Paulson's Deal Breaker
Barney Frank is negotiating with Hank Paulson over the rescue package. Frank wants some limits on financial executive golden parachutes. Paulson says no deal.
Frank, who has been in phone discussions with Paulson, said the secretary appeared receptive to adding some foreclosure-relief language. The second Democratic proposal — to impose compensation limits on Wall Street executives — is meeting more resistance.
“Hank says it’s a poison pill,” Frank said. “I say I don’t think it’s very patriotic for someone to not give up his golden parachute when we’re trying to save the markets.”
So Paulson has scared these congressman into thinking the world is going to end on Monday and yet he’d kill the rescue if it meant his Wall Streets pals would have to take a pay cut.
Maybe the situation is not as severe as Paulson is painting it. It’s time for the Democrats to sweat the fat cats for a few days. Let’s get some real concessions out of these desperadoes. Warrants,hedge fund regulation, short selling reform. Don’t settle for less.
I agree completely. Let ‘em sweat. the only way to get a good deal is to be willing to walk away from it – for real.
If the wheels really are coming off, then executive compensation, past, present and future needs to be on the table. Also, some accountability for the folks who brought us this mess. Like they need to: a) pay back the money they were paid in bonuses and such; and b) they need to go away in a timely, organized manner – sans golden chutes.
It is, after all, our money we are talking about and we get to negotiate the terms of the deal – or walk away from it and let’s see how bad it really will be.
I agree completely. Let ‘em sweat. the only way to get a good deal is to be willing to walk away from it – for real.
If the wheels really are coming off, then executive compensation, past, present and future needs to be on the table. Also, some accountability for the folks who brought us this mess. Like they need to: a) pay back the money they were paid in bonuses and such; and b) they need to go away in a timely, organized manner – sans golden chutes.
It is, after all, our money we are talking about and we get to negotiate the terms of the deal – or walk away from it and let’s see how bad it really will be.
I think they should have to pickup trash on the side of the freeways…
I think they should have to pickup trash on the side of the freeways…
Why not simply make them pay it back?
AIG is getting a loan.
Why isn’t the entire package a high interest short term loan?
Why not simply make them pay it back?
AIG is getting a loan.
Why isn’t the entire package a high interest short term loan?
It appears that the markets need only the slightest whiff of things going their way for them to bust-out with enthusiasm… is it really so fickle that they can’t sit tight for a week or two now that they know the rescue team has been dispatched? This is sounding like a scam or at the very least they’re trying it on, which is outrageous.
It appears that the markets need only the slightest whiff of things going their way for them to bust-out with enthusiasm… is it really so fickle that they can’t sit tight for a week or two now that they know the rescue team has been dispatched? This is sounding like a scam or at the very least they’re trying it on, which is outrageous.
One of my favorite people right now is Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr., who writes a daily article on http://www.mises.org.
On Wednesday., Sept. 10th he wrote these words in and article entitled, Don’t Bail Them Out:
“[The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Cato Institute, and others] are ready to propagandize for the largest socialist operation in American history. In all of these latter cases, we are looking not at a problem of economic education, but rather the lack of courage to stand up to the state when it is needed most.”
I completely agree. What is needed here is for people to be pissed. I mean it. And here’s why…
The housing bubble was created by the monetary policy in this country. This policy allows for a private group of bankers called the Federal Reserve to print “money” at will – billions of dollars at a time – and falsely manipulate interest rates. (The constitution states that the coining of money is the sole prerogative of the congress AND that only gold and silver should be legal tender). This manipulation of interests rates has the effect of creating incentive for the financial institutions to participate in predatory lending practices (i.e. the spontaneous generation of the ‘sub-prime’ market) where people who could not afford the terms of their mortgage were given one anyway. This is the bubble. The giant pin which is popping it is the large percentage of people who are defaulting on their loans resulting in foreclosure.
Now here comes the ideal opportunity for the government to step in and save the day by bailing Fannie and Freddie out. We call this “corporate welfare”. Of course, there is no money for this so two things must happen: 1) public money pays for it (of which there will not be enough), and so, 2) the Fed creates more fake money. Whew. Does anyone else see a problem with this?
