News I Rarely Hear on TV * Open Thread
By SusanUnPC on February 5, 2009 at 3:05 PM in American Consumers, Economic Stimulus, Economy, Florida, Minnesota, Open Thread, Supreme Court, Unemployment, Veterans Administration, stimulus tax package
Everyone has been e-mailing me about this video. Senator Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.) takes President Obama out to the woodshed, and accuses the president of being “AWOL on leadership,” a point I was making in my story last night, “Is Barack Obama on the Precipice of Becoming Jimmy Carter?“:
WOW! Someone with some common sense! “Scaring people is not leadership.” RIght on, Lindsay! Right on!
I just wish there were MORE MEAT like this, by an intelligent and thoughtful guest, than the filler that passes for news but is NOT news. I’m also bored stiff by the repetitiveness of TV cable news. I try to watch some so I know what they’re emphasizing but I always end up turning to NPR or BBC World News. Today, CNNMSNBCFNN have got the tapes of the plane that landed in the Hudson, and they’ll be playing that every hour, all day and all evening long. It’s perfect fare, because it’s the kind of news that does ALL work for them. It requires no reporters, no investigation, and very little analysis; the networks just toss it up on the screen and let the watchers watch.
But you’re probably like me, and you want MORE actual news, so here’s some of what I’ve found today:
*** Sad news: “U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg had surgery today for pancreatic cancer.” (Via CNN’s breaking news e-mail)
*** “Deluge Is Holding Up Benefits to Unemployed
Decline in Funding Forces Staff Cuts as Claims Swell:
Thousands of people in the Washington area and hundreds of thousands more across the country are waiting longer than they should for unemployment benefits at a time when they need the money the most because rising joblessness is overwhelming claims offices, records show.
The problem is compounded by a simultaneous decrease in federal funding, which has reduced staffing at some local government offices. The result is that the District and many states, including Maryland and Virginia, are failing to meet federal guidelines that require timely processing of unemployment claims. …
It’s likely to get worse. …
*** Eric Shinseki, the brave general who told the truth to Donald Rumsfeld and ended up with his career ruined, is ON THE JOB as Secretary of the Veterans Administration.
According to the WSJ, he’s beginning with a careful analysis which, from all the stories we’ve heard about chaos and inefficiency at the VA, sounds like a plan: He is “launching a top-down review of his embattled department, saying major change is needed soon to ensure the “highest levels of integrity, transparency and performance.” More snippets:
“Our veterans deserve and demand a Department of Veterans Affairs that remains relevant over time, that is responsive to their individual and changing needs, and that cares enough about them to undertake this challenging transformation. We care,” Mr. Shinseki said in testimony prepared for a House Veterans Affairs Committee hearing Wednesday.
… Thousands of veterans currently endure six-month waits for disability benefits, and the VA is scrambling to upgrade government technology systems before new legislation providing for millions of dollars in new GI benefits takes effect in August.
In recent weeks, the Government Accountability Office found that the VA was still lowballing budget estimates to Congress at the expense of tens of thousands of patients needing long-term health care. The VA also acknowledged at least nine cases of giving incorrect doses of drugs — mostly blood-thinning heparin — due to widespread computer glitches that it didn’t disclose to patients. …
*** Ken Rudin, the political blogger for NPR, has a fascinating report on the race to succeed Florida’s retiring senator, Mel Martinez, and also on the future of Minnesota’s Norm Coleman:
FLORIDA:
[...]
Jeb Bush had frozen the GOP field while he was considering the race. Now it’s Charlie Crist’s turn. The popular governor said he would sit down with his new wife and discuss it after the legislative session, which ends in May. Crist, like Bush, could probably have the nomination if he wants it. He is barred from seeking a third term in 2010. Way back in 1998, Crist was the GOP Senate nominee against Democratic incumbent Bob Graham and got clobbered by nearly a million votes. But that was a long time ago.
[...]
The latest news has former Sen. Bob Smith (R) thinking about running. That’s former Sen. Bob Smith of New Hampshire. Smith, who moved to the Sunshine State to sell real estate since losing his seat to Sununu in the 2002 primary, has sent out an email trying to gauge his support.
MINNESOTA:
[...]
