Abacus 2007-AC1 in February 2007, at the request of John A. Paulson, a prominent hedge fund manager who earned an estimated $3.7 billion in 2007 by correctly wagering that the housing bubble would burst.
Goldman let Mr. Paulson select mortgage bonds that he wanted to bet against — the ones he believed were most likely to lose value — and packaged those bonds into Abacus 2007-AC1, according to the S.E.C. complaint. Goldman then sold the Abacus deal to investors like foreign banks, pension funds, insurance companies and other hedge funds.
But the deck was stacked against the Abacus investors, the complaint contends, because the investment was filled with bonds chosen by Mr. Paulson, who is not named in the suit, as likely to default. Goldman told investors in Abacus marketing materials reviewed by The Times that the bonds would be chosen by an independent manager.
“The product was new and complex, but the deception and conflicts are old and simple,” Robert Khuzami, the director of the S.E.C.’s division of enforcement, said in a statement. “Goldman wrongly permitted a client that was betting against the mortgage market to heavily influence which mortgage securities to include in an investment portfolio, while telling other investors that the securities were selected by an independent, objective third party.”
The SEC’s complaint alleges that after participating in the portfolio selection, Paulson & Co. effectively shorted the RMBS portfolio it helped select by entering into credit default swaps (CDS) with Goldman Sachs to buy protection on specific layers of the ABACUS capital structure. Given that financial short interest, Paulson & Co. had an economic incentive to select RMBS that it expected to experience credit events in the near future. Goldman Sachs did not disclose Paulson & Co.’s short position or its role in the collateral selection process in the term sheet, flip book, offering memorandum, or other marketing materials provided to investors.
The SEC alleges that Goldman Sachs Vice President Fabrice Tourre was principally responsible for ABACUS 2007-AC1. Tourre structured the transaction, prepared the marketing materials, and communicated directly with investors. Tourre allegedly knew of Paulson & Co.’s undisclosed short interest and role in the collateral selection process. In addition, he misled ACA into believing that Paulson & Co. invested approximately $200 million in the equity of ABACUS, indicating that Paulson & Co.’s interests in the collateral selection process were closely aligned with ACA’s interests. In reality, however, their interests were sharply conflicting.
According to the SEC’s complaint, the deal closed on April 26, 2007, and Paulson & Co. paid Goldman Sachs approximately $15 million for structuring and marketing ABACUS. By Oct. 24, 2007, 83 percent of the RMBS in the ABACUS portfolio had been downgraded and 17 percent were on negative watch. By Jan. 29, 2008, 99 percent of the portfolio had been downgraded.
Investors in the liabilities of ABACUS are alleged to have lost more than $1 billion.
The SEC’s complaint charges Goldman Sachs and Tourre with violations of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and Exchange Act Rule 10b-5. The Commission seeks injunctive relief, disgorgement of profits, prejudgment interest, and financial penalties.
Allow me to humbly submit that I hope that these bastards get exactly what is coming to them. I mean, these guy literally gambled as the stock market and by proxy; our economy went straight into the toilet. Many people that I know; like my parents, lost a good deal of money on this stuff. Not only that, after the credit crises hit; G.M. ended up having to shed a bunch of expenses; and as a result, my parents lost their optical and dental insurance. That came as a indirect result of this Wall Street mess. So, as far as I am concerned; throw the book at these bastards.
Capitalism is one thing, heartless greed is another; and these bastards crossed that line, big time. 😡
Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.), who had a central role in the health reform fight as the leader of anti-abortion Democrats, plans to announce Friday that he will not run for reelection, a Democratic official said. Without Stupak on the ballot, the seat becomes an immediate pickup opportunity for Republicans.
“Now with health care done, he’s retiring,” a friend said. “He has thought about retiring for the last three cycles, but was always talked into staying: to elect John Kerry to help end the war, to elect a Democratic majority to get health care done.”
President Barack Obama called Stupak on Wednesday and asked him not to retire. Stupak, 58, also resisted entreaties from Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.), the dean of the Wolverine State delegation.
