You Won't Believe These Suez Canal Conspiracies
3 years ago
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Friday, September 28, 2012
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Could Romney take Ryan down with him?
Could Romney take Ryan down with him?
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If Romney were now leading in the polls, the right would be fine with this. But as the reality of his plight –a persistent three- or four-point gap – has sunk in, they’ve reacted with frustration and anger. The calls for Romney to “unleash” Ryan represent one of the forms this panic has taken.
One way to understand this, as Ed Kilgore explained yesterday, is that conservatives genuinely believe that their Obama-era worldview has broad appeal, and that if a telegenic true believer like Ryan were out there preaching it, they’d win in a cakewalk. But there’s also a longer-term play here. By loudly complaining about the neutering of Ryan now, conservatives are positioning themselves to claim vindication if Romney-Ryan ticket goes down to defeat: See, we told you we needed to be more conservative!
In theory, this will position the ambitious Ryan nice to segue from a 2012 loss into a bid for his party’s 2016 nomination. I tried to be a team player, he could tell conservatives, and I was just as frustrated as you – now let’s go out and run our kind of campaign!
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If Romney were now leading in the polls, the right would be fine with this. But as the reality of his plight –a persistent three- or four-point gap – has sunk in, they’ve reacted with frustration and anger. The calls for Romney to “unleash” Ryan represent one of the forms this panic has taken.
One way to understand this, as Ed Kilgore explained yesterday, is that conservatives genuinely believe that their Obama-era worldview has broad appeal, and that if a telegenic true believer like Ryan were out there preaching it, they’d win in a cakewalk. But there’s also a longer-term play here. By loudly complaining about the neutering of Ryan now, conservatives are positioning themselves to claim vindication if Romney-Ryan ticket goes down to defeat: See, we told you we needed to be more conservative!
In theory, this will position the ambitious Ryan nice to segue from a 2012 loss into a bid for his party’s 2016 nomination. I tried to be a team player, he could tell conservatives, and I was just as frustrated as you – now let’s go out and run our kind of campaign!
Paul Krugman: Romney is selling optimisim, but who's buying it? - Post Bulletin
Paul Krugman: Romney is selling optimisim, but who's buying it? - Post Bulletin
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 Mitt Romney is optimistic about optimism. In fact, it's pretty much all he's got. And that fact should make you very pessimistic about his chances of leading an economic recovery. As many people have noticed, Romney's five-point "economic plan" is very nearly substance-free. It vaguely suggests that he will pursue the same goals Republicans always pursue — weaker environmental protection, lower taxes on the wealthy. But it offers neither specifics nor any indication why returning to George W. Bush's policies would cure a slump that began on Bush's watch. In his meeting with donors in Boca Raton, Fla., however, Romney revealed his real plan, which is to rely on magic. "My own view is," he declared, "if we win on Nov. 6, there will be a great deal of optimism about the future of this country. We'll see capital come back, and we'll see — without actually doing anything — we'll actually get a boost in the economy." Are you feeling reassured? In fairness to Romney, his assertion that electing him would spontaneously spark an economic boom is consistent with his party's current economic dogma. Republican leaders have long insisted that the main thing holding the economy back is the "uncertainty" created by President Barack Obama's statements — roughly speaking, that businesspeople aren't investing because Obama has hurt their feelings. If you believe that, it makes sense to argue that changing presidents would, all by itself, cause an economic revival. |
Monday, September 24, 2012
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Five Looming Curses of Privatization | Common Dreams
Five Looming Curses of Privatization | Common Dreams
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1. Public treasures sold off for short-term budget needs
In his 2006 budget President Bush proposed auctioning off 300,000 acres of national forest in 41 states. This followed attempts by both the Reagan Administration and Clinton-era Republicans to privatize public land.
Now, with continuing budget shortfalls, the Cato Institute and other libertarian groups are pressing for property deals, with the justification that land should be "allocated to the highest-value use," presumably making it available to the highest bidder for consumption purposes.
That brings us to Paul Ryan's dubiously-named Path to Prosperity, which proposes to sell millions of acres of "unneeded federal land" and billions of dollars worth of federal assets. He's starting in his own backyard: the state of Wisconsin is considering the sale of DNR land for some ready cash. The Path to Prosperity is based in part on Republican Jason Chaffetz' "Disposal of Excess Federal Lands Act of 2011," which would unload millions of acres of land in America's west. Worse yet is Rep. Cliff Stearns' perplexing recommendation to "sell off some of our national parks." Mitt Romney also chimed in, admitting that he didn't know "what the purpose is" of public lands.
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1. Public treasures sold off for short-term budget needs
In his 2006 budget President Bush proposed auctioning off 300,000 acres of national forest in 41 states. This followed attempts by both the Reagan Administration and Clinton-era Republicans to privatize public land.
