Friday, December 31, 2010
New York Life
Oddly, earlier before I read this I was thinking about the washer/dryer problem in places like Manhattan. Like many such service issue, I suspect there's a basic coordination problem. People really don't need their own machines, but shared machines are a big hassle, as is the laundromat, and washing services are expensive. Figured for large enough apartment/condo buildings hiring a full time person to do wash/fold service would probably make sense.
NYE Thread
First round of fireworks finished in the urban hellhole. 75 minutes left to buy your liquor.
Everybody's Fault But Mine
I get that we can expect sociopathic tendencies in most people who run for higher office, but can people please stop voting for the worst ones.
When asked about the hundreds of people trapped in their homes for days, Christie said unless they lived on state roads, it's not something his administration would have been able to change.
"If someone is snowed into their house, that's not our responsibility," Christie said.
When asked about mayors who said they were forced to divert their resources to unplowed state roads instead of clearing local roads Christie said, "I know who these mayors are and they should buck up and take responsibility for the fact that they didn't do their job.
There's A First Time For Everything
Republicans to get a glimpse of what's actually in the constitution.
Maybe some could read the Bible next.
Maybe some could read the Bible next.
After Expressing A Wee Bit Of Optimism
I don't think anyone has a clue what's going to happen with housing and the banks. So there's your wild card!
Needs To Be Better
As Krugman suggests, if new jobless claims continue at last week's level (big if!) then we can expect things to get better, but very slowly. So far there's really no evidence that a quick rebound with massive growth, something which happened in many past recessions, is in the cards, though if you squint right at the numbers you can hope for very very slow improvement.
Doctrinaire Liberal Fred Hiatt
The funny thing is that it wouldn't surprise me if Hiatt thinks he's a liberal.
Urban Megaprojects
Big projects can be fine, but what makes urban architecture work is when it is, at street level, in human scale with differentiating details. It really isn't that complicated, but for some reason no one wants to do it.
Did They Even Write A Sternly Worded Letter?
I certainly hope the courts stick it to the banksters, but it really doesn't have to be this way. I don't know how Treasury failing to enforce anything respect to servicer behavior meets Ezra's view of "Obamanomics." The banksters are doing what they want and there are no clear rules for either homeowners, banksters, or investors, which are currently being applied.
They're Good At This
One does wonder how Republicans manage to exert more power whether they're in the majority or the minority.
$3.50/Gallon Gas Will Destroy The World
Just kidding. While oil and gas price spikes would be bad for the short term economy and obviously bad for lower income people who need to drive, I tend to think it would take a truly major increase in oil prices for there to be a dramatic impact on the world. But prices are rising.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
On The Bright Side, Blogging Will Get A Bit Easier Again
I spent many years doing my small little part in trying to influence the Freak Show side of politics. Destroying the Freak Show is impossible, so playing whack-a-mole with Zombie Lies and occasionally managing to make it work for the benefit of The Left was the best I could do. I'm not saying that's all I ever did on this blog, but it definitely started from the place that fixing politics required if not fixing our media then at least getting a bit better at gaming it. Once Dems took control of everything I just couldn't get too interested in what a never going to win Senate candidate from Delaware might have said 10 years ago. It was time to, you know, govern. Not that the media issue magically disappeared, of course. The Freak Show we will always have with us. But I just thought...well, hey, Team D is in charge now, so let's worry about getting stuff done.
But soon we will have Chairman Issa, and the Freak Show will indeed matter an immense amount once again. It isn't good for the country, but maybe it makes this blogging thing a bit easier.
...adding, it's not that I think that the media have no impact on the getting stuff done part too (death panels!), it's just that at least over the past couple of years what was going on in Timmeh's or Max Baucus's noggins seemed to be a bit more important.
But soon we will have Chairman Issa, and the Freak Show will indeed matter an immense amount once again. It isn't good for the country, but maybe it makes this blogging thing a bit easier.
...adding, it's not that I think that the media have no impact on the getting stuff done part too (death panels!), it's just that at least over the past couple of years what was going on in Timmeh's or Max Baucus's noggins seemed to be a bit more important.
Governator
Sometimes I get a bit mixed up about the basic timeline. Being reminded that our media installed Arnold as governor not too long after 9/11 is a reminder of just how quickly the silly season returned after they promised that maybe they'd cover governance like it mattered for a change.
BUT WE'RE VALUABLE
I get that the internet upended the business model of print publications, but the obsession with trying to find ways to charge readers for the product instead of trying to find ways - any ways! - to make money on the internets has been weird. I guess I've finally concluded that it comes from a business side that understandably didn't want to learn new tricks, and from the editorial side that can't stand the idea that people might not be willing to pay for the valuable wordsmithing. Subscription prices always just mostly covered printing and distribution costs, with advertising really paying the bills to writers. I get that the internet might make the advertising revenue model not work for certain kinds of publications, especially local newspapers, and that's a shame, but so many publications seem to be obsessed with charging readers instead of making money. It's only the latter part that matters.
Bad Equilibrium
From talking to a few parents, the SUV craze is at least in part due to the perceived additional safety given that everyone else on the highway is driving a giant car. Probably stuck there. In fairness, my most frequent form of transport is a rather large bus.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Deepest Thought
As much as this pains me, giving $1.1 trillion to the banksters probably would have been a better way to spend the Afghanistan money, though not in Afghanistan of course.
Not quite so many freedom bombs, at least.
Not quite so many freedom bombs, at least.
Deeper Thought
It occurs to me that there was probably a better way to spend $1.1 trillion in Afghanistan, if we had wanted to spend $1.1 trillion in Afghanistan.
Deep Thought
Since our Galtian overlords care so much if Obama invites them over to play, next time I am invited* I will sell my invitation my for 1/100th of their annual income.
Sounds fair to me.
*not that I expect to be invited again.
Sounds fair to me.
*not that I expect to be invited again.
Not Over
In response to my question about the federal response to the foreclosure crisis, Obama said that the best way to improve that situation was to improve the economy. True enough if you succeed in improving the economy, but that didn't happen, and there were more tools then (and to a lesser extent now) directly available to the executive branch for dealing with the foreclosure crisis that didn't require making President Snowe happy.
U.S. home foreclosures jumped in the third quarter and banks' efforts to keep borrowers in their homes dropped as the housing market continues to struggle, U.S. bank regulators said on Wednesday.
Electric Bus
I'm somewhat skeptical about electric cars, but I'm much more optimistic about electric commercial fleet vehicles where necessary range is more predictable and charging infrastructure can be cost effective. 50 mile range with half hour charging time should work fine for an urban bus fleet.
Two Tier
I don't know if our sham system of justice has always been this bad or if it's getting worse, but either way..
Obviously the defense attorney has an angle on this, and I'm not against the idea that there are legitimate privacy issues to think about, but the selective information release based on area codes is a wee bit suspicious.
The U.S. Attorney's Office and FBI busted the international escort service in July, indicted the owners and three employees on prostitution or money-laundering charges and seized a black book bulging with tens of thousands of customer names, job details and contact information.
Paul DeCailly, the attorney for Miami Companions co-owner Greg Carr, flew to Detroit last week to review the black book. He wanted to see the names of clients from Michigan and Ohio, but the U.S. Attorney's Office said he could see only the names from the 313 and 734 area codes, he said.
"There must be something there they don't want anybody to see," DeCailly said Tuesday. "In the 248 area code, a lot of influential people live there: musicians, Detroit's sports elite, politicians. ... It's the center of a lot of activity in the business community."
Obviously the defense attorney has an angle on this, and I'm not against the idea that there are legitimate privacy issues to think about, but the selective information release based on area codes is a wee bit suspicious.
