How about let’s just dump Richard Spencer?
Preferably in a lake somewhere with a boulder chained to his damn foot. đĄ
Fucking asshole…
Tag: Republicans
The Obligatory Rahm Emanuel talked to Gov. Rod Blagojevich Posting
I say obligatory, because I think this story has got about the traction of a damned bald Goodyear tire in the winter. But I digress.
The sensational media rolls on, I suppose. One day in the tank, next minute throwing Obama in the tank. đ
Anyhow… here we go! đ
The Chicago Tribune’s Political Blog, “The Swamp” Reports:
Rahm Emanuel, President-elect Barack Obama’s pick to be White House chief of staff, had conversations with Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s administration about who would replace Obama in the U.S. Senate, the Chicago Tribune has learned.
The revelation does not suggest Obama’s new gatekeeper was involved in any talk of dealmaking involving the seat. But it does help fill in the gaps surrounding a question that Obama was unable or unwilling to answer this week: Did anyone on his staff have contact with Blagojevich about his choice for the Senate seat?
Blagojevich and John Harris, his former chief of staff, face federal charges in an alleged shakedown involving the vacant Senate seat, which Illinois law grants the governor sole authority to fill.
Obama said Thursday he had never spoken to Blagojevich about the Senate vacancy and was “confident that no representatives” of his had engaged in any dealmaking over the seat with the governor or his team. He also pledged Thursday that in the “next few days” he would explain what contacts his staff may have had with the governor’s office about the Senate vacancy.
Emanuel, who has long been close to both Blagojevich and Obama, has refused to respond to questions about any involvement he may have had with the Blagojevich camp over the Senate pick. A spokeswoman for Emanuel also declined to comment Friday.
One source confirmed that communications between Emanuel and the Blagojevich administration were captured on court-approved wiretaps.
Another source said that contact between the Obama camp and the governor’s administration regarding the Senate seat began the Saturday before the Nov. 4 election, when Emanuel made a call to the cell phone of Harris. The conversation took place around the same time press reports surfaced about Emanuel being approached about taking the high-level White House post should Obama win.
Emanuel delivered a list of candidates who would be “acceptable” to Obama, the source said. On the list were Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett, Illinois Veterans Affairs director Tammy Duckworth, state Comptroller Dan Hynes and U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Chicago, the source said. All are Democrats.
One thing that stands out in this article, is this right here:
The revelation does not suggest Obama’s new gatekeeper was involved in any talk of dealmaking involving the seat. But it does help fill in the gaps surrounding a question that Obama was unable or unwilling to answer this week: Did anyone on his staff have contact with Blagojevich about his choice for the Senate seat?
However, to read some of the Republican/Conservative/Neo-Conservative Blogs, you would think that Obama offered to help finance the operation or something. Which I think is outright silly and blatantly asinine. There’s no proof of that at all, and I am inclined to believe the President-Elect, if he says he had no contact with the man. Sorry, you cannot count me amongst the group of people who believe he’s some sort of undercover Muslim or anything of that nature, I don’t run with that crowd at all. Most of that nonsense is of the Alex Jones flavor, and I deal with facts and reality, not conspiracy theories and lunacy. Oh, sure, I’ve written things on here, mostly in jest and trying to be snarky… and once, because I was pissed at the race baiting of the far lefty Liberals, during the election, but Obama is going to be the new President, and I’m fine with that. But I will write and speak out against what I feel to be wrong, and likewise, I will defend the man, when I feel that it is due.
Anyway, got way off track there! đŽ
As for the current situation at hand here, my advice to the President-Elect is, dump Rahm Emanuel now. Because as long as Emanuel is on the Obama team, the Conservative/Neo-Conservative/Republican talking heads and some of the more main stream media are going to continue to hound you over this. I know, it is a bit silly, but that is what the Conservatives do, they did it Bill Clinton, almost to the point of lunacy and as long as this guy is on your staff, you will have to contend with the questions, and with the insinuation that you are connected with this scandal. In other words, Ann Coulter will have something to talk about for the next four years. God knows, we have heard enough of that feckless bitch for the last eight years.
I hope that the President-Elect figures this out and gives Rahm Emanuel the ol’ Heave Ho and gets someone else in there. Otherwise, it will be a circular firing squad on this Blog for the next four years.
More Commentary Here
Video: America’s War on Common Sense
An excellent video:
(Source: Taki’s Magazine)
Trackposted to Rosemary’s Thoughts, third world county, Allie is Wired, Woman Honor Thyself, Walls of the City, The World According to Carl, DragonLady’s World, The Pink Flamingo, Leaning Straight Up, Democrat=Socialist, L.O.M.A., Conservative Cat, Right Voices, and Gone Hollywood, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.
School Yard Antics: I know you are, but what am I?!?!
I must confess that I find things like this humorous.
