Displaying 0 To 0 Of 0 Comments KT, thanks for validating my sense of not having recalled that statement coming from her! I could hardly imagine her even having a clue as to where the Ukraine is, much less saying anything coherent about it. I’m not masochistic enough to follow everything that comes from her, but the only pattern I’ve been able to pick up on is a relentless, consistent, vindictive obsession with the President. No matter what topic she starts off with, she will inevitably get about to what she really wants to talk about: how much she despises this President. It is like a sickness with her. Here’s the gem of the day: “Obama, the perception of him and his ‘potency’ across the world is one of such weakness,” she said. “Lookit: People are looking at Putin as one who wrestles bears and drills for oil, they look at our president as one who wears mom jeans and equivocates and bloviates. We are not exercising that peace through strength that only can be brought to you courtesy of that red, white, and blue that only the strength of the United States military can do.” Brainless twit, without a doubt. And a hater, too. » Posted By kesmarn On March 4, 2014 @ 3:29 pm I hear you, funk. In short, he really is a lot like his soul-mate, Dubya. 😉 » Posted By kesmarn On March 4, 2014 @ 10:08 am funk, this guy was interviewed on the PBS Newshour last night. Gwen Ifill looked totally flummoxed by him and she’s a very smart woman. He was mildly belligerent and a bit condescending — although I thought that he also made some good points. Our media does tend to “cartoonize” (to coin a word) leaders, it’s true. But when I listened to Cohen I couldn’t help but think that — media distortions aside — Putin is not a particularly nice guy no matter how “unfairly” the press has treated him. It would have been like trying to defend Dubya. “He’s an idiot, but he’s our national idiot.” Somehow that’s less than convincing to the world at large. » Posted By kesmarn On March 4, 2014 @ 7:28 am AdLib, a wonderful article. (I know it’s easy to say at this point but) believe it or not I was just thinking the same thing last night! Thinking that Putin might be feeling omnipotent and invincible right about now. Pretty much the way that Dubya felt when he’d just launched the obnoxiously named “Shock and Awe.” A little over a decade later, we can see how well that worked out for him. And in what high regard he’s being held these days around the world. He’s so … noteworthy … that he can’t even leave the country. I agree that Putin really has miscalculated. The ruble hit an all-time low against the dollar today. And sanctions — while they don’t sound as “glamorous” as McCain’s “Rantbo” posturing — can be pretty effective over time. As Iran knows. It’s such a relief to have a President who’s not trigger happy. Who recognizes that just because something bad has happened somewhere it doesn’t always have to be the U.S. who always reacts, always unilaterally. Even when he was considering an intervention in Syria, he wasn’t considering going it entirely alone. (Or with a fake “coalition of the willing.”) The latest batch of poutrage from the right is some cackling about the fact that Sarah Palin allegedly predicted years ago that Russia would invade Ukraine. (I don’t remember that, but I can’t claim to have listened closely to every word she ever shrieked.) What they don’t say — but do imply — is what she would have done differently had she been (God forbid) president. I guess we can safely assume that they mean she would have nuked Moscow by now and shown Vlad who was boss. As for that little WWIII thing. Well, she would have resigned right after hitting the red button and let someone else deal with that. » Posted By kesmarn On March 3, 2014 @ 8:07 pm The American Political System and Accommodating Evil Like actual grown up human beings, Kalima, they recognize that partnership is much more efficient and humane than a master-slave relationship. The GOP South seems to be having a very tough time giving up that model. Strange… because it didn’t work out so well for ’em the last time they tried it. 🙄 » Posted By kesmarn On February 20, 2014 @ 7:32 am AdLib, you’ve gone straight to the heart of the matter as far as the political landscape goes — not just here in America, but around the world. Kudos and many thanks for a really thought-provoking article. There’s been an interesting development in the TN Volkswagen case and the rejection of the UAW organizing attempt. It seems that the German executives of the company are less than pleased and impressed with the actions of Corker & Co. The dirty tricks they’ve pulled off are causing these execs to reconsider any future factory ventures in the South. Corker may have messed it up for TN and the South in general with his actions. Actions that the German managers apparently view as crossing the line — into the area of “unfair labor practices.” http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/02/19/1278780/-VW-reconsiders-expansion-in-South-after-no-UAW I think this must be totally astonishing to