The Buildings Are Too Damn Small
When more Census data is out I plan to look into this a bit more carefully, but I gather that along with the general (though now roughly halted) population decline in my urban hellhole over the past 60 years, as with the rest of the country, sq.ft./person has increased as the number of people/household has shrunk. This reduces overall population density and makes it harder to support foot traffic dependent neighborhood retail corridors. In much of South Philly in particular, buildings are only two stories high and there are almost no large apartment complexes of any kind.
License to Steal
Big banks think they can just take your house for no reason.
Do not buy a house until this behavior is stopped with criminal prosecutions.
Do not buy a house until this behavior is stopped with criminal prosecutions.
Villagers
I guess I thought the Green Lantern Theory Of Geopolitics was at least a little bit the mocking political rhetoric of the Bush years. But, no, it's how our pundits really think.
Like any war, this one is ultimately about willpower, and America has an advantage in Petraeus, one of the strongest-willed people you could hope to meet.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Klintoon
Saw that recently. Hadn't seen it in awhile. The 90s were crazier than most people realize. The crazy internets had an influence that most of the press didn't have a sense of.
FCOJ
Interesting story of a product de-commodifying, or at least evolving from the commodity the "market" had imposed on it.
I'd say one undertold story of the past couple of decades is the halt in the march towards universal commoditization that characterized the prior 150 years or so.
(ht felix salmon)
I'd say one undertold story of the past couple of decades is the halt in the march towards universal commoditization that characterized the prior 150 years or so.
(ht felix salmon)
Also, Too
The cyclists who ride on the sidewalk, yell "excuse me" so that you move out of their way, and then apologize as they ride by you. Even though they apologize they have no intention of changing their behavior. Not accepted!
'Tis The Season to Hate Everyone
Dear visitors to Philadelphia, there are good reasons for those 'no stopping' zones.
Dear cab driver behind me, if both the bus driver and I are stopped at a green light it is probably because a trash truck is trapped in the intersection and unable to complete its turn. See above.
Dear delivery trucks, the streets are narrow here and if two of you are parked on both sides of the streets the bus will not be able to get by.
Dear pedestrians, the bus is bigger than you. Suggest not running in front of it against the light.
Dear cyclists, if you are weaving through slow moving traffic drivers cannot be expected to see you and you will probably die.
Dear cab driver behind me, if both the bus driver and I are stopped at a green light it is probably because a trash truck is trapped in the intersection and unable to complete its turn. See above.
Dear delivery trucks, the streets are narrow here and if two of you are parked on both sides of the streets the bus will not be able to get by.
Dear pedestrians, the bus is bigger than you. Suggest not running in front of it against the light.
Dear cyclists, if you are weaving through slow moving traffic drivers cannot be expected to see you and you will probably die.
What Are They For Again
I really haven't said much about Wikileaks, in part because it's one of those things with lots of details that matter and I just haven't devoted time to following it, but I admit to being completely baffled by the response from mainstream journalists.
It isn't exactly the same thing, but moments like this I'm reminded of a time years ago when I was talking at a conference about internets and stuff to a not entirely plugged in audience and a man stood up and said something like, "You mean, people can just say whatever they want on the internet? Don't we need to do something about that?"
It isn't exactly the same thing, but moments like this I'm reminded of a time years ago when I was talking at a conference about internets and stuff to a not entirely plugged in audience and a man stood up and said something like, "You mean, people can just say whatever they want on the internet? Don't we need to do something about that?"
Don't Talk About The Important Things
I really can't comprehend the lack of media attention paid to the actual problem: unemployment.
Some days it all just sounds like this to me:
Some days it all just sounds like this to me:
Car Crashes
Plenty of things impact where people choose to live, but I've long been fascinated by the fact that people take "risk of deadly car crash" to just be an unchangeable fact of life.
Have some thread
If you're looking for something to listen to while you're doing your morning exercises, you could try Bob McChesney's interview with Chris Hedges, and a reprise of McChesney's interview with the late Chalmers Johnson.
(Yeah, I know, I'm not exactly doing push-ups around here, either.)
Signed,
Not Atrios
(Yeah, I know, I'm not exactly doing push-ups around here, either.)
Signed,
Not Atrios
Monday, December 27, 2010
More Thread
Tron was fairly meh. The original, which I rewatched a year or two ago, was hilariously bad in a lot of ways but succeeded nonetheless because it channeled a bit of computer geekdom and was visually new and interesting. This one..really didn't add to any of that.
Elite Opinion On Inflation
Our unelected Galtian overlords at the FOMC worry way too much about inflation and zombie unicorns, and most of our elite press do too. The Fed has long been too slow to loosen and too quick to tighten, with the possible exception of Greenspan during the pre-election period in 2004, and our elite press tends to reinforce the belief that inflation is the boogeyman which must be stopped at all costs to be borne by the poor and middle class.
Trendspotting
Another day, another NYT story about hohw municipalities are going to have stick it to workers and retirees by declaring bankruptcy.
East Coast Bias
One could use 'large population centers' as a partial excuse, but no one really seems to notice when the weather is crap in Chicago, either. So, yes, NY-DC corridor weather gets exaggerated coverage because that's where our betters our national media people are.
Midnight Blizzard
Football in the snow is great, a football game ending at midnight in the middle of a blizzard not so great. Postponing it was the right thing to do.
They shouldn't schedule games in cold weather locations at that time once we get close to winter.
...adding, glance at numbers tells me at most 1/7-1/6 of attendees walk or take public transit normally to games. Bad weather could boost that number, but given that the regional rail system is shutting down about the time that the game would end there's really a limit to the number of people who can realistically use it at that time of night. And of course with that much snow there's no guarantee that the public transit system would continue functioning well. PATCO to South Jersey runs all night, but people from the PA suburbs wouldn't have had many options. If the game had been earlier this wouldn't have been an issue.
They shouldn't schedule games in cold weather locations at that time once we get close to winter.
...adding, glance at numbers tells me at most 1/7-1/6 of attendees walk or take public transit normally to games. Bad weather could boost that number, but given that the regional rail system is shutting down about the time that the game would end there's really a limit to the number of people who can realistically use it at that time of night. And of course with that much snow there's no guarantee that the public transit system would continue functioning well. PATCO to South Jersey runs all night, but people from the PA suburbs wouldn't have had many options. If the game had been earlier this wouldn't have been an issue.
Hey That Could Work Here Too
Wish someone would propose "a real transfer of wealth and income from businesses and governments to households" here.
All The Other Numbers Are Meaningless
For most of us, the unemployment rate is really the headline piece of data. All the rest is basically meaningless. An economy with 9%+ unemployment is not good, no matter what the rest of the numbers say.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Stimulate The Economy
Bit of advice: spend a tiny bit of the Nobel money and hire a local entrepreneur to take care of the shoveling.
It'll Probably Happen Here Too
As my state is now totally controlled by Republicans, I'm sure my schadenfreude will be short-lived, but I admit there's some amount of guilty pleasure in watching assholes destroy their already pretty messed up states.
And, no, I don't really take pleasure in the suffering of individuals, it's just that after decades of this rhetoric it's maybe time for the Republican Paradise to finally appear.
And, no, I don't really take pleasure in the suffering of individuals, it's just that after decades of this rhetoric it's maybe time for the Republican Paradise to finally appear.
SNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW
My personal issue is that it's really dumb for the NFL to schedule a late Sunday night game in my urban hellhole, especially in snow season. They'll run extra subway trains, but game will likely run past time when most of the regional rail lines have run their last train.
Yes I know I'm the only one who thinks about this stuff.
Yes I know I'm the only one who thinks about this stuff.
