Hey everybody,
Max Wood and the Young Democrats have alerted me of the need to contact city council and urge them to vote "no" on the $750,000,000, 35-year no-bid contract to give Trail Ridge over to Waste Management. All you need to do is e-mail cityc@coj.net. Let them know, briefly, that you'd like the Trail Ridge bid to be open, competitive, transparent, and fair. Ask them to vote "no" on the mayor's contract proposal. The e-mail can be as short as a couple of sentences. You can even copy my letter below and change it as you see fit!
Bringing this contract down would establish a mighty precedent: Jacksonville residents will not tolerate any more no-bid contracts.
Example:
Dear City Council Members, As one of your constituents, I urge you to vote "no" on the no-bid Waste Management contract for Trail Ridge. In these tough economic times, it seems both unethical and irresponsible to approve a $750,000,000 contract without opening the bid to other vendors. Jacksonville residents deserve a competitive, transparent, and fair bidding process for all contracts — especially one of such magnitude. Thank you, Casie
I cannot stop crying. I am stunned. Barack Obama is the next president of the United States of America, and I cannot stop crying. America closed the deal. Yes, we did. It is hard to focus right now. My mind is traveling sporadically. I am in Jax, Florida, being hugged by Family, friends, neighbors and strangers I met during the primaries. I am trembling at my Dads bedside moments after he passed away on my birthday March 28, 2008. I've been going through my thoughts, one after another, trying to figure out the right words I want to use to express the thoughts I've had since my dad passed. And the main problem that I've come to is that there are just way too many things to choose from.
Choosing from those memories are a task, because how do I possibly put into words a description that can even possibly come close to expressing to the world about the man who is responsible for everything I am today? I wish my dad could have been here with me to witness this historical night. I am exhausted. I am restless. I am America. This is happening. We shook the world. We won. Last night, at five past 11, a collective roar made its way across living rooms and restaurants and the streets of cities and towns. Strangers sought each other out to hug one another and share in this moment.
At my own watch party, chants of "Yes we can!" And what a ride this has been. The manner of this campaign is as important as its ultimate outcome. Grassroots organizing met peer-to-peer networked technologies, learned from old school campaigning and was remixed through new school art. And it won. We won! Our new president. Our new president, Barack Obama, truly represents us, America and the world.
He is Kenya and Hawaii. He is Chicago and Kansas, and through his gifts, his timing and his blessings, we have risen to a great occasion. This campaign was a fire that forged a president and a people, and we have emerged stronger for the trial. It is not simply that we chose an African American or a Democrat for our first post-baby boom leader, although those are all significant milestones. It is not simply that we chose a communicator and scholar and a man who so clearly demonstrates family values through the love and respect he shows his wife and daughters, although those too are significant milestones. It is not simply that we chose, but also that we rejected.
We rejected smears and race-baiting and Muslim-baiting and desperation. We rejected so much history and so many rules that have bound us to the way things have been and are supposed to be. We rejected fear. Most importantly, we rejected fear. Our better angels prevailed for one critical moment which can and will change forever the moments to follow. We said resoundingly that we are not afraid. We are not afraid of the world out there. We are not afraid of ourselves.
In rejecting that fear, we have shed something awful, at least for a time, and in so doing we have liberated ourselves. I am still crying, but they are tears of possibility for all that we are free to do and free to be.Yes, we did. I feel like we, as a nation, stepped back from the edge of the cliff leading to the Abyss. We have nowhere to go but UP. We have the opportunity to remake the government and ourselves as just, compassionate, and wise. Maybe it will take time to win over the greedy and the bigots. Maybe it will happen fast, like a tsunami wave. Who knows what happens when HOPE energizes a people? Yesterday I had faith as small as a mustard seed. Today I believe we can move mountains.
would McCain even try to stop this.... since he is so beholden to his party now?
You get 3 guesses. First 2 don't count.
A Last Push To Deregulate
White House to Ease Many Rules
By R Smith Washington Post Staff Writer Friday, October 31, 2008; Page A01
The Whitehouse is working to enact a wide array of federal regulations, many of which would weaken government rules aimed at protecting consumers and the environment, before pres bush leaves office in January.
