May 23, 2008

What, you didn't think we could keep spending like this with no repercussions, did you? Silly Americans.

Remember when you're at the gas station and grocery store this weekend to consider the hundreds and hundreds of billions we've wasted in Iraq. Remember to consider why we as a nation put two free spending oil men with military industrial complex connections into the White House. And remember to think about our $53 trillion debt, and who we owe it to.

And then take another look at the prices you're paying. And the price our country paid. And take a look around at the kids. You know, the ones who end up getting stuck with your bill, the ones who'll hate you one day.

And maybe then it'll all come together for you.

Here's a good piece in the IHT for your consideration by Bernie Sanders, the Independent Senator from Vermont. Add him to the HP short list of politicians who are allowed to stay in DC. We need more "Independents" in the Senate. Don't forget that it took both corrupt political parties to get us into this mess, and keep us there for so long.

"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, represents, in the final analysis, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children."

- Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1956

A budget U.S. taxpayers can't afford

Today, Bush's military budget is $515 billion, more than half of all discretionary spending. This is in addition to the $200 billion a year being spent on the war in Iraq, and another $16 billion spent on nuclear weapons.

Meanwhile, as military spending explodes, the middle class in America is shrinking, poverty is increasing and the gap between the very rich and everyone else is growing wider. While we now spend $94 billion more on defense than three years ago, poverty and hunger are increasing, 47 million Americans lack health insurance, and an entire generation of young people wonders how to afford college.

55 comments:

Anonymous said...

It could be argued that the only real manufacturing, engineering, and scientific research left in the U.S. is on behalf of the military. Almost every corresponding activity in the commercial realm has been sent to other countries. So before you decry the spending and break into a round of Kum bay ya, consider where we would be without it. BTW I do agree the war in Iraq (like all wars) is a waste of national resources.

The problem with America and its empire is the citizens have become fat and lazy, relying more and more on the spoils that return from foreign lands. This has ocurred througout history as evidenced by the empires of Rome, Spain, England, etc. The decline we see in the U.S. today is nothing new or unexpected, and our empire will be replaced by a new one in due course. Americans will have to adjust to more modest lives and relearn the lessons of self reliance.

AndrewHac said...

Dubya Shrub + Penis Shooter = "Little Boy" + "Fat Man"

This nation and its Americano citizen is as toasted as a snapper turtle skewered from mouth to ass on a green Chinese bamboo stick all sizzling, sputtering, roasting nicely, juices dripping, fat popping over a bed of white hot charcoal grill.

Americano = Grilled Snapper Turtle

Heeeee... Haaaaa... Arrrrr...

Gasoline is now at its lowest level in the history of the Americano. It is only $130.00 a barrel of oil and it will head to $150 Americano dollar currency in a blink. Cheap, ain't it ?

So, tell me, does the average Americano, Joe6Pack and JaneZinfandel take it enough in the rear orifice yet by the forceful penetration of "Little Boy" + "Fat Man", or do you want more "Enter The Dragon" ?

Americano = Being Entered By The Dragon up the Kazook
"BORKAFATTY" AKA The Pig is swallowing, roosting, snouting, chomping at the maggot feed trough.

Heeeee... Haaaaa... Arrrrr...

And all of you retards, ass-head that voted for SHRUB and worshipped his ASS over the last 8 years, guess what, the chicken are coming home to roost on your head-ass. The ancient snapper turtle probably have more brain cell than you and your children combined together. Are you sorry yet ? Do you feel ashamed and stupid about your shallow thinking, narrow-minded love and blind, ignorant worshipping for DUBYA ? Do you, do you, do you ???

Anonymous said...

You forgot to mention that this criminal cabal of Neoconservatives in the Whitehouse have also destroyed the very essence of America : The Constitution AND The Bill of Rights via un-Constitutional laws and executive orders (many that we do not even know about).

Every American MUST WATCH THE FOLLOWING FREE DOCUMENTARY which clearly details the very deliberate attack the Bush administration has made on the freedoms that we take for granted using the nebulous "War on Terror".

THIS IS LIFE AND DEATH PEOPLE!

THIS IS THE DEATH OF AMERICA WE ARE TALKING ABOUT - NOT JUST ABOUT HOUSING BUBBLES AND HIGH GAS PRICES - PAY ATTENTION!!

