People are asking what to do.
Some want to march on Washington.
Many are calling their corrupted Congressmen and Senators.
But I think we need a laser-targeted attack for now. So here's what to do:
1) Phone and email Senator Jim Bunning and demand that he filibuster Paulson's outrage.
He can stand against the madness. He's really the only one standing up right now. Send him a cot. Send him some Red Bull. And tell him that the future of American democracy and the free market is in his hands.
If Bunning doesn't stand up and fight, if he doesn't filibuster this debacle, then you'll know they got to Bunning too, that he's as corrupted as the rest of 'em, and that you should then give up on America.
Use this contact form
Call him at 202.224.4343
Fax him at 202.228.1373
Send a letter or visit 316 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510
Visit or take over his Kentucky office at 1717 Dixie Highway Suite 220, Ft. Wright, KY 41011
Here's some thoughts for your letter or communication. Copy and paste and make it your own:
Senator Bunning
Thank you for speaking out against taxpayer bailouts for banks and speculators who gambled on housing and lost. It is your patriotic duty to stand up to this outrage. I am asking you to personally filibuster any additional taxpayer bailouts for housing gamblers that come to the Senate floor. There is an army of fed-up taxpayers out here, who are ready to give up on the Republican party forever if you do not stand up now. Please do the right thing, and stop this. America is depending on you.
In addition, to hedge our bet, we need to get to the MSM in DC. Here's how:
2) A reporter for the Washington Post has given HP'ers time in the past. So let's let her know what the taxpayers are feeling, so that the monkeys in the Capitol read it over their morning coffee before they go out and give Paulson a trillion of our dollars.
Contact Renae Merle
The Washington Post
phone: 202-334-7446
merler@washpost.com
Or write: The Washington Post, 1150 15th Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20071
Here's Jim Bunning on bailouts. So let's see if he'll do something about this one - the Hank Paulson Fleecing of America Act of 2008.
In the Senate, it only takes one. One with courage. One who will stand up and be counted. One who will take on his own misguided party, and launch a rebellion for the ages.
That man is Jim Bunning. Attack HP'ers. With everything you've got.
Bunning Declares The Free Market Dead
Washington, DC
Friday, September 19, 2008
U.S. Senator Jim Bunning today issued the following statement regarding the Treasury Department’s bailout of Wall Street.
"Instead of celebrating the Fourth of July next year Americans will be celebrating Bastille Day; the free market for all intents and purposes is dead in America," said Bunning.
"The action proposed today by the Treasury Department will take away the free market and institute socialism in America. The American taxpayer has been mislead throughout this economic crisis. The government on all fronts has failed the American people miserably.
"My great grandchildren will be saddled with the estimated $1 trillion debt left in the wake of this proposal. We have gotten to this point because nobody has been minding the store. Both Secretary Paulson and Chairman Bernanke should be held accountable for their inaction – and now because of that inaction – the American taxpayer is left with bill.
"We must take care of Main Street. Small businesses in Ashland, Bowling Green, and Paducah are hurting because of high taxes, and energy costs. Those small businesses are the economic engines that fuel our economy. I hope in the closing days of this Congress we can pass legislation to help those good people on Main Street rather than helping the power brokers on Wall Street."
And here's how to filibuster, in case Bunning has forgotten:
In current practice, Senate Rule 22 permits filibusters in which actual continuous floor speeches are not required, although the Senate Majority Leader may require an actual traditional filibuster if he or she so chooses. This threat of a filibuster can therefore be as powerful as an actual filibuster. Previously, the filibustering senator(s) could delay voting only by making an endless speech. Currently, they need only indicate that they are filibustering, thereby preventing the Senate from moving on to other business until the motion is withdrawn or enough votes are gathered for cloture.
Preparations for a filibuster can be very elaborate. Sometimes cots are brought into the hallways or cloakrooms for senators to sleep on. According to Newsweek, "They used to call it 'taking to the diaper,' a phrase that referred to the preparation undertaken by a prudent senator before an extended filibuster. Strom Thurmond visited a steam room before his filibuster in order to dehydrate himself so he could drink without urinating. An aide stood by in the cloakroom with a pail in case of emergency."