Sunday Bobbleheads
Dancing Dave's Meet the Press has Valerie Jarrett.
Face the Nation has Villagers.
This Week has Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Peter Chiarelli.
Document the atrocities!
Face the Nation has Villagers.
This Week has Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Peter Chiarelli.
Document the atrocities!
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Tintin's Chestnuts on an Open Fire
Tintin counterattacks wildly, but to little effect. Why, it is as if he does not even know that Santa is a Republican. Bwah-ha-ha!
(Via.)
(Via.)
The Great Casino
It's all the same thing.
Wall Street executives usually protest when their business is compared to a casino. But there is a logic to privately held Cantor’s Vegas subsidiary, casino industry experts say.
“Guys who trade Treasuries are doing it for basis points, and sports betting is not much different,” said Jeffrey B. Logsdon, an entertainment and gaming analyst for BMO Capital Markets. “Trading a million dollars in Treasuries is different than trading a billion. Sports betting is the same. You want the spread, volume and you see yourself as a match maker.”
Friday, December 24, 2010
Santa Bomb!
"Tintin" makes some sort of effort at retaliation...
Of course, we have in our arsenal a Hall n' Oates-flavored Sarah Palin spooge-anthem sung by Don Simmons himself.
We are prepared to discuss a schedule for Tintin's reparation payments.
Of course, we have in our arsenal a Hall n' Oates-flavored Sarah Palin spooge-anthem sung by Don Simmons himself.
We are prepared to discuss a schedule for Tintin's reparation payments.
Religion in America
I'd guess there are two main reasons people lie about their degree of religious adherence/church attendance. One is that there are is a lot of cultural pressure equating participation in formal Christian religion with morality. Good people go to church! The other is that a lot of our traditions, despite having secular aspects to them, do have a link to religion, and a lot of people have a hard time decoupling the two. It isn't a problem for me. We celebrated Christmas (tree, gifts and Santa) and Easter (easter egg hunts and chocolate bunny heads) in my non-religious house growing up.
I was chatting about this with Dan Savage once (namedrop alert!!), and he said something along the lines of "non-religious Catholics need to learn how to be Jews," meaning it's possible to hold on to the various rituals and traditions without actually being a believer, as many non-religious Jews do.
I was chatting about this with Dan Savage once (namedrop alert!!), and he said something along the lines of "non-religious Catholics need to learn how to be Jews," meaning it's possible to hold on to the various rituals and traditions without actually being a believer, as many non-religious Jews do.
The Year In Lists
Didn't personally come across an immense amount of good new music this year. The iTunes machine tells me I listened to Dr. Dog's Shame Shame the most, so they win the plug.
Virginia Is For Banksters
Somewhere to not buy a house.
Last year, the state legislature overwhelmingly passed a law making it easier for lenders to defend themselves when accused of giving homeowners too little warning of impending foreclosures.
The process moves so quickly in Virginia - one of the fastest states in the nation - that homeowners can receive less than two weeks' notice that their house is about to be sold on the courthouse steps.
That confronts homeowners with an almost impossible deadline. To get a court to stop the sale in that narrow window, they must gather evidence, file a lawsuit and potentially post a bond with the court that could total thousands of dollars. Instead of trying to find a lawyer and prepare a suit, many borrowers run out the clock trying to deal with their lender.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Season's BLEEDINGS!
Because nothing says The Hellidays without a YouTube war, CHECK YER STOCKING, Tintin. Dashing through the snow, with a one horse open SLAY!
Check out the Pam Gellar screech solo...
Check out the Pam Gellar screech solo...
Strange World
Some days I think I'm the only one who has noticed that unemployment is at 9.6%.
Except the unemployed, of course.
Except the unemployed, of course.
Holiday Schedule
Usual end of the year blog slowdown is here. Will keep posting, just won't be at my computer 12 hours a day like I usually am.
Happy holidays. Better luck next year with the War On Christmas!
Happy holidays. Better luck next year with the War On Christmas!
The Way The World Doesn't Work
As Ireland lights another pile of money on fire, I'm reminded that another way to save the big banks and let rich assholes continue to receive absurd bonuses would have been to give people money to pay down their debts. Banks would have gotten their money, and people would have less debt. This would never happen because it would grossly unfair to help some people so we'll do the fair thing and just give money to rich assholes.
But I Thought Harold Ford Was the Junior Senator From New York
One of the silliest made up media narratives was how Gillibrand was a DOOOOOOOOOOMED politician.
Must Love SEPTA
My local transit authority is hilarious flawed and certainly deserves much of the criticism locals heap on it, but overall the hellhole is quite fortunate to have as comprehensive a system as it is. It's biggest strength, for better or for worse, is probably the regional rail system, and we could certainly use another subway line or two (not likely), but overall we're pretty lucky.
On the SEPTATRAIN for quick trip to Wilmington.
On the SEPTATRAIN for quick trip to Wilmington.
If It's What People Wanted You Wouldn't Have To Mandate It
Posts like these inevitably get commenters saying something along the lines of "people like grass!" I think Matt's a bit more anti-land use regulation in general than I am, but the point is that if that's what people really wanted it wouldn't be necessary to regulate it. And while there's nothing wrong with a bit of green, pointless setbacks and other ways in which developers meet development regulations are often really out of place in a dense urban area.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
QEII
I said before the most likely major impact of QEII was that it would goose stock prices. That doesn't mean it was bad policy relative to doing nothing, but it does mean that a true helicopter drop of some sort would have been much more effective.
License To Steal
As I've written a million times, when I decide I get to break into your house and steal all your stuff I'll probably go to jail for a long time.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
If Jon Stewart Can Do It
Then maybe a charismatic fairly popular tall skinny guy with a fancy podium and the ability to get people to point TV cameras at him almost any moment can figure out how to do it.
A Nation Of Warriors
Every time Hugh Hewitt ladles a bit of ranch onto his iceberg, he'll literally be on the front lines in the war on terror.
Creationism
The issue isn't that so many people believe in creationism, it's that they believe in Young Earth Creationism, and that basically scientists y'all MF lying and getting me pissed.
Murkowski
I certainly don't blame Republicans for supporting Miller for the election, but it was admittedly a bit weird when they were supporting him during the post-election after he was destined to lose.
Interesting
We can make our own judgments about what Barbour really thinks, but apparently he's concluded that being an old school racist < not being an old school racist when it comes to national electoral politics.
Plenty of new school racists thriving, of course.
Plenty of new school racists thriving, of course.
Census
Population and apportionment date coming out soon. Watching the streaming show.
Population up from 281,421,906 to...308,745,538.
..NE up 3.2%, Midwest 3.9%, South 14.35, West 13.8%.
...Nevada +35.1%, Michigan shrunk a bit. Texas +20.6%.
Apportionment info coming now...
...New York and Ohio both lose 2 seats....Also MA, too..
Final count: Texas +4, FL +2, AZ, GA, NV, SC, UT, WA +1
NY -2, OH -2, IL, IA, LA, MA, MI, MS, NJ, PA -1.
See you in 2020!
Population up from 281,421,906 to...308,745,538.
..NE up 3.2%, Midwest 3.9%, South 14.35, West 13.8%.
...Nevada +35.1%, Michigan shrunk a bit. Texas +20.6%.
Apportionment info coming now...
...New York and Ohio both lose 2 seats....
Final count: Texas +4, FL +2, AZ, GA, NV, SC, UT, WA +1
NY -2, OH -2, IL, IA, LA, MA, MI, MS, NJ, PA -1.
See you in 2020!
Harassing People For No Reason
Well I suppose there are reasons, but preventing terrorism isn't one of them.