Washington You're Fired! Part 1

Washington You're Fired! Part 2

Washington You're Fired! Part 3

Washington You're Fired! Part 4

When you've watched this, ask yourself why you've heard barely a peep from the media on these issues that go right to the core of the American republic. Apart from a few documentaries on PBS all we hear is cheerleading for the Iraq war and a deafening silence when it comes to the unlawful actions of the Bush administration.

Anonymous said...

You can't blame it all on the current administration. Both mainstream parties are to blame. The Dem's didn't do a damn thing except rubber stamp everything Bush proposed. The Republican's have forgotten their foundation and have become big spenders. We as a nation will get what we deserve when the house of cards collapses. Ron Paul is the only currently sitting politician that should be considered for re-election. All the rest including the supposed "independent" from Vermont are worthless.

Paige Turner said...

RE: What, you didn't think we could keep spending like this with no repercussions, did you? Silly Americans.

The repercussions caused by the military-industrial complex are being felt right now. And there will be more and more repercussions and they will become more and more severe. The question is, how much time do we have left before the whole system collapses? A year? Five years? Maybe ten years?

There will be no social security checks for many people, even though they have paid into the system all of their lives. Medicare will also be bankrupt. Savings accounts, investments and pension funds will vanish into thin air. The United States infrastructure will continue to crumble and will not be rebuilt. Law and order will no longer exist.

Finally, the US will not be able to borrow any more money, its military supply lines will break and its armed forces will retreat to an economically-devastated homeland.

I never thought that I would live to see the end, but now, I'm not so sure.

V.L.

Anonymous said...

http://www.heritage.org/research/features/BudgetChartBook/fed-rev-spend-2008-boc-S7-Despite-War-Costs-Defense.html

Defense spending is below average for last 45 years, but don't let that affect your beliefs.

In 1940 a gallon of gasoline cost 1/6 of the cost of a barrel of oil at the well head.

In 2007 oil at the well head was $62 a barrel, if gasoline was at the same ratio of cost as 1940 it would be $10 a gallon.

Gasoline is cheaper now , in relation to income, then it was in 1920-30's.

But, we think it is expensive as we forgot what it costs in real dollars.

Anonymous said...

Sounding like a bleeding heart liberal socialist there, buddy.

I think I'm in love.

Anonymous said...

Holyschitz you stupid freak.

The dems didn't rubber stamp anything. They were out of power from 1994 to 2006.

Still trying to shelter the republicans from blame. That's devotion. You probably still believe that if you keep voting for republicans someday soon your taxes will be reduced to zero and you can finally have all those nice shiny things you see at the mall.

I hope the republicans in this country all end up living in tents.

Frank R said...

I must live in a different country since everyone I know is making money hand over fist.

Oh wait, I am in a different country (the USA) since you're in Europe. Duh!

Anonymous said...

Every day I am surprised once again at how little HPers know about the world or even recent history.

Military spending as a % of GDP for 2007 was 5%.

In 1991 during Gulf War I, it was 4.6%. In 1986 during the Cold War it was 6%. In 1968 at the height of Vietnam it was 8%. In 1953 during Korea it was 11%. During WW2 it was 35% of GDP.

Say what you will about wars in general, but Iraq is pretty cheap by comparison to previous wars.

Anonymous said...

I graduated from college in 1999. My first job out of school paid $62K a year. I thought that was all the money in the world back then.

This year I crossed the $62K threshold somewhere around the end of March. My income has more than quadrupled in less than a decade.

You're absolutely right Keith, things sure do suck nowadays. I don't know what planet you live on sometimes.

Anonymous said...

I did not know Ike was talking like this 4 years before his famous MIC speech.
It's too bad that Bush didn't do hard time in Nam, instead of doing bumps of cocaine in Texas. 'Iraq' would have never happened.

Anonymous said...

Obama Clinton Obama Clinton Obama...

The GOP is Dead.

Killed by Buscho-Cheneyburton

Impeach, Prosecute and Punish.

Nothing is Too Bad for these criminals...

Do It Now.

Anonymous said...

Great picture, Veronica. I was in love with a singer named Veronica when I was a little boy, aka Ronnie Spector of the Ronettes! lol

Anonymous said...

we ain't seen nothing yet...

Anonymous said...