First off, John Stewart did a tribute to Alan Colmes’s departure from the show:
Well, Hannity is not one to be insulted and responded:
Jon Stewart addressed Colmesâ departure on The Daily Show Thursday night (video below), recruiting washed-up 80s pop duo Darryl Hall and John Oates to offer a farewell ditty to the departing Colmes set to the tune of âSheâs gone.â The lyrics included this verse: âAlan please donât go. Youâre the only non-douche bag on that show!â
Said Hannity: âI was actually thinking of Jon [Stewart] as a co-host but I needed someone who could be smart and funny without 50 writers and two has-been rockers who are badly in need of Botox.â
Meeeeeooowwwww! Nothing like a bunch of guys acting like women. Nothing at all. đ
(Source: Media Bistro via HotAir Hotlines)
The Automotive Bailouts: The Other Side of the Story
I have been sitting here, trying to keep out of this. But I have sat and looked at the Republican and Neo–Conservative Spin on this Story and I’m sick of it. đĄ
So, I am giving you, the other side of the story, from the horses mouth; without commentary from me.
I did not ask that you agree, I simply ask that you listen and hear this man out. Now I am almost sure, that the Blogs, that I have linked to, will remove my trackback, like the Neo-Con Fascists that they are. I mean, it is all about controlling the message with those guys. đ
Here we go:
Part 1:
Part 2:
Media Q & A:
Media Q & A Part 2:
Media Q & A Part 3:
There you have it. The other side of the story. You decide.
(Source UAW.ORG)
Guest Voice: “WHERE ARE DOBSON AND PCC NOW?” By Chuck Baldwin
I ask my non-Christian friends to bear with me on this column. As one will quickly see, this column is addressed to my fellow Christian conservatives.
Regular readers of this column know that one of my chief frustrations is the way Christian conservatives (otherwise known as the “Religious Right”) are so easily deceived by Republican politicians. The all-time classic illustration of this foible is the way the Religious Right was (and is) so enamored with President George W. Bush. No matter what Bush did: no matter how egregiously unconstitutional, no matter how utterly stupid, no matter how blatantly evil his actions were, Christian conservatives (almost universally) either robotically accepted and approved what he did, or blindly looked the other way. It was maddening!
It was as if Christian conservatives lost all ability to reason; it was as if they lost all discernment and discretion. Because George W. Bush claimed to be a Christian, and because he was a Republican, he could do no wrong. To this very day, the only group of people who yet approves of Bush’s Presidency is the Religious Right. Everyone else on the planet realizes that George W. Bush’s Presidency will go down in history has one of the all-time worst.
George Bush took a prosperous and robust economy, and led America to the verge of a second Great Depression. He has taken a (relatively) free and independent republic to the brink of becoming a globalist Police State. He has pushed the envelope of executive power; he has trampled individual liberty; he has made a mockery of justice; and he has made America the laughingstock of the world. In addition, Bush has misused and abused our nation’s bravest and finest by his illegal and inexcusable invasion of Iraq. No matter. The Religious Right still loves him. Why? Because he is a “Christian” Republican.
Since 2000, James Dobson, Pensacola Christian College (PCC), and their peers around the country have had an eight-year lovefest with George W. Bush. Life-size cardboard posters of Bush have stood in their bookstores for eight long, laborious years. Grade school children in their Christian schools have been subjected to Bush propaganda for eight tedious, tiresome years. To them, G.W. Bush ranks somewhere between Moses and the Almighty. And nothing Bush said or did seemed to matter.
I said all of that to call attention to a recent interview Cynthia McFadden had with President Bush on ABC’s Nightline this past Monday. During the interview, McFadden asked Bush if the Bible was literally true.
Now, acceptance of the Bible’s literalness is one of conservative Christianity’s most sacred doctrines. There is not a professor at PCC (or any other conservative Christian college or university) that would keep his or her job for a nano-second, if he or she even questioned the veracity of the Scriptures. Right? You know it’s true! Most conservative Christians would even go so far as to say that one cannot be a born-again Christian who does not believe that the Bible is the infallible Word of God.
Well, what was George Bush’s response to McFadden’s question? He said, “You know. Probably not. . . . No, I’m not a literalist.” Notice, Bush twice denied the veracity of the Scriptures.
Now, Bush has no reason to “fudge” his answers, right? He has no more elections to face. No more, “He’s got to say this to get elected,” which was the flippant explanation given by the Religious Right to excuse Bush’s numerous apostate positions during the past eight years.
So, George W. Bush clearly stated that he does not believe the Bible is God’s Holy, inspired Word. Will Dobson and PCC still say that Bush is “one of us”?
Then, as Bush attempted to give a Christian testimony, he told McFadden, “It is hard for me to justify or prove the mystery of the Almighty in my life. All I can just tell you is that I got back into religion and I quit drinking shortly thereafter . . . .”
What kind of Christian testimony is this: “I got back into religion”? I doubt that this kind of testimony would grant membership in the Campus Church (which is not even a genuine New Testament church, you understand) at PCC or in virtually any conservative Christian church.
I am confident, however, that Bush’s statements will do nothing to diminish his god-like status with James Dobson and the rest of the Religious Right in America. For eight long and bloody years, Christian conservatives have been selling their convictions, doctrines, and even their consciences to George W. Bush. I will even go so far as to say that, in many respects, millions of Christians have turned President Bush into an idol. Many of them would forsake their pastor, their friends, and even their own family before they would forsake George W. Bush and the Republican Party.
Of course, none of this would have happened had Christians–and especially Christian pastors–not lost touch with their American heritage. Had they maintained a studied understanding of constitutional government, and of the principles of Natural Law upon which it rests, they would not have become dupes for Bush and his fellow neocons.