I've never understood the focus on subway systems as terrorism targets. Yes they could be like anything else, but there are a lot easier ways to do things. Just get yourself a bus or truck, load it up with explosives, and drive it into the nearest crowd or building.
I've never understood the focus on subway systems as terrorism targets. Yes they could be like anything else, but there are a lot easier ways to do things. Just get yourself a bus or truck, load it up with explosives, and drive it into the nearest crowd or building.
Fracture-Critical
While the very brief Age Of Infrastructure Spending is most likely gone forever now, I was always mystified by people who suggested it was hard to spend money. Fix the damn bridges.
Shitpile
Building and maintaining a proper cadastre is really difficult. It takes decades, centuries even, relying on both formal law and common law constructs. There are many elements built in to preserve real property boundaries and proof of ownership--as granted (and owned) ultimately by the state. But once it is in place, it is a very resilient construct.
You can't just wave it all away. Not even in New Jersey.
You can't just wave it all away. Not even in New Jersey.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Not Going To Work That Way
Those who object to the secularization of Christmas would object even more if it ceased to be a national holiday or if some secular alternative were offered in its place. Of course most of this complaining isn't really religion based but tribal. I don't really think Lou Dobbs or Bill O'Reilly are particularly religious people, they're just mad that not everyone is "American" in precisely the same way they are. Douthat is actually religious, and he's mad that everyone isn't as perfect of a Christian as he is.
White Citizens Councils
1956 article from David Halberstam.
Look,” said Nick Roberts of the Yazoo City Citizens Council, explaining why 51 of 53 Negroes who had signed an integration petition withdrew their names, “if a man works for you, and you believe in something, and that man is working against it and undermining it, why you don’t want him working for you—of course you don’t.”
In Yazoo City, in August 1955, the Council members fired signers of the integration petition, or prevailed upon other white employers to get them fired. But the WCC continues to deny that it uses economic force: all the Council did in Yazoo City was to provide information (a full-page ad in the local weekly listing the “offenders”); spontaneous public feeling did the rest.
At the WCC’s initial meeting at Indianola, Mississippi, in the summer of 1954, it was decided to isolate and silence white dissenters. The Council organizers knew that the Negroes would need white leadership and help—ministers, editors, school-board members—and it resolved to use social ostracism to deny these to them. In Holmes County, Mississippi, a mass meeting sponsored by the WCC asked Dr. David Minter and Eugene Cox and their families to leave the county. Minter and Cox had been running a cooperative farm for Negroes under the auspices of the Presbyterian church. After the Court decision they were seen as a danger. The Cox and Minter families, however, had never been very much involved with the community, and so they stayed on—in spite of threats and the cancellation of their fire-insurance policies. Nevertheless, Negroes became afraid to come out to their farm, and the two families found themselves isolated. The neighboring minister, a conservative and one of the two men who had defended them at the mass meeting, was transferred out of his parish. (A South Carolina minister lost his church after co-authoring a resolution Which denounced economic sanctions against partisans of integration as un-Christian.)
In another Mississippi city, two doctors were told that their white patients would be denied the use of a new hospital unless they agreed not to bring Negro patients even into the segregated wing. (The Council leaders, who expect the Court eventually to abolish segregation in hospitals, believe that the best policy is to keep Negroes out altogether.) And in Clinton, Tennessee, where mob demonstrations greeted the opening of the school year last month, principal D. J. Brittain received so many threatening and abusive telephone calls that he had to change his number.
Just Some Good Ole Boys
It's wrong to see racist revisionist history as ignorance or faulty memory. Barbour's obviously counting on the idea that the South Will Rise Again to support his presidential plans.
And as is usually the case with straight up old school racism dressed up as affection for the past, the media will largely ignore.
And as is usually the case with straight up old school racism dressed up as affection for the past, the media will largely ignore.
Perhaps They're Actually In Favor Of Coerced Child Brides?
It is the more logical explanation.
More generally, we all know that most anti-choice politicians are anti-choice for thee but not for me. Their daughters/wives/mistresses/girlfriends will, in their minds, of course have all desired and necessary "health services," including, of course, abortion.
More generally, we all know that most anti-choice politicians are anti-choice for thee but not for me. Their daughters/wives/mistresses/girlfriends will, in their minds, of course have all desired and necessary "health services," including, of course, abortion.
Primary
It's hard to see any movement on immigration reform given that Republican politics will largely be oriented around presidential primary politics, beginning in 6 months or less. They'll all be rushing to out crazy each other on all of these issues. I guess we'll just have to gut social security instead, because that will really be popular.
Failing Upwards
Krugman:
It isn't just the ideas, but the people, too. I don't know how many times Larry Summers and Bob Rubin will be allowed to destroy the world.
The free-market fundamentalists have been as wrong about events abroad as they have about events in America — and suffered equally few consequences. “Ireland,” declared George Osborne in 2006, “stands as a shining example of the art of the possible in long-term economic policymaking.” Whoops. But Mr. Osborne is now Britain’s top economic official.
And in his new position, he’s setting out to emulate the austerity policies Ireland implemented after its bubble burst. After all, conservatives on both sides of the Atlantic spent much of the past year hailing Irish austerity as a resounding success. “The Irish approach worked in 1987-89 — and it’s working now,” declared Alan Reynolds of the Cato Institute last June. Whoops, again.
But such failures don’t seem to matter. To borrow the title of a recent book by the Australian economist John Quiggin on doctrines that the crisis should have killed but didn’t, we’re still — perhaps more than ever — ruled by “zombie economics.” Why?
It isn't just the ideas, but the people, too. I don't know how many times Larry Summers and Bob Rubin will be allowed to destroy the world.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Real liberal media
Digby and Susie Madrak on Virtually Speaking at 5:00 PM Pacific/8:00 PM EST should be bitchin'. Listen here.
Signed,
Not Atrios
Signed,
Not Atrios
City/Suburb Fight!
Just for fun.
The longer I live here the more I come to realize how most "day trippers" have little sense of the city at all. They hit the downtown (though we don't call it that), and a couple of other spots, and leave imagining the city consists of skyscrapers and overcrowded bars. Though happy if they hate the place. The hate just makes me stronger!
The longer I live here the more I come to realize how most "day trippers" have little sense of the city at all. They hit the downtown (though we don't call it that), and a couple of other spots, and leave imagining the city consists of skyscrapers and overcrowded bars. Though happy if they hate the place. The hate just makes me stronger!
Bad As It Is, Though Also Maybe Bad to Change
I'm no fan of our state monopoly on liquor sales, mostly because the selection in most stores is pretty bad, but I'm also not completely excited about privatizing it either. There's a civil service workforce who expect long careers, and I expect cronyism to diminish whatever benefit/revenue the state might get. I could get on board a plan to slowly phase the system out, but junking it overnight would be quite disruptive for people.
Sunday Bobbleheads
This Week has Kerry, Lugar, and some guy from USaID.
Meet the Press has Joe The Biden, Cory Booker, and Mark McKinnon.
Face the Nation has Sessions, Klobuchar, Graham, and Levin.
Document the atrocities!
Meet the Press has Joe The Biden, Cory Booker, and Mark McKinnon.
Face the Nation has Sessions, Klobuchar, Graham, and Levin.
Document the atrocities!
Saturday, December 18, 2010
+2 Team O
So I was certainly someone who was skeptical that the broad strategy the Obama administration was following to eliminate DADT - Pentagon study to be released after election, vote during lame duck - would actually work. Guess he had this.
Assholes
Other media outlets ignore lots of things about Fox News, one of which is just how nasty their PR department is.
All Over But The Voting
Apparently there will be a DADT vote in the Senate at 1050AM.
Place your bets.
Place your bets.