“After selling his soul to Nancy Pelosi, it appears that Bart Stupak finally found the courage to tell her no,” said Ken Spain, communications director of the National Republican Congressional Committee. “The political fallout over the Democrats’ government takeover of health care has put the political careers of many Democrats in jeopardy thanks in part to Stupak’s decision to abandon his alleged pro-life principles.
Heh.
As to what headaches this might cause for the Democratic Party, they might just have a problem getting that seat back. Now Ed over HotAir says that the U.P. is not deeply Conservative; which is partially true. However, I happen to be from Michigan and I can offer a different perspective. For the record, I have lived here all of my life and I happen to know the people around these parts and I can tell you what I do know. Now Detroit proper? Liberal/Progressive/Whatever you wanna call it as heck; now as for the ‘Burbs? The further South and North you get of Detroit, the less Liberal or Democratic Party leaning it gets. The only reason John McCain lost Michigan, was because his stupid President Campaign advisers chose to abandon this State, which left many Michigan Republicans quite peeved. When it comes to choosing Presidents around here, people vote, usually, the personality and the Person, and not the Party. I can tell you, from personal experience. Most Michiganders are NOT happy with Jennifer Granholm. It is not uncommon to hear that name and the term “Stupid Bitch” attached to it; and no, I do not mean from me! 😉
As most of you most likely already know; Michigan has been hit with one of the worst, if not the worst one state recessions ever. Many people here in Michigan voted for Barack Obama (NOT ME!) hoping he would bring change to the employment situation here in the Detroit area and in Michigan as a whole. So far? Nothing. We still have the highest unemployment problem in the United States, last time I checked, it was 75% in the city of Detroit. Based upon conversations that I have had with people around here in the last few years, there are people here in the State of Michigan, who are just fed up with the Democratic Party in general. The people of Detroit and largely the people of Michigan as well, are sick and tired of political speeches and empty rhetoric, they want results and so far, the token political Party of this area has not produced anything at all; but rhetoric and political speeches.
Having said all of the above, Democrats might just find themselves struggling to fill this seat again and many of the Senatorial seats in Congress and the House come November. There has also been talk that the Governor’s office might just flip back to the Republican for the first time since to the term of Governor George Romney. (Mitt’s Daddy…) Now that my friends would be feat in itself!
Again, it should be a very interesting thing to follow. Hey, at least it’s content, something I’ve been struggling to find here in the last few days! 😀
Update: Looks like the folks over at FireDogLake, which is a liberal blog, are not to keen on this guy either:
If you’re a politician not inclined to deliver under “intense political pressure,” you have no business being a politician. And if death threats were a factor in resigning, there pretty much wouldn’t be a member of the Democratic caucus left. Stupak sought the spotlight. He wanted to lead the pro-life Caucus and hijack the health care debate. He refused to quit even when he essentially won by getting the Nelson compromise, which functionally did about everything he wanted. He made the debate a living hell and went out of his way to punish half the US population. And in the end, everybody hated him, left and right. Well played.
I am sure that by now most of you have noticed that Ad for Sean Hannity’s new book.
Well, as most of you know, I loathe Sean Hannity; I am not even remotely a fan. But $15.00 is $15.00 is $15.00, and seeing that I am in the financial position that I am in, any sort of extra money, say from advertisements like that —- is a good thing. Believe me, if I had tons of ads in that sidebar, that were paying me more money; I’d tell ol’ water carrier boy to pound sand. But right now, I will take any sort of money that I can get.
