ByeBye American Pie; Hello Banana Cream

Bananas always form the same way, and take the same shape ...

1. Cult of Personality
(250,000 in Berlin; 80,000 acceptance speech; 2 million on Washington Monument square, chanting "O-bam-ah", "O-bam-ah")
2. Nationalization and Economic Stagnation
(too obvious to explain)
3. Censorship
(Fairness Doctrine, which is a veiled measure to censure conservative talk radio)
4. Refutation of laws and due process
(Congressional 'retroactive, punitive, and specific targeted 90% tax on AIG bonuses)

Alas, poor USA, we knew and loved thee well.

LG,let me highlight for you how colored is the lens through which you see everything .... please re-read my message and point out to me exactly where I was injecting Democrat bashing? There is no mention of parties, only that the House of Representatives is acting like a banana republic. Your knee-jerk response "Republicans are acting just as badly as Democrats!" is pretty funny, really.

But more to the point is that far more than "how most Americans were totally ignorant of the excesses of Wall Street until these bailouts" is how ignorant this administration - primarily - and the entire government on both sides - a close second - continues to be ignorant of almost everything concerning this entire mess. These bonuses (and I'm no friend of these fat ass corp execs) were contracted almost a year ago, and were INCLUDED IN THE STIMULUS BILL THAT YOUR MAN BARACK VOTED FOR LAST FALL, and the checks were sent out AFTER the current administration released yet another $30billion to AIG. So it's a little disingenuous for Obama to now be outraged at these bonuses (maybe the lesson here is that politicians of all persuasions should actually read and know what the flaming hell they're proposing/voting for) - and also disingenuous for these politicians (Reps and Dems) to be screaming foul (for example, I don't hear Senator Dodd offering to give back the $170,000 that AIG filled his campaign coffers with recently. If there are Reps that have been the recipient of significant AIG campaign donations, then that goes for them too).

Thirdly, I know you're a skilled debater and argument weaver, but you're being a little lazy/sloppy here, and also inappropriate I think. A flippant throw away line is not only inadequate, it's out of place. I sent this to about 20 AMERICANS, both Reps and Dems. The ramifications of whether AIG execs are offensive, the bonuses are offensive, and that Tim Geithner is incompetant are of no lasting consequence - as isn't Franklin Raines making $90million off of bonuses by Fannie Mae in 6 years, while he and Fannie did the lion's share of getting us into this mess (the dogs bark, but the caravan moves on).
But the precedent of a body of Congress (having voted on and passed the bill that allowed the bonuses) now targeting a very specific group of American workers who have committed no crimes through a 'special specific vindictive usurious tax' has HUGE potential minefields for all kinds of things, most notably the impact on future Freedom of Speech. Think about it LG, as a practical matter (forget about the ethical side of the question, for which the partisan lens won't allow a super-rosa discussion) do you think that Democrats are going to hold the White House and both houses of Congress forever? Even for the rest of your lifetime? Do you really want this kind of precedent put in place if that leverage is then going to be applied in the future by a Republican Congress and/or White House? My God - the government of the United States of America is populated by a frightening number of people of completely unsatisfactory capabilities and brainpower. THINK.

Finally, 'this' isn't supposed to be a democracy (thank God!). It's supposed to be a Republic (though probably not really in practice anymore), and the Founding Fathers were very very focused on making sure that it was a Republic, to prevent exactly this kind of populism rule - which this government certainly now is.

No need to respond. I'm not going to spend this year trying to out-sing Pavarotti or out-screech monkeys or out-yowl cats (pick your preferred metaphor). But there are bigger issues here that warrant more serious thought than everyone trying to out-sound bite someone else on every issue that comes up - some things should transcend Jon Stewart and his little sniffing-lip barbs.

Best Regards,

lks


At 03:01 PM 3/19/2009, you wrote:

Gotta say, though Larry, Republicans are jumping on the populist "Off with their heads" bandwagon with equal fervor as Democrats. And the likes of Grassley will only be satisfied with the actual heads of these executives.
What is amazing to me is how most Americans were totally ignorant of the excesses of Wall Street until these bailouts. Not to worry, though, the populace doesn't rule this democracy - never has, probably never will.