Now, with continuing budget shortfalls, the Cato Institute and other libertarian groups are pressing for property deals, with the justification that land should be "allocated to the highest-value use," presumably making it available to the highest bidder for consumption purposes.
That brings us to Paul Ryan's dubiously-named Path to Prosperity, which proposes to sell millions of acres of "unneeded federal land" and billions of dollars worth of federal assets. He's starting in his own backyard: the state of Wisconsin is considering the sale of DNR land for some ready cash. The Path to Prosperity is based in part on Republican Jason Chaffetz' "Disposal of Excess Federal Lands Act of 2011," which would unload millions of acres of land in America's west. Worse yet is Rep. Cliff Stearns' perplexing recommendation to "sell off some of our national parks." Mitt Romney also chimed in, admitting that he didn't know "what the purpose is" of public lands.
Mitt Romney: A Corporation Masquerading as a Person for President | Common Dreams
Mitt Romney: A Corporation Masquerading as a Person for President | Common Dreams
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What do many of the 47 percent pay to the government? They pay payroll taxes for social security and Medicare, federal fees and state and local taxes on their property, and sales taxes.
The avarice of Romney and his buddies at the strip-mining, job-exporting, bankrupting private equity company called Bain Capital has no bounds. He thinks it’s perfectly fine for companies like Verizon, Boeing, Duke Energy, Navistar, Wells Fargo and Pepco to use all of our country’s government funded public infrastructures and services, and yet not only pay no income tax but actually rig the tax system so they can get billions back in “benefits” from the U.S. Treasury, as General Electric has done for years. At the same time, Romney never speaks out against 35,000 super-wealthy Americans who also do not pay any federal income tax. He rarely questions crony capitalism, wants to maintain an even bigger bloated military budget, and spearheads the many-sided supremacy of corporations over real people throughout our entire political economy. He is, essentially, a corporation running for president masquerading as an individual.
If the Democrats are anything but inept and defeatist, they will wrap Romney around Congressman Paul Ryan, his vice-presidential nominee, and recover the Congress in November. The Romney-Ryan campaign is now hanging by a few threads, unmasked even before those millions of American voters who dutifully vote for politicians who disrespect and betray their economic plight and political powerlessness once in office.
The so-called presidential debates are coming up (see Open Debates.org). Let’s see if President Obama thinks it is fair play to recall Mr. Romney’s words and put his underlying real values on the table before tens of millions of viewers.
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What do many of the 47 percent pay to the government? They pay payroll taxes for social security and Medicare, federal fees and state and local taxes on their property, and sales taxes.
The avarice of Romney and his buddies at the strip-mining, job-exporting, bankrupting private equity company called Bain Capital has no bounds. He thinks it’s perfectly fine for companies like Verizon, Boeing, Duke Energy, Navistar, Wells Fargo and Pepco to use all of our country’s government funded public infrastructures and services, and yet not only pay no income tax but actually rig the tax system so they can get billions back in “benefits” from the U.S. Treasury, as General Electric has done for years. At the same time, Romney never speaks out against 35,000 super-wealthy Americans who also do not pay any federal income tax. He rarely questions crony capitalism, wants to maintain an even bigger bloated military budget, and spearheads the many-sided supremacy of corporations over real people throughout our entire political economy. He is, essentially, a corporation running for president masquerading as an individual.
If the Democrats are anything but inept and defeatist, they will wrap Romney around Congressman Paul Ryan, his vice-presidential nominee, and recover the Congress in November. The Romney-Ryan campaign is now hanging by a few threads, unmasked even before those millions of American voters who dutifully vote for politicians who disrespect and betray their economic plight and political powerlessness once in office.
The so-called presidential debates are coming up (see Open Debates.org). Let’s see if President Obama thinks it is fair play to recall Mr. Romney’s words and put his underlying real values on the table before tens of millions of viewers.
The Most Anti-Senior Ticket Ever!
The Most Anti-Senior Ticket Ever!
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Mitt Romney’s choice of Rep. Paul Ryan as his running mate locks in place the most anti-senior ticket ever. These two men have admitted – on the record - the threats that they pose to Medicare and Social Security. One of our worst fears is that Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan will actually keep their promises.
Paul Ryan’s budget plan would end Medicare as we know it by turning it into a voucher system, shifting thousands of dollars in health care costs to seniors. He would also make older workers, who have trouble finding health insurance in the private marketplace, wait until they reach age 67 to qualify for Medicare benefits.
Imagine combining this with Mitt Romney’s plan to require Americans in all sectors, including
physically demanding jobs, to work until age 70 before they can be eligible for the Social Security benefits they have earned. The Romney-Ryan team would end guaranteed benefits on both Social Security and Medicare. What did seniors ever do to them?
The Congressional Budget Office projects that under the Ryan budget, federal Medicare expenditures on behalf of an average new beneficiary would be $400 to $700 (6 to 11 percent) less in 2023, $1,200 to $2,200 (14 to 23 percent) less in 2030, and $5,900 to $8,000 (35 to 42 percent) less in 2050 than under current law.