Corker and his cronies. Why the VW leadership would have any interest in a collaborative relationship with labor must be incomprehensible to people who view workers as people who need to be (in some cases literally) whipped into craven submission. I know that there has always been corruption in politics, but I have a feeling that things really started to go south when Richard Nixon was in office. Lies, break-ins, dirty tricks — they were all regarded as “nothing personal, just business.” It was during this era that the idea of dismissing people who had a solid sense of ethics (and even — gasp! — compassion) as naive simpletons really took hold in public life. Do people ever ask themselves whether this was the case because the man at the helm was a paranoid psychotic? I think they’re afraid to. Then Karl Rove and Dick Cheney brought Nixon’s amoral “leadership” style into the 21st century. The thing that always baffles me is that they’ve never even managed to figure out that — morality aside — simple pragmatism demands a certain level of ethical awareness and consistency. Even someone as nutty as Ayn Rand would likely recognize that enlightened self interest and/or the desire to make profits requires a functioning court system, government and banking industry. None of which can exist without a baseline level of trust and integrity. Otherwise, you have Somalia. I saw a documentary recently in which the downfall of Al Capone (who was so much nicer than Chris Christie) was examined. When the real history was uncovered, it turned out that Elliot Ness and the FBI had much less to do with it than the Chicago business community. They realized that the absolutely chaotic and violent wild west criminal atmosphere that prevailed in Chicago was starting to really hurt business. As most of us know, it was failing to pay income taxes that tripped up Capone, a fact that a doggedly determined accountant — who had been supported by the business community — had discovered. So, knowing that it’s futile to appeal to their hearts, we can only say that it would behoove the Koch brothers, Mitt Romney, Bob Corker, Sheldon Adelson, and the rest of the 1% gang to wise up. And recognize a simple fact (and they don’t even have to be a part of any religious organization to acknowledge this): When all’s said and done: bad morals are never good economics. » Posted By kesmarn On February 19, 2014 @ 8:17 pm Republicans Have The Answer to Poverty: The Poor Need to Be Poorer to Stop Being Poor Wonderful, wonderful article, AdLib. This whole “are there no workhouses, sir?” attitude of the Republicans is just so repulsive. You may have seen the article on TO/OT recently in which it was revealed that a county in Florida had eliminated a third of its polling places — all of them in poor/minority neighborhoods. The explanation given went something like: “I want these people to want to vote… want to vote so bad that they’re willing to walk 200 miles to do it, like those people in Africa did. This should not be easy.” In other words — they want to see the poor work for it, sweat for it, beg for it, suffer for it. Not just for the vote — but for everything: jobs, education, food, health care, everything. “Show me how much you want that school lunch, baby!” Unless — ? Maybe they were referring to blue-haired, wealthy, elderly GOP ladies walking 200 miles to vote? Ya think? 😯 » Posted By kesmarn On February 13, 2014 @ 7:14 pm If Chris Christie Became President, Who Would Be In His Cabinet? 😆 » Posted By kesmarn On February 6, 2014 @ 7:47 pm Modern Monetary Part 1b: Modern Money Illustrated Can’t wait, funk. But I guess I have to, don’t I? » Posted By kesmarn On February 7, 2014 @ 6:24 pm This is like watching a mystery movie and suddenly seeing the words “To be continued in the next episode…” funk, I’m waiting with bated breath. But I am relieved, at least, to see that my “XL pipeline” analogy in my comment on your earlier installment wasn’t entirely off the mark…! » Posted By kesmarn On February 7, 2014 @ 5:02 pm WATCH & CHAT LIVE: President Obama’s 2014 State of the Union Address – 6:00pm PST AdLib, that was downright painful to watch. If he’s the best Kansas has to offer, someone needs to do some testing on the water supply there for brain-eating parasites. The GOP could save a lot of money on buying Congressmen and candidates buy just inventing a large version of the ancient “Chatty Cathy” doll. Pull a string and hear its collection of standard “answers”: “Socialist!” “Job killing Obamacare!” “You lie!” “Where’s Your Birth Certificate?” and the ever-popular Then they could stop paying people like this guy. On a similar note — I finally got a chance today to watch the CNN “interview” that Nirek mentioned with Wolf Blitzer, Michelle Bachmann and Bernie Sanders. He’s right: it was incredible. After the first couple of minutes, I realized that not only was she not interested in having a conversation, she wasn’t even interested in making sense. She was simply a noise machine. She was doing the verbal equivalent of blowing a whistle non-stop. Her goal