Deep Thought -- AIG Contracts

You know I wonder if our president, who happens to be a constitutional law professor has seen these unbreakable A.I.G. contracts.

Does It Strike You As Strange or Where Are The Fucking Contracts

Now I've got you by the short and curlies

Does it strike you as strange that we have not seen any of these unbreakable contracts?

OK, maybe Clinton would have been better. Maybe (heresy) McCain would have been better. It is hard to imagine someone being worse. I would have expected that anyone would have tried to buy their friends out of this trouble. Anyone would/could have thrown money at the banks as easily as our Democratic friends are. Although I'm hoping that the Republicans would have had more fun (oh, that Henny Youngman).

As I said his brilliant political skills will only work if he produces. You can run and you can get elected, but then you have to produce --- if you are a Democrat I mean. For the most part Republicans still get a pass.

I would like to see the contacts, though. It is one thing to leak to various news media that the contracts are unbreakable, knowing that the "reporters" (scare quotes) we have now wouldn't even try to see them. It is another thing for congress and the white house to buy into it without looking at the contracts and then letting us see them. Unless they are all in on it (says that little voice in my head).

The more I think about this story the fishier it gets. All those people who are getting the bonuses are probably working at will. All can be fired. And replaced with people who are competent. Let us see these unbreakable contracts. Another question, do you think that given the choice of losing their jobs and foregoing a bonus most of these people would choose to lose their jobs? Aren't bonuses by definition dependant on doing something special? I would think at the vary least you would have to make the firm money not lose the firm money before you get a bonus.

Where are the fucking contracts?

Oh here they are:

So I guess this is what we now own.

OK Maybe I Was Wrong

OK, perhaps I was wrong and maybe Obama wasn't the best of three bad choices. Or if he was then we are indeed fucked.

I've Got Something Else to Complain About

This post by Creek Running North, is kind of depressing. Mostly because he is so right: about how progressives aren't holding Obama's feet to the fire about getting out of Iraq. Not about: "It all happened before, with Clinton, and it will again." At least I hope he isn't.

I don't think I've been blogging a lot about that specific busted promise. And male no mistake that is a busted promise, perhaps the most obvious of all his busted promises. That is now just gone away as if it wasn't ever there. "Hey, I said we'd get out, but golly gosh, the people who got us into that, and whose reputations require that we stay there want to stay. So what can I do?"

"Yeah, I mean once it is explained to me by the people who have been wrong about nearly everything for as long as I can remember (yeah, Clinton too) well I guess I'll just have to go along them."

It is another WTF moment. But to get back to the link, I haven't been blogging much about it because, well I guess because the immediacy of its effect isn't there. Or perhaps because it isn't right in front of my face all the time, like the economy. Yeah, yeah I know about the negative effect it has on the economy.

Perhaps I should go to Code Pink a little more.

Aw Shit

So what do I see as a headline in the paper today: Administration is open to taxing health benefits. What kind of horse shit is this? The best way to balance the budget is on the backs of those least able to pay for it?

Well gee, I guess it would be an easy way to make sure that unionized workers didn't price themselves out of the market, since they would not be able to afford health benefits and would, what? I guess that they'd have to go out buy their own with what I would guess would be their increased salaries. Sure.

I'm not sure what Obama is trying to do. He keeps doing things that seem to be designed to piss off those who (however misguided they were) were his strongest supporters. Yeah, I did vote for him, but completely understanding that he was hopefully the best of three (counting Clinton) not particularly good choices

Of course that comes in on top of this shit. Giving some insight into what our unelected rulers continue to do. That is they take our money and then spit in our faces. I don't think that people (well at least not good old U.S. American patriot people) are willing to get out their pitch forks and tar and take these assholes out. But it would be nice to see Madam Guillotine up and operating on Wall Street. Not that I would ever seriously encourage something so awful, really. No really.

I am continuously amazed and how little these people seem to understand about what they have done and how little they care about getting it right this time.

