As an Ohio native, let me first apologize for those guys in Dayton. I dated guys like that in junior high. Yeah, there's a reason I left.

When they are caught, I wonder if all those nifty new anti-terrorism laws will come into play? Yeah, that's what I figured too.

from McCain's statement from Iowa about the failed bill: (paraphrasing) "Barack Obama and the Democrats kept this bill from passing. Now is not the time to assign blame." Seriously.

Well, most of the House Republicans, aided by a few spineless Democrats, have just sabotaged the U.S. economy. See y'all on the bread line.

On his blog a few hours ago, Paul Krugman said it best: "OK, we are a banana republic." You can find his full statement of despair here:
http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/29/ok-we-are-a-banana-republic/

Crankily yours,
The New York Crank

All I have to say is, thank God John McCain was there to sit the Democrats and Republicans down and tell them to "cut the bullshit," or we could have a real crisis on our hands.

Well, I'd like to add that Jay Nordlinger has officially jumped off the deep end:

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=YWE0ZGNiZDU3MzYxMDJhMmEzNDhjODc1NDdhZGQ0ZjM=

How cute. Red State Mike is trying to burnish his "bipartisan" credentials, as if long time participants in these threads weren't familiar with his long history of carrying Republican water and repeating dishoenst GOP talking points (see his comments this thread -- which he posted today! -- for examples).

That dog won't hunt, Mike. Shame on you.

Though one wonders how Red State Mike would know how to recognize "smart"...

Boy, do we need John McCain right now.

John McCain had everything under control until the Democrats had to inject Presidential politics into the suspension of my campaign.

I'm for another McCain suspension. This time by the balls.

That's Just What I Said

This afternoon, responding to the economic crisis, the Obama campaign issued a statement calling for calm, encouraging lawmakers to keep working, and urging investors not to panic.

I can see this worked well. All those "calmed" investors selling like crazy today sure kept the Dow afloat.

If the popular mood of the country is against any bailout, I don't see how politics would play in favor of a bailout? Maybe these congressional races are actually tighter than the most of the posters on these threads believe.

"Barack Obama failed to lead, phoned it in, attacked John McCain and refused to even say if he supported the final bill," McCain adviser Douglas Holtz-Eakin said...

To be clear, both Obama and McCain "phoned it in." The difference is, only McCain claimed to not be phoning it in. Also, the party that torpedoed the deal was his.

I'm going to stake out the minority opinion here and say that, I think it would save the economy if McCain suspended his campaign.

I like Rachel Maddow's show a lot more than Olbermann's, and since I have limited time for TV-watching, I record her show and not his.

* The New York Sun is closing up tomorrow.

A small patch of silver in an otherwise stormy day.

Maureen Dowd isn't welcome anywhere.

The climate crisis continues to grow increasingly scary.

Okay, maybe there is a silver lining to an economic depression. If we all make and consume less our carbon footprint will diminish. On the other hand, it will make it a lot harder to invest in new, cleaner technologies. So yeah, we're still screwed.

See? I finally try to say something that's not part of the GOP narrative to appease my critics, and this is what happens.

I'm sticking to making up stuff about elitists Democrats from now on. They never throw me off the bus.

I just read this on the washingtonmonthly.com blog (my favorite newsource)
OH HAHAHAHA!

"This afternoon, responding to the economic crisis, the Obama campaign issued a statement calling for calm, encouraging lawmakers to keep working, and urging investors not to panic. The McCain campaign attacked Obama."

OMG!! My sides hurt. That says it all!

Well, I'd like to add that Jay Nordlinger has officially jumped off the deep end.

That is quite possibly the most pathetic thing I've ever read. Someone would actually torpedo their own business so they wouldn't have to pay taxes to a Democratic administration?

Just more proof that Republicanism is a disease. How else can you explain self-mutilation like that?

Maureen Dowd is apparently no longer welcome aboard the McCain campaign plane.

I can't find it in my heart to hold that against McCain.

Now is not the time to place blame. The time for that will be when people stop blaming me for this mess and start blaming Obama. Until that time, we need to focus on fixing this mess.

Now is not the time to place blame. The time for that will be when people stop blaming me for this mess and start blaming Obama. Until that time, we need to focus on fixing this.