September 23, 2008
How to channel your bailout RAGE HP'ers: Demand that Senator Jim Bunning, who is 100% against this Paulson/Goldman Sachs looting, stand up and fight
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34 comments:
Don't you people realize that contacting your Congress representative doesn't do a damn thing?
These are the same people that passed the "Patriot" Act without even reading the damn thing!!
Bunning is an unstable whackjob anyway. Do you seriously think one man can stop the tide of stupidity and corruption on the Hill?
Grow a frickin brain.
If you are not pissed off enough yet, Google "The secret bailout of JP Morgan" by Ellen Brown and "Brasscheck TV: The financial meltdown explained". Ben Stein's article on Credit Default Swaps on today's Yahoo Finance page is enlightening too. I have read that one catalyst in this was the foreign institutions demanding immediate disclosure of the assets backing the paper they bought. It can't be done of course.
Whoa! For years all I've been reading on HP is how politicians are all corrupt and in the back pocket of evil corporations. Now all of a sudden you want your followers to waste time calling these politicians.
Once again Hp talks out of both sides of the mouth.
(Sorry, forget to preview)
Here are a couple of scenes from "Network" that are unbelievably prescient. (No, not the "Mad as Hell" scene.) It's hard to believe this was made 32 years ago.
This first one might be depressing.
http://tinyurl.com/5zjew4
Perhaps, this second scene will fire you up.
http://tinyurl.com/53dv4h
HPers, it is time to MEDDLE WITH THE PRIMAL FORCES OF NATURE and STOP THE CCA DEAL NOW!
My father used to tell me how important this movie was. I thought it was about the role of television. He always so fascinated with Arthur Jenses (Ned Beatty's) speech and in my youth, I didn't quite get it. Hank Paulson did.
All I know is if HPers are mad, then I'm happy. You see HPers, you people are kooks, loons, nutjobs, etc.
Therefore when you don't like what's happening in the world, something right must be happening. Only people against this bailout are dumb ass renters like you who never made it to the party.
Well sorry guys, once again you lose. Oh and PS, thanks for footing the tax bill for all of this.
Bunning calling for Bernanke and Paulson to resign. Why stop there? Why not ask for Bush and Cheney to step down too?
“I sincerely believe that Henry Paulson and Ben Bernanke should resign,” said Bunning, a Republican from Kentucky on the Senate Banking Committee. “They have taken the free market out of the free market.”
“We no longer have a free market in the United States, we have a government controlled free market,” Bunning said in an interview. Paulson, a former chief executive officer of Goldman Sachs Group Inc., “is acting like the minister of finance in China.”
http://blogofbile.com/2008/09/09/senator-jim-bunning-calls-on-paulson-and-bernanke-to-resign/
If you live in Kentucky, send something like this to Senator Bunning. I am a Florida resident, and forwarded this, but I think an instate resident has better odds. We cannot let this bill float through without trying to do something, unless you want a repeat of the 70's.
Senator Bunning,
I am a resident of the state of Florida, and a registered Republican. I have sent this message to Senators Martinez and Nelson, but I am also contacting you because I believe it is critical to oppose Paulson's bailout bill. In the news reports I have seen, you appear to be it's most vocal critic - you give me hope that one member of the Senate will have the courage to oppose this ridiculous legislation and protect the financial well being of every working taxpayer in the country.
Based on what I have seen online, not only is the scope of the discretion it grants the Treasury bordering on the absurd, but it gets greater every day! A $700 billion dollar blank check deserves serious review. If the situation is this dire today, surely it was dire one month ago. This would imply that the Treasury was unaware of the situation, and given the haste to enact legislation, it makes me believe they still are unaware of the details.
My feelings are far from alone on this matter - I believe you would be hard pressed to find support for a bank bailout from the average American struggling in these difficult economic times. The scope of this bill is such that it will take generations, if ever, to satisfy the obligations. Remember, it was at least partly the greed of the banks that destroyed the real estate market, so there is no good reason to save them from their own foolishness at the expense of the taxpayer.
