Senator Chuck Grassley on AIG bonus checks.

*
The great sound bites from our representatives just keep on coming. Look at the bright side if there wasn't an economic crisis we'd never really know half of the things most of them ever said. Though sometimes I think I felt better without all the noise from all sides.
So Senator Chuck Grassley republican from Iowa states:
"The first thing that would make me feel a little bit better towards them if they'd follow the Japanese model and come before the American people and take that deep bow and say I'm sorry, and then either do one of two things--resign, or go commit suicide."

He did later back down from saying he really didn't want them to kill themselves... likely after someone said, "Uh Chuck Ole Boy, you can't recommend suicide as policy and you might just be offending some Americans out there. Please put out one of those disclaimers stating that what you said isn't exactly what you meant."

Awful lot of those disclaimers going around out there on all sides.
Not helping.
Not helping at all.

Then we move on and get this beauty of a Grassley clip about AIG-



Thanks Chuck for putting that image in the minds of everyone that heard it.
Eeewww, I feel like I need a shower.

Intriguingly Rush Limbaugh doesn't seem to be bothered by this extreme capitalism and the bonus checks. He turns the whole crisis into an attack on capitalism and the basic tenets of our country.


I'm beginning to think no one really knows what to do, the rules just keep changing and people like Barney Frank and John Boehner keep talking ad nauseam.
Makes my head hurt.
Martha Stewart goes to jail, Madoff finally goes to jail, and AIG folk get bonuses for f**king everything up. Awesome.
Wow, I bet lots of small businesses would have loved to get bailed out when they were failing.
I still would have rather they bailed out the taxpayers rather than the banks and wall street.
Sigh.

G'night,

Laura
*

Weary be the working class. Yes, it still is the economy stupid.

*
I’m a bit overwhelmed by the constant discussion of the economy woes and Obama’s economic stimulus package.
Every show today. Everyone talking, everyone has an opinion and no absolute solutions.
Not terribly helpful at this point… Too much money or not enough, too much spending or too little, too much tax break or too little. Too partisan or… AAAaaarrrrrrgggghhhhhhhhhh!!!

Just do something okay? Stop with the party politics.
Stop secretly (or not so secretly) hoping that it fails and you can jockey it into a republican battle cry to get some people elected. We were sick to death of the presidential election and it only just ended!


WE and by we I mean the working class (remember us, you give us lots of lip service) with families to take care of, with mortgages, bills and jobs that we worry about, don’t give a rat’s ass which party you’re part of. We’re fairly sick of you both at this point. We (well, at least I ) would like a viable third party that isn’t either of you that would get rid of both outer fringes of liberals and conservatives. Good God we hardly get a break and you guys are fighting away happily.

You’re all hypocrites, tax evaders, liars… you make laws for us to follow and you break them all the time. Makes me sick at this point. Looks like we’re going to owe taxes this year.
Yay. Not sure where that money is coming from.

So, I’m a bit annoyed tonight as you can tell, so here’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to take a break tomorrow and then listen to Obama’s speech at night and see how I feel then.


This is a photo of one of the people I love!
My son, who takes after my husband, will sleep through Armageddon if it ever happens.
He sleeps through the sun shining in his window and mom taking a flash photo.
Me? I wake up when someone sneezes lightly downstairs behind a closed door on the opposite end of the house.


Eighteen year olds look like angels when they’re asleep don’t they?

G’night,
All will be well
(at least that’s what I keep telling myself)

Laura

*

Not a single vote for Obama's stimulus package by a republican. Not even one?

*
I know it's mostly a political pissing contest power posturing conflict and that the republicans are trying to recoup it's lost authority but... seriously not one vote for Obama's stimulus package?
I don't pretend to understand the complexities of the economic mess we're in but I do know what I believe-

It doesn't matter what economic theory you believe will work because on paper many of them sound pretty good.
Terms like trickle down, trickle up, self regulating market adjustments, Keynesian, Micro, Macro, Supply-side, Marxist, on and on and on...

The problem is that the adjustments in economics is counted in effects on real people, not theoretical people.
The other problem is that the greed and corruption that is either allowed to exist in the system or just creeps in on it's own isn't accounted for. This screws up what might be a workable otherwise benign economy and more of those non-theoretical people.

So "Welcome" to the readjustment.