Now that the yokels have been mollified with a "pitchfork rebellion," the Republican Party's real masters will be on the phone this evening...

Is it ironic or tragic that those who gave us deregulation the ones who are responsible for the S and L fiasco, Enron, and indeed our current mortgage meltdown are in a position to control the attempts to limit the problem.

There is no accountability in our culture. How else to explain Bush's reelection, presidential medals to Rumfield and Tenet, the deference provided Greenspan and Friedman (Milton that is) and the who me? republicans of the House claiming it's everyone's fault but their's.

Tune in again blame time tomorrow. All blame all the time.

95 Dems voted no because the bill did not continue the zero percent down "affordable" housing, foreclosure relief for buyers that were unqualified in the first place, community organizing funding for buying votes, ACORN All-Green development zones with ARM financing & no proof of income: in other words: prog biz as usual (with million dollar parachutes for FannieMae Gorelicks et.al. after overseeing accounting fraud).
Most of the 95 Dems will vote yes whan all these are put back into the bill. It will be all Nan's and Barney "I do not regard FannieMae and FreddieMac as problems" Frank's bailout bill then. Americans who saved, bought within their means, and stayed current will pay for the above. And good luck with the markets then anyway.

Stop whining.

Good riddance New York Sun.

go rachel... you da man.

Given the way McCain is habitually proclaiming success before -- oops! -- something fails (his "rescue" of the bailout; his "win" of the Thursday debate), are we seeing the emergence of the McCain Doctrine, which is Preemptive News?

95 Dems voted no because ...

... that was the deal with the Republicans. Pelosi would deliver 140 votes, Boehner would deliver 85, and it would pass with at least some bipartisan cred.

But then the Republicans decided they'd rather have something to grandstand on than help with the financial meltdown, so they backed out of the deal and Pelosi wasn't about to make her party take ownership of something that both sides had agreed would be bipartisan.

Sorry, but the failure of this bill is 100 percent on the Republicans. They tried to pull the ball away at the last second and were surprised when the Democrats refused to kick anyway.

* No one has any idea what's going to happen next.

Au contraire, Monsieur Benen, I know exactly what is going to happen next, and I will tell the White House---just as soon as the $700 billion check made out to "me" clears at the bank.

* The New York Sun is closing up tomorrow.

The Sun'll burn out, tomorrow,
Bet yer bottom dollar that tomorrow,
No more Sun......

I'm nominating Rachel Maddow for GOD....

No Stevie,

The Dow closed down 777.29 points, that's not rounded to 778, but 777, GODS number! Have a nice Roshhasishawna, buddy boy! Again, GODS number, 777.

Re the failure of the vote Well Bullshit - all of it. Chuck Todd on MSNBC researched the status of all those who voted no and 95% of them were facing a tough reelection. They are worried about not getting reelected which as we all know is their first job. Blatant political motivation. Country First? Eat shit and die, I want to get reelected.

Thanks for such a great blog here, Steve.

Between you and Rachel, I hardly need to go elsewhere for my news/analysis--but alas you both insist I do with all your great links and research!

Rachel Maddow's MSNBC T.V. show so fantastically cogent and she has such a gift for honing in on the issue at hand or summing up what her guests are trying to convey, while also throwing in her own two cents!

I was so happy to see her do some specials (such as after the debate and the night the President gave his grim speak) nearly back to back with her regularly scheduled show...it was 'double your listening and learning pleasure' (and helped me stay sane to boot) on those nights!

Boehner’s a titty baby, BUT, Pelosi is a naïve hypocrite. That’s my take.

As for "spineless" Democrats, to a person above ... yeah, the ones who voted Yes without bargaining for something better.

The 800 point Dow drop shows just how much harder of a bargain can be driven.

I like Maddow's show too. I feel she's making bullshit, ticky-tack points only about 50% of the time, while Jon Stewart's percentage is about 30%, and Olbermann's about 20%. It's kind of a shame, because there are REALLY good, strong, points to be made, and once put in context, and proportion, they remain strong. It's hard in that kind of format, because of time constraints, and the "boring" constraint.