After a hand recount of 2.9 million voters, Al Franken, the Democratic challenger, has a lead of 225 votes. For the longest time, the assumption (here at least) was that it’s just a matter of time before Franken is sworn in. But not so fast. On Tuesday, a three-judge panel of the state Supreme Court agreed to review 4,797 previously rejected absentee ballots. This was in response to a motion made by Coleman, who actually wanted the judges to review about 11,000 votes; Franken wanted the scope to be limited to 771 rejected
So the review of nearly 5,000 ballots has begun. Just because they are being looked at does not necessarily mean Coleman will prevail. There’s no telling how many of the ballots will be reinstated, and it’s quite possible that Franken could get a healthy portion of them. And, if after this process Coleman moves into the lead, we know that Franken will come up with his own list of ballots he wants reviewed.
We may not know who won the election until March. At the earliest.
[...]
So: What else is going on in the big bad world?
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Graham is the man of the hour.
Agreed, beebop. Thanks, Susan for posting this. I did not feel Graham was rabble rousing but was honestly trying to figure out a solution here and is asking for EVERYONE to really put their heads together.
I am grateful he made this statement — it needed to be said:
Sen. Graham also rightly pointed out (without mentioning Bush by name infortunately) that we have already been scared into making bad decisions and do not need to continue this trend.
Exactly, it needed to be said. I was impressed with his whole statement as well.
It seemed geniune in it’s intent and respectfully pointed out the failure of this approach in Bush.
Sen. Graham sure was quiet when Bush and Cheney employed scare tactics for eight years. Now he finds his voice…better late than never, but more than a little hypocritical.
Actually, he spoke out against some of Bush’s plans, like the secret spying thing, military tribunals (he’s a former JAG), and torture. I don’t agree with him often, but he comes out with some good ones once in a while.
So, yeah - he did actually speak up. AND he worked well with Clinton, so there’s that…
He sure did! I’ve always respected Sen. Graham. Smart as all get out too — and he has that irreplaceable experience in military justice.
Then there’s South Carolina’s other senator — DeMint. Holy cow. He’s not only against gays being able to teach in public schools, he’s also against SINGLE PARENTS being able to teach in public schools. Homophobe who hates single parents. Go figure.
Yeah - he’s nuts - and homophobic. I hoped that Graham would help to moderate him some, but NO.
You know, if we HAD to have two Republicans in SC, I could have stomached two like Graham. But DeMint? UGH.
Senator Graham and Hillary worked well across party lines and became good friends in the process. He was quite complimentary of Hillary on many occasions during Hillary’s campaign.
He is a man of his word and we could certainly use a few more like him, irrespective of party affiliation.
That’s absolutely incorrect - I live in his state and he was never fond of Bush - endorsed McCain back in 2000 and campaigned for him and spoke out boldly against Bush on several matters along the way - especially GITMO. He is a Republican and of course is going to be more aligned that way - but he has also traveled with Hillary Clinton and has spoken highly of her despite many Repubs who harrass him about it.
I’m speaking of Senator Graham - not Jim DeMint. - Thanks
I second your points. I heard utter frustration in his statement. He didn’t come across as partisan at all, just as someone wanting to do something right for Americans.
I wrote to him to thank him for speaking up so boldly. Everyone is treading much too lightly in front of THAT ONE….
The only Republican “plan” at the moment, was the one offered by Lyndsey Graham’s colleague, DeMint has proposed the “American Option: A Jobs Plan That Works” (sic), which targets its expenditure at permanent tax cuts for corporations and the rich. So that a person on $15,000 would see no benefit from his plan, while someone on $340k would get at $32k tax break.
Overall the package permanently cuts the corporate tax rate, scraps the Alternative Minimum Tax, lowering income tax rates for the wealthiest Americans, and removed tax breaks for those on low incomes designed to help students pay for college, sick families pay medical bills, and teachers purchase supplies for their classrooms
The overall cost of this tax cut for bankers and billionaires; $3.1 trillion. The $500 million cost Fox referred to is the first year cost. So why did Fox not ask Graham about this? Faux - as usual “fair and impartial”. NOT
DeMint has now removed that from his senate site, however it has been downloaded.
While I hear what you are saying… Who might actually create a real job? i.e. not a “busy work” job… but one with a future? The guy who makes 15K a year or the guy who is making 340K a year. Who knows? If the guy took the 32K tax savings and hired a couple of people and started a company that did well… that might be better than giving some lotto ticket money to the 15K guy. Just sayin’.