I'm struggling to understand why either party, democrats or republicans think they have any realistic answer to our problems.
It's been a long time since I took any economics classes in both history and anthropology (very interesting) but I'm behind the current administration just as I begrudgingly was behind the past few administrations because I believe they didn't want the country to fail and were doing what they felt was the right thing.

It didn't always turn out to be the right thing unfortunately but I have to believe our leaders are at least on the right side for the United States of America. I'm beginning to lose faith in a lot of the political arenas.
We are waist deep in corruption, greed, failing schools, skyrocketing health care costs, mortgage defaults, unemployment-
There's no point to go on because there are too many problems to fix in any realistically quick fashion.
So republicans and democrats have to get their shit act together and behave like adults.

And John Boehner if you want to be taken seriously don't say "Oh My God!" as a reaction to a serious stimulus package-
You're not a valley girl talking about the prom are you? How about some constructive criticism, of course neither party is great at that. Change that.
Oh, and before you accuse me of being unfair: I often can't listen to Barney Frank, Pelosi or Harry Reid so don't bother.

And everyone wants a simple answer? Get the hell up and do something. Everybody. If this isn't the time what the hell is?
The American people have gotten soft, let others make our decisions and sat by while our power has been frittered away.

How about requiring any agency, business or bank that gets a stimulus check stops sending jobs overseas?
But that won't ever happen would it?

Buh Bye Blagojevich, removed from office. That was a given. Won't miss you at all either. Let's see now if he'll he actually go to jail? Hmm.

G'night,

Tomorrow!!! Finally it's tomorrow!!! Inauguration Day is finally here.

*
G'bye George Bush not sorry to see you go.
Hello President Barack Obama, very happy to see you and good luck with the mess we're in.

Did catch up with all the news I missed yesterday due to my playing in the snow!
I'm heartened by the changing of the guard as are most of us who are really hopeful that President Obama will be better prepared to work with the war in Iraq and our economy. I think it's going to be tough.

They keep talking about Obama's 89% approval rate and how 79% of the people just "like" him and feel he'll be a good president.
The thing that keeps bothering me about these stats (aside from the fact that I took a lot of statistics courses and realize how sketchy they can be) is that there were quite a lot of people attending McCain/Palin rallies that seemed very unhappy with Obama and even a bit scared and angry about him. Where did these people all go off to and are they actually in the count?

Didn't get that much out of the Rhom Emanuel interview (NBC) or David Axlerod's (ABC) as far as what the state of the union might actually be or if the stimulus package will truly fix things. Rather anxious about the amount of spending we don't have. Isn't that what got us all into this mess in the first place? The interviews only brought more questions into my mind.
I want to be supportive and get behind fixing the future, but I'm a bit unsure about what will end up in the plan. I know Obama says there won't be any unnecessary pork but I'm having trouble believing it. How much will creating jobs cost and what kind of jobs will they be? Construction won't work for many that need jobs... what other jobs are we talking about?

What projects will be funded? I suppose if I trusted our elected officials (and it's really hard to do that these days) I'd feel that we'd have an efficient stimulus package. Lean and mean. The problem is that I think congress can't get out of it's own way for the most part. I do believe we have a short window of effectiveness for all this though. What to do, what to do...

I wonder if Palin is sitting in Alaska hoping Obama fails and the republicans will run her to come in and F things up further save the day. Nasty old media made this whole economic mess up to thwart their economic plans, wait, McCain/Palin didn't seem to have one did they?

Please put Bernie Madoff in jail along with anyone else like him. Are his assets frozen like mine would've been? I hope so.
Weasel of the worst kind and he doesn't even get it.

*******
Okay so I'm going to stop being worried, tomorrow is the start of the Barack Obama presidency and I along with the majority of this fine country will be watching it on the tv, computer and enjoying the start of a new administration.

Went out and took some nice snowy photos today I'll post them after President Elect Barack Obama IS President Barack Obama. Sounds good to me!

G'night,

Laura
*

Ten more days of GW Bush... or hey it's snowing outside!

*

I'm rather concerned with Obama's economic stimulus plan.
Been listening to the economists blathering (and isn't that an interesting profession?) The only thing they seem to agree on is that we're in economic trouble and that something should be done about it. Gee thanks. I knew that a few years ago and the writing was on the wall before that. Just one big credit party going on out there for years and years.
The American Dream for many years has been basically buy stuff. You'll be happy, just buy stuff. If you can't afford it, charge stuff. The idea is don't deny yourself what you want and it was sold directly to the public.