The new rules would be among the most controversial deregulatory steps of the Bush era and could be difficult for his successor to undo. Some would ease or lift constraints on private industry, including power plants, mines and farms.
Those and other regulations would help clear obstacles to some commercial ocean-fishing activities, ease controls on emissions of pollutants that contribute to global warming, relax drinking-water standards and lift a key restriction on mountaintop coal mining.
Once such rules take effect, they typically can be undone only through a laborious new regulatory proceeding, including lengthy periods of public comment, drafting and mandated reanalysis.
"They want these rules to continue to have an impact long after they leave office," said Matthew Madia, a regulatory expert at OMB Watch, a nonprofit group critical of what it calls the Bush administration's penchant for deregulating in areas where industry wants more freedom. He called the coming deluge "a last-minute assault on the public . . . happening on multiple fronts."
White House spokesman Tony Fratto said: "This administration has taken extraordinary measures to avoid rushing regulations at the end of the term. And yes, we'd prefer our regulations stand for a very long time -- they're well reasoned and are being considered with the best interests of the nation in mind."
As many as 90 new regulations are in the works, and at least nine of them are considered "economically significant" because they impose costs or promote societal benefits that exceed $100 million annually. They include new rules governing employees who take family- and medical-related leaves, new standards for preventing or containing oil spills, and a simplified process for settling real estate transactions.
While it remains unclear how much the administration will be able to accomplish in the coming weeks, the last-minute rush appears to involve fewer regulations than Bush's predecessor, Bill Clinton approved at the end of his tenure.
In some cases, Bush's regulations reflect new interpretations of language in federal laws. In other cases, such as several new counterterrorism initiatives, they reflect new executive branch decisions in areas where Congress -- now out of session and focused on the elections -- left the president considerable discretion.
The burst of activity has made this a busy period for lobbyists who fear that industry views will hold less sway after the elections. The doors at the New Executive Office Building have been whirling with corporate officials and advisers pleading for relief or, in many cases, for hastened decision making.
According to the Office of Management and Budgets regulatory calendar, the commercial scallop-fishing industry came in two weeks ago to urge that proposed catch limits be eased, nearly bumping into National Mining Association officials making the case for easing rules meant to keep coal slurry waste out of Appalachian streams. A few days earlier, lawyers for kidney dialysis and biotechnology companies registered their complaints at the OMB about new Medicare reimbursement rules. Lobbyists for customs brokers complained about proposed counterterrorism rules that require the advance reporting of shipping data.
Bush's aides are acutely aware of the political risks of completing their regulatory work too late. On the afternoon of Bush's inauguration, Jan. 20, 2001, his chief of staff issued a government-wide memo that blocked the completion or implementation of regulations drafted in the waning days of the Clinton administration that had not yet taken legal effect.
"Through the end of the Clinton administration, we were working like crazy to get as many regulations out as possible," said Donald R. Arbuckle, who retired in 2006 after 25 years as an OMB official. "Then on Sunday, the day after the inauguration, OMB Director Mitch Daniels called me in and said, 'Let's pull back as many of these as we can.' "
Clinton's appointees wound up paying a heavy price for procrastination. Bush's team was able to withdraw 254 regulations that covered such matters as drug and airline safety, immigration and indoor air pollutants. After further review, many of the proposals were modified to reflect Republican policy ideals or scrapped altogether.
Seeking to avoid falling victim to such partisan tactics, White House Chief of Staff Joshua B. Bolten, in May imposed a Nov. 1 government-wide deadline to finish major new regulations, "except in extraordinary circumstances."
That gives officials just a few more weeks to meet an effective Nov. 20 deadline for the publication of economically significant rules, which take legal effect only after a 60-day congressional comment period. Less important rules take effect after a 30-day period, creating a second deadline of Dec. 20.
OMB spokeswoman Jane Lee said that Bolten's memo was meant to emphasize the importance of "due diligence" in ensuring that late-term regulations are sound. "We will continue to embrace the thorough and high standards of the regulatory review process," she said.