Where are the Eisenhower Republicans these days? Clinton was more conservative than either Eisenhower or Nixon!

Anonymous said...

Wasn't the internet created on a military budget?

Anonymous said...

Looks like Blame and Denial are the best dodges the apologists have left.

I particularly appreciate this bullying approach, as it is very effective in getting the cuntry to blame themselves for not being among the Fortunate Few.

Hopefully, the bread, circuses, and self-loathing will keep the people in check.

Anonymous said...

Anon @ 7:47

Your comparison of gas prices between today and the early twentieth century is apples and oranges. The entire context of the U.S. is vastly different. In the Twenties and Thirties, most Americans didn’t need to buy gasoline. The majority of the population lived in cities where they could walk to their everyday destinations. It wasn’t until after WWII that people started moving to the suburbs where daily life has a vastly greater dependence on vehicles. A similar argument can be applied to the comparison of gas prices in Europe where the suburban migration never reached the same level as the U.S.

Also, keep in mind that in 1940, the oil supply was much smaller. The largest of the Middle East oil fields had yet to be discovered. At the same time, the war in Europe was increasing demand.

Anonymous said...

“how much time do we have left before the whole system collapses? A year? Five years? Maybe ten years?”

Worst Case Scenario, everything collapses in February of 09. That’s when retailers will report their numbers on a devastating holiday season. At the same time, with no looming election and their president sworn in, the FED will raise interest rates. Then the politicians will pass massive bailouts, but only for the rich bankers. Meanwhile J6P will get shafted (and it will be obvious to everyone). However, this is unlikely. For this to happen, McCain would have to win in a landslide victory that instills the neoconservatives with an inflated sense of confidence.

The five year scenario is the more likely. In this scenario either McCain wins with a thin margin or the Democrats take the presidency. Either way, we sputter along on life support until 2012. That’s when the real econoapocalypse starts as the effects of Peak Oil* start to really hammer the world.

*A note on Peak Oil. Imagine, if you will, that the housing bubble was an approaching f3 tornado in 2004. Peak oil is a category 5 hurricane heading straight for us.

Anonymous said...

Remember to consider why we as a nation put two free spending oil men with military industrial complex connections into the White House. And remember to think about our $53 trillion debt

You do realize that 90% of that $53 Trillion debt is for entitlements?

You do realize that ALL defense spending (including VA, R&D, etc) is at about 20% of the budget and entitlements are at over 50% of the budget?

You do realize that Obama is going to vastly INCREASE entitlement spending and programs?

Keith - at least pick a story with some logic.

Mark

Anonymous said...

Steely, you are high.

Americans work more hours than probably any other workers in developed countries. It is not the American worker, but the greedy CEOs that have offshored everything. If you step back and think about the original intent of all of these trade agreements (or should I say, how they were sold to the people) was to open up markets to goods manufactured in and by Americans, not to dismantle America's manufacturing base and industry and ship it off to China or to Mexico or to whatever other country that had no regulation and/or environmental or labor laws!

The thing is, history (and Ross Perot) teaches us that these exact things would occur as capital is loyal to no country, but it is the people that must demand it.

There was a time not too long ago when there wasn't a chance in hell that an American would purchase a foreign made car or purchase other products manufactured in a country like as China!

Anonymous said...

Hey bitterrenter please leave the name calling on the playground and try to act like an adult.

Where you got that I vote Republican is beyond me, so I will elaborate. I am sorry you didn't pick that up from my early post where I stated that Ron Paul is the only incumbent that should be considered for reelection. I honestly don't see any difference between the two major parties other than abortion and guns (and I believe they are really just paying lip service to both issues, neither party actually cares, it is all about appearances).

I never voted for either Bush 41 or 43, and I had the displeasure of serving in the military under the 5 deferment Dick Chenney when he was the Secretary of Defense under Reagan. My point was and still is that the dem's didn't lift a finger to try and stop the current administration. Many of them voted for the war in Iraq, and still support it. Even now when they have a majority, granted it is a slim one, they rubber stamp everything that comes their way, with barely token resistance if any.

I consider myself a true unaffiliated independent, meaning I don't need a party to tell me what to think or do. I have voted for some republicans in local elections, but I have also voted for some democrats as well, and neither party on a national level.