*George Carlin once said that:
They call it the American Dream for a reason...
You have to be asleep to believe it.

The credit industry (like a few others) are basically loan sharks as far as I can see... they don't break legs, they just threaten people who owe money and repossess or sell off all your stuff. They want you hooked on them, they're scum like coke dealers that give it out free to get people strung out. Bush said post 9-11 go out and buy stuff to help the economy and show "them" that we are strong.
This is the problem. It's like a gambling addiction to spending money on stuff there's no way we need on any level. Whole industries are built on getting you to buy things you don't need because anyone who's anybody has more stuff than you.

So some economists think the stimulus isn't large enough, others criticize where the money would go and what limited jobs it would create. They disagree on what should be done, congress is poised to fight about it and at the same time economists say they hope it isn't too late with too little. Good God nobody really has a clue do they?

So now would be the time to retire those credit cards, try to live only on cash. Just don't buy stuff you don't need.
I'm thinking the party's over probably for some time. Pay bills.
Just finished working up facts for our budget. Got calls to make on refinancing to find out if it's worth it for us or not.

Ann Coulter is still around talking about her book. Sarah Palin is around talking about how everyone in the press was so unfair to her. Blago, Burris, Congress, Democrats, Republicans and everybody inbetween... complaining ever so loudly about how unfair everything is and how it's all someone else's fault. Makes me crazy, sounds so whiney at times I have trouble listening.
Ethics. Honesty. Responsibility. All seem to be badly in need these days.

Hoping to hear on Monday that Madoff is in jail without bail. Sleezy bastard. And I still want to know who knew what was going on? Did anyone else profit from the scam? Makes me sick that he knowingly ripped people off the way he did. How the hell do these people sleep at night, I really don't get it.

Weird start for a New Year isn't it?

Finally feeling better as far as my cold anyway.
Snowing in NY, going out for a walk.
Walking in snow calms my soul.

G'night,

Laura

*

Twenty-one days left of GW

*

Everyone's in an uproar about Blagojevich's senate choice of Roland Burris.
I think it's fascinating. This guy is interesting if not a wee bit delusional...
Apparently he decided to blow off just about everyone and go ahead and appoint a new senator.
Once again just when I think our political system can't get much stranger, something new comes along to poke at me.
I'm probably in the minority here but I think though Blago might be removed from office (or rather forced from it) but
I still don't think he's going to jail but we'll see.
So who is this Burris and will "they" be able to remove him from office too? Holy dirty politics batman!
To find out what happens next week stay tuned, same bat-time, same bat-channel.
Our politicians are amazing and I really don't mean that in a good way.

Now Franken is still ahead of Coleman in Minnesota, so of course the "election officials are all unjust and favor Franken."
After the absentee ballots are finished we should know for sure (ha) maybe next week (temporarily anyway).
Sounds like a court case to me either way, perhaps the supreme court of Minnesota has a thought on this fun mess.
Maybe both candidates should harken back to a certain Presidential election and Florida... tear yet another page out of the dirty play book. I don't like either of them, perhaps they should start over with new candidates wouldn't take much longer really.

Our system is starting to seem so ludicrous to me at this point (both sides, all around).
And since we all elect our officials (remember it's a democracy) to represent us as citizens of our own fair states and the country... the part that worries me is that they actually do represent us accurately. It's not possible is it?
I feel like we could compile and release an entertaining DVD titled "Politicians behaving badly" or "Congress gone wild."

And the RNC defends the Chipster's use of "Barack the Magic Negro."
I give up. Seems we're going backwards instead of forwards. Tacky and stupid is in style again.
The Republicans are gearing up for an all out fight on any economic stimulus package of the new administration.
But we need to be very careful here... the economy isn't all that stable, middle class is bleeding and it's no time for partisan politics.
Though I'm not surprised by this as we really don't learn from our past mistakes...
Hey, Senator Bipartisan "reach across the aisle" Maverick McCain, maybe you could help out?
Though it seems that the republicans need to worry about being condemned by their own fellow party members these days.

Well, I'm sure of one thing for this new year coming up:
I'm not sure of anything at all that's ahead for 2009.
I want to believe that it will be a good year, hell, the start of a good decade but...