I doubt very much whether Thomas Jefferson was a born-again Christian (after all, he, like Bush, expressed doubt regarding the Bible’s literalness), but he fully understood–and embraced–the “Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God” and was more than willing to inculcate those principles into our country’s most sacred document: our Declaration of Independence. As such, Jefferson will be forever regarded as one of America’s greatest Founding Fathers and Presidents. Believe me, America was far better off with Thomas Jefferson than with George W. Bush!
So, where are Dobson and PCC now? Will any of them utter a word of rebuke to their “Christian” President for his apostasy? No, they won’t. (As a comparison, contemporary pastors most certainly did rebuke Jefferson for his public statements questioning Christ’s divinity, even though he was a Founding Father and author of the Declaration of Independence.) Of course, Barack Obama will not escape the public repudiation of Dobson and Company. Why? He is a Democrat. You see, it’s not principle; it’s partisan politics that matters, after all.
While we are asking questions, when will our fellow Christians and pastors finally open their history books? When will they read the U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Declaration of Independence? And when will they open their minds and hearts–even a crack–to the possibility that they might have been duped, and that there is more to being elected to the office of President besides being a “Christian” Republican? Probably never.
In four more years, there will doubtless be another “Christian” Republican for the Religious Right to fawn over. Where he or she stands on the Constitution won’t matter; neither will it matter whether this newest “Christian” Republican has any commitment to national sovereignty, the Bill of Rights, or to fundamental freedoms. All that will matter is that he or she professes to be a Christian, and has an “R” behind their name. And, quite frankly, this last election proved that even a Christian profession is not necessary. All that is required is the “R” behind the name.
(Via NewsWithViews.com)
Stupidity from the Moderation Que
Well, it seems that my Boycott Alabama posting has drawn out some of the morons, who are for letting the big three die.
Some asshat left this in the comments section:
Author : g.w. (IP: 72.242.143.206 , 72.242.143.206)
E-mail : braswell@hopper.net
URL Â Â : http://n/a
Whois  : http://ws.arin.net/cgi-bin/whois.pl?queryinput=72.242.143.206
Comment:
i don’t think the goverment  should be paying the xtravagant salary’s with our tax dollrs. g.w.
and when his comments did not appear, despite it being clearly written, that he did not have to write another comment. Writes another comment:
Author : g.w. (IP: 72.242.143.206 , 72.242.143.206)
E-mail : braswell@hopper.net
URL Â Â : http://n/a
Whois  : http://ws.arin.net/cgi-bin/whois.pl?queryinput=72.242.143.206
Comment:
i am a retired union worker and i do not think we should be paying the large salary’s of G.M. they work like goverment workers. Â g.w
With smarts like that, I highly doubt G.M. would even hire an idiot like you. Not mention that idiot cannot spell worth two shits.
Anyhow….:
Another Paleo-Conservative Reacts to Kristol’s Column
Richard Spencer Offers up a bit of tapered response to Bill Kristol’s Column. Which is a bit more calmer than the “Off with his head!” response by some of the Libertarian Bloggers that I read. đ
Although, I will be first to admit that the title of Richard’s Blog entry almost made me spit my coffee all over my laptop. đ
Let’s Boycott Alabama
It seems that there is a grassroots effort to get a boycott Alabama, in response to the Alabama Senator Richard Shelby’s attempted stonewalling of the bridge loans to the Big Three. Well, it’s big two now, Ford will not be needing the help.
Anyhow, here is a e-mail written by my Mother, who is a spouse of a retired General Motors worker.
Senator Shelby,
I doubt that you read the emails sent to your office but perhaps it will be read by someone who will show you the many emails you are sure to receive, and will point out to you just how wrong you are. There are a lot of derogatory comments that could be made but I prefer to try to point out a few facts that you evidently have not wanted to know. My husband and my father are both General Motors retirees and I know firsthand from where I speak.
Perhaps you think the auto workers are wealthy, making that mysterious $75 an hour that has been bandied about in the media. Unfortunately that is very far from the truth. They have never made that much, even including benefits, and most of them live from paycheck to paycheck trying to make ends meet like most middle class people. If the auto companies go bankrupt as you desire, not only will the auto workers lose their jobs, but also jobs directly and indirectly connected, such as suppliers, stores and restaurants located near the plants and of course it will trickle down to the cities who will lose the tax revenues these plants produce. We are not only talking about Detroit and Michigan but every state that has a plant or plants belonging to the Big 3.
It’s odd to me that you think that two companies that have been in business for over 100 years and one that is over 83 years old do not know what they are doing. If this is true how do you explain the fact that they sell over 50% of the cars purchased in the world and have won many, many multiple awards over the years for their cars? Do you perhaps think that people are just too stupid or uneducated to realize they are buying an inferior product? And the award givers are too dumb to realize they are giving an award to a poorly built, not very innovative dinosaur? Maybe you need to voice that opinion in your next media interview. I’m sure people would be interested to hear it.