As the deadlines near, the administration has begun to issue regulations of great interest to industry, including, in recent days, a rule that allows natural gas pipelines to operate at higher pressures and new Homeland Security rules that shift passenger security screening responsibilities from airlines to the federal government. The OMB also approved a new limit on airborne emissions of lead this month, acting under a court-imposed deadline.
Many of the rules that could be issued over the next few weeks would ease environmental regulations, according to sources familiar with administration deliberations.
A rule put forward by the National Marine Fisheries Service and now under final review by the OMB would lift a requirement that environmental impact statements be prepared for certain fisheries-management decisions and would give review authority to regional councils dominated by commercial and recreational fishing interests.
An Alaska commercial fishing source, granted anonymity so he could speak candidly about private conversations, said that senior administration officials promised to "get the rule done by the end of this month" and that the outcome would be a big improvement.
Lee Crockett of the Pew Charitable Trusts' Environment Group said the administration has received 194,000 public comments on the rule and protests from 80 members of Congress as well as 160 conservation groups. "This thing is fatally flawed" as well as "wildly unpopular," Crockett said.
Two other rules nearing completion would ease limits on pollution from power plants, a major energy industry goal for the past eight years that is strenuously opposed by Democratic lawmakers and environmental groups.
One rule, being pursued over some opposition within the Environmental Protection Agency, would allow current emissions at a power plant to match the highest levels produced by that plant, overturning a rule that more strictly limits such emission increases. According to the EPA's estimate, it would allow millions of tons of additional carbon dioxide into the atmosphere annually, worsening global warming.
A related regulation would ease limits on emissions from coal-fired power plants near national parks.
A third rule would allow increased emissions from oil refineries, chemical factories and other industrial plants with complex manufacturing operations.
These rules "will force Americans to choke on dirtier air for years to come, unless Congress or the new administration reverses these eleventh-hour abuses," said lawyer John Walke of the Natural Resources Defense Council.
But Scott H. Segal, a Washington lawyer and chief spokesman for the Electric Reliability Coordinating Council, said that "bringing common sense to the Clean Air Act is the best way to enhance energy efficiency and pollution control." He said he is optimistic that the new rule will help keep citizens' lawsuits from obstructing new technologies.
Jonathan Shradar, an EPA spokesman, said that he could not discuss specifics but added that "we strive to protect human health and the environment." Any rule the agency completes, he said, "is more stringent than the previous one."
NOT in MY back yard!
this could be the 'killer Ad that could put Obama over the top for certain sure.
Just like the one the Republicans used during the last week of 2004, the wolves prowling in the dark and in and out of the trees and brush and circling ever closer to your home, inferring terrorists are lusking and it takes a Republican and GW Bush to save you from them.
Our Ad could be pictures showing a nuclear facility and John McCain in an audio clip stating out loud and in front of everybody, as he did so today in Miami at his wednesday October 29th rally, that he will do the following:
*John McCain Will Put His Administration On Track To Construct 45 New Nuclear Power Plants By 2030 With The Ultimate Goal Of Eventually Constructing 100 New Plants. Nuclear power is a proven, zero-emission source of energy, and it is time we recommit to advancing our use of nuclear power. Currently, nuclear power produces 20% of our power, but the U.S. has not started construction on a new nuclear power plant in over 30 years. China, India and Russia have goals of building a combined total of over 100 new plants and we should be able to do the same. It is also critical that the U.S. be able to build the components for these plants and reactors within our country so that we are not dependent on foreign suppliers with long wait times to move forward with our nuclear plans.
*Excerpt from John McCain's web site on Energy Policies.
*John McCain Will Put His Administration On Track To Construct 45 New Nuclear Power Plants By 2030 With The Ultimate Goal Of Eventually Constructing 100 New Plants. Nuclear power is a proven, zero-emission source of energy, and it is time we recommit to advancing our use of nuclear power. Currently, nuclear power produces 20% of our power, but the U.S. has not started construction on a new nuclear power plant in over 30 years. China, India and Russia have goals of building a combined total of over 100 new plants and we should be able to do the same. It is also critical that the U.S. be able to build the components for these plants and reactors within our country so that we are not dependent on foreign suppliers with long wait times to move forward with our nuclear plans. * excerpt from McCain's web site about his energy policies.