But wait! There’s more!
Make no mistake, what this particular instance of corporate welfare represents is nothing less than a silent and hostile takeover of private financial institutions by government via the manipulation of the market over time. Now they get to look like the good guys and make everyone feel protected. But what is really going on is that they created and nurtured the problem to maturity on purpose and are now harvesting the profits themselves. What profits you ask? Isn’t this going to cost them more money – how is that profit?
First of all, the government has no money of its own. It is always the citizen’s dollars we are talking about. And anyway, profit is strictly defined as any gain derived from an action. The gain for big government here is more power – which is what caused all this to begin with. Now, this is not to say that the lending institutions have no accountability here. Of course they do. Which is why they should be allowed to fail. What this would do is create incentive for competing institutions to tighten the standards for mortgages thereby protecting themselves from ruin. What this means is that only people who can actually afford to own a house would. Does anyone really have a problem with that? I don’t.
I leave you with my final thoughts by way of Mr. Rockwell’s opening thoughts from the same article sited above:
“… the Great Depression was a crisis manufactured and prolonged by the attempts to stop an inevitable downturn. The policy response — creating more money, propping up prices, ginning up employment, and a host of other devices — took a stock-market price collapse and a banking liquidation and spread the mess throughout every sector of the economy. What might have lasted a year to 18 months instead lasted 16 years.”
Socialistic policy is not the answer, it is the problem.
Finally, the real silent and hostile takeover that is happening is not limited to what I have described here so far. It involves the taking over of our choices, our wills, and indeed our very lives. If you doubt this, look around. You find the Patriot Act and FISA creating warrant-less wire taps in direct violation of the fourth amendment, airport security has been nationalized and get ready for healthcare to follow suite. Not to mention all the people in other countries who are adversely effected by our meddling, aggressive foreign policy.
Please don’t get me wrong, I love America. But this place we live is not America anymore. We have to consider the real possibility that our government represents more of a threat to us than the menaces it pretends to protect us from.
son_of_liberty
One of my favorite people right now is Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr., who writes a daily article on http://www.mises.org.
On Wednesday., Sept. 10th he wrote these words in and article entitled, Don’t Bail Them Out:
“[The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Cato Institute, and others] are ready to propagandize for the largest socialist operation in American history. In all of these latter cases, we are looking not at a problem of economic education, but rather the lack of courage to stand up to the state when it is needed most.”
I completely agree. What is needed here is for people to be pissed. I mean it. And here’s why…
The housing bubble was created by the monetary policy in this country. This policy allows for a private group of bankers called the Federal Reserve to print “money” at will – billions of dollars at a time – and falsely manipulate interest rates. (The constitution states that the coining of money is the sole prerogative of the congress AND that only gold and silver should be legal tender). This manipulation of interests rates has the effect of creating incentive for the financial institutions to participate in predatory lending practices (i.e. the spontaneous generation of the ‘sub-prime’ market) where people who could not afford the terms of their mortgage were given one anyway. This is the bubble. The giant pin which is popping it is the large percentage of people who are defaulting on their loans resulting in foreclosure.
Now here comes the ideal opportunity for the government to step in and save the day by bailing Fannie and Freddie out. We call this “corporate welfare”. Of course, there is no money for this so two things must happen: 1) public money pays for it (of which there will not be enough), and so, 2) the Fed creates more fake money. Whew. Does anyone else see a problem with this?
But wait! There’s more!
Make no mistake, what this particular instance of corporate welfare represents is nothing less than a silent and hostile takeover of private financial institutions by government via the manipulation of the market over time. Now they get to look like the good guys and make everyone feel protected. But what is really going on is that they created and nurtured the problem to maturity on purpose and are now harvesting the profits themselves. What profits you ask? Isn’t this going to cost them more money – how is that profit?
First of all, the government has no money of its own. It is always the citizen’s dollars we are talking about. And anyway, profit is strictly defined as any gain derived from an action. The gain for big government here is more power – which is what caused all this to begin with. Now, this is not to say that the lending institutions have no accountability here. Of course they do. Which is why they should be allowed to fail. What this would do is create incentive for competing institutions to tighten the standards for mortgages thereby protecting themselves from ruin. What this means is that only people who can actually afford to own a house would. Does anyone really have a problem with that? I don’t.