Some of you are wondering what I do not like about Hannity. I just don’t like his attitude and stuff he calls President Obama. It just strikes me as unprofessional and yes, I sometimes think he sounds a bit racist. That whole “Anointed One” line got stale long ago. I mean, I am not a big fan of Obama, and yes, I do criticize his polices. But I do it without the stupid and sometimes borderline racist nuances, name calling and general stupidity, which people like Hannity and his fans are known for. I will admit, during the election and a little after it. I partook in some of that myself. But there was a point, when I basically said, “Okay the man is President now; time to move on and criticize his polices.” I mean, it’s one thing to say something witty once and a while; but to revolve a whole show around it and repeat the same stale crap every week, is just downright stupid. I guess my biggest complaint is that Sean Hannity makes it personal about the President and his Wife and I have also heard his kids. That’s over the line in my book. I never make it personal. Hannity does, this is why I do not watch his show.
As for Hannity personally; I never liked him when he was with Alan Colmes either. He’s a very, very, very, arrogant man, and the sick part is, he has got nothing to be arrogant about. The man lied his way into the business and the only reason he is where he is today, is because some idiot at Fox News felt sorry for the bastard. So, the way I see it; he has nothing to be conceited about.
Anyhow, about that Ad Space — I have plenty of spaces available for advertising. If you have something you would like to promote. Please, take out an Ad. My rates are the lowest around. My site gets anywhere from 300 to over 3K hits a day, depending on the news cycle. I expect during the 2010 elections that this sites numbers will rise as election day nears. So, getting ad space would be a good idea; and besides, it is for a good cause — Me, of course! 😉 😛 😀 Seriously, with the economy like it is here in Michigan and seeing the Obama administration is now putting the hurt on small business. I fully expect the jobs in this area to simply decrease. So, this little blogging gig might be my income for a long time to come. I realize that my readers are not rich and that they are suffering too. But, this is America folks, hard times like this, is when Americans come up with the best ideas for starting a business, and the key to a successful business is advertising. Remember folks, Capitalism is America and being your own boss and being successful at it, is the American dream. I am just looking for my share. Help me do that, place an ad today!
America-haters, Liberals, idiots and pinheads need not apply…
Former Detroit City Councilwoman Monica Conyers was just sentenced to 37 months with two years supervised probation and no fine.
The 37 months is the top of the sentencing guidelines recommended by the probation department.
Going to Jail! Loudmouth Monica Conyers
Before the sentencing was announced, a strange series of events transpired, highlighted by Conyers’s; request to withdraw her guilty plea. She was screaming that she had her own tapes that would exonerate her before the sentence was announced. She also yelled “What about my children? They did nothing to cause this!” before the sentence announced.
“I would like to withdraw my plea…I shouldn’t go to jail for something I didn’t do,” she said.
She told Judge Avern Cohn that he should read the report from a doctor, where she was sent by the court, and how susceptible she was to badgering. She repeated that this was a doctor that she saw at the direction of the court.
She then repeated: “I’m just not going to jail for something I did not do.”
Cohn said he was satisfied that the guilty plea was voluntary and knowingly given.
If Mrs. Conyers was so worried about her children, she should of thought about them, when she accepted that bribe! I can only imagine what John Conyers is thinking right about now.
Monica Conyers has just been sentenced to 37 months in prison. She also received 2 years of supervised probation. Just before sentencing, Conyers screamed “If they have their tapes, I have my tapes too. I taped Rayford, I taped Riddle. You’ll be fair to me or I want to withdraw my plea.”
You gotta know than Ken Cockrel Jr. is somewhere…. laughing his ass off! 😀 😆
Just a little refresher:
Oh yeah, you know he is loving this, big time! 😀
Update: Other Bloggers now weighing in: TheBlogProf, Ace…. more to come, I’m sure…
First Roseanne Barr, now Tom Delay. Seriously, did the stupid bus break down and let everyone off at once? Oy. 🙄
First up the Video, and I apologize up front for the source:
Now the quote:
Asked whether it was bad strategy to make a budget stand on a $10 billion extension of unemployment (as opposed to, say, the Bush’s $720 billion prescription drug package), Delay insisted that if the PR had been done right, Bunning would have been applauded. Helping the unemployed with federal assistance, he said, was unsound policy.