Friday, December 17, 2010
It Seems Like These People Live Forever
No I'm not wishing harm on anyone, but I really get the sense that most of the Wise Old Men Of Washington (pundits, former politicians, etc.) are the same ones we've had since at least the Clinton era.
The wikipedia tells me George Will has been on This Week since 1981.
The wikipedia tells me George Will has been on This Week since 1981.
IVY LEAGUE
I hate the genre of "this is special and weird and so shocking because it's happening at an IVY LEAGUE COLLEGE". Lots of college kids do drugs, and some college kids sell drugs. Occasionally they get busted. This is true all over the country, even at very special institutions.
Also, drinking, sex, violence, rape, and too and such.
Also, drinking, sex, violence, rape, and too and such.
And Speaking Of Pissing Off Liberals
It's basically the only reason for Florida to turn down federal rail money.
Republicans Don't Care About Spending Either
While still working on the impossible task of convincing people that Republicans don't actually care about the deficit, we should perhaps start trying to convince them that Republicans don't really care about spending either. I don't think their primary goal will be to force spending cuts, their primary goal will be to do things that piss off liberals. That will include spending cuts, of course, but not because they care about spending. They care about pissing off liberals.
No Contradictions
The complete press reversal from "OH MY GOD MUST CUT DEFICIT NOW" to "OH MY GOD MUST PASS MASSIVE TAX CUTS NOW" reminded me of the days of the financial crisis, when they pivoted completely from "THIS IS CAPITALISM NO BAILOUTS" to "MUST BAIL OUT EVERY BANKSTER WE CAN FIND" in minutes.
The Press
I haven't really gotten down into the weeds with wikileaks and Assange. Can't follow everything! But I'm starting to get a similar sense as when GooGoos were trying to regulate the hell out of blogs because we were some dangerous force that needed FEC oversight because it would be a tremendous threat to the Republic if a few websites chatted about politics and got a few advertising dollars. Also, disclosure, and too and such. Basically there were two sides to this. One was trying to impose standards and ethics onto blogs which didn't apply anywhere else in the universe, the other was that blogs were somehow "different" than this thing we call "the press" because there was this thing called the press which we could define as some Woodstein ideal which of course all press outlets subscribed to and bloggers were different. Because.
In the background was this idea that the first amendment was about "the press," by which we mean the modern publicly traded companies known as "big media" and not about a concept of the "printing press." In other word, you were a journalist if you worked for a big media company and then you deserved "first amendment protection" and otherwise you didn't.
I miss NeyNey.
In the background was this idea that the first amendment was about "the press," by which we mean the modern publicly traded companies known as "big media" and not about a concept of the "printing press." In other word, you were a journalist if you worked for a big media company and then you deserved "first amendment protection" and otherwise you didn't.
I miss NeyNey.
Unremarkable
Clicking through on Atrios' Orzsag post, one ends up at this post by Fallows. Writing about Orzsag's new "job" at Citi, he points out:
His taking this job is not merely not corrupt. It's not even worth noticing.
It's interesting, as well, that Fallows makes a dirty fucking hippie reference to "Washington/Versailles." Closing the circle, Digby had some fun with thematic mapping yesterday, illustrating the effect.
If you're wondering just how taken for granted such arrangements are in today's Washington/ Versailles, here's a data point. The Washington Post, still aspiring to be official journal of politics, has not published a single story about Orszag's new job.
His taking this job is not merely not corrupt. It's not even worth noticing.
It's interesting, as well, that Fallows makes a dirty fucking hippie reference to "Washington/Versailles." Closing the circle, Digby had some fun with thematic mapping yesterday, illustrating the effect.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
The Floating World
My mild Obama preference during the primaries (I really didn't care much either way) was based on the not correct enough assumption that team Obama would at least bring in a bit more new blood into elite DC Dem circles. Sadly, the same destructive assholes have been running (ruining) our economic policy since the Clinton years. Our geniuses fucked everything up, and the Villagers continue to clap.
Morse
That name always jumps out at me because before she was a wingnut crusader, she was an economist and I used to cite her work.
SNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW
Every now and then I hear someone saying that they don't know how to drive in the snow. Obviously I recommend against it if you have the option, but if you have to it really isn't that complicated. Drive more slowly than normal, leave more room between vehicles than normal, and don't brake, accelerate, or turn quickly. If you do have to brake "fast," tap your brakes as much as possible.
Lesson over.
...the internet informs me not to pump ABS or anti-lock brakes.
Lesson over.
...the internet informs me not to pump ABS or anti-lock brakes.
Good Things
One thing that makes me feel good is how united the online left appears to be about the importance of DADT repeal. It's not something which impacts most of us, and something which only directly impacts a small minority of an already fairly small minority, but the obvious injustice of DADT seems to resonate nonetheless.
When I started blogging I'd say people were less united on gay rights issues generally, that more people didn't see them as being particularly important, and were frightened that such things would repel voters who were afraid of the gay. There's much greater unanimity that equality is important.
When I started blogging I'd say people were less united on gay rights issues generally, that more people didn't see them as being particularly important, and were frightened that such things would repel voters who were afraid of the gay. There's much greater unanimity that equality is important.
You
I guess the only reason to critique Time's person of the year is to point out how out of touch the guardians of our elite discourse are. The thing is that their 2006 award that we all got was stupid, and someone like Zuckerberg, in fact probably Zuckerberg himself, should have received it then given the way they the usually do these things. But I guess when they make a movie about you then you become real.
That 70s Show
The mixed messages that this country sends itself is truly disoriented. On the one hand we're the greatest country in the history of the universe and we can do anything FUCK YEAH! On the other hand we're utterly powerless to fix the very deep problems that the country faces.
Things had better turn around quickly.
Things had better turn around quickly.
Rigged Game
I suppose it's good that there is some cracking down on insider trading, but it does seem like they're going after small fish.
Big Box Casino
As I've written before, I don't really care if there's legal gambling in the city or not, but I do care that prime waterfront space has been given over to surface parking lots and Wal-Mart architecture. So yay that the 2nd casino will not be opening, at least for now.
The Social Network
I think it's really a your mileage may vary kind of thing. For some, the internet and social network is a substitute for real life community activity. For some it's a complement. For some of the former it provides outlets they wouldn't otherwise have, for others it crowds out meatspace reality. For me, personally, it keeps me a bit in touch with people I wouldn't otherwise have much to do with and also strengthens ties with people I do see.
Don't Ask
Suppose you're in good standing on your Jumbo mortgage. But you get to wondering whether your title is secure, and so you use the SEIU's "Where's The Note?" page. You may find your credit score lowered.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Urban Hellhole Blogging
From Mrs. Cliff Lee.
"There's so many things that were so great. The proximity from the city to the ball park, how easy it was to get from point A to point B. You have to think about traffic in a lot of cities, even in Dallas where we were staying, to get the ballpark was hard, for me. For him, the National League. He loves to hit. Being able to get on the train and going to other cities real fast. The kids and I took a train to New York during the World Series last year and it was a great experience. It was so easy. The good food. The food is really good. It's a fun city. It's easy to live here, easy to be here, easy to fly into."
A New Strategy
Recognizing that "pissing off liberals" is an overriding desire for most conservatives, there are times I contemplate trying to get liberals to do a 180 on all the things they think are important just to confuse them.
DADT Repeal
The twitter machine tells me it's passing the House, with even a few Republicans supporting it.
And the Senate?...
And the Senate?...
Sometimes The Internet Hurts Me
A comment at the Atlantic.
New York City is "walkable". Yeah! Try walking from Queens, where I grew up, to Brooklyn. Then walk from Brooklyn to Manhattan. You'll be might tired after a couple of days of "walking".