Subject
targeted taxation will pave the road for the loss of Freedom of Speech




House slaps tax on AIG pay
Responding to outrage over AIG payouts, House approves bill that would impose 90% tax on those bonuses.
*******************************************

Guys, this is "targeted taxation" ... it's what third world dictators do. Our country is being run like a banana republic. An average 8th grader could look at this and have his blood run cold.

Once this precedent is set (the govt using the IRS to target individuals it doesn't like), how quickly will Freedome of Speech fall?

Here is Who's Coming

think he doesn't deserve a little more enthusiasm than name, rank, and serial #?
HERE.

FITNA - The film that is causing such an uproar among the liberal media

and among Muslims. People serious about the future of the world they know owe it to themselves and their children - in my opinion - to watch this film.

HERE.

Card Check is Card Dealing That Woulda Got You Shot in the Old West

HERE.

These two paragraphs tell you all you need to know about this blatant attempt to steal the freedom of employees and businesses.

Winds of War

John and Jeanette,

I can feel the gentle breeze that announces the coming winds of global war. It's the 30's all over again. The intellectuals never learn anything useful (because of their arrogance, not lack of brain power), and their pinheaded dithering (followed in lockstep by the media) always leads us down this path, where the only thing that will save the forest is a forest fire.

What a tragedy in the making, and us (as individuals) so helpless to stop it.

George McGovern - Failed Business Owner "I had no idea about all the TAXES!"

HERE

this is beyond ironic ... just another smart Democrat getting a taste of the business end of the world he helped to create ...

Why Dems Can't Now Take a Hands Off

you made some reasoned observations, M. But no Obama voters get a pass - they voted, so they take responsibility for the consequences of that vote.

80% of Dems approve of B.O.'s policy efforts so far. So when I 'rail' against the Dems, it's the 80% I'm railing against (which is a pretty big chunk of them, no?)

"Conservative Democrat" .... what does that mean?

She sent on to you a flaming hit piece from NOW slamming Palin after her nomination by McCain.

Anyone who voted for Obama bears the responsibility for the outcomes of his policies. Anyone who was interested in knowing the facts of each candidate had the information available - not addressing the facts then isn't a very good defense now or in the future.

To vote for Obama, one needed to be one of 8 or 9 things:

- a casual sloppy "I'm a Democrat who is ignorant of the issues and beliefs of my candidate" citizen
- a one issue voter (abortion, getting out of Iraq, closing Guantanamo, stemcell research, etc) who puts his/her one pet cause above the overriding welfare of the American populace as a whole
- a short sighted voter (Repub or Dem or Ind) who became worn down and exhausted mentally from the "Bash Bush" campaign by the media the last 7 years
- a communist and/or socialist (both of which have robust parties in the US, and both of which are big Obama supporters)
- a practicing Muslim (the exceptions are few and far between)
- a frivolous human who considered nothing seriously, but thought it would be 'cool' to be part of an historic vote
- an 'intellectual' Republican who was enamored by Obama's color, his 'presentation of somber deliberation', his ability as a writer, and thus whistled irresponsibly past the graveyard of his very clear belief system and vision of the world he wants (Black liberation theology, 'economic justice', etc).

Yes, I sent out many many pieces of information that clearly described his belief system, based upon his words and his actions. Democrats weren't sending out stuff like that about McCain because there was nothing to send out - he's a loyal American, a war hero, a committed longterm public servant, an experienced savvy foreign policy student - in short, a 'known' quantity. That he was not a slick, skilled salesman of the conservative voice is hardly an excuse for voting for "the most liberal member of the Senate" who clearly believes in income redistribution, forcing the productive to get on their knees in order to be at eye level with the non-productive (his constituency). I wasn't happy with McCain as the candidate (knowing we needed a formidable contender to turn back the huge momentum of the Obama campaign, fueled by the media juggernaut, millions of illegal immigrants, and hundreds of millions of dollars in foreign contributions), but to my eye he certainly was the only candidate who could/would come close to protecting our Founding Father's heritage and legacy of a Free, God fearing Republic.

