Friday Open Thread

Not for nothing but must be noted. Goldman in loaded with left wing supporters, and all the former honchos now in government are big lefty’s: Paulson, Corzine etc.,

Had Goldman been led by moderates or conservatives, it would have been left to die.

Top down works only when it fuels companies that create jobs. At Goldman, it only kept the scumbags in the manner they are accustomed to stealing.

For example, you cut taxes or raise depreciation allowances so that a business can hire more people and buy more equipment. That is a good example of Top Down. More people have jobs… they spend money, economy turns.

Goldman is just an example of high profit zero job growth government support.

I didn’t think the video in the previos story was a scare tactic just a good part of the tea party efforts:

I wouldn’t mind marching to Washington.

Get your own 401k……………

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeYscnFpEyA&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Face%2Emu%2Enu%2F&feature=player_embedded

and the suckling on the dead cow nip was hilarous

#2 michelina

What! Is that going to be yet another Reagan meme resurrected by Zerobama!

Thanks…I will keep an eye out for its inevitable repetition.

=======
#5
no1what, no offense, since I only peeked at the first 3 seconds, I have no idea where the dress-up video was going. It’s a personal distaste. Youtube is great for entertainment value and for making sure news clips get wider coverage, but I prefer to read about subjects of substance.

It’s faster, more informative, and has an actual source.

Zee: I see, your a low level terrorist, if your protesting
“violently”——don’t see many of those, unless your the likes
of BILL AYERS—–OOPS, forgot,

one of Obama’s pals——Wonder why he’s not screaming at the
top of his lungs about ALL THIS WAR !!!

For the many posters below who commented on Jimmy Carter’s resigning from his church in protest of the subjugation of women, there is an interesting conversation about it going on over at the Tennessee Guerilla Women site (link in the PUMApac blogroll). Whoever said the story had a “deja vu” vibe was correct.

This wasn’t the first time Carter’s resigned from his church…but it’s a long complicated split between two branches of the church. This was the “moderate” branch of the Baptist church. He previously left the more fundamental branch.

What’s interesting is that the hardliner branch had racist views, but it took ten years in the “moderate” branch to notice the sexist views!

What a surprise, huh?

But however overdue this is, and however a baby step, and however ridiculous it will be if Carter’s pronouncement leads to the “discovery” of gender apartheid because a man has finally said it, it’s indeed a milestone.

My guess? The Patriarchy will ignore it. And no other men will step forward to also denounce the subjugation of women.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I HAVE been a practising Christian all my life
————-
isn’t “practicing” spelled with a ‘c’, not an ’s’, in american english?

don’t worry, I didn’t miss the forest for the spelling.

Re: Carter and “The Elders”

I forgot to tell you to roll your mouse over the pics at the top to see who they are and their individual quote on their roles.

Here is their statement on “Women and Girls re religion

http://www.theelders.org/womens-initiatives

Here’s what India is doing:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6710764.ece

VT: this is all confusing to me:

1.2 billion people, and they have no records??

OKAY, but the drivers license should be good enough,
and universal—-what makes this other ID so special??

doesn’t sound right—–

The video page on “The Elders” and the “Quotes” underneath them:

http://www.theelders.org/media/videos

” Machel and Cardoso: Education is the foundation for women’s equality
26 Jun 2009 ”

” Lakhdar Brahimi: If your wife is your equal then you and your family will only gain
26 Jun 2009″

” Machel and Robinson: Women refuse to be victims of conflict; they are actors for change
26 Jun 2009″

” Mary Robinson: Catholicism and tradition subjugate women to ’second class’ status
26 Jun 2009″

” Lakhdar Brahimi: Economic prosperity cannot be realised until women’s rights are recognised
26 Jun 2009″

” Gro Brundtland: If men were dying at terrible this rate, more would have happened earlier
26 Jun 2009″

“obinson and Brahimi: Perpetrators of violence dominate peace talks at the expense of women
26 Jun 2009″

” Lakhdar Brahimi: I know what discrimination is. My sister is 72; she is now learning to read
26 Jun 2009″

” Graça Machel: Traditional practices put women in positions of inferiority
26 Jun 2009″

“Jimmy Carter: Religion is one of the ‘basic causes’ of violations of women’s rights
26 Jun 2009″

“Aung San Suu Kyi is an honorary Elder. As she is unable to take an active role in the group because of her ongoing detention in Burma/Myanmar, The Elders place an empty chair for her at their meetings.”