(Conservative commentators, and Fox news, generally have about a 5% ratio of valid points to bullshit, duplicitous, out-of-context lies).

Here’s my professional take on a better bailout. I may not be Krugman, and I may not be a financial analyst, but I am a newspaper editor with a weekly platform.

And, yes, something along the lines of this idea is what’s going in my column, minus the “inside baseball� analysis of both Boehner and Pelosi.

And, The Answer is Green is right about the answer.

Sweet. Intrade has us snagging FL, OH and VA. 338=200. They've even given Barack a nicer photo and made McCain look like he just stepped out an X-file.

I want him to win, have for four years now, but I feel sorry for Obama having to inherit all this shit. I almost wish it would be poured into Pop's lap so we can watch him have a coronary at his inauguration speech. Almost.

Anyone know how Hillary Clinton voted on this bill? Or where the hell she is? Haven't seen her out there pumping it up at all. What a twit. Hopefully, we'll see the last of that pair too.

I tell you what, I really really like Jill Biden. She looks like a genuinely nice person. Compare her to Liz Cheney, who looks as if she spent a lifetime sucking lemons. I guess living with The Dick would do that to anyone.

Finally, why does Sarah Palin always wear her hair as if she's saving room for a tiara?

Sorry for the meandering. I just don't want to think about what happened today. I'm so sick of this carnival.

The economy was not sabotaged by the politicians it was sabotaged by greed and deregulation by investment types, thru lobbyists, so they could create all these complex derivatives few could understand to leverage their investments.

Now its deleveraging and I think its a good thing that they didnt get the ransom they wanted.

Bulldoze the corrupt rotten corpse of Wall Street into the Hudson.

Anyone know how Hillary Clinton voted on this bill?

The Senate never got a chance to vote on it.

For the record McCain nor Obama are on the US senate committee on finance

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/110th_United_States_Congress

Maddow doesn't make bullshit ticky-tacky points--what a back-handed passive-aggressive comment (pretending to be a compliment) that was!

If that was truly meant to be a compliment, than I'd hate to hear your critiques..

Sorta like Bill Clinton's lack-luster pretend endorsement of Obama ("he's insightful, he's learning a lot") while singing the praises of McCain and Palin.

I agree with Jet the drop in the stock market had nothing to do with the politicians hedging their bets by voting against it.

It had everything to do with FREE Market Capitalism. Isn't that what the Republicans love?

Let the markets sort this out. As Warren Buffet did, there will be bargains abound. No Capitalist will be able to resist it.

As a few commenters have noted: I don't want there to be a bail out of the home owners either. I never fell for any of the gimmicks to get 'more' money out of my mortgage by leveraging my house and spending it frivolously. If irresponsible people are entitled to a handout; what do I get? What about all the people who acted and lived responsibly? Do we get a hand out as well?

Thanks AJB, Imma dork. Any idea where she stood on it?

There was also the release of a damning inspector general rapport that recommends the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate the extraordinary replacement of several US attorneys using emergency provisions of the USAPATRIOT act. This gave us US attorneys who did not only use their power for the dirty vote suppression tactics that should disgust everyone but would also introduce the concept of political prisoners to the US. This call what quickly heeded by attorney general Michael Mukasey who appointed Nora Dannehy, a federal prosecutor from Connecticut.

This is pretty close to impeachment territory and there is a decent argument that this abuse offers the best inroads into Bush era abuses at DOJ, and perhaps beyond. The IG rapport offer a good start with new e-mail evidence despite all the, eh, technical difficulties the white house has had producing such evidence.

A possible special prosecutor to looking into very credible accusations of the Bush government keeping political prisoners? Accusations that Karl Rove refuses to clearly deny involvement in or testify about under oath? I guess today is a good day to bury news. Also the former nr 3 at the CIA pleaded guilty to corruption, but that and the ">Chemical attack on a mosque are just filler stories I guess.

Here's another reason to incorporate a bank holiday as part of a real bill.

Between a bank holiday and a patch, you can get past Nov. 4.

Sometimes the lame-duck session, especially the one that meets in a presidential election year, can actually get stuff done.

It was a lame-duck Congress that ratified the 13th Amendment, for example.