Heck, try walking from midtown Manhattan to the downtown financial district. It can be done but takes a l-o-n-g time.
Most of the other cities on his idiotic list are also not "walkable". Only their downtowns might be.
Why Did People Hate George Bush So Much?
Thinking back to the era of Holden's ponies, when the country's opinion of George Bush finally was in sync with the opinions of the people who read this blog, I'm actually kind of curious about why people hated Bush so much. Was obvious to me at the time, I'm sure, but it's less obvious to me now. Given that the economy was pretty decent at the time his approval rating was really really low.
Journamalism
I tried to explain this to cranky yelling at clouds guy who would have been president on the twitter machine yesterday, but Reuters is apparently doing his work for him. Not sure if they or CNBC wrote the headline, but it's this.
It's LOADED you see. These "pet projects" amount to .8% of the total budget. Nowhere in the story is either that fact or the total size of the budget presented.
2011 Spending Bill Is Loaded With $8 Billion in Pet Projects
It's LOADED you see. These "pet projects" amount to .8% of the total budget. Nowhere in the story is either that fact or the total size of the budget presented.
Rich People
The idea that the personal income tax rate has anything to do with whether corporations sitting on tons of cash might hire people is about as logical as the Chewbacca Defense, but since Republicans keep saying it we must take the idea seriously.
But, for the record, what kind of awesome job creation did those Bush tax cuts give us?
Total nonfarm employment increased from 132,469,000 in January of 2001 to 133,549,000 in January 2009. Just over one million jobs in 8 years, or 11,250 per month.
But, for the record, what kind of awesome job creation did those Bush tax cuts give us?
Total nonfarm employment increased from 132,469,000 in January of 2001 to 133,549,000 in January 2009. Just over one million jobs in 8 years, or 11,250 per month.
Map Fun
NYT has lots of great maps to play with based on census survey data. No big surprises on race/ethnicity in my urban hellhole. Mostly white people in center city and the parts of West Philly around Penn. Eastern South Philly is fairly white with significant Hispanic (largely Mexicans from Puebla) and Asian (mostly Vietnamese) populations. Most of the rest of the city is largely African-American, with a big Hispanic pocket in North Philly and another white pocket up in the "great" Northeast.
Solitary
I know next to nothing about the Manning case(can't follow everything), but I do think generally people fail to understand that extended solitary confinement is sanity-destroying torture. It causes people to go insane.
Motives
This is an interesting exploration of what WikiLeaks is trying to accomplish.
Also interesting is the part of the TIME interview where Assange talks about the failure of their initial attempts at crowd sourcing, leading to their use of the traditional media as an intermediary.
Also interesting is the part of the TIME interview where Assange talks about the failure of their initial attempts at crowd sourcing, leading to their use of the traditional media as an intermediary.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Keep Talking About The Deficit
I really can't comprehend that with 9.6% unemployment politicians keep talking about the deficit as if it's the big problem. Also, lack of well-trained caddies at golf club. And such.
The Worst People In The World
At some point people think so highly of themselves that they are unable to admit error. The best they can do is that they made the right decision given available information, so if they were wrong it wasn't really their fault because who could have known blah blah.
And these people tend to run the world.
And these people tend to run the world.
Not Really How It Works
Businesses will hire more workers when there's demand for their products, not when the president tries to convince them to do so just because.
HAMP'd
As I've said before, whatever one thinks about the ethic or politics of helping desperate homeowners, failing to do so will likely be ultimately seen as the major reason the economy failed to rebound. In my opinion, a successful aggressive writedown program would have been the right thing to do, not simply because it would have helped individuals but because it would have helped the economy generally.
But the priority was to prop up the banksters, from whom all economic goodness supposedly emanates.
But the priority was to prop up the banksters, from whom all economic goodness supposedly emanates.
Ear Worm
I can instantly invoke, sadly, a looped memory of Cokie Roberts uttering what was the beltway chant at the time, "up or down vote up or down vote up or down vote up or down vote up or vote," a phrase which only appears to be operative when Democrats control the Senate.
What If We Started To Go Door To Door
I just get amused by these things.
Atheist ads on four buses are causing a freakout.
A public bus rolls by with an atheist message on its side: “Millions of people are good without God.” Seconds later, a van follows bearing a riposte: “I still love you. — God,” with another line that says, “2.1 billion Christians are good with God.”
...
But the reaction from believers has been harsher than anyone in the nonbeliever’s club expected. Some ministers organized a boycott of the buses, with limited success. Other clergy members are pressing the Fort Worth Transportation Authority to ban all religious advertising on public buses. And a group of local businessmen paid for the van with the Christian message to follow the atheist-messaged buses around town.
Atheist ads on four buses are causing a freakout.
Late Night
It kind of hurts my feelings how I'm so rarely asked to write second book reviews. What did I say...?
Monday, December 13, 2010
Unexpected
Richard Holbrooke, RIP
...uh, wuh?
...uh, wuh?
He experienced health problems in August, when he underwent treatment for heart problems and canceled one of his frequent trips to Afghanistan and Pakistan. On Friday morning, he was taken to George Washington University Hospital after he became flushed and suffered chest pains during a meeting with Clinton.
As he was sedated for surgery, his final words were to his Pakistani surgeon, according to family members: "You've got to stop this war in Afghanistan."
Wrong, Governor
Even the good guys can't comprehend that the biggest problem facing this country is the lack of jobs.
Mandate
You can argue that HCR-as-written was necessary given the political realities, given the fact that our Congress is completely captured by big money interests, or even simply argue that it was somehow fair to keep existing stakeholders, even evil rapacious murdering ones, on board. But no one should imagine that forcing people to buy health insurance from for-profit health insurance is in any way good policy, relative to the obvious other options.
Rational Investors
And, yes, whatever the desirability or legitimacy of this ruling, it's pretty absurd to think that it's a good ruling for health insurance companies.
Not My Area
I'm no constitutional scholar like Ann Coulter, but given my good enough for a blogpost understanding of this I actually don't think it's insane to rule that the individual mandate is unconstitutional.
America United
I'm reasonably sure taxing the hell out of bankster bonuses won't make the list of "No Label" things we can all agree on pablum.
Hamster Wheel
There are times I feel like we're just running in place here. No Labels is really the millionth iteration of "put a smily face on the awesomeness of the center and don't tell anyone but what we're really about is slashing socialsecurityandmedicare."
Yes I admit I took a look at their site.
Yes I admit I took a look at their site.
50th Time Is The Charm
Miss most of the weekend and while I was out the Hot Soup/Unity 08 crowd reunited for something called "No Labels"?
No I don't care to know anything more.
No I don't care to know anything more.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Iggles Beat The Cowboys
As good an opportunity as any to point out that I love the Eagles. Next year they are installing a bunch of vertical axis wind turbines, a ton of (all be they sub-optimally mounted) solar panels, and a biofuel fired cogeneration plant to power the Linc. Furthermore, the training complex installed a 10kw (DC) system a few years ago, and they link to live monitoring on their website.
Go Eagles.
Go Eagles.
Just One
Really, Warner, just name one regulation you think is bad. Just one.
We are ruled by stupid evil people.
We are ruled by stupid evil people.
I'm looking forward to this
Watertiger and Athenae will be tonight's guests on Virtually Speaking at 5:00 PM Pacific, 8:00 PM EST.
Signed,
Not Atrios
Signed,
Not Atrios
So Maybe Somebody Should...
The belief was the economy would - in fact had already started to - turn around, at least fast enough to improve the labor market. Persistent high unemployment is going to have major long term impacts even if things turn around, and politically I don't think that, unlike for other elections, a modest move in the right direction is going to be enough.