There’s no evidence that he would use said tax break to hire more people. If they want to help business (for the LONG run, and greater stability), how about a tax break for retained earnings? That way the money actually gets spent on the business. Just sayin’.
Actually the lots of little people on $15k, who would have a lower propensity to save than the person on $340k.
Actually the middle class is hit hardest by Alt Min Tax and winds up being targeted unfairly.
And McCain did not have the decency to support him unequivocally when asked about supporting Graham’s statements.
Oh, look! Solis’ husband had a tax lien that he ignored for 16 years. Another pay(your damn taxes)to play? Sheesh. These people aren’t very patriotic are they Joe?
forgot the link to the article on WashPost
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2009/02/05/solis_senate_session_canceled.html?hpid=topnews
I have less of a problem with what her has paid or didn’t pay than I do with her association with these people … http://www.americanrightsatwork.org
The meme that all executives are cheats and all unions are good is just as dangerous as any other scare tactic at work in this mighty nation.
sorry …. I have less of a problem with what her husband has paid or didn’t pay
Agreed, beebop. As long as we continue this: all good vs all evil, we will never get anywhere. Except bankruptcy.
I’ve had problems with Graham in the past. He spearheaded the witchhunt on the Clintons, which was ridiculous in my mind. But to give him credit, he did back off one of the articles of impeachment [unlike other party members] and later, he held Rumsfield’s feet to the fire.
But on this, he sounds far more reasonable than most Dems. regarding this stinking corpse of a stimulus package. We better start opening our eyes and realize that Barack Obama does not have all the answers. Not even close.
And, I too, Susan, was saddened to hear of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s surgery.
Godspeed!
what is UP with these people. I guess it is true what I heard the other day… Democrats don’t have a problem raising taxes, because they don’t pay them, anyway! haha
Where is the supposed PUMA sexism detector? Gone the way of the PUMA $6 million?
This is about her husband for a tax debt he is paying off. This is not her debt.
Republicans have the ability to offshore not just other peoples jobs, but also their taxes.
16 years ago, their husband owned a crappy little car lot. Gibbs said they aren’t going to hold it against her, but FOX most certainly is.
Why was this not questioned by FAUX?
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/06/28/mccains-home-in-california-about-to-enter-into-tax-default/
When you are married, you share debt (same does not go for infidelity). What’s his is hers, too.
good point. you can’t even get a loan or a credit card if your spouse has bad credit…
Let’s also not forget that this same issue hurt Geraldine Ferraro back when she was running for VP. They had $53k in back federal taxes. Which of course was an oversight and due to an accountant’s error.
Last verse same as the first.
I would not know, Rethugs stop me.
So sexism is bad when you (pretend??) to like the woman, but ok when it relates to someone you do not like.
The bill is $16k, not $160k
what are you talking about?
And where were you when Obama summoned all the women who resigned from the Hispanic Caucus. Into that same leader’s office for a meeting….you know….the Rep who called Rep Sanchez a whore?
That is real sexism…your version hasn’t even played out yet. They haven’t had her hearings.
And it is $6400…not $16K
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2009/02/05/solis_senate_session_canceled.html?hpid=topnews
If you can read …. I said I didn’t care about her husband’s obligations. Just a question … did you think that Hillary’s confirmation was dependant upon Bill’s contributors? hmmmmmmmm?
no shit. she couldn’t get the offer until Bill agreed to disclose all of his donors!
Yup….that was Obama price for the job. The list no one else could manage to get.
And we all know why….lol
Obama needs a cheat sheet for when he has to build his post-presidential foundation.
You notice how UK for Dem has not one response. Hope and Change … yeah, right.
There seems to be a foul stench of rotting kool-aid in the air.
I wonder where it’s coming from?????
From the “ordinary” people, not the prominent ones:-)
It could be a near dead Rethug front, Will Bowyer posted here yesterday blaming PUMA for making him tell lies / mis-truths on Fox.
Nope. It’s you.
Nope it is the smell of hypocrisy from Dirty Rethugs, who fail very badly at pretending to be ex Dems.
Nope. It really is you.
There’s this wonderful saying in therapy (which I highly recommend to you by the way) “If it is always everyone else, it is probably you.”