I don't get it folks. When the house is on fire, are you going to argue about who started it or who's going to cover the cost of replacing it -- or are you going to put it out? Seriously, with all the failures we've seen recently -- do you think those were fake?

The bill before the House sucked. $700 billion was a lot of ice cream, but ABC is reporting that the market reaction to not passing it has cost Americans 1.1 TRILLION -- in ONE DAY.

How is the market going to react tomorrow?

Ideology on both sides of this issue is sickening.

All those hard working Americans who wanted to stick it to the fat cats on Wall Street just stuck it to my kid who worked hard and got into a fine university, and whose winter tuition I may not be able to make because of this.

Looks like the Fed's printing 630 billion dollars anyway, and according to FireDogLake, this was in the works before the vote.

This is bad for several reasons, but the salient one is inflation, with more $$$ chasing the same supply. It's also compounded by the fact that this isn't a liquidity issue but a credit one, so we really aren't solving the root cause. And, to top that off, the Government hasn't been reporting just how many greenbacks are out there (M2 if memory serves, it is different than the M1 normally reported) for a couple of years now, so we are not sure just how much of an inflation blast we will get out of this.

FDL also has a nifty 8-yr update on the dollar, the DJIA, S&P, CPI, and so on. Ye gods.

Spot on for the character debate. Obama simply has to be the Jackie Robinson of the Presidential election cycle. Take a look at what Branch Rickey had to do to bring him to the Dodgers, with someone who is a step above in talent, but willing to not let the minor league RSR distractions deflect from doing his job. And,yes, I consider it unfair that his standard is higher, but it is what will open most of Middle America's eyes.

On Troopergate, I see Monegan kept his emails, so it could get more fun soon.

Beep52, I think you're talking primarily to the wrong side, if you think the failure to pass was a total disaster, which I don't think it was.

Besides, you have to look at percentage of drop to put the Street into perspective.

In terms of percentage, 1986 was far worse.

Olbermann is going to put Obama on his "worst persons list" today? Hope it's tongue in cheek only.

I meant 1987, not 1986.

In 1987, the dropoff was nearly 23 percent. AND... before the Fed even acted, the Street did itself, restricting trading, with other world markets joining in.

Why current NYSE CEO Duncan Niederauer wasn't ready to do that today, as a contingency, I have no fricking idea.

Just in case you need interpretation:

CBS News released an excerpt from tonight's interview between Sarah Palin and Katie Couric on the trail in Ohio.

Couric: Gov. Palin, since our last interview, you've gotten a lot of flak. Some Republicans have said you're not prepared; you're not ready for prime time. People have questioned your readiness since that interview. And I'm curious …

Palin: Yeah.

Couric: … to hear your reaction.

Palin: Well, not only am I ready but willing and able to serve as vice president with Sen. McCain if Americans so bless us and privilege us with the opportunity of serving them, ready with my executive experience as a city mayor and manager, as a governor, as a commissioner, a regulator of oil and gas.

---
You betcha.

I posted the following at the WSJ comment forum, concerning the "she scared us out of voting" whining from House Republicans and Party control:

Whew ... Excuse me, are we really supposed to believe that some Congressfolks voted "No" on a bill they really believed in (since it is said, they changed their minds) just because some not particularly scary lady hurt their feelings?! The economic health and fate of the whole nation hung in the balance! Even though I think Pelosi should have presented a different speech, this excuse and sissy whining by Republicans is beneath pathetic. Begala, saying the same thing in essence, totally owned these children on CNN earlier this afternoon.

Hello silly "Hello?" [said Democrats at fault since they have "majority control"], each member votes independently despite being encouraged or even pressured. More Republicans than Dems voted against, so it's a matter of degree if you want to complain not which party holds misleadingly named "control."

Let's not be stupid here. The market drop did not cost "Americans" $1.1 Trillion. Most Americans do not own a substantial amount of stock. Also, at what point do we admit that a stock market based on SIVs and other toxic paper was a mirage?

What are you all advertising on your site?

Personal Loans $10K-$100K+ Unsecured!

Addiction Treatment

Phone Cards

Less Debt = Financial Freedom

Addiction Treatment Programs

Bad Credit Personal Loans

It never stops, does it?