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08/11/2012
The Most Anti-Senior Ticket Ever!
Here's what Edward F. Coyle, Executive Director of the Alliance for Retired Americans said today:Paul Ryan’s budget plan would end Medicare as we know it by turning it into a voucher system, shifting thousands of dollars in health care costs to seniors. He would also make older workers, who have trouble finding health insurance in the private marketplace, wait until they reach age 67 to qualify for Medicare benefits.
physically demanding jobs, to work until age 70 before they can be eligible for the Social Security benefits they have earned. The Romney-Ryan team would end guaranteed benefits on both Social Security and Medicare. What did seniors ever do to them?
The Congressional Budget Office projects that under the Ryan budget, federal Medicare expenditures on behalf of an average new beneficiary would be $400 to $700 (6 to 11 percent) less in 2023, $1,200 to $2,200 (14 to 23 percent) less in 2030, and $5,900 to $8,000 (35 to 42 percent) less in 2050 than under current law.
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Friday, September 21, 2012
Thursday, September 20, 2012
It's Official: Cutting Top Tax Rates Doesn't Grow the Economy, It Only Grows Income Inequality | The Tax Justice Digest
It's Official: Cutting Top Tax Rates Doesn't Grow the Economy, It Only Grows Income Inequality | The Tax Justice Digest
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A new study by the non-partisan Congressional Research Service (CRS) using data from the past 65 years found that there is no correlation (PDF) between top tax rates and economic growth. But it doesn’t stop there. The study also found that there is a correlation between the reduction in top tax rates and the increasing concentration of wealth toward the top of the income distribution. The report, Taxes and the Economy: An Economic Analysis of the Top Tax Rates Since 1945, is also clear that this is not only about tax rates on regular income, and points out (PDF) that “changes in capital gains and dividends were the largest contributor to the increase in income inequality since the mid-1990’s.”
This has to be just about the last nail in the tax-cutting, supply-side coffin. CRS is a bunch of smart people at the Library of Congress whose mission is “providing comprehensive and reliable legislative research and analysis that are timely, objective, authoritative, and confidential, thereby contributing to an informed national legislature.” And while the study has earned volumes of media coverage, it’s worth noting that even the Wall Street Journal report didn’t quibble with the study’s finding that “tax cuts for the rich don’t seem to be associated with economic growth…. [but] can be linked to a different outcome: income inequality.”
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A new study by the non-partisan Congressional Research Service (CRS) using data from the past 65 years found that there is no correlation (PDF) between top tax rates and economic growth. But it doesn’t stop there. The study also found that there is a correlation between the reduction in top tax rates and the increasing concentration of wealth toward the top of the income distribution. The report, Taxes and the Economy: An Economic Analysis of the Top Tax Rates Since 1945, is also clear that this is not only about tax rates on regular income, and points out (PDF) that “changes in capital gains and dividends were the largest contributor to the increase in income inequality since the mid-1990’s.”
This has to be just about the last nail in the tax-cutting, supply-side coffin. CRS is a bunch of smart people at the Library of Congress whose mission is “providing comprehensive and reliable legislative research and analysis that are timely, objective, authoritative, and confidential, thereby contributing to an informed national legislature.” And while the study has earned volumes of media coverage, it’s worth noting that even the Wall Street Journal report didn’t quibble with the study’s finding that “tax cuts for the rich don’t seem to be associated with economic growth…. [but] can be linked to a different outcome: income inequality.”
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Paul Krugman: Romney takes up residence in right's intellectual fever swamps - San Jose Mercury News
Paul Krugman: Romney takes up residence in right's intellectual fever swamps - San Jose Mercury News:
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Last week Ben Bernanke, the Federal Reserve chairman, announced a change in his institution's recession-fighting strategies. In so doing he seemed to be responding to the arguments of critics who have said the Fed can and should be doing more. And Republicans went wild.
Now, many people on the right have long been obsessed with the notion that we'll be facing runaway inflation any day now. The surprise was how readily Mitt Romney joined in the craziness.
So what did Bernanke announce, and why?
The Fed normally responds to a weak economy by buying short-term U.S. government debt from banks. This adds to bank reserves; the banks go out and lend more; and the economy perks up.
Unfortunately, the scale of the financial crisis, which left behind a huge overhang of consumer debt, depressed the economy so severely that the usual channels of monetary policy don't work. The Fed can bulk up bank reserves, but the banks have little incentive to lend the money out, because short-term interest rates are near zero. So the reserves just sit there.
Monday, September 17, 2012
France to ban anti-US protests as film fallout spreads | euronews, world news
France to ban anti-US protests as film fallout spreads | euronews, world news
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France has moved to ban any further anti-US demonstrations sparked by the film that has caused deadly protests across the Muslim world and beyond.
As many as 150 people have been arrested in Paris after clashes broke out close to the US embassy, three police officers were hurt.