Historically it has been the Senate, through the power of the Filibuster as granted in the Constitution, which has proven to be the check against poor discretion by the Legislature. I know I speak for many citizens of our country when I say that we are counting on you to prevent rushed, borderline insane legislation from becoming law.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Google Money as Debt. AWESOME.
So are you all still happy with your choice to live within your means?
Still happy you rented an apartment while everyone else lived it up in the McMansion?
Still happy you drove the 1982 Honda while everyone else drove the 2007 BMW?
Still happy you watched your 14" black and white while everyone else was watching the 60" plasma?
At the end of the day you all were chumps. I know it hurts, and I sort of feel bad for you all. But come on, you should have known better than to take advice from anonymous posters on the internet as to how to live your lives.
Next time don't be such gullible fools.
Great idea on MSM. Need to get them a story.
And to the anons naysayers, if you have a better idea - share it.
I have yet to see the question asked about "the end game" to all of these bailouts. Like an exit strategy to Iraq, has anyone on the Hill or Wall street taken this to conclusion?
Moving debt around from Wall Street to the taxpayer does nothing for the principle of the problem.....people living in houses that they cannot afford.
Well sorry guys, once again you lose. Oh and PS, thanks for footing the tax bill for all of this.
Aren't you a genius. So you think that somehow you are a winner because the government is going to bail you out and HPers are kooks and nutjobs because they think this is a bad idea?
You think you are going to GAIN something from this bailout?
Listen you dumb inverterbrate piece of slime. You don't win anything. By destroying the US currency EVERYBODY suffers. You are not winning anything from your precious government "bailing" you out.
Pay attention and grow a f*cking brain you dumb slug!!
WTF is wrong with Paulson's pinky finger on his left hand in that video?
Correct me if I am wrong but Bunning spoke loudly against the fannie freddie thing but then did nothing to stop it, i don't think he even voted (if there was a vote).
There's definitely a lining of dark humor in the fact that the bailout bill, as presently written, gives almost dictatorial power to Henry Paulson as to what mortgage backed securities to buy and what to pay for them with virtually no oversight. Mr. Paulson, prior to his current role of Treasury Secretary, was the CEO of Goldman Sachs. And in the major leagues of high finance where Goldman operated, they were one of the largest dealers in mortgage backed securities and their numerous derivatives. Where Goldman showed its superior foresight, though, was that while it was selling garbage mortgage products, they were also writing short sales on those same types of financial instruments, directly profiting when the big seize up began in August of 2007. It was a truly brilliant as well as utterly cynical series of actions.
Bunning blustered over the housing bailout bill but then decided not to vote!
Same pattern here. Just watch.
Whoops, the housing bill not not solve much did it?
They need the money to handle WaMu because its going to sink FDIC. That is the urgency.
i just called bunning's office. thanks for the number!
i also called my own congressional delegation yesterday. our voices are being heard, i believe. the congress doesn't seem prepared to give Treasury a blank check with no oversight...but we will have to wait and see whether they craft something that allows Treasury to wiggle out of oversight...i wouldn't doubt it in the least that the Congress would do that.
Keith, the Washington Post just did an article yesterday about homeowners feeling angry about having to bail out others. I posted it on your blog a few blog entries ago.
Wanted to post the letter I sent earlier.
Senator Bunning
Thank you for speaking out against taxpayer bailouts for banks and speculators who gambled on housing and lost. Every one of those involved need to accept responsibility for and suffer the consequenses of their actions. Thats how it works in the real world for us "little people" and Hank Paulson's buddies should be held to the same standard. Speaking of Hank's homies, Why don't we frog march a few of em since they've been defrauding the taxpayer via Freddie and Fannie for years? How about we start with Senator Dodd and the other "Friends of Angelo"? who were paid with campaign loot and subsidized mortgages by the perpetrators to look the other way? This is what we should be debating, not massive bailouts for people and organizations who deserve failure and possibly prosecution.