—
(OK. Just thought it was a nice collection of quotes on advocacy for woman’s rights. Not promoting, endorsing, Jimmy Carter, Religion, The Elder’s, Democrats, The United Nations or any other mainstream, predominately heterosexual has-been whatevers…)

Thanks VT, we’re just talking about Countries,
I know NOTHING about with all of this,

I gotta do some reading on it, I don’t know why
it confuses me so—–HOW much FRIKEN ID do you
need.

I doubt it will replace the birth certificate, or
the driver’s license—–maybe just maybe,
A PASSPORT.

Michelina, the point I think the CATO article is trying to make is that they are attempting to circumvent the political ramifications (the Australians took to the street in the 80’s when their government pushed the issue) of requiring a “federal” ID by pressuring the states into issuing the equivalent in the form of “conforming” drivers’ licenses.

” Lakhdar Brahimi: I know what discrimination is. My sister is 72; she is now learning to read. 26 Jun 2009″
—————–
!! Never give up!!

28 HP : heh! Yeah, that’s the best quote yet!

====

scarlet, it looks as if the US Treasury scrapped the plan to hire a cartoonist to lift the spirit of its workers:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_treasury_cartoonist

I still am wistful over this one. I would love for there to be more jobs for artists.

The Boston Globe used to have a poet who wrote daily verses to spoof the news of the day. (I’m not sure if the Nation still employs a poet but they used to.)

In Cuba they hire readers to read novels to workers as they roll cigars.

In Columbia one politician came up with the brilliant idea to hire mimes for a city with a lot of pedestrian deaths. The mimes mocked the dangerous habits of reckless pedestrians and bad drivers and the death rate went down and the problem got a lot of publicity.

The arts can be employed in a multitude of venues!

Now, you would think in this economy, comics and cartoonists would have an uptick in business! But things are bad even for them….

I received a plea for money from the REPUBLICANS!!!
Must have my name b/c I gave Palin/McCain a few bucks(pun).
I sent it back as their postage paid……
Hey Republicans you and the Democrats SUCK!
Stop Obama and I’ll pay ya!
Obama is Bush on steroids!!!

http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2009/07/16/goldman_jpmorgan/

Today’s mail brought a missive from the one whose presidency is more illegitimate than his birth. On the envelope above my address in large letters is this: [My first name], can I count on you?
LMAO
I’ll write ‘Hell no – I’ve been against you from the beginning’ on the statement provided for my contribution, place it in a 4″ x 7″ bubble-cushioned envelope along with one very real Lipton tea bag (Lipton because it’s enclosed within its own little envelope) and trot down to the post office. For $.88 (large envelope rate) it will arrive at the DNC – make that ONC which still indicates a Washington DC address which is, assuredly, for appearances’ sake.
By now I’ve sent about 8 such contributions, most often to DCCC. The fact that I am still receiving solicitations from the Party against the people makes it perfectly clear that they have still not gotten my message. However, the postal clerks know!

Zee , I like that!

theamericanway 07.17.09 at 6:05 pm

————————–
Wednesday huh..I think I will go to bed early…I am very proud of my record of having NEVER listened to any thing that sackofboivlatedshithead mutters!

“Those who are betting against this happening this year are badly mistaken,” he said. “It will happen this year.”

———————————–
Oh yeah you have been threatened by the thug in the WH, be very afraid!

An influential group of Senate moderates, however, broke with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and President Obama by releasing a letter urging a slower timetable.

———————————
A ray of hope……..some definite change……or a note to follow DOUGH?

House bill HR1018 to protect wild mustangs and burros on federal land that I wrote about on the previous thread passed the House today by a wide margin, but is expected to run into possible problems in the Senate.
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/31968450/ns/us_news-environment/

O’S BROKEN PROMISES
HEALTH BILLS V. PREZ’S WORDS
(from the NY Post)
By BETSY MCCAUGHEY
Last updated: 1:04 am
July 17, 2009
Posted: 1:00 am
July 17, 2009

PRESIDENT Obama promises that “if you like your health plan, you can keep it,” even after he reforms our health-care system. That’s untrue. The bills now before Congress would force you to switch to a managed-care plan with limits on your access to specialists and tests.