=============================
The reason we have not built nuclear power plants in 30 years is.... the last time somebody brought it up 30 years ago, everybody in America cried "Not In MY Backyard!"
ditto here. I don't want to have 45 nuclear power plants across the country with the possibility of a Chernoble or in each area of America.
This could be Obama's'killer ad over the weekend... remember the wolves at the door for scaring Americans about terrorist lurking Ad that got the republicans back in office in 2004?
and it's too late for John McCain to stop our Ad, he's already said it forcefully today, wednesday 29th, in his Miami rally in front of God and everybody. Including Charlie Crist.
Early Voting for the entire state of Florida has just been extended.
Every Early Vote location in Florida will now be every day from 7am-7pm up through November 2.
Please pass along this great news to everyone you know who will be voting in Florida. Click here to find your nearest early vote location.
Here's the release:
GOVERNOR CRIST EXTENDS EARLY VOTING HOURS ~~ ~Ensures maximum number of Floridians can exercise right to vote~ ~~October 28, 2008Contact:GOVERNOR'S PRESS OFFICE(850) 488-5394TALLAHASSEE - Governor Charlie Crist today signed Executive Order 08-217, extending the hours for early voting during the current General Election. Effective immediately, early voting sites will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., through Friday, October 31, 2008, and for a total of 12 hours between 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 1, and 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 2, 2008. "I have spoken with the Secretary of State and members of the Florida Legislature and have concluded that it is always the right thing to do to give voters every opportunity to cast a ballot," Governor Crist said. "I have a responsibility to the voters of our state to ensure that the maximum number of citizens can participate in the electoral process, and that every person can exercise the right to vote." Prior to the 2008 General Election, Florida has seen historic numbers of Floridians registering to vote for the first time. In addition, record numbers of voters have chosen to cast a ballot during early voting. Early voting began on October 20 and runs through November 2. Current Florida law allows for early voting to be conducted eight hours per day on each weekday, and for a total of eight hours during both weekends during the early voting period. Floridians can contact their county's Supervisor of Elections for dates, times and locations of early voting. Florida voters can also request absentee ballots to be mailed to them until October 29. Please see the attached Executive Order 08-217. STATE OF FLORIDA OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR EXECUTIVE ORDER NUMBER 08-217 WHEREAS, early voting is scheduled to end November 2, 2008; and WHEREAS, early voting turnout has already reached record levels and is forecast to continue with record turnout. There are only 267 early voting sites throughout the state and long lines have formed at many of the early voting sites; and WHEREAS, a historic number of Floridians have registered to vote for the first time in this election; and WHEREAS, new voting equipment is being used in 15 Florida counties; WHEREAS, as a result of this unique combination of circumstances resulting from the historic voter turnout in this election, there is a possibility that election officials will be unable to conduct an orderly election, and thus residents in our state could be deprived of a meaningful opportunity to vote; andWHEREAS, because of the existing and continuing possibility of an emergency occurring before or during the regularly scheduled election, and in order to ensure maximum citizen participation in the electoral process, and provide a safe and orderly procedure for persons seeking to exercise their right to vote;NOW, THEREFORE, I, CHARLIE CRIST, as Governor of Florida, by virtue of the authority vested in me by Article IV, Section 1(a) of the Florida Constitution, by the Florida Elections Emergency Act, and by all other applicable laws, issue the following Executive Order, to take immediate effect:I hereby declare that, based on the above-described conditions, a state of emergency exists. It is hereby found and declared to be necessary to extend the voting hours during early voting. Accordingly, I order the Supervisors of Elections to open early voting sites from 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. through October 31, 2008 and open early voting sites for a total of twelve (12) hours between 7 a.m. November 1, 2008 and 7 p.m. November 2, 2008.IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Florida to be affixed, at Tallahassee, the Capitol, this 28th day of October, 2008. GOVERNORATTEST:SECRETARY OF STATE
GOVERNOR CRIST EXTENDS EARLY VOTING HOURS
~~ ~Ensures maximum number of Floridians can exercise right to vote~ ~~
October 28, 2008
Contact:
GOVERNOR'S PRESS OFFICE(850) 488-5394
TALLAHASSEE - Governor Charlie Crist today signed Executive Order 08-217, extending the hours for early voting during the current General Election. Effective immediately, early voting sites will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., through Friday, October 31, 2008, and for a total of 12 hours between 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 1, and 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 2, 2008.
