Bart, what about Mike Gravel? I listened to the pod cast of the Diane Rehm Show yesterday. http://wamu.org/programs/dr/07/08/08.php#13288 I find Mike refreshingly honest and sincere. He also has some good ideas that seem to make sense to me. I already know what the MSM think of him, Id like to know what you think of him? FidgetyFeet Spofford, NH
FF, the only thing I know about Mike Gravel is that he's not going to be president. It's hard for a complete unknown to win.
The Carpetbagger Report, August 8, 2007
A couple of weeks ago, actor/senator/lobbyist Fred Thompson, a leading GOP presidential contender despite not having launched a campaign, lost his campaign manager, research director, and spokesperson in the course of a couple of days.
Apparently, he fired his economic advisor, too. In his latest column, Thompson argues that Bush’s economic policies are superior to those of Bill Clinton’s.
Economist Larry Kudlow calls today’s American economy, “the greatest story never told.” If you’re generally predisposed to not support tax cuts and economic growth, you’re probably satisfied that the U.S. economy isn’t bragged on more. But you’d also be out of step with Americans [sic] traditional optimism, and out of step with reality, too…
Since the spring of 2003, the economy has had average growth of over 3%, 8.2 million jobs have been created, and the inflation rate has stayed low. The current unemployment rate, 4.6%, is a full percentage point below what it averaged during the 1990s, and there have been 47 consecutive months (almost four years) of job growth. In the last three years, workers’ salaries have risen by $1.2 trillion, or $8,000 per worker, and consumer confidence recently reached its highest level in almost six years.
People have pointed out that journalists were trumpeting economic statistics during the Clinton administration that were not as good as those we have now, hence the “greatest story never told.” I think they want to play down how well we’ve done with lower tax rates, because it interferes with the ability of their friends in Congress who believe that a virtuous society is one that divides the economic pie, taking more out of taxpayer pockets and letting government do more with those dollars. To them, growing the pie means taxing the people more, which then gives the government more money to transfer to others. But conservatives know better.
Wow. It would be surprising enough for a presidential candidate to say such nonsense out loud, but to put it in print is rather remarkable. Thompson has already developed something of a reputation for having a limited intellect, but writing such tripe is only going to make matters worse.
Paul Krugman, The New York Times, August 10, 2007
In September 1998, the collapse of Long Term Capital Management, a giant hedge fund, led to a meltdown in the financial markets similar, in some ways, to what’s happening now. During the crisis in ’98, I attended a closed-door briefing given by a senior Federal Reserve official, who laid out the grim state of the markets. “What can we do about it?” asked one participant. “Pray,” replied the Fed official.
Our prayers were answered. The Fed coordinated a rescue for L.T.C.M., while Robert Rubin, the Treasury secretary at the time, and Alan Greenspan, who was the Fed chairman, assured investors that everything would be all right. And the panic subsided.
Yesterday, President Bush, showing off his M.B.A. vocabulary, similarly tried to reassure the markets. But Mr. Bush is, let’s say, a bit lacking in credibility. On the other hand, it’s not clear that anyone could do the trick: right now we’re suffering from a serious shortage of saviors. And that’s too bad, because we might need one.
What’s been happening in financial markets over the past few days is something that truly scares monetary economists: liquidity has dried up. That is, markets in stuff that is normally traded all the time — in particular, financial instruments backed by home mortgages — have shut down because there are no buyers.
2. ‘I don’t think there was anyplace in the country, including the federal government, that was as well prepared for that attack as New York City.’
4. ‘Democrats do not understand the terrorist war.’
There’s a beatdown on Judas Maximus,
the conclusion of the exciting Trip Report,
Dem and Fascist debate highlights,
more Jon Stewart,
a semi-beatdown of Jay Leno and
my tribute to Barry Crimmins and more!
A business-friendly (Read: Whore) Supreme Court, with encouragement from Bush,
has strengthened the hand of companies wanting to turn away lawsuits by investors
who claim they lost money because of corporate misconduct.
In the coming year, the court is expected to decide at least one case that
will further determine the course of class-action lawsuits alleging securities
fraud, like the one where investors lost billions in the Enron scandal.
If only Kerry and the Democrats had the brains or the courage to warn
the voters about this. I asked Kerry 1,000 times ti “Use the big hammer”
and explain to the stupid voters why it was wrong to vote for the greedy, super-rich bastards, but Kerry didn’t want to win so he allowed these
sons of bitches to grab power and ruin this once-great country.