You need to come out of your office and meet with the GM, Ford and Chrysler workers themselves. Could you really look them in the face, knowing they have families to support and bills to pay and tell them you think they should join the ranks of the unemployed? Do you think it is their fault that the economy has taken such a downturn because of mismanagement on Wall Street, the banks and yes, the government?
The auto companies and the union are trying their best to jump through all the hoops the Congress is throwing at them, as ridiculous as some of them are. To let them go under will cause a depression like this nation has not seen in many years. I hope you think long and hard about that.
By the way, I fully support the boycott of your state.
Y’all see where I get the writing skills from? I was told that I could post that, as long as I did not sign her name.
Anyhow, if you’d like to join the grassroots effort boycott Alabama. Please go to the Official Boycott Alabama Page.
Guest Voice: Jack Hunter Says “Libertarian or Authoritarian: Which Way GOP?”
Video: (Via Taki’s Magazine)
Transcript: (via Charleston City Paper)
Amongst the many conversations from many quarters about who might lead the Republican Party, I keep hearing one name time and time again â Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal. As with Sarah Palin, I intended to keep an open mind about any possibilities in the hopes that a post – Bush presidency, post – McCain campaign GOP might produce leaders who learned the right lessons the last eight years, and yet it seems those singing Jindalâs praises the most are the same Republicans who still defend the indefensible Bush and who campaigned the hardest for the unconservative McCain.
So whatâs so special about Jindal? While heâs conservative on gun rights, illegal immigration and social issues, none of this really sets Jindal apart from other Republican leaders. What does set the Louisiana governor apart is that he is a racial minority, and is even being called by some the âRepublican Obama,â due to his youth and Indian ancestry. The neoconservatives have been keen on Jindal as well, which is never a good sign, and as with Joe Lieberman and now Hillary Clinton, neocons will support any candidate they see as sufficiently interventionist on foreign policy and who is comfortable with wartime government expansion. And sure enough, Jindal remains a steadfast supporter of the war in Iraq, probably wouldnât mind invading Iran or sending troops to Georgia, and as a congressman he voted both to make the Patriot Act permanent and for the REAL ID act, an Orwellian scheme so intrusive that it was overwhelmingly opposed by South Carolina Republicans. Well, except Lindsey Graham.
So is a candidate who combines multicultural appeal and Bush Republicanism a winning recipe for the GOP? In playing minority identity politics, the Republican Party will have proven itself no better than voters who pulled the lever for Obama simply because he was black. And in embracing another neoconservative, the Republican Party could further alienate voters who pulled the lever for Obama simply because he wasnât Bush or a reasonable facsimile.
There is a better path. Instead of rallying behind a governor who really would amount to nothing more than an affirmative action hire, how about a governor whose limited government record would make even Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan blush? South Carolinaâs Mark Sanford has long made plenty of enemies amongst Republicans by refusing to deliver politics as usual, and has been getting a lot of press as of late for much the same reason. As many Republicans join Democrats in pressing for more bailouts and begging for money, Sanford continues to chastise his own party for spending the money, will not take money for his own state and refuses to put further in debt, his own country. Unlike many Republicans, Sanford recognizes the failures of the last eight years, even recently dismissing Bushâs big government âcompassionate conservatismâ as a âdisaster.â When asked what the Republican Party should stand for, Sanford repeatedly harkens back to the conservative bedrock principles of limited government and fiscal responsibility. âOur niche is maximizing individual libertyâ said Sanford of his Republican Party. And the governorâs libertarian approach is undoubtedly what led him to oppose, unlike Jindal, the implementation of the REAL ID Act.
The two roads that lie before the Republican Party are not the âmore conservative vs. more moderateâ choice that so many pundits seem obsessed with. For Beltway talking heads, when Republicans win they should become more moderate to stay in power and when they lose they must become more moderate to win elections. They always want âmore moderate.â And theyâre always wrong.
Obama won the election because he appealed to voters across political, party, generational and racial lines. The only Republican running for president this year who had a similar appeal to such a broad section of voters, and particularly the young voters who energized Obamaâs campaign and were invisible in McCainâs, was Texas Congressman Ron Paul. The difference is whereas Obama appealed to so many based mostly on his race and charm, the white, uncharismatic and not-particularly eloquent Paul attracted a diverse base who were in love with his ideas.
As a matter of practical politics, the libertarian, small government conservatism of a Paul or Sanford promises to be a more winning strategy than the authoritarian, big government Republicanism of a Bush or Jindal. Reagan was not off-base when he once said âthe very heart and soul of conservatism is libertarianism.â And the GOP would do well to champion leaders who actually consider the massive costs of more wars, bigger government and less liberty, instead of another round of Republicans whose enthusiasm for more wars, bigger government and less liberty is always worth any cost.
Neo-Conservative Blogger Don Surber Talks out his Anal Orifice.
It never ceases to amaze me how these idiotic Neo-Conservatives seem to love to lie out their rather large anal orifices.
One of the Neo-Conservative Cheerleaders Don Surber posted a rather idiotic Blog posting tonight attacking MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann for supposedly not talking about the latest controversy in Chicago Ill.
And I quote:
Rod Blagojevich? Whatâs that?
I just flipped on MSNBC. Keith Olbermann had his worst persons in the world segment on. The winner was his competitor, Bill OâReilly.
