Gag Me With Lawrence Summers

I can guarantee one thing - if (well, 'when') Obama nominates summers for the post, there will be only a few marketing-related rants against him by republicans - because they have to do that to save some face with their frothy base. But they will confirm him in huge "bipartisan" numbers in the minimal amount of time.



Getting anything meaningful done is not part of Obama's interests. He wants "bipartisanship." That's all that matters to him. And the sooner the O'loyalists realize the disaster this man is, the sooner we can get through elections without falling for more of the same bait-and-switch nonsense from future candidates.
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Time to Promote Sandberg to Manage the Phils

Between the human bobblehead running the team as if it's still got four 30+ HR per season starters (flounder around each game waiting for a couple guys to knock one out) and the pitching coach whose super power is turning average pitchers into human gas cans, I think we have to take immediate action on multiple fronts.

The team is 6 games under .500 right now and a mile away from the chance at a wildcard play-in game. The players have checked out because they know how good they are compared to the likes of the Tigers. They know they have no chance of winning anything this season.

Charlie isn't bright enough to make any change in his managing approach, which again, the players already well know. (OK, maybe that's a slight exaggeration - he did start bringing in relievers for one hitter instead of intending to keep them in for a full inning, which is the lazy way to manage relievers that you can get away with when you don't have an incendiary relief staff and terrible coaching..... but he only started doing that around the all-star break when we already had lost multiple leads in games due to his lazy, sloppy methodology.)

So it's human nature to pack it in when you recognize the utter futility of this sort of situation - it's bad and unlikely to get better soon.

Anyone who tries to tell them they can compete with the Cardinals and Tigers is going to get no respect at all. "Ummbh, welluhhh, we'bbuh gotta just go out and fight! Dats all." Inspiration!

We need to sell before the deadline passes to load up on near-term prospects. Then we need to send Charlie (maybe re-assign to work with Amaro temporarily as a goodwill gesture?) and Dubee (he's horrible) on their way now so that Sandberg can grab hold of the clubhouse and start working on a plan for 2014.

Some players may not like that approach, but everyone has to be on notice that the team has to alter it's approach at the plate and field to become successful in the absence of four 30+ HR hitters. It may be considered unfair to Charlie, but it can't get any more clear than it is today that he can't get anything out of these players. And running this mess out for the next couple months is more unfair to the fans than to any of the millionaires wearing a uniform (coaches and players alike).

If he's going to be gone next year, there is no sense to me to waste the rest of the season running into brick walls - use the opportunity to start working on a new approach.

Evidence Is In -- Again -- GOP 'Trickledown' Economics a Failure

With all due respect, the GOP economic plan has been aided and abetted by a large number of Democrats over the years. Clinton and his pro-deregulation economic team killed Glass-Steagall and cut capital gains rates (rates which help pretty much only one small, tiny group at the tippy-top of the economic ladder) more than he raised marginal rates.


A quick internet search will show the austerity crusaders raise clinton to a god-like status because, in their words, clinton's tax cuts are what drove the boom in the 90s.


Clinton also opened the "free trade" flood gates with Mexico and helped turn China into the powerhouse of US-industrial job destruction that it is today.


And today, Obama is sooooo focused on getting his "bipartisanship" merit badge, that he buckles under to the republicans on every turn. For every issue he gets from them, they get nine notches in their guns. It's so lopsided it's almost like collusion. And Congress wanted no catfood commission - so Obama created it and appointed two trickledown austerians to lead it - who parlayed that position into headliner evangelists for austerity.

While the GOP has clearly earned our animosity, let's not forget to give a shout out to ALL those who have contributed so much to our economic mess and dysfunction.

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Salon's Shocking Comparison: Obama is George Zimmerman, Trayvon is Al-Awlaki

The top US CEOs have collectively gotten another 16% boost over the previous year - while the income for the vast majority of Americans has gone down on average.

Unequal distribution of wealth still runs rampant.

Yet you can still pretend to believe that the rich are out to get him? All they want is more of what they've been getting... maintain tax loopholes, secret trade negotiations that help offshoring, lax regulations, etc.

Would they prefer a good ole boy like the Mittster? Of course! But if you think that the rich are holed up in bunkers desperately and singularly trying to sink the President, you've deluded yourself pretty thoroughly.

They're doing super fantastic under Obama's "scourge"... and I'm sure they appreciate you perpetuating this whimsical cover story so that they can get some pity votes for their hand-picked politicians from the poor but sympathetic republicans.

About Trayvon Martin
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David Axelrod: 'Hillary Clinton Probably Will Be The Candidate' In 2016

A step forward from what?

We need to step away from the status quo - the set of power brokers ordained by power brokers. How can you expect change when the power brokers NEVER change?!?


No more royal family rule in this country. No more bushes, clintons, nor their courtiers. Enough already!

By the way.... I've seen better made-up bodies inside coffins than that photo of Axelrod... gruesome. 

About Elections 2016
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Student Loan Deal Set To Increase Borrowing Costs, Swell Government Profit

What?? Are you 10?

