US POLITICS SPRING 2011: Let's just call off this country.

newt's shamelessness is like a superpower

http://vodpod.com/watch/5853068-gingrich-my-infidelities-helped-me-understand-how-to-impeach-clinton

unbelievable

gonna miss bob herbert's 'times' column

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/26/opinion/26herbert.html?_r=2&hp

When the most powerful country ever to inhabit the earth finds it so easy to plunge into the horror of warfare but almost impossible to find adequate work for its people or to properly educate its young, it has lost its way entirely.

x-post

I need to find the link but someone asked Newt questions about corporations getting away with paying no taxes, and he simply responded that the companies are still helping America by creating jobs, and that the companies were not breaking the law and were using legally allowed exemptions.

GE of course is shipping many jobs overseas.

i didn't realize herbert was moving on! and with such a humble, one paragraph goodbye:

This is my last column for The New York Times after an exhilarating, nearly 18-year run. I’m off to write a book and expand my efforts on behalf of working people, the poor and others who are struggling in our society. My thanks to all the readers who have been so kind to me over the years. I can be reached going forward at bobherber✧✧✧@gm✧✧✧.c✧✧.

john yoo, obama fan

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704050204576218540505216146.html

yeah gonna miss herbert, he was a good one

Since Obama was inaugurated, the Dow Jones has increased more than 50% -- from 8,000 to more than 12,000; the wealthiest recieved a massive tax cut; the top marginal tax rate was three times less than during the Eisenhower years and substantially lower than during the Reagan years; income and wealth inequality are so vast and rising that it is easily at Third World levels; meanwhile, "the share of U.S. taxes paid by corporations has fallen from 30 percent of federal revenue in the 1950s to 6.6 percent in 2009." During this same time period, the unemployment rate has increased from 7.7% to 8.9%; millions of Americans have had their homes foreclosed; and the number of Americans living below the poverty line increased by many millions, the largest number since the statistic has been recorded. Can you smell Obama's radical egalitarianism and Marxist anti-business hatred yet?

http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2011/03/27/koch?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+salon%2Fgreenwald+%28Glenn+Greenwald%29

adam, don't you know that if Obama is doing things that seem to run counter to Marxism and radical egalitarianism, that just means we have to redouble our preparation for this country's inevitable descent into Obama-Marxism and radical egalitarianism? he's trying to fool everyone by not acting like a Marxist, so that no one will be prepared when he finally unleashes hell on everyone!!!

hold on, i'm sure there's some relevant revelations line that talks about the antichrist fooling everyone until the horrific reveal

Yeah, Obama is playing the long game. It's only when the republicans take both houses of congress and the white house, and then alter all laws to adhere to turn of the (20th) century moral and free market standards, when - bam! He'll go all red scare on their asses.

And by red scare, I mean Satan.

Satan is a communist, btw. That is why he is red.

Gibbs might be facebooking around soon

Facebook is in talks to hire Robert Gibbs, President Obama’s former White House press secretary, for a senior role in helping to manage the company’s communications, people briefed on the negotiations said.

...Mr. Gibbs, who left the White House in February after two years on the job, had been planning to help establish President Obama’s re-election campaign before taking a private sector job, these people said.

Facebook, however, is pressing Mr. Gibbs to consider the job more quickly, according to these people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the conversations were supposed to remain confidential.

A job for Mr. Gibbs at Facebook could be worth millions of dollars. While details of his potential compensation package have yet to be discussed, people briefed on the talks said that he would receive a cash salary as well as shares ahead of the initial offering. Facebook is being valued by some investors at more than $60 billion and could be the largest offering in history.

Nope, instead of the GE story getting more legs, tv gave us a corporate boo-hoo tale last night. I watched 60 Minutes on CBS with their story on how Cisco Corporation and others are moving operations overseas, especially to Ireland, because the listed corporate tax rate of 35% in the US is just too high while the rate in Ireland is much better. Cry, cry, cry. The Cisco CEO insisted he was just doing what was best for the shareholders and that if the US would only lower the official rate, more US corporations would stay here. The interviewer at one point quietly mentioned that in the past the corporate tax rate was lowered but it did not increase job growth here, but she never said that to the smarmy Cisco CEO. There was also no discussion of international corporate tax races to the bottom or changes to let shareholders have more influence or income inequality.

Yep, I saw that too. Unbelievable. And then, the segment closed with a solemn "legislation is currently being debated in congress that would help to address the tax burden for US corporations. The Obama administration opposes the bill."