Apparently, Olberboy is so obsessed with OâReilly â unrequited love â that Olberboy overlooked the biggest story of the day in compiling his list. The planet will survive â somehow.
When I tried to comment on his rather lame ass looking Blog. He deletes my comment and accuses me of leaving troll comments on his Blog:
REPLY: I reserve the right to erase troll comments. This is a blog, a diary of my thoughts. You donât like it, start your own blog. But I notice it took you 12 minutes to defend him.
What’s a matter Donny Boy? You cannot handle a little chiding? Could it be the fact that you are spouting out your bazoo, when you do not know what it is that your are talking about?
State’s Evidence:
and
So, you see, not only was it the number 5 story, it was the number 4 story on Keith’s show. Now Don, I know that you will not approve this trackback, because of the little cowardly little Neo-Con that you are. After all, it is all about Controlling this message. You Zionist pigs are like that, I realize that. But can you at least get the story right? You really make yourself look like a total idiot when you pontificate before you really have the facts.
I’m not trying to defend Kieth, not at all, someone of his far lefty nonsense even makes me cringe. But you use a Blog to engage in intellectual dishonesty, you make the Conservative movement look horribly bad.
This is the difference between we Paleo-Conservatives and the Zionist Controlled Neo-Cons, at least, when we’re wrong, we admit it. The Neo-Con’s simply spin and Deny. Kind of like their Leaders, George W. Bush, Neil Podhoretz and Bill Kristol.
Quite frankly, No wonder the Republican Party lost this year.
Joe The Plumber Turns on McCain
Looks like John McCain’s Prop “Joe The Plumber” was not the gleaming John McCain supporter as was originally thought. He made an appearence on Glenn Beck’s Show
Listen:
WURZELBACHER: When I was on the bus with him, I asked him a lot of questions about the bailout because most Americans did not want that to happen. Yet he voted for it. ⌠And I asked him some pretty direct questions. Some of the answers you guys are gonna receive â they appalled me, absolutely. I was angry. In fact I wanted to get off the bus after I talked to him.
BECK: Really? Now why didnât you get off the bus?
WURZELBACHER: Um, you know, honestly, because the thought of Barack Obama as president scares me even more.
Hmmmm….. Ingrate? Brutal Honesty?
Interesting…
Notice how he defends the MILF Sarah Palin.
(Via Think Progress)
Ross Douthat stirs the pot
Now Now Ross, let’s not start a blog war. Much less a protracted political fight.
(Like I should talk…) đ
President George W. Bush – “Iâm Not A Bible âLiteralistâ”
A rather stunning admission from someone who basically courted the religious right rather heavily. He basically sat down with interview with ABC. (Friendly Territory? Nah. Ergo Palin…)
Something tells me, that if Bush would have admitted this before he was elected in 2000 or reelected in 2004. He would have never made past the primary process. Not a Bible Literalist? đŽ Basically the Bible doesn’t mean what it says? That’s big. Calling Robert Schuller!
Corrupt Democrat Governor Rod Blagojevich in FBI Custody
Seems the Democrat Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is in trouble with the FBI.
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was arrested Tuesday on federal charges that accuse him of trying to benefit from his ability to appoint President-elect Barack Obama’s replacement in the U.S. Senate.
A 76-page FBI affidavit says the 51-year-old Democrat was intercepted on court-authorized wiretaps over the last month conspiring to sell or trade the vacant Senate seat for personal benefits for himself and his wife, Patti.
The affidavit contends Blagojevich discussed getting a substantial salary for himself at a non-profit foundation or an organization affiliated with labor unions. It also says Blagojevich talked about getting his wife placed on corporate boards where she might get $150,000 a year in director’s fees.
The affidavit also quotes Blagojevich as saying “I want to make money” in one conversation.
John Harris, the governor’s chief of staff, was also charged, the U.S. Department of Justice said.
Now, because I don’t like to pile on, let me simply say this. Corruption is wrong, Democrats AND Republicans have done it. Recently Ted Stevens was indicted on corruption charges. As well as Democrat congressman William Jefferson. So, there’s equal amounts on both sides of the aisle.
Let’s hope this slimeball gets what’s coming to him.
Would not it be funny if this guy talked and said that Obama ordered it to happen? Would not it be neat of the Electoral College voted to not to seat Obama as President, because of the corruption charges?
A Man can dream. đ
Update: Here’s the U.S. Attorney General talking about the charges: (Thanks Andrew)
Others: protein wisdom, Don Surber, Gateway Pundit,Capitol Annex, Vodkapundit, Sister Toldjah, Outside The Beltway, Fausta’s Blog, Townhall.com,
(Thanks to Musing Minds for correcting me on my slight mistake.. ooops! đ )
Well, they did call them “High Risk” Loans…
Seems that the people that defaulted on their mortgages, have defaulted again, even after all this aid that has been tossed around. So reports Reuters:
Recent data suggests that many borrowers who received help with mortgage modifications earlier this year tended to re-default on their payments, a top U.S. banking regulator said on Monday.
“The results, I confess, were somewhat surprising, and not in a good way,” said John Dugan, head of the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, in prepared remarks for a U.S. housing forum.
“Put simply, it shows that over half of mortgage modifications seemed not to be working after six months,” he said.