To be honest, I don't want to see anyone in this country living in tents or standing in soup lines. I do think it may possibly happen and it makes me sad to see where we are headed as a country. I live well below my means and have done so for years. I rent, my car is paid off, I ride a bicycle to work every day. The only bills I have left are student loans for what the GI Bill didn't cover. I am good at what I do, and my company has audit requirements for someone with my skills and I am the only one doing my work, so short of the company closing down I will have a job. When/if things blow up I will have something to cushion the blow, so I will probably be better off than most.

And just so you know, I will enjoy watching the Democratic party destroy itself here in Denver in August (I work a few blocks from the convention center). I only wish the Republicans were going to eat themselves as well this year.

Anonymous said...

Biterrenter - what have your democrats done to get US out of Iraq since they came into power in 2006? Have they voted against funding the war? Have they set a short timetable for withdrawal? Did Hillary and most other democrats vote for war at the beginning? In Senate, 29 Democrats voted for war and only 21 against. I guess republicans were holding guns to their heads.

PLEASE try to apply some logical thinking instead of blaming everything on republicans..and not both parties who richly deserve blame.

Anonymous said...

Bill Clinton Pushes Hillary for Vice President

DON'T DO IT OBAMA!!!

Hillary is the LBJ of this race and Obama is the JFK if you know what I mean...

Don't give Hillary an incentive to help you have a little accident..

Anonymous said...

Frank@Scottsdale-Sucks.com said...

I must live in a different country since everyone I know is making money hand over fist.

I thought you lived on Planet Frank.

JaneZ

Devestment said...

This is what I like to see on HP, the truth about the economy.

The government has overspent and we will most likely get the bill in the next administration. This means higher taxes and less creation of money through government spending.

High Gas prices hurt everyone. They trickle down and constrict consumer spending. Constricted consumer spending hurts manufacturing and sales organizations that trade on Wall Street. It also causes high unemployment.

A weak dollar gives us less leverage in importing and more leverage to those who want our natural resources. This drives up prices and constricts consumer spending.

The housing bubble was created through the production of fiat money in an unsustainable debit environment. Now that it is over, consumer spending is constricting.

The majority of middle class wealth and savings is disappearing as asset prices fall (except for those with gold and oil). I dare you to buy in now!

Given this environment, how can we be at the bottom of the housing market?

I give you the pompous prognosticators!

http://tinyurl.com/wfxu

Anonymous said...

A point is reached when the gap between the very wealthy and everyone else is wide enough, that social unrest within a country grows to devestating proportions.

Look at all 3rd world countries.

If our political leaders choose to do as they have always done, we're headed there as well - that's a certainty.

Anonymous said...

Very well put Veronica, and
every part you stated is true.

It all amounts to a "3RD WORLD".

