I trust no one. I say pass anything that allows the government to profit from the buyout and mandates some congressional oversight. There's no time to do the bill right, it's too complex and too massive to slap together even in a week.
So we need to elect Obama. After watching the debates, I'm convinced that McCain is arrogant and incompetent enough to mess this up catastrophically. If you don't want to vote for Obama because he's black or muslim, here's a deal. Vote for him anyway, and you can just direct all your racist hate at me by proxy.
The day after the inauguration, convene a panel to completely rewrite the whole dadgum thing from start to finish, with gruesome limits on CEO bonuses, mandating market transparency, new accounting rules, etc. This will take months. Get the people who disagree the most, get them in a room, and set them arguing. Publish the arguments in Congressional reporter or federal register so we can get everyone who's anyone on the record. Addd to the bill a provision that if the govt loses money on these assets, a tax on banks and their CEO's will be levied until the govt is made whole.
Simultaneously with convening this panel, launch SEC, IRS, and FBI investigations of every single trader or lawyer who ever touched a CDO, credit default swap, or mortgage derivative. Investigate them as if they were al qaeda. Prohibit any travel outside of the U.S. for all of these people. Audit the current and former CEO, CFO and board member of every one of the thirty largest banks from 2002 to the present, including an audit of their family members. I'm convinced that most of these people had no stinking idea what they were trading, or whether the thing they were trading was real or fraudulent.
All trials should be broadcast on television, and all documents posted to the internet.
..can make Sarah Palin capable of being in national government, much less VP. She is dumber than a sack full of hammers. SHE CANNOT SPEAK IN COMPLETE SENTENCES MUCH LESS INCORPORATE AT LEAST TWO CLAUSES INTO A SENTENCE, something that demonstrates complex reasoning. I'd pay good money to see someone diagram her sentences.
Never thought anyone could make GW Bush sound articulate. Behold the train wreck that is Palin:
Bush Amps Up The Fear Factor In Economic Speech By: Nicole Belle @ 6:00 AM - PDT
Be afraid, be very afraid…
President Bush said Wednesday that lawmakers risk a cascade of wiped-out retirement savings, rising home foreclosures, lost jobs and closed businesses if they fail to act on a massive financial rescue plan. “Our entire economy is in danger,” he said.
“Without immediate action by Congress, American could slip into a financial panic and a distressing scenario would unfold,” Bush said in a 12-minute prime-time address delivered from the White House East Room that he hoped would help rescue his tough-sell bailout package. “Ultimately, our country could experience a long and painful recession.”
Said Bush: “We must not let this happen.”[..]
“With the situation becoming more precarious by the day, I faced a choice: to step in with dramatic government action or to stand back and allow the irresponsible actions by some to undermine the financial security of all,” Bush said.
You know, if we hadn’t heard some variation on this “mushroom cloud” speech more than a half dozen times from Bush over the last eight years, it might actually have some more weight. Not that there isn’t a crisis, but he’s threatening us with a “long and painful recession“? Has he not been paying attention recently? Steve Clemons:
Tonight, George Bush succeeded I think in scaring Americans that this crisis could be a systemic threat. Bush said “our entire economy is in danger.”
That’s the fear button. He pushed it. And he said the clock was ticking.
This seems like a bad episode of “24.”
What is shocking about the presentation by Bush — and the deal that is unfolding is that we don’t see any acceptance of responsibility for the failure of his team’s stewardship of the economy. We didn’t hear acknowledgment that the compulsive deregulation mantra of Bush’s political and economic allies created a massive bubble where lots of billionaires were created and now tens of millions of less fortunate Americans are holding the bill.
We didn’t hear Bush say that it’s time to reverse the tax cuts that he put in place to help those who have already benefited from the perverse finance and housing bubble that was pumped up.