Maybe I'm just less optimistic when I'm sick, or is it more cynical? ::shrugs::
Going to make mug of hot tea, take medicine, crawl under covers and hide until tomorrow.
Now there's a plan.

G'night

Laura

*

Terrorists, gay marriage, booing and the pit bull... or Twenty-four days to E-Day

*

You know there was once something said about reaping what you sow...
And if you sow the seeds of discontent, what do you suppose you will reap?
Discontent is valid when there is a clear and dangerous threat but not when it's whipped up and added as an artificial sweetener.
The high risk of playing this card is:
A) not being able to control the effects
B) that it can create a climate with effects you hadn't thought of
C) simple Karma of the cosmos coming back to bite you in the butt, call it whatever you want to: fate, yin & yang, it's the same concept.

So McCain finds himself defending the fact that Obama is indeed: a decent person, an American citizen, not a terrorist, a family man, and someone to not be afraid of as a president. He just differs from McCain as a candidate... No shit, really?
So how did we find ourselves here John? Did the mavericky maverick on the team of mavericks let go of the steering wheel of his very own presidential candidacy?
And what does John McCain get for his trouble? He gets booed... be careful John you pandered to a base that would be happy to turn against you, best tread lightly and realize that big stick won't help you with them.
A portion of those that come to your rallies would rather run Palin than you as top of the ticket. Can't you see that now?
A base that the rest of the country would not agree with as can be seen by Palin's falling approval rate.

Please muzzle the pit bull or even better yet put her out to field and let her run around Alaska being mavericky.
We don't want her John. We are not all strictly Christian conservatives.

We're diverse, we're all very different and we ALL belong here!!! This is our country too, there's room for everyone here.

Perhaps John you have learned something about women that you didn't know before...
We're intelligent, not all blind followers and you know what?
We can wait for a woman to be president of this great country.
It will happen, don't worry, we're long overdue as it is. We can wait a while longer... women are patient.
What we are NOT is a gender of empty headed, spoiled, petty, non thinking, easily lead creatures that are inferior to their male counterparts. We are not better but we are equal.

I have four grown children, a home, a husband, a private life, a great education, a past and I'm NOT what I would consider qualified to be the vice president of the United States. Palin isn't either.

Other news:

Palin used her position as governer to try to influence the firing of her ex brother in law... a surprise to who exactly?
Will this effect her status as VP, don't know, does it matter?
We have such low expectations of the honesty of our politicians at this point in time that it's past distrust and on to sad.
Wake up Washington, nobody thinks very many of you would tell us the truth if you knew it anyway.
Nor do we think you care about much more than getting re-elected.
Can you fix this? Can you make us believe in you again? I wonder.

Connecticut has become another state that has chosen to recognize gay marriages.
"Separate but equal" does not equate "equal" and never has. Don't ask, don't tell is not a legitimate policy.
If this is to remain a democracy then we must realize that the government can't discriminate against one group and uphold the rights of another as the sole "God given" way it can be.
I must have misunderstood my religious background because I believed that God loves me and the rest of his "children" here on earth. And that my doings here would be judged in the afterlife by God. Who are the people that choose to judge me in the light of their chosen religion in this lifetime?
I do not have to like or agree with everything and everyone.
What I feel very strongly is this fact-
Without the belief in this country that we should fight to protect the constitution and uphold justice for everyone not just certain groups: I still wouldn't be able to vote or have equal education opportunity or entertain equal pay for equal work, perhaps there would still be slavery, segregation, and children working in factories.
This would be unacceptable to me and hopefully to a majority of the people in this democracy.

How about the issues; do you remember them?
The economy is probably the biggest concern now but not the only one.
What about the wisdom of the bail/buy out that was shoved down our throats... where are we really headed?

Some suggestions:

Step lightly and watch for the problems that come with economic and political unrest...
Such as scapegoating. Beware of scapegoating, guard against it. Do not label honest questioning as unpatriotic, it's dangerous.
Always remember the past and never forget the mistakes made in bad times, not just in this country look around.

Bring manufacturing back to the USA, keep the jobs here. Extreme capitalism lends to outsourcing, realize that.

Lose the stranglehold foreign oil holds on us. Don't just drill baby drill or build more Nuclear plants.
Solar, wind, and hydro power are clean methods of energy, if you have to exploit anything... it should be them.

Restructure the economy, stop running everything on credit. Main Street and Wall Street need to scale back borrowing.