"I have spoken with the Secretary of State and members of the Florida Legislature and have concluded that it is always the right thing to do to give voters every opportunity to cast a ballot," Governor Crist said. "I have a responsibility to the voters of our state to ensure that the maximum number of citizens can participate in the electoral process, and that every person can exercise the right to vote."
Prior to the 2008 General Election, Florida has seen historic numbers of Floridians registering to vote for the first time. In addition, record numbers of voters have chosen to cast a ballot during early voting.
Early voting began on October 20 and runs through November 2. Current Florida law allows for early voting to be conducted eight hours per day on each weekday, and for a total of eight hours during both weekends during the early voting period. Floridians can contact their county's Supervisor of Elections for dates, times and locations of early voting.
Florida voters can also request absentee ballots to be mailed to them until October 29.
Please see the attached Executive Order 08-217.
STATE OF FLORIDA
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
EXECUTIVE ORDER NUMBER 08-217
WHEREAS, early voting is scheduled to end November 2, 2008; and
WHEREAS, early voting turnout has already reached record levels and is forecast to continue with record turnout. There are only 267 early voting sites throughout the state and long lines have formed at many of the early voting sites; and
WHEREAS, a historic number of Floridians have registered to vote for the first time in this election; and
WHEREAS, new voting equipment is being used in 15 Florida counties;
WHEREAS, as a result of this unique combination of circumstances resulting from the historic voter turnout in this election, there is a possibility that election officials will be unable to conduct an orderly election, and thus residents in our state could be deprived of a meaningful opportunity to vote; and
WHEREAS, because of the existing and continuing possibility of an emergency occurring before or during the regularly scheduled election, and in order to ensure maximum citizen participation in the electoral process, and provide a safe and orderly procedure for persons seeking to exercise their right to vote;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, CHARLIE CRIST, as Governor of Florida, by virtue of the authority vested in me by Article IV, Section 1(a) of the Florida Constitution, by the Florida Elections Emergency Act, and by all other applicable laws, issue the following Executive Order, to take immediate effect:
I hereby declare that, based on the above-described conditions, a state of emergency exists. It is hereby found and declared to be necessary to extend the voting hours during early voting. Accordingly, I order the Supervisors of Elections to open early voting sites from 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. through October 31, 2008 and open early voting sites for a total of twelve (12) hours between 7 a.m. November 1, 2008 and 7 p.m. November 2, 2008.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Florida to be affixed, at Tallahassee, the Capitol, this 28th day of October, 2008.
GOVERNOR
ATTEST:
SECRETARY OF STATE
I wrote a posts a while ago about my thoughts of Senator Obama's Transformational Leadership Style. It is very awesome to see a person of History such as Powell mention similar observations and even more powerful, endorsing Senator Obama for his strong leadership style... Please, Vote Early, Vote by Mail and help anyone who needs help getting to the polls, GOD Speed.
-JM
-----------------------
General Colin Powell (Retired), Secretary of State 2001-2005, on Meet the Press:
So when I look at all of this and I think back to my army career, we've got two individuals. Either one of them could be a good president, but which is the president that we need now? Which is the individual that serves the needs of the nation for the next period of time? And I come to the conclusion that because of his ability to inspire, because of the inclusive nature of his campaign, because he is reaching out all across America, because of who he is and his rhetorical abilities – and we have to take that into account – as well as his substance – he has both style and substance – he has met the standard of being a successful president, being an exceptional president. I think he is a transformational figure. He is a new generation coming into the ... onto the world stage and on the American stage and for that reason, I'll be voting for Senator Barack Obama.
Republicans need to rethink their campaign tactics and think seriously about what the party will be remembered as and what Americans will come away with after the 2008 presidential election.