I leave you with my final thoughts by way of Mr. Rockwell’s opening thoughts from the same article sited above:
“… the Great Depression was a crisis manufactured and prolonged by the attempts to stop an inevitable downturn. The policy response — creating more money, propping up prices, ginning up employment, and a host of other devices — took a stock-market price collapse and a banking liquidation and spread the mess throughout every sector of the economy. What might have lasted a year to 18 months instead lasted 16 years.”
Socialistic policy is not the answer, it is the problem.
Finally, the real silent and hostile takeover that is happening is not limited to what I have described here so far. It involves the taking over of our choices, our wills, and indeed our very lives. If you doubt this, look around. You find the Patriot Act and FISA creating warrant-less wire taps in direct violation of the fourth amendment, airport security has been nationalized and get ready for healthcare to follow suite. Not to mention all the people in other countries who are adversely effected by our meddling, aggressive foreign policy.
Please don’t get me wrong, I love America. But this place we live is not America anymore. We have to consider the real possibility that our government represents more of a threat to us than the menaces it pretends to protect us from.
son_of_liberty
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/244/story/52804.html
You can add Senator Bunning R-KY to the list of those that oppose a deal.
Jon,
Nothing I’ve read has changed my mind that this is not the ‘end-of-the-world’ as painted by the Fed and the Treasury. This is the rich along with foreign holders of American debt who are threatening Bernanke and Paulson behind the scenes.
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/244/story/52804.html
You can add Senator Bunning R-KY to the list of those that oppose a deal.
Jon,
Nothing I’ve read has changed my mind that this is not the ‘end-of-the-world’ as painted by the Fed and the Treasury. This is the rich along with foreign holders of American debt who are threatening Bernanke and Paulson behind the scenes.
I would feel a lot better about this if I knew that the golden parachutes were part of the deal. It only seems fair since these executives had to have know this was coming, and if they didn’t, they don’t deserve their severance anyhow.
I would feel a lot better about this if I knew that the golden parachutes were part of the deal. It only seems fair since these executives had to have know this was coming, and if they didn’t, they don’t deserve their severance anyhow.
the real question is at what value do the bad assets come in at–prehaps last quoted trade?– my guess is if that is the price the govt will make money on this bail out
the real question is at what value do the bad assets come in at–prehaps last quoted trade?– my guess is if that is the price the govt will make money on this bail out
Paulson is on with George Stephanopoulos right now and he is stammering and searching for words.
This does not inspire confidence.
Paulson is on with George Stephanopoulos right now and he is stammering and searching for words.
This does not inspire confidence.
Paulson, Boehners, and Dodd seem seriously shaken. Boehners and Dodd won’t repeat what was told to them in their closed door meeting. They imply that if this bailout doesn’t happen NOW without Congress muddying up the waters there will be a Global Economic Collapse.
George WIll just called it the Paulsen Administration.
They are all stammering.
Paulson, Boehners, and Dodd seem seriously shaken. Boehners and Dodd won’t repeat what was told to them in their closed door meeting. They imply that if this bailout doesn’t happen NOW without Congress muddying up the waters there will be a Global Economic Collapse.
George WIll just called it the Paulsen Administration.
They are all stammering.
I don’t think that Paulson is stammering–he in this group knows exactly what he is talking about–if Obama gets in he should keep him
I don’t think that Paulson is stammering–he in this group knows exactly what he is talking about–if Obama gets in he should keep him
This is a clear example of ideologues obstinately refusing to see that the road they are on leads to a cliff, and as they near they cliff at max speed, obstinately refusing to put on the brakes. We are now out in the wild blue yonder.
This is a clear example of ideologues obstinately refusing to see that the road they are on leads to a cliff, and as they near they cliff at max speed, obstinately refusing to put on the brakes. We are now out in the wild blue yonder.
Sorry man, but he was stammering, Run back the tape.