Eventually (as soon as it is possible) we need some form of universal health care for every American. People are losing everything when they get sick. They are dying because of exclusions. We are a civilized, wealthy nation, how come we don't provide the best health care to ALL our citizens? Do not deregulate, do not.

Make college affordable, fix the education system: if we don't adequately educate our children competitively in the world there will be no future for us to hold.

Start to move further into the global future. The world is shared with many different people from many different places. We aren't the only powerful nation anymore, we share this world with others. Diplomacy.

Accept diversity and try to bring people together not tear them apart.
Please. We've had enough.

And here's the simplest concept: honesty.
Try honesty.
Seriously do it.
You dishonor the American people with innuendo, lies and posturing.

Laura


*

Thirty (gasp) six days to E-Day, Couric, SNL and buy (uh, bail) out.

*

Bail, bail, bail, bail out bank man... (sung to tune of Barbara Ann by the Beach Boys)

First off, yes I missed a day. Well I didn't actually miss it, it was like any other day but I didn't get to post here.
Countdown day Thirty-seven was spent watching, reading, and talking about the news, barbecuing steak and visiting mom.

***Addendum to Tuesday Sept. 29, 2008: No bail out. Falling stocks. Everybody blaming the other guy (a national passtime.)
Post too long (as usual) I'll think more about this and post tomorrow. As I've said before, shit shifts like the sand... something like that anyway. Nothing much making sense at this point for very long.****

Caught SNL's Tina Fey and Amy Poehler spoof of the Katie Couric interview.
Best line: "Katie I'd like to use one of my lifelines."
Second best: "...or Bono the king of Ireland."

So the thing is that the SNL skit was amusing and mocking (which they do well when they actually get it right)
but the real Couric-Palin interview wasn't nearly so funny because it was real.

Waiting for that Biden/Palin debate, should be interesting if nothing else.
Joe, just answer the questions succinctly, and let her talk herself into a hole.
Don't waste your time getting angry, stick to the facts and keep it short... none of those verbose, run on, more info than you need answers... you won't need them here.
Follow Courics lead. "Say why do you feel that is true..." Practice not looking like you're astonished or think she's a complete dimwit in front of the mirror. Get botox if that's what it takes but seriously Joe, talk to her don't mock her, let her try to explain what the hell she means. Give them enough rope and they will hang themselves.
But do make her answer the questions not just say repetitively John McCain is right and Obama is the antichrist....

I'm happy to see that even some (though not as many as you would hope) of the republicans are questioning Palin finally.
Nothing hurt my opinion of the foremost republican figures who are well educated and experienced more than their going around touting the qualifications of Sarah Palin on foreign or economic policy. Perhaps many of them were simply stunned and had no choice but to get on board.

Still struck by the fact that McCain chose Palin in the first place. How well did he even know her?
Because if he chose her without "vetting" her adequately it says something about his rashness of decisions...
What did he then choose her on? Her cuteness, her voice, her overall wealth and depth of knowledge? Honesty?

On the other hand, if he chose her because he really did research, know her and thought she'd be make the best damn VP he could find...
What does that say? That's even more disturbing to me. If he really DID believe she was the best choice then I can't follow his logic at all. I suspect it was a bit more cynical... Obama picked a man, I'm going to pick a woman, BUT tell me seriously that there wasn't any more knowledgeable, prepared republican woman out there in the pool to pick from.

I would think most of the professional working women out there (especially on capitol hill) cringed at the end of the first part of the Couric interview. She asked Sarah "I'm just going to ask you one more time, not to belabor the point, for specific examples in his (McCain) 26 years of pushing for more regulations"
Answer: "I'll try to find ya some and I'll bring em to ya."
I twitched at that point as I have so many times during this election.

I didn't know whether to laugh out loud or throw things at the tv. How could this be possible?
Not only haven't I ever seen anything like this cardboard cut out of a woman but Bush might actually be smarter than her
and that's scary by itself. We've seen what danger there is to having someone in the office that doesn't understand the finer details needed to run the government produces.

But as I said my respect for party line republicans has gone down. This shouldn't have happened.

Still not terribly excited about either of the candidates, but won't vote for McCain and Palin is out of the question.

http://www.boingboing.net/images/x_2008/putinrearshishead.jpg

The other side of the news: The economic bail out will it happen? There's a plan: Dems and Repubs might pass it in the house... maybe.
I think this whole thing stinks. I don't know enough about all the different degrees or dynamics of economics, but I'm trying to figure it out to best of my ability. Small background in Economic anthropology, Marxist anthropology and Comparison of ancient economic theories. But that was a while ago and some of my hardest classes.