Dugan said based on data collected from some of the biggest U.S. institutions, like Bank of America, Citibank and JPMorgan Chase, home foreclosure starts fell 2.6 percent in the three months ended in September.
However, data which is to be issued by the OCC and the Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS) next week could throw cold water on a push by some U.S. policymakers for loan modifications as the key remedy for the ailing U.S. financial and economic crisis.
Dugan said recent data showed that after three months, nearly 36 percent of borrowers who received restructured mortgages in the first quarter re-defaulted.
The rate of re-default jumped to about 53 percent after six months and 58 percent after eight months, Dugan said, without providing an explanation for the trend.
Regulators speaking at an OTS-housing forum did not provide any explanations for the causes behind the data.
“We don’t know the answers yet, but these are the types of questions that we have begun asking our servicers in detail,” Dugan said.
Sheila Bair, chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp, who has been pushing for fast and systematic loan modifications, said regulators need to examine re-default data more closely.
“I think it’s very important to look at this data carefully and know what it says and what it doesn’t say,” Bair said.
Dugan said the third-quarter report will show many of the same disturbing trends as other recent mortgage reports, as credit quality continued to decline across the board and delinquencies rose for subprime, alt-A and prime mortgages.
He said the report will also show that the greatest delinquencies were in prime mortgages.
I can tell you exactly what the answer is. You do not hand out mortgages to people that you know damned well that they cannot pay for them. That is the answer! This is why the Country, The Big Three and Wall Street are in the mess that they are in now, in the first place. Because fucking Bill Clinton and his team of morons decided to FORCE lending companies to gives loans to HIGH RISK persons, and they’re called that for a reason, they’re known not to pay their bills!
High Risk is called High Risk for a reason! Duh! Man, I could have told them that and I am a High School Drop out with A.D.H.D. đ
“Clue needed on Asle 5, Clue needed on Asle 5 Please.”
(Thanks Q & O)
Tribune Co. Files for Bankruptcy……Bloggers Laugh.
Anyone who reads this blog more than just coming in from a Search Engine or happening to follow a link in from another Blog; knows that on this Blog, I fight for the little guy. I fight for the middle class person that goes to work every day, punches a time clock, and simply goes to work to make a decent and meager living. I do this because it is my background, it is my World, and it is who I am as a person.
I read today that the company called Tribune Co. has filed for bankruptcy. This company owns the Los Angeles Times, Radio Station KTLA, The Chicago Tribune, The Chicago Cubs, and a few other businesses. I can only the imagine the stress that this has placed on all the employees of these companies, not just the writers, but all of the people involved in getting the news to the people of the respective areas.
What troubles me, is the reaction that I am seeing in the Blogosphere. Sorry people, there is nothing funny about not knowing if you will have a paycheck in the coming months or not. I really must say that I am highly disappointed to see my fellow Conservatives, as well as some decent and respectable Liberal Blogs making light of this fact.
The reason why this bothers me is this. First off, I consider these people that work for these papers as fellow writers. Second of all, is this here; you know, it is one thing to be a Blogger, to sit in your basement and get free hosting from a friend and sit here, day after day, firing off opinions of the politics of the day. However, when it is your livelihood, when you are feeding your family, when it is your career, when it is everything you have worked your entire life for, your existence; it is a completely different matter.
This is why I cannot help, but sit here and wonder aloud of how in the name of the Living God in Heaven that some right wing Republican Blogger or even a Democratic Liberal Blogger, even if it is a humor site; would have the abject chutzpah to mock another group of writers in a time of grim news. I would suppose that is what separates me from the Republicans and Democrats, or perhaps those Political junkies, who look at every piece of news, which happens to come around the vast expanse that we call the internet, through a distorted prism of politics.
In case, no one in the political world has figured this out yet. This has zero to do with politics, unless perhaps you are some moronic fascist, who thinks that all of the employees of this company deserve to be punished for a newspapers particular political editorial stance; In which case you probably should not even be using a computer, much less writing a blog. In case any of you forgotten, there are people that work for these companies that could frankly give two rips about politics or anything related to it.
In this time of economic turmoil, there is just no place for this sort of heartless idiocy. I just wish my fellow bloggers felt the same way.
Bill Kristol Enrages Libertarians
Stuff likes this cracks me up. It should not, but it does. đ
NYT Columnist Bill Kristol basically kicks the Libertarians and fiscal Conservative purists square in the jewels.
Money Quotes:
But conservatives should think twice before charging into battle against Obama under the banner of âsmall-government conservatism.â Itâs a banner many Republicans and conservatives have rediscovered since the election and have been waving around energetically. Jeb Bush, now considering a Senate run in 2010, even went so far as to tell Politico last month, âThere should not be such a thing as a big-government Republican.â
Really? Jeb Bush was a successful and popular conservative governor of Florida, with tax cuts, policy reforms and privatizations of government services to show for his time in office. Still, in his two terms state spending increased over 50 percent â a rate faster than inflation plus population growth. It turns out, in the real world of Republican governance, that there arenât a whole lot of small-government Republicans.