TICK-TICK-TICK-TICK-TICK-TICK-TICK-TICK-TICK-TICK-TICK-TICK

started a new thread on related issues: The new global elite: classic or dud

On Tuesday the US Supreme Court will be hearing arguments on whether Walmart will be subject to the largest class action in history-- brought on behalf of women employees. I expect Walmart will get a 5 to 4 victory.

I have been shot down here in years past for suggesting that 60 Minutes practices no journalism worthy of the name, but that sounds like par for the course for them last night.

Surprise, surprise-Dems giving in on congressional budget deal before negotiating even starts. Below is from an Ezra Klein Washington Post column linking to others. Washington Monthly also mentions it

Democrats are planning to offer $20 billion in additional cuts, report Janet Hook and Damian Paletta: “The White House and Democratic lawmakers, with less than two weeks left to avoid a government shutdown, are assembling a proposal for roughly $20 billion in additional spending cuts that could soon be offered to Republicans, according to people close to the budget talks. That would come on top of $10 billion in cuts that Congress has already enacted and would represent a deeper reduction than the Obama administration and Senate Democrats had offered previously in negotiations. But it isn’t clear that would be enough to satisfy Republicans, who initially sought $61 billion in spending cuts and face pressure from tea-party activists not to compromise.”

The final compromise is likely to end up matching the the House leadership’s opening bid, write Michael Ettlinger and Michael Linden: “Unfortunately the administration backed away from its budget even before the negotiations started, and the Tea Party is calling the shots in the House. So instead of negotiation between the president’s original level and House leadership’s original level, we’re stuck negotiating between the Tea Party’s $100 billion, and the new status quo’s $50 billion. That means the likely compromise is right where the House Republican leadership always wanted it: around $74 billion. That’s not much of a compromise if we end up with what the House Republican leadership wanted in the first place.

It's not really "giving in" when you don't believe in anything.

"When the most powerful country ever to inhabit the earth finds it so easy to plunge into the horror of warfare but almost impossible to find adequate work for its people or to properly educate its young, it has lost its way entirely."

this is a self-evidently stupid sentence

Unfortunately the administration backed away from its budget even before the negotiations started, and the Tea Party is calling the shots in the House. So instead of negotiation between the president’s original level and House leadership’s original level, we’re stuck negotiating between the Tea Party’s $100 billion, and the new status quo’s $50 billion.

With a very limited understanding of the history of federal budget negotiations, this seems unprecedented. The party with the strongest influence on the final budget has shifted back and forth over time between congress and the president. But for the past several decades, the administration's proposal has at least served as a starting point for negotiations.

This is baffling, weak shit from democrats. Especially when the recent experience of governors who impose harsh austerity measures suggests that "the public" actually doesn't really support sharp cuts, once they see what the impacts are.

Is anyone going to try to defend their "strategy" again?

nah. this is all par for the course.

SHHH. Obama is playing A Long Game! Long game in session, everyone!

if you mean he's playing the long game to get re-elected, that is true!

Seriously, WTF. On the EPA front, I've spent the last few months thinking that the worst case scenario was a 30% cut (the GOP proposal). Now it turns out that, because democrats are apparently spineless, 30% is pretty much a starting point? Assuming that the tea party's "idea" is to pretty much eliminate the EPA?

(xposts) I never watch 60 Minutes, but John Chambers fuck you:

Cisco Systems Inc CEO John Chambers received about $18.9 million in compensation for the latest fiscal year, a 33 percent increase from last year's payout due to more generous bonus and stock awards, according to an Associated Press calculation of figures filed with regulators.

By the end of the company's fiscal year that ended July 30, Cisco's sales had recovered from a deep swoon caused by the recession. That entitled Chambers to $4.6 million under the company's "incentive plan."

In the previous fiscal year, Chambers wasn't eligible for such a payout because of the sales downturn, but the board awarded him a "discretionary bonus" of $2 million anyway.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/news/hardware/Cisco-CEOs-salary-doubles-in-2010/articleshow/6547556.cms

It's really much worse than it looks.

Bam's reelection strategy is same as Blowjob Billy's: To govern like a Republican who doesn't talk like a crazy person.

i really doubt this president has the balls to go through with a shutdown

or maybe put another way, clinton loved the gamble and obama hates gambling, more or less

I kinda go with the psychological analysis take on Obama that I read which suggested that based on his upbringing he has this desire to try to always go with what he deems to be compromise choices in an effort to fit in. Sadly that means he will go give in to the Republicans and the White House (with its economic team now nearly all 'business'-oriented) will quietly pressure Harry Reid to give in...