I'm not convinced this is going to work. I think if the problem was caught earlier we could have gotten together an econmic think tank, brain storming summit and really figured out a workable far more comprehensive plan to address this problem.
It's a bit late now. Maybe we can avert total meltdown but that doesn't mean this will be at all pleasant.
In fairness there were people screaming about this quite some time ago but they were ignored.
This country isn't run on industry as much as magic money. Yes, credit is necessary but not like this.
Everybody seems to think the government is bad and that regulation is equally bad but... you simply can't expect any company to regulate itself if the goal of the system is ultimately pure capitalism.
Extreme capitalism without restraint creates abuse of power, people and money.
It does need some regulation especially when it's success or failure can change the future of the very country it exists in.
Capitalism, market economy, and democracy are three different things.

At the risk of sounding naggy... Americans need to stop buying into the bastardized version of the American Dream.
My parents philosophy was simple: if you didn't really need it you didn't buy it. If you didn't have the money for it you definitely didn't buy it. The only thing you could borrow money for was a home or a car, maybe college but you were expected to work. You avoided overextending yourself and here's the missing part: the banks didn't approve of giving out risky loans.

We've done it too. We owe too much money. Wish we didn't but we're working on it.

George Carlin might have said it the best:

"They call it the American Dream for a reason...
You have to be asleep to believe it."

Everyone buys so much stuff they don't need. Computers, ipods, clothes, cars, jewelry... tvs, expensive cable, cell phone plans... on and on. It's to the point that whole industries depend on our need to have all this junk so if we were to stop buying it there's a huge problem. But a lot of these items aren't even made in this country anymore. the profit is made by a company who produces something overseas, imports it here and then makes a profit selling it to Americans.

The whole system is bad and we've been running on borrowed time for quite a while now.
Still trying to decide if this bail out is a good idea or not. I wish it wasn't let go until it was a real impending disaster.

All right, I'm going to go for now.

Have a lot to do today.

Later,

Laura


*

Forty-two days till E-day

*

So the opinions on the economic bailout are all over the place...
Obama and McCain are both flexing and jockeying for power...
Bitching each other out.

Congress is flittering all about.
Stock market is bumpy to say the least.

Should we bail them out, shouldn't we bail them out?
And what of the AIG bailout? Done the deed, so now what's up?

Palin visits the United Nations, does photo op for a few seconds.
Tries to ban anything but camera without sound or producer, then changes her pretty mind under mild threat from press.
Is it Palin that's handing out the kid gloves or the press coming in wearing them?
And we get to see glossies of the pitbull wearing lipstick (her words not mine) sitting across from a foreign leader like
it means something in the real world. (Is the whole world snickering at us yet?)

Palin meets a few foreign leaders she never thought about before and gains foreign policy and diplomacy experience.
If only I knew that this concept of "absorbing" knowledge through osmosis had legitimacy...
I could have saved myself so much time, effort and borrowed money spent on actually working hard on my Master's Degree.

I would have simply "met" a few professors at NYU and hung out with some MSW's at lunch time, thus allowing me to claim I had experience because "met people" and I could see the social work building at NYU from Washington Square.
I could call myself a social worker apparently and... Poof! I'm now an expert ready for anything... any problem at all.
Forget that naggy old specialty training.

Oh yea, I'm also a published writer since I have a blog...

Have to go tonight,
Very tired, busy tomorrow and I do have a family that occasionally actually needs me.
Imagine that.

G'night,

Laura

*

Bailouts... going once, twice, three times... and sold to the American tax payers. (or forty-three days to E-day )

*

Still debates all around on the wall street bailout.
Details aren't as of yet nailed down.
Let's hope for some real restraints on lending and how it's handled.
I'm not convinced that this rescue is going to work.
Some economists say it will others qualify with words like "if it works the way it should" then they
point to the fact that nothing like this has happened since the depression.
Which doesn't make me feel that much better because our country and the world was very different in 1929.
Do we really know what's in store for us?
Dow still a mess...
I guess tomorrow we're supposed to hear more.