You like to crack jokes about how you woke up, read the paper, and thought you were in France and more recently about how we will be celebrating Bastille Day this year because of how socialist our government has become. I agree with you except for one thing - at least in France, socialism benefits the people. In the USSA, it benefits large corporations at the expense of the people. What do we get for it? Embarassingly inadequate infrastructure, rampant inflation, and bankruptcy if god forbid we get sick. Maybe you can say we get jobs out of it but I'd rather sit on my ass and collect checks from the government than see my tax money wasted on such undeserving institutions so i can continue to slave at work 40+ hours a week for the same amount of money that buys less and less with each passing day.
I am not a socialist. If socialism was the way of life I desired there is a plethora of countries I could move to that would be able to accommodate me. I am a Republican and have been since the day I turned 18 and registered to vote. Until recently, the Republican party represented small government, free markets, and liberty. Now the two parties represent two sides of the same coin - big government socialist tyranny with one benefiting people and another benefiting big business.
America is a place where you are supposed to be free to make your own way. If you work hard and do what you're supposed to then you shall benefit from those actions and prosper. At the same time, if you make poor decisions and take on too much risk and you fail, it is nobody's fault but your own. Somewhere along the way personal responsibility and self reliance were tossed aside in favor of victimhood and the nanny state. Enough already!!! It is your patriotic duty to stand up to this outrage. I am asking you to personally filibuster any additional taxpayer bailouts for housing gamblers that come to the Senate floor. The first Trillion was enough of a mistake and its time for Congress to quit digging. There is an army of fed-up taxpayers out here like myself, who are ready to give up on the Republican party forever. Someone needs to fight for us since the vast majority are too busy working to come down to DC with torches and pitchforks. Please do the right thing, and stop this. America is depending on you.
keep calling the reporter folks - she needs to hear from more of you
make this happen. show our outrage to the monkeys in DC - via the Washington Post
ask 'em - if HP'ers knew about all of this for years, why they didn't until today
Keith,
please post that the PA Senators Casey and Specter are taking calls tonight Sept 23 at 7.00 pm Eastern Time. Maybe some fellow HPers can call in and explain what a bad idea the bailout is.
special Call-In program is set to air LIVE on Tuesday, September 23 beginning at 7:00 p.m.
talk directly to both Senators by dialing toll-free at 1-877-PA6-5001
The George W Bush Presidential Library
The George W Bush Presidential Library is now in the planning stages.
The Library will include:
The Hurricane Katrina Room, which is still under construction.
The Alberto Gonzales Room, where you won't be able to remember anything.
The Texas Air National Guard Room, where you don't even have to show up.
The Walter Reed Hospital Room, where they don't let you in.
The Guantanamo Bay Room, where they don't let you out.
The Weapons of Mass Destruction Room, which no one has been able to find.
The National Debt room, which is huge and has no ceiling.
The 'Tax Cut' Room with entry only to the wealthy.
The 'Economy Room' which is in the toilet.
The Iraq War Room. After you complete your first tour, they make you go back for a second, third, fourth, and sometimes fifth tour.
The Dick Cheney Room, in the famous undisclosed location, complete with shotgun gallery.
The Environmental Conservation Room, still empty.
The Supremes Gift Shop, where you can buy an election.
The Airport Men's Room, where you can meet some of your favorite Republican Senators.
The 'Decider Room' complete with dart board, magic 8-ball, Ouija board, dice, coins, and straws.
The museum will have an electron microscope to help you locate the President's accomplishments.
Sid | 09.21.08 - 9:05 pm | #
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'taking to the diaper'
Don't 'depend' on it.
The Senate is OWNED by the Kleptocrats.
This TOKEN opposition is just for show...
This is the kind of thing that makes me want to snap.
As a taxpayer ,demand accountability on the billions of dollars in short term loans the Feds have been giving the banks for the last 12 months .
Where did that money go ?
You HP'ers that are against this bailout are stupid stupid stupid. Do you know what happened in 1929 when the fed raised interest rates? Depression.
I can't figure out what you people are thinking? Either everyone here is independently wealthy and has BARS of GOLD under their mattress, or is just begging to be homeless.
If you are a renter, how does a depression in this country help you? And as for your "taxpayer bailout" who CARES about taxpayer money when the alternative is to not have a job to even have to worry about PAYING TAXES AT ALL...