Anyone who's had a job (at least in PA) knows that you pay school taxes toward public education - regardless of whether or not you have kids. I'm not sure how it's "free" after I've personally paid probably in the neighborhood of $100,000 so far in school taxes, and these are taxes which I will pay well after these kids are out of my house (if they can ever afford to do so). Ever since they've been 16 and working, they have also paid school taxes.

A good rate would be the rate that the Fed charges the big banks (0.5%). Since it's illegal to default or back out of college loans, the repayment is guaranteed and less risky than loaning the money to the banks.

You seem to have absolutely no idea how any of this stuff works. So, seriously, you're in something like 5th grade, right? There's nothing wrong with being in 5th grade and writing comments here. It's striking that comments from 5th graders are often indistinguishable from adult right wingers. So study hard, junior, and elevate yourself to higher places!

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Student Loan Deal Set To Increase Borrowing Costs, Swell Government Profit

My daughter enters college in a few weeks. I would like to personally thank the President for once again caving to the vicious, immoral republicans and, as this article describes, showing us all how truly, reprehensibly horrible a leader he is (especially when compared to outstanding leaders like Elizabeth Warren).

Once again we have beatings for Democrats in Congress and hugs/kisses for the republicans. I have selected a couple digits to arrange in a salute of deep thanks and appreciation to the President in recognition of the outstanding work putting the screws to my daughter and countless other innocent kids who will subsequently be trapped in these bankruptcy-unforgivable loans for decades.

Don't demand a nuclear option to get a vote on a sensible loan rate - because that wouldn't include enough republican pain to inflict on the middle class.

I wonder if the President's kids will ever have to pay a student loan...

It's sad so many wingers rail against the President for made-up reasons. There's such a bounty of legitimate reasons to call him a complete disgrace - but this one is especially heinous.

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Fed Chair to Congress: Stop Killing Jobs

I still see comments akin to pompom waving for the President. It's quite undeserved. This President has been continuously, publicly promoting the vital need to slash the deficit since 2009 thru, oddly, to about four months ago.

This President created the cat food commission, appointed co-chairs who have been ardent government spending slashers to it, and has been demanding the commission's findings be implemented. This President has already proposed cuts to Social Security that are 20 years premature and only inflict pain on the current (and future) vulnerable elderly - all in the name of gashing Federal spending.

The sequester was not something that Congress forced on the President - it was a terrible concept proposed by the administration that they thought was shrewd but completely backfired (if we are to believe Woodward's highly documented treatment to be non-libelous)... or it did precisely what it was intended to do, slash spending (except, as we see now, the defense cuts are in process of being restored).

So here we have a Fed Chair - who was originally appointed by a far-right extremist president - publicly pleading a case to increase federal spending.... a position that the sitting President has been against since the neutered stimulus was passed.

And this is cause for praise?!?

Obama is a train wreck... like every other right winger pretending to be a Democrat.

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Growing Republican Irrelevance

I prefer to think that Dems don't simply fear republicans at some visceral level. I think it's worse than that.

Most Dems that I've rubbed elbows with fear the media and how it will portray them if they take a position that's not shared by republican voters. Republicans are loud and they have no loss of pride whatsoever when their raised voices display their ignorance, lack of data, or lack of logical thought.

Somewhat cogent is Obama's quote, sourced by Taibbi, fretting in a meeting over how markets will respond if his words aren't perfect. So many of these "Dems" worry about public reaction and what it'll mean to votes and fund raising and image (ie. personal vanity - "I don't want to be thought of as 'weak'...").

In other words, they fear how people will interpret their actions. I say this is worse than fearing republicans because you can't control republicans - but you CAN control your message!! Bernie Sanders does it just fine. Same with Grayson, Sherrod Brown, Elizabeth Warren, etc.

They're unafraid of the shrieking voices of the right wing fringe. And because of that, they are strong. People know they're strong. They attract campaign contributions. They get exactly the opposite of what most feeble, elected Dems expect.

To me, it's just like watching a frustrating horror movie when a victim has a gun pointed to the head of a murderer, doesn't pull the trigger, and then ends up the next victim. Drives me up the wall.

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Growing Republican Irrelevance

You can't say republicans are becoming irrelevant so long as "Democrats" like Obama cede power to them and adopt republican policies like reducing social security, imposing austerity (i.e. the sequester), and increasing defense spending.

Maybe now that world-renowned tough-guy Harry Reid is going to take his 4th swat at the filibuster, I have to wonder if he'll bring a real bat or use the whiffle ball bat he's used each previous time. I thought we were to find out yesterday about that, but 'Dirty Harry' hasn't taken care of business yet. Again.

Until we finally implement serious reforms in the Senate, we elect a Dem President with courage and policy convictions that are at least slightly more liberal than Richard Nixon's, and vest campaign finance control authority in Congress or the states via Constitutional amendment, the republican party will remain the minority power that completely controls the Federal government.

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Elizabeth Warren Rips Joe Manchin On Student Loans

Cannot say enough good things about Elizabeth Warren. She is everything we could want in a politician.