I think both Obama and McCain need to check their statements about the other.
I'm so sick of the attack ads and all the nonsense.
Lets hope the presidential (and VP) debates have more control and ask the difficult questions we need to have answered
by them all.
And let's hope they both answer honestly instead of criticizing each other and trying to mislead us.
Tell us what you're about. Tell us who you are and what you want to do and why.

Well, one way or the other, in forty-three days this whole thing will be decided for us all.
On the other hand if the last two elections are any example... it'll be very close once again.
It could be contested or lead to the divisiveness we have seen yet once again.

There really aren't red vs blue states... this is simply untrue. It's a made up map that leads to more divisiveness.
The races are fairly close in every state no matter where they are.
Will we ever work together as a whole nation united again being willing to accept the differences of opinion between us all and working towards compromises the work for most people instead of only one group?
We win/You totally lose... great model for diplomacy.

I wonder who'll win the popular vote? Hmm...
I'm surprised we haven't changed to the popular vote in this country since it is really a popularity contest.
Sometimes it seems like the real important issues take a back seat to the hype.

And speaking of bailouts. How about the car industry?
It's also limping along. Why?
Mostly because we didn't retool our factories and make smaller more gas efficient cars.
Also because of the bigger is better mentality.
Did we ever REALLY need SUV's, Hummers and pickup trucks that come in sizes: Large, Huge and What the Hell is that?

If you don't tow boats, haul horses, and depend on your truck for your livelihood then-
you really don't need one.

And what is the alternative to following politics right now?
Mediocre TV premiers and the Emmy's. Where people who act for a living (a truly hard grueling lifestyle) give themselves awards.
And I'm supposed to care I guess. One of a series of award shows that reward "acting like people other than yourself."
Sweet. Lots of people I know act every day. They have to act like their everyday life isn't a struggle to make ends meet.

I wonder if I'll sleep better after the election...

G'night,

Laura

PS: A fond NY farewell to Yankee Stadium!
A lot of people will miss you.
A lot of baseball history happened on that field of dreams.

*

It seems that each new day brings new political intrigue...

*

I figure that no matter whether you think along the lines of the spectrum
"It's the economy stupid." or "It's the economy elitist."
Most everyone will agree today that "It definitely is the economy."

So there's going to be an $85 billion dollar bail out of AIG, right on the heels of the bankruptcy declaration of Lehman Brothers and the government take ove of Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac.
Interesting how we're so against socialised medicine but Corporate Socialism jus' ain't a problemo.

So it's been yet another politically charged day, who would expect anything less?

How about the very wealthy prior Hillary supporter Lynn Forester de Rothschild switching her support over to McCain. Interesting... she stated it was because she "loved her country." What?
Okay this election is just getting too weird and unbelieveable.
The issues that belonged to Hillary (healthcare, working class issues, prochoice, etc.) do not belong to the McCain/Palin docket at all.
And on the other side of the stage (because we must maintain the tit for tat nature of this thing) is what Carly Fiorina, the woman dismissed by the board of Hewlett-Packard who stumps for McCain, said when asked about Palin said she felt Palin wouldn't be able to run a company like Hewlett-Packard. She qualified this with adding that neither could McCain, Obama or Biden but I imagine she'll be delegated to the background of this campaign. Didn't run the party line. Palin is superwoman afterall.

The economy is more than just "troublesome" to me. We are in serious debt and denial is not going to keep us going... the national debt is staggering and continues to increase at an alarming rate.
Why we're considering the republicans for a third and even more conservative term I just don't know. Deregulation of many industries has caused a weakness in our economy that we're starting to see the effects of now. McCain still talks as if we take care of the top corporate levels the bottom will follow. Trickle down...
Obviously while McCain sympathizes with the middle class, he wouldn't any longer know what it was like unless he found himself back in it (and that isn't happening.) Forget the lower class, and for those who are out of jobs, he offers conservatism and more Horatio Alger bullshit. Doesn't work for most people who are so busy trying to pay their bills and on such a tight budget they can't afford getting sick or these job losses.
Is McCain going to stop the bleeding of jobs from this country over seas?
Does anyone care?

Well, the housing market is in horrible shape. Construction down, foreclosures, and the bailout (sorry I guess it's a takeover which is a spin word for sure) of the mortgage lenders.
Heard on the news the other day that there was one good thing in all the bad housing market news.
My ears perked up. The commentator stated that "There are now many good buys out there to be had if you're looking for property." Yea. This is true I suppose, but again it's rather cynical.