Just Making Stuff Up
Shameless even by the nonexistent standards of the Post.
And, uh, the DFHs didn't even get what they wanted.
And, uh, the DFHs didn't even get what they wanted.
Sunday Bobbleheads
This Week has Axelrood, the Palestinian PA head Salam Fayyad, Tzipi Livni head of Israeli opposition party, and Gordon Brown.
Face the Nation has Howard Dean, Axelrod, and and Jerrod Nadler.
Meet the Press has Goolsbee and Bloomberg.
Another busy day for me. Document the atrocities!
Face the Nation has Howard Dean, Axelrod, and and Jerrod Nadler.
Meet the Press has Goolsbee and Bloomberg.
Another busy day for me. Document the atrocities!
Saturday, December 11, 2010
I Don't Really Think They Understand How Things Work
So absurd.
Talgo Inc. will shut down its Milwaukee train manufacturing operations in 2012, leaving only a maintenance base, because plans for a high-speed rail line between Milwaukee and Madison have been abandoned, the company announced Friday.
...
"Governor-elect Walker's transition team reached out to Talgo in an effort to keep them in Wisconsin," Walker transition spokesman Cullen Werwie said in an e-mail. "While he is disappointed that the company made the decision to leave, the fact that the Madison-to-Milwaukee train line is dead is in the best interest of Wisconsin taxpayers. By reducing government spending - like Governor-elect Walker was able to do by successfully stopping this boondoggle - he is going to fulfill his campaign promise of ensuring Wisconsin has a business climate that allows the private sector to create 250,000 new jobs."
City suit possible
The city invested several million dollars in renovating the former Tower Automotive property to accommodate Talgo. Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett has said city officials may explore legal action if Walker's stand wipes out that investment.
Fiscal Hawks
Rich people in Nassau edition.
Just 11 years ago they had to be bailed out by the state.
Busy day for me, so light blogging.
MINEOLA, N.Y. — Facing a huge budget deficit when he took office in January, Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano did not impose a hiring freeze. He did not stop borrowing to subsidize some of the richest school districts in the country. He did not eliminate the Police Department’s beloved mounted unit.
Instead, Mr. Mangano, a Republican who won one of the first upsets of the Tea Party era, did what he had promised: He cut taxes, adding $40 million to the county’s deficit, which has since reached nearly $350 million.
Now, with its bonds suddenly downgraded and a state oversight agency preparing to seize its checkbook and credit cards, Nassau is on the verge of a full-fledged fiscal crisis.
Just 11 years ago they had to be bailed out by the state.
Busy day for me, so light blogging.
Friday, December 10, 2010
President Clinton Is On My Teevee
I'm having 90s flashbacks. When does Charles Grodin come on again?
Who Is That Crazy Man
I'm out so I can't watch, but from various reports Bernie Sanders is giving a multi-hour speech (not a filibuster, there's nothing to filibuster) on the floor reminding the world that lack of jobs and declining incomes are bad things.
Lunacy.
Lunacy.
License To Steal
I'm reasonably sure if I did this I'd be looking at serious jail time.
“This is the worst I’ve ever seen it,” says Ira Rheingold, an attorney and executive director of the National Association of Consumer Advocates. Homeowners in Florida, Nevada, Texas and Pennsylvania have filed lawsuits alleging that they were victims of mistaken foreclosure. In many of those cases, the bank went so far as to haul away belongings and change the locks on the wrong homes.
One such suit was filed in March by Pennsylvania homeowner Angela Iannelli. She was up to date on her payments when, she says, she arrived home in October 2009 to find that Bank of America had ransacked her belongings, cut off her utilities, poured anti-freeze down her drains, padlocked her doors and confiscated Luke, her pet parrot of 10 years. It took her six weeks to get the bank to clean up the house.
Private Disability Insurance
I can't even begin to follow the logic for this.
There are probably plenty of people on disability who could, in theory, work if they could find a job that both matched their existing skill set and accommodate their particular needs, but those are big ifs. Obviously if your job is to sit in a nice office chair writing missives to the world you can contemplate working with all kinds of medical conditions. A plumber with back problems? Not so much.
That perhaps some older marginally disabled workers who were laid off in this recession might be getting some disability benefits is a good thing, unless making them homeless and penniless is your preferred outcome.
There are probably plenty of people on disability who could, in theory, work if they could find a job that both matched their existing skill set and accommodate their particular needs, but those are big ifs. Obviously if your job is to sit in a nice office chair writing missives to the world you can contemplate working with all kinds of medical conditions. A plumber with back problems? Not so much.
That perhaps some older marginally disabled workers who were laid off in this recession might be getting some disability benefits is a good thing, unless making them homeless and penniless is your preferred outcome.
Now I'm Sold
It's pretty crazy that commuters have received a larger tax subsidy for parking than for transit.
Without a change in the law, the accounts will be limited next year to $120 a month. Congress temporarily raised that limit as part of a stimulus package it passed in 2009.
The higher limit brings mass transit tax breaks in line with parking subsidies for commuters who drive. People already can set aside $230 per month pre-tax for parking.
Thursday, December 09, 2010
It Gets Better
I'd say when I started blogging 8+ years ago (please kill me) the democratic coalition was not nearly as united on issues like gay rights as they are now. I'm pretty sure back then if a fucknozzle like Manchin had voted against DADT repeal there would have been a lot of people explaining that it was necessary to maintain support in WVA, blah blah blah. Now I think we're all united on the fact that he's a fucknozzle.
Um...He Just Quit?
Email from Newshour:
Bennett got teabagged, but Bayh just courageously ran away. What consequences?
Jim Lehrer speaks with two outgoing Senators who have both had to deal with political consequences from their belief in compromise: Democrat EVAN BAYH of Indiana; and BOB BENNETT of Utah.
Bennett got teabagged, but Bayh just courageously ran away. What consequences?
Susy Pulled The Football
I am shocked, just shocked, that Collins won't allow the defense reauthorization bill to come up for a vote.
...actually, bad information. Has not voted yet, but Manchin voted no, so...
...and she does ultimately vote Yes. Tho not happening anyway.
...actually, bad information. Has not voted yet, but Manchin voted no, so...
...and she does ultimately vote Yes. Tho not happening anyway.
Missing More Opportunities
Obviously increasing the gas tax is a complete nonstarter in a world of rising gas prices. Oh well. Yes gas is expensive taxes are regressive but even in this country most poor people don't drive. If you want to do something to help poor people, "not raising the gas tax" is pretty far down the list. And, yes, I'm on board with using gas tax increases to mail money to poor people.
Mostly unrelated, I think my biggest difficulty when living in England was learning to use the word 'petrol' which I don't think I ever did. Referring to 'gas' confused people a lot.
Mostly unrelated, I think my biggest difficulty when living in England was learning to use the word 'petrol' which I don't think I ever did. Referring to 'gas' confused people a lot.
Boom
Your WTF story of the day.
Authorities on Thursday set fire to a suburban San Diego home they said was so packed with homemade explosives that they had no choice but to burn it to the ground.
...
Investigators say they are still trying to understand what motivated the renter, George Jakubec, to stockpile the material. Jakubec, 54, has pleaded not guilty to charges of making destructive devices and robbing three banks.
Payroll Tax Holiday
The Professional Left wouldn't be fretting about little things like this if we had commitments from the guy in charge that he was the great defender of Social Security.
Might even be popular.
Might even be popular.
Change
So Pelosi isn't going to hold a vote without changes. Interesting.
I really have no idea how this is going to play out.
As I've said, I think in isolation the deal is ok but going forward it could be very bad news given presumed insanity from next Congress.
I really have no idea how this is going to play out.