UPDATE: Perhaps I was wrong about the health, stuff. On the other hand I am beginning to have a hard time trusting Obama.

Sunday

Sonny on his back pack taking in the bass through his butt.

Torti and Tux power napping

And Ming with Sonny keeping an eye out

Accurate At Least

So Mexico (the government, at least) is all upset because this guy is one of the wealthiest people in the world. He comes in at 701 with a puny billion dollar fortune. All because he got it illegally. (By the way check out Greenwald today about Protugal's legalization or at least decriminalization of all drugs.)

That means that there are at least 700 people in the world who are worth more than a billion. Think about that for a minute.

OK, have you gotten your mind around that. Meanwhile I'm worried about a couple of hundred (that's dollars not thousands). Everybody I know, even those who are "well off" are looking over their shoulders.

Actually, a second thought is that there are 700 people who can legally steal more than a billion from the rest of us.

Why Should I Work?

Why should I do the heavy lifting when someone else does it and I can just link to them? Although, I do not expect anyone to believe me, I had come to the same conclusion about Madoff's plea before I read Simple Justice. That is, that by pleading to these counts it was the only way to (perhaps) tramp down all the evidence of conspiracy with his sons and wife and other relatives.

I mean let's face it all Madoff can do is hope to keep the kids, at least, out of it. And let's also face it that Madoff was allowed to plead to eleven counts that did not include conspiracy. I suspect that the problem with that is that when the victims realize that there really isn't a lot of (or maybe any) money to cover their investment, they will start to check out the other parts of his "businesses" and his relatives. They can bring civil suits and, stuff will probably come out in five or six years. I suspect that if the only victims were poor (before Madoff's crime was revealed, that is) people and charities, all of that sordid stuff might be kept hidden. But given that the victims are (or were) the wealthy I suspect that it will all come out in the end.

Although, you have gotta wonder just what the prosecutor was thinking and what is going on letting Madoff plead with no conspiracy count. That certainly raises questions about the forth rightness of the U.S. Attorney.

I Just Do Not Understand

This makes no sense in any way at all. Not even the floating of the idea. Of course Bush did cut veterans benes in the middle of a "war." So my concerns from the previous post appear to be being answered and not in a good way.

Good News and Disturbing News

My congressman responded to my email asking him to support card check and said that he definitely does support it and will vote for it. That is good news since while he may not be a blue dog he is definitely a New Democrat.

However, this is really disturbing. I don't really care what he calls himself, but I don't like the idea of his triangulating like Clinton. We do not need more NAFTA, GATT, or giving the owners of our businesses the permission to send more jobs overseas at cut rate wages.

So if he acts in a pragmatic and practical way then I don't care. If all he is trying to do is calm the conservatives (although it won't work) then I don't care. But if what he is doing is sucking up to the wealthy again, and screwing up our chances for a recovery, then I do care.

The bank nationalization issue is the one where push is going to come to shove sooner rather than later. Right now Obama and his people are opposed to it for ideological reasons rather than any practical reasons. If he continues this kind of attitude then we are all screwed and we'll find that out sooner rather than later. If he does he will be another Clinton rather than another FDR, right now it looks like that is what he wants, but maybe not. I would think that he would want to be remembered as a hero, rather than a place holder. Maybe not though.

Card Check & Updates

You know I've often wondered just who Obama thinks his supporters are (no really!!!!! are you kidding!!!!!!you don't believe everything he says????????).

This card check thing (sorry for the Wall Street Journal Link) is simply outrageous. The unions have been Obama's strongest supporters. The evidence seems to indicate that white union households voted for Obama at a much higher percentage than white non-union households.

So the there are a few things: First, just having the card check will allow more people to become union members, which will in turn get more votes for progressives/democrats, not necessarily the same thing, I know. On the other hand, the republicans are reliably reactionary. So the votes would in the end, be in the interest of the entire county.