We won't have to waste more tax payer money policing our borders, because no one will want to come here.


~~~


Veronica Lodge said...
RE: What, you didn't think we could keep spending like this with no repercussions, did you? Silly Americans.

The repercussions caused by the military-industrial complex are being felt right now. And there will be more and more repercussions and they will become more and more severe. The question is, how much time do we have left before the whole system collapses? A year? Five years? Maybe ten years?

There will be no social security checks for many people, even though they have paid into the system all of their lives. Medicare will also be bankrupt. Savings accounts, investments and pension funds will vanish into thin air. The United States infrastructure will continue to crumble and will not be rebuilt. Law and order will no longer exist.

Finally, the US will not be able to borrow any more money, its military supply lines will break and its armed forces will retreat to an economically-devastated homeland.

I never thought that I would live to see the end, but now, I'm not so sure.

V.L.

Anonymous said...

Educated people knew of course not. But you have to understand. The USA is a violent and barbaric culture. It's love and number of guns owned; it's Hollywood movies that are 90% shoot'm and blow'm up moron flicks; the fact that the incarcination rate is the highest in the world (1 of 100 Americans are in jail); the American military is in over 125 countries world wide, and the fact that the only way to motivate the American people is declare yet another war (war on poverty; war on drugs, war on xxx). Of course the American barbarian would be inclined to spend itself into obilivion on guns and bombs. I guess Michelle Obama has made several good points.

Happy Memorial Day America.

Anonymous said...

It's getting ugly out there:

SANTA BARBARA, CA (CNN) -- Barbara Harvey climbs into the back of her small Honda sport utility vehicle and snuggles with her two golden retrievers, her head nestled on a pillow propped against the driver's seat.

A former loan processor, the 67-year-old mother of three grown children said she never thought she'd spend her golden years sleeping in her car in a parking lot.

"This is my bed, my dogs," she said. "This is my life in this car right now."

Harvey was forced into homelessness this year after being laid off. She said that three-quarters of her income went to paying rent in Santa Barbara, where the median house in the scenic oceanfront city costs more than $1 million. She lost her condo two months ago and had little savings as backup.

"It went to hell in a handbasket," she said. "I didn't think this would happen to me. It's just something that I don't think that people think is going to happen to them, is what it amounts to. It happens very quickly, too."

Harvey now works part time for $8 an hour, and she draws Social Security to help make ends meet. But she still cannot afford an apartment, and so every night she pulls into a gated parking lot to sleep in her car, along with other women who find themselves in a similar predicament. Video Watch women who live in their cars »

There are 12 parking lots across Santa Barbara that have been set up to accommodate the growing middle-class homelessness. These lots are believed to be part of the first program of its kind in the United States, according to organizers.

The lots open at 7 p.m. and close at 7 a.m. and are run by New Beginnings Counseling Center, a homeless outreach organization.
It is illegal for people in California to sleep in their cars on streets.


http://tinyurl.com/5a2s83

Anonymous said...

wonders how to afford college? Oh please. College costs are a joke. There are so many grants and scholapships out there that most people don't even pay 1/2 the costs. Have you been to a campus lately? Every dorm room is full of iPods, noetbooks, PS3s, iPhones and every other gadget you can imagine. And it is all transported there in a late model SUV.

But it makes a better stories to create yet one more crisis...and education crisis. Along with the housing crisis, the health care crisis, the environment crisis and whatever the cuase du jour is.

That is the Democart way of doing things. Create crisis, propose spending money to solve crisis. When crisis still doesn't go away, spend money. Repeat for decades.

Anonymous said...

Well, the Democrat majority in the House and Senate are running the place for 2 years now. I haven't seen much accomplished either.

Oh, they just passed a Farmer Bill that transfers $400 billion of taxpayer money to rich farmers, you know, those who are making a killing with the skyrocketing commodities?

The 81-to-15 Senate vote, like the 318-to-106 House vote on Wednesday, attracted broad bipartisan support and received far more than the two-thirds that would be needed to override Bush’s veto. All that voted against were Republicans.

Now the same majority has been trying to pass amnesty to millions of illegals who will be breeding like flies, sucking welfare, while sending 80% of their under the carpet cash earnings to their countries of origin, while we pay for everything these illegals use.

Don't forget that the same Democrat majority is trying to bailout all the housing fraudsters. No energy policy whatsoever either, just whining to oil company CEOs, as seen during the C-Span hearing.

Now you add Obama to this Democrat majority and you will see this country implode.

Anonymous said...

That group shot kind of reminds me of the cover of the Reservoir Dogs DVD.