Republicans say any comprehensive deal to rein in the deficit must include changes to Social Security.

But Mr. Reid, like many fellow Democrats, argues that Social Security shouldn't be part of such a deal because it faces no immediate financial problems and therefore isn't part of the deficit problem.

and the White House (with its economic team now nearly all 'business'-oriented)

now?? NOW?????

Christina Romer and Paul Volker used to speak up a bit for the rest of us, although they were ignored for the most part, and are no longer part of the Obama administration. Plus he had a different economic team durig his campaign.

haven't read the GE story yet but this looks like a good gloss on it

http://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/scocca/archive/2011/03/28/ronald-reagan-cared-more-about-protecting-americans-from-corporate-greed-than-barack-obama-does.aspx

From The Economist:

“…News Corporation and its subsidiaries paid only A$325m ($238m) in corporate taxes worldwide. In the same period, its consolidated pre-tax profits were A$5.4 billion. So News Corporation has paid an effective tax rate of only around 6%. By comparison, Disney, one of the world’s other media empires, paid 31%.

...

“By taking advantage of a provision in the law that allows expanding companies like Mr. Murdoch’s to defer taxes to future years, the News Corporation paid no federal taxes in two of the last four years, and in the other two it paid only a fraction of what it otherwise would have owed. During that time, Securities and Exchange Commission records show, the News Corporation’s domestic pretax profits topped $9.4 billion.”

http://www.alternet.org/story/150327/how_you_end_up_bankrolling_fox_news:_news_corp._and_rupert_murdoch_weasel_out_of_paying_taxes?akid=6703.275643.An3hXS&rd=1&t=8

FUCK MICKEY MOUSE

?

http://www.scotusblog.com/?p=116863

this case is nearly beyond me. the argument that a campaign finance law that provides extra funding for publically financed campaigns that are faced with the budgets of campaigns run by self-financed millionaires is a free speech issue makes no sense

until you realize that Citizens United case really cemented the equivalence of Free Speech and Money so firmly into legal thought, that the idea of someone else being provided equivalent funds can be seen as a disincentive to you continuing to speak yourself (i.e. spend more money on your own campaign)... but the truth, that this has nothing to do with actual Free Speech, or ideas, or message anymore -- this is just Money -- this is so utterly warped I got lightheaded even trying to follow these arguments

the Plutocracy is being signed into common-law one decision at a time

so who's watching this speech in a few minutes?

people playing the "let me be clear" drinking game?

I don't watch speeches

yikes.

LOL at the notion of anyone threatening a dictator of 40 years and change that time is not on his side.

almost got into an argument with my dad about obama and this war tonight :(

a lot of what i end up thinking about in times like this is that obama, who i believe is one of the most decent and intelligent people to have ever ascended to this position of global hegemonic CEO, is much more powerless than we think he is given the "overton window" he has to work with, both globally and domestically. this speech was disappointing in incredibly familiar ways. he said the kinds of things that a president in 2011 would HAVE to say. (i like to think that someone of obama's intelligence is acutely aware of how straitjacketed he is by his role, but i don't know.)

and further, it makes me think that the task of the left is to work hard at making more things possible for an intelligent president, to loosen the straitjacket or at least make it fit differently. and to prise that window open will take - i believe - something fairly radical. not one radical act, but sustained radical thinking. i don't think there's any other way (sorry ezra klein).

but the exciting thing is, the world system is so caddy wampus, so unstable and out of kilter, so far from equilibrium, that the smallest pushes can create big chain reactions. look at egypt. look at wisconsin. so i see it as an encouragement to go ahead and push. go ahead and try. this is the time when small factions can have huge effects.

Tracer, I love to read your thoughts on politics. You should come back to America and organize us all/lead us to victory.

it makes me think that the task of the left is to work hard at making more things possible for an intelligent president

How?

As for Obama, I understand not wanting to project Bush style arrogance but in trying to avoid that he sometimes ties himself in knots or just takes Bush-like actions but in a passive manner that may look different but has the same sad result.

How?

Wisconsin is a good example.

it is, but it's also reactive.

not gonna happen until things get REALLY awful. and maybe not even then.