I’m not saying he doesn’t know what he is talking about, maybe he was nervous to be on television.
Sorry man, but he was stammering, Run back the tape.
I’m not saying he doesn’t know what he is talking about, maybe he was nervous to be on television.
To continue the analogy, we are out in the wild blue yonder and we have NO idea where we are going to land. There is every possibility it is not going to be a soft landing.
To continue the analogy, we are out in the wild blue yonder and we have NO idea where we are going to land. There is every possibility it is not going to be a soft landing.
VBM-The soft landing went out the window three months ago.
VBM-The soft landing went out the window three months ago.
Doug- Paulson my be smart, but he’s flying the plane with no instruments now, to use VBM’s analogy.
Doug- Paulson my be smart, but he’s flying the plane with no instruments now, to use VBM’s analogy.
VBM-You’re right Paulson is stammering. He’s really shaken.
VBM-You’re right Paulson is stammering. He’s really shaken.
“The soft landing went out the window three months ago.”
I agree, Jon. We hold out a faint hope (I am surprised the President Bust has not called for Divine Intervention rather than government intervention).
Of course, the people who caused this crash are parachuting down to one of their houses on one of their golf courses.
“The soft landing went out the window three months ago.”
I agree, Jon. We hold out a faint hope (I am surprised the President Bust has not called for Divine Intervention rather than government intervention).
Of course, the people who caused this crash are parachuting down to one of their houses on one of their golf courses.
Ron Paul just said this bailout isn’t helping Main Street, “it is sticking it to Main Street.”
Ron Paul just said this bailout isn’t helping Main Street, “it is sticking it to Main Street.”
clearly this is unchartered territory–but of all the people that could be at the helm Paulson is one of the best–a really bad place to be but he is not a typical Bush appointee– no matter who gets blamed we should all hope for a solution that minamizes damage–
clearly this is unchartered territory–but of all the people that could be at the helm Paulson is one of the best–a really bad place to be but he is not a typical Bush appointee– no matter who gets blamed we should all hope for a solution that minamizes damage–
Agreed.
Agreed.
I was remarking that it was clear (to me, at least) that he is shaken.
That worries me. Deeply.
I was remarking that it was clear (to me, at least) that he is shaken.
That worries me. Deeply.
This makes me feel deeply ill. This used to be such a great country.
This makes me feel deeply ill. This used to be such a great country.
Doug, if I may call you that, let’s pin down the blame right now. If you don’t mind, that might be a good job for this group. It is not an infinite universe.
First of all, what are the ideas or the ideologies that are to blame?
Doug, if I may call you that, let’s pin down the blame right now. If you don’t mind, that might be a good job for this group. It is not an infinite universe.
First of all, what are the ideas or the ideologies that are to blame?
(Doug, by the way, that was a funny slip- it certainly is not unchartered territory. I’ll compound the joke- it is chartered terrortory)
(Doug, by the way, that was a funny slip- it certainly is not unchartered territory. I’ll compound the joke- it is chartered terrortory)
Another angle on this could be that the bankers are looking to have the gov’t lock in the terms and conditions now (golden parachutes, immunity, etc.) because they know that although the public doesn’t want them to get those goodies, the public REALLY won’t want it AFTER we learn that it’s not One Thousand Billion, it’s more like Forty Thousand Billion; and that people are going to be really pissed when they start using Google Maps on some of those mortgage addresses and find that they point to empty trailer-park pads, mailboxes at the UPS Store, and some one-bedroom bungalows “valued” at $11.4 million each.
At what point does this become more like a serial murderer investigation… “sure I *could* tell you where those bodies are buried, but what do I get out of it?”
Another angle on this could be that the bankers are looking to have the gov’t lock in the terms and conditions now (golden parachutes, immunity, etc.) because they know that although the public doesn’t want them to get those goodies, the public REALLY won’t want it AFTER we learn that it’s not One Thousand Billion, it’s more like Forty Thousand Billion; and that people are going to be really pissed when they start using Google Maps on some of those mortgage addresses and find that they point to empty trailer-park pads, mailboxes at the UPS Store, and some one-bedroom bungalows “valued” at $11.4 million each.