Second, it's just more fair and more just to allow unions to be formed with a card check. Forcing union s to undergo a "secrete ballot" allows the owners to put incredible pressure on the workers who are at that time non-union. The owners are able to delay the election, something they can't do with card check. And for the most part the workers, who are the organizers really do not have the protections a union can provide (no matter what the laws claim) and the workers also, for the most part, not aware of what those protections are.

Third, a one line sentence of support isn't support. Obama should be out there twisting arms because he is going to need those votes in 2010 and 12 and that kind of lukewarm support isn't what he gave to the bank bail out.

Of course, who would be surprised to see the democrats screw over one of their key constituencies? Not me.

UPDATE: Check out this and this. So Wal-Mart is being downgraded as an investment because the workers might get a decent wage with benefits and decent hours? Work place democracy too much for our economy to absorb. Once again I can merely look and wonder.

Economics? Eh

So reading again about Obama who is not, it appears, doing enough. I say it appears because those who knew what was coming and just where we are are now are calling him on his "too little, too late." There is also the seeming willingness to throw tons of money into holes that have been dug by the wealthiest (the money coming, of course, from the rest of us). Add to this little or no oversight and we have a disaster, and who knows if it would be as big or bigger or smaller than if nothing were done.

Well, OK the people I mentioned earlier know, and they seem to say something is better than nothing economically. But in political terms probably doing a little something, is worse than doing nothing. Why, you vouchsafe? Because it will turn people off to government action and progressive politics for the foreseeable future. (Obama a Randian sleeper cell?)

Obama is a brilliant politician. But eventually even a brilliant politician has to produce on the most important political issues of his (or her) time. In this case it is the economy. He is doing half assed things, along with his continuing to dangle Social Security out there as a ripe grape for his wealthy buddies. This is not brilliant politics, this is not even competent economics.

I started to write "Once again," but I don't think it is again. I think it is "still." It hasn't changed in at least sixteen and probably more like thirty years. Our rulers allow us enough liberty (read my rants!) and toys (did I show you my new computer?) to keep us occupied.

I suspect now, that the only change that will be allowed through is a sort of cosmetic one, which will look like, what? I don't know, but not like the place I grew up, with expectations for the children being better than those for their parents. A few very wealthy. Their most important minions working hard for them.................. and the rest of us. Probably being given enough to keep us from going crazy and killing those in power. But then it is always easy to convince the vast majority of the underclasses that they really do not deserve anything more and the upper classes deserve all they have and more.

Well, I voted for Obama because of hope (is that word already owned?) and because I knew what both the others stood for. He was zit.

Just Another Dreary Day

Ming looking much like a mop.

Sonny watching the rain

Loki brooding (and watching the rain)

Halley brooding and watching the rain

So I'm looking at the lights under the ceiling fans and wondering why one of the lights will periodically go out and then when I touch it it will go back on. The Wife said that it was because the fan keeps moving and so it shakes it loose.

So I've got to thinking is that our reason? We're on this planet and we keep moving in a circle just like the fan, so we're shook loose ourselves. Not on all the time and not particularly bright.

A Couple of Things

I've been thinking about a couple of things and lo and behold here are some posts about them.

First, I've been wondering about the Madoff thing and this post by Simple Justice is brilliant, because he says just what I've been thinking. I'd figured that the deal was probably to keep his sons out of jail, but I hadn't realized that it could extend to his wife and some other relatives. I am kind of concerned about the thought that they'll be allowed to keep some of the money, but we'll see. My bet is that at least the family won't go to jail and they will be left with smidgen maybe a mill. total,

Second, there is the question I've had all along as to what the hell Obama is thinking about with Social Security. I can understand why republicans would be attacking it, but I cannot really understand why a "moderate" democrat like Obama would keep looking at it for "reform." It doesn't need reform. The only reform that has been suggested is to invest it in the market. That that is still being suggested is, to put it mildly, amazing. I do mean WTF. No matter what you owe your money supporters, I would think that you would not even consider that. At least not at this point.