“You know,” Delay said, “there is an argument to be made that these extensions, the unemployment benefits keeps people from going and finding jobs. In fact there are some studies that have been done that show people stay on unemployment compensation and they don’t look for a job until two or three weeks before they know the benefits are going to run out.
Host Candy Crowley: Congressman, that’s a hard sell, isn’t it?
Delay: it’s the truth.
Crowley: People are unemployed because they want to be?
Delay: well, it is the truth. and people in the real world know it. And they have friends and they know it. Sure, we ought to be helping people that are unemployed find a job, but we also have budget considerations that are incredibly important, especially now that Obama is spending monies that we don’t have. – Source: Huffington Post
Excuse me, Mr. Delay? But, I have been unemployed since 2005 and it is not because I want to be. I never was eligible for benefits. I quit my last job, because it was making me physically sick. So, I had to quit. Thanks to your Party’s former candidate and now former President’s idea of going to war with Iraq and because of the Progressive policies, that both the Republicans AND Democrats embraced; the economy here in Michigan is in the damned toilet. That is why I am not working, not because I do not want to.
Can someone remind me, just why this idiot is not in jail? Anyone? 🙄
It is stuff like this right here, that makes me wonder if 2010 is going to be a lost cause. Because just how much more tone deaf and out of touch with reality does one need to be? Clue to the Republican Party; spouting stupid ignorant tripe like this, is NOT going to get us back in charge of Congress, not anytime soon anyway. I am quite sorry to have the say this, BUT! —- There’s stupid and then there’s Tom Delay Stupid! 😮 I mean, this guy is starting to make Michele Bachmann look REALsmart. Which quite frankly, is pretty freakin’ scary, if you ask me. 😮
Not to rip off AllahPundit or anything, but…. Good Lord. 🙄
A special message from Mike Bouchard, Republican candidate for the Governor of Michigan.
——-
Dear Friends,
Today, I filed my 2009 annual campaign finance statement with the Michigan Department of State. I could not be more pleased to announce that in less than 6 months my campaign has raised over $900,000.
When I first announced my intention to run, I was told that any candidate would need $500,000 to be a real contender. We have almost doubled that amount with the tremendous support continuing to roll-in in 2010. We surpassed that goal by a huge margin – thanks to your strong support.
The race will come down to who shows up on Election Day. In just 6 short months, over 1750 people have contributed to my campaign. This is exciting as it shows that my support base is rock solid and continuing to grow every day. I am working hard every day to share my ideas on how to fix Lansing and get Michigan back to work and clearly the people of our great state like what they are hearing!
The momentum and energy of this race has increased dramatically with the announcement of my finance numbers. However, money alone will not win this race.
The voters are looking for a leader that knows how to make Michigan a top tier business state once again. I have the experience, knowledge and backbone needed to make the tough choices that will face our next governor.
The finance report I filed today only shows the vast momentum I have received in such a short time. Remember, this race will be very competitive. To make the change we need to turn our state around, I need your help. Please do what over a thousand of your fellow Michiganders have done and join me in my race for governor. Any contribution you can make whether it is $10, 25, or anything you can afford would be appreciated. Together, we can fix Lansing and get Michigan back to work.
It is a plausible question, and an interesting one at that. Are the Democrats now jumping from the bloated ship of socialist waste ever known to humankind? Are Democrats preparing themselves for the “Nuclear Option” on healthcare? The questions abound, the speculation is running rampant, and internet meme’s are burning up the bandwidth. I, on the other hand, will tell you what I do know.
First off, let us start with the local story; Michigan Lt Governor John Cherry was expected to be the person to succeed Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm at the helm of Michigan Governorship. However, Democrat Governor Jennifer Granholm’s performance as Governor of this state has been less than stellar. I ought to know this, I have lived here all of my life. Double-digit unemployment, a one state recession that towered over the national recession for many years now; put quite bluntly, there are no jobs here in Michigan. Sure, there are jobs, if you want to work in a fast food joint, making minimum wage. However, if you happen to be a 37-year-old man, looking for a decent paying, full time job, with health insurance — you are frankly out of luck.