Yeah, Cash!?... and we also have a carbon shortage say the republicans...drill, baby drill...

okay, I shoulda known better--Olbermann joked about Obama being a candidate 'Worst persons' for getting the anniversary year for he and Michelle (16 not 15th) coming up. :-)

Hi - My take on the news today that the Dow fell 777 points.
Some interesting items on the number seven.

Seven Arrows
1. Cheyenne teaching of an Old Man, Old woman, Little Boy and Girl, Contrary, Spirit, Knowledgeable Fool.

Seven Candelabra
1. golden candlesticks that the Lord specified Moses to place on the tabernacle. 2. objects envisioned in “Revelation�, symbolizing the seven churches and gifts of the Holy Spirit

Seven Caves
legendary site north of the Colorado river where a tribe (later known as the Aztecs) received a message from a bird to head south. 12th c.

Seven Levels of Judgment
the natural spirallic growth and development of consciousness through seven states from materialization on the Earth to un ion with One Infinity (George Ohsawa and Michio Kushi)
[. . . Number 7: supreme - all embracing.]

Seven Principles of Unity
universal laws of the infinite Order of the Universe: 1. everything is a manifestation of One Infinity. 2. all antagonisms are complementary. 3. everything changes. 4. nothing is identical 5. every front, has a back. 6. the bigger the front, the bigger the back. 7. what ever has a beginning has an end (George Ohsawa and Michio Kushi)

Seven Rays
lines of activity emanating from higher planes and guided by a specific master (Theosophy)

Seven Story Mountain
1. image in Dante’s “Purgatorio�. 2. autobiography of Thomas Merton.

Seven steps to bliss
TM process.

Seventh House
segment of the horoscope ruling partnerships, law, marriage.

Sundown marks the beginning of the Jewish New Year--

Le-Shana Tova to all honoring the same!

something to cheer folks up:

make your own couric interview with the palin interview answer generator!

http://interviewpalin.com/

here’s a sample (warning, this has the appearance of actually being a true palin answer but it is indeed fiction, which unfortunately cannot be said of the couric interviews):

Q: What is the role of the US in Iraq and Afghanistan?

Afghanistan will lead to further security of our nation, especially with homeowners. It’s just right over the border. It is from Alaska that we send those out to make sure that this happens. We’ve got to remember what the desire is in their country, also. And I asked President Karzai, “Is that what President Bush has attempted to do things better. But it is to control much more than a heck of a lot of background work first and shoring up allies and positions and figuring out what sanctions perhaps could be more comfortable and certainly safer. First off, we’re going to continue good relations with Saakashvili there.

Paulson:

"I am committed to continue to work with my fellow regulators to use all of the tools available to protect our financial system and our economy. Our tool kit is substantial but insufficient."

"...substantial but insufficient." You just now figured this out, Hank?

Paulson: June 19, 2008, like a little more than 3 months ago.

"I believe market conditions will continue to improve, but not in a straight line. Our financial institutions must continue to improve risk management and disclosure. I am confident that actions being taken by our financial institutions and regulators will make our capital markets stronger and contribute to sustainable future economic growth. Overall, I believe that the United States is on the right path to resolving market disruptions and building a stronger financial system."

Fire the son of a bitch!

So, on this "who sank the bill, who sank it?" game, I've been doing some math (not my strongest point, but that's what calculators are for)...

433 Congress critters voted (205Y, 228N).
So, 217 votes would have been sufficient for the bill to pass.

Of the 433, 235 were Dems (140Y, 95N) and 198 Repubs (65Y, 133N).
So, 59.5% (more or less) of Dems voted for it (with the party line) and 40.5% voted against it (maverickety).
On the Repub side, 33% (more or less) voted for, with the Dems (bipartisan/maverickety), and 67% voted against (Free market rules!!! Besides, my feelings are hurt, so eff u and the horse you rode in on; I ain't stickin' my neck out for you, your party, bipartisanship, *or* anything else, including the country).

Had the same percentage of Repubs voted "out of pattern", as did of Dems -- 40.5% -- there'd have been 80 Repubs voting for the bill.

80(R)+140(D)=220.

Since we only needed 217 votes to pass the bill, it's obvious that the Repubs sank it, *by 3 votes*.

