Mar 01 2011

Xanthe calls Dick Durbin’s Office

(10 am. – promoted by ek hornbeck)

This morning to forestall beating my head against the wall, I called Dick’s office:

A nice young lady answered –

X:  I can hardly believe it, but this am I heard on the Russian tv station that we may

   interfere and well – invade Libya.  I can’t believe it.  I cannot.  Now I know as do

   others that Sen. Durbin is a neoliberal who is working behind the scenes to

   cut SS and probably Medicare.  It is what it is. I’ve given up on him as an

   strong Democrat and I hope that the cuts in SS/Medicare will help – how can I put

   it – help out our corporate masters in the oil business.   Is there gas there?

   whatever.  Also to help out the masters of the universe mercenary firms.  I want

   to do my part.  

Silence  

  Perhaps I am unhinged.  Several wars instituted by your country in an old lady’s

  lifetime can do that.  Wars that were paid for by her retirement funds.  May I make

  a bet with you, young lady.  In  5, 6, 7 years,  this headline is a possibility:

  Russian, Iran and China finalize an oil deal with Libya.  The United States has

  signed another trade deal with Libya causing the loss of 3,450 jobs.  Food riots

  have broken out in Detroit, Chicago and Dallas.

Silence  Finally:

  Well, I will pass your concerns on to Senator Durbin.

X: Oh don’t bother, my dear.  He’s not interested in me, or reason for that matter.

Silence

X: Thank you for your time – I just had to make a phone call about it. I hope you

  understand.

                                        ********

I feel as though I am going mad.  Am I?

12 comments

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    • Xanthe on March 1, 2011 at 19:20
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    • #

    that the U.S. may have to bail out an Afghan bank to the tune of several million dollars.  The IMF has forbidden European countries to offer any monies but the U.S can do it.

    As usual – I got nuthin!

     

  2. Am I, too?

    This is surreal — I cannot even contemplate that the thought even exists!

    Paul Craig Roberts (2/25/2011)

    The United States government cannot get enough of war. With Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi’s regime falling to a rebelling population, CNN reports that a Pentagon spokesman said that the U.S. is looking at all options from the military side.

    Allegedly, the Pentagon, which is responsible for one million dead Iraqis and an unknown number of dead Afghans and Pakistanis, is concerned about the deaths of 1,000 Libyan protesters.

    While the Pentagon tries to figure out how to get involved in the Libyan revolt, the commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific is developing new battle plans to take on China in her home territory. Four-star Admiral Robert Willard thinks the U.S. should be able to whip China in its own coastal waters.

    The admiral thinks one way to do this is to add U.S. Marines to his force structure so that the U.S. can eject Chinese forces from disputed islands in the East and South China seas. . . . . (emphasis mine)

    more here

  3. And, while we’ve all been involved in what’s going in Wisconsin, the Repug Rats were at it.  Just received —


    Dear B E,

    Republicans have found an easier way to cut Social Security-just cut funding for the Social Security Administration (SSA). In the wee hours of the morning on February 19, all but three House Republicans voted to cut $1.7 billion from the SSA. The proposed cuts are so severe that the SSA could have to furlough thousands of workers for 1 month out of the 7 months remaining this budget year.

    The impact of these cuts for retirees, disabled workers and families will be devastating.

    Please attend a noon rally on March 2nd to support restoring funding to the Social Security Administration. Click here to see if there is a rally near you.

    If you can’t attend a rally, please call your Senators.

    Here’s what these cuts will do:

    –Up to 400,000 people will have their applications for retirement, survivors and Medicare benefits significantly delayed.

    –Up to 290,000 people will have their applications for disability benefits significantly delayed. Unbelievably, it already takes nearly 500 days on average to have a disability claim resolved.

    What’s worse is that these cuts are nothing but cutting for cutting’s sake. When we say Social Security doesn’t add a penny to the deficit that goes for the costs the Social Security Administration incurs making sure that workers get the benefits they earned.  The money you contribute to Social Security every day you work pays not only for your benefits, but for the Social Security Administration’s work keeping track of your earnings, so that you get the benefits you earned.

    Please attend a noon rally on March 2nd to support restoring funding to the Social Security Administration. Click here to see if there is a rally near you.

    If you can’t attend a rally, please call your Senators.

    The Republican agenda is clear. The party wants to cut, privatize, and otherwise harm Social Security. This month they are trying to defund the SSA.  In April and May they will try to cut Social Security benefits outright.

    It’s up to the U.S. Senate to keep the doors to the SSA open for business.  This could be decided over the next two weeks.  We need you to call your Senators today.

    Thanks for fighting to strengthen Social Security,

    Melissa Byrne

    Online Campaigns Coordinator, Strengthen Social Security!

    I feel sick!

  4. By DAVID ESPO, AP Special Correspondent David Espo, Ap Special Correspondent – 56 mins ago

    WASHINGTON – The House passed emergency short-term legislation Tuesday to cut federal spending by $4 billion and avert a government shutdown. Senate Democrats agreed to follow suit, handing Republicans an early victory in their drive to rein in government.

    The bill that cleared the House on a bipartisan vote of 335-91 eliminates the threat of a shutdown on March 4, when existing funding authority expires. At the same time, it creates a compressed two-week timeframe for the White House and lawmakers to engage in what looms as a highly contentious negotiation on a follow-up bill to set spending levels through the Sept. 30 end of the fiscal year. . . . .

    AND SICKER!

    Jeb Bush will appear with President Obama in Miami.

    By Holly Bailey

    Mar 1, 3:08 pm ET

    President Obama’s 2012 strategy increasingly seems centered around one old mantra: “Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.”

    Case in point: The White House announced today that Obama will travel to Miami Friday where he’ll appear with Jeb Bush at an event calling for increased federal spending on education. . . . .

    la la lala, la la lala!

    • Edger on March 2, 2011 at 18:00
    • #

    Well, ummm, you do know that you have to be crazy to be sane these days, don’t you?

  6. I hope she did too.

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