However, to be fair, some of Michigan’s woes cannot be laid at the feet of the Democratic leadership. GM’s credit crisis cannot be blamed entirely on the Democrats, at least not the current ones in office here in Michigan. GM and Chrysler’s troubles are a direct result of the mortgage crisis, which was caused by President Jimmy Carter and President Bill Clinton and that idiotic piece of legislation that opened up the mortgage market to high-risk individuals. When the credit markets froze up, due to the stock market crash and subsequent credit freeze, the big three found themselves in the middle of it. This is my biggest issue that I have with the “Republicans” or those within the Conservative movement. They always, without fail, blame the unions for the troubles of the big three; when in all honesty, unions had zero to do with the meltdown or its effect on the automakers. The entire mess was, in fact, lack of proper regulation in the mortgage industry and the stock market in regards to credit swaps that caused this whole mess in the first place. Sorry to my fellow Conservatives, but I am just not buying that talking point.
However, it would be fair to mention that the unions did play a role in the financial woes of the big three, as did the big three’s failure to listen to the automotive experts, who saw what Japan was doing in the 1970’s and their arrogant attitudes. The big three could have saved themselves much heartache, by building smarter, higher quality vehicles. However, by the time the big three got around to embracing the ISO standards, it was too little, too late. As for the talking point of Union workers making too much money, I find it amazing how many Conservatives have axe to grind with those who simply want to make a decent working wage. Most of the people that make these idiotic claims are those who are making more than two hundred and fifty thousand a year and have no financial worries at all; but they want to rip away the comfortable living of others. Do you see now why I have not voted “Republican” yet?
Another point that I feel that is important to make, is the fact that the big three are just designing some of the most god-awful looking car nowadays. Heck, even the trucks are now getting just plain butt-ugly. Does it make any damned sense to build cars for every day Americans that look like they taken from the pages of a twenty fifth century comic book? Whatever happened to graceful, classic designs from the 1950’s, 1960’s and 1970’s? Those were real cars back then, now all the big three can produce is glorified garbage — and do not even get me started on the idea of an electric car, now that is a idea that is going to go right straight were the Chevy EV1 went, right straight into the scrap heap.
Now back on the subject of politics, it seems that Chris Dodd, going to retire. Getting sweetheart deals on a house mortgage can do that to a fellow, especially when people in your district are losing their houses left and right. I also notice that Bryon Dorgan is also retiring; he supported Obama’s healthcare plan, which made him damaged goods. I also notice that Colorado Governor Bill Ritter is withdrawing from that race — corruption will do that to a fellow.
Now what is my personal take on these retirements and how it affects the 2010 elections? My take is this; I believe that there are going to be some very big upsets come election time. Now, I do not necessarily see a Republican wave or anything like that. However, I do see a drastic change in Washington D.C. I do also see a “defanging” of the socialist monster that exists on Capitol Hill right now. As for the Governor’s race here in Michigan, I believe that the Republicans can win Michigan, but they are going to have to work to earn the trust of the American people. It would take some very hard work and some massive breaking of some very established political rules to do it. However it can be done. The people of Michigan want real answers, real results, not political grandstanding, and platitudes.
It is going to be a very interesting 2010. I look forward to writing about it and giving you my take.
Egad, when an American Conservative like me, and a warmongering Wilsonian Conservative, like Bill Kristol are actually agreeing. You know stuff is fudged up in the Country:
Unable to defend themselves on the merits, the administration and Democratic leaders are trying to change the topic to blaming Bush and Republicans. This is pathetic.
First of all, Obama is president. He has been for almost a year. Whatever mistakes Bush did or didn’t make, Obama is in charge — and the issue isn’t partisan score-settling, it’s whether the system he is in charge of is working. It isn’t.
One reason the system isn’t is some of the people he put in charge — Janet Napolitano and Dennis Blair come to mind. Another reason is certain concrete policy choices they’ve made — e.g., embracing a law enforcement approach and, without even weighing the choice, immediately choosing to treat Abdulmutallab as a criminal suspect, not an enemy combatant.