Anonymous said...

"The dems didn't rubber stamp anything. They were out of power from 1994 to 2006."

LOL -- they are in power now. The Dems could stop the war cold, defund Pentagon spending, or even (gasp) impeach W and his "cabal".

So what did your Congressional heroes actually do? They gave Bush every penny he asked for in his Iraq funding, and they tacked on $50B more in pork barrel spending to boot!

Yes, electing all those Dems really made a big difference.

Unknown said...

One poster actually quoted the Heritage Foundation's statistical lies and another says everyone he knows is making money hand over fist.

The ignorance and arrogance continues.

Anonymous said...

Here's the great job that ultraliberals are doing in CA. Now they want to run the entire country to apply their wonderful socialist programs and ideas, paid by the shrinking middle-class. Oh boy, those welfare programs for millions of lazy a$$ liberals and millions of illegals are getting expensive, huh? Wooohoooo, let's donate to China and Myanmar...after all, we're rich!!! Then, afterward, we can all lay our little rug on the floor, get on the knees, and pray facing Chicago.

Vallejo, Calif. files for bankruptcy

The San Francisco Bay area suburb of about 120,000 residents votes for protection to deal with their budget deficit caused by soaring employee costs, declining tax revenue.

VALLEJO, Calif. (AP) -- The city of Vallejo has filed for bankruptcy protection to deal with a ballooning budget deficit caused by soaring employee costs and declining tax revenue.

The San Francisco Bay area suburb of about 120,000 residents is the largest California city to declare bankruptcy.

Mayor Osby Davis says the city's attorneys filed papers seeking Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection in federal court in Sacramento on Friday.

The City Council voted to authorize the city manager to file for bankruptcy on May 6 after months of failed negotiations with its public safety unions.

Some officials blame the financial crisis on labor contracts that they say provide overly generous pay and benefits to the city's police officers and firefighters.

Anonymous said...

They can set taxes however they want.
They can imprison and torture you if you refuse to pay.
Voting has no effect.

Game over.

Anonymous said...

Yeah why dont you stay over there in Europe you Hippy!

Anonymous said...

I came for andrew hac's inevitable barely-comprehensible rant about Americanos and roasted snapping turtles, and I was not disappointed!

Refuse to buy overpriced said...

Short list of incumbents to re-elect:

House-
John J. Duncan (R) Tennesse
Ron Paul (R) Texas
Only two members of Congress to vote against both Iraq war and bogus "Foreclosure Prevention"

Senate-
John Barrasso (R) Wyoming
Michael Enzi (R) Wyoming
James Inhofe (R) Oklahoma
Only 12 Senators voted against bogus "Foreclosure Prevention" on April 10 when it first came up for a vote. Of those 12, only these three face election in November.

Anonymous said...

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Joe Biden took to the airwaves this week to "help" the rookie Barack Obama out of a foreign-policy jam. Oh sure, admitted Mr. Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee had given the "wrong" answer when he said he'd meet unconditionally with leaders of rogue states. But on the upside, the guy "has learned a hell of a lot."

Remember how Mr. Obama got here. In a July debate, the Illinois senator was asked if he'd meet, "without preconditions," the "leaders of Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea." It was an unexpected question, and Mr. Obama rolled with his gut: "I would," he said, riffing that the Bush administration's policy of not negotiating with terror-sponsoring states was "ridiculous."

Hillary Clinton, who still had the aura of inevitability, and who was already thinking ahead to a general election, wouldn't bite. At that point, any initial misgivings the Obama campaign had about the boss's answer disappeared.

Mr. Obama hadn't got much traction differentiating himself from Mrs. Clinton over Iraq, but this was a chance to get to her left, to cast her to liberal primary voters as a warmonger. Which he did, often, committing himself ever more to a policy of unfettered engagement.

Anonymous said...

Here's a video that includes the lunatic Christian fringe members like Chuck Hagee, one of McCain's lunatic spiritual advisors (that he denounced yesterday - ut he didn't denounce the other crazy pastor of his, Pastor Rod Parsley):

Chuck Hagee and Tom DeLay - Rapture Ready

These people want to bring about WWIII and smite all of Israel's enemies for the second coming or some such crazy ass shit. I don't really understand their logic but I know that they are dangerous crazy people.

So somehow the media will have us believe that Reverend Wright's comments on US foreign policy are more dangerous or crazy than what these pro-Israel, rapture-wishers say. Puhleeease!

Anonymous said...

I think I am in love with Andrew Hac and his outstanding "roasted Americano snapper turtles" posts.

As for clueless Scottsdale hating Frank, if he would pull his head out of his elitist Newport CA ass and come to the rust belt (MI, PA, WV, OH etc) he would find plenty of WORKING class people who are deeply struggling. And no, they do not have an ARM loan either.

That Frank can still be a cheerleader to the Republicans who have destroyed our Constitution and our Republic speaks to his clueless ignorance.