France is home to the largest Islamic community in Europe.
Manuel Valls is the French Interior Minister:
“I will not allow that fully veiled women, street prayers or hostile slogans against our allies to be heard on our streets, so I will be very firm. Also, these few people shouldn’t be confused with the vast majority of our fellow citizens they are caricaturing Islam as it is practised in our country.”
Muslim leaders in France have condemned the film and called for calm and vigilance.
Elsewhere in Europe the German
Obama announces China trade complaint in Ohio
Obama announces China trade complaint in Ohio
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The announcement comes after weeks of pounding from Republican Mitt Romney that Obama has not been tough enough on China.
Last week, the Romney campaign released an ad accusing Obama of ignoring unfair trade practices by the Middle Kingdom.
"In 2008, candidate Obama promised to take China 'to the mat,'" said the ad. "But since then, he's let China run all over us."
In announcing the new trade complaint, the Obama administration said that Chinese subsidies are "putting U.S. auto parts manufacturers at a competitive disadvantage," and are also "encouraging the outsourcing of auto-parts production to China."
The administration also said it is stepping up a WTO complaint from July against Chinese duties imposed on U.S.-made cars.
Kathleen Parker: Introducing President MSNBC : Stltoday
Kathleen Parker: Introducing President MSNBC : Stltoday
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No one pretends anymore that MSNBC is an objective observer to the news. Obviously, the decision was made to be aggressively progressive. With the exception of "Morning Joe," where Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski co-host a roundtable of commentators, politicos and actors who dispense praise and criticism equally to Democrats and Republicans, the cable network's other political shows are unapologetically pro-Democratic, pro-Obama.
Thus, the powers that be correctly imagined themselves as co-players at the Democratic convention. A section of downtown Charlotte was reinvented as MSNBC Plaza, which included an open-air studio, a cafe, a lounge and the "MSNBC Experience," for which fans stood in long lines to enter, cheering as their favorite stars appeared. A looming tower above the outdoor stage featured huge headshots of the well-known anchors. The president's visage on T-shirts here and there was a mere comma to the anchor's exclamation points.
But that's show biz! MSNBC's charming and self-aware Willie Geist compared the bling, tchotchkes and network-branded paraphernalia to North Korean propaganda
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is msnbc anymore objective than fox? I believe it is by the way
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No one pretends anymore that MSNBC is an objective observer to the news. Obviously, the decision was made to be aggressively progressive. With the exception of "Morning Joe," where Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski co-host a roundtable of commentators, politicos and actors who dispense praise and criticism equally to Democrats and Republicans, the cable network's other political shows are unapologetically pro-Democratic, pro-Obama.
Thus, the powers that be correctly imagined themselves as co-players at the Democratic convention. A section of downtown Charlotte was reinvented as MSNBC Plaza, which included an open-air studio, a cafe, a lounge and the "MSNBC Experience," for which fans stood in long lines to enter, cheering as their favorite stars appeared. A looming tower above the outdoor stage featured huge headshots of the well-known anchors. The president's visage on T-shirts here and there was a mere comma to the anchor's exclamation points.
But that's show biz! MSNBC's charming and self-aware Willie Geist compared the bling, tchotchkes and network-branded paraphernalia to North Korean propaganda
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is msnbc anymore objective than fox? I believe it is by the way
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Saturday, September 15, 2012
absentee voting missouri and illinois
missouri does not allow
this is rule for absentee vote
Absentee Voting
Registered Missourians who will not be able to go to their polling place on Election Day may vote absentee beginning six weeks prior to an election.
Absentee voters must provide one of the following reasons for voting absentee:
Absence on Election Day from the jurisdiction of the election authority in which such voter is registered to vote;
Incapacity or confinement due to illness or physical disability, including a person who is primarily responsible for the physical care of a person who is incapacitated or confined due to illness or disability;
Religious belief or practice;
Employment as an election authority, as a member of an election authority, or by an election authority at a location other than such voter's polling place;
Incarceration, provided all qualifications for voting are retained.
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illinois from Cook county site
Dates and locations
For the November 6, 2012 Presidential General Election, Early Voting will take place from October 22 to November 3.
Extra: Jesse Ventura: 'I'm probably the only wrestler who never made a c...
love this guy, who has a ton of faults to be sure
DNC apologizes for Russian ships in vet video - Kevin Cirilli - POLITICO.com
DNC apologizes for Russian ships in vet video - Kevin Cirilli - POLITICO.com
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Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0912/81141.html#ixzz26XkYllob
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Democratic National Committee officials apologized Wednesday for using a photo of Russian warships in a convention video that paid tribute to American veterans.
The ships appeared on a large screen while Adm. John Nathman, accompanied by 50 veterans, spoke about veterans’ sacrifices on the final night of the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte.