Go read the rest. It is very good….and yes, I agree with it all.
Obama promised change, and change he might be able to deliver, like mending the long standing rift between the Paleo-Conservatives and the notorious Neo-Conservatives. Yeah, I know, not everyone would go along with it. But it would be some, dare I say it? Progress!??! (In the Republican Party? GASP!) 😉
I present two videos; the first by reason magazine, which is a very funny take on the past 10 years. Which comes via HotAir.com, who has a poll up with this decade versus a few other notable decades:
The second video comes via Jack Hunter, who video blogs over at the American Conservative. Here Jack lays out a very compelling case for the fact that starting with George H.W. Bush, continuing with Bill Clinton and finally with George W. Bush; the entire big government, got even bigger:
As Jack says, and yet, conservatives are now griping about Barack Obama’s big government agenda. However, it is to be said, that Jack Hunter does point out the hypocrisy of the Democrats, when it comes to the wars. They were, in fact, loudly condemning of Bush’s Wars, but now, they’re all but silent. (Except for a few… and I mean very few…)
One point that I will offer a rebuttal to, is Jack’s point that Bush touted a more peaceful Foreign Policy, when he ran back in 2000. Jack points out that this suddenly changed after 9/11. What he fails to realize is this; on September 11, 2001, the game changed. Terrorists slammed two planes into the World Trade Centers, one plane into the Pentagon, and one plane that was headed to the White House; ended up in a field in Pennsylvania. As someone who had a terrorist almost blow up a plane near my house. I can fully understand why this game changed. However, because I am not a overly partisan blogger, I will say this; I do fully realize that Iraq, in hindsight was, in fact, a mistake. I have yet for anyone at all, to convince me otherwise, that Iraq was a direct threat to our Republic. I personally believe it was because of this massive screw up of the Bush Administration, that Afghanistan is now possibly a lost cause, and why Al-Qaeda is now attacking us once again. If I were Jack and those who agree with him; I would be watching the Yemen situation very closely. Because I tend to believe that Yemen is going to become Obama’s war, especially if he does not root out that Al-Qaeda group there.
As a fiscal Conservative; I must say that I wholeheartedly agree with Jack’s assessment of the G.O.P. and Republican establishment’s hypocrisy on spending; the same very people that are bitching to high heaven about Obama’s spending, were all but silent during the eight years of George W. Bush and his reckless drunken sailor like spending, which was primarily on a war in a country that really, when you get down to it, had zero to do with 9/11. But, yet, you have Bloggers, who are pro-war, bitching about Obama’s socialist agenda and take over of health care, plus his screwing of the economy into the ground. My question is, where were these people back in Bush’s day? Oh, that’s right, partisanship —- Which is such a horrible disease.
In fact, just here the other day; I was ripped by a “so-called” Conservative blogger, because I went to his blog and left a rather nasty message about Obama, because I was quite pissed off about his handling of the attempted terrorist act here at the airport, which is less than 10 miles from my house. (I also e-mailed him and apologized for it too..) This man goes out of his way to rat me out, and offers to give my damned IP address to anyone that wants it. But yet, on that same blog, he does the rather unfunny Osama/Obama joke on his blog. He removed it, presumably after one his readers bitched at him about it, but just the same, this idiot is going to bitch at me for being a ‘so-called’ racist and he does the same thing? That is hypocrisy and I think he knows that, because it was changed, I wish I had screen capped it and posted it here. But, I didn’t. Also, one of his commenters proceeded to give out my real name and drudge up crap that happened years ago. She also went out of her way to say that I, according to her, criticized the right more than the left. Which is, of course, stupid. I have pointed out stupid stuff on the far right and I will continue to do so; as much as I criticize the left. My point that I am trying to make is this here. Just as much as I am not drinking the idiotic socialist Kool-Aid of the Democrats; I am also not drinking the idiotic Kool-Aid of the far right either, I consider myself to me a critical, or dare I say it? A free-thinker.