wasn’t to be heard. It was to stop Bernie Sanders from being heard. She could have been replaced by a shrieking toddler or a screaming monkey and the result would have been the same — except she’s not nearly as cute. When are the American people and the media going to stop pretending to take these howlers seriously? » Posted By kesmarn On January 29, 2014 @ 3:22 pm I think the GOP needs to sing that a few (dozen) times, Murph. » Posted By kesmarn On January 28, 2014 @ 7:27 pm What Will Be The Focus of President Obama’s SOTU Speech Tomorrow? Eeeek! Oh, lie! Otherwise known as e-coli. » Posted By kesmarn On January 27, 2014 @ 9:36 pm A great summary of the important issues of the day that the President should address tomorrow night, AdLib. As you and the President have pointed out, income inequality is at the top of the list. A couple of weeks ago, I got a call from the Gallup polling people asking my opinion on all sorts of issues/people (Fun, because about half of my family have started rolling their eyes when I start opinionating. The Gallup people actually wanted to know!) When they asked what I thought was the most important issue the country was currently facing, I too said: income inequality. It has been for quite a long time, no? The NY Times featured a wonderful article by Sam Polk, a reformed Wall Street trader, who views the destructive mindset of the top 1% as an addiction disorder. And he spells out the consequences as follows: Wealth addiction was described by the late sociologist and playwright Philip Slater in a 1980 book, but addiction researchers have paid the concept little attention. Like alcoholics driving drunk, wealth addiction imperils everyone. Wealth addicts are, more than anybody, specifically responsible for the ever widening rift that is tearing apart our once great country. Wealth addicts are responsible for the vast and toxic disparity between the rich and the poor and the annihilation of the middle class. Only a wealth addict would feel justified in receiving $14 million in compensation — including an $8.5 million bonus — as the McDonald’s C.E.O., Don Thompson, did in 2012, while his company then published a brochure for its work force on how to survive on their low wages. Only a wealth addict would earn hundreds of millions as a hedge-fund manager, and then lobby to maintain a tax loophole that gave him a lower tax rate than his secretary. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/19/opinion/sunday/for-the-love-of-money.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0 Increasing taxes on the mega-rich and raising the minimum wage are a great place to start fixing this. Now if we can just get a Congress that’s capable of comprehending that… » Posted By kesmarn On January 27, 2014 @ 3:43 pm Parody Song For Chris Christie: “Bridge Into Troubled Waters” Heh! She looks like she’s already half-way there, NoManIsAnIsland. In fact, I’ve seen wax figures and animatronics that looked more animated than she is! » Posted By kesmarn On January 23, 2014 @ 4:40 pm I had to sort of settle myself down before I could even respond to that video clip, AdLib. Because for some unknown reason, I have a very visceral negative reaction to women like this. She’s in the Sarah Palin/Michelle Bachmann mould, and they tend to really hit a nerve with me. Forced is the word for it. Rehearsed. You can tell that she’s taken lessons in public speaking that emphasized diction, pitch, intonation and volume level over honesty and sincerity. And like virtually all of Christie’s associates, she comes across as a patronizing, preachy, condescending bully. The question that always seems so logical to me in situations like this is: What would the mayor of Hoboken stand to gain from making this up? Maybe I’m not getting something, but to me the answer seems to be — nothing but a lot of headaches. Which leads me to think that she’s telling the truth. We’ve all had bad bosses, teachers, family members, flight attendants and tour guides who’ve acted like this. They assume that they’re speaking to malicious idiots and address everyone as though that’s what they are. (Possibly too much time spent looking in the mirror?) Maybe her next job will be as a lecturer in a third-rate wax museum in Somalia? We can only hope. » Posted By kesmarn On January 23, 2014 @ 11:03 am Thanks so much for the kind words, Nirek and friends. It was fun. » Posted By kesmarn On January 23, 2014 @ 10:15 am Love it, AdLib! Hey this is fun. Can I try one for Ohio’s own John Boehner? Let’s stick with the Simon and Garfunkel theme. How about “59th Street Bridge Song”? Otherwise known as “Feelin’ Groovy”? Slow down. I’m drinkin’ too fast. Got to make the Merlot last. Gavellin’ in the House alone, Lookin’ for wine and feelin’ boozy. Hello, Koch-boys, whatcha buyin’? I’m for sale. Complete with cryin’. Ain’tcha got no cash for me? I’m lookin’ for votes and feelin’ boozy. Got no principles. No promises to keep. I’m orange and I’m drowsy and ready to weep. Let your Tea Party drop all its crazy on me. I’m lookin’ for cash and feelin’ boozy.