By all indications, most Americans who are not in the maniacal right-fringe, like Sean Hannity of Fox News and Rush Limbaugh and followers, are going to come away with a very bad taste in their mouth, regarding the 'Grand Old Party'.
Todd Palin or 'First Dude', admits or even brags he is an advisor to his wife, Sarah Palin. If Sarah Palin is elected as VP, what effect will Todd Palin have in the whitehouse?
google AIP sarah and todd palin; or follow link below:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/huffpost/20081013/cm_huffpost/133966
as Menachem Rosensaft writes;
We are entitled to know what that role is likely to be. Is Todd Palin going to call government officials from the White House to lobby for or against political allies or enemies? Is he going to summon cabinet members into the Vice President's office to try to get a relative hired or fired? That is, after all, his track record.
Todd Palin also appears to have lobbied Alaska state legislators on issues other than his former brother in law's continued employment. When Republican State Representative Jay Ramras, the chairman of the Alaska House Judiciary Committee, saw the Todd Palin outside the legislative chamber one day last year, "My colleagues told me he was lobbying for the governor's position on oil taxes." This made Ramras uncomfortable. "I think that when the spouse of an elected governor steps away from safe issues that are nonpartisan in nature," he said, "that it is bad for the legislative and executive branches, and Todd Palin would not be an exception to that."
Equally important, if Todd Palin is going to be one of the Vice President's most senior advisors, if not the most senior, he should be made available to the media to answer questions about his political views. The little we know about him is disconcerting.
For seven years, from 1995 until 2002, he was a member of the controversial extreme right-wing Alaska Independence Party. This is a party whose principal goal is a statewide vote on whether Alaska should secede from the United States, and whose founder's nuggets of wisdom, featured prominently on the AIP's website, include "I'm an Alaskan, not an American. I've got no use for America or her damned institutions," and "The problem with you John Birchers is that you are too damn liberal!"
What, if anything, did Todd Palin do as a member of the AIP? Did he actively support Alaskan independence, and if so, by what means? The Alaska Independence Party is affiliated with other extremist right wing political groups around the United States, including the Constitution Party (formerly the U.S. Taxpayers' Party) which wants to "restore our government to its Constitutional limits and our law to its Biblical foundations." Does he see himself as "an Alaskan, not an American"? What does he think about American institutions such as, say, the Supreme Court and Congress? Does he, like AIP founder Joe Vogler, consider the John Birch Society to be "too damn liberal"? Earlier this year, AIP Vice Chairman Dexter Carter urged party members to "infiltrate" the two major parties. Come again? Is that why Todd Palin is now a registered Republican?
We know that Sarah Palin has been "palling around" with Todd. We don't know with whom Todd Palin has been, or for that matter may still be, "palling around."
At the very least, both John McCain and Sarah Palin should tell us whether they approve of Todd Palin's past membership in the AIP and whether, if elected, they will allow him to use the apparent authority of the White House to promote a personal agenda.Menachem Rosensaft is a lawyer in New York City.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1024927/The-wife-John-McCain-callously-left-behind.html
The article in the link is from Great Britain. Get it? I just found out that some of our most ardent supporters have not heard about the True John McCain. When they asked why is it that no one in the media has brought it up. I said, because as always, you don't talk (bad or negative) about a war hero or a veteran. Politically correct, don't you know. Tell everyone, anyway!
