I'm sure the fact that Obama finds their behavior shameful will make the financial CEOs return their millions.

For anyone interested, the latest Carnival of the Liberals is at my blog with an inauguration theme:
Carnival of the Liberals #83: Obacalypse Edition

I heard on Air America that Ron Reagan was taking over permanently for Rachel Maddow in the 5 PM to 8 PM CST time slot.

I like Ron as much as the next guy, but driving home from work won't be the same without Rachel!

Does anyone know if she's still going to have a radio show at all? The only place I heard anything about it was on air and haven't been able to find anything about it online.

When I first heard that President O' picked the Steelers, I was kinda p!$$ed, however, now that I think about it - PA want for Obama in a big way and here in AZ, well we're still pretty red.

Now watching Blagojevich impeachment vote....looks overwhelmingly like he is out.

He better rip some more. Goldmund Sachs alone paid out 20 billion dollars in bonuses in 2007.

Go Steelers! Go Blue State!

Well, Rod is history. 59-0. Say hello to Governor Quinn.

These corporations are always operating at the extremes. They are either acting like high rollers ($18 billion in bonuses, multi-million dollar redecorating, buying corporate jets) or they're cutting thousands of jobs, crying poverty, begging for a bailout, and threatening to take the whole economy down with them. At some point, we are really going to have to re-think this whole capitalism thing. We really have to stop operating on the assumption that businesses will do what is best for the short and long term growth of the business, when actually, the fat cats that own the business will just use them as their own personal bank accounts and take the country hostage as necessary.

go stillers!!!!

Jen F, sure it will, especially when Timmah Boy Geithner is hiring a former Goldman Sachs lobbyist as his chief of staff, a matter not reported at mainstream liberal blogs like this one. (Or on blog carnivals.)

Stein L, that would be the Goldman Sachs who was Obama's No. 1 campaign donor?

MMMM, Smell the Changeâ„¢!

====

Yep, Illinois Senate Dems had no trouble deep-sixing Blago in part to try to cover up their own ties to him.

Pat Quinn is the governor of Illinois.

Now it gets weird.

Blagojevich should have appointed himself to replace Obama as US senator from Illinois and then resigned. Now he's unemployed. Could be the Senate would not seat him 'cause he knows how the game of politics is played.

Blagojevich has no job. His wife lost hers. He has no car. He has just been impeached. He will lose his transportation and can't seek work in a political office and will lose his security.

I say his at high risk for suicide or homicide.

I always thought Dennis Miller was bizarre and not funny. I couldn't understand why people thought he was funny, but many kept insisting "how bright" he was.

Taxing away the $18 billion in 'bonuses' to help repay the TARP money should be a snap. Call it a GREED tax.

that would be the Goldman Sachs who was Obama's No. 1 campaign donor? SocraticGadfly

According to Open Secrets, Goldman Sachs is number two behind University of California. I'm not sure why two sources would have different results, but I am more curious what your theory about UC would be.

Obama is probably miffed at the Bidwills for abandoning the South Side (the Cardinals used to share Comiskey Park with Barack's beloved White Sox). Never mind the team's last season in Chicago came two years before Obama was born.

But fans are funny that way; I know New Yorkers who despise the Dodgers and Giants for leaving town, even though they were born after Ebbets Field and the Polo Grounds met the wrecking ball.

The link to the Blackwater story seems to go to another story instead.

Danp, if UC passed GS on final estimates, I'm not going to argue. (I know GS was No. 1 after the DNC.) That said, I don't think UC is exerting a bunch of lobbying and fiscal influence, unlike GS.

How bad is it? Krugman compares Obama to Bush. Nuff said?

Gadfly and Danp - I believe you're both wrong about Obama's No. 1 donor. The group that gave him the most would be unaffiliated citizens like me. Obama owes the most to us and he'd be an utter fool to forget it. I doubt he will.

And of course, it should be noted that if you combine the top 20 donors on that Open Secrets link, they total a mere $12 million, out of almost $378 million raised (presumably this doesn't include funds from the primaries). I seriously doubt Obama feels any undue loyalty towards any of them; even Sachs, which contributed 0.25% of Obama's total.

Steve, I know you need to sell ad space to survive and make a buck but I'm really tired of getting to your site and seeing that fat belly hanging out along the right side of the screen. I don't even know what it's for. It just says 'as seen on Rachel Ray' as if that's a ringing endorsement. A great example of lousy advertising not to mention gross.