Two main bills are being rushed through Congress with the goal of combining them into a finished product by August. Under either, a new government bureaucracy will select health plans that it considers in your best interest, and you will have to enroll in one of these “qualified plans.” If you now get your plan through work, your employer has a five-year “grace period” to switch you into a qualified plan. If you buy your own insurance, you’ll have less time.

And as soon as anything changes in your contract — such as a change in copays or deductibles, which many insurers change every year — you’ll have to move into a qualified plan instead (House bill, p. 16-17).

When you file your taxes, if you can’t prove to the IRS that you are in a qualified plan, you’ll be fined thousands of dollars — as much as the average cost of a health plan for your family size — and then automatically enrolled in a randomly selected plan (House bill, p. 167-168).

It’s one thing to require that people getting government assistance tolerate managed care, but the legislation limits you to a managed-care plan even if you and your employer are footing the bill (Senate bill, p. 57-58). The goal is to reduce everyone’s consumption of health care and to ensure that people have the same health-care experience, regardless of ability to pay.

Nowhere does the legislation say how much health plans will cost, but a family of four is eligible for some government assistance until their household income reaches $88,000 (House bill, p. 137). If you earn more than that, you’ll have to pay the cost no matter how high it goes.

The price tag for this legislation is a whopping $1.04 trillion to $1.6 trillion (Congressional Budget Office estimates). Half of the tab comes from tax increases on individuals earning $280,000 or more, and these new taxes will double in 2012 unless savings exceed predicted costs (House bill, p. 199). The rest of the cost is paid for by cutting seniors’ health benefits under Medicare.

There’s plenty of waste in Medicare, but the Congressional Budget Office estimates only 1 percent of the savings under the legislation will be from curbing waste, fraud and abuse. That means the rest will likely come from reducing what patients get.

One troubling provision of the House bill compels seniors to submit to a counseling session every five years (and more often if they become sick or go into a nursing home) about alternatives for end-of-life care (House bill, p. 425-430). The sessions cover highly sensitive matters such as whether to receive antibiotics and “the use of artificially administered nutrition and hydration.”

This mandate invites abuse, and seniors could easily be pushed to refuse care. Do we really want government involved in such deeply personal issues?

Shockingly, only a portion of the money accumulated from slashing senior benefits and raising taxes goes to pay for covering the uninsured. The Senate bill allocates huge sums to “community transformation grants,” home visits for expectant families, services for migrant workers — and the creation of dozens of new government councils, programs and advisory boards slipped into the last 500 pages.

The most recent ABC News/Washington Post poll (June 21) finds that 83 percent of Americans are very satisfied or somewhat satisfied with the quality of their health care, and 81 percent are similarly satisfied with their health insurance.

They have good reason to be. If you’re diagnosed with cancer, you have a better chance of surviving it in the United States than anywhere else, according to the Concord Five Continent Study. And the World Health Organization ranked the United States No. 1 out of 191 countries for being responsive to patients’ needs, including providing timely treatments and a choice of doctors.

Congress should pursue less radical ways to cover the uninsured. We have too much to lose with this legislation.

Betsy McCaughey is founder of the Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths and a former lieutenant governor of New York. betsy@hospitalinfection.org

Luckyseven 07.17.09 at 7:05 pm
Yes, Mr. Boehner heard from me this morning after I listened to his ridiculous speech on the House floor in support of the cattle industry and their abuse of federal land to graze their ‘product’ on land that I pay for with my taxes. The argument against it is so stupid that the bill passed overwhelmingly and is expected to cost the taxpayer a whopping $1.67. I reminded him that taxpayers are getting fed up with Obama and the dem congress, but if he wants to have any hope of taking back Congress, repubs have got to stop selling out everyone and everything for big business.

WBD
Someone on the blog named the nutter who brings up that res ever year…
sorry, no link, no more info.

wontbackdown 07.17.09 at 7:32 pm
I’ll try, but I only have the c-span channel that covers the House so I can’t keep up with what the Senate is doing. I’ll check online periodically and try to keep tabs on the bill. This bill is pushback against the gutting of the laws protecting these horses done by the Bush administration over the past 8 years.

wontbackdown
I meant to tell you that I liked the disclaimer you posted above. I need to memorize the gist of it and keep it handy for future use.