At what point does this become more like a serial murderer investigation… “sure I *could* tell you where those bodies are buried, but what do I get out of it?”
@GregG-
Funny stuff.
Back during the S&L debacle, the Butcher Brothers of Tennessee used sweetheart deal insider loan money to buy control of numerous banks and S&Ls. Cecil Butcher, Jake’s younger brother, set up more than 200 corporations — all with the same Kingston Pike West Knoxville address (a branch location of one of his S&Ls, actually), and all listing various Butcher family members as officers and directors — and all of which got myriad unsecured 6 and 7 figure loans from his S&Ls. The loans then got doled out into various family trusts and offshore accounts.
At the time I was living in Knoxville, and having personally done all of the setup and admin paperwork for two legit TN corporations (one a Sub-S, the other a C-corp), I found it telling that NO ONE is the TN Secretary of State’s office found it noteworthy or otherwise curious that hundreds of temporally close corporate filings all had the same principals and address.
We seem to never learn.
@GregG-
Funny stuff.
Back during the S&L debacle, the Butcher Brothers of Tennessee used sweetheart deal insider loan money to buy control of numerous banks and S&Ls. Cecil Butcher, Jake’s younger brother, set up more than 200 corporations — all with the same Kingston Pike West Knoxville address (a branch location of one of his S&Ls, actually), and all listing various Butcher family members as officers and directors — and all of which got myriad unsecured 6 and 7 figure loans from his S&Ls. The loans then got doled out into various family trusts and offshore accounts.
At the time I was living in Knoxville, and having personally done all of the setup and admin paperwork for two legit TN corporations (one a Sub-S, the other a C-corp), I found it telling that NO ONE is the TN Secretary of State’s office found it noteworthy or otherwise curious that hundreds of temporally close corporate filings all had the same principals and address.
We seem to never learn.
With all due respect to Paulson, he is a consummate Wall Street insider, and what might cause him great angst may not cause the average American any grief at all.
Further, and I think this is a key issue, these are the same folks who made a panicked and fervent pitch that we needed to attack Iraq NOW – not in a week, a month or a year NOW or we were going to get nuked or???
This guy wants a blank check before the Dems come to power and the free ride is over. Problems, most definitely, but a few days or weeks of consideration and cooling off may yield big dividends later.
Greed, combined with rash, impulsive actions helped get us here – it is time to be like a fireman – they rarely, if ever run, the move deliberately, but with much caution.
It is time for that approach.
With all due respect to Paulson, he is a consummate Wall Street insider, and what might cause him great angst may not cause the average American any grief at all.
Further, and I think this is a key issue, these are the same folks who made a panicked and fervent pitch that we needed to attack Iraq NOW – not in a week, a month or a year NOW or we were going to get nuked or???
This guy wants a blank check before the Dems come to power and the free ride is over. Problems, most definitely, but a few days or weeks of consideration and cooling off may yield big dividends later.
Greed, combined with rash, impulsive actions helped get us here – it is time to be like a fireman – they rarely, if ever run, the move deliberately, but with much caution.
It is time for that approach.
This situation is starting to remind me of the run-up to the Iraq war. Start with a difficult, complex situation, use alarmist language to create fear and a sense of false urgency, hide the details of what you are really proposing to the public, and then try to ram your proposal through Congress, hoping that they will be too afraid to stand up to you.
This situation is starting to remind me of the run-up to the Iraq war. Start with a difficult, complex situation, use alarmist language to create fear and a sense of false urgency, hide the details of what you are really proposing to the public, and then try to ram your proposal through Congress, hoping that they will be too afraid to stand up to you.
This situation is starting to remind me of the run-up to the Iraq war. Start with a difficult, complex situation, use alarmist language to create fear and a sense of false urgency, hide the details of what you are really proposing to the public, and then try to ram your proposal through Congress, hoping that they will be too afraid to stand up to you.
Jason,
Bingo.
Jason,
Bingo.