» Posted By kesmarn On January 22, 2014 @ 5:30 pm MMT: Not Your Mother’s Monetary Theory funk, thanks so much for introducing a school of economic thought that I’d never even heard of. Economics is a field that I find baffling and interesting at the same time. For starters — (be prepared for weirdness here, of the kes kind) — I have always wondered why some “laws” of economics are called that. “Laws.” As if economics is an exact science. Is the field of economics really based on science — the way math and physics are? It seems so “emotional” to me. The common saying is that greed and fear are what make Wall Street tick. That doesn’t seem scientific to me. It seems pretty lizard brain, frankly. For instance, take the example of the “Law of Supply and Demand.” How is it really a “law”? If something is in short supply, do suppliers have to raise prices? I know it must be irresistibly tempting to do it. But will they go to jail if they don’t? (Or at least be thrown out of the Kiwanis club?) So, to me, the law of supply and demand feels more like a matter of choice. A totally understandable one, but still a matter of human free will. So far, I’m the only person I know, though, who’s ever questioned this alleged law. 😉 Also — could an argument be made that the notion that the job of the government is not only to regulate inflation — but (possibly much more importantly?) to redistribute wealth (via taxes) and to regulate capitalism (which is a bone-crushing, flesh-eating monster if it’s not controlled)? It seems that the government is the only entity powerful enough to control capitalism’s rapacity. Which is — of course — why the right wants to drown it in a bathtub. They (the right) seem to see government as valuable only to the degree that it acts as a conduit. An XL pipeline that funnels the people’s tax dollars into the pockets of corporations — whether they be private prisons, charter school chains, insurance companies, Blackwater or Halliburton. Government’s other job, in their view, is to maintain a military large enough to protect their interests any where, any time. And to suck up enormous amounts of cash at the same time. Win-win. So every dollar that is “wasted” on frivolities like SNAP, unemployment compensation, Head Start, or health care for poor people is highly offensive and wasteful, in their cynical view of things. That part of government is the part that needs to go down the bathroom drain along with the scrubbing Wall Street bubbles. But what I’m too dumb to figure out is how — or even if — any of this fits into MMT. I’m anxiously awaiting further developments in your series of articles, funk. And forgive me if I’ve muddied the waters with my own brand of Voodoo Economics. » Posted By kesmarn On February 3, 2014 @ 9:36 pm Chris Christie’s Implausible Deniability The mental image of Christie on that table, holding up his skirts… Priceless. In a really nauseating kinda way… 😆 » Posted By kesmarn On January 14, 2014 @ 7:23 pm 😆 AdLib I was just getting ready to comment on your great article when I suddenly noticed the Whitey Bulger reference in the intro paragraph and started laughing all over again. Brilliant! As I said earlier, if Christie’d had a history of being a genial, compassionate guy in the past, his protestations of innocence might fly (just barely). But as everyone knows, he’s had a long lurid history of bullyism — much of it caught on camera and undeniable (plausibly or otherwise). And even if he were a hapless nice guy caught in a bad situation, the point that you made in your article stands: he’d still be seen as an incompetent executive who was criminally inept when it came to the appointments he’d made. Bully? Incompetent? He don’t need either one in the White House. After all — we’ve already had Dubya. » Posted By kesmarn On January 14, 2014 @ 3:43 pm Happy New Year! Make Your Predictions For 2014 and Resolutions For President Obama Happy New Year’s Day, AdLib and Planeteers! If I were the President’s Resolution Czar I would say that a high priority would be put on getting the minimum wage increased, on getting some help for young people trying to get through college