September 13, 2008 Op-Ed ColumnistShe’s Not Ready By BOB HERBERThttp://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/13/opini ... rbert.htmlWhile watching the Sarah Palin interview with Charlie Gibson Thursday night, and the coverage of the Palin phenomenon in general, I’ve gotten the scary feeling, for the first time in my life, that dimwittedness is not just on the march in the U.S., but that it might actually prevail.How is it that this woman could have been selected to be the vice presidential candidate on a major party ticket? How is it that so much of the mainstream media has dropped all pretense of seriousness to hop aboard the bandwagon and go along for the giddy ride? For those who haven’t noticed, we’re electing a president and vice president, not selecting a winner on "American Idol."===============================================================
Reply from: Fly on The Wall Alright, Mr. Herbert, I am going to tell you how we now have Sarah Palin on the national ticket for John McCain's vice presidential running mate. It came about because........ John McCain threw a hissy-fit. Seeing the Democrat Barack Obama's nomination party in Denver, McCain couldn't stand it a second longer, and knew he could never compete with his rival on a man to man, one on one, toe to toe basis and screamed; "bring me a woman!" (must have startled some aides for a nano second or two.) "get me a woman on this ticket now!" Because he knew he couldn't compete otherwise. He has to win to show Cindy, his rich millionairess heiress, that he still has the old fire in the furnace or the ...uh.. the hanging apparatus, and all.And when they look blankly at McCain, he screams; "and make sure she is young, has kids, babies, whatever, and has something to do with .... with.... get me a woman!"
Thursday, in the hours leading to the debate, CNN talking head talked to a friend and advisor of Palin's and the woman (didn't get her name...) told CNN that Palin knew the answers to Couric, during any of the CBS interviews but was in the mode of thinking forward as "she learned to do back when she, herself was a journalist-reporter. Like, you have to think ahead of how the Q&A could be used or distorted .. and so Palin did not give answer to the question -- but she knew it. Sarah always does know what the answer is to the subject, she just is careful..."
Rope-A-Dope. Get it? The Repgulicans have used that trick successfully over the last 8 years, thinks to Rove, especially. Make the candidate appear dumb or --(or, something...) -- and get people roped in to see the debate and then ....
Only problem is, Americans are waking up to this ploy. Americans are not quite as stupid as the Repuglicans want us to be.
Today, Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2008, I am watching Barack Obama give a wonderful speech in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, and the phone rings and the caller ID reads that it is The Republicans. Just from curiosity, I push the on button and say hello. The young woman on the other end says "Hi, I wonder if you'd like to help with a survey..."
"I am voting for Obama." I replied strongly. "Oh, well. try to have a nice day..." she said and hung up.
ha ha :-))
July 19, 2008 politics and economy.
On Thursday, I hear that our government is planning to bail out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and IndyMac and now, on Friday, I hear Wachovia Bank mentioned. The figure to bail them out was $300 billion. Dollars. Are you getting that?On Bill Moyer's Journal, PBS, tonight, I learn that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, are not federal owned institutions, are run by private investors, and foreign investors are able to come in and take advantage of the U.S. crisis. After we ... I mean, our "government" spends $300 billion of our tax dollars to make these gigantic lending institutions flush again, that is. With OUR tax dollars. And with no demands upon the institutions to behave better or to change habits or to stop engaging in un-ethical practices.This week, the JOURNAL presented two different perspectives on our troubled economy. The first came from frustrated citizens of Cleveland grappling with their community’s extraordinarily high rates of foreclosure. Cleveland, Ohio's Cuyahoga County treasurer Jim Rokakis said: back in the old days when there was no sheriff in town people robbed the banks.
"Back in the old days when there was no sheriff in town, people would rob the banks. Well, here we are in the modern day era, and there’s no sheriff in town. The banks were robbing the people... I learned a hard lesson: I learned that the Fed really is there to protect banks, and not to protect the consumers."
these days the banks are robbing the people. ie; when retirees on fixed incomes wanted to re-mortgage their house for repairs for a new roof or plumbing or so on, they got the sub-prime and bad loans instead of the fixed rate loans of the old days.
William Greider, corrrespondent and author, writes for The Nation. says:
some comments to Bill Moyer's Journal Blog:
I think some of the saddest effects of recent economic problems are not monetary. The human cost is rising as well. Stress, anger, and fatigue are running high. People I talk with down here in Orlando are just exhausted.
As one friend put it, “I have to know everything about everything before I do anything now mostly because if I don’t, they rip me off. I have to know how my car’s cooling system works so I won’t get screwed for an $800 fan switch installation when the problem is most likely a $90 thermostat. I have to be part lawyer, doctor, computer tech, financially analyst. I can’t rely on what anyone actually says anymore.”