Five Republicans have won the presidency since 1932: Dwight Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and the two George Bushes. Only Reagan was even close to being a small-government conservative. And he campaigned in 1980 more as a tax-cutter and national-defense-builder-upper, and less as a small-government enthusiast in the mold of the man he had supported â and who had lost â in 1964, Barry Goldwater. And Reaganâs record as governor and president wasnât a particularly government-slashing one.
Even the G.O.P.âs 1994 Contract With America made only vague promises to eliminate the budget deficit, and proposed no specific cuts in government programs. It focused far more on crime, taxes, welfare reform and government reform. Indeed, the âRepublican Revolutionâ of 1995 imploded primarily because of the Republican Congressâs one major small-government-type initiative â the attempt to âcutâ (i.e., restrain the growth of) Medicare. George W. Bush seemed to learn the lesson. Prior to his re-election, he proposed and signed into law popular (and, it turned out, successful) legislation, opposed by small-government conservatives, adding a prescription drug benefit to Medicare.
So talk of small government may be music to conservative ears, but itâs not to the public as a whole. This isnât to say the public is fond of big-government liberalism. Itâs just that whatâs politically vulnerable about big-government liberalism is more the liberalism than the big government. (Besides, the public knows that governmentâs not going to shrink much no matter whoâs in power.)
Well, There are some Libertarians that having none of this. Some Libertarians that I happen to read are quite ticked.
David Donadio basically calls Kristol a “Self Loving Liberal” and lays the smack down, albiet nicely:
This is all quite clarifying. In Kristolâs view, modern conservatism has to have âa strong commitment to limitedâŚgovernment,â while passing trillion-dollar drug entitlements. In other words, Republicans arenât going to restrain the undue growth of government. So, assuming one thinks Obama has a cooler head and better judgment than the GOP has shown on foreign policy of late, why exactly should he vote for Republicans anymore?
Kristol is surely right that a platform geared toward libertarians would fall flat, but he seems to have missed the memo that a platform geared toward neocons isnât exactly going anywhere either. If the Republicans are going to alienate economic conservatives, foreign policy realists, and a whole rising generation thatâll eventually get wise to the fact that itâs footing the bill for all these bloated entitlements, whatâs left? Somewhat socially conservative, self-identifying liberals who support school choice and tax cuts and Israel?
Thatâs not the swing vote, itâs the staff of The New Republic.
Stephen Bainbridge was not so nice about it, he basically said, “Excommunicate Kristol”:
Kristol thus reaffirms his position at the heart of the trio of reasons the conservative movement is in trouble: Iraq, K Street, and big government conservatism.
Itâs true that government has a role. Itâs true that sometimes government needs to do big things (like World Wars and bailing out the financial sector). But Kristol wants us to basically punt on the idea that government can be useful, productive, and effective at doing the big things society needs and still be a limited government.
The USA does not need two parties of big government. It doesnât need two parties that support the nanny state. It doesnât need two Mommy parties.
The USA does need at least one Daddy party. It needs at least one party that believes in individual freedom and limited government.
The GOP needs to become that party.
The GOP and the conservative movement donât need Bill Kristol and his ilk. Itâs time to kick his ass out.
Memo to Kristol: Put the pin back in the grenade! Before someone or yourself gets hurt! I mean, turning on your own base, which is mainly fiscal Conservatives and Libertarians is just not smart Bill, really. I thought even you would have known better than this.
To what was said above, let me simply say this. That only people that are getting any sort of anything out of this, is liberals. Hell, if they read this, they would be busting a gut laughing. I mean it cracks me up, because the Republican Party seems to be at a loss as to why their party is in such disarray. I submit this as one of the reasons.
The again, this is the same nimrod who was totally wrong about Iraq.
Others: (Left and Right) – Ross Douthat, Upturned Earth, The Corner, The Hill’s Blog Briefing Room, Copious Dissent, Below The Beltway, Wonkette, Right Wing Nut House, StephenBainbridge.com, RedState, Washington Monthly, The New Republic and Reason
Done with Twitter….
Well, Sort of…
Here’s is the truth about why the comment moderation is enabled and Why I’ve basically hung it up with Twitter.
I’ve made it quite clear on this Blog that I am in favor of the loans to the big three in Detroit. I’ve Blogged many times as to why. I realize that it is a very complex issue and that no matter what happens, someone isn’t going to like what happens.
Anyhow, this discussion came up on twitter. I happened to be following a great deal of Conservatives, mainly Neo-Conservatives and Republicans. I admit it, I get upset when I hear people trashing my area, and also the big three, because my Dad worked there. I take it personally, it’s just not something I can control. It’s my family and I’m close to my family.
Anyhow, I lost my “cool” as it were, and I said some things that really pissed off a good number of people. I ended up hosing the twitter account, I’m done with the twitter stuff.
Oh, there’s an account there. I created a new one. Well, it was an older one, that I never used. So, went to that one. Set up twitterfeed to auto post my Blog entries there. But I’m not using it anymore.
Anyhow, I offer no apologies to the assholes who insulted my Father, yes, I equate my Father with G.M. Sorry, it’s the way I roll. To those who got caught in the crossfire, if I snapped at you an anger. I apologize, but this one issue, I take personally.
Is Obama Censoring Free Speech on his Website? Update: Not Obama’s Site
Seems so….