We didn’t hear a firm commitment from Bush to help the working families who hold these sub-prime and adjustable rate mortgages to stay in their homes and to help stabilize the lives of hard-hit Americans, their neighborhoods and their jobs. All the while, the macro players and big firms and their stakeholders are bailed out.
We probably do need to float major funds into the financial sector — but there needs to be a quid pro quo written in to the deal, a new social contract that does away with the “winner takes all syndrome” that has helped rot out America’s economic promise.
And we need to hear what comes after the bail out. This nation is heading into recession — and is probably already there.
With his actions, lies, contradictions, grossly inexperienced running-mate, and "git off my lawn" demeanor, how in the world can anyone with a brain vote for John McCain? I won't be calling any names, or insulting you, but if you were part of Bush's 51% or part of McCain's rapidly diminishing 46% then this is aimed right at you. I mean, what's your track record over the last two elections? How'd "W" turn out? Some of you still have his 2004 "W"sticker proudly (ignorantly) displayed on your SUV LOL.
Since this diatribe is coming from me and not FAUX news, Lie mbaugh, or some other right-wing shill you'll likely flush it.
Just know this: You won't have a majority ever_again unless you join Obama and the rest of us, take care of your brothers/sisters first, and quit letting big business and the neocons push your buttons. ---------------- You all castigated Kerry 4 yrs ago for waffling. Admit it: In addition to many houses, vehicles and beer John McCain owns the waffle factory.
Deregulator to regulator
Against Bush tax cuts, now pledges to make them permanent
Fundamentals of economy "sound" on Monday, "Sky is Falling" on Friday
Palin, Please who are you kidding this person has NO BUSINESS being a heartbeat away from the US Presidency. What kind of candidate picks a shrill, faith healing political novice as their running mate? Why is it OK for Sarah's pastor to go on Witch Hunts? You are all so worried about Obama's pastor's remarks. Admit it. Aren't you the least bit embarassed by your candidate and his VP choice?
Mavericks don't support a president like Bush with 95% of their senate votes
Lies and then when called on it Lies again
How many houses again?
Alaska = 20% of US oil production - AS IF
Palin foreign policy experience = 1. Lying about going into Iraq, 2. Can see Russia from Alaska, and 3. Just got my passport!!
Palin abstinence, no real sex-ed, no condoms results in??
Palin uses office for vendettas
Earmarks to the tune of over $300M, but: "I'm a reformer"
You can't see McCain through all the lobbyists on his staff, but yet he tries to co-opt the Obama "Change mantra".
Transparency in Government Yeah right, directs subordinates and Palin's husband to refuse subpoenas (just like Cheney/Bush/Rove). Like to see one of you repubs try that on a personal level.
Do you really want to hear Palin's harpy-like voice for 4 years? Like nails on a chalkboard or chewing on tinfoil. Do we really want to hear about her husband's affair?
Palin thinks rape victims should pay for their own rape evidence kits. Her state leads the nation in rape/incest. That's it: rape the poor in Alaska and get away scot-free!
CHURCH<---------------------------->STATE, not CSHTUARTCEH. Do you people even know who Thomas Jefferson is?? Oh, that's right, you wipe your ass with the US Constitution and Bill of Rights (except for Arming Bears that is).
THANKS, but NO THANKS
Who looks more presidential now? Who is calmly searching for answers to the Wall St. / Banking crisis? Who is using it as an excuse to fear-monger, suspend campaigning and duck a debate he is SURE to lose?
Why can't Sarah answer questions, or be interviewed?
Postpone Debates? I want a president that can multi-task. I also want someone to ask him the hard questions. So far he and Palin only show up for softball interviews.
You still think Trickle Down economics works? Your conservative deregulation allowed the richest to game the system to the tune of over $700Billion. What have they done for you except find loopholes and avoid taxes. Where are the jobs? How is your salary keeping up with inflation? How bout them gasoline prices? WHAT DOES IT TAKE FOR you to realize you are voting against your own best interest (unless you are a millionaire) when you vote Republican?