The Repubs failed to show even minimal bipartisanship. As per usual.

Doubling down on dumbing it down

I argued a few weeks back that Team McCain was attempting nothing less than the dumbing down of the second highest office in the land. That their plan was to turn the normal knowledge we might expect VPs to carry in their heads into "gotchas."

As part of my argument I used the Bratz doll's remarks about playing stump-the-candidate. You do remember that Palinism, don't you? Well it is all officially official now: Watch this video of McCain spinning Air Caribou. It is all about gotchas! A recent Andrew Sullivan post rubs at this same nub:

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/09/the-latest-pali.html

What we are witnessing here is nothing less than an argument that stupidity is good. Team McCain isn't just engaging in good old fashioned anti-intellectualism, they are actively leading the cheers for an idiotcracy.

It is happening right before our eyes. In broad daylight. In the sun. At high noon. 232 years of American evolution and here we are: Ignorance is a virtue.

Doubling down on dumbing it down

I argued a few weeks back that Team McCain was attempting nothing less than the dumbing down of the second highest office in the land. That their plan was to turn the normal knowledge we might expect VPs to carry in their heads into "gotchas."

As part of my argument I used the Bratz doll's remarks about playing stump-the-candidate. You do remember that Palinism, don't you? Well it is all officially official now: Watch this video of McCain spinning Air Caribou:

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/220763.php

What we are witnessing here is nothing less than an argument that stupidity is good. Team McCain isn't just engaging in good old fashioned anti-intellectualism, they are actively leading the cheers for an idiotcracy. And it is happening right before our eyes. In broad daylight. In the sun. At high noon. 232 years of American evolution and here we are: Ignorance is a virtue.

Jean Westland, @ 20:52,

Seven Dwarves (Snow White)?
Seven Wives (man on the road to St Ives)?
Seven Seas?
Seven Deadly Sins?

Anyone know how Hillary Clinton voted on this bill? Or where the hell she is?

She is helping Biden prepare for the debate by being one of the resident female hardasses. She also stumped for Obama in Michigan today, I believe.

I wish people would let up on the Clintons. People are reading too much into their behavior - and furthermore, the Clintons simply aren't the story anymore. They are acting like they know that, so I wish everyone else would acknowledge it too.

Funny how the New York times has an article: Hedge Funds Are Bracing for Investors to Cash Out

Hedge funds have historically been an exclusive club of ultra rich people. Where are they going to put their money, when they pull it out of their exclusive Hedge funds?

The Real Estate Market? That would do good for the economy.

Treasury Bonds? That would do good for the country as well, considering those greedy people wouldn't make as large an income from them.

Best. McCain photoshop. Ever.

Bonus: That post also includes the best one paragraph description of Team McCain too:

Do I really look like a guy with a plan? You know what I am? I'm a dog chasing cars. I wouldn't know what to do with one if I caught it. You know, I just do things."

Isn't the stock market supposed to automatically close if it drops more than 500 points in one trading period?

Who is goosing this crisis and why?

FREE AMERICA

REVOLUTIONARY (DIRECT) DEMOCRACY

Henry Blodget has an interesting analysis of the Bail out plan: Analyzing The Bailout: What's In It, Anyway?

Look at the part where he talks about the executive compensation. What a crock. Just some window dressing, but no teeth. Keep the masses happy, while still being able to walk away with millions.

After reading that, I'm actually glad it didn't pass. Maybe we can all send another e-mail to those scared congress people and tell them that we REALLY mean it about the executive compensation: The golden parachutes will be taken away from the CURRENT Executives as well.

The worry about experienced executives not willing to serve at those troubles banks... baloney. For $ 500,000 I'm sure there will be plenty newly minted MBA's who'll be more than willing to cut their teeth on doing a good job. It's not like learning on the job is all that bad. Look at how the crooks for millions have been running the show, and that is supposed to represent expertise.

I love it: Rachel Maddow clues in Bill Clinton

"..The change the Obama campaign needs(?)--it might be from you"
------------------------------------

Also, did anyone catch McDaddy McCain on CBS today trying to speak/protect Palin from the big, bad, Couric and media as they sat there and pathetically tried to salvage a teeny, tiny modicum of credibility (yet just dug themselves deeper):
They kept accusing the media of playing 'gotcha' (as in reference to Palin's hasty comment on Pakistan) --Couric retorted with "Huh? It wasn't gotcha..it was a voter asking a question..".