The ships appeared on a large screen while Adm. John Nathman, accompanied by 50 veterans, spoke about veterans’ sacrifices on the final night of the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0912/81141.html#ixzz26XkYllob
Friday, September 14, 2012
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Pakistan fires kill 283; lax safety laws blamed – USATODAY.com
Pakistan fires kill 283; lax safety laws blamed – USATODAY.com
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KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) -- Fires at two clothing factories in Pakistan left 283 people dead -- many trapped behind locked doors and barred windows -- tragedies that highlight workplace perils in a country where many buildings lack basic safety equipment and owners often bribe officials to ignore the violations.
The blazes broke out Tuesday night at a garment factory in the southern port city of Karachi and a shoe manufacturer in the eastern city of Lahore. At least 258 people died in the fire in Karachi, where rescue workers were still searching Wednesday for bodies in the charred building. Another 25 perished in Lahore.
Panicked workers in Karachi had only one way out since the factory's owner had locked all the other exit doors in response to a recent theft, officials said. Many victims suffocated in the smoke-filled basement.
"The owner of the factory should also be burned to death the way our dear ones have died in a miserable condition," said Nizam-ud-Din, whose nephew was killed in the fire, one of the deadliest industrial accidents in Pakistani history
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lax safety enforcement and laws kill thousands around the world--including the usa
Corporations Receive More Welfare than the Poor - Silenced No More | Silenced No More
Corporations Receive More Welfare than the Poor - Silenced No More | Silenced No More:
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“There is no uniform definition [for this welfare]. By TIME’s definition, it is this: any action by local, state or federal government that gives a corporation or an entire industry a benefit not offered to others. It can be an outright subsidy, a grant, real estate, a low-interest loan or a government service. It can also be a tax break–a credit, exemption, deferral or deduction, or a tax rate lower than the one others pay.
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“There is no uniform definition [for this welfare]. By TIME’s definition, it is this: any action by local, state or federal government that gives a corporation or an entire industry a benefit not offered to others. It can be an outright subsidy, a grant, real estate, a low-interest loan or a government service. It can also be a tax break–a credit, exemption, deferral or deduction, or a tax rate lower than the one others pay.
“Two years after Congress reduced welfare for individuals and families, this other kind of welfare continues to expand, penetrating every corner of the American economy. It has turned politicians into bribery specialists, and smart business people into con artists. And most surprising of all, it has rarely created any new jobs.[bold added]
“The justification for much of this welfare is that the U.S. government is creating jobs. Over the past six years, Congress appropriated $5 billion to run the Export-Import Bank of the United States, which subsidizes companies that sell goods abroad. James A. Harmon, president and chairman, puts it this way: “American workers…have higher-quality, better-paying jobs, thanks to Eximbank’s financing.” But the numbers at the bank’s five biggest beneficiaries–AT&T, Bechtel, Boeing, General Electric and McDonnell Douglas (now a part of Boeing)–tell another story. At these companies, which have accounted for about 40% of all loans, grants and long-term guarantees in this decade, overall employment has fallen 38%, as more than a third of a million jobs have disappeared.
“FORTUNE 500 companies have erased more jobs than they have created this past decade, and yet they are the biggest beneficiaries of corporate welfare.
Missouri Lawmakers Override Governor’s Veto Of Bill Allowing Employers To Deny Access To Birth Control
Missouri Lawmakers Override Governor’s Veto Of Bill Allowing Employers To Deny Access To Birth Control: pThe Missouri legislature has overridden Gov. Jan Nixon’s (D) veto of a bill that would allow employers or health insurance providers to stop offering coverage for contraception, abortion, or sterilization if doing so violated their religious or moral convictions. Nixon had vetoed the legislation in July after it passed in May. The Missouri House voted [...]/p
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Chicago Public Teachers Stage Historic Strike in Clash with Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Education Reforms
Chicago Public Teachers Stage Historic Strike in Clash with Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Education Reforms
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--workers should strike if rights and benefits endangered--my opinion
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--workers should strike if rights and benefits endangered--my opinion
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Monday, September 10, 2012
Greed and Debt: The True Story of Mitt Romney and Bain Capital | Politics News | Rolling Stone
Greed and Debt: The True Story of Mitt Romney and Bain Capital | Politics News | Rolling Stone:
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Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/greed-and-debt-the-true-story-of-mitt-romney-and-bain-capital-20120829#ixzz2688wSAnj
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Debt, debt, debt. If the Republican Party had a James Carville, this is what he would have said to win Mitt over, in whatever late-night war room session led to the Ryan pick: "It's the debt, stupid." This is the way to defeat Barack Obama: to recast the race as a jeremiad against debt, something just about everybody who's ever gotten a bill in the mail hates on a primal level.
Last May, in a much-touted speech in Iowa, Romney used language that was literally inflammatory to describe America's federal borrowing. "A prairie fire of debt is sweeping across Iowa and our nation," he declared. "Every day we fail to act, that fire gets closer to the homes and children we love." Our collective debt is no ordinary problem: According to Mitt, it's going to burn our children alive.