My first thought when I read the story was "Parenting While Black"

also horrible: some of the comments on the transpo blog

the cult of "personal responsibility" is the worst thing about america

the cult of "personal responsibility" is the worst thing about america

Esp since those who espouse it the loudest are least likley to actually practice it.

the hypocrisy of it bothers me less than the contempt for compassion that accompanies it

well, there's personal responsibility and then there's "personal responsibility"

the former is recognizing that your actions have consequences and accepting them, the latter is bullshit like "her kid deserved to die because they were jaywalking, lock her up longer than the blind, high and drunk hit-and-run driver who hit her"

and none had ever taken a bus in metro Atlanta

Tbf, it's getting harder and harder to FIND a bus to take in the first place, thanks to cutbacks.

the hypocrisy of it bothers me less than the contempt for compassion that accompanies it

― max, Wednesday, July 20, 2011 8:30 PM (47 minutes ago) Bookmark

dingdingdingding

funny thing is, i don't remember a lot of this "personal responsibility" blather until about the late 1980s/early 1990s ... and it was always in the context of such fun topics as welfare, negligent-to-nonexistent child support, crack babies and general drug use, etc. in other words, behaviors stereotypically associated with poor, urban blacks and latinos.

and yeah, fuck the prosecutor for pressing these charges in the first place.

yeah prosecuting pedestrians for being pedestrians was sorta the inevitable next step w/r/t our legal system and drunk drivers.

It's Cobb County too, which is significant (I went to hs there).

I mean it's disgusting but it's not even surprising!

Can we start a new thread, mods? It's summer, and this thing is unwieldy.

Another friend was just killed by a drunk driver a month ago, in Atlanta, in Little 5 Points, which is the touristy and supposedly pedestrian-friendly part of town. RIP.

A few weeks ago one of my friends in Cabbagetown got hit by a car that swerved into her front lawn, knocking her down and stealing her stuff before driving away. The police of course didn't believe her and gave her shit. This lines up with my experience with Atlanta police. Fuck Atlanta police.

I've lost so many friends to drunk drivers. Many more than I've lost to terrorists, communists, and Satanists combined.

i object to that thread title!

why cant we have "your tweets on screen" for ever title

"@newtgingrich is trending in washington, dc"

yeah cmon we can do better

let's just call off this thread

Imagine the uproar if Barack Obama, in the middle of this historic revenue crunch and "We're so broke the world is going to end tomorrow!" debt-ceiling hystgeria, decided to declare a second “one-time tax holiday” for, say, unwed single mothers, or recipients of public assistance? Middle America would be running through the streets firing shotguns out its truck window, waving chainsaws in mall lobbies, etc.

But see, Google and GE shouldn't pay taxes because they create jobs and blerrrugggh, whereas the recipients of public assistance are bringing the economy down without contributing to it and aaablleeruurrrreghg, blleeruughachacachhhh

sorry, i can't get into that mindset without throwing up on the keyboard, but i think that's supposed to be the counter-argument

i never get why the 'they create the jobs' argument/thoughtlet passes by without provoking some good old american reactionary anti-elitism. we're supposed to be all grateful and servile because the wealthy deign to 'let' us make more money for them?

you don't understand, everybody in America thinks they personally are a "wealth creator"

What never fails to astound me is the moralistic aspect of the argument against (neo)keynesianism.

Well, this is true in a sense, but they are not creating it for themselves.

They do create jobs. Jobs in China.

at the moment I'm a chicken and asparagus creator.

My added value comes in the form of all of those gloryholes I'm always drilling in public restrooms

But see, Google and GE shouldn't pay taxes because they create jobs and blerrrugggh

they sure are ... in India and China.

xpost

What never fails to astound me is the moralistic aspect of the argument against (neo)keynesianism.

that's easy to account for (wr2 people with little to no knowledge of economics). Keynesianism is kind of counter-intertuitive at least to sound (if superficial) financial practice for individuals in that if someone loses a job (or has to accept a paycut) one cuts expenses. of course, it takes some explaining to counter such a viewpoint: that government finance is not the same as household finance (someone should tell Obama this too while we're at it), that it's superficial b/c cutting discretionary spending to something that may pay off later on (education, job training, etc.) is counterproductive.

anyway, the bottom line is that the GOP just doesn't want to raise taxes no matter what and GOP politicians will pull any argument outta their asses to justify not raising taxes ever.

^^^^truth bomb

Great. Let's close this thread.

agreed

US POLITICS SUMMER 2011: The Rise of Neo-Gabbnebism

Mods...?