It’s you. Honest.
Nope. It really is you.
There’s this wonderful saying in therapy (which I highly recommend to you by the way) “If it is always everyone else, it is probably you.”
It’s you. Honest.
Uhh, and it looked as though he conveniently forgot about it for 16 years…and just remembered to pay it because his wife is in the hot seat? This isn’t about sexism, it’s about a two-tier tax system. One for those of us who ACTUALLY pay for our taxes and one for those who work in Washington who doesn’t until they have to, um-kay. UK, it’s okay to see these people for who they are, crooks. You don’t have to do cheers for all the Dems because you love Obozo.
I certainly do not love all Dems nor will I defend them all, however you seem to attack them all because you hate the President.
You deliberately missed the point again, Sparky. Instead of your usual diversionary tangents, kindly answer the charge of the two-tier system in the post to which you responded. It shouldn’t be too hard for someone of your ability at spinning pure cattle flop into a souffle for the nourishment of your fellow travelers.
I’m about stuffed to the gills with spin.
A little sure goes a long way. Were UKelele to whine as much about his country as he does on about ours, he’d be under surveillance.
I never understand why aliens feel the need to blog on American blogs. UKie must be the loneliest sack of turds in the kingdom.
He is but he’d spin that to state that he was just gregariously challenged.
No. A Senator from the Party you now support did. Hillary was many many times stronger than some dirty Rethug.
I don’t support a party any more. I support truthfulness. Honesty. Regardless of party. And I certainly am not buying any story from someone just because they say their a Democrat(sic).
just because they say
theirthey’re a Democrat(sic).16 tax liens wasnt it?
Senator Graham lifted my heart when I heard this today. Same with Senator McCain on Greta last night.
Hard to watch what we lost in this last election…not to mention what a time we’d have had with Sarah going after the crooks. Instead we have to put up with bird brain Biden. Sorry. It’s still a bummer for me.
Not to mention that Alaska is doing well budget wise. Her state has one of the best budgets in the Country if I’m not mistaken. We could have had that! Nope. the American voters decided that it was a popularity contest, not a proven leadership contest.
SIGH!
Um, no.
http://www.adn.com/news/government/legislature/story/678110.html
fortunately they have “savings” and oil revenue so if you read the entire article … which I know you did
you will find out that Alaska is not cutting anything. And please. Feel free to come here with news of any other state in the union able to do that. Now run along.
They also use pretty much Marxist taxation policies, which could not be applied nationwide ever.
The Alaskan Constitution believes in collective wealth. Article VIII, Section 2 holds that the resource of the state will be utilized, developed and conserved for the “… maximum benefit of its people.” This precept of public management of benefit is precisely what saves Alaska from cuts, the State was able to “share the wealth” with the oil companies, which helped build reserves. A complete reversal of the situation in Texas, where they are in defict as the wealth is shared with Texan Billionaires (made richer n illegal oil war) and the Oil companies. Sarah Palin managing the Marxist collective ownership of state resources guarantees low taxes and high revenues, not to mention a Permanent Fund dividend program, another socialist scheme that gave each Alaskan over $2,000 in 2008.
Wrong, bucko. In a socialism or, better, a Marxist system, the workers control the means of production. Even if one were to concede that the people of Alaska were workers for the state, they still do not control the means of production. That means it is not socialism, at least in the way Marx envisioned it. So you are wrong on tow counts.
Barfly and Beebot, what simple sad Republicans you are. Palin is not a Marxist, she is just the worst pick for VP candidate, in US history.
The Workers, are “the people”. The State of Alaska, by its Constitution owns all natural resources on behalf of its residents. Typical of Marxist States. Oil Companies must pay to use those resources.
I guess the Alaskan Daily News must be liars as well.
http://www.adn.com/opinion/comment/story/581484.html
The Alaska Daily News is not the subject matter expert on Marxism, fool. You really need to get your information directly from the source.
You are ignorant of that which you are droning on and on about. What Alaska is doing is the polar opposite of Marxism. Instead of demonstrating your complete ignorance of the subject, try reading Das Kapital or the Communist Manifesto. In those books, the dialectic materialism Marx wrote about contradicts everything you say. Everyting you know about socialism/Marxism could be placed on the back of a matchbook leaving lots of room for an advertisement about getting a GED, which you are in obvious need of.