I just don't get it. I don't like bailing out wall street types any more than the next guy, but the facts remain that THEY CONTROL US, whether you like it or not. That has been very obvious for many years. If they decide that they are going to let everything go to hell, they certainly won't be feeling the effects of a MAJOR RECESSION or DEPRESSION, we will. Unless you have millions sitting in a FOREIGN BANK or have gold under your bed - YOU WILL FEEL THIS if nothing is done. Regardless of whether you are renting, owning, or living with mom and dad.
So please get off the ignorance express and realize that the moral hazard argument was lost 5 years or so ago when something COULD have been done, and now we must just mitigate the damage instead of just allowing the market to fail. The free market is great when you benefit from it (CEO's) but when it implodes, the only ones who will carry the majority of the burden will not be the rich, it will be you and I. How many of these CEO's, even if they were terminated tomorrow and given zero in golden parachute would be in a situation that they would worry about their next meal? Now, ask yourself about that single mom or struggling family right now. What do you think christmas will be like for them if suddenly unemployment went to 9 or 10 percent? I strongly doubt these are people that had Hummers or bought McMansions. Folks, this is beyond the petty nonsense of moral hazzard or whether some yahoo got away with something. This is about a large part of this country, and world going belly up. Now that may seem attractive to some of you, and to those I say go find a nice straight jacket. For those of us still residing in common sense land, as awful as it sounds, getting these CDS, MBS, CMBS, derivatives etc. out of the market is the only way to stop this. The only other clost option is to suspend the Mark to Market accounting rules, which will just make the pain last longer like Japan. If it does not work, we are all in dip $#$%. But if it does, then at least we will only have a recession and not a mass destruction that will be spoken of just like 1929 for decades if not centuries.
Please use common sense, and stop bashing what seem to me as the only solutions being put forward. For those that are just plain crazy, and just don't want any bailout, please move to the moon - because that is the only place where this will not be felt. Either that, or go find a rich suger daddy or mama....you'll need it.
Anomymous said...
"So are you all still happy with your choice to live within your means?"
Yes.
"Still happy you rented an apartment while everyone else lived it up in the McMansion?"
Yes but actually it is a rented house in the neighborhood I want with a 30 minute commute, not a sh!tbox, I mean McMansion in Bumf*ck Egypt with a two plus hour commute.
"Still happy you drove the 1982 Honda while everyone else drove the 2007 BMW?"
Yes, but it's an 1984 F150 that probably spends less time in the shop than a 2007 krautmobile.
"Still happy you watched your 14" black and white while everyone else was watching the 60" plasma?"
Yes, but it's a 6"x9" black and white, they are called books. You have probably wondered why you see some people staring at these strange paper things with noting but words printed in them. You probably don't even realize how much smarter these book readers are than the 60" plasma crowd.
"At the end of the day you all were chumps. I know it hurts, and I sort of feel bad for you all. But come on, you should have known better than to take advice from anonymous posters on the internet as to how to live your lives."
Never have taken advice from anonymous posters on the internet. I have learned how to live my life from my parents, life experience and those book things I refered to above. If you think having a big TV and a German car mean you are not a chump, then that perhaps is true, you are far worse a sad and lonely waste of life who looks to consumer products and conspicuous consumption for self esteem and self worth.
"Next time don't be such gullible fools."
See above. It is that whole not taking advice from anonymous posters on the internet thing. If I am a gullble fool then think how strong our economy would be right now if America had been a nation of gullible fools instead of a nation of dull witted sheeple trying to impress their neighbors in a debt fueled orgy of mindless consumtion.
Oh and BTW Hank Paulson is not going to bail you or any of the other sheeple out so enjoy your 60" Plasma and your 2007 BMW you won't be buying anything new for a very long time when the sh!t really hits the fan. It's still early days yet and banking bailout or not things are going to get bad.
Just emailed Schumer and Bunning. I also called Schumer today. I said consideration of the Treasury bill should be stopped, and they should not consider any future bailouts for banks or homedebtors.
"This is the kind of thing that makes me want to snap."
It makes me want to riot.
I called you all should call anyways even if you think it won't work....let them know they don't have a mandate for this.
