October 2008 archive

Oct 16 2008

We interrupt this program

While we drown in debate I’d like to remind you of the implosion of the Republican Party.

Trading opens today at 9:30 am (et) (Ding, Ding, Ding, Ding, Ding, Ding, Ding) after a loss of 733.08 points, the second-worst single-day point loss by the Dow in history.

So to remind us how we’ve gotten where we’re at…

Happy Anniversary–

Bail Out Boost! 9/26 Friday +121.07 11,143.13
Wall St. snit fit. 9/29 Monday -777.68 10,365.45
Bow to my Bartiromoness. 9/30 Tuesday +485.21 10,850.66
Down, down, down. 10/1 Wednesday -19.59 10,831.07
10/2 Thursday -348.22 10,482.85
10/3 Friday -157.47 10,325.38
10/6 Monday -369.88 9,955.50
10/7 Tuesday -508.39 9,447.11
10/8 Wednesday -189.01 9,258.10
10/9 Thursday -678.91 8,579.19
10/10 Friday -128.00 8,451.19
Big G7, G20 Summit. 10/13 Monday +936.42 9387.61
Oops. 10/14 Tuesday -76.62 9310.99
10/15 Wednesday -733.08 8577.91

But remember, the market drop is because the Democrats forced stupid loans to brown people and I’m afraid the most (shudder) “LIBERAL” one will be President and Filibuster Proof Democratic Socialism reign so it’s all good for McDone.

We’re DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMED!

WHEEEEEEEEE!

Oct 16 2008

My debate take…

You know… call me old fashioned.  Call me a man.  Call me whatever you want.

But, in this independents eyes, neither McCain or Obama won.

Oct 16 2008

John McCain’s Missed Opportunity

A post excerpt (reprinted by permission) from our managing editor at THE ENVIRONMENTALIST:

John McCain missed the single greatest opportunity to address his most dangerous supporters directly and to repudiate their threats of violence after Senator Obama brought up the threats in the debate. McCain chose not to do so, calling them “fringe” while lauding ALL his supporters as “patriotic.”

This came after Senator John McCain made a point during the debate that Barack Obama should repudiate John Lewis’ Wallace comparison, which Senator Obama had done already, while pointing out that Lewis’ concern about violence, given the congressman’s first hand experience, was a valid consideration.

Senator McCain was not impressed. Nor was he impressed when Senator Obama directly brought up the vitriol from McCain and Palin’s rallies, citing words like “terrorist” and “kill him,” which John McCain dismissed as coming from fringe supporters, after which the Republican senator went on to laud all his supporters as “patriotic Americans.”

More below the fold…

Oct 16 2008

Obama fact sheet too generous to McCain re renewable energy

The spin machines work long and hard and fast nowadays. Email boxes around the country are filled with “fact sheets” and other material from campaigns during presidential debates and in the hours afterwards. Among other things, the Obama campaign produced “John McCain’s 26 Lies Tonight“. Lie #16:

RENEWABLE ENERGY: McCain claimed to support renewable energies, but his record shows otherwise. He has voted 23 times against investing in renewable energies and opposed a bipartisan effort to remove tax breaks for oil companies in order to invest in renewable energy.

23 times? Wow, that seems pretty bad … except that the real story is worse than that. On at least 50 occasions, John McCain voted against clean energy or (14 times) simply didn’t bother to show up.

Oct 16 2008

39 Years Ago Today

October 15, 1969 saw the largest single day of protest in US history, the first Vietnam Moratorium. Across the United States, millions of people took part in an incredible range of locally-based protest actions. Churches rang their bells, mayors read proclamations, kids walked out of schools, rallies and teach-ins took place everywhere.

vietnam moratorium

Oct 16 2008

Overnight Caption Contest

Oct 16 2008

Hofstra Debate ’08: Veterans Arrested

Cross-posted at Free Speech Zone

These servicemen of the IVAW were arrested (along with others) for wanting to ask the candidates a question.

This is them at a “Community Empowerment Rally” in the poor area of Hempstead before marching to Hofstra University.

More Video below….

Oct 16 2008

Debate Live Blog: Now With Extra Spin!

Since I have unlimited essays I’ll put up a live blog.

I expect I won’t be watching much.

Oct 16 2008

Oui, oui — Iraq Moratorium in Paree

Friday is Iraq Moratorium day, a day set aside each month to interrupt your usual routine and do something to stop the war and occupation.