I do hope this website finally bans you for the spammer you are.
I’m done with you, little shill.
You just said she was a Marxist. So either you are a liar or just here to shed heat and no light on a subject.
The workers are not the people but those who man the factories and do the work for businesses. Being a citizen of Alaska does not make you a worker, dud any more than posting here makes you an American.
Try again.
The Alaska Daily News is not the subject matter expert in Marxism.
Try again
The dialectic materialism Marx wrote about directly contradicts everything you have said. You really need to take a few courses in logic and philosophy before you spout off such claptrap. You could start by reading the Communist Manifesto and Das Kapital. Then take a course or two in Economics to understand what Marx wrote about. It was a far different world. And he didn’t write about a political system, either. It was entirely economic. His ideas were bastardized by Leninists, Maoists, and people like you.
Try again.
You just said she was a Marxist. So either you are a suffering from memory loss or are just here to shed heat and no light on a subject.
The workers are not the people but those who man the factories and do the work for businesses. Being a citizen of Alaska does not make you a worker, dud any more than posting here makes you an American.
Try again.
The Alaska Daily News is not the subject matter expert in Marxism.
Try again
The dialectic materialism Marx wrote about directly contradicts everything you have said. You really need to take a few courses in logic and philosophy before you spout off such claptrap. You could start by reading the Communist Manifesto and Das Kapital. Then take a course or two in Economics to understand what Marx wrote about. It was a far different world. And he didn’t write about a political system, either. It was entirely economic. His ideas were bastardized by Leninists, Maoists, and people like you.
You are such a total waste of nuitrition. I can’t believe how much nonsense you can pack into a post. If Palin is a Marxist, why weren’t you embracing her then? God. You are a rube. And see, we’re not.
Actually UKelele is an idiot. If anything, what Alaska is doing is the polar opposite of Marxism. But UKforDims knows everything, huh?
It is my understanding that dividend program was to offset the high prices that Alaskans pay for gas.
Some places pay as much as $9/gallon.
http://blogs.moneycentral.msn.com/smartspending/archive/2008/10/10/for-many-alaskans-that-fat-annual-check-is-a-necessity.aspx
correction…that ‘part of’ that dividend
You are correct and UKelele is wrong, again.
No answer again Barfly. Were there too many polysyllabic words for you?
WOMEN ON STREET CORNERS WITH INTELLIGENCE AND EXPERIENCE, MEN WHO SUPPORT THEM AND NEW SHEETS BEFORE PARTY ALWAYS
PUMAS,BUBBAS, AND THOSE PEOPLE
YOU LOST
MASSIVELY!
uk,kindly shut your mouth about pumas. you aren’t even a citizen here and don’t know shit about them.
Other than they are a Republican front, set up by Darragh Murphy, a long time McBush supporter, with Will Bowers as the Fox News spokesman.
Her site is still
trying to steal off the stupidobtain donations from PUMAs. He claimed to have raised between $6 to $10 million on behalf of Hillary on Fox. He declared there was no need for Obama or DNC fundraisers, the GOP front had cleared it all. In fact PUMA raised NOTHING for her. Zilch. Sweet FA.Will Bowers now blames PUMA for that. How funny.
Do I question your nationality? I think not?
No matter what nationality I am anyway, do you think American policies have no impact outside of the 50 States? Are you really that thick that you do not believe the US has an International impact?
you are not an american, therefore it is none of your business. your thinking is shallow and without merit.
UK you’re the worse blogger here but u don’t seem to listen just as we here will not listen to you slam Governor Palin.
Go out make yourself useful and shovel some snow for the elderly instead of hanging here winding folk up.
You must of worn your keyboard out
me too!
didn’t McCain look happy to not be on the receiving end of all this crap? haha
John and Sarah would have gotten nothing but 247 criticism from the slanted media.
As would Hillary.
OMG … and from those with whom she is in agreement! That’s the part that is so chilling.
true, true…
Your adorable little girl singing Over the Rainbow was AWESOME!
wasn’t she the cutest thing?!
unbelievable!
i wish i could sing! didn’t she just make you want to cry!
in case people are wondering: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWNoiVrJDsE
Adorable, and I did cry. So pure and innocent. Makes me miss having small children in the family…still have a chance with #1 son. Lucky you having such a sweetheart daughter.