Hi Keith
I'm getting in on this thread a bit late, but wanted to post the letter I sent to my state senators and representatives. Not quite as fancy as some but it is in my own words and hopefully conveys the anger and frustration I feel. If I had tried to get too technical, I most likely would have talked myself into a corner. For your entertainment:
Dear XXXXXXXXX
I am asking you to not support federal funds being used to bail out struggling financial institutions. Let me rephrase that; I’m begging you to not support any bill providing federal funds for bailing out financial institutions.
Two months ago, Mr. Paulson stated the financial backbone of our economy was sound. Yesterday, he was telling a senate committee that he had to have a 700 billion dollar line of equity to save the United States from certain financial ruin – by the end of the week no less. Something is terribly wrong with this. How is this man still being taken seriously? The Senate and the House should not be seeking his advice, rather; they should be investigating him, and Mr. Bernanke, for extraordinary incompetence and/or collusion with said financial organizations.
Manipulation of our free market economy by the government is the equivalent of using a hot water bottle to provide warmth in severe cold: It feels nice while the heat lasts but once the heat is gone, you’re worse off than before.
If the Government feels it must take action to prove to the citizens of our country that our government is indeed of sound mind and principle, well, there is only one acceptable solution. Hunt down and prosecute the fraud that created the juggernaut of economic disaster. Answer the questions of why there was a lack of oversight; how did deregulation contribute to this; and, who was involved. Send a message that fraud and gross incompetence won’t be rewarded or tolerated at any level.
Do I sound angry and frustrated? You bet. I’m tired of the lack of morals and ethics that have become so pervasive in the institutions of business and government. I’m tired of the rampage of greed born from secret handshake agreements and back-alley deals. I’m tired of the perception that I’m a never ending source of funds for wayfaring pirates traveling the seas of indulgence.
In summary Sir, I want to see heads roll and blood on the wall (rhetorically of course) rather than high- fives in the boardroom.
Respectfully,
With the demand for disclosure of what is backing the securities ,I suppose that means that Wall Street is in fact buying these junk CDO's
with the bail-out ,yet no disclosure on this. Why is it such a bad thing that these firms get sued for their foul play instead of the taxpayers paying for this .They are bailing out criminal gamblers in the final
analysis .
I'm sorry but the financial firms need to go down for this .
Its funny but I use to post about this years ago regarding the foreign investors finding out they had been swindled by Wall Street ,what were they going to do . My original feeling was they should of known they were taking a risk by the very nature of the securities ,but you know Wall Street .Than I thought legal remedy would be the screwed investors remedy and only recourse ,which would expose big Wall Street firms to the mother of all liability that would crack them anyway .
My second thought is that after the foreign investors get their money back on the backs of the taxpayers ,than the foreign buyers will abandon America or not risk money anymore . What does Wall Street expect? Did the harmed people of America get their bail-out by this ,not really .
So the taxpayers are paying for the lawsuit that Wall Street would of got ,along with the liability . This remedy of taxpayers bail outs is the biggest obstruction of justice in history of the market maker greedy crooks of Wall Street
Don't punish the crooks who destroyed our credit rating with the world is the song ,in fact reward them . Don't punish the fraudulent Realtors and liar loan borrowers for engaging in the Wall Street Designed Ponzi Scheme.Just pay off the foreign harmed investors and second to that if any money is left than bail out the other toxic waste of fraud loans .
I think that all the Congress/Senate people that vote for the bill should be relieved of duty .
This is a fraud speak bail out in which the promoters are trying to sell that the taxpayers will win ,when there is no chance .This dog and phony show that is going on in which minor concessions are given and the whole 700 billion is given away is a insult .
Wether it was foreign investors that wanted their money back or if it was American investors that want their money back, the fact remains ,the wrong party is paying if the bail outs get passed .
Any lawyer that understands what I'm talking about will know that its a sorry day for Justice . This ,in my opinion will be the beginning of the demise of America.
Barack John
Left and rights of passage
Black and whites of youth
Who can face the knowledge
that the truth is not the truth?
Obsolete Absolute
Ron Ralph
Cruising under your radar
Watching from the satellites
Take a page from the red book
and keep them in your sights
Red alert Red alert
USN
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