I will admit, that I am a supporter of the United States Military; but I will the first to admit, that I beginning to be very skeptical of the war in Afghanistan; and I will go out of my way to say that this is NOT the fault of the United States military. It never was, it is the fault of the jackasses in Washington D.C. who could not define a damned military mission, if their lives depended on it. This is nothing new, it was the same way during the Bush Administration, much worse in fact. The problem is, our lives do depend on it. Al-Qaeda is still a damned threat and what does Obama do? Gives a half-assed speech as to the fact, that the government is on it. Yeah, uh-huh, sure. You mean, like the Government has been on the hunt of Osama Bin Laden for the last damned eight years? I call B.S. people, big time.
So, to those who come here and think this is a far right, rabid Conservative Blog. Be forewarned; my criticism and skepticism of Government and politics; and those who engage in that profession, is NOT on a partisan basis. I am quite bi-partisan on my criticisms. This blog has always been that way, and always will be.
I do not always agree with him on the finer points of Conservatism; but my friend Ed Morrissey scored a nice catch here. Seems that our attempted plane bomber fiend has friends:
American officials have cause to worry there may be more al Qaeda-trained young men in Yemen planning to bring down American jets.
Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, charged with the attempted Christmas Day bombing of Northwest Airlines flight 253, told FBI agents there were more just like him in Yemen who would strike soon.
And in a tape released four days before the attempted destruction of the Detroit-bound Northwest plane, the leader of al Qaeda in Yemen boasted of what was planned for Americans, saying, “We are carrying a bomb to hit the enemies of God.”
Yemen has become a principal al Qaeda training ground and the accused suicide bomber told the FBI he was trained for more than a month in Yemen, given 80 grams of a high explosive cleverly sewn into his underpants, undetected by standard security screening.
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – Dutch military police are investigating the possibility that an accomplice may have helped the Nigerian man accused of trying to blow up a flight from Amsterdam to Detroit on Christmas Day, a spokesman said on Monday.
A U.S. couple on the flight, Kurt and Lori Haskell, told Reuters and other news agencies that they saw a tall, well-dressed man aged about 50 with the suspect Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab on Friday morning at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport.
The Haskells have claimed the man spoke for Abdulmutallab and attempted to get him aboard Northwest flight 253 without a passport.
“At this moment we have no information on whether there was another guy,” the military police spokesman said. “We are checking all clues and information we get.”
In light of all this, is this the best that the Democrats and Republicans can do in Congress? Sit and blame one another? Lame response folks, lame, lame, lame, response. Oh yes, lets play the idiotic and childish blame game on each other, while tens of millions of lives are at stake. No wonder the American people have turned against this Congress and this President; because they are too damned busy trying to blame others, instead of trying to fix the damned problem in the first place!
The elections of 2010 and 2012 cannot come fast enough; because it is quite obvious that this Congress and this President are more interested in playing politics with terrorism, just like the last President did during his tenure in office and the American people, present company included, are sick and tired of the damn political shell games. Al-Qaeda is a serious threat to the United States of America’s National Security, and we need more than just Washington D.C. Politics of blaming one another, we need action and we need it now, before some plane is blown up over my damned house in Lincoln Park, Michigan, which is about 10 miles from the Detroit Metro Airport. Having said all that, to Congress and the President and his Cabinet — Enough of the god damned political games people. I want to be secure in living this house by the airport. I do not care who is to blame for what. I just want it fixed and I wanted it fixed now, please. Thank you.
I swear, there are days, when I believe that I am blogging about schoolchildren!
Metro Airport spokesman John Witner said there was a report of suspicious activity on the Delta/Northwest flight 253 from Amsterdam Sunday. That is the same flight number as the flight that a Nigerian man was suspected of attempting to blow up over Detroit on Christmas Day.
All 257 passengers and 12 crew have deplaned safely, said Delta spokeswoman Susan Elliott. The flight landed safely in Detroit at 12:34 p.m. Sunday.