‘(OK. Just thought it was a nice collection of quotes on advocacy for woman’s rights. Not promoting, endorsing, Jimmy Carter, Religion, The Elder’s, Democrats, The United Nations or any other mainstream, predominately heterosexual has-been whatevers…)’

BigCatLover 07.17.09 at 7:55 pm :

“I meant to tell you that I liked the disclaimer you posted…”
—
Thanks! Use it anytime.

(It’s the short version, the long one would take a whole thread… )

wontbackdown
Thanks and thanks.

Legendary CBS anchor Walter Cronkite dies at 92

“CBS vice president Linda Mason says Cronkite died at 7:42 p.m. Friday with his family by his side at his home in New York after a long illness.”

I liked Mr. Cronkite’s delivery of the news. I can still smell dinner and hear the intro and voice, as a kid.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_obit_walter_cronkite

I got to meet Walter Cronkite – Oh – 20 years ago – at a cocktail party. I’m nobody, but he was so gracious. He had just put out a “coffe table” book, with an artist named Ray Ellis. Walter wrote about sailing and Ray did the artwork. We chatted about the book.

Read the study to determine the different way adolescent boys and girls interact socially and it reached the possible reason why they react differently:

Perhaps it’s evidence that evolution has programmed boys to compete within large groups, so they can learn to eliminate rivals for women — and that girls have been programmed to judge, one-on-one, who would be the most protective father for offspring.

I think they need to consider that it is society that has programmed their responses,not evolution.

BCL I tend to agree with you. That’s one reason I said I wasn’t sure how much I agreed with it, but it was still interesting.

Received this from Barbara Boxer today on Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention passed in Senate. They still need help to get this signed by BO:

Dear Friend,

Just before midnight Thursday, the Senate finally passed the
Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act as an amendment to
the defense authorization bill. This legislation is long
overdue, and now we’re finally on the verge of getting it signed
into law.

But our right-wing opponents are going to launch a last-ditch
effort to try to stop us. So we can’t stop fighting until the
bill is sent to President Obama’s desk for his signature.

Please stand with Senator Boxer and me and show your support,
right now — so Senator Boxer can share our support with her
colleagues on Capitol Hill.

Sign this important petition now:

http://ga6.org/campaign/stophatecrimes?source=hatecrimestaf

Prowl for Palin?

Have I mentioned lately what I think about the foul, corrupt, incompetent thug in the White House? Have I mentioned what I think of his methods for “winning” elections? Have I mentioned lately what I think of hatred spouted at women? Have I mentioned lately what I think of harassment and misogyny directed at women politicians and what I think should be done about it?

Well, instead of me getting into all that, how about a prowl over the 20th nuisance ethics charge filed against Palin?

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,533020,00.html

From CalculatedRisk:

Bank Failures #56 & #57:
Temecula Valley Bank, Temecula, CA and Vineyard Bank, Rancho Cucamonga, CA

http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2009/07/bank-failures-56-57-temecula-valley.html

http://www.end22.com/

Repeal the 22nd Amendment

goofsmom 07.17.09 at 11:05 pm

What sad news today… Rest in Peace Walter Cronkite…

((((goofsmom))))

RememberNovember 07.17.09 at 10:15 pm

WBD, Dances et al. No not debunked – it’s for real. His name is Serrano

H.J.RES.5
—-

It sounded to me like Dances was saying that there was some iffy thing about it being filed. I don’t know.

Surely, if it becomes a real threat, we’ll get news on it?

It’s surely not something that could be passed through while, or in, all of this other crap is going on?

It would amend the Constitution, is my understanding, and that’s a big deal and would surely be a big fight and highly publicized?

Regarding my post #82

…”.it reminds me of the primaries in so many ways”.

I’m not speaking about that particular case….I’m talking about the attacks in general.

…I’m very tired….off to bed

g’night

scarlet #81

This web-site scares the crap out of me. I knew Obama would try to pull a Zelaya on US.