I totally, totally, totally agree. It’s not government regulation that got us into this mess (though arguably lack of regulation could be blamed), so there obviously needs to be some sort of punishment dealt out to those who got us here. If they know that they can just get bailed out without any consequences whenever they get themselves into trouble, what’s to keep them from coming back and doing the same thing in a different way? They all should take HUGE paycuts without “golden parachutes” so they know how the people who are losing their pensions feel.
I totally, totally, totally agree. It’s not government regulation that got us into this mess (though arguably lack of regulation could be blamed), so there obviously needs to be some sort of punishment dealt out to those who got us here. If they know that they can just get bailed out without any consequences whenever they get themselves into trouble, what’s to keep them from coming back and doing the same thing in a different way? They all should take HUGE paycuts without “golden parachutes” so they know how the people who are losing their pensions feel.
Take all of the executives to Guantanomo, put them in dog cages, and let them sit there for three weeks.
Then take them back out and ask them again about their severance packages.
Take all of the executives to Guantanomo, put them in dog cages, and let them sit there for three weeks.
Then take them back out and ask them again about their severance packages.
Take all of the executives to Guantanomo, put them in dog cages, and let them sit there for three weeks.
Then take them back out and ask them again about their severance packages.
What I think we need in any deal is the testicles of all of the Wall Street firms involved. Not just the toxic debt, not just the “assets” that aren’t worth anything any more. We want the real assets too. So firm so-and-so needs 25 billion to bail it out? OK we’ll need 10 billion of your top-notch investment-grade assets; actual investment-grade assets, not the horseshit you’ve been churning out with “USDA Prime” labels on it.
Don’t have it? Then sink. Bye-bye. Are you sure you can’t afford it? Maybe you can slash those huge executive bonuses. Or do something, anything. I don’t care how much suffering it causes your bluebloods, the ones who pay for ad campaigns to label Obama as an elitist. You want help, you have to cut off your cojones and give them to us, and you won’t get them back until EVERY PENNY is restored, with interest.
And every so many months after a given deadline, a certain percentage of those high-grade investments not yet redeemed move from the in-pawn bin to the taxpayer-owned bin, and they’ll be sold at auction and applied as tax rebates, not just for wealthy people either, but for rank-and-file Americans. And not just thrown into the Pork-for-Piggies barrel for Congress to spend on more bridges to nowhere.
Can’t afford it? Then sink.
If the deal isn’t something like this, I think I’ve reached the point where it’s time for civil disobedience.
What I think we need in any deal is the testicles of all of the Wall Street firms involved. Not just the toxic debt, not just the “assets” that aren’t worth anything any more. We want the real assets too. So firm so-and-so needs 25 billion to bail it out? OK we’ll need 10 billion of your top-notch investment-grade assets; actual investment-grade assets, not the horseshit you’ve been churning out with “USDA Prime” labels on it.
Don’t have it? Then sink. Bye-bye. Are you sure you can’t afford it? Maybe you can slash those huge executive bonuses. Or do something, anything. I don’t care how much suffering it causes your bluebloods, the ones who pay for ad campaigns to label Obama as an elitist. You want help, you have to cut off your cojones and give them to us, and you won’t get them back until EVERY PENNY is restored, with interest.
And every so many months after a given deadline, a certain percentage of those high-grade investments not yet redeemed move from the in-pawn bin to the taxpayer-owned bin, and they’ll be sold at auction and applied as tax rebates, not just for wealthy people either, but for rank-and-file Americans. And not just thrown into the Pork-for-Piggies barrel for Congress to spend on more bridges to nowhere.
Can’t afford it? Then sink.
If the deal isn’t something like this, I think I’ve reached the point where it’s time for civil disobedience.