The flight crew requested that law enforcement meet the aircraft after a passenger on the plane became verbally disruptive, said Elliott.
Fox News is now reporting that a Nigerian man locked himself in the bathroom, flight crew kicked in the door and detained the guy; the man then became irate and ended up having to be restrained. FBI and other agencies are on the scene at Metro Airport.
DETROIT — The pilots of Northwest Airlines Flight 253 from Amsterdam to Detroit — the same flight involved in Friday’s terrorism attempt — requested emergency assistance Sunday upon landing in Detroit, Scott Wintner, an airport spokesman said. The crew had requested police assistance on the ground because a passenger was “verbally disruptive,” according to a statement from Delta Airlines, which acquired with Northwest last year.
Update #2: Fox News Reports that there is report that this man may have just been sick. I am working on getting confirmation on this. Standby.
Update #3: WDIV is basically reporting the same story as above, working on getting confirmation of the sick passenger.
Update #4: WWJ Radio also reports the same story, via the AP.
Update #5: It just dawned on me, this is the same flight that the person was detained on, on Christmas day.
Update #6: It is now being reported that this might not be a serious incident. But still I am watching everything.
Update #7: It has been confirmed by three different sources to Fox News that this was sick passenger. I see a Lawsuit. 🙄
Update #8: Fox News Reports at 4:00 P.M. that the “All Clear” has just been issued. Seems this was a coincidental incident. Ouch.What a day to get sick on a plane… 😯
I agree with the premise, however, there is something Steve should remember:
It’s Christmas day, and the only thing that stopped 12/25 from feeling a lot like 9/11 was a failed detonator and a guy named Jasper Schuringa. Weather now seems like a quaint travel threat – like a cold does compared to the Bubonic Plague.
It's December 26th, and the last of my guests arrive keenly aware of what happened over the skies of Detroit. Across America, everybody’s gut tightens and old fears and old wounds re-open.
Meanwhile, the president continues his vacation. News that he hit the gym 15 minutes after being briefed on the attack – and had a lovely time playing golf later that day – begin to trickle in.
America lucked out this holiday season. It’s as simple as that. Something terrible could have happened and It was the bravery of passengers, and the ineptitude of a would-be terrorist, that prevented it.
Not the police bottlenecking the only road into the airport. Not the nice lady making sure my liquids were in the right containers. Not the German shepherd sniffing my boy parts.
It was luck.
And if you’re like me – that scared the crap out of you. You probably wanted assurances. What will be done to prevent this? How are we reacting?
If you’re like me, you’re not looking for Attorney General Eric Holder, or Representative Pete King to be telling you how it could have been worse or how it will be managed.
When the nation is attacked, I expect to be informed and hopefully calmed by the President of the United States.
Steve, I do not know what the chances are of you actually reading this; but I will just say it anyway. I know how you feel my friend. I felt the same way, when I found out about this terror attack here in my hometown; at an airport that is less than 15 minutes from my house. In fact, planes coming from the south, fly right over my house. Sure, the planes are at great altitude, but they are still there. Anyhow, as I wrote last night, the Government just cannot protect us from every attack. It is virtually impossible. Yes, we got lucky.
However, I do agree with your assessment, it was a bit unnerving to see the President vacationing in Hawaii, while this big of a emergency was happening, right in my own backyard. It had all the visual aspects of what Bush did during Katrina. It might even come back to haunt Obama on the 2012 election; I do not know if it would be fair or even proper to do that to the man. But the fact is, we was ‘on vacation’ when it happened; and you have to know, someone who runs against him is going to use that little fact against him, especially on the right. As much as I have a great disdain for President Obama and his idiotic progressive agenda, I happen to know that there was not much more that the President could have done. He could have flown back to D.C. and had the attack not been prevented, he would have, I would assume. But the fact is, like you said, we did get lucky on this one.
So, from someone, who is less than 10 miles from the said incident —- I understand and yes, I do get it.