It's cute that President Bush was referred to as "Bush", whereas President Obama is referred to as "the president".

Yeah, except for when Obama is just called "Obama," as he was about sixteen times on the main page alone. But that's just counting the times when Benen wrote it and doesn't include when it was used by people he was quoting or if he was using the full name. By contrast, I counted the use of "the president" eight times.

You were saying something about suckholes?

Doctor Biobrain - Good point. And since Open Secret's numbers reflect the 2008 election cycle that does include the primaries so it would be $12M out of about $700M. And of course, these numbers also include donations from all employees of these organizations, so it's impossible to know how much of them are coordinated. I would be curious to know, however, whether the University of Cal numbers reflect Berkeley (which is what I think of) or the whole state university system. I'm guessing John Yoo didn't chip in.

Obama picks Steelers.

A class act paying tribute to another one. Easy to have stayed neutral, but the Rooneys have always been the most beloved family in football. And, while most people have forgotten, Obama remembered how, when Hillary was doing her 'Working Class Hero' bit, it was then that Rooney -- and the Steelers have always been the true 'working class heroes' -- announced his support for Obama.

And, btw, Warner is an obnoxious hyper-Christian politically.

I have taken quite a bit of sh*t for calling TARP Wealthcare.

But after the 18+ billion in bonuses, I now know I'm right.

2008. The year wealthcare was created.

Wealthcare, taking care of the wealth of a few at the expense of the many.

Damn, I hate it when I'm right.

Dr. Biobrain, you are correct.

It was the genius of the Obama campaign to promote (riff on Bush) the "ownership campaign," complete with the idea that you, with your e-mail address, were a "citizen campaigner," or similar claptrap.

Instead, the Obama campaign got a boatload of e-mail addys to hit up for more money.

As for me? My money (the little I gave to a campaign, vs. advocacy groups) all went to the Green Party. (We don't have a Socialist or Social Democratic party at all here in Texas, sadly.)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/29/BAJC15JOOR.DTL&tsp=1

Lawyers for the Prop 8 campaign were slapped down by a California District Court Judge this afternoon and told to disclose their donor lists in accordance with the California Political Reform Act of 1974. Judge Morris England told the lawyers that activities such as protesting and boycotting businesses of "Yes On 8" donors were completely legal expressions of free speech and to stop whining. Criminal acts such as assault would be dealt with by police and were no reason to subvert an important act of transparency.

Anyone else find it ironic that the same organization that sent out extortion letters to "No On 8" donors is now crying about "reprisals"? Or that the same organization claiming that a voter initiative can't be overturned is seeking to overturn a voter initiative (The Reform Act) to serve its own purposes? What is it with hateful antigay religious nuts thinking that the law does not apply to them? Oh, wait...

Blago is going on and on and on and on and on and on in front of his home: He's manic, he's all over the map: hyper-verbal, tangential, loose associations--and throughout the theme is one of grandiosity coupled with paranoid ideation.

He's really going to crash and burn. I just hope he doesn't go "postal".

Those poor dear innocent children of his.

Keori, here's the back story to the other side of Prop. 8.

I asked a friend of mine, fairly active in gay rights movement, WHY the "substantial change to state constitution" argument wasn't raised BEFORE the election, when Prop. 8 was first submitted.

Answer?

Some of the heaviest-duty gay rights activists in California thought the election would be a slam dunk.

Between that idiocy, and the idiocy of people like Gavin Newsome,it was anything but.

SocraticGadfly,

The whole "No On 8" campaign was a massive failure, no doubt about it. Those of us in the trenches are mad as hell, and are taking Geoff Kors and his people to task.

One good thing out of all this is that at least we know who our friends aren't, and what NOT to do.

When economic recovery comes, it will be slow and weak--so says a very depressing analysis over at the MSNBC web-site.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

We are sliding into a huge depression.

Some people say that Blackwater will man the FEMA enclosures if the social order is broken and rioting breaks out.

I wonder if the no on 8 campaign may have greatly suffered from competition for attention?

The left, generally, was quite focused on Obama and federal legislative elections. The right, in contrast, was fairly dispirited about the federal election and may have focused on 8 more than they normally would have.

As a total outsider the no on 8 campaign seemed to be appear out of nothing in the last couple weeks, while the bigots had been hard at work for months.

That could also easily be overconfidence. As I recall the polls shifted quite a bit in the last couple months.