-------
Not stopping here:
Keating Five (whats that you say? ) take a couple of minutes and watch this:
Define war HERO for me. Just going to war does not a HERO make. Crashing five planes, getting captured, getting treated better than other prisoners because your dad is an Admiral and the VC think you are royalty, these don't make me think of hero. A hero jumps on a grenade to save his buddy, a hero carries his buddy through a minefield to safety. Graduated at the bottom of his class at the US Naval Academy, daddy got him into flight school.
For 23 combat missions (an estimated 20 hours over enemy territory), the U.S. Navy awarded McCain a Silver Star, a Legion of Merit for Valor, a Distinguished Flying Cross, three Bronze Stars, two Commendation medals plus two Purple Hearts and a dozen service medals.
"McCain had roughly 20 hours in combat," explains Bill Bell, a veteran of Vietnam and former chief of the U.S. Office for POW/MIA Affairs -- the first official U.S. representative in Vietnam since the 1973 fall of Saigon. "Since McCain got 28 medals," Bell continues, "that equals out to about a medal-and-a-half for each hour he spent in combat. There were infantry guys -- grunts on the ground -- who had more than 7,000 hours in combat and I can tell you that there were times and situations where I'm sure a prison cell would have looked pretty good to them by comparison. The question really is how many guys got that number of medals for not being shot down."
In case you missed it, Jeffrey Klein at HuffPo had an interesting piece on McCain’s refusal to release his service records, a piece which also mentioned the Senator’s poor showing at Annapolis, his curious assignment to the prestigious service of naval aviator, and his 5 plane crashes. The article concludes: “It wouldn’t be surprising if his naval superiors worried that McCain was just too defiant, too reckless and too crash prone. . . ”
Recently, McSame joined McBush in beating the off-shore oil drilling drum, and an article in the Miami Herald points out that the ramifications of this position in a key battleground state may have been a tad reckless as well:
John McCain’s support for offshore drilling could hurt his prospects in the nation’s largest battleground state, where voters have long favored safeguarding the economically and environmentally precious coastline.
Several high-profile Florida Republicans in Tallahassee and Washington broke with their party’s presumptive presidential nominee. Two of McCain’s chief supporters, U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez and Gov. Charlie Crist, this week dropped their opposition to lifting the ban on offshore drilling in favor of limited drilling, presumably far off the coast.
Ray Sansom, the incoming leader of the Florida House, told reporters in Tallahassee he opposes drilling. Another GOP leader challenged McCain’s assertion drilling would increase oil supply and lower gas prices.
”For anyone to represent that someone drilling off the coast in Florida is going to lower gas prices here or anywhere in this country is disingenuous and a flawed argument,” said Republican House Speaker Marco Rubio, who added that he supports drilling off Florida’s coast if it can be done safely.
Of course, the precise argument McCain and Bush are making is that drilling off the coast in Florida is going to lower gas prices.
As much as Wingnuttia tries to fabricate the meme that Obama is gaffe prone, McCain has the demonstrated ability to crash his plane into the ground all by himself, and to do so repeatedly.
Oh, and by the way: JESUS WAS A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER! (he was most likely black too-at the very least he was brown.)
Only the stupid, stubborn, or bigoted are voting for McCain, which one are you? (Some of you hit the trifecta and should be deported). By the way: Patriots, by definition, DO NOT LIKE or TRUST their GOVERNMENT. Stop co-opting the term. What you call a Patriot is actually a Nationalist- look it up.
As the meltdown on Wall Street continues, American voters would do well to regard John McCain and his Republican Party with suspicion when it comes to the resuscitating the economy. McCain’s acknowledged ignorance on economic issues, happy talk about strong “fundamentals,” ties to lobbyists and disturbing involvement in the 1980’s savings and loan disaster aren’t the only reasons voters should flock to Barack Obama for solutions to the mushrooming financial crisis. As history has proven time and again, Wall Street and the economy overall simply do better under Democratic presidents.