Absolutely adorable…I teared up too.
Thanks American Girl….too cute!
Oh, my, she was brilliant! Is this really your little girl? Amazing. Thanks for posting the link.
NOOOOO! she is not mine! She was on a TV show in London. But she is TOO cute!
Very sad to think of the lives we could have had, if the right person (people) won in 2008. Very heart wrenching to live with what we got stuck with.
“Hard to watch what we lost in this last election…not to mention what a time we’d have had with Sarah going after the crooks. Instead we have to put up with bird brain Biden. Sorry. It’s still a bummer for me.”
If Obama keeps this up, Sarah will be a shoo-in for 2012. And…just launched…SarahPAC
http://www.sarahpac.com
By the time 2012 rolls around, I am sure no one will want to vote for Obama again. IF he even makes it until then. But I wonder how bad off we will be by then and if she will have a chance to fix it? Wow does this suck what Pelosi and Obama are doing to this country. So damned infuriating.
Even if he implodes to the point of being unelectable by 2012, no democrat will challenge him for fear of being labeled a racist. If challenged, 95% of AAs will vote for him in the primary no matter what!
OOh no. Of course John Mccain being too left wing made her lose.
uk, bullshit to your comment! you are not an american so kindly butt out of our business!
How klanish of you to assume I am not American, you utterly ignorant bit of toilet dirt.
screw you! no you are not american! prove it or shut up!
klanish, why you vile little varmit. put a sock in it.
yeah hillary or bush, i was thinking the same thing about palin today. the dims are handing the country over to the repubs for the next generation.
We need a billionaire cable TV entrepreneur to start a new news channel called “The Other News” or something of the sort. There might just be a hungry audience waiting.
Put Susan on the payroll as a (work from home) researcher.
“News for a Change”… That’s it!
I think that was the thinking originally behind CNN. Sadly, everyone develops an angle, or has people that have an angle and it all goes to hell so fast.
Yeah. Wonder why that happens.
Not a surprising comment from McCain’s little buddy, but Graham is a hack. He and his party got us into this mess. He also was one of the biggest proponents of the Iraq war. Obama is just trying to clean up Graham’s mess. Where was Graham’s leadership in keeping the country out of the economic disaster?
Obama is attempting to accomplish more in just three weeks than Graham and his Republican hacks have in the last few years.
This unprecidented assault on Obama in the last two weeks is a joke. These losers can’t stand that they lost.
What was the story about Panetta today, and his paid consulting fees? Did he do something wrong, too?
It seems like every day there is a new *scandal*.
Some of it was “consulting.” The lion’s share was for “speeches.” I think things are getting a little out of hand on that. There are better people for the CIA than Panetta and his speaking fees shouldn’t be the issue.
uh oh…?
Mr. Panetta flew with Mrs. Reynolds, who is under investigation by the Senate Finance Committee and the Internal Revenue Service for possible improper use of EduCap’s $28 million corporate jet.
Other Washington VIP’s who traveled on EduCap’s jet include former Alaska Republican Sen. Ted Stevens.
“As the trip with Mrs. Reynolds was not income to Mr. Panetta, it was not reported on his income tax returns. Mr. Panetta acted in full compliance with applicable tax laws.” his statement said.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123384393951952257.html
The way pathological liars stay above the fray is by implicating everyone else except themselves in wrongdoing.
“Scaring people is not leadership.”
True, that. But it might work to get the future pork sandwiches passed.
there’s so much pork in that stimulus package, we could chop it up, and end world hunger.
SCHIPs for 30 year olds?
Evidently neither W or O read about the boy and the wolf.
WoooHOOO! WELL SAID SENATOR GRAHAM!!!!!
I’m WITH YOU!
Mel Martinez should make his decision on how to vote for the Stimulus package proposed by the Democrats based on why 14,000 children including him were expatriated from Cuba in 1962. It seems Batista and politician in his administration did things that later on made it impossible for those children to be raised in liberty and freedom.
The Stimulus package is made to be paid by future generations just as much as by ours. Were and when will they need to go if when they are growing they will be assigned what they need to do in life in order to pay for what government is costing today?
Politicians make decisions and then later on people pay the price.
Thanks Susan. Enjoyed L. Graham. Heartening to learn of Shinseki as Secretary of VA. NQ - news, politics and more. Much more. You all just keep getting better and better.