Anonymous said...

I blame global warming.


Er, what did you say the problem was?

Anonymous said...

Hey Steely, before you tout the american enigneering in US Military Industry, consider that 40% of the engineering talent is at retirement age within 7 years. That is a fact and I am one of them. The push to hire young engineers in earlier this decade failed due to greener pastures such as the dotbombs and companies such as Motorola. The green pastures cetainly turned brown.

Also don't believe it is all American. The big guys area all politicking to outsource oversea. l

Anonymous said...

THIS IS THE BEST BLOG ON THE INTERNET!!!!!

I read my news here first before I put on CNN/FOX then serius (sp?) radio BLOOMBERG.

Thanks, you DO make a difference.

I am officially NOT a sheeple anymore.

Beignet

Thanks not only to Keith; but to all the other intelligent people who take the time to reply on this blog.

How far are you traveling this weekend?

Anonymous said...

The stock market is the final con game the US has got going. After it goes this will become a 3rd world nation in a matter of years. I know educated and high income people who are complete idiots when it comes to general knowledge.

These people have an arrogant attitude of "we are smart and the rest of the world is stupid". WRONG...the rest of the world now has doctors, scientists, engineers, etc...

If you look at what novel things the US produces now it is just pop culture items and trends. Rap music, human garbage celebrities like Paris Hilton, porn, etc... Well, we do have lots of guns and drugs as well.

The hammer drops as soon as the stock market scam ends. We have wealth being generated from no actual work or things of value being produced. This can not and will not go on forever.

Chris said...

You may also want to add Mike Enzi (Wyoming senator) to your short list. Enzi and Bunning were the only two senators on the Senate Banking Committee to vote 'No' on the proposed housing bailout legislation.

From Enzi's website:

"The federal government should not be in the business of bailing out bad investments. This bail out comes at the expense of all taxpayers regardless of whether they were at fault for the housing crisis," said Enzi, a senior member of the Senate Banking Committee.

Enzi was one of two senators on the Banking Committee to vote against the package. Enzi does not support a federal bail out.

The bill, the Federal Housing Finance Regulatory Reform Act of 2008, would create a new program within the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) to allow banks holding a volatile mortgage to reduce the principle on that mortgage by 10 percent and convert it to a 30-year fixed-rate term. In exchange, the FHA would then insure the loan against foreclosure.

Enzi said this plan gives lenders a path to rid themselves of their worst loans by transferring the risk of foreclosure to the federal government and the nation’s taxpayers. The plan would insure $300 billion of the worst loans held by lenders today.

"Insuring the worst loans in the nation is not a sound way to encourage responsible real estate purchases. It actually entices the banks and borrowers to take on bad loans knowing the federal government will be there to step in and take over the bad debt," said Enzi.

Enzi filed two amendments to the legislation. His first amendment was accepted to the bill and would prohibit the FHA from insuring any loan in which the borrower falsified documents, income, etc., in order to qualify. Enzi’s second amendment, which would help limit the FHA from guaranteeing the worst of these home loans, was not accepted.

"The amendment accepted to this legislation will help limit the extent of this new program but the best thing to help our economy and the U.S. taxpayer is to prevent the program from ever becoming law," said Enzi.

Last month Enzi voted against another housing ‘bail out’. Enzi voted against the Senate passed Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008 because it meant billions of taxpayer dollars would be spent to rescue those who made bad business decisions. Enzi denounced the passage of a "quick-fix" housing stimulus package and urged Congress to instead focus on long-term market solutions to provide relief for the nation’s ailing housing industry.

Anonymous said...

http://tinyurl.com/4dqep6

The Texas Ration & High CD rates = candidates for bank failure

Due to a change in banking laws b/t then and now, numerically we will have fewer that the 80's early 90's spike, but size-wise we will suffer a larger banking system collapse

Anonymous said...

The democrats did vote against war funding several times but caved to intense public pressure to "support the murderers, er, the troops" and continue giving them everything bush has committed us to.

Only the very stupid and naive think the democrats could have come in in 2006 with a very slim margin and a republican president and radically change everything. Even the republicans, when they took control, weren't able to really get their destructive policies flowing until they got total control with the election of bush.

Look, you people voted for conservatism, even many of you democrats, starting in around 1980. Most of you supported the war in Iraq at the beginning by huge numbers making it almost treasonous for democrats to vote against funding it in light of 9/11 (which we probably deserved anyway). The few democrats who did vote against the ignorance of the masses were met with derision and death threats. Bush knew he had the dems by the balls after 9/11. Most of you walking brainstems (that includes holyschitz) would have supported nuking the rest of the world so you could feel safe again.