I just read the report on Jimmy Carter’s statement about religion and the oppression of women.
Wow, I have to admitt that Jimmy used to be my hero. I have books signed by him and he was the only president I can remember in my life as being worthy of my respect. Well that was until he started paling around with Hamas and then made the two unforgivable mistakes of first supporting Al Gore for a posible run in 2008 and then supporting Obama.
So much for caring about the fair and just treatment of women. How convienient of you to wait until now when HRC has been marginalized and Sarah Palin has been forced into temporary retreat.
Oh and nice try Jimmy. I remember when you left the SBC the first time, because they decided to focus on the old testiment and Moses instead of the Gospel of Christ. I believe that was at least a decade ago. How many times can you leave the SBC?
One more democrat to write off as a fraud.

Headclunker #77
Keep on mentioning these things.
I SUPPORT YOUR CALL FOR A PROWL on the 20th nuisance ethics charge against Sarah Palin. If this is allowed to go on, no political hopefull without major ties to big industry, illegal foriegn donors or multiple millions of their own money will ever dare to run against The One.
I say we should defend Palin even if some of us do not support her as a posible future candidate for POTUS. What has been done to her is a disgrace and illustrates the travesty of democracy that was the 2008 election.

I’ll always support prowls on behalf of Sarah. Here’s another one urgently required – oh the shamelessness of Cruella:

Nancy Pelosi claims the House’s health care plan has the “support of the American people.” To comment on this video ….

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2009/07/17/pelosi_on_health_care_we_have_the_support_of_the_american_people.html

Suggested prowl would be directed toward … who??
The courts? Those who initiate the suits? Letters commiserating with governor palin?
Who gets to decide which complaints are “nuisance” complaints? Does it depend on how one feels about the target of the suits, or would teh prowls be unbiased? Should we also Prowl against those who are bringing suits against obama and the birth certificate issues?

Juliette 07.18.09 at 1:03 am

I just read the report on Jimmy Carter’s statement about religion and the oppression of women.

———————————————
Better late than never! Jimmy at least has one thing right.

#81 Scarlet

hahaha! They’ll never repeal the 22nd amendment while Bill Clinton is alive.

Hillary could run with Bill as VP. Too funny.

Zee re:#102

because some haters hate other haters more than they hate some other haters?

bydesign001
Yesterday (or the day before) the nycrimes reported on the slowdown showdown.

Zee 07.18.09 at 10:28 am
#80 scarlet…
omg. yes, indeed, a problem. Why in hell did they attach the hate crime bill to a defense budget bill?!
—————–
Because obama will be forced into vetoing the bill that includes the f-22 (?) fighter jet, which obama opposes.
The bill will be sent back to be rewritten. Quid pro quo.

Heh, I read the thread backwards for a change. To all those worried or not worried about the repeal of 22, it is something that comes up all the time.

Given Zero’s plummeting approval, I doubt it will gain much steam…

END22.com isn’t about principle, it’s about obama. If HRC was our President (as she should be instead of the fraud-cheat-sakashit), you can bet end22 wouldn’t exist.

http://audio.cygnusradio.com:8000/cyg1_hi.m3u

oops that is the listen link

The one thing that Jimmy Carter got right was his statement:

“I have always felt very deeply that the ultimate interpreter of the scripture is Jesus Christ.”

Saying that he is losing his religion has only served to confuse many. Jimmy Carter has not become an atheist, although you will see his statements proudly posted at many atheist web-sites.
I just think that his timing is shameful, and tainted with opportunism. The new liberal dems constantly make excuses for Islam by trying to draw parallels between it and Christianity or Judaism. I would think that Carter who has been to many more Muslim nations than I have, would be a little more concerned with women who are being stoned to death then women who cannot become baptist ministers. Why did it take him so long to object to his church’s stance on women anyway? Possibly because of recent articles which contain words like Hillary, take off your Burka or referring to HRC as Obama’s other wife. He knows that the dem’s misogyny is beginning to draw attention. This seems like a convienient excuse to redirect attention to his own version of Obama’s apology tour.
I am sorry, and it pains me to be disillusioned by a man I once respected so much. But he is displaying the same characteristics of the other Obamafallators in the democratic party.
If Carter is so concerned with women and their aspirations, perhaps he should lose his party, the dems.