I mean lets face it for a guy who has been so brilliant politically up to now this does seem like a tin ear sort of thing. Unless, of course he is relying on the so called liberal media to eventually convince the rubes out there that Social Security is unsafe or a form of Ponzi. Then he will let his wealthy buddies swoop in and eat it up.

The other way to look at this is to look at the game he is playing with the banks. Is he just not creative enough? Cause he certainly not dealing with that issue with the kind of forcefulness one would like to see.

I'm thinking that both of these things involve the miss use of other people's money. Maybe I should have been a banker.

Just Wonderin

How do you steal 50 billion dollars if you don't own your own country?

My Line of Work

So I'd meant to write a little about this yesterday as it is about my line of work really. The report says among other things that:

• One in 31 adults in America is in prison or jail, or on probation or parole. Twenty-five years ago, the rate was 1 in 77.
• Overall, two-thirds of offenders are in the community, not behind bars. 1 in 45 adults is on probation or parole and 1 in 100 is in prison or jail.

What that really means for those in the community in small towns, at least, is that they are subject to being hassled and bothered by the cops and their P.O.s whenever the P.O.s feel like it. They are forced to pee into a cup at the direction of the authorities (of course many Americans, who still have jobs in the Land of the Free are required to pee into a cup to just keep their jobs). So maybe that is just another little thing (privacy) in the long list of things that people are willing to give up for a little security (Ben Franklin where are you now?). People constantly looking over their shoulders to make sure they are not breaking some rule that ..... well is just there for our own good, don't ya know?

Still, I watch clients being brought back into court again on what are often very minot violations. Smoking dope! So easy to catch them, it remains in their system for ever and is a clear violation. Even though in Ohio possession is a minor misdameanor, but it can get you put in jail if your on parol or prbation. Or as a juvenile into detention or the Department of Youth Services.

Hmmmmmmmmm

Well perhaps I was a little too hasty yesterday. I guess everything is looking bad. I wonder how FDR would have handled it if he'd been elected just weeks after the crash. Of course, the decline has been going on for well over a year and no one seemed to notice.

Well I'm off to see the tax man it is I hope I make it back.

Another Of Mr. Toad's Wild Rides All Downhill

Wow. So once again the market fell like a stone. This on a day that the unemployment figures although bad aren't as bad was thought they would be. Wow, Wow, Wow. On the other hand it looks like GM might be headed for the scrap heap. I can't remember, but I wonder if any company of comparable size bit the big one during the Great Depression?

You know I really don't understand all that much about economics and the markets, but I think I understand as much as those who make their living from them.

So tell me again why we listen to these assholes and the senators and congresspeople who also do their bidding?

This Doesn't Look Good

Here you go every reason in the world to keep doing what we've been doing and take care of the rich.

OK One More Thing and Then to Work

What I see the Blue Dogs and conservative Democrats doing generally is committing a kind of ritual suicide that would make the Japanese aristocrats proud.

Here's what could well happen: They will manage to prevent any real change. Conditions will get worse under democrats. People in general will start to look around and ask themselves why should we vote for these assholes again. Republicans will be voted in with the social conservatives with real power this time. America will make (if I may mix my historical metaphors) Italy of the 20s look progressive.

Now if only being right would pay the bills.

Oh For God's Sake

I kind of feel like I really don't know what. We as a nation are being crushed into the dirt economically by following the economic policies of the past, really sixteen years. And still these people in power are pushing to keep their wealthy friends wealthy, while the middle class and the poor continue to suffer.

I remember sitting here in the middle of East Jesus No Where Ohio during the run up to the Iraq war and thinking to myself, these people in power in Washington and New York can't not be seeing what I'm seeing. They can't believe that Iraq was a danger or that it would be an easy thing, because I could see that it wasn't and wouldn't be. They couldn't be that stupid. And yet we went to war and then later all these people were going "Who could have thought?" Well we are now here in the middle of a massive recession/depression and all these people in power are going: "We've got to keep doing what we did to get us here." In a few months or a year, when we're deeper than ever, they will be going "Who could have thought?"