And this is where we get to the hypocrisy at the heart of Mitt Romney. Everyone knows that he is fantastically rich, having scored great success, the legend goes, as a "turnaround specialist," a shrewd financial operator who revived moribund companies as a high-priced consultant for a storied Wall Street private equity firm. But what most voters don't know is the way Mitt Romney actually made his fortune: by borrowing vast sums of money that other people were forced to pay back. This is the plain, stark reality that has somehow eluded America's top political journalists for two consecutive presidential campaigns: Mitt Romney is one of the greatest and most irresponsible debt creators of all time. In the past few decades, in fact, Romney has piled more debt onto more unsuspecting companies, written more gigantic checks that other people have to cover, than perhaps all but a handful of people on planet Earth.
Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/greed-and-debt-the-true-story-of-mitt-romney-and-bain-capital-20120829#ixzz2688wSAnj
Liberal advocates defend study critical of Romney Medicare plan - The Hill's Healthwatch
Liberal advocates defend study critical of Romney Medicare plan - The Hill's Healthwatch
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Romney's campaign dismissed the claim — and the study — as biased and desperate.
"The president's decision to use discredited studies and outright falsehoods to attack Mitt Romney is an admission that he can't talk about his record of crushing the middle class and failing to turn the economy around," Romney campaign spokesman Ryan Williams told reporters.
The GOP plan would partially privatize Medicare, so seniors would choose between the existing program or subsidies to help buy private insurance. Romney and Ryan argue that a "premium support" model is needed to reduce costs in Medicare and ensure the program exists for future seniors.
Cutler countered Monday that medical costs "need to be addressed in a way that's not just dumping the hot potato on someone else, but to really go after the drivers of medical costs."
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Romney's campaign dismissed the claim — and the study — as biased and desperate.
"The president's decision to use discredited studies and outright falsehoods to attack Mitt Romney is an admission that he can't talk about his record of crushing the middle class and failing to turn the economy around," Romney campaign spokesman Ryan Williams told reporters.
The GOP plan would partially privatize Medicare, so seniors would choose between the existing program or subsidies to help buy private insurance. Romney and Ryan argue that a "premium support" model is needed to reduce costs in Medicare and ensure the program exists for future seniors.
Cutler countered Monday that medical costs "need to be addressed in a way that's not just dumping the hot potato on someone else, but to really go after the drivers of medical costs."
Rep. Rand Paul gets owned by economist Paul Krugman over the size of government - Orlando liberal | Examiner.com
Rep. Rand Paul gets owned by economist Paul Krugman over the size of government - Orlando liberal | Examiner.com:
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Paul: You are arguing that the government sector is struggling. Are you arguing that there are fewer government employees under Obama than they were under Bush?Krugman: That's a fact.(Crosstalk)PAUL: No, the size of both...of government is enormous under President Obama.Krugman: If government employment had grown as fast under Obama as it did under Bush, we would have a million-and-a-half more people employed right now, directly.
Under President Obama, the private sector has created over 4.5 million jobs, adding to the economic recovery that followed the recession of 2008. While the economy is not where it needs to be, the country is headed in the right direction. The right-wing talking point of "big government" under President Obama doesn't hold water when challenged with cold hard facts.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Friday, September 7, 2012
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Now the nuts are playing pretend “fact checker”
Now the nuts are playing pretend “fact checker”
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The media fact-checkers have finally accomplished something: Now the nuts are just adding “fact check” to their nonsense.
Once the objective press’ official arbiters of truth all decided that the Republicans, and specifically Paul Ryan, were guilty of 10 million more Pinocchios than the Democrats, it was really only a matter of time before the parallel right-wing press adopted the “fact-check” language for their own purposes, as a means of trolling the left and of ensuring that no objective reality ever threaten to pierce their little bubble of increasingly convoluted mythology.
So here we go: If the Democrats are going to call Paul Ryan a liar for lying about running marathons (among other things!), Breitbart’s “Big Government” will FACT CHECK Michelle Obama’s speech about how she loves her husband and so forth. Turns out: “Both Michelle Robinson and Barack Obama began their adult lives with a leg up on the rest of America.” Pants on fire, Obamas! (The proof that they had a “leg up” is that they both attended very good schools, “despite undistinguished credentials,” so you can guess precisely what sort of “leg up” Joel B. Pollack is referring to.) (More hilarious proof: Michelle Robinson attended a “public magnet school for Chicago’s upper class.” A public school, sure, but a fancy one. You just gotfact-checked, Michelle Obama!) (And in case you’re curious, there is not any actual “check” of any specific “fact” from Obama’s speech, just a constant reiteration of their eliteness and special privilege.)