As I've said, I think in isolation the deal is ok but going forward it could be very bad news given presumed insanity from next Congress.
They Could Make This Easier
It would be quite easy for Democrats to cast themselves as defenders of Social Security. Though no one seems to have noticed, the only semi-real policy issue in the last election was Medicare. And Republicans were its great defenders. I would like to think that there were 41 senators and a president who were in fact Social Security's great defenders. But right now there's no reason to think that.
Rich Enough
I suppose it's really nothing new, but the experience of the last several years has taught me that if you're rich and important enough, the laws do not apply.
Wednesday, December 08, 2010
Unity12
Jamelle is right that the Broderite technocratic centrism pose is completely undemocratic, a manifestation of the basic contempt for voters that elites, especially DC media elite, have for voters.
How's It Going To Play Out
I admit my political prognosticating skills are not functioning too well these days. Tax deal? DADT? DREAM? Any ideas?
Outcomes
Personally I don't mind a bit of hippie punching as long as its used to achieve something. Pass some decent legislation and increase the number of jobs and I'll go set myself on the front lawn of the White House in a dunk tank. Well, once the weather gets a bit warmer anyway.
Chess
As dday suggests, in a vacuum this compromise deal isn't so bad, but if you game things forward a few steps it starts to look a hell of a lot worse.
No Matter What We Do, You'll Have To Keep Bailing Us Out
I suppose I appreciate the honesty.
Parsons said allowing Citi to fail previously or in the future would be akin to having "the heart, the pump of the economic system fail because then everybody else dies."
"It's probably the most important private financial institution for maintaining our economic strength and presence around the world. You can't let an institution like that go down," he said.
I Guess We'd Better Give Them Some More Free Money
Fines are just part of the cost of doing business.
Bank of America Corp. has agreed to pay $137 million in restitution, interest and other penalties to hundreds of U.S. counties, towns, school districts, train, bus and airport systems, and other local-government entities it ripped off with bid-rigging by the bank's employees and bond consultants in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Morning Thread
by Molly Ivors
Bidding a warm farewell to Elizabeth Edwards, a brilliant, classy woman.
And remembering the thirtieth anniversary of another loss.
Gonna be a long day.
Bidding a warm farewell to Elizabeth Edwards, a brilliant, classy woman.
And remembering the thirtieth anniversary of another loss.
Gonna be a long day.
Tuesday, December 07, 2010
Quackery Kills
Since the time this was posted earlier, Kim Tinkham died. I, and many others, believe that Oprah has a responsibility to be more careful than she has been regarding what and whom she promotes. It would be nice if she considered such criticisms and exerted a more positive influence with her media power.
Background at the link.
Background at the link.
Automatic Stabilizers
I'm not sure what they teach the kids these days, but when I learned/taught economics one thing that was covered was the fact that we had super awesome automatic stabilizers (UI, food stamps) that kicked in for both regional and national recessions. It's obviously they case that they aren't large enough, and especially don't last long enough, so, yes, we should make them as awesome as promised.
Meh
I guess that's my reaction to the budget Deal Or No Deal. The economy does need more stimulus and it does provide more of that than expected (recognize expectations game). But if the economy needed more stimulus, why haven't they been making it the case? I understand that stimulus has become a dirty word because, well, I have no idea why, but they could have called it Magic Ponies or whatever.
Is Our Journalists Learning
Is there any chance journalists will realize that 99% of "deficit hawks" in Congress do not care at all about the deficit?
The Medium Run Is Always A Few Years Away
A big problem this administration has is the conflict between the realities of the current economy and their desire to be "fiscally responsible," whatever the hell that means. You can't tie the hands of future members of Congress. Yes given the various veto points in our legislative system you can, potentially, pass things which are hard to overturn, but ultimately as we see it's pretty easy for Republicans to ram through more free money for rich people.
Do the right thing for now, leave future worries to future administrations and Congresses.
Do the right thing for now, leave future worries to future administrations and Congresses.
Re-Reporting
It is a mystery why it's okay in journalism world to copy each other's stories as long as you do it in the least efficient way possible.
Banksters
There are good reasons for having a somewhat complicated clunky title process. And even if we believe all of the banks are acting with pure and noble intentions, if you make the system vulnerable to fraud... there will be fraud. Because, you know, some people are corrupt.
Morning
...general revenue will cover the lost revenue to the Social Security Trust Fund.
Maybe the first year or two, but I think this is just a way to hasten the Social Security shortfall. No one was buying that Social Security was in dire straights 20-30 years down the road. Saying it is going to have a shortfall in 10 years might get people's attention and their willingness to "save" Social Security.
Monday, December 06, 2010
They Know Even Less Than What They Say
On the twitter machine Tim Fernholz wrote:
I suppose there's a small chance this reporter was being sneaky and trying to elicit an answer along the lines of, "The Blue Dogs don't give a shit about the deficit, all they care about are tax cuts for corporations and rich people along with subsidies for favorite campaign donors." But it's more likely that the reporter does not actually know that the Blue Dogs don't give a shit about the deficit, all they care about are tax cuts for corporations and rich people along with subsidies for favorite campaign donors, and instead believes they truly care about the deficit. Which they don't.
A reporter just asked how the WH would convince Blue Dogs to vote for budget-busting tax cuts. LOL.
I suppose there's a small chance this reporter was being sneaky and trying to elicit an answer along the lines of, "The Blue Dogs don't give a shit about the deficit, all they care about are tax cuts for corporations and rich people along with subsidies for favorite campaign donors." But it's more likely that the reporter does not actually know that the Blue Dogs don't give a shit about the deficit, all they care about are tax cuts for corporations and rich people along with subsidies for favorite campaign donors, and instead believes they truly care about the deficit. Which they don't.
Conference Call Blogging
On phone with senior administration officials. That's what their names are.
...deal is much stronger for jobs than anyone expected.
...13 month unemployment benefits extension. 2 percentage point payroll tax cut.
...typical $75,000 earning family will get about $3500 between tax cuts extension and payroll tax holiday.
...making effort to assert and reassert president is not happy with all parts.
...general revenue will cover the lost revenue to the Social Security Trust Fund.
...deal is much stronger for jobs than anyone expected.
...13 month unemployment benefits extension. 2 percentage point payroll tax cut.
...typical $75,000 earning family will get about $3500 between tax cuts extension and payroll tax holiday.
...making effort to assert and reassert president is not happy with all parts.
...general revenue will cover the lost revenue to the Social Security Trust Fund.
The '81 Recession Was Short And Not As Deep
The unemployment rate went higher, but job losses were half in percentage terms and jobs recovered to pre-recession peak in 28 months. We are currently 35 months away from the employment peak and nowhere near close to returning to those job levels. So this time I don't think doing a bit better is going to do it.
Extending Tax Cuts
The great thing about doing it as that even as our press tends to ignore the tax cute/deficit relationship right now, as soon as it passes Obama will own the massively increased deficit, while the GOP will take credit for the tax cuts. They're the Bush tax cuts after all.
Genius.
Genius.
SUPERTRAINS
I know little of Dallas or the nature of its rail system and the neighborhoods it travels through, but it is the case in most American cities that such systems should be built in order to change car-centric development patterns (if you're going to build them). Even in my urban hellhole the extensive commuter rail system is underutilized (though at post-1980 record levels) because in many areas zoning and land use decisions have prevented transit-oriented development around stations.
It's Not About How Conservative He Is
The teabaggers will go after anyone who works with Democrats or is perceived as being friendly to them. It's why Orrin Hatch might be in trouble. While there isn't a lot of bipartisanshippyness going on, Hatch and Lugar are people who have worked with Democrats in the past either on somewhat peripheral issues or to find actual compromise. And that just won't do.