This comes from a site called Abolish the Federal Reserve:
Today, I received an email saying this idea âlies outside the scope of the Ideas for Change in America project, which is focused on identifying solutions that we believe can, through a grassroots lobbying effort, receive serious consideration from the Obama administration and/or Congress.â
Let’s hope like hell that this is not the norm.
(Via Twitter)
Update: After a few requests, me forgetting and being reminded, again. I want to be sure and point out that change.org was an still is a PRIVATE website. change.gov was the OFFICIAL Obama transition team site, which now redirects to the White House website. Change.org was a private venture, and still is. Thanks to reader Tony Spears for pointing this out. I totally forgot to update this before. Ooops!
Good Time for a Missile Strike!
Video: (Via Breit Bart)
AP has the Details.
If you have a problem with what I just wrote. I encourage you to take a look at the ISLAM section of my Bookstore. Especially this title HERE. Perhaps you should also check out the section on 9/11. Maybe you’ll have a dfferent view after you buy some books telling of the horrible carnage and death that took place that fateful day. Yet, we have bastard Liberals, like “The One” who want to try and talk with these monsters. Perhaps it is because he’s one of them.
So, Bush, you’re already the lame duck, you know where most of the money came from anyhow. Why not just authorize a missile strike and wipe out all of ISLAM in one great swoop? A missile attack, and the President’s outlawing the Pratice of Islam in this Country, would be the ultimate act of justice to all of those who died on September 11, 2001.
NYT’s Timothy Egan takes Joe Wurzelbacher to the woodshed
First off, let me just say that I agree with the premise of this article.  However, the way it was written and tone of the article, comes off sounding very high brow and elitist sounding.  I am, of course, referring to the article written by NYT guest columnist Timothy Egan, who’s filling in for Moreen Dowd.   I was going to quote some of that here. But I think I’ll just let you click the link on his name there and let you go read what was written. Here is my take on what was written:
While some of what was said was actually factually correct, Joe was not a licensed Journeyman Plumber in Ohio. He was, in fact, an apprentice. He never intended to buy the shop he worked for, because it was not even for sale. Â The information about the supposed tax violations, even if all that is true. How this information was gained, is what burns me. How is it, that the Liberals who have been whining and crying about the FISA Bill, are all too eager to dig up information about someone who happened to challenge Barack Obama on one of his polices.
In fact, I will make a direct accusation on this Blog. I believe, personally, that Barack Hussein Obama personally asked that political operatives within the Democratic Party, working in Governmental positions in Ohio to dig up information on “Joe The Plumber” in order to discredit him. I realize that this can never be proven, because nobody within the Democratic Party is going to go against “The One”.
So, the next time, some idiotic Liberal tries to tell you about Nixon and how evil he was, just tell them, Barack Obama did basically the same thing. Only difference is, he did not get caught.
Others: NewsBusters.org, Tim Blair and Flopping Aces
Mr. “A Verb, A Noun and 9/11” Praises Obama
Well, now this is a switch from someone who was basically doing everything but calling Obama an Islamic Terrorist.
Via NewsMax:
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani says Barack Obama’s election will improve America’s image overseas, and will make the U.S. “an honest nation and not a hypocritical one.”
Giuliani, who sought the 2008 Republication presidential nomination and then supported Sen. John McCain in the general election, told Britain’s Sky News:
Even those who voted against him, like me, say ‘We’re very thankful this has happened. This is the consolation prize. In having lost in terms of the ideology we wanted, or the person we wanted — John McCain — the benefit that we got was an America that can say to the world we’ve overcome the worst thing in our history.’
“If you look at America — which I believe is a great nation, a beautiful nation, a nation of altruistic goals and very often great altruistic accomplishments — one of the terrible marks against us is slavery and racism, and I think that’s a great thing for America to have overcome.
“And I believe that will gain us a tremendous amount in the world community. We can now be an honest nation and not a hypocritical one.”
Giuliani, who is attending a conference in London, also:
ÂSaid Obama’s biggest victory was in defeating Sen. Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination, rather than winning the general election over McCain.
- Applauded Obama’s Cabinet selections, including Clinton’s appointment as secretary of state.
- Admitted that he didn’t think any Republican could have beaten Obama in the election, because of the economic crisis.
- Â Would not reveal his thoughts about possibly trying to win Clinton’s Senate seat, or another run for the White House.
 Defended McCain’s running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. “I think that Sarah Palin got a bad rap by the media because she defies some of the political correctness that the American media wants to see in a candidate,” he said. “They certainly don’t want a really attractive conservative — attractive not only physically because she is a beautiful woman, but attractive in terms of her personality and her charisma. She is the worst nightmare of the liberal press.”
I find it absolutely amazing, that when Republicans are fighting for thier political lives, they say the strangest things. But when they’re defeated, they turn on a damned dime and proceed to stoke the egos of those who defeated them.Â
Never seen anything like it, in my life. Rudy Giuliani is a disgrace to the Republican Party. I personally wish he could just go away.  For this is the SAME man, who put the New York Emergency Operations center, IN THE WORLD TRADE CENTER itself! Against the wishes of the very man, who MANAGED THE DAMNED BUILDING!
Please, Rudi, Just go away, better yet, drop dead!