But by all means, vote republican. Keep voting republican until you middle class idiots have nothing left. And in contrast to holyschitz, I DO want to see americans living in tents, suffering greatly for their ignorance, greed and selfishness. The only way to get radical change in this pisspoor culture of jerks is for a lot of people to experience massive suffering.

Anonymous said...

That Frank can still be a cheerleader to the Republicans who have destroyed our Constitution and our Republic speaks to his clueless ignorance.

See, that's the problem. You think that the Republicans did the mess. It wasn't. The Republican party was taken over by neocons, the same way that the ultraliberals have now hijacked the DNC. I was a registered democrat for 15 years but now I changed to Independent. I'm not for the ultraliberal Democrat approach of treating everyone like victims that should be spoon fed by the state and honest taxpayers. Those crooks are pulling the populist card only to get elected. That's why they want to flood the country with illegals and then give citizenship to all of them. Do I like the current Republican party? Not a bit. They're neocons, not republicans.

But you guys are a mad to elect a guy who was brought up as Muslim hardcore socialist. Those ultraliberals will destroy this country as much as the neocons did.

Just pay attention to what Carter did. Carter brought 130,000 Cubans at once into Miami in the 80s.

Imagine that, flooding a little city with 130,000 people overnight, without doing a background check to see if the majority of them were criminals, who were incarcerated before Castro kick them out to dump the responsibility and cost on Americans. No wonder crime and poverty skyrocketed in Miami right after and never really recoup. Obama is the new Carter.

Now Obama wants to sit down with Raul Castro, like we still owe them something. People, you will have another Carter type of Mariel, but it will be Africans. That's on the 20 points of Wright's Church, which calls for "Unconditional Devotion to Africa". Obama's only bill in the Senate: Send $1 trillion of taxpayer money to Africa, every year, forever.

We're bankrupt and he wants to send $1 trillion to places where we can't control who gets the money. That's just one of many red flags waving at your faces but you just ignore it.

Is Rev Wright still pulling the strings? Is Rev Wright, in Obama's mind, responsible for his fast ascent? Was the rejection a political move contrived by both of them? Does anyone here know ANYTHING about Obama? Not what he wrote in his book, but really anything about his whereabouts in Indonesia, his dealings with Rezko, Rev Wright's influence? Obama is a mystery man with powerful people behind pushing him down your throats. Just like the neocons did with Bush.

The Democrat majority is already pushing ultraliberal and costly bills such as amnesty to millions of illegals that will rely on welfare during the long recession while selling popcorn and fruits on traffic lights, subsidies to millionaire farmers, bailouts to flippers and fraudsters, etc. They're just warming up. Did you watch the Democrats crying to the oil executives on C-Span like it's their fault? Have you seen any solid energy policy coming from this Democrat majority which has been running the place for 2 years now? Pathetic.

Let me remind you that Bush's approval rating was once 95%, so most of you were following that incompetent man. Now you're following another with the same arrogant and blind attitude.

Anonymous said...

Bitterrenter,

Your blind devotion to the corrupt Democratic party only proves how out of touch you are. To think that any of both parties is good for America is a stretch. Democrats have voted with Bush the majority of time because those crooks were thinking mainly about looking good. Show me ANY democrat who doesn't take money from special interests.

Another thing, the Democrats lose elections because of their own stupidity, like what they are doing now: backstabbing Hillary, pissing her voters, trying to push Obama by force, forcing her to quit early, ignoring the voters in FL and MI. If Obama loses is because of the boy's club who have hijacked the DNC, not because of voters.

Liberals love diversity only if everyone is wearing Birkenstocks or drinking $8 lattes. Sorry to break to you but America was also built with the sweat and tears of your so-called "uneducated blue-collar" who refuse to be a puppet of advertising companies which are transforming men into label whores and consumerist fools who pay $400 for a haircut.

Anonymous said...

it is time for a revisit to the archives (May 12, 2007) of the Dissident Voice and the interview with Elaine Supkis as written by Mike Whitney. Title: Are we headed for another great depression. It's a good read and in case you are wondering she is absolutely correct on every point one year later. Get your 9mm Glock ready because the WHITE man you all put in office twice may get you robbed,car jacked, killed,in addition to being homeless, jobless and in the food line hope your happy now.

Anonymous said...

I find all this Democrat & Republican partisanship hard to believe. Don't they know it is just one party---one party with two heads, funded by the same people, serving the same elite masters? America is a one party state. But the beast has two heads, and each head likes to bite the other on the back.