One of the great things about the Moratorium is that you can observe it wherever you are, whether there is a group action planned or not.  For example, here’s a report from Paul Krehbiel, a Pasadena, CA activist:

My wife and I were in France in September and took a break from our routine on Moratorium Day to support the Iraq Moratorium and call for an end to the war and occupation of Iraq while we were at the world-famous Notre Dame Cathedral. My wife lit candles for all those who have suffered and all those who have lost their lives in this horrible war, and I held a sign — made from the inside of a gift bag, which said, “Iraq Moratorium” with the peace sign. Hundreds of people watched silently. Some were praying.  

 

Whether you do it in Paris or in Podunk, do something on Friday.

You’ll find a list of events and ideas for individual action on the Iraq Moratorium website.

Oct 16 2008

Pony Party: Nobel Laureate & Wile E. Coyote

A long time ago, in an economic universe far, far away, people cared about the trade balance. When the U.S. trade deficit passed $100 billion for the first time, there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth. Doomsayers warned of an imminent ”hard landing” in which a crashing dollar would precipitate economic crisis. Even calmer types regarded the unprecedented red ink as a warning sign.

But a funny thing happened on the way to the 21st century: people lost interest in the trade balance. In January, the Commerce Department announced last week, the United States set a new world record: the biggest monthly trade deficit ever. (Is this a great country, or what?) Measured as a share of G.D.P., last year’s current account deficit (the broadest measure of the trade gap) was wider than ever before. But the markets couldn’t have cared less. They were more interested in the accounts of MicroStrategy (a high-flying tech stock that lost two-thirds of its value in one day when it adopted a new accounting standard) than in those of the United States.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/f…

The Pony Party is an Open Thread.  Please do not REC the party!

Oct 16 2008

Leader of the Socialist Revolution: Jamie Oliver???

Original Article, titled Jamie Oliver: food for thought and subheaded Jamie Oliver has hit our screens again, this time teaching people how to cook. Amy Leather welcomes his take on food and class, by Amy Leather via Socialist Worker (UK):

In the last few years a moral panic over food has taken hold in Britain. Working class people are given rubbish to eat. This can mean a lifetime of health problems such as diabetes, obesity and even early death. We are then blamed for these effects.

The government and the media have made food into a personal and moral issue. What we eat – we are told – is down to decisions made by individuals. So if we make the wrong choices, it’s our own fault and we deserve the consequences.

Oct 16 2008

The Stars Hollow Gazette

Yippee, looks like we will win!

Glenn Greenwald–

Nonetheless, it’s worth underscoring — in fact, it’s vital to keep in mind — that the option of politically empowering Democrats is the opposite of a panacea.  The Democratic Party structure in Washington, and particularly its leadership in Congress, is more corrupted and destructive than anything else there is — with the exception of the right-wing faction that has been running the country for the last eight years.

…

For the last several years, I’ve believed and have frequently written that the only worthwhile strategy is a two-pronged one:

I honestly don’t know of any “progressive bloggers” who blindly support Democrats. I think the strategy of the blogosphere has always been two-pronged — (1) remove the hideous right-wing beast from power and (2) change the Democratic Party in order to make step (1) worth doing. Those are EQUALLY IMPORTANT goals.

Step (1) is merely a pre-requisite (an absolute one) to achieving anything worthwhile.  But without step (2), step (1) is mostly (though not entirely) worthless, because the Democratic Party as currently constituted at its core is a wretched and status-quo-perpetuating institution.  If those who spent the last eight years vigorously opposing the radicalism, militarism, and anti-constitutional abuses of the Bush administration fail to oppose the Democratic leadership with equal fervor when they violate the same principles — as they inevitably will — then the humiliation of the Right and its removal from power will be emotionally satisfying, perfectly just, and a very mild improvement, but will ensure the continuation rather than the termination of most of the worst abuses of this government.

It’s certainly true that there are more good national Democratic office-holders than Republicans — it’s not even close (anyone doubting that should just review the vote totals on the key votes during the Bush era).  But within the Democratic Party, the good members are vastly outnumbered by the bad.  The (understandable) euphoria over the anticipated obliteration of the extremist right-wing movement that has dominated our politics for years (which I share) shouldn’t obscure the fact that the alternative — the national Democratic Party — shares many of the same sicknesses and is burdened by whole new ones as well, and itself will need far more opposing and changing than supporting and affirming.

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