It was no secret what Obama was, and his current actions are just confirmation of his past actions and beliefs. To claim over the next 4 or 8 years that "We're shocked! Shocked!" will be a disingenuous position for Dems and other 2008 Obama supporters to take.

At 02:18 PM 3/10/2009, you wrote:
It's possible she's NOT so much an Obama supporter as a Democrat. She said there was a reason she switched from being a Repub to being a Dem - something to do with her airline job long ago.
I think she's a conservative Dem rather than an left-wing Obama devotee, but she hated Bush (as did many), and voted Dem. She sent me one thing about Obama (can't remember what it was)...you sent out dozens of anti-Democratic rants!

You seem to assume all Democrats are in love with Obama and think he walks on water. Not true - nor are they all crazy about his politics and policies. They didn't see McCain as an option - and face it - he wasn't a good one. We certainly weren't impressed, but we voted for him - as a Republican, because we very much disliked what Obama espoused. I've heard you say you don't vote for the party, you vote for the man. In this election, we didn't have a good option on either side.

Not everyone who's a Dem is obsessed - and nuts! There are a few good Americans out there who belong to the Democratic party!

M


--- On Tue, 3/10/09,
From: L
Subject: Re: Forms of Government
To: m
Date: Tuesday, March 10, 2009, 2:48 PM

and again, I'm humored at something like this coming from an Obama supporter. He has spoken out in the past against the rule of limitations inherent in our US Constitution - he believes that it should be a document that tells the government what it must do (not what the Founding Fathers intended) , instead of a document that tells the government what it cannot do (which is what the Founding Fathers set up)

Obama would prefer (since he currently has the majority) a democracy (mob rule), and is trying to cement that majority by taking from the producers and giving the spoils to as many of his constituents/mob as possible.



At 09:31 AM 3/10/2009, you wrote:
Excellent!!
----- Original Message -----
From: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


A simple explanation...Here

Thanks for Nothing, Bro.

Wall Street Journal describes how Obama has laid an egg, concentrating on income transfer instead of income creation ... HERE.

Wise vs. Wish

M,

apropo our discussion this morning, here is a 4 minute discussion between Jim Cramer (the stock guy) and Erin Burnett (the CNBC co-anchor). She's a huge Obama liberal. Listen to the exchange between these two intelligent people and you will see the stark differences in how they 'see' the world ... Cramer is all about 'actions and consequences', and Erin is all about "feeling better". See Video Here

Another Bite from the Obama Sandwich

hold your nose, chew, and swallow (to be repeated tomorrow) ...

WASHINGTON ­ President Obama sent a secret letter to Russia’s president last month suggesting that he would back off deploying a new missile defense system in Eastern Europe if Moscow would help stop Iran from developing long-range weapons, American officials said Monday.

Let's make a short list ... withholding money from American troops in Afghan for rebuilding efforts; giving $1billion to Hamas; and now secret diplomatic entreaties to appease Russia at the expense of our allies ...

nice ... real nice.

Peggy and Obama sittin' in a tree...

Peggy Noonan is so far around the 'style' bend with dreamy eyes for Obama's 'bearing' that I can't even hear her anymore, much less see her.

Her latest ode includes "A mysterious thing happened in that speech Tuesday night. By the end of it Barack Obama had become president. Every president has a moment
when suddenly he becomes what he meant to be, or knows what he is ... So with Mr. Obama, about four-fifths of the way through the speech. He was looking from the prompters to the congressmen and senators, and suddenly he was engaging on what seemed a deeper level. His voice took on inflection. He wasn’t detached, as if he was wondering how he was doing. He seemed equal to the moment and then, in some new way, in command of it..."

Wow, how's that leg chill you got going there, Peggy?

My sad observation is that the same flowering adulation and intellligencia admiration was showered on Mussolini in the 30's. But that didn't make the man or his ideas worthy of laudatory praise in 1939 ... nor should/does it in 2009.