Here again, not only was the content of their contention absurd, but the whole scenario of him trying to protect her and she sitting there at a loss was...well, as I said--pathetic.

It's hard to take these two seriously at all anymore.

Where are they going to put their money, when they pull it out of their exclusive Hedge funds?

Krugerrands, state-of-the-art safe room and home security systems, and single malt.

Couple questions: 1)didn't the old pardon guy say the economy was basically sound a few days ago?
That would have to mean he is on a different planet or mentally non-useful.Hard to pick which is worse.
2)Is there some reason the mate pardon man chose is never compared to dickman? Should dickman be compared to the mate?
It's understood dickman stays on and changes the name on the door but isn't a side by side comparison in order? Must be some interest in this. People always want to know what the old had and what the new brings, right?
Quick note: the world will support the u.s. people. Don't worry about stopping the looters.

Anyone know how Hillary Clinton voted on this bill? Or where the hell she is?

Hillary Clinton is a Senator; The Senate did not vote on this issue, as it never got out of the House. (That's how I understand it)

Yeah I got that earlier bruno. Thanks.

Double dork here.

But hey at least I'm not a VP candidate :))

Hello silly "Hello?" [said Democrats at fault since they have "majority control"], each member votes independently despite being encouraged or even pressured. More Republicans than Dems voted against, so it's a matter of degree if you want to complain not which party holds misleadingly named "control."
Posted by: Neil B on September 29, 2008 at 8:40 PM | PERMALINK
********************

The repig inbreeding morons who keep trying to sell 'stoopid' as a brand are well aware of the facts that: The Dem majority is razor thin, and we count LIEberprick as one of ours for some insane reason. Therefor the Dem 'majority' is even thinner. Second, if the 'majority' is held responsible for any bill that passes and any one that doesn't, then the majority repigs are responsible for every damn bit of legislation passed under their Presidipshit, and the Dems bear no responsibility. Third, this legislation is supported by their Lord and Master bu$h, AND by McKeating, who rode in to save the day to get the legislation passed. And it didn't pass. And many more repigs voted against it than Dems. They can't pass their own bill, and they want to blame the Dems, who supported their bill MORE than they did. Keep lying slimeballs, keep lying. It has a way of catching up to you. And it will.

BTW, I just reviewed that clip with McCain and Palin and Couric today--and boy, did McCain look very angry with Katie when she asked the Governor if she was sorry she made the comment...

He snapped at Katie and insisted on his point--that it's all just a "Gotcha" game ("Is that the name of a pizza place?" he asks, trying hard to use humor, when he is so clearly brimming with anger..)

I watched the clip as well... and it's funny how she actually acted like Tina Fey on SNL and towards the end acted all cutesy to distract the viewer.

Oh.... I didn't realize it's Tina Fey who acted like Sarah Palin. My bad.

(Via Dan Froomkin's White House Watch) "In 2004, for example, Bush told a group of carpenters in Phoenix that 'the housing industry is booming, which means more people own their home. And that's positive.'

"'We want more people owning their own home. There's nothing like saying this home is my home,' Bush said, adding: 'I've called on private-sector mortgage banks and banks to be more aggressive about lending money to first-time home buyers. And the response has been really good.'

Hmmmm, now why would the Bush administration, which has proven that they only care about fat-cat corporate crony pals, suddenly start caring about first-time home buyers, going so far as Bush pushing "private-sector mortgage banks and banks to be more aggressive about lending money to first-time home buyers", thus spurring de-regulation and a whole bunch of risky bank loans, leading to millions of home foreclosures and the current worldwide financial crisis?

Was this because certain conservative Republicans believed that first-time home buyers would be more conservative, like them, and therefore would vote Republican, boosting Republican voting rolls by millions, thus assuring Republicans of their wildest dream...a "permanent Republican majority"...and their ruling America with an iron fascist hand...forever?

This is my guess.

Open question. If the Dow drops, say 500 points tomorrow, will today's bill pass on Thursday?