I was going to use this comment section to explain that Dennis Miller was never funny, but reading the comments about No on 8 requires me to say that I am pretty sure that you cannot bring a court challenge to a ballot initiative until after it passes, because it will be considered not "ripe" - that is, there is no existing law yet to challenge, only the possibility of a law. I think that is the same reason the Court rejected the Yes on 8 lawsuit to refrain from issuing marriage licenses until after the vote.

Keori, No on 8 got the most money of any advocacy group from me this election cycle. I, too, was pissed at the way things were handled.

Bobbo, not at all.

You HAVE to be able to challenge a proposed constitutional amendment, under California law, precisely to determine whether or not it involves "substantive change" and therefore needs to go before the Legislature BEFORE sending it before the general public.

It was the genius of the Obama campaign to promote (riff on Bush) the "ownership campaign," complete with the idea that you, with your e-mail address, were a "citizen campaigner," or similar claptrap.

But that's where you're missing the boat, Gadfly. It's not "claptrap". It's for real. And if Obama's smart, he'll never forget it. What don't you understand about the idea that Obama has taken things to the next level and achieved the sort of political machine that every grassroots politician only dreams he could.

Why would a politician stay a slave to big money interests and lobbyists? Because they think they have no other option. Obama thought there was another option and proved that it was a grand slam homerun. Why would he turn his back on that? The truth is that you've got to reject Obama because you decided years ago that such a politician couldn't exist. And so you've devoted your political time towards working outside the system because you imagined no good could come from within it. You're wrong. It has. He did it. And if he's just faking it, he's a fool, because he'll be a much more successful president if he stays with the date that got him there. He proved that he didn't need Goldman Sachs' money and he'll be stupid if he somehow forgets that.

Does that mean he'll be "perfect"? No. Will he fulfill your progressive dreams? I sure hope not, or he'll be betraying mine (you being much more to the left than I am, I presume). But he's not faking it. He's the grassroots president you always believed we could never have. And maybe I'm wrong, but if I am, then Obama is a far bigger fool than he appears to be. He'll do best if he stays beholden to our interests, not the corporate ones that keep screwing us over. And no matter what, he'll never sound like Nader or you, or even me. But that's just the nature of politics. I assure you, if I was running for office, I'd say things differently too. But I'd do what I intended to do. And if he sounded like Nader, he'd have the success of Nader. I think he made the right choice.

Some people say that Blackwater will man the FEMA enclosures if the social order is broken and rioting breaks out. -- anonymous, @19:43

I was worried about something like that, while Bush was still at the helm; with him gone, not so much. All the same, I didn't like the idea of them coming back "home". And it looks like they might not be:

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/01/iraq_wont_renew_blackwater_license.php

Biobrain... it's a myth that Obama got a significantly greater percentage of money from small donors such as you rather than big money.

You've already admitted he suckered you otherwise.

Want to beat the rush and fess up again?

And, yes, as someone lamenting the fact that Texas doesn't have a socialist party, I'm to the left of most people here.

As for "ownership campaign," did you e-mail Obama last summer begging him not to flip-flop on the FISA amendment bill/telecom immunity? And, just how much "ownership" did you have in that still-unexplained decision.

Specific to TARP and Geithner being on the GS take, we should already have bank-nationalization legislation on the table, for example.

As for a stimulus package, in addition to extending unemployment, we ought to build a permanent COLA into the minimum wage.

Overall, it's far different than him avoiding sounding like Nader. He really is a neolib and nothing else.

I think back to 1993 and Clinton's famous quote about being at the mercy of the bond market.

What a fucking lie. Clinton had years of experience dealing with Jackson Stephens from being Arkansas governor and knew well enough about the bond market before becoming president.

I'll say it again; I've said it before. Enjoy the Kool-Aid; ignore the bitter-almond taste at the end.

This all said, it's clearer now why I don't often make the cut at Carnival of the Liberals. (Which isn't, IMO. It's Carnival of the Democrats.)

Holy turdball, Gadfly! Obama disagreed with me on issues? He did something I didn't want?!? Oh, geez. I better find someone so in-tune with my opinions that we agree on everything. Anything else would be a sell-out.

O'Reilly and Dennis Miller think torture is hilarious.

Stephen Colbert recently had an extended, painfully unfunny skit about a prisoner he'd been keeping under his desk. And yes, waterboarding was used for laughs. It was embarrassingly bad.

Dennis Miller became a "conservative" so he could play to a dumber crowd who would think he was funny. He was never more than a talentless moron and must have been hired by SNL as a "mercy fuck" in the beginning.