Now let's turn to the White House to see how the "LEADER" of the entire Democratic Party and this nation is working toward framing the issue, making it a top priority, establishing guidelines, or in some way showing the country that he's concerned about the problem and wants a solution: [crickets]



Once again, Mr. President, thanks for absolutely nothing. I'm not sure what's worse - a President like dubya who leads the nation off a cliff or a President like Obama who doesn't lead at all.
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Robert Menendez: Edward Snowden Asylum Would Be 'A Step Against The United States'

Yeeeeeah....

After ALLLLLLwe've done to you Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Bolivia - I mean FOR you guys.... THIS is the thanks we get?!?

I used to have respect for Menendez. Just another pretender trying to look tough in the "war on terror" reality TV show (the 'never-ending' version).

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Robert Menendez: Edward Snowden Asylum Would Be 'A Step Against The United States'

If you knew anything about how "our enemies" operate, you'd realize they know full well we listen to their cell phone conversations. The only time they use them is to bring a missile onto themselves or a wedding party or a school.

Telling our enemies that we listen to our own citizens is probably making them laugh heartily. They hate us because of our "freedom," isn't that supposed to be the storyline folks like yourself drink up? Well, the last laugh is on you.

Just keep chanting "USA! USA!" until the pain of knowing what your government is doing to you goes away.

About edward snowden
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Glenn Greenwald: Edward Snowden Confirmed WikiLeaks Statement Was Written By Him

The ONLY way to do "everything at their disposal" to prevent terrorist attacks is to declare that no non-citizens are permitted in this country and assign 1 police officer to every citizen for 24-hour surveillance purposes.

That may sound dumb. And it is. But it's the logical conclusion of your ridiculous blanket statement. There must be limits on what the government is allowed to do in the pursuit of "safety." Your comment implies none.

I remember not too long ago that my father couldn't get through airport security lines in less than 4 hours because his name was the same as someone who had a problem. This went on for 3 years before he gave up enjoying travel in his retirement. There was no safety in this practice at all. It was nothing more than irresponsible use of power and refusal to use brains.

If there are to be limits, then you have to accept the fact that others are more comfortable living in a society which has some inherent risk of harm than to living in some totalitarian - yet safe - state.

About Glenn Greenwald
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Glenn Greenwald: Edward Snowden Confirmed WikiLeaks Statement Was Written By Him

You clearly know nothing of history at all - even as recent as 2002 - if don't know that people in power in our government have, over time, abused your trust, made up enemies, attacked false enemies, and worse... all under the guise of keeping us "safe."

But who is keeping the men and women in our military (almost none of whom are prodigies of the top 20% income earners) safe from these lies?!?! Obviously not you, unless you feel the job of our soldiers is to jump into a volcano for no purpose other than to follow orders.

You may feel free to surrender your right to hold government accountable. But don't you dare try to take mine away.

About Glenn Greenwald
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To Serve Society

Some people feel fulfilled by sexually assaulting women or children. Some people feel fulfilled by firing people randomly in order to ensure that employees fear them. Some people feel fulfilled by selling toxic financial instruments to other rich people all the while knowing they're a time bomb. Some people feel fulfilled by cutting costs of production by firing hard-working people and hiring a foreign company and using slave labor - because they'll get better stock options and a new yacht.

Seeking fulfillment is always OK, right?

Maybe - just maybe! - the issue isn't whether or not a person is rich or in a position to get rich. Maybe the issue is what people in power choose to do with their power.

And that is incompatible with ayn rand's fairly simplistic rich = good philosophy. The immortal leader of the ayn rand glee club, alan greenspan, even admitted on the record that he made the mistake during the inflating of the finance bubble of believing that powerful people would innately do the right thing.

It's interesting that most people have observed and understood that to be absurd on face for centuries. But the great greenspan couldn't figure it out until our economy became a smoldering hole in the ground. But it seems that those stuck in the make-believe world of ayn rand's vacuous philosophy seem to fall the fastest for that one. The better the suit, the more you can get away with.

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The GOP's Endless War on Obamacare, and the White House Delay

The republicans and their disciples' ability to believe anything that they are told is amazing. All the dead-end, empirically false stand-bys used from Social Security, Civil Rights, Medicare, and others - are trotting around the track for another inglorious lap.



If these "leaders" ever tried to use logic, facts, or the scientific method once in a while, they wouldn't look so ridiculous.



That said, Obama is either actively helping them or still as resolutely tone deaf and feeble as ever. The republicans go on a continuous assault against the plan - with virtually NO counter attack whatsoever. The republicans know one thing very well (it's probably the only thing) - repeated attacks, even if wildly inaccurate lies, will, over time, become accepted wisdom (like supply-side economics).



It's a weakness in humans (unsurprisingly and primarily those humans who refuse to believe that they have weaknesses) that this occurs. And without a countering argument waged by the President, the republicans will continue to win the near term election battles. The President makes campaigns much, much more difficult for Democrats when he takes the "high road" because the "high road" is really a well-worn and illegitimate excuse for running away from a fight.



While he has the bully pulpit, every individual candidate has to burn money and time to defend the program in their districts. This President needs to be that last courage--free Dem "leader."
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