So many folks are scrambling and scrambling and scrambling. One lady said she spends an hour in the grocery store just reading labels and ingredients. An elderly neighbor says she spent 2 hours on the internet researching roof shingles for a repair job. Another neighbor is pouring through credit card receipts and statements from 8 months ago to prove to a company that a purchase was made and the item still under warrantee. Another, after hours of research, is fighting with a doctor about why her daughter is prescribed one drug that directly counteracts the effects of another prescribed drug.And this stress is turning to anger…people are outright meaner and ruder to each other. I saw security people called to a cashier line when a dispute arose over who was there first. It’s a tinder box of reactivity. No one lets anyone finish a sentence. Doors aren’t held anymore. Few people say “please” or “thank you.” Few even say “good-bye” on the telephone anymore.
Comedienne/CBS Commentator Nancy Giles said it best a couple of years ago. She said it came to her when she was pumping her own gasoline one day. “You know, I’m doing a lot more jobs now. Why isn’t there a line on my IRS tax return for ‘wages earned but unpaid?’”
Posted by: songweasel | July 19, 2008 12:17 AM
I'm somewhat amazed (but not surprised) that the same people who, when times are good, talk about the self-correcting nature of the free market (which I believe, but only if everyone is honest and agree to play by the rules), are the first ones to ask for a bailout when things go bad.
Let the banks fail, and I'll bet the next time a sub-prime packaged security is offered there won't be many takers.
Posted by: Eric | July 19, 2008 12:17 AM
I’ve been a fan of Greider for a long time. This was my first opportunity to hear him in person. As when I read his articles, my response is that what he says makes sense. It is too bad that no one (in power, as in Congress) is listening.
The most important point he made is that the private corporations get bailed-out but not bought-out. Why don’t the people of the US own Continental Illinois Bank, all the savings and loans, Chrysler, and Bear Stearns? We paid for them. The only way to stop the exploitation of “too big to fail” is for failed industries to be nationalized.
Posted by: January | July 19, 2008 12:16 AM
Regulators knew this meltdown was going to occur for almost ten years now. It was blatant, obvious, and they did nothing to stop it.
Ten years ago Japan had their meltdown, and it almost took down all of Asia. The experts watched and learned, then turned around to use what they learned to strip the middle class here in America of its assets.
Ten years ago Japan had a major meltdown, recession, and ultimately deflation. The value of homes, everything, had to drop to realistic levels.
Everything that happened to them is happening to us. If you want to understand how bad things are going to get, study what happened to Japan.
After all, that's exactly how the criminals that are stealing your money, destroying your bank, learned how to do it.
Posted by: allyn | July 19, 2008 12:14 AM
What scares me: Greider's prediction -- and my belief -- that Americans have darker days ahead as this ripple of credit woes cripple the US. Greider's fears appear valid about private equity funds buying into US financial institutes.
I hope this is a nightmare...and that I wake to an American Dream.
If Fanny and Freddie are bailed out, more US Treasuries will be sold, possibly doubling the national debt. Thus, ever greater US debt held by China and oil rich countries. What happens when foreign creditors own a controlling majority of US Treasury debt? What if instead of US private equity funds, it's foreign investment funds that purchase American banks and Wall Street? After all, the combined market value of the US financial market is beginning to look like a bargain.
And there's no rush. As the US implodes, foreign investors can chose at what deflated price they claim the complete package: the US government and Wall Street.
read more if you don't get it yet.... http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/blog/2008/07/facing_economic_troubles.html
This thing of McCain's to cancel debate to "save" the economy, is of course another repug trick.
Thank God, our fellow Americans are seeing things truly, and will vote for Obama, no matter the tricks the repugs play around us.
see my website on how Punch and Judy celebrate repuglicans now. http://www.pajamaparty2008.com/
http://www.barackobama.com/index.php
can somebody tell me about this url? When I was thinking I was on our site, I had noticed the pages were slower and most of all, the login page and fields seemed off somehow. Then the browser IE7 sends up a phishing alarm and said I should check the web site and I did and it said it was an imposter. I tried backtracking and think this is the one. Gee, I hate this if we have been hacked and phished and used by the repugs!