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Monday, September 3, 2012
Politics on display at Labor Day parade : Stltoday
Politics on display at Labor Day parade : Stltoday
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A large sign urging Gov. Jay Nixon's re-election sat in the back of a pickup truck in the parade. Nixon, a Democrat, is facing Republican Dave Spence in his bid for a second term. Democratic state Treasurer Clint Zweifel appeared in person and on foot as he walked the parade route. His opponent in the Nov. 6 election is Cole McNary, a Republican state representative from Chesterfield.
Republicans were not in evidence at the Labor Day parade, which each year winds through parts of downtown St. Louis. "Stop the War on Workers" was among the slogans printed on placards attached to parade vehicles. Many participants and spectators wore T-shirts declaring, "We are the 99 percent."
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snip
A large sign urging Gov. Jay Nixon's re-election sat in the back of a pickup truck in the parade. Nixon, a Democrat, is facing Republican Dave Spence in his bid for a second term. Democratic state Treasurer Clint Zweifel appeared in person and on foot as he walked the parade route. His opponent in the Nov. 6 election is Cole McNary, a Republican state representative from Chesterfield.
Republicans were not in evidence at the Labor Day parade, which each year winds through parts of downtown St. Louis. "Stop the War on Workers" was among the slogans printed on placards attached to parade vehicles. Many participants and spectators wore T-shirts declaring, "We are the 99 percent."
Social Security not the good deal it once was : Stltoday
Social Security not the good deal it once was : Stltoday
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snip
To cover the shortfall, future retirees probably will have to pay higher taxes while they are working, accept lower benefits after they retire, or some combination of both.
"Future generations are going to do worse because either they are going to get fewer benefits or they are going to pay higher taxes," said Eugene Steuerle, a former Treasury official who has studied the issue as a fellow at the Urban Institute.
How can you get a better return on your Social Security taxes?
Live longer. Benefit estimates are based on life expectancy. For those turning 65 this year, Social Security expects women to live 20 more years and men to live 17.8 more.
But returns alone don't fully explain the value of Social Security, which has features that aren't available in typical private-sector retirement plans, said David Certner, legislative policy director for AARP.
Spouses can get benefits even if they never earned wages. Children can get benefits if they have a working parent who dies. People who are too disabled to work can get benefits for life.
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snip
To cover the shortfall, future retirees probably will have to pay higher taxes while they are working, accept lower benefits after they retire, or some combination of both.
"Future generations are going to do worse because either they are going to get fewer benefits or they are going to pay higher taxes," said Eugene Steuerle, a former Treasury official who has studied the issue as a fellow at the Urban Institute.
How can you get a better return on your Social Security taxes?
Live longer. Benefit estimates are based on life expectancy. For those turning 65 this year, Social Security expects women to live 20 more years and men to live 17.8 more.
But returns alone don't fully explain the value of Social Security, which has features that aren't available in typical private-sector retirement plans, said David Certner, legislative policy director for AARP.
Spouses can get benefits even if they never earned wages. Children can get benefits if they have a working parent who dies. People who are too disabled to work can get benefits for life.
Editorial: It's 'after labor' that's the biggest problem on Labor Day : Stltoday
Editorial: It's 'after labor' that's the biggest problem on Labor Day : Stltoday
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It comes as no surprise this Labor Day that working Americans believe Social Security and Medicare are crucial to their financial security and health in retirement and that they fear politicians are deciding the future of those programs behind closed doors.
A recent nationwide survey commissioned by AARP, which formerly was the American Association of Retired People, found that 80 percent to 90 percent of those asked are worried about the so-called "entitlement programs" to which they have been contributing for most of their working lives.
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note:
aarp has done a fair amount of behind the door stuff itself unless caught and forced into public debate.
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snip
It comes as no surprise this Labor Day that working Americans believe Social Security and Medicare are crucial to their financial security and health in retirement and that they fear politicians are deciding the future of those programs behind closed doors.
A recent nationwide survey commissioned by AARP, which formerly was the American Association of Retired People, found that 80 percent to 90 percent of those asked are worried about the so-called "entitlement programs" to which they have been contributing for most of their working lives.
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note:
aarp has done a fair amount of behind the door stuff itself unless caught and forced into public debate.
UNITED STEEL WORKERS OF AMERICA LOCAL 2660 v. UNITED STATES STEEL CORPORATION, No. 11–3002., July 02, 2012 - US 8th Circuit | FindLaw
UNITED STEEL WORKERS OF AMERICA LOCAL 2660 v. UNITED STATES STEEL CORPORATION, No. 11–3002., July 02, 2012 - US 8th Circuit | FindLaw
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deals with "warn notice"
from article
App'x 0104–05. The layoff occurred between December 7 and 21, 2008. By December 29, 2009, nearly all the laid-off workers had been recalled.