Thanks American Girl in Italy for the chuckle.
you are welcome! ;O)
I’m on the watch for Sarah Palin bashing and saw something that really ticked me off…I am hoping maybe to get this reprinted here…
http://hillaryorbust.com/2009/02/the-most-horrible-palin-stereotype-ive-seen-so-far/
Senator Graham is correct. Invoking fear of economic collapse is no way to inspire people.
However, where was his outrage at “scaring people” when Bush was in office? Perhaps he doesn’t remember the constant drumbeat of ‘give me what I want or the terrists will git ya!’ from GWB.
I comes down to “intention” I think. I never thought GWB had “bad” intentions… not that he was always right. Just that his intentions were coming from a good place. With Obama, I am not feeling that way. Maybe it’s just me.
And me. Now I see intentional carelessness. I see it from the way the nominees were thrown into the selection process. The country means zilch to PITO. The only things that he cares is about appearing on TV and getting his applause.
Ooops. Shoulda read all of the earlier comments. It appears that Senator Graham did oppose Bush on some key issues.
That said, Graham is brave for speaking out. I wonder how long until it’s implied that he’s the “R” word?
Cancellation, cancellation, and more cancellations, and then all of a sudden the VA doctor (at this out-patient clinic)is reassigned. Walk into the clinic and all you hear is “your appointment has been canceled sorry if you were inconvenienced”. What is so disgusting and disheartening about is there are a helluva a lot of the vets that can’t just WALK into the clinic(s).
The most interesting thing about that video are the complaints that Obama is not sitting down to work things out, he is just doing interviews with the media and writing editorials. Are we surprised? Nope!
Uhhh…Instead of partying every night, John McCain would have dug into that bill, read every word of it (Obama hasn’t even read it) and starting hacking, chopping and making it purposeful and cut the fat. It’s so embarrassing to me, in front of the rest of the world, that we really don’t have any leadership right now.
Have teleprompter .. will travel!
OMG — I said this very thing today. You called it.
Carelessness by design = Chaos of the day. Why? In order to get him in TV tomorrow as the main feature of the day. PITO in the news 24 hours a day.
Yes, he’s an “attention junkie” at the least. I think
peoplethe media needed to take that NPD thing a little more seriously. What if we are not just dealing with ineptitude or “greenness” here? What if there is an underlying psychological component that nobody in the media wanted to talk about? Lets be real here… nobody is perfect, and all of us have one or more personality tendencies to at least some minor degree. But, consider the implications of a person with a clinical case of NPD sitting in the most powerful position in the free world.http://michellemalkin.com/2009/02/05/alert-who-are-the-senate-gop-wobblers/#comments
Please take a look.
From the article .. the GOO Wobblers.. see below..
CALL THEM! One is Specter, he’ll be getting a call from me.
The Senate GOP wobblers may be conspiring on a disastrous compromise as we speak. Who are they?
I’m told that the Squishy Four are (no surprises here):
Collins (202) 224-2523
Snowe (202) 224-5344
Voinovich (202) 224-3353
Specter (202) 224-4254
Their emails are shut down …. I hope to goodness that they are getting blasted.
Leadership is not preachment, it’s persuasion. Obama is NOT the “great communicator”, he is an excellent orator. There is a difference. Communication is about convincing others that your plans work and why they are needed. It is the ability to explain difficult concepts and situations into simple, intuitive terms.
Obama. does. not. have. it.
LMAO. He is a stammering cue-card reader who happens to be able to put other’s frilly-sounding words together in a neo-lyrical order, which makes them sound good to those who adore him but are too young to have heard real oratory, which isn’t so much auditory in emphasis as inclusive in its appeal to a far deeper realm of understanding. Besides, he can’t turn a phrase to save his soul.
So what you’re saying is BOBO is highly skilled at reading out loud. I’m surprised that one isn’t on his resume.
In so many words, yes.
Because a resume is short and to the point (albeit not too short so that it isn’t worth the time or paper to create it).
Ferd,
“to be able to put other’s frilly-sounding words together in a neo-lyrical order, which makes them sound good”
That’s all I meant by it. Good orator, bad communicator. That is possible.