Part 2: In the event that it does, will the Dow recover the loss of the past two days?

OK, Iraq is still a horrible expensive mess and the only success in Afghanistan is that opium production is higher than ever. The economy has entered the toilet, groceries are going sky-high, foreclosures are up, New Orleans is still not much better than Galveston, gas is pushing $4 a gallon and isn't even available in the SE, and the populace is seriously considering voting for a democrat. Why, it must be time for Bush to invade something. I'm guessing Saint Pierre et Miquelon. It's tiny, so we can probably take it with a dozen marines or so; it's close to home, so it won't cost too much to get there, and the inhabitants are probably so tired of eating cod that they'll welcome us and our hamburgers with candy and flowers. Plus they're French. What's not to like?

* The New York Sun is closing up tomorrow.

A small patch of silver in an otherwise stormy day.

Nonsense. While I disagree with the Sun's politics, particularly its Israel uber-obsession, as a journalist, I always hate to see my brethren lose jobs. And the Sun had a lot going for it, particularly its arts coverage and sports essays.

I should mention in passing that in 2003, I was interviewed for an opening as the Sun's business editor. Needless to say, I didn't get it, but it nonetheless seemed like a nice place to work, with good people.

I'm sorry the Sun never got a chance to operate under a president other than Bush 43.

The New York Sun is closing shop? Does this mean that the Al Qaeda October surprise is now officially off?

http://www.nysun.com/foreign/spies-warn-that-al-qaeda-aims-for-october-surprise/86326/

I love Rachel's show and one of its delights is that she is able to showcase one bright, articulate woman after another -- experts on the economy, on politics and on and on.

This is one of the best arguments for affirmative action ever. When you have one kind of person at the table -- old white guys -- then the only people they seem to be able to think of to hire, to invite on their shows or nominate for important positions are other guys just like themselves. Thus we have the MSMs continuous parade of hacks.

Rachel is just fun to watch as are her guests. I hope this creates a pool of interesting women that will be picked up by meet the press, and other talking head shows.

It's perfectly obvious why the Republicans want this thing to fail. It's merely an extension of Bush's policies. The Republicans want this government, that they've hated with a such a foaming rabid hatred for deigning to help widows and orphans with their (and our's) tax dollars, to GO DOWN!!!

This is a wet dream come true for them.

This bailout plan is definitely going to have to include health care reform; what we need here is a multifaceted solution. Also, it has to lean heavily on job creation. That's the multifaceted part.

I'm not a financial analyst. But I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night with Sarah Palin.

I'm going to have to agree with The Oracle on who gutted loaning laws. Once you start looking, here's all sorts of information like this (from USA Today):

Posted 1/20/2004 1:31 AM
Bush seeks to increase minority homeownership
By Thomas A. Fogarty, USA TODAY
In a bid to boost minority homeownership, President Bush will ask Congress for authority to eliminate the down-payment requirement for Federal Housing Administration loans.

In announcing the plan Monday at a home builders show in Las Vegas, Federal Housing Commissioner John Weicher called the proposal the "most significant FHA initiative in more than a decade." It would lead to 150,000 first-time owners annually, he said.

Bush was pushing laws to DROP loaning regulations.

The attack on the mosque in Dayton is a continuation of the on-going conservative response to 9-11, namely, to declare war on the entire Muslim religion, which John McCain would continue and escalate.

The Sun was doomed once they started charging for it. (It was invented and given out for free during the 2004 election for people who hated kerry but were embarassed to be seen reading the NY post.) sorry for the unemployed journalists, but good riddance to that rag.

Iraq Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki Feels Our Pain

"If I had enough funds to assist the American economy, I would do all that I can. But unfortunately Iraq cannot solve America's economic problems.

"But what Iraq can do is take up more responsibility security-wise here inside Iraq. And I have told the Americans repeatedly that we are ready to take up responsibility here in Iraq so there are less losses, a decreased number of American lives lost, and I am prepared to present this case before the American people. ...

"Iraqis are ready to take up security responsibility inside their country but unfortunately there is not much Iraq can do regarding helping the American economy. And I do understand that it is mostly the economic burden that is impacting your people."