Re foodstamps, a girlfriend of mine who is out of work applied and got them immediately. She said she is getting $272/month. For one person? That is a LOT of food money!

I think foodstamps are fine for those down and out, but thought they were for food basics.

Turns out they are extremely generous and you can use them at restaurants (not all, just some).

Apparently now that food stamps look like a credit card, they've expanded what they give, and heaven forbid anyone be slightly embarrassed they're on them and so maybe want to get OFF them.

This was all new info for me. And I have to say it is disconcerting to say my reaction is that this is not right! Gad, is there a little bit of Republican in me? (I hope not!) But really, don't tell me you need almost $300 for one person to buy basic food.

I do not believe Food Stamps should be enhanced-- they seem pretty darn generous right now!

Pat Quinn is the governor of Illinois
Wasn't he the Toronto defenceman that knocked Bobby Orr unconcious in the '68 Stanley Cup ?? Will Mikita be his Lieutenant?

$9/day is exorbitant for the cost of food? What country do you live in? Maybe there is a little Republican in you...

Billions in bonuses to bank execs is shameful????
Shameful? Bankers handing out bonuses is "shameful". Wow. Now that BO has spoken so forcefully about this annual robbery we can all be sure they will never, ever do such a thing again until next year.

Am I proud of our president for speaking out in such a forceful manner? Sure I am. I mean Bush wouldn't have unless Rove told him to do it and Rove wouldn't have him do that, so this is progress. But does BO mean shameful as in "Like this couldn't have been foreseen?". Or does he mean shameful as in "Like appropriate conditions could have been imposed to stop this from happening or the tax code could have been used to rectify miscreant behavior?", but they weren't and they haven't been. And that is where the shame is.

The shame is not bankers doing what bankers have been doing, but leaders failing to act when more than words are required. Imagine BO saying "The bonuses are shameful. I have asked for legislation to address this so this abuse won't happen again and that the amounts will be recovered."

Think about the possibilities here, then think about what we actually got. What we got today from BO is the Jimmy Carter equivalent of Mighty Mouse. And that's a pity.

The absence of GOP votes for the stimulus isn't surprising.

Their very way of thinking and acting in the world has led it to the economical precipice we all find ourselves staring at.

The GOP has driven the beast(s) to the edge, watching millions fall off (jobs, etc.) and now stand huddled together hoping that enough of them will survive the next election drive.

It's not even 8 am, yet already 01-30-09 is shaping up to be a rather, shall we say, dismal friday.

Nothing short of direct government spending, wil be able to slow down the cliff fall that is the world's economy.

The GOP is also like the marauders who circle around at the bottom of a cliff and pick apart the carcasses, emphasis on asses.

This is late input but something to share about the charming Mika Brzezinski, one of the commando commentary types on MSNBC Morning Joe.

Sweet and good looking perhaps Mika is from the secret trust fund of her father Zbigniew Brzezinski, but has fallen in to the abyss.

Mika said to coin a phrase lets use Blagojevich name to refer to a “Pile of Blagojevich�. For anyone out there it implies explicitly and correlates to “a pile of shit�. It has shown a new side that is repulsive and a serious flaw in a pretty personality.

Wow, I have totally changed my mind in respect for her. Well after one reads Mika’s fathers essay on “Between Two Ages� one could easily argue it is a “Pile of Zbigniew�. For all we know just many Europeans warmed up to the Nazi party, many of the supporters also fled in the thousands through out the world to avoid retribution. Little is known about her fathers political connections to the Nazi.

What also strike me are slogans bannered by the Republican Party

Republican slogan is “From each according to his ability, to each according to his work.� These are huge rants from Limbaugh and Hannity

Republican slogan varies thusly: “From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.� Again from Limbaugh and Hannity over the years.

Both are a socialist and communist propositions according many theorists, even there own Michael Savage hate radio rant expresses this opinion, yet they rant the opposite. Here, America has endured scaled Hypocrisy beyond which obviously shows in where America is at today, bonus dollars for screwing up, a huge dilemma or legal corruption in your face, media bias, and foremost deception and rant continuously in 24x7 cable news.

The link below gives some perspective communism and socialist positions. There is a whole host of ideals to throw on the fire.

http://www.allaboutphilosophy.org/what-is-marxism-faq.htm

What Red Ink? Wall Street Paid Hefty Bonuses - NYT 1/28/09

...

Bush Pushed Bailout Loophole On Executive Pay - Wash. Post 12/15/08

Steeve:

For what it's worth, it's Lilly Ledbetter.