I understand your point. I suppose I do not separate the orator from the oratory. By way of example, Spiro Agnew was a pretty poor speaker but the stuff he said was sometimes golden. “Nattering nabobs of negativism”. LMAO–That One couldn’t turn a phrase like that if he set Favreaux to typing until the chickens came home to roost.
And some great orators say nothing while talking at great length. Teddy comes to mind.
My idea of a great orator and writer was Churchill. He was master.
Ferd, (and James)
I’ll take correction on the exact definition of Orator but like you Ferd, I can actually remember orators.
I recall watching Churchill on TV as a young man, certainly an orator who also wrote most all of his own stuff. Stinky’s the Milton Berle of politics… he never read a speech he wouldn’t steal from.
One of my American oratorial picks was the great Senator from southern Illinois, Everett Dirksen. Dude had some pipes. He actually won a Grammy in ‘68. Great, ‘voice of God’ rumble… and he had a wonderful mind.
The last politician I recall who could take an idea and actually convince you of it was Reagan.
James,
VOLDEMORT is an atrocious orator. He is a formerly adequate talking head who has practiced and practiced his lying art until a majority of the fools in this country believed him.
There has never been an iota of sense to anything he has ever said. Read, don’t remember the speech if you saw it, but READ his “Typical White Woman” speech. Its a racist, lie-filled diatribe which, through half truths and assumptions based on faulty logic, lead one to think he actually said something.
He is the Mumbo to Assholerod’s Jumbo.
“There can be no debate” about this. The facts are in. We are all certain… At this juncture, VOLDEMORT then makes a statement which is praised as wisdom and often starts with the phrase, “and that is why…”
It is a sales technique which has been refined with human response theory and group gestalt management.
All it lacks is subliminal bursts during his televised speeches and he’ll have the trifecta. He is a puppet playing at puppetmaster and hasn’t the mind to figure it out.
That is why he is so horrible in debates. He’s a one-trick pony who only knows what buttons on stupid peoples brains to push. The other, less stupid ones are just in it for themselves.
Liar, yes…
Orator… not remotely
Confusing terms here. I did not say Obama is a skilled persuader (which is what true communication is about).
Oration: an elaborate discourse delivered in a formal and dignified manner
Obama gets a check there.
Communication: : a technique for expressing ideas effectively
Obama FAILS here.
Agreed, James. I stand corrected.
Ferd.
Thought you might like to read this:
I just heard that That One has just opened an office of “Faith-Based Initiatives”. While I am not against such an office, per se, I believe its main function will be to start every Administration meeting with the phrase, “Let us pray” because the man at the head of the table needs all the divine intervention he can muster.
Guess who is running it? The daddy preacher of the preacher who replace GD Preacher …. Rev Moss the elder from Cleveland. Is your head spinning yet?
Someone’s is, that’s for certain, beebop.
pea soup anyone?
Graham, is not my favorite Senator. He was one of the foolish clowns who tried to impeach The POUS over a sex scandal! But, he does make sense when decribing Mr. Prez, Barry Soetoro. Compare SOS Clinton’s class act taking over State Depart. with the phony messiah’s actions as Prez. The American public is watching the phony one’s experience in action. I blame the corporate controlled MSM for this farse. The god-damn assholes. The way they pushed Mr. Soetoro as no-drama, lets take care of the people’s business-hell, his actions have been like a drunk Drama Queen, prancing all over the place, “Look at me, performance.” All show, with no substance! I could not believe his hypocritical comments this am, at the faith based conference. After he spend twenty years in that hate-filled church in Chicago, listening to that god-damn Rev Wright! Such bullshit!
farce
I do believe he’s grown a bit since then. He certainly has no issue with HRC, of whom I am still a staunch supporter.
Thanks, as always, for the news; otherwise, I would never have seen Senator Graham, who blew me away.
Heard about Justice Ginsberg earlier today. Can you say, Justice Tribe? Remember, he is the Constitutional law scholar from Harvard who signed on to the non-binding Senate Resolution 511, knowing full well being born in Panama means, JMc is not a NBC (but transparently seeking brownie points for his man, BO).
I’m going to say this. I think this careless behavior about nominees and about making fear the whip against Senators to get in line with the program is the way PITO will act through the entirety of his agency.
I am going to write the legacy of the Obama administration three weeks into it, for the ages…CARELESSNESS.
I’d call it FOCUSED PARTISANSHIP.