At last night’s “Gay debate,” Melissa Etheridge asked him if being gay was genetic or was it a choice, and his answer was, “It’s a choice,” which is the Fascist Republican position.
Trying to save him, Melissa said, “Perhaps you misunderstood the question.
Do you think I was born gay or did I discover I was gay in 7th grade?”
His pitiful answer was, “I’m not a doctor or a scientist.”
Either Bill Richardson is anti-gay rights or he’s not able to understand
a complex issue such as the difference between yes and no.
What’s your opinion?
BartCop Radio show 124 is up and available to subscribers at BartCop.com.
In show 124 Bart goes after another CNN reporter and the owner of the company involved in the latest mining cave-in. Trip reports from the Kathy Griffith and Pretenders concerts road trip, clips from John Stewart, music and more in this episode.
“Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, has assembled an unrivaled operation for the event: a statewide corps of 60 “super-volunteers,” who have been paid between $500 and $1,000 per month to talk him up; a fleet of buses; more than $2 million in television ads in Iowa; a sleek direct-mail campaign; and a consultant who has been paid nearly $200,000 to direct Romney’s straw poll production, which will include barbecue billed as the best in the state.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/09/AR2007080902379_pf.html
Romney is trying to buy his way to the nomination starting with the Iowa straw poll. Problem is he is trying to beat no one as both Guiliani and McCain dropped out of the poll back in June. That leaves the second tier candidates for Romney to rough up. Not much of a victory. Maybe Romney should spend more time deciding what he actually believes in since he seems to change his views on an hourly basis.
“Even if George W. Bush is the most awful American president in modern times, as
many historians believe, and even though he has brought the United States into
unprecedented disrepute around the world, as opinion polls indicate, the bombastic
tone of the candidates seeking to succeed him from his own party raises a disturbing
possibility.
If the next president is a Republican,
this truly bad situation could become still worse.”
“Laura and Jenna Bush are co-writing a children’s book. It’s the tale of a young boy
who does not like to read, but learns in the course of the story just how fun and
beneficial it can really be. Now there are some family values for you: mother and
daughter working together to help out dad.”
–Eric,
Never trust a Republican with Money
Will Bush’s whore media call him a genius when he breaks 13,000 again?
The greedy bankers knew this was coming. As a longtime loan man, I know if a house is worth $300,000 and a customer wants to borrow $400,000 to buy that house, you say,
“We can do the loan, but you’ll need $100K down or no deal.”
But they didn’t do that.
They got greedy and now they have to pay for that greed – dragging us with them.
If this was federally insured money – where were the regulators?
Were they out drinking with the bridge inspectors?
“They call it the American Dream ‘cuz you hafta be asleep to believe it.”
–George Carlin, (Language warning)
http://mediaputz.com/07/08/putz0809.html
“For reporting that is an embarrassment to the profession of journalism, and for
being beholden to corporate paymasters rather than the citizens of America. There is
no more deserving role model of the demagoguery at the heart of the right-wing media
echo chamber than the porcine, illegal pill popping, Vietnam draft-dodging (due to a
claimed anal cyst — how appropriate), thrice-married Rush Limbaugh.
Toss in a heavy dollop of racism, misogyny, and xenophobia, along with a streak of
hedonism (don’t forget his Viagra, condom-laden trip to the Dominican Republic where
he sought sex with your pick of men, women, or children) – and you have the ideal
role model for Republican hypocrisy.”
Bart,
Besides having lived in the Bay Area for about 17 yrs
and seeing this jerk in interviews….
Besides the OBVIOUS that he’s a user – likely of human
growth hormone that they don’t seem to have a test for
(as far as I can find out)…
Besides the living proof when you look at his size and
age so it’s a big DUH…
Elizabeth
Bart’s Reply:
If I was gambling, I’d bet he was on the juice,
but my instincts and the facts can be different.
Got proof? Without it, he should get the praise
and the record and the crown in the Hall of Fame.
Bart Dude:
This article http://kurtnimmo.com/?p=950
seems to confirm my own suspicions, that DKos is another ‘gatekeeper’
operation – like Rush – “This is the edge of debate, and no further,
unless you want to get called a wingnut”.
Aren’t you a bit puzzled that Bill Orally gave him mucho free publicity, even if
only to ‘slam’ him, which can ONLY increase traffic from the now-curious ??
Daily Kos “Safe when used as directed” ??
Tod
Bart’s reply:
I don’t know enough about Kos or his page to have an opinion,
but I’m always suspicious of millionaire former Republicans
who tell Democrats to vote against the Democrat most likely to win.
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