13 Mar 09 Stewart vs. Cramer
Jon Stewart definitely gets the last laugh lolz.
Part One:
Part Two:
Part Three:
11 Mar 09 CNBC On The BBQ
Jon Stewart flames CNBC and Jim Cramer
05 Mar 09 Wall Street Whiners
Jon Stewart skewers Wall Street and CNBC, which at this point has zero credibility.
10 Nov 08 Greedy Republican Billionaires
It’s obvious to everyone that the Republican Party is in disarray and beginning to splinter. There are three distinct ideological factions that came together during the Nixon and Reagan years: the greedy billionaires, the Christian warriors, and the libertarian outsiders. These groups are moving in opposing directions, and may no longer be able to stifle their differences in the interest of exercising political power. We’ll take a look at all three of these factions beginning with the greedy Republican billionaires (GRB), or as I prefer to think of them sometimes, the greedy Republican bastards.
Though not all GRB members are billionaires, they hope to be someday. They are the primary source of funds for Republican candidates, and thus are the lifeblood of the party. Their primary motivation is the pursuit of money. Their focus is directed towards paying as little taxes as possible and exercising maximum control over the marketplace. For the most part they work from the shadows, occasionally popping up with self-serving propaganda such as “What’s good for the country is good for General Motors, and vice versa.” They profit from war, as long as it doesn’t get too out of control. Anyone or anything that might come between them and money is a potential target.
You don’t have to look far to see the GRB in action. GRB icon Rupert Murdoch owns FUX News and the Wall Street Journal, which promote the GRB agenda with every word and image. Walmart is the prime example of the GRB business plan. They would prefer to have no workplace rules, and no responsibility for pension funds or health care plans. The GRB hate unions with a passion that runs much deeper than in the other two party factions. Another hallmark is their authoritarian nature: George W. Bush “The Decider” personifies this inclination.
Next we’ll begin to explore the Christian Republican Warrior (CRW) wing of the party. Can they continue to co-exist with the GRB faction? If so, it’s going to be a bumpy ride at the very least.
29 Oct 08 Paul Krugman On The Economy
If you want to understand the basic facts of the economic crisis facing us today, take 30 minutes to watch this video. Charlie Rose interviewed Paul Krugman on October 23rd, shortly after he won the Nobel Prize in Economics. Krugman discusses the causes and outlines several possible solutions.
If institutions need to be rescued like banks, they should be regulated like banks.
28 Oct 08 Socialists Endorse John McCain
Barbara Ehrenreich, author of Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America
Surely you have heard by now of the imminent socialist takeover of America, and if you find the prospect unlikely, ask yourself: How many socialists do you know who lost millions in the recent stock market crashes? Just as I thought—none—and that’s not only because you don’t know any socialists. The truth is that we, the Socialist International Conspiracy, not only saw this coming, we are the ones who made it happen.
The plan took shape during a particularly intense criticism/self-criticism session at our 2000 annual convention in a booth at an Akron IHOP. We realized that we’d been recruiting no more new members per year than the Green Bay Packers and that, despite all our efforts, more Americans have been taken aboard UFO’s than have embraced the historic promise of socialism. So we decided to suspend our usual work of standing on street corners and hissing, “Hey, how’d you like to live in a workers’ paradise?” Instead of building socialism, one worker at a time, we would focus on destroying capitalism, hedge fund by hedge fund.
After months of studying the candidates’ economic plans, we have determined that one of them, and only one, can be relied on to complete the destruction of capitalism. With high hopes and great confidence, the Socialist International Conspiracy endorses John McCain!
Barbara Ehrenreich’s Report from the Socialist International Conspiracy
24 Oct 08 Roots of the Economic Crisis
It’s a rather simple equation when you examine the history of how the economy got to where it is today. Banking and investment regulations were gradually erased over a period of 28 years, beginning in Reagan’s first term as President and culminating with the repeal of the Glass-Steagall act in 1999. Conservative “free market” advocates insisted that the market should be the ultimate arbiter of what is, and what isn’t a good investment. Today the market has spoken, and the message is clear. Here’s a quick history lesson, in little more than a minute.
Thanks to Matt Yglesias for finding this video.
26 Sep 08 Wall Street to McCain: Drop Dead
John McCain played dice with the economic future of our country yesterday, and contributed nothing other than confusion. Excessive deregulation of the financial industry got us into this mess, and one of the key features of the surprise plan McCain supports is more deregulation. James Pethokoukis at US News published a Wall Street reaction to the McCain bailout negotiations shennanigans.
US News link:
http://www.usnews.com/blogs/capital-commerce/2008/9/26/wall-street-to-gop-drop-dead.html
I am a huge Reagan fan and admirer.I have voted GOP every election since 1976. Until now. Today. September 25, 2008. As soon as I finish this email I am going to try and get my $1000 McCain/Palin credit card donation back as I will not be voting GOP this year after watching this circus and the theatres passing as leadership displayed by the GOP. I am embarrassed to have been an erstwhile supporter of this gaggle of self-serving jerks. I hope the GOP lose their asses come November. They shall deserve it.
25 Sep 08 McCain Clueless About Economy
John McCain doesn’t understand how Wall Street works, and he never did. Check out the stupid lie he told during the GOP Candidates’ Debate:
Crooks and Liars knows how clueless McCain is about economics:
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/09/25/how-is-john-mccain-going-to-help-solve-the-financial-crisis/
BARTIROMO: Sen. McCain, has Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke cut interest rates aggressively enough?
Has Ben Bernanke cut interests rates aggressively enough?
McCAIN: I’m not…I’m not…I don’t have that kind of expertise to know exactly whether he has cut interest rates suffiently or not. I’m glad that whenever they cut interest rates. I wish interest rates were zero.
Just in case you’re not sure what that really means, zero percent interest rates would bankrupt every financial institution in America. Zero percent interest rates would bankrupt our government too. Try telling the IRS you shouldn’t have to pay interest on your late tax payment because McCain told you he wants all interest rates to be zero, and see how far that gets you. On second thought, don’t do that, people who refuse to pay the IRS end up in jail.