"Gee honey," Ann said as she and her teenager (from her first marriage) helped ready her 3 children for school. "Listen to that on the tv, we could get a good deal on a home if only we had some credit, extra money and weren't two months behind on the rent and heating bills."
David sighed and stood up. "Yea, that's like saying that the bright side of our situation is that at least we won't go bankrupt since we don't own this house in the first place. Homeless perhaps but..." Everyone piled out the door leaving everything quiet. It was that night that their 16 year old daughter told them she was pregnant. All ready six people in three tiny bedrooms, this will go well. Yea, I feel your pain common man, you have my best wishes and we know you'll do what's right. Somehow we'll help you out, vote for us (and I have some land I'd like to sell you in the Florida swamplands.)

I have a problem with Palin. If she were to become president unexpectedly, she would have to rely on others to help her out with the many things she'd have to be up to speed on. Do you realistically think McCain is going to surround himself with bunches of mavericks?

Today I woke up to Good Morning America with Robin & Diane's sisterhood of the traveling rail reporters.
I had no idea really about this multi-state trek but honestly I can't read, watch and know everything can I?
So, McCain was interviewed and he did say he would like to repeal Roe VS Wade.
He states he's Prolife and feels that "We need to ask young American women who are faced with this terrible decision that we will help them have the courage to bring a baby into this world and we'll have the compassion & help them in every way that they can address it... So look, this is an issue that we have to change the culture of America those of us who respect the rights of the unborn that's the thrust of our effort and I'm happy to note that we are adoptive parents and it's enriched our lives and we hope that that will encourage others to do the same."

Might it be too much for you to elaborate what that idea of "we have to change the culture of America" is all about. Change it to what exactly? What culture pray tell? I thought we were the melting pot country.

Maybe installing lifetime conservative judges to the Supreme Court of the USA with an agenda to overturn Roe VS Wade doesn't bother people but I resent the implication that I don't respect life by believing that the government should not legislate my personal choices on reproductive rights as a female. This upsets me so very much. I don't like abortion as a means of birth control BUT there are instances where a woman might need to make a very heavy and difficult decision to terminate an early pregnancy. Don't assume that it's only "young women" in trouble that might seek an abortion, there are many other scenarios. The government should not be in the business of forcing... yes, forcing... women to have children.
It's far too complicated an issue to belittle others decisions without knowing their circumstances.
Abstinence only didn't work in the 20's, 40's, 60's, 80's or today.

Well let's see what tomorrow brings.

48 days to E-day and counting...

G'night
Get some sleep if you can.

Laura


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Forty-seven days to E-day and counting... Election overload.

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I'll take this opportunity to apologize for the number of posts here in "one day."
I actually cut and pasted my blog from elsewhere that I started a few days ago.
I prefer the format here, so here I am.
After today I'll be back on schedule for my daily posts.
Also sorry they're so long. I don't seem capable of making a short post, too much on my mind I guess...
I don't believe out shouting, name calling, personal attacks, or constant interrupting are legitimate tactics in debate.
Actually I think they're a sign of fear, anger, disrespect and distraction from having a true discussion on a topic.

I thought this was worth listening to in light of the Dems that went over to the McCain side yesterday:

She sounds so knowledgeable... Hmm...
Still a lot of things going on in politics.

How about that Sarah Palin challenging a "Stump the Candidate" session at the town hall with McCain?
Too bad that WAS her answer to the question asked (being her qualifications/knowledge in foreign policy).
After saying that she took the mic down and turned while McCain took over by talking about her knowledge of energy policy...
Which is only nominally better than her nonexistent Foreign policy knowledge.

Stock market up a bit again today... Still don't feel better... regular see-saw effect it seems these days.
Or is it a roller-coaster? Where it stops (up or down) no body knows.
Who's lending us all this money to take over or bail out these companies?
Last I knew we didn't have any money and owe a ridiculous amount to China et al.


On Tuesday morning, McCain said the U.S. economy is "fundamentally sound." McCain later in the day sought to clarify the remark, saying that it was the American worker who was "fundamentally sound."

I guess by calling the American worker "fundamentally sound" it means he thinks we're not totally crazy???
I'm beginning to wonder...
And Obama/Biden make more and more sense to me.


Goodnight and have a pleasant tomorrow...

Laura