without crippling debt, and on protecting Obamacare, Medicare and Social Security. Predictions? I think people will wise up to the Tea Party and their masters, the Kochs. In fact, I think they’ve already started to. Interestingly, I have a feeling that it was the cut in food stamps and unemployment assistance that may have been the last straw. Poor people who were voting GOPTP prior to that? — well, even they had a hard time blaming that one on Obama. Even they are starting to wise up. Gallup just released poll results from “Most Admired Man in the World” and “Most Admired Woman in the World.” They asked Americans what their choices would be for each. The results: Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. I’m so relieved that it didn’t turn out to be Sarah Palin and Phil Robertson. That gives me hope for 2014. 😀 » Posted By kesmarn On January 1, 2014 @ 1:48 pm Republicans Reject Evolution in Favor of Devolution Another home run, AdLib! I’m sure that as the rest of us are celebrating the change from 2013 to 2014, the GOP/TP will be toasting 2013 morphing into 1858 — before women’s suffrage,that pesky Emancipation Proclamation and the publication of “The Origin of the Species.” Happy New Year to you and the whole Lib family, and here’s to good things in 2014 — including lots of Dem electoral victories and a hefty raise in the minimum wage! And many thanks for a 2013 that was full of many of your best articles ever. » Posted By kesmarn On December 31, 2013 @ 8:53 pm The Capitalism That Stole Christmas – The Anti-Materialism Theme of Classic Christmas Films 😆 AdLib recommended that one too, QBD. Too funny, no? » Posted By kesmarn On December 30, 2013 @ 5:37 pm Hahahaha! That is hilarious, AdLib! I’d never thought about all the satisfaction that could go along with beating the the Kris Kringle Krap out of Mr. Potter. Great vicarious fun! » Posted By kesmarn On December 24, 2013 @ 7:48 pm Always a pleasure to see you here, foodchain! Enjoy every minute with the family! » Posted By kesmarn On December 24, 2013 @ 7:37 pm AdLib, this is fantastic! I don’t know how you do it! I’m hoping to get back later to comment at greater length, but in the mean time I just have to put out the Jimmy Kimmel version of FOX’s version of “It’s A Wonderful Life” — in which Mr. Potter is the capitalist hero. It fits your theme so perfectly:
» Posted By kesmarn On December 23, 2013 @ 5:48 pm The Weekend Music Thread–Happy Holidays Wow! That’s a flash orchestra! Very nice. » Posted By kesmarn On December 21, 2013 @ 6:50 pm NEWTOWN: One year later and seemingly no wiser Dbos, I’m so sorry to hear of your loss. This is every parent’s nightmare. You’re so right. When we lose one child, it’s a loss for all of us. And when it’s a preventable loss, the tragedy is that much worse. » Posted By kesmarn On December 15, 2013 @ 6:35 am Murph, like so many other Americans I really thought Sandy Hook would be the turning point. If the methodical murder of first graders didn’t move Congress to action on some measure of gun control, what would? I was almost certain that this would open peoples’ eyes to the absurdity that the NRA had become. Even thought the NRA might re-think a few things. Now, even a year later I’m still in a state of incredulity that — given the choice between (a) ridiculous numbers of high powered weapons in the hands of people of sometimes dubious competence and (b) our children — Americans would choose (a). It’s not only the guns. We seem to be a country increasingly in love with violence in general. Even sports rivalries and encounters with aggressive drivers can end up with bloodshed. We have unbelievable numbers of people in prisons, and big problems with bullying in schools. Our movies and video games are full of violence (although, unlike many, I believe that is more a symptom than a cause of the psychological malaise here). A.M. radio is full of raving, furious ranters. Maybe it all boils down to one deceptively simple, brief question. Why are we so angry? » Posted By kesmarn On December 14, 2013 @ 7:41 pmComments Posted By kesmarn
“Benghazi!!”
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