The Union filed a complaint for damages on August 25, 2009, alleging that U.S. Steel had violated the WARN Act by failing to provide sixty days' notice of the mass layoff to the Union or affected employees, as required under the statute. U.S. Steel moved for summary judgment, arguing that an exception to the WARN Act for unforeseeable business circumstances applied. In support, U.S. Steel submitted affidavits by John Price, who served as U.S. Steel's Vice President of Supply Chain Management in 2008, and John Skube, Manager of Employee Relations for U.S. Steel's Minnesota Ore Operations. Price attested that, during his forty years at U.S. Steel, he had “never witnessed such a massive and precipitous drop in customer orders as occurred during the latter part of 2008,” that U.S. Steel's “traditional methodology of relying on quarterly marketing and sales forecasts to load and schedule our facilities proved inadequate during this period,” and that “[b]ased on the accelerating deterioration in business conditions at the end of November, it was evident that further reductions in operations ․ had to be accomplished immediately—i.e., in early December ․ in the face of what was recognized—at that point—as an unprecedented economic crisis.” Price Decl. ¶¶ 33–34. From July to early November of 2008, U.S. Steel's blast furnace capacity utilization rate dropped from 92 percent to 52 percent, then to 46 percent by late November 2008.2 To operate profitably, a 65 percent capacity utilization rate is necessary. The Union did not dispute the evidence presented by U.S. Steel, but argued that U.S. Steel did not present sufficient evidence to sustain its burden of proof on the unforeseeable business circumstances exception.
In granting summary judgment to U.S. Steel, the district court concluded that the exception for unforeseeable business circumstances applied; thus, sixty days' notice was not required under the circumstances.
click link
deals with "warn notice"
from article
App'x 0104–05. The layoff occurred between December 7 and 21, 2008. By December 29, 2009, nearly all the laid-off workers had been recalled.
The Union filed a complaint for damages on August 25, 2009, alleging that U.S. Steel had violated the WARN Act by failing to provide sixty days' notice of the mass layoff to the Union or affected employees, as required under the statute. U.S. Steel moved for summary judgment, arguing that an exception to the WARN Act for unforeseeable business circumstances applied. In support, U.S. Steel submitted affidavits by John Price, who served as U.S. Steel's Vice President of Supply Chain Management in 2008, and John Skube, Manager of Employee Relations for U.S. Steel's Minnesota Ore Operations. Price attested that, during his forty years at U.S. Steel, he had “never witnessed such a massive and precipitous drop in customer orders as occurred during the latter part of 2008,” that U.S. Steel's “traditional methodology of relying on quarterly marketing and sales forecasts to load and schedule our facilities proved inadequate during this period,” and that “[b]ased on the accelerating deterioration in business conditions at the end of November, it was evident that further reductions in operations ․ had to be accomplished immediately—i.e., in early December ․ in the face of what was recognized—at that point—as an unprecedented economic crisis.” Price Decl. ¶¶ 33–34. From July to early November of 2008, U.S. Steel's blast furnace capacity utilization rate dropped from 92 percent to 52 percent, then to 46 percent by late November 2008.2 To operate profitably, a 65 percent capacity utilization rate is necessary. The Union did not dispute the evidence presented by U.S. Steel, but argued that U.S. Steel did not present sufficient evidence to sustain its burden of proof on the unforeseeable business circumstances exception.
In granting summary judgment to U.S. Steel, the district court concluded that the exception for unforeseeable business circumstances applied; thus, sixty days' notice was not required under the circumstances.
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Press turns on Paul Ryan
Press turns on Paul Ryan
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We don’t expect much of anything unexpected to come out of the conventions, and in particular the big speeches from the nominees almost always go well. And yet in Tampa this week, Paul Ryan gave a speech that may well have real, lasting and very negative consequences for the ticket.
One way to think about vice-presidential candidates is in terms of the resources they bring to a ticket. Those might include popularity in a swing state, as when Dwight Eisenhower chose Richard Nixon; ability to raise money, as when John Kennedy picked Lyndon Johnson; policy expertise to cover a nominee’s weakness, as when Gov. Ronald Reagan added foreign policy experience in George H.W. Bush; or support from an important party faction, seen in John McCain’s selection of Sarah Palin.
The idea is that any politician important enough to be considered will probably control some politically useful – and at least potentially transferable – assets.
click link
snip
We don’t expect much of anything unexpected to come out of the conventions, and in particular the big speeches from the nominees almost always go well. And yet in Tampa this week, Paul Ryan gave a speech that may well have real, lasting and very negative consequences for the ticket.
One way to think about vice-presidential candidates is in terms of the resources they bring to a ticket. Those might include popularity in a swing state, as when Dwight Eisenhower chose Richard Nixon; ability to raise money, as when John Kennedy picked Lyndon Johnson; policy expertise to cover a nominee’s weakness, as when Gov. Ronald Reagan added foreign policy experience in George H.W. Bush; or support from an important party faction, seen in John McCain’s selection of Sarah Palin.
The idea is that any politician important enough to be considered will probably control some politically useful – and at least potentially transferable – assets.
Saturday, September 1, 2012
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