Dan, et. al others:
Liking the reading lately. This whole shitstorm has me *quite* concerned. I do have one benefit: My wife is Taiwanese, so next time I visit my mother-in-law, I will register with their government and be granted Taiwanese citizenship. I will never revoke my American citizenship, but I must agree with others that have stated here: This is *not* the America I was born in, nor the one I grew up in, nor the one I am proud of…
But, I have been wondering about many things. Why would BlackWater have been building concentration camps in Kansas? Allegedly elsewhere as well. Could it be that they *expect* some level of civil unrest before Bust’s term is done? Will there be a last-minute booga-booga-booga Nukular-powered Islamo-corporate-Nazi-Commie-pinkos-swarthy-skinned-terrorist-banditos coming to get us! Martial law is the only way, and we cannot conceivably have an *election* or honor the results of the recently held election, because that’s just what the Nukular-powered Islamo-corporate-Nazi-Commie-pinkos-swarthy-skinned-terrorist-banditos want?!
What?!
Don’t like the shine on my tinfoil Fedora?
(In all seriousness, following the money trails has led me to some apparently cursorily-hidden truths, and the more I learn, the more concerned I get. I honestly think that some of these bastards are playing for the US to lose, because they are putting short-calls on our whole society.)
- Zhirem
Dan, et. al others:
Liking the reading lately. This whole shitstorm has me *quite* concerned. I do have one benefit: My wife is Taiwanese, so next time I visit my mother-in-law, I will register with their government and be granted Taiwanese citizenship. I will never revoke my American citizenship, but I must agree with others that have stated here: This is *not* the America I was born in, nor the one I grew up in, nor the one I am proud of…
But, I have been wondering about many things. Why would BlackWater have been building concentration camps in Kansas? Allegedly elsewhere as well. Could it be that they *expect* some level of civil unrest before Bust’s term is done? Will there be a last-minute booga-booga-booga Nukular-powered Islamo-corporate-Nazi-Commie-pinkos-swarthy-skinned-terrorist-banditos coming to get us! Martial law is the only way, and we cannot conceivably have an *election* or honor the results of the recently held election, because that’s just what the Nukular-powered Islamo-corporate-Nazi-Commie-pinkos-swarthy-skinned-terrorist-banditos want?!
What?!
Don’t like the shine on my tinfoil Fedora?
(In all seriousness, following the money trails has led me to some apparently cursorily-hidden truths, and the more I learn, the more concerned I get. I honestly think that some of these bastards are playing for the US to lose, because they are putting short-calls on our whole society.)
- Zhirem
Dan, et. al others:
Liking the reading lately. This whole shitstorm has me *quite* concerned. I do have one benefit: My wife is Taiwanese, so next time I visit my mother-in-law, I will register with their government and be granted Taiwanese citizenship. I will never revoke my American citizenship, but I must agree with others that have stated here: This is *not* the America I was born in, nor the one I grew up in, nor the one I am proud of…
But, I have been wondering about many things. Why would BlackWater have been building concentration camps in Kansas? Allegedly elsewhere as well. Could it be that they *expect* some level of civil unrest before Bust’s term is done? Will there be a last-minute booga-booga-booga Nukular-powered Islamo-corporate-Nazi-Commie-pinkos-swarthy-skinned-terrorist-banditos coming to get us! Martial law is the only way, and we cannot conceivably have an *election* or honor the results of the recently held election, because that’s just what the Nukular-powered Islamo-corporate-Nazi-Commie-pinkos-swarthy-skinned-terrorist-banditos want?!
What?!
Don’t like the shine on my tinfoil Fedora?
(In all seriousness, following the money trails has led me to some apparently cursorily-hidden truths, and the more I learn, the more concerned I get. I honestly think that some of these bastards are playing for the US to lose, because they are putting short-calls on our whole society.)
- Zhirem
I commend to all: David Brooks on the Op Ed page of the New York Times today (9.23.08). As much as I don’t want to see a few CEO Fat Cats get any fatter — though I would like to see their golden handcuffs be restructured to be entirely and immediately subject to income tax — I am far more distressed by the thought of the absolute distruction of the checks and balances and the electoral process put in place by our very courageous and far-sighted Founders.
I commend to all: David Brooks on the Op Ed page of the New York Times today (9.23.08). As much as I don’t want to see a few CEO Fat Cats get any fatter — though I would like to see their golden handcuffs be restructured to be entirely and immediately subject to income tax — I am far more distressed by the thought of the absolute distruction of the checks and balances and the electoral process put in place by our very courageous and far-sighted Founders.