Obama will only increase taxes for the top 1% of incomes; and this isn't really an increase: he's simply going to let the Bush tax cuts expire
Please E-mail your friends and family about ObamaTaxCut.com so that they can learn about what Obama's tax policies mean for them. All numbers are from the independent, non-partisan Tax Policy Center. Obviously, you'll note that filling out your taxes is a lot more complicated than just listing your income, filing status, and number of children -- these are estimates based upon the stated policies of the candidates and average deductions claimed by folks in similar economic conditions. Luckily, Obama promises to simplify the filing process. The number reported above is the estimated difference between income taxes paid under current law and the taxes under the Obama plan.
ObamaTaxCut.com is a project of AlchemyToday.com and has no relation to the Obama campaign or any other organization whatsoever.
John McCain has made much of how he was correct about the Surge in Iraq when his opponent was saying it wouldn’t work. Barack Obama has been moving gradually further towards McCain’s position, propelled there by a narrative that questions his original judgement in the face of drastic cuts in Iraqi violence which have popularly been ascribed to the Surge. He’s now at the point of saying it “succeeded beyond our wildest dreams.”
But how close to reality are McCain and Obama’s positions? Well, for a start it’s unclear that it’s actually the Surge that has been instrumental in lowering Iraqi violence (to parity with some of the world’s bloodiest conflicts instead of being in a class of its own). The Sunni Awakening and a ceasefire by the Shiite Sadrist movement must also take a large part of the credit and, despite McCain’s attempt at rewriting history, both pre-dated the Surge. Indeed, even General Petraeus admits the possibility that, due to these entirely local developments, violence in Iraq might have fallen just as much even without the Surge.
Paying the Awakening movement some $30 million a month to not attack US troops wasn’t originally a part of the Surge plan that McCain backed and it’s unlikely he would have supported such a move in any case. John McCain has made much of Barack Obama’s supposed wish for “appeasement” of terrorists in negotiating with Iran or Hamas - how much worse is it then to bring terrorists onto the payroll? Many of the Awakening’s so-called Sons of Iraq were previously members of the insurgency.
John Amato: McCain wants us to forget that if he wins the election—America will be controlled by the Republicans for four more years that have produced such disastrous results. And the media will only help make this election about personalities instead of issues and then use Palin to distract us from those issues.
Listening to McCain, you’d think it was the Democrats who occupied the White House the last seven-plus years and it was time to throw the bastards out.
Given that 82 percent of voters believe we are heading in the wrong direction, it’s a logical position to take. But for the American people to buy into the notion that McCain, who has raced to Bush’s side on tax cuts, on offshore drilling — even on torture — is this campaign’s agent of change, it’s going to require an incredible suspension of disbelief. Or a serious case of amnesia.
And this is clearly McCain’s campaign strategy: inducing amnesia about the past and confusion about the future, attempting to hoodwink the American people about what he has become. Which is where Sarah Palin comes in. As a major distraction. In the effort to divert attention from the matter at hand — McCain’s embrace of all things Bush — Palin is the perfect storm…read on
The task of visualizing early Washington DC has proven to be more challenging than anticipated. Technology is not the problem; the problem is lack of reliable historical evidence. The IRC has worked with architectural historians, cartographers, engineers, and ecologists to assess the often-unreliable eyewitness accounts and to recreate a "best guess" glimpse of the early city. The project and research are ongoing.
John McCain has made much of how he was correct about the Surge in Iraq when his opponent was saying it wouldn’t work. Barack Obama has been moving gradually further towards McCain’s position, propelled there by a narrative that questions his original judgement in the face of drastic cuts in Iraqi violence which have popularly been ascribed to the Surge. He’s now at the point of saying it “succeeded beyond our wildest dreams.” 
Jon finds some eerie similarities between John McCain’s convention speech and the one given by George W. Bush eight years ago.