Well as Krugman asked the other day: "Are they lying to themselves or to us?" Like Krugman I don't know which is scarier. Well I've thought for awhile that there is a good chance we will be admiring how well the Romans managed their own final collapse in a few years. But, being right won't pay the bills.

Good Morning

For some reason everybody in the house is having a very hard time waking up this morning. It's eleven degrees and as they say brisk. However, the above chart is courtesy of Firedoglake.

Their point is of course, the same one I made yesterday, and a point that others have been making for weeks. Although they have provided that nice chart to visually show it.

Truth and reality have no right to exist in the wing nut world I guess. Just greed and short sighted self aggrandizement.

It Never Stops

It never stops, does it? Tbogg quotes from Malkin's commentators (who I don't think I'll bother to link directly to). There a lot of people who are commenting and/or complaining about "their" taxes being raised, under Obama's proposed budget.

I belong to a writer's group and there is a new member who's husband has been brought into town to run the local sweat shop/place where all the workers are on probation. She has been ranting continuously (and I do mean continuously) that her taxes are about to be raised by Obama. What that would mean, if she knew what she was talking about, was that her husband is making over $250,000.00. Not much of a chance of that if you know what I mean. But if he is, and they can't afford new taxes in their tax bracket then screw them.

The Tbogg/Malkin quotes are just either lies or delusional (perhaps both delusional and lies). The constant whining about raised taxes and how it will hurt the economy is just so much bull shit. During the Eisenhower administration (that well known communist) the marginal tax rate was 90% for the very wealthiest. That period was also one of the most economically expansive in American history. So those arguing against increasing the taxes on the wealthiest simply do not know their history. Of course, it doesn't necessary follow that the high marginal tax was the cause of the economic boom of thee 50s, but that is the type of logic being used by the anti-tax retards and anti-tax t-baggers.

Yeah Right

Reactionary son-of-a-bitches=moderate. Direct from the Political People Magazine.

Like the last post it is imposible for a rational person to believe that these people really believe what they are saying: "Screw the hard pressed home buyer and force them into foreclosure." That will certainly help the banks. And let's face it that should be the most important thing for a democratic congress, shouldn't it?

Cool

Well cool in the way a massive train wreck or multi-car pile up in the interstate is cool. If I could just watch this from afar without it affecting my life it would be interesting. As it is it is kind of terrifying. I'm not really sure how much this impacts my life as I have no stock.

You know the people who do the trading (with a few exceptions) did not know this was going to happen, did not understand why it was happening and now, I doubt if they have a clue as to what is going on around them. So at this point they have no idea how to respond.

Of course they do know how to steal our money, both before and after the crash.

Incredibly Crude

Was it a three hour tour?

Last Post

I've been thinking about the last post of mine. Was I unfair, too quick do you think?.........
Na.

Would you guess that like the boy who cried wolf or the stopped clock these war mongers would have to be right at some point? Not really. Wolves are relatively simple predators that eat whatever. And let's face it the stopped clock isn't really "right" ever, it just coincidentally seems to reflect the time two times a day.

These people and by "these people" I mean the ones who have come to power under Bush really want to go to war again. They really want to maintain a large military presence in the middle of the Middle East, for ever. They will use the WMD excuse every time and they will hope that we will all (to mix my fairy tale metaphors) run around like Chicken Little when ever they let us in on their belief that the sky is indeed falling once again.

Incidentally, I'm still waiting for that judge to pay on our bet about the WMD in Iraq. I'm prepared to make a similar bet about Iran.

Bomb, Bomb, Bomb Iran

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and suggest, just mildly and with the most deferential attitude that this is a complete lie and total bullshit. In a most respectful manner of course.

Lazy Sundays and Only Dogs This Week

Loki provides some assistance with the computer.
Ming Fou checks out the camera